37 Weeks

We've officially hit full-term!

 

That means I could be celebrating Mother's Day as a MOTHER this year should Louis V decide to join us early. As much as I would love to meet and hold him (and be able to sleep at night...ha, I know...without having to try and maneuver around this big bump), I'm hoping he holds on until after Maggie's wedding! 

I feel very fortunate in that it seems like a lot of women who reach this point in pregnancy are so over it and just ready to have the baby, but I'm still feeling pretty good! Don't get me wrong, I feel like I'm the size of Texas, but I'm not so uncomfortable that I am wishing for an imminent labor. I have to admit, I think I'll kind of miss being pregnant! I've thoroughly enjoyed wearing tops stretched tight across the bump...those won't look so cute anymore when they are back to covering a food baby instead of a real baby. ;)  
 
With that said, I cannot fully express the excitement I have knowing that at any given time on any given day I could be meeting my little boy.

(And I fully realize that this post could be very premature and I could be saying the same thing 3 weeks from now as he holds steady in his warm and cozy home as I'm desperately trying to get him to find the exit.) 

I had my first "check" at the doctor last week and it showed early signs of progression, so we took that as a sign to get the hospital bags packed and the car seat bases installed! Since then, the amount of contractions has ramped up. So much so that I actually put my timer app to use last night...just in case. ;)

Ian also took it as a sign to order a new handheld gaming system for his hospital bag. ;)
 
So weird seeing this in my backseat! And it will be even weirder (and totally awesome) to see it with our little guy in it.

As for what else is going on in our lives other than counting days until we become parents, we're continuing to make the move from our house to my parents'. It's pretty bare in our home these days, but luckily we still have these guys to provide entertainment:

Helping Ian paint over nail hole patches:

 Playing the worst game of hide and seek ever:

Izzy giving full approval of the box LV's new contraption came in:

We finally got some more spring-like weather, so Berta and I ventured outside for a much-needed walk. We didn't get far before her fan club arrived. (Not pictured are about 6 more kids who were fawning all over her and peppering me with questions..."Why'd you buy a dog?" "Why does she have fur?" "Are you having a baby? Will she like the baby?" Luckily, they didn't ask me where babies come from, WHEW.)

Seriously though, how cute is this!?

Berta's new nickname is Miss Popular!

She quickly learned how exhausting it is to be the most popular girl in the neighborhood. Or maybe she was just imitating me. ;)

Next up came summer-like weather, so we had to enjoy some time around the pool:

The cats were ticked they couldn't join...and let it be heard.

I got another week under my expanded belt for running on the treadmill. Thanks to Call Me Maybe and a good murder on Investigation Discovery, I knocked out two miles yet again. I'm still feeling great while running...in fact, it's harder work to put my socks and shoes on in preparation of the run than the actual run itself!

 And that's a wrap for the week, we're pretty tapped out!

(My view as I finish typing this post, rough life she lives!)

Q&A corner:

 How far along: 37 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Winter Melon. He's measuring up to 20+ inches and anywhere from 6-9+ lbs. He's practicing some crucial life skills like inhaling, exhaling, sucking, gripping and blinking. And while his crucial functions are all now developed, it'd still be nice to keep him in there for another few weeks so he can keep getting healthier and stronger! They say "nesting' should be kicking in right about now, but I'm pretty well convinced that I was born without a cleaning gene, because I still have no desire to clean cupboards or scrub floors. Sorry, Ian. :)

Weight gain: I hit 39 lbs at my last appointment, sooooo I think I should just stop reporting this now. :/

Maternity clothes: I've been able to make use of several of my non-maternity spring dresses lately, love it! I might have to share the collection of bump selfies I've taken over the course of this growing belly as a showcase of my mix-and-match maternity style. So far this week, I've worn maternity pants once and the rest of my outfits have been "normal" clothes -- including today's bump photo dress from Target.

Stretch marks: None as of yet.  

Belly button in or out: No change, still weirdly an innie-outie.
Sleep: I think my nights of good sleep are over. The back is really sore and it's hard to get into a comfortable position, so lots of adjusting in hopes of finding that spot that hurts the least. And continuing to "plow through" toilet paper at night, as Ian says.

Best moment this week: Several of the women at work took me (and a co-worker who is due a week after me) to lunch to celebrate our bundles of joy, they spoiled me with a great meal and some great baby gifts! :) Also, my parents returned from Vegas, so I no longer have anxiety about having the baby without them in town!

Worst moment this week: Does finding out I gained 6lbs in 2 weeks count?? Yikes. Otherwise, I'd say it's been a pretty good week, so I can't complain.

Miss anything: Being able to get comfortable.

Movement: Still lots of movement, I feel constant heels and elbows! Also, the contractions are getting stronger, but still Braxton Hicks as they are not consistent.

Cravings: Another Chick-fil-A shake! I had my first one ever (I didn't realize they had them, fellow bump crew member, Amy, gave me the tip) and they are YUMMY!

Queasy or sick: No.  
Baby items of the week: Gifts from the Russell girls and a few more necessities from our registry--Ian got his Baby Bjorn for carrying his boy and we also got the 4moms Mamaroo, a vibrating/moving seat that tops many "must-have" lists. We put those Babies R Us gift cards we got from friends and family to good use this week!

Looking forward to: Another doctor's appointment tomorrow! And at this point, I think my best answer for this is that I'm looking forward to meeting little* Louis V and being a mom!!

(*As much as I'd love to say those 6lbs from the past two weeks ALL went to the baby, I think I'd rather have him be 6lbs total!!)

One last item that is not bump or baby-related, but important to me nonetheless -- On Cinco de Mayo, a fabulous organization called Beagle Freedom Project executed a rescue of a group of nine beagles from a laboratory in Las Vegas (something they do as often as they can); a photographer was on hand as these "freagles" stepped foot outside for the first time in their lives and this was one of the shots they captured:

 It is pictures like this (and just looking at my sweet Berta's face) that cause me to shop cruelty-free. This breed is targeted for animal testing because of their docile and forgiving nature and it breaks my heart. So, I encourage you to look for the "No Animal Testing" line when buying products for your everyday life, the beagles (and bunnies and everything else that is subjected to this awfulness) will thank you! 
(If you're interesting in buying cruelty-free but don't know where to start, The Leaping Bunny and My Beauty Bunny are great resources for identifying CF brands and companies. There are some great and inexpensive ones out there!)