26-31 Week Bumpdates

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh... I'm once again lumping together several weeks worth of bumpdates... But, in my defense, we did just move and I try to sleep whenever I have a few extra minutes during the day!

I have definitely gained A LOT more this time around than I did with Jax (I was just over 20 lbs. when Jax was born), but it sounds like Little Brother is measuring right on track. I have had two different doctors appointments since I last blogged -- one a few weeks ago for my glucose test and then another one Wednesday for my (now) standard every two-week checkup. The doctor told me I passed my glucose test with "flying colors" (whew!) but am slightly anemic... she said it isn't anything to worry about (and if memory serves me correctly, I was also slightly anemic with Jax) but was just something to be noted.

At Wednesday's appointment, they did the standard heartbeat check (which gave Jackson the biggest smile ever -- he is so into babies right now and loves poking/talking to his brother) and measurements (I guess he is measuring a little big, but the doctor said it could be because we caught him during a growth spurt -- they'll check again in two weeks) and everything sounds like it is going well! Little Brother sure does like to move and still wiggles and kicks the most whenever Jax and I lay down to read.

Other than that, there hasn't been anything too eventful happening, so on with the bumpdate!

Messy master bedroom at the old place (and an adorable photo bomber) -- Week 26 

Messy master bedroom at the new place (sans photo bomber) -- Week 30
Yes; I wear this crazy comfortable maternity shirt from The Loft a few times a week!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I was up about 23 lbs. at Wednesday's doctor appointment.

Maternity clothes: Yes! I still haven't bought too many of them, but I basically live in the maternity shirts I do have (as seen above) as well as baggy shirts I already owned, maxi skirts, dresses, yoga pants, and over-sized shirts I received during high school and college. 

Stretch marks: Negative.

Sleep: I didn't have too many issues up until week 30, when the dreaded nightly body aches/not being able to get (or stay) comfortable kicked in... However, I ordered a memory foam body pillow off Amazon this afternoon and look forward to receiving it and taking up both Brandon's and my sides of the bed with it. 

Best moment last week: Best moments in the last month would have to be Wednesday's doctor visit and seeing the look on Jax's face when he heard the baby's heartbeat, our family trip to the mountains, moving/closing on houses/buying new furniture, and just the random time we have gotten to spend with extended family. 

Movement: LOTS of moving! 

Food cravings/aversions: I could eat fruit, fruit flavored candy, and mint Oreos for every meal and not complain.

Gender: Little Brother! 

Labor signs: No, thank goodness. 

Belly button - in or out? I'm carrying really high (again), so the top half of my belly button pops out. 

What I miss: Sleeping through the night and being able to get/stay comfortable. 

What I am looking forward to: We are actually going back to the cabin with my family in a few weeks which should be a lot of fun! 

23, 24, & 25 Week Bumpdate

Another one... two... and three weeks... another bump date. Yeah, there is definitely shame in my blogging game.

To be completely honest, these past few weeks have been some of the hardest in recent memory. My Great Aunt Millie (who I have been talking about my last few posts) passed away last Wednesday and we have her funeral this morning. I know that it was her time to go, but it's just hard... on top of that, I have never been around somebody on a nearly daily basis who is sick, so it was extremely difficult to watch her go from the feisty, independent, wine drinking, poker playing, red sports car driving 96-year-old to how she was during her last days. If you knew my Aunt Millie, you know that there were little-to-no stops for her in terms of getting into heaven... she was an amazing woman who loved her faith, family, and friends and we are going to miss her dearly. It's still hard imagining a world without Aunt Millie in it, but I am blessed to have so many amazing memories to look back on (like the time she took my brother and I skiing for our first time... when she was 80). I am hoping to get some sort of a memorial written on here over the next few weeks, so stand by!

In other news, I have a secret... I have been thinking about starting a new Catholic faith-based lifestyle blog for the last year, finally started working on it back in February, and completely shoved it to the side after getting busy with life and pregnancy fatigue... but after much prayer and thought, I am getting fired up about it again and hope to launch by the end of this summer! That being said, the formatting around here may be changing some... Annie One Can Cook will probably become strictly what it has been for the last year -- a place to share stories and updates about our family -- while this new one will be a place to write about faith, encouragement, home decor, simple recipes, entertaining tips, and so on. I thank you all for your patience as I make this transition -- I hope that you will stick around.

Okay, and now the reason you're here: my 23, 24, & 25 week bumpdate!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I was up 15 lbs. yesterday at my doctor's appointment. 

Maternity clothes: YES and I am kicking myself for not buying them sooner! I finally bought a belly band for my jeans, two tops during The Loft's big 4th of July 50% sale, and some other large shirts that are a joy to wear. (The pictured dress is actually a junior's large from Walmart, but it is about the most comfortable thing ever!)

Stretch marks: Notta one. Thank you, genetics! 

Sleep: These last few weeks have been rough... I wake 3-4 times a night to use the restroom and usually can't go back to sleep after my 3:30 trip. Oh well.. it gives me time to research my articles and buy crap on Amazon!

Best moment last week: We didn't tell many people about it (because we didn't want to worry everyone), but during our 20-week anatomy scan, our doctor found a small cyst on Little Brother's brain. We were assured that it was probably just part of the growing process and that it should go away on it's own (since I'm not considered to be high risk and our genetics testing all came back normal), but there was a chance it could mean there were chromosomal abnormalities. Brandon and I both kind of decided from the get-go to not worry about it (growing up, my dad always assured me time and again that God would never give you anything He didn't think you could handle, so I knew that if our baby was born with special needs, it was meant to be and we would love him unconditionally), but it was confirmed yesterday that the cyst has disappeared and that baby looks healthy all around! 

Movement: He's still a mover (and still does it the most whenever Jax and I lay down to read or Jax jabbers for a long period of time)! 

Food cravings/aversions: On the cravings front, mostly just fruit and fruit flavored candy. 

Gender: Little Brother! 

Labor signs: No and it can stay that was for another 15 weeks.  

Belly button - in or out? When I wake up after nap, it looks like it may pop, but so far it's stayed in. 

What I miss: Aunt Millie :(

What I am looking forward to: Having the buying/selling/moving process completed at the beginning of next month! 

19, 20, 21, & 22 Week Bumpdate

Yeah, my blogging game is really, really weak... sorry, S.B.B. (who we are now referring to as "Little Brother.") Last week, we put in our first offer on a new home and had it ACCEPTED, resulting in us having to put the home we are in now on the market that same day... between back-to-back showings, being essentially homeless, and then the Father's Day fall (more on that in a sec), things have been pretty chaotic. The good news is that we had ELEVEN offers on our home and were under contract within 3 days, but now the stress that comes with packing begins.

Anyway, back to the fall. Two weekends ago, my sweet great aunt let us crash in her guest room since our house was being shown all weekend. That Sunday morning (Father's Day) I was woke up at 7:20 from a phone call from Brandon -- who had just left for work -- saying that as soon as he opened the door, my aunt's dog ran out. Still being half asleep, I grabbed my phone and shoes and darted outside and for the first time in my LIFE, wasn't looking down as I walked. Long story short, I slipped on some cotton from a nearby cottonwood tree, fell really hard on my knees, completely shattered my iPhone screen, AND landed on my stomach. I wasn't exactly sure what to do at this point (since the dog was still missing), so I turned around to head back into the house... luckily, my mom was in the bathroom when I walked in, so I told her the dog ran away and that I'd fallen, so she went out trying to find him. Around this time is when it finally occurred to me that I had landed HARD on my stomach, so I began feeling around and lightly pushing in hopes of feeling a kick or a wiggle. Nothing.

About one minute later, both Brandon and my mom walked into the house (with the dog, thank goodness) and I broke down because I couldn't feel the baby. Brandon and I then went into the bathroom, where he tried calling my OB, but since it was a Sunday, the office was closed. That's when we made the decision to just get up and go to the ER down the street. Fortunately, Jackson was still asleep during all of this, so my awesome parents stayed back at the house to watch him for us.

We were the only people at the ER that morning, so as soon as we walked in (all while I'm choking back tears), we had our own room and were seen by a doctor. It took awhile for them to find Little Brother's heartbeat (scariest. thing. ever -- and even when they did find it, they didn't bother telling us! They kept saying it was mine we were hearing), but once I found out they had it, I broke down in relief. Since they have an on-call ultrasound technician, we had to stay in the room and wait awhile, but were fortunately kept busy by both HGTV and by looking at new phones for me.

Once the ultrasound tech arrived, things got better and better -- Little Brother looked PERFECT, I was showing no signs of early labor, and I was assured that everything looked great. Earlier, the doctor had recommended we go into my regular hospital for a 4-hour monitoring, but after being reassured by the ultrasound tech that everything looked great (and that they were just going to do the same thing at the hospital), Brandon and I talked about forgoing in order to get home to Jax. When the doctor came back to the room, I asked her if she thought it was really necessary, to which she seemed offended and answered yes.

At this point, L.B. was kicking like mad and I wanted nothing more than to get back to Jax, so I walked out into the main area to nicely tell the doctor that we just wanted to get home to our son and that everything felt great. I know this will sound like an exaggeration, but I swear it isn't: the bully, shattered-ego doctor gave me the nastiest look I have ever seen and told me "Fine. But if you go into an early labor or miscarry, that is on you, not me," and continued to rudely tell me that I had to sign release papers refusing her professional opinion. I was shocked. I wasn't exactly sure what to say at this point, so I just told her "Way to make me feel like a terrible mother," and walked away. The nurse (who was sitting next to the doctor during all of this) ran after me and actually apologized for how rude the doctor was and I told her it was fine and that I just wanted to go.

After returning to my aunt's house, seeing Jax and getting him ready for church with my parents, changing out of my pajamas, and brushing my teeth, we decided to head over to my regular hospital (since they were expecting us anyway). I was hooked up to the monitors for about 30 minutes before the doctor came in and told me it wasn't necessary for me to be there in the first place (since I already had the ultrasound at the ER, everything looked great, and the simple fact that they don't recommend the monitoring until after 24 weeks), which resulted in me being even more annoyed with the ER doctor.

(You can bet that later that day I sent an email to the administration and filled out their survey -- you don't tell a pregnant woman who is already shaken up that she's a bad mother!)

And that, my friends, was one Father's Day that we will never forget! If you are still reading, thanks! If not, I understand... but here's my regular bumpdate anyway:

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I haven't been to the doctor in a few weeks now, but I'm guessing about 15 lbs. 

Maternity clothes: No, but I really, really need to! One of my good friends (who is also pregnant) recommended checking Zulilly for their flowy and forgiving tops, so I plan to do that this afternoon. 

Stretch marks: I thought I saw a few the other night, but it was just indentations from my shorts. 

Sleep: Not too bad! I still wake a few times to use the restroom, but can usually get back to sleep right away *knock on wood.*

Best moment last week: Best moment in the last four weeks? Probably all the family time we've been getting with my parents (and great aunt, who is still here!) and my mom's and my Vegas trip. 

Movement: All. the. time. I can especially feel him whenever Jax and I read or when Jax starts jabbering non-stop :)

Food cravings/aversions: None of the above... I just like to eat! 

Gender: Little Brother! 

Labor signs: Nope! 

Belly button - in or out? In, but the other day it looked like it may pop.  

What I miss: Fitting into my regular clothes and not being exhausted by the end of each day. 

What I am looking forward to: Brandon leaves for a Vegas trip with a few of his buddies next week, so Jax and I are taking our own little trip to my parents! 

17 & 18 Week Bumpdates

Okay, I swear that I'm trying to make the time to blog... but these past few weeks have been even crazier than usual :/ Like I always say, *hopefully* things will slow down soon, but who knows if that will happen... ugh, too busy! Anyway, I wanted to make it a point to get both this and Jacksie's next update written this week and figured I'd start with my bumpdate because it would be shorter and easier, ha! Here is what S.B.B. and I have been up to the last two weeks.

Sorry... making the bed, cleaning the mirror, and picking things up was just too much to ask!  

How far along: 16 weeks, 4 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I had a regular doctor's appointment last week and weighed in at 149, bringing me to a 12 lb. weight gain. 

Maternity clothes: I splurged on a few maxi skirts (pictured) and am kicking myself for not doing it sooner! They are so comfortable and forgiving... I was told by many that I'd gain faster/show earlier with this second baby and they weren't kidding!

Stretch marks: Nada.

Sleep: Eh... I still get up at least once a night to use the restroom and have about a 50/50 chance of immediately falling back asleep... we FINALLY got Jax back into his own bed at night too which has been a comfortable blessing for all! (More room = happy mamma!)

Best moment last week: It has actually been a very bittersweet week. My amazing 96-year-old Great Aunt Millie (who only lives a few blocks away from us) was given a few days to live so we've been over there daily entertaining her (with Mr. Personality, Jax) and visiting. The initial diagnosis was a week and a half ago and she's still going strong -- and still as feisty as ever -- so we've been enjoying this special time with her. 

Movement: Not really... but I can feel those weird little hardening/softening of the uterus contractions a few times a day so it's easier to tell where he is. 

Food cravings/aversions: Aside from fruit, no real cravings... we've just been overeating!! (My parents have been staying the night at Millie's this week and we go out/order in almost every night.)

Gender: BOY!!!

Labor signs: No, thank goodness!

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Being ahead on work... ha! 

What I am looking forward to: Mom and I leave for Vegas early Thursday morning :D 

15 & 16 Week Bumpdates

I'm about a week and a half late posting my 15 week bumpdate... and about 1/2 week late posting my 16 week bumpdate... so I figured I would just combine the two into one rockin' post! We spent all of last week visiting Brandon's extended family in Bismarck and since returning home, we have been busy cleaning and slowing preparing our house to sell (more on that later). Anyway, it's been an eventful couple of weeks here, so let's get bumpin'!

Please ignore my face and note the adorable sleeping toddler and kitty in the background!

How far along: 16 weeks, 4 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I had my 16 week checkup on Friday and weighed in at 147 (which is 10+ lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight)... I am almost 94% sure that a lot of that weight gain came from all the delicious foods we ate in Bismarck... 

Maternity clothes: No, but everything continues to feel tighter and tighter. 

Stretch marks: Nope.

Sleep: I was shocked by how well I slept in Bismarck! Brandon, Jax, and I all shared a full-size bed and honestly, it's the best I've slept in months! (I think we were so exhausted by the end of each day that we all crashed hard.) Now that we're home, I'm sleeping okay and am maybe getting up to use the restroom once or twice a night. 

Best moment last week: Finding out that S.B.B. is a BOY!!! Brandon's sweet aunt threw us a gender reveal during a family get together so we could all find out together -- it was so fun! Full post coming soon :)

Movement: There have been a few times now where I've thought I felt a kick, but I'm pretty sure it was just gas bubbles. (Sorry for the TMI, but if you've ever been pregnant, you know exactly what I'm talking about!) 

Food cravings/aversions: No aversions this week, but I'm finally begging to crave veggies again (mainly in the form of relish trays with lots of ranch dressing)! 

Gender: BOY!!!

Labor signs: No and hopefully it stays that way for another 22 weeks or so! 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: The North Dakota bunch.

What I am looking forward to: Mom's and my big Vegas getaway in a few weeks! 

14 Week Bumpdate

Well I can honestly say that I'm beginning to feel more and more pregnant...

Aside from cravings (more on that below), I have had TERRIBLE pregnancy brain... now, I will admit that I can be flaky and forgetful, but this is just downright ridiculous. For example, last weekend Jax and I went to my parent's so we could participate in the local Pinewood Derby... anyway, my brother was off Sunday and Monday and came up as well and as we were sitting around talking, we got on the topic of funny commercials and I went off on this big thing about "Hey, do you remember when you lived with Brandon and me in 2013 and there was this hilarious commercial we watched with dancing gnomes?" Needless to say, he had no idea what I was talking about and I literally spent the next HOUR Googling 'funny car commercials with gnomes 2013.' Google didn't know what the hell I was talking about and it was the most frustrating thing ever... Finally, it hit me -- it wasn't a car commercial; it was for the Droid HTC (I knew there was an acronym in there somewhere, but convinced myself it was for a car).

Ladies and gentlemen; I give you the commercial:

Had I just remembered that the commercial featured Robert Downey, Jr. (or had I just dropped it like a rational person), I could have saved so much time... 

Anyway, here's everything else that happened last week!

How far along: 14 weeks, 1 day

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I was pleasantly surprised at the Dr.'s office when I discovered I've only gained 5 pounds... it feels/looks like a lot more!

Maternity clothes: No... just sweats. 

Stretch marks: Nooooooo.

Sleep: Not too shabby this week! I still have to get up a few times a night to potty, but I've actually been able to fall right back asleep. I am also happy to report that Jax has been sleeping very well in his bed. (If we remember to move him from our bed before we fall asleep.)

Best moment last week: Seeing beautiful S.B.B.! It was amazing how much he/she grew and changed in 4 short weeks... you could perfectly make out the outline of his/her perfect little head and body! The little wiggle worm even waved a few times, causing Jackson to wave back... cutest thing ever! Here's a few snapshots of the little munchkin:

"Hi Jackson!"

Such a little wiggle worm -- we were able to see him/her moving the second they placed the wand on my stomach.

First time with a 3D ultrasound... I told Brandon the baby looks exactly like him (he didn't think it was funny).

Movement: I *thought* I felt something yesterday, but it may have just been a fluke... Stay tuned.

Food cravings/aversions: MAJOR cravings for Beef & Broccoli, fruit, pizza, and rhubarb pie (which I STILL haven't gotten). As far as aversions go, I can't stand raw veggies, which is a bummer since I've always been a big kale and spinach eater :/

Gender: We will find out next week :D

Labor signs: No! 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Overall, I'm pretty content this week... my only complaint is that the stiff neck I woke up with Sunday morning isn't going away.

What I am looking forward to: Enjoying a quiet weekend at home before visiting family in North Dakota!

13 Week Bumpdate

Another week, another bumpdate!

This week has been pretty uneventful in terms of pregnancy... I'm definitely showing a lot sooner this time around and am wanting to eat basically 24/7. We have our second ultrasound this morning (I didn't mention it last time, but I guess I have a small tear in my uterus that the Dr. assured wasn't a huge deal, but she wanted to keep an eye on it), so here's hoping everything looks okay!

Let's bump:

I chopped off my hair yesterday... I'm not sure why I even bother growing it out because I don't own a curling iron and/or want to learn how to style my hair. Anyway, it looks and feels much better now. 

How far along: 13 weeks, 1 day

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still no desire to step on a scale... though I'll probably have to at this mornings Dr.'s appointment :/ 

Maternity clothes: No... BUT I'm getting ready to buy some jeans! Mine are getting tighter by the day. 

Stretch marks: Nada.

Sleep: About the same as last week... I still wake up multiple times a night to use the restroom and we are working on getting Jax to sleep in his bed and by himself all night... long story short, NOBODY is sleeping well. 

Best moment last week: Brandon surprised me by taking me to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2"! 

Movement: No; just the occasional hardening in my lower stomach. 

Food cravings/aversions: No aversions, but major cravings for fruit and yogurt.

Gender: We still don't know, but are considering doing genetics testing just so we can find out sooner...

Labor signs: No! 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Mostly just sleep. I can usually get a good nap in every afternoon with Jax, but by doing so, I feel like I'm throwing off my night time sleep... BUT if I don't get my nap, I'm miserable and exhausted the entire day... It's a major Catch 22. 

What I am looking forward to: Seeing S.B.B. again today via ultrasound! (And going to Costco -- AKA my happy place -- after to shop and have lunch.)

12 Week Bumpdate

After an almost 2 1/2 year hiatus doing bumpdates, I am back!!

Like I mentioned earlier this week, I started doing all of Jackson's posts the second I found out I was pregnant... fast forward 3 years and it's a miracle if I can find the time to actually sit down and blog once a month :/ Anyway, one of the reasons I blog is for baby book purposes and since I did bumpdates/big baby announcement posts for Jackson, I want to do the same for S.B.B. (Super Bowl Baby -- can you guess where I got the nickname? :P) -- I'm sure that both of them couldn't care less when the time comes, but you never know...

Without further ado, here is my 12 week bumpdate:

Jax and I were at the park all morning with friends, so please excuse the no makeup/ponytail look that has become my life!

How far along: 12 weeks, 1 day

Total Weight Gain/Loss: To be completely honest, I have no desire to step on a scale (in fear of freaking myself out)... I am definitely getting more of a stomach on me this time around (WAY different from Jax) and am already noticing myself looking heavier in both my thighs and butt. 

Maternity clothes: Not yet... but I do live in loose shirts and belt-less jeans! 

Stretch marks: Nope! I didn't get any with Jax (thank you, good genetics!) and am hoping S.B.B. is just a generous. 

Sleep: Sleep? What is this sleep that you speak of? I guess that overall, it hasn't been too bad... I'm just up multiple times a night using the restroom. Lucky for me, Jax is still a pretty good napper, so I try to take advantage every day by laying down to nap with him... It's my saving grace! 

Best moment last week: Hmm... if I can think back that far... Probably just the gorgeous weather we've been having and being able to spend so much time outside with Jackson and friends! 

Movement: Not yet... BUT a few weeks ago I did feel my stomach hardening and when I looked down, I had an obscure, tumor looking thing popping out of my lower stomach. There is definitely something (hopefully a baby) in there!

Food cravings/aversions: Weeks 7-10, I had a hard time eating anything... it. was. rough. The only things I could really stomach were yogurt, fruit, crackers, Ginger Ale, and basically nothing else. Now, however, I am feeling much, much better and have started cooking again, as well as have hardcore cravings for tacos, nachos, ice cream, yogurt, fruit, gummies, and biscuits and gravy. 

Gender: Brandon and I definitely both have our opinions, but will be happy with whatever we have! I did have a dream the other night that we were having a girl...

Labor signs: Noooo, thank goodness! 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Having the energy to do the things I used to do! Jax and I like being on-the-go all the time, but that definitely hasn't been happening for the last 5 weeks... one of my friends is a few weeks further along than I am and said she's finally getting her energy back, so hopefully mine also makes its appearance again soon! 

What I am looking forward to: Oh, so many things! We're visiting Brandon's family in Bismarck next month, my mom and I are going to Vegas for our second "Annie's pregnant, let's go to Vegas to see shows and eat buffet food" trip, and we meet with our real estate agent later today :D Exciting things are happening! 

38 Week Bumpdate

38 Weeks.

Wait, 38 weeks?! Baby, you can seriously come whenever--you're full term and I want to hold you!

If you happened to read my Friday Funnies post, then you know that as of last Wednesday, I am 2 centimeters dilated! While this may not seem like too a big deal (I have friends and family who told me they were dilated at 2 centimeters for weeks.. or months!) my doctor said that he was surprised to see how quickly I was progressing and guessed that Jr. would be here in the next week or two. C'mon, Christmas baby! Anyway, I have been getting weird bursts of energy here and there so I've been very productive and spent the weekend baking Christmas goods, cleaning, and preparing for his big arrival.

Will he come this week? We shall see..

How far along: 37 weeks, 4 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +20

Maternity clothes: None this week--just a lot of sweats and unbuttoned pants!

Stretch marks: Nope!

Sleep: I actually haven't been sleeping too badly this week--I can usually fall asleep fairly easily but staying asleep is the hard part. Friday night was by far the worst night I've had in awhile--I could not sleep! I kept thinking to myself, "Oh, it's probably because your water is about to break and your intuition is keeping you awake.." but that was not the case. It's just so hard to get comfortable these days! However, I did invest in a Chillow on Saturday and its by far the best investment I've made all year. Pregnant gals: get one! I don't know why I didn't think of buying one sooner.

Best moment last week: Getting the nursery basically finished up--pictures coming tomorrow or Wednesday!

Movement: Yep. Baby Sand was head banging a bunch on Saturday night while Brandon and I drove around listening to Christmas music and looking at lights--Baby's favorite song was Fred Waring's arrangement of "The Nutcracker Suite" (pretty hardcore stuff).

Food cravings/aversions: Nutella. All day, err day.

Gender: Boy babe. 

Labor signs: I still get sporadic pains (mostly on my right side) but its nothing consistent. I was feeling pretty good yesterday afternoon and decided to go for a nice walk when I started feeling a bunch of weird pressure in my lower stomach.. I kept thinking maybe it was my water getting ready to break but nothing ever happened :/

Belly button - in or out? Okay, so the top half is out but the bottom half sucked itself back in.. yeah, I don't get it either.

What I miss: I'm actually pretty content this week.

What I am looking forward to: Same answer I've been giving the last couple of weeks--Christmas! Our gifts are all beautifully wrapped under the tree and I have a bunch of Christmas goodies in the freezer. 

9 more days!!

37 Week Bumpdate

I learned something yesterday: when you're pregnant, any bit of common sense that you may still have completely disappears.

Case in point: I wake up yesterday morning after getting very little sleep (Baby Sand has decided that my ribcage is the perfect place to rest his feet..), get out of bed, and decide to venture out in the snow to go to Walmart--I have been so incredibly tired/lazy over these past few weeks and had a long list of groceries and baby things we needed so I figured it was time to get my butt into gear and go shopping. After walking around Walmart for nearly two hours (I don't move as quickly as I used to..), I decided I had everything I needed for hubby (food and a shovel), baby (socks and a few odds and ends for the diaper bag), and mamma (hospital bag essentials). So I get home and decide that I need to wash all of the babies and my new attire and throw it into the washing machine.

You may already know where this is going..

A half hour later, I go down to the laundry room to find pink everything! I bought some really colorful and comfortable looking "high rise bikini underwear" to wear post-baby and decided it'd be just fine to throw those into the washing machine (on cold, of course, because then the colors won't run.. when has that ever worked? Get with the freaking program, Annie!) with Jr.'s new white socks and my white nursing bras and pads..

Wah wah waaaaaaah

Anyway, everything is packed away now and ready for the hospital--I'm just going to pretend that I intentionally bought a bunch of pink things so the baby and I would match.. in pink (that kinda makes sense, right?).

How far along: 36 weeks, 4 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 20 lbs--that's a four pound jump from last week!

Maternity clothes: I stuck to dresses and unbuttoned/non-maternity pants last week and they worked just fine.

Stretch marks: Still no marks!

Sleep: No... no sleep. I haven't been needing to get up as many times in the night to use the restroom but my ribs hurt like none other so it's nearly impossible to get comfortable--I've tried reasoning with the baby to come out early ("You know Baby, you should really think about coming out before Christmas. If you do, I'll read you the Christmas book I got you and I'll even buy you a present!") but so far he isn't listening. Little stinker..

Best moment last week: The Christmas party/surprise baby shower with my moms group!

Movement: Yep.. and lots of it.

Food cravings/aversions: I actually haven't had too many cravings this week.. just cereal.

Gender: Boy babe. 

Labor signs: I have been getting really sporadic lower back pain so I was hoping that was a sign of labor but apparently it wasn't.. I had my regular checkup last week and had my doctor check to see if I was dilated at all.

Nope. Not one bit.

He'll be here in January.

Belly button - in or out? Out.

What I miss: Sleep and when the baby was too small to hit my ribs..

What I am looking forward to: Christmas!

36 Week Bumpdate

I wanted to begin this post by apologizing for my absence late last week--my computer is on the fritz (yet again..) and I haven't been able to use it often. However, I am married to a very smart and tech-y guy who plans to fix it later this evening when the part he ordered comes in! Yay computer! Switching gears to baby..

I'm going to be singing a different tune for a sec, so bear with me..

..Baby Sand, you can come on out next week when you're full term! I won't mind one bit!

This last week has been pretty rough and uncomfortable--lots of cramps, sleepless nights, aches, pains, and shortness of breath. I try not to complain too much because I have been extremely blessed with an easy pregnancy (heck, I've been extremely blessed to be pregnant in the first place) but I'm glad that the end is in sight. I have had several people now tell me that I'm going to miss being pregnant once he's here (which I know I will) so I'm trying to take everything one day at a time and enjoy feeling his every movement.

Even the kicks to the ribs.

Only four more weeks until we get to hold our son!

Here's a special treat for you all--a surprise cameo appearance by Bitsy!

How far along: 35 weeks, 4 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 16 lbs.

Maternity clothes: Oh maternity clothes.. where have you been all my life?! After Thanksgiving dinner, I vowed to myself to never wear my skinny jeans again--I even unbuttoned and unzipped everything on the ride home and they were still too tight! So yesterday morning I finally gave in and shimmied into a pair of maternity jeans. *cue Hallelujah Chorus* Man oh man were those things comfortable--they have no buttons or zippers, I can actually breathe when I wear them, and they don't look that bad with a loose fitting, flowy top! Thank you, thank you to my wonderful mother-in-law for buying me a couple pairs over the summer--they will be a lifesaver during these final weeks!

Stretch marks: Still no marks!

Sleep: Ugh, I don't even want to talk about it.. I'll just say that I never knew one person could be capable of having to use the restroom so many times throughout the night (I have ever cut off my water intake after 9pm).

Best moment last week: Thanksgiving at my sister-in-laws house! The food was as delicious as ever (I'm so glad she enjoys doing the cooking--there is no way my food would come out tasting nearly as mouth-wateringly divine as hers!) and the company was fabulous. I'm actually a little surprised that I didn't go into labor from laughing so much!

Movement: Yes, it seems even more so than before--on Saturday night, he kicked and moved around for nearly an hour! Normally he'll be awake and move for about 10 minutes and then go back to sleep but this time, he kept going and going. I wasn't sure if this was normal or not but several websites reassured me it is.. he's just a growin' babe!

Food cravings/aversions: Hmm, where to begin.. Fruit with my homemade cream cheese dip, Nachos Navidad from Taco Johns (the closest Taco Johns is nearly an hour and a half away.. :/), pancakes, eggs, pretzels with peanut butter, the Turkey Tom sandwich from Jimmy Johns, cheeseburgers, fries.. the list goes on and on.

Gender: Boy babe. 

Labor signs: My Braxton Hicks have been pretty frequent/consistent lately and I've been getting some weird cramps (does anyone else get those really painful/obnoxious cramps right before beginning their period? That's what these feel like--I've been having them off and on for about a week now) so I'm wondering if I'm in the beginning stages of labor. I have my next Dr.'s appointment on Wednesday afternoon, so I'll find out more then.

Belly button - in or out? Out.

What I miss: Living within a 10-minute vicinity of a Taco Johns.

What I am looking forward to: Christmas! Our tree is up, the gifts are wrapped, and I'm hosting a Christmas party for my church group tonight! Pictures to follow.

I have a really cool giveaway on the blog tomorrow so be sure to stop back at 8am CST!!