36 Weeks

I know I say it in all my recent posts, but I really can't believe that I am four weeks away from this beautiful baby!  I don't mean to get all sappy because that really isn't my style, but pregnancy is such an incredible thing.  It isn't always beautiful and most of the time you feel like total shit (despite the amazing golden weeks called the second trimester where you feel like that awesome butterfly Snapchat filter) but in the end - it's absolutely amazing what a woman's body is capable of.  If you know my personality well, you will know that majority of my moping and whining are in good taste.  I mean let's be real - throwing up for 16 God damn weeks sucks horribly and I will NEVER in a million butterfly Snapchat filter years miss that but it IS worth it when considering the prize at the end.

I had a doctors appointment yesterday where I SWORE I was told they would start exams to check for progress andddddddddd apparently I'm insane because they don't start checks until 38 weeks. THIRTY EIGHT?!!?!?!? I was hoping to give BIRTH by then!  By the way, I have predicted my delivery date.  For some reason August 28th sticks out to me.  There is no real reason other than I prefer even numbers and it would kill me if he came out on an odd number.  Like, I even struggle to remember Darius' birthday because I am convinced it should be even when really it's the 17th.
Did any of you predict your due date?  Were you right?

So, the school year is quickly approaching and I have no clue where summer went.  It was just yesterday I was hugging goodbye some coworkers moving on to bigger and better things and now here I am about to start another year.  I teach for Baltimore County so we have to go back on the 17th and school starts the 24th.  That is just one very nice week to set up our rooms and be prepared.  What I mean is, we attend a ton of meetings and have very little time in our rooms - most of which is done on our own time like staying at the school late into the night - and then we're supposed to be prepared.  It's an insanely stressful time filled with emptying your wallet on last minute things, feeling pressure from Pinterest inspired rooms and over analyzing the amount of pencils you have (which by the way are NEVER enough!).  I bought two packs of 40 count pre-sharpened pencils and I can GUARANTEE they'll be lost/missing/stolen by the end of the first week ... which by the way is only a three day week.  My hope is to set up my classroom, prep for the first week, get my sub ready (which by the way I DO NOT HAVE) and then peace out. I will return somewhere around Thanksgiving and basically start the year all over!

Today I lounged at my dad's pool with my brother and so I forced him to take this picture.

If you can zoom in, you can see my foot is literally about to POP.
I've tried everything to get rid of swelling and it just isn't possible!
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
By the way - it takes an INSANE amount of bravery to post a bathing suit pic at 9 months pregnant. JUST SAYING.

How far along? 36 weeks! 4 weeks left!

Maternity clothes? They're getting tight and I refuse to buy new clothes!
Stretch marks? Still the same, just a few light ones.
Best moment(s) this week: So pregnancy brain has kicked into high gear again so I can't really recall what happened this week but I do know hanging out at the pool was so nice.  You feel SO WEIGHTLESS in a pool and it's amazing!
Miss Anything? I want a nice frozen alcoholic beverage with an umbrella.
Food cravings: Ugh, so many sweet cravings!  But slurpees... oh man, they're awesome!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Chicken and red sauce products.
Gender: BABY BOY!
Labor Signs: Just a lot of pressure.
Symptoms: Swelling in my hands and feet, exhaustion, winded easily, pelvic pressure is insane, too lazy to try to look cute, hungry a lot, tired because I can't sleep well anymore.
Wedding rings on or off? Off!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Ehh a mix.. I have VERY little patience for people and stupid shit at this point.  The other day at Target I was trying to return something I purchased online.  They kept scanning the barcode and saying "we don't sell this" and I'm like "umm okay I bought it here and this is the receipt and anything else isn't my problem!"  Five minutes later and a return line wrapped around the store, they give me a gift card.  I had resting bitch face the entire time.
Looking forward to: STILL FINISHING THE NURSERY - GOOD GOD WILL IT EVEN BE DONE?!?!?!?!!?!?!?! 

By the way - does Red Raspberry Tea really work?! My doctor said I could start drinking it and since she said yes I am like overly anxious about it!  Now that someone said I can try to start labor, I don't want to!

35 Weeks & Things Hormones Do To You

I now get it.  I get what people are talking about.  I am officially over pregnancy.  I always hear about women getting to this point and previously I never really understood it.  I thought the bump was just SO cute and that you MUST miss the little beeb inside of you.  But, at this point I am officially uncomfortable.  Since Lincoln has moved to head down, I have constant pressure on my pelvis.  Each movement feels like I have the urge to pee.  Most of my clothes don't fit and I have zero desire to try and look cute.  I have this curling iron that I intend to use every day and it just sits there collecting dust.  Speaking of dust - let's talk about my house...
What happened to my urge to nest?!  I had it for months and months before the school year ended.  It was ALL I was looking forward to doing!  Don't get me wrong, I have nested plenty in our house but it doesn't prevent more dust and dirt from coming back.  And now - now I am just OVER cleaning.  I'm just trying to convince myself that Lincoln won't mind this environment.  I mean, I may as well wait until the last minute in August and deep clean every single thing because things getting dirty again is just part of life!  At this point, my plan is to hold off until mid August and then go crazy for one weekend and get it all out of the way.

Lincoln is now putting on fat and weighs about 5-5.5 pounds!
He is probably around 18 inches long!
Do you like my sumo wrestler hair?!

My hormones have been OUT. OF. CONTROL. lately.  Let's review the things that hormones have caused to happen-
1. I was watching CMT countdown the other morning and Carrie Underwood's newest song "Church Bells" sent me into hysterics.  Not because of the message behind the song but - get ready - because of how PROUD I am of her.  I was crying because I couldn't believe how far she has made it since American Idol and how beautiful she looked.

2. I have been on this new binge of watching YouTube labor and delivery videos.  I am pretty good at holding it together until out comes baby and they play him on mom's chest.  Then, I LOSE it.  I can't handle how beautiful that moment is.  I cry every time.

3. Finding out my favorite doctor is leaving the practice sent me over the edge.  She is leaving to go work at hospitals in inner Baltimore and I just can't handle (here we go again) how proud I am of her and how much I will miss her.

4. Darius building the bookshelves for Lincoln and telling me how excited he is to meet his son is so emotional for me.  I imagine him seeing his boy for the first time and holding him and INSTANT tears.

5. All of the pimples have managed to make an appearance in the last week.  Which inevitably makes me cry because I just feel so ugly.  Not like the 23 pounds of weight gain didn't help with my confidence but now these deep pimples.  Ugh.

So yeah, to name a few hormones are really fantastic things!

Yesterday I had a meltdown because I hadn't felt Lincoln move much since the day before.  I had tried everything from eating ice, drinking soda, changing positions, etc.  Nothing seemed to get him going like he used to.  With the advice from my friend Alyssa, I called the nurse hotline and heard back from a doctor quickly.  They rushed me in for a non-stress test and had me all hooked up.  Naturally, everything was totally fine and his heart rate was accelerating and decreasing as it should.  The doctor said he's big now and making movements that I may not be feelings.  As well as being head down, he's settling in and not really needing to move much anymore.  I feel totally relieved and also totally insane.  Either way, he is healthy - thank God.

How far along? 35 weeks - 5 weeks left!

Maternity clothes? Yesterday I wore my skinny jeans and my favorite blouse and just felt so sexy - oh wait, that was in my dream- because skinny jeans are a joke and what are pants?
Stretch marks? No changes since last time!
Best moment(s) this week: Knowing from the non-stress test that he is okay.  I'm just at this point where everything makes me anxious!  I want him out so I can hold him and know he's okay!
Miss Anything? I just LOVE summer beers and I want one so so so bad! Ugh!!
Food cravings: All of the cookies.  Baskin Robins Oreo Birthday Cake ice cream. IT IS LIFE.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Still weird about chicken...
Gender: A beautiful boy!  But LOL'ing over what we would do if it was a girl.  Would we just stick with Lincoln?! hahahaha
Labor Signs: None except pressure!
Symptoms: Cranky, exhausted, tired, pelvic pressure, hormonal like whoa, swollen feet and hands, achy hands from swelling, hungry often, full after two bites, winded quickly, peeing a lot.
Wedding rings on or off? Off for the rest of this pregnancy!
Happy or Moody most of the time: I think I've been happier lately despite the loss of sanity regarding his movements.
Looking forward to: Finishing the nursery by the end of next week!

34 Weeks

Somewhere between November when I got pregnant and now, I have managed to grow a baby inside of me.  He's currently between 4-5 pounds and owning my life body.  He is kicking, moving, punching and stabbing me at all times.  I am kind of okay with it though because it means one thing - we are both uncomfortable.  Except, clearly his comfort comes first.  I will nudge his foot out of the way of my ribs (which by the way are now on the side of my body) and he will roll his little butt so it's protruding on my right side.  On Tuesday we went to our 34 week appointment and the doctor told us that he is head down!  Her exact words were (as she was stabbing her fingers into my pelvic area which was just really, so comfortable) "THERE'S A COCONUT!" (referring to his head) and then "THERE'S A BUTT!" (referring to his butt).  It's blows my mind how doctors can just feel around on my belly and determine if it's a coconut or a butt.  I tried doing it at home and it just led to me running waddling to the bathroom to pee.  Which, by the way, let's talk about that!...

NO ONE and I mean NO ONE understands the urge to pee like someone who is pregnant.  When I say I have to pee, I do not under any circumstances mean that I can hold it.  I don't mean in a couple minutes or sure, when you get to the next exit.  I mean NOW!  And if you don't let me go NOW I cannot promise what will become of your couch, floor, car, etc. It's one of the most painful, uncomfortable feelings I have ever had.
*I will be updating that statement after labor*

34 weeks!  Realized I am starting to wear the same dresses again and again.
Nothing really fits now.  I miss my old clothes :(

PS - MY HAIR LOOKS AMAZING THANKS TO MY FRIEND BROOKE!

Darius and I attended birthing classes last week.  I did enjoy that we were able to learn some breathing techniques for contractions.  I found those to be very useful.  Darius made a great coach and I am actually looking forward to seeing him in action in about six weeks (or less is fine too).  But, with Darius and I being at birthing class also comes the inability to take it seriously.  I mean, come on.  You have a bunch of seriously pregnant women leaning over chairs, on all fours, hugging a wall, posting up on our "coach" - and all the while we're supposed to be "having contractions" and finding the "best position for us."  Here's my thoughts: I'm going to go into labor one day and I will probably remember the breathing patterns for like maybe the first few contractions.  At some point all that BS is gonna fly out the window and my only method is going to be cursing, crying, ice chips and maybe, just for the hell of it, vomiting - because my pregnancy will clearly come full circle back to what it was the first 16 beautiful weeks.

Great news guys - the nursery is almost finished!!!!  We have the dresser and nightstand which Darius put together.  ALL the screws which came with it were used, which means the furniture will NOT fall apart out of no where!  I have washed, folded and organized his dresser and closet.  I have almost everything ready to go.  Darius is making the bookshelves for his nursery (which melts my heart into a million pieces) and I can't wait to add the finishing decoration touches to his room!  I can't wait to show you what it all looks like!

Last - we found a pediatrician!  Nothing really to say about that except that we found one.  Apparently it's on the "list of things to do before you bring home a baby."  So, I'm glad we did it!  Thanks to Alyssa and Erica for their list of questions to ask!  I only asked two.  I trust that since he went to school for half his life, he knows what he's doing.

How far along? 34 weeks - WHAT IS LIFE?!

Maternity clothes? At this point, I usually sit around in a tank top and underwear all day.
Stretch marks? Sad that it isn't going away but it always looks better after I lotion it.
Sleep: I'm always tired.
Best moment(s) this week: Finding out that he is head down.  I really want to avoid a C-section at all costs.  I'm hoping we can do this thing naturally (and by that I mean out of the spot he's supposed to come with an epidural).
Miss Anything? Feeling like myself, having energy, having clothes that fit, not having 100 chins.
Food cravings: Ice - that is SO WEIRD.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not into pizza or spaghetti or any of that mess...
Gender: Starting to make humor out of the possibility of the doctor going "IT'S A GIRL" after delivery.
Labor Signs: Mild cramping and tons of pressure.
Symptoms: 
Moodiness - the other day I swiped two remotes off our couch because I had to get up to get myself water.
Hunger - I am always hungry.
Peeing - all the time.
Pressure - when I stand, roll on my side, etc.
Exhaustion - I'm just so so so tired
Swelling - in my feet and hands.  I didn't ask for sausages!
Tender boobs - don't touch.Wedding rings on or off? I'm avoiding all jewelry at this point.
Happy or Moody most of the time: In the middle. I get pretty restless at night and moody.  During the day I am okay though because I have no responsibilities. 
Looking forward to: Umm is it too soon to say labor?

Darius drew this beauty of ME at the pediatrician's office. 
I had to share it.