Bumpdate: 38 Weeks

I look so tiiiiirrreeddd

How Far Along: 38 Weeks! (Which means I'm actually 39 weeks today, which means I have ONE MORE WEEK TO GO!)

Baby is the size of: Leek - anyone else think that's smaller than the other "vegetables" it's been?
The baby on average should weigh about 6.8 pounds

Total Weight Gain: 34 pounds

Sleep: Still surprised by how well I'm sleeping. I fall into a very deep sleep every night.

Best Moment of the week: SOOOO MANY

*My friend, Kate, got some great advice from her acunpuncturist and sent it my way first thing Wednesday morning:

"Most people give birth between 39 and 41 weeks. She says 41 weeks is extremely likely for the first one. She says if you want an epidural, do it and do not apologize. She also said try to let nature takes its course (no induction unless medically necessary, no pitocin unless danger) as long as possible. If you have to have a c section, be happy that you can do it in a way (meaning modern medicine) that mom and baby will both be fine...but try to avoid that outcome if you can. You will be irrational toward the end, and that is ok."

Kate's been sending me little words of advice and interesting articles on pregnancy for the past few months. I love getting little emails like this from her.

*Along those lines, I've been so touched by the people who have reached out to me recently. A friend of a friend who I met ONCE back in July sent me a text this past week asking how I am, and reminding me that I can go to her for any questions or advice I need (she has a 4 month old daughter). A neighbor, and friend, that I haven't talked to since High School sent me a facebook message with information on how to make your own baby food and wishing me well in these final weeks. Text messages from friends already planning their visits to New York in December, and random "thinking of you" messages have warmed and touched my heart! I am so blessed.

*Before I left work for my maternity leave, I had to fill out my New York State disability paperwork. You would think by now there would be a specific form for pregnancy. Many of the questions didn't seem to fit why I was leaving, and it just felt weird to keep referring to my pregnancy as my "disability". I mean, just look at question number 6!...

(I didn't actually write that...but I wish I had)

*An extremely busy last week of work: Training my replacement all day long, attended a charity event hosted by a coworker on Tuesday, my office had a pizza party for me on Wednesday, saw Pippin on Broadway on Thursday night, and had my last day at the office on Friday! I got this sweet card from my coworkers:

*Discovering Wendy's Pretzel Pub Chicken Sandwich. It's very rare that I get fast food...but I've had my eye on this pub sandwich for quite some time. Finally, I was able to try it on Saturday for lunch and my oh myyyyy it was worth every calorie! Grilled chicken, muenster cheese, honey mustard, tomato and lettuce on a pretzel bun!! I had it again yesterday for lunch, and convinced my Mother-in-Law to try it with me as well!

*I survived my first "Womanly" appointment with a male doctor! LOL...I know we're all adults here, and yadda yadda but I was nervous about the appointment, especially with Chris right there during it. (Inquire within for more information, not going to go into any more detail than that). The appointment was a little bit awkward, but all in all, it was also a really good appointment. I am one centimeter dilated, which apparently is fine and normal. This particular doctor's wife is due with their first child only one week ahead of me (she probably had it this week). So he had a lot to share and gave me a lot of advice since he and his wife are going through the same thing right now, which was really nice. I felt that he fully understood my hope for minimal medical intervention, and kept driving home how I just really need to walk, walk, walk, and that I shouldn't come to the hospital until my contractions are 4-5 minutes apart (as opposed to the usual 5-7 that he recommends. This is unless my water breaks, at which point, I need to go immediately).

*Had an enjoyable book club meeting on Friday - Some of the topics that came up and questions they were asking me about labor and delivery were so funny. I was laughing so hard I was afraid I was going to go into labor!

*During my commute home on Friday, I made friends with a Luxury Hotel Reviewer who lives in London! He was very interesting to talk to. He was born and raised in Sweden and he was asking me a lot of questions about the maternity rights and privileges in the US vs. Sweden and the UK. He told me that in Sweden, women get 18 months paid maternity leave, and fathers get paid paternity leave too (and they actually all take it...as opposed to here where even if it is offered, it's frowned upon). In the UK, women get 6 months paid maternity leave. Who's moving to Sweden with me?

Worst Moment of the week: 
*Honestly, I'm at a loss here.
I guess I could say being sadder about leaving work than I thought I would be?
Or being so incredibly busy that I haven't had time to read all of your blogs??
Being in a bit of a sad mood on Saturday night?
All in all, it was too busy of a week to really be bad!

Miss Anything: Spiced Red Wine, being able to hop out of bed or a car.

Food Cravings: Nothing in particular, but I got a craving for Tandy Cake on Saturday night and made it first thing Sunday morning (sorry, no picture...click on link for picture)

Anything make you queasy or sick: No...but I'm getting fuller faster.

Have you started to show? Oh yes. I get stopped everywhere I go now and asked when I'm due. It's kind of exciting to say "two weeks!" Yesterday I got to say "Next Week!" - PS: this maternity shirt from Target has clearly been amazing. Highly recommend!

Gender: Team Green!

Symptoms:
*A few times I felt these very quick flutters from the baby. It's not kicks, and it's not hiccups (though I feel hiccups at least once a day, sometimes more). These are quick little flutters or taps in and around the same area that I feel hiccups. From reading what others have said on message boards, I believe this is the baby trying to take its first quick practice breaths. That is merely speculation.
 
*(Toni) Braxton Hicks Contractions - I definitely am having more and more moments of cramps. Once I walk and drink water they usually go away. It really just feels like menstrual cramps.

*Decreased appetite: Still eating a lot...and then feeling like crap after. My stomach just doesn't have the room it usually does!

*Increased swollen ankles and fingers. I put my feet up for two hours on Saturday. I ended up falling asleep for a pretty epic nap while I did this, but it totally got rid of the swelling in my cankles!

Workouts: None, just walks with my Zoey! I think we walked every morning this past week!

Mood: I've been totally running on adrenaline for the past 7 days. First of all, between having one week to train my replacement at work and trying to wrap up my own projects before leaving, I hardly had any time to breathe. There were actually moments at work when I looked down and was like "Oh! that's right...I'm pregnant!"

Looking forward to: This entire week!! I've had one official day of maternity leave - which I primarily used for running errands, but so far I am loving having this time to get everything fully ready and in order before the baby's arrival!! I realize that not everyone gets this time to prepare, and I am so grateful to have it! Each day is "go, go, go" Clean this, clean that, put together this, take apart that, hang this, put away that. I think by next Tuesday; my actual due date, I will be 100% ready for this baby - not any sooner though!!!

Maternity Clothes: Exclusively

Stretchmarks: A few on my hips which are just from the very beginning

Rings on or off? Just wedding band, and it "usually" fits me the whole day

Bellybutton in or out? OUT

This week I:
*Put together the Pack n' play - Chris did this, and Zoey approved of the work!

*Framed some Etsy art-work for the nursery
*Did some more wash of baby items!
*Returns to Buy Buy Baby and Babies R' Us

Reading: The Baby Book, Revised Edition: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Sears Parenting Library)
 
Milestones: S/He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. "Fetal development is nearly complete as your baby tends to a few last-minute details like shedding the skin-protecting vernix and lanugo. He's also producing more surfactant, a substance that prevents the air sacs in his lungs from sticking to one another once he starts to breathe."

Bumpdates:

Week 37

Week 36

Week 35

Week 34

Week 33

Week 32

Week 31

Week 30

Week 29

Week 28

Week 27

Week 26

Week 25

Week 24

Week 23

Week 22

Week 21

Week 20

Week 19
Week 18

Week 17

Week 16
Week 15

Week 14

Week 13

Week 12

First Trimester

Linking up with Kristin for Baby Talk Tuesday