Milestones -- 37 weeks

Making my Seryn shirt work HARD today!

Tomorrow (Thursday) marks 37 weeks of pregnancy.  Why is this number important and this week a milestone?  Well, this is argued some in the mama-to-be world, but most of my apps (yes, I have more than one) and my weekly update from The Bump all agree that this week means that Baby R has reached full term! 

But Mandy, why do you still have 3 weeks to go if you're full term?

Good question!  It's because your EDD (estimated due date) can be off by about two weeks.  So, I could be ready to have a fully developed, healthy baby, or I could actually only be at about 35 weeks of development if Baby R were to show up today.  BUT, assuming I'm right on schedule, 37 weeks indicates that Baby R has reached all of his or her crucial developmental milestones. 

One might think this would make me anxious/ready to have this baby at any time.  Well, that was the case...until yesterday. 

Remember when Carmen had surgery back in January to repair her left ACL tendon?  Well, guess who tore the right one on Memorial Day?

Who, me??

Yep.

So, my first "born" baby will be going in for another major surgery this Friday.  Her recovery last time was a nightmare due to our schedules and her tendency to be a giant pain in the ass/contortionist any time we'd leave the house.  She somehow managed to pull the staples out of her legs three different times, which extended her recovery by at least 2-3 weeks.

This news plus my pretty standard emotional level these days (due to heartburn, anxiety and lack of sleep, plus plain old pregnancy hormones) was a bit much to handle.  Allow some of my favorite sexy actors to display the range of emotions I've been through recently:

 

 

Get the idea?

However....

Thanks to the prayers and kind words of friends AND the amazing reaction to this news and planning already done by my husband, I'm....dealing with it. 

Michael is pretty much off work for the summer, and what commitments he does have will only be for a few hours at a time, when I can run home and watch Carmen and then go back to work to make up the time.  I've pretty much cancelled all of our/my commitments for the next three weeks, so that we can just kind of go into hibernation mode at home.

And honestly? I'm kind of looking forward to that. 

We'll be together as a family of three for the last small bit of time before Baby R arrives.  Granted, it will be because my dog is recovering from a major surgery and cannot be trusted/left alone, but...still.  There are so many silver linings to this happening NOW instead of later:

• The weather is warmer!  When she gets her staples out, we'll be able to take her over to Grandma's to swim and get that great exercise in, which we couldn't do in January/February.
• The baby isn't here yet.  If this had happened WITH a newborn, I....don't think I would handle it well.
• I'll be home.  So when/if that nesting instinct ever really kicks in, I can clean my house and keep working on the baby's room!
• I'll be home.  With my two best friends.  So hopefully that will keep me happy and calm and, subsequently, my blood pressure down. Which is a good thing at this stage of pregnancy.

Work may be a challenge, especially as I am preparing for the LAST BIG MEETING of the year before summer, but even that will be over one week from today.  So...God is good and He is keeping me from the brink of a complete meltdown, through the use of logic (imagine that!) and my awesome husband and some really generous and thoughtful friends. 

Are you still with me?  If so, reward yourself with some 37 week stats:

Baby R's size: What to Expect app says this baby is the size of a watermelon.  o_O

 

Baby R's developments: Baby is preparing his/her first poop for us.  Practicing blinking and grabbing and sucking.  As I said earlier, all crucial developmental milestones have been reached, but we definitely want him/her to cook til the due date (June 20th)! 

 

Currently Craving: No real cravings anymore.  It's summer, so the "cold and sweet" craving just feels normal now.  

 

How's the belly looking: Big! 

 

Sleep & Dreams: With the exception of a few nights of heartburn that led me to the edge of a psychotic breakdown, I'm really doing okay.  Still not sleeping for HOURS at a time, but I'm sleeping. Which is nice. 

 

How I am feeling: Really just fine. Tired, of course.  Feeling heavy and cumbersome, and the heartburn sucks, but overall, I'm fine.  The cough from the Black Plague is almost completely gone!

Evidence of Pregnancy Brain: Yesterday, I had jury duty. I forgot the words to the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Movement:All the time! Very active, roly-poly baby in there. 

 

Exercise: Does getting dressed count?

 

Innie or outie: Still an innie!But it's flatter.

 

Stretch marks: Still none.

 

Rings on or off: Still on!My OB even mentioned that at the last appointment! 

 

Maternity wear: The same two or three things over and over these days, as it gets warmer. I did bust out the Seryn shirt today (see pic at top) just because I like it and it's stretchy and comfortable.

 

Baby related purchases: Last weekend we bought our pack & play (and a sheet to match), the baby monitor, some boobie-care stuff for me (you're welcome), and a Baby K'Tan wrap! I can't wait to use it!

 

Days until due date: 22. Twenty. Two.  And I hope I use every last one of them til Baby gets here!

If you made it all the way through this blog, enjoy this:

Milestones -- 35/35

35 weeks pregnant -- 35 days to go

We've reached another milestone in our journey towards meeting Baby R!  Today marks 35/35 -- meaning that I am 35 weeks pregnant and have 35 days left (obviously both are approximations, but it's still another milestone moment that's fun to celebrate).

Thirty. Five. Days.

Heck no, I'm not freaking out. 

Not really. 

Okay maybe a little. 

But really?  My amazing husband made a good point this morning when we were talking on the phone after we left our doctor's appointment to head our separate ways.  He said, "Honey think about it...if we had the baby today, we'd be ready.  We have all the paperwork, we have money in the bank, we have a place for it to sleep, we have a carseat, and we have your boobs."  I mean...he's right.  But, still.  I'd like at least a few more weeks, please.  Hear that, little one?  Keep cookin!

Plus I have one more shower on Saturday that I'd like to attend (the first two were blogged about previously, so scroll on down to read about 'em!)!

Now how about some stats??

 

Baby R's size: Baby R could be 17.2 to 18.7 inches, 4.2 to 5.8 pounds! The produce aisle comparison is currently a cantaloupe, apparently. Also, The Bump says my uterus has grown to 1,000 times its original size, which is just freakin' weird.

 

Baby R's developments: Circulation and immune systems are just about good to go.  If it's a boy, his testes should have descended by now (good to know...).  Hearing is fully developed! Closer and closer to being able to breathe on his/her own should we delivery early. 

 

Currently Craving: Whatever doesn't give me heartburn?  My appetite and cravings have really slowed down lately. I also have been sick with some sort of Black Plague in my lungs that have completely killed smell and taste, so I'm just like "whatever" when it comes to food. 

 

How's the belly looking: Huge, apparently.  I've gotten "Any day now, right?" or some variation more than once, now. 

 

Sleep & Dreams: I've been sick and the heartburn and cough are both worse at night, so I'm lucky if I get 4-5 good hours in per night. I don't think I'm sleeping restfully enough to dream lately.  It sucks.  I just want to take a nap.

 

How I am feeling: Again...sick.  But I'm recovering. I always considered myself a non-medicator before I got pregnant...I'd go as long as possible without taking anything.  But ahhhhh to have that option now!! I FINALLY got on some antibiotics for this chest congestion yesterday, so I'm hoping to be on the upswing soon.  I miss breathing normally.

Evidence of Pregnancy Brain: Still the same. I am pretty good when it comes to work and making sure my dog gets fed and all that, but I really can't be bothered with much else in the ol' memory bank.

 

Movement: Very active baby.  He or she is running out of room, so it's more slides and pushes and rolls than actual kicks, but the kicks are HARD when they're there.  Also, lots of hiccups, which I have determined that the baby hates.  I'll feel several, and then what feels like frustrated flailing.  Poor little thing...I hate them, too!

 

Exercise:I get out of breath putting on lotion after my shower.  So any movement/activity at all feels like a workout these days.

 

Innie or outie: Still an innie!

 

Stretch marks: Still none.

 

Rings on or off: Still on!

 

Maternity wear: Duh.

 

Baby related purchases: Well I bought four nursing bras yesterday! We've also been buying household items such as a big container of hand sanitizer and large refills of anti-bacterial soap, plus baby-friendly detergent.  We have a few more big things to buy after the showers are over (hallelujah for gift cards!), but really we're getting so close to being ready!

 

Days until due date: 35! We've been over this.

Not much longer now, you guys.  Get excited!

Showered, Pt. 2

Last weekend was my second baby shower -- this one was for family and "family friends" -- people who have been in my life long enough to be pretty much considered family!  It was hosted by my two beautiful sisters-in-law (the very ones with whom I bake Christmas cookies every year), and it was a gorgeous shower.  Everything was gray and white and yellow, and there were chevrons (!!) and hydrangeas everywhere (my favorite flower!).

Baby R and I were very spoiled once again!  Now to find a place to put it all!

Look how cute we were as behbehs!

Hand sanitizer as shower favors! GREAT idea!

Look at those Muppet letter bibs!

Diaper Cake!

Hydrangeas -- my FAVORITE

These were UNFAIRLY delicious.

I mean, really, is there anything more delicious than Shower Punch?

SPOILED

Guests wrote me notes about each stage of the babies first year.

For our future Sox fan!

Custom-made crib skirt from my aunt!

Mom, me and Grandma

My sisters/hostesses!  Love these girls. My brothers have excellent taste in women.

One shower left on May 18th from my "theatre family!"

 OH AND ALSO on the day of the shower posted about here, Michael had a "diaper shower," in which all the guys in the family took him to lunch (burgers and beers and MANLY THINGS) and brought him a TON of diapers! So nice to already have a stash!