37 Weeks 3 Days

How Far Along: 37 Weeks 3 Days (2 weeks 4 days until due date)

Size of baby:  over 19 inches long and weighs 6 1/3 pounds (a stalk of a Swiss chard)

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes; I'm looking forward to wearing normal clothes again.
Weight gain: + 21 pounds (Emma must have had a growth spurt - 3 lbs in one week! I'm cutting down on calories this week.)

Movement: Emma has been making slower movements down south; I feel her playing with some of my nerves down there and it feels like she is LOW.
Symptoms: some cramping and back pain, bursts of energy then laziness, uncomfortable when sitting/standing for extended periods, increased appetite.
Sleep: still sleeping well; I usually pass out with no dreams during the night. Maybe up once in the early A.M.
 What I miss: wearing winter sweaters, although it's been a mild winter.
Cravings: hungry all the time. I'm craving anything & everything it seems.
Best moment this week:  Good doctor's visit, except for the weight gain. Walked around the neighborhood on Saturday, including hills - I've become slow. Emma moved further south, away from my ribs, which allowed me to breath more easily.
What I am looking forward to: Enjoying the last few days/weeks of being a family of two. Greg and I are excited about finally meeting Emma shortly!
Doctor's appointment recap: Blood pressure: 116/54. Urine: good. Weight gain: 3 pounds. I told the doc that I think Emma had dropped since I felt less pressure in my ribcage; she measured and said that the fundal height was same measurement as last week (37) so that could mean that she dropped and had growth spurt. No cervical check this week and it seems like not much has happened so Emma will probably be here through this week. My next doctor's appointment is this Friday.

36 Weeks 5 Days

Didn't realize that I'm wearing the same outfit from last week ... oh well!

How Far Along: 36 Weeks 5 Days (3 weeks 2 days until due date)

Size of baby:  over 18.5 inches long and weighs almost 6 pounds (a crenshaw melon)

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity but I'm running out of options!

Weight gain: + 18 pounds (official measurement from Thursday's visit with the doctor)
Movement: Emma has been very active this week; I can feel her movement (stretching, mostly) almost every hour.
Symptoms: minimal cramping (braxton hicks?). tired in the afternoons. uncomfortable if I sit or stand for an extended period. increased appetite.
Sleep: Sleeping great! Greg has his ear plugs in so he's been sleeping better too. I'm up maybe once a night, around 3:30 to use the restroom.
 What I miss: Being able to bend over. medium-cooked steak.
Cravings: random cravings but still enjoy chocolate and citrus. I want to eat constantly; it reminds me of the first trimester.
Best moment this week:  Good visit with the doctor. 

What I am looking forward to: Packing the hospital bag for myself and Emma.
Doctor's appointment recap: No weight gain from last week. Urine was good. Blood pressure: 116/64. I'm negative for the Group B Strep test which means no antibiotics during labor. Emma's measuring right on track. Next appointment is Friday, January 20. The doctor mentioned maybe doing a cervical check; this is a different doctor than last week who said no cervical checks so we shall see.

35 Weeks 4 Days

How Far Along: 35 Weeks 4 Days (4 weeks 3 days until due date)

Size of baby:  over 18 inches long and weighs 5.25 pounds (honeydew melon)

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity.

Weight gain: + 18 pounds (official measurement from Thursday's visit with the doctor)

Movement: Emma's still very active. She tends to move on a 3 - 4 hour cycle. I thought that she had flipped earlier this week, with her head up, but she was heads down at the appointment.

Symptoms: uncomfortable. energy level goes up & down. some back pain.
Sleep: Sleeping well. Maybe have to get up once a night. I'm so tired when I get to bed, that I tend to pass out.

 What I miss: All the sweaters that I could be wearing this winter, a small prices to pay!

Cravings: chocolate and citrus.

Best moment this week:  Good visit with the doctor. 

What I am looking forward to: The excitement of not knowing when labor's going to start.

Doctor's appointment recap: Gained two pounds from last visit two weeks ago. Urine was good. Blood pressure: 98/60. Group B Strep test went well; results will come in this week. Emma's measuring right on track. (I did develop a common ailment this week; I'm one of the lucky one's and it's not painful ... yet. Nothing to be done for it and it should go away after birth.) I can't believe that I'm going to the doctor weekly now. Next appointment is Friday, January 13. I did find out that they won't be doing a weekly cervical check like I thought, which is fine.

34 Weeks 5 Days

How Far Along: 34 Weeks 5 Days (5 weeks 2 days until due date)

Size of baby: 18 inches long and weighs 4.75 pounds (like the size of a cantaloupe)

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes:Yes.

Weight gain: + 17 pounds

Movement: Emma is very active throughout the day. Since Greg and I were both off for a week, he was able to feel her move constantly throughout the day. Emma likes to kick my ribs and mess with the pelvic bone. One of her feet normally rests right above my belly button. I've felt hiccups a few times this week, but not on a daily basis.
Sleep: I'm waking up a few times at night, mostly because of being uncomfortable. I start out sleeping on my left side, then end up rolling to my back. (Snoring during pregnancy is out of control.)

Symptoms: Slow to get up. Acid reflux. Increased appetite. 

 What I miss: It's been hard not to help Greg move furniture around the house as we prepare for Emma but walking up the stairs at this point is starting to wear me out!

Cravings: Sweets. Loaded baked potato.

Best moment this week:Christmas time with family. Spending more than a week at home with Greg, like a mini-vacation! Purchasing the last items needed for Emma and prepping the house for Emma. (I'll post pictures later but the biggest change, besides the baby items around the house, is the office being moved to a guest bedroom upstairs. Now the office/workout room is now playroom/workout room.

What I am looking forward to: Doctor's visit on Thursday. I think that we are ready for Emma but she still needs to stay inside for at least a few more weeks.

33 Weeks 3 Days

How Far Along: 33 Weeks 3 Days (6 weeks 4 days until due date)

Size of baby:  17 inches long and weighs a little over 4 pounds (a pineapple)

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity.
Weight gain: + 16 pounds (official measurement from Thursday's visit with the doctor)
Movement: Yes, her movements are slower and have moved up into my ribs; her butt digs into my ribs. Feeling Emma move is the best feeling; I feel like she's telling me that she's okay in there.
Symptoms: Uncomfortable. Emma being right under my ribs has made my upper belly ache/hurt. My right side and back is also aching. Increased appetite. Some acid reflux.
 What I miss: Not much. I'm trying not to complain too much. ;)
Cravings: hot chocolate. egg nog. margarita.
Best moment this week: Good doctor's visit.
What I am looking forward to: Christmas time with the family. I can't believe that next Christmas, we'll be a family of 3; I can't wait to start holiday traditions with Emma! Maternity photos on Thursday.
Doctor's appointment recap: Hemoglobin and urine were good; this should be the last time that the hemoglobin will be tested - they have been doing it every two months since I've been testing well. Weight gain was + 2 pounds from last time, right on track. Blood pressure was my normal low. Fundal height is measuring right on track and Emma's heartbeat was great! The doctor checked Emma's positioning and Emma was still head down, with her little butt up. I'll go back in two weeks and will be tested for Group Strep B.

Greg's first assemblage - the swing.

The finished product!

32 Weeks 4 Days

How Far Along: 32 Weeks  4 Days (7 weeks 3 days until due date)

Size of baby:  16.7 inches long and weighs 3.75 pounds (size of a large jicama)

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity.

Weight gain: + 16 pounds (official measurement Thursday at Doctor's appt.)

Movement: Still very active, about once an hour. Emma was quiet for two days this past week, moving but not as often.

Symptoms: Hiccups have lessened a good bit. Tired. Uncomfortable. Trying not too complain too often.

 What I miss: Energy and being more agile. Excited and ready for Emma's arrival.

Cravings: Baking has commenced. I can't seem to get enough sweets, which isn't all related to pregnancy.

Best moment this week: Greg and I are getting the few last items needed for Emma's nursery. (I wanted to get this done before January so that I don't have to do anything during that month.) The Nutcracker was great - enjoyed the music and dancing. We are also trained in adult, child and infant CPR, which was our last class at St. Mary's. Next hospital visit will be for Emma's birthday.

What I am looking forward to: Short work week then Christmas week. Greg and I are going to enjoy our last quiet Christmas for awhile! Doctor's appointment Thursday.

31 Weeks 6 Days

How Far Along: 31 Weeks 6 Days (8 weeks 1 days until due date)

Size of baby:  16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds (about 4 navel oranges)

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity
Weight gain: + 14 pounds (official measurement from Thursday's visit to the doctor)
Movement: Emma has found a new toy to play with inside me. She used to like to kick/punch the bladder but now her legs have found my ribs. Ouch - this is uncomfortable! Her movement's are pretty regular; I feel movement at least once an hour. I don't know if it's normal for a baby to move in utero this often, but I can stare for hours at the belly movements!
Symptoms: acid reflux. sore. sides of the belly is achy - the skin stretching? Tired. Swollen feet. Some cramping
 What I miss: being more active/energetic.
Cravings: Anything that's in front of me, I will eat. I have a sweet tooth.
Best moment this week: Finishing up the Christmas shopping, childbirth class, doctor's appointment
What I am looking forward to: Infant CPR class this weekend.
Doctor's appointment recap: urine and blood pressure (98/60) were good. It's weird to me that my blood pressure has continued to drop; from what I read, it usually goes up in the 3rd T. Weight gain has been right on track. Greg had to ask where the baby was positioned, so the Dr. pressed hard all around my belly. Emma was head down, with her butt pressing hard against my side (uncomfortable!). She's moved a little bit since then but I think that she prefers being head down; I feel her hiccups low in the belly. Doctor said that everything is right on track and they'll start doing an inside investigation at 34/35 weeks, which is right after Christmas. My next appointment is Thursday, December 22.
Childbirth Education recap: This was a 9am - 4pm class that we had on Saturday and it was LONG! We watched videos and had floor mat exercises for breathing/relaxation techniques.For the video, I think they found women that had the most extreme and painful births. The instructor was an advocate of natural (no drugs) delivery but I still plan on having an epidural. Out of about 8 couples, 2 other couples had the same due date.