Week 36 - 4 weeks to go!

It’s the 9^th month!

Countdown: 26 days till baby Michael arrives! 

How far along: 36 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain: 19 lbs so far, I’ll get the weight update on Tuesday at this week’s doctor’s appointment! Hopefully it’s not too much because I feel increasingly enormous.  

Maternity clothes?: Yea, but even those are fitting pretty snugly now.

Stretch marks?: Still nothing, thank God!! I’m hoping these last few growing weeks are good to me and don’t induce any stretching.
Belly button, in or out?: Out
Sleep: Still waking up every 2 hours to pee, sleeping in is no longer really an option. No matter how much I want to sleep in, I still wake up around 7. I definitely just need to start napping.
Cravings: Watermelon is the recent one..but nothing crazy. 
Showing yet?: Yep. I’m huge and there’s no hiding it. I got my first, “you look like you’re ready to pop” this week. 
Happy or Moody?: SO happy! I just had the most amazing week/ weekend yet! I’m so sad it went by so quickly.

Movement: I am definitely carrying a soccer player around. He also seems to like water since he always moves extra when I’m in the shower or pool.
Best moment this week: Having all my best friends in town with me & celebrating my baby shower! 
Things I miss: My friends and new family. I’m so sad everyone had to leave and I miss them already!
Gender: BOY!
Looking forward to: The day Michael arrives!
Due Date: August 11^th

This week was quite eventful, but so far it has been one of the most memorable and special weeks of my life. I’ll start off with pregnancy related things. It is officially the start of my 9^th month of pregnancy! These past 8 months have FLOWN by and I can’t believe how close I am to meeting Michael for the very first time. I get emotional just thinking about the first time I lay my eyes on him; I absolutely cannot wait for that day. I know he still needs to spend time growing before he makes his grand entrance, but I wish he would just hurry up!

I’m still experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions which are becoming increasingly uncomfortable, but so far nothing has been painful or cause for worry. My back is still super sore and tired, but there’s nothing I can really do about that. Standing longer than 3 minutes isn’t fun at all. I feel enormous pressure on my lower back and pelvis and feel like my bottom half weighs 500 pounds. Because of this, I am officially rocking the pregnancy waddle. If I’m not careful with what I eat, I’ll get pretty bad heartburn at night – worst feeling and it keeps me up for a while. My feet don’t really swell unless its really hot out and I’m on my feet. As soon as I elevate them, they got back to normal. Michael kicks ALL THE TIME. He never stops moving and while its really annoying at times, I would much rather have him as a mover and a shaker than worrying about lack of movement.

Setting aside all of that, this week was extremely eventful. Tuesday was my 22^nd birthday, and while it was pretty low key, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I spent it with my family and then with my best friend. Birthdays used to be much more exciting, but I still thank God for another year of life and look forward to many more. Favorite present = gift card for a couple of massages at Massage Envy courtesy of David :) I booked a 90 min massage right away and went for that on Wednesday. Probably the most relaxing 90 minutes in the last 8 months – it was absolutely amazing. That night was the start of the arrival of friends and family for the baby shower. Chris and Liz got into town on Wed, Laura T on Thurs, Laura A on Friday and Kristin and Lauren on Saturday morning. Truly special friends I have that would make the trip to NY from far away. I love them all :) We had a full house but it was absolutely amazing and so much fun!

Saturday was the day I had been waiting for for quite some time now – my baby shower! My mom was the main event planner and Chris and Liz helped with making everything perfect! It was such a fabulous day and really made me realize how blessed, loved and supported I am by so many people in my life. I am so grateful to each and every one of them for coming and spending the day with me celebrating Michael. My mom did an absolutely amazing job planning and setting everything up and it was beautiful. The baby shower was held in our backyard and had a sort of garden theme- very cute. David, Michael and I were blessed with pretty much everything we could possibly need for Michael (at least for the first year or so!) I was surrounded by my best friends (some couldn’t come, but they were there in spirit), my family, my new family and I wouldn’t have had it any other way! After the shower, we were able to relax in the pool at Chris and Liz’s hotel which was the perfect ending to an amazing day.

Today my mom and I took Chris and Liz to the hospital where I’ll be delivering so they could all see the maternity ward and labor rooms. Afterwards we had lunch and said goodbye. Hard to imagine that the next time I’ll see them, little Michael will have arrived! This afternoon my mom and I began the (exciting) task of sorting through everything I was given. It took quite a long time but it was fun and I got a chance to really look at everything I received. The diaper /wipes raffle was a success so I think I’ll be set in that department for at least a few months. I’m going to be spending the rest of this week organizing, doing laundry and putting everything away. Not to mention, I’ll be writing thank you cards as well. I also started packing my hospital bags – mine and the diaper bag. Once those are complete, I’ll write a little post about what I put inside each of them. I also started packing my more permanent diaper bag- I can’t believe how quickly that thing can fill up! You don’t really realize how much you need until you start packing. It’s kind of insane…or maybe I’m insane and putting way too much in it. We’ll see.

This week I have my 36 week doctor’s appointment and a meeting with a potential pediatrician. The interviews have officially started and I still need to come up with a solid list of questions so I can make a sound and concrete decision about who my little boy’s doctor will be. I’ll post that up when I get the chance. In the mean time, I am now just playing the waiting game! This Saturday will be 37 weeks and I’ll be considered full-term. He could really arrive at any time which makes me both very excited but also quite nervous! 


To do list:


Make appointments with prospective pediatricians
Clean out bedroom closet; make room for more baby stuff
Wash baby clothes, blankets, sheets, bibs, etc
Buy remaining items needed for hospital and diaper bag
Finish packing hospital and diaper bag
Purchase remaining items on registry
Finish organizing all the gifts from the baby shower
Buy remaining small items for the nursery
Purchase and write thank you cards

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs about 6 pounds, the size of a crenshaw melon and is more than 18.5 inches long. Your baby is shedding most of the downy hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa - a waxy substance that protects the skin during its nine month bath in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows these substances along with other secretions and they form a tar-like black substance called meconium which your baby passes in his first bowel movements. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full term (37-42 weeks) Most likely he is in a head down position. If not, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version - coaxing the baby into a head down position by manipulating him from the outside of your belly.