A new normal

There is no doubt our lives will be forever changed in the next few weeks.

Our little girl will be here!

Will I even remember what life was like without her?

We will be a house of 5.

For so many years (almost 16) it's been about me and Dan.

We could come and go as we please.

And for the past 8 years (the amount of years all 5 of us have lived together) it has been all about me, Dan, Sissy and Baby Dan.

I've gotten used to having a fairly quiet house.

We love the quiet, peaceful, boring life we lead.

To be honest, I'm a bit afraid of what's to come.

That's normal, right?

And if I'm being completely honest my heart does ache a little bit every time I think about how Baby Dan and Sissy will take a backseat to little Olive. I don't want that to happen and Dan doesn't think that will happen, but it's just the reality that Olive will be our #1 priority. That doesn't mean we will love our kids any less, that's simply impossible, but will they get their one-on-one time that they've grown accustomed to? Probably not. Probably not at first anyways. It's going to take some time to adjust our lives with two 4-legged kids to 3 kids.

And I know that our little girl will bring so much love, laughter and joy to our lives.

It will be anything but quiet, peaceful, and boring from now on.

And I love that!

It will be loud, busy and different every day.

It will continue to be filled with lots of laughter and love.

And that's what's important after all.

It will be our new normal.

35 weeks/35 days to go!

How far along? 35 weeks!

Weight gain/loss: I somehow gained 5 lbs. in 1 week & 2 days. Ack! Definitely too much weight gain in 1 week. Total weight gain is 28 lbs. I haven't worked out all week because of hemorrhoids and swollen feet, but that shouldn't be an excuse. Time to start those outdoor walks.

Maternity clothes? My mom bought me a few more shirts. I should be good now until baby girl arrives. I don't think the temps will get much cooler for maternity sweaters before she arrives. I just need to get my nursing tanks in the next few weeks.

Stretch marks?

I think I see a few around my belly button.

Sleep?

Sleep is rough at times. I will wake up in the early morning and not be able to get back to sleep for an hour or so. I still haven't taken a pregnancy nap. I'm sure I'll be napping once little one arrives. :)

Best moment this week?

Our baby shower! (Pics may one day show up on here). And doing some more shopping with my mom for essentials.

Food cravings:

Sweets.

Gender:

Female! I was having some doubts these last few weeks, but my midwife put my mind at ease last week at our appt.

Belly button in or out?

I have an "outtie".

Movement?

Lots of movement.

What I miss?

Not having to deal with hemorrhoids. Ouch. And having to put my feet up to deal with swelling. I can't wait to have my feet & hands back to normal. I had no idea that swollen ankles & fingers can be so tender and sore.

What I'm looking forward to:

Definitely NOT looking forward to the GBS test next week. ;) I'm looking forward to continuing to prepare for Olive's arrival!

Milestones: Our baby girl is about done growing length-wise (reaching around 20 inches this week), but she will continue to pack on the pounds until delivery. She doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's getting bigger. Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Most of the physical development is complete, and all that's left is for the lungs to mature and the body fat to keep piling on. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight. That means more weight for mama. Ugh.

34 weeks & the Bump!

How far along? 34 weeks!

Weight gain/loss: 3 more lbs. Yikes. Total weight gain is 23 lbs. Honestly, I still don't see it. I definitely think I'm all belly.

Maternity clothes? My mom bought me a ton of maternity clothes and my baby shower dress! Thanks Mama.

Stretch marks?

None. I'm still shocked by this. Must be in the genes. :D

Sleep?

Sleep is eh. Getting in and out of bed is getting harder. A few days ago I was stuck on my back and

Dan had to roll me to my side to help me get out of bed. I felt like a beached whale for the 1st time during this pregnancy. At least I can laugh about it. :D

Best moment this week?

Parents bought us our glider! They are the best. I don't know what I'd do without them.

Food cravings:

No major cravings this week. But now all of a sudden I want a fresh lemonade that I love from a restaurant here. Dan on the other hand has been craving all kinds of things and he gets really cranky when we doesn't get what he wants. lol

Gender:

Female!

Belly button in or out?

I have an "outtie".

Movement?

Lots of movement, including those little limbs that poke out on my left side. I find it both weird and fun. :) She gave the midwife a poke earlier this week too. :) And I have in fact been experiencing Braxton Hicks Contractions.

What I miss?

I miss not being able to sit closer to the kitchen table. Baby is already getting in between me and my food. :D

What I'm looking forward to:

Our baby shower this Sunday!

Milestones: In a few short weeks we start our weekly midwife visits. Crazy! Where does the time go?! At our midwife appt. on Tuesday baby girl was still head down. Yea! Baby girl is 18 1/2 inches long & is 5 to 5 1/2lbs. now (that's where all the weight is ;)). Her eyes are fully open now, only closing when it's time to sleep. Awww! She can now tell the difference between sweet and sour tastes in the amniotic fluid surrounding her, possibly acting as a "flavor bridge" to breast milk, which also carries different food flavors from your diet. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well.

Sneak Peek of Nursery

So we haven't started decorating just yet.

We're still waiting on the crib to arrive.

We need to order our glider. (I never thought that picking a glider would be so difficult).

Dan still needs to work on the changing table (strip & paint a cabinet).

We still need to buy a door chest/armoire.

I need to create some artwork and frame some pics.

Lots of "T0-Do's" still left for the nursery. ::sigh::

But at least we have the room painted. :) And our painter did a wonderful job!

It's like a light Tiffany blue.

It looks very different during the day, at night and if you have the window open or lights on/off. And it is really hard to capture a good picture of the color.

And of course Blogger will mess up my photo and show the true color. Blah. Oh well.

At least it looks beautiful in person. :)

Check it out.

Meet our Italian painter. I think his name was Luigi.

If Dan knows I posted this he would die. Let's keep this our little secret. :D

33 weeks!

How far along? 33 weeks

Weight gain/loss: 1 more pound gained. Total weight gain is 20 pounds!

Maternity clothes? No new clothes. I need to buy some more maternity dresses, including my baby shower dress.

Stretch marks?

None.

Sleep?

Sleep is eh.

Best moment this week?

Shopping for gliders.

Food cravings:

Anything sweet!

Gender:

Female!

Belly button in or out?

I have an "outtie".

Movement?

Lots of movement, lots of hiccups, and I think I've been having braxton hicks contractions.

What I miss?

I miss not being swollen. One week later and I can no longer wear my wedding band. And I can tell my feet have swollen a bit because certain shoes, including my sneakers, are feeling tight. Ugh.

What I'm looking forward to:

Getting more done in preparation for Olive's arrival.

Milestones: Our baby is steadily putting on weight. My ticker above says 5 lbs. Her adrenal glands have started working (producing adrenaline, a chemical you might tap into during labor) and the baby is now receiving your antibodies to protect and develop her immune system. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Healthy Mama, Healthy Baby

Even with my big 'ol belly, I'm still finding a way to walk on the elliptical 3-4 times a week. It's becoming kind of difficult to put my knee braces on, but I somehow get them off and on. The weight gain makes it so much more difficult to get going, but I keep pushing myself to keep it up. Now that the temps have dropped drastically, I can start taking a stroll in the neighborhood in the evenings, getting 2 walks in per day.

Exercising will help me to keep up my stamina during labor, as well as prepare baby girl for the marathon we will experience together. It's also helping to relieve some stress and anxiety. I wish it helped with the irritability I've been feeling lately! Ha!

Also, it has been shown that babies whose mommies worked out during pregnancy are better able to weather labor & delivery (they're less stressed about it), and recover from the stresses of birth more quickly. :)

31 weeks

32 weeks and the Bump!

I love how different my belly looks with clothing on/off. :)

Whoa baby!

I love this shot! :)

How far along? 32 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I've gained 3 lbs. in one week. Ack. I guess my body is trying to catch up to where I "should" be AND/OR baby girl is growing, but that big of a jump is scary. Someone needs to lay off the sweets. Total weight gain 19 lbs.

Maternity clothes? I need to buy my baby shower outfit soon. Any suggestions?

Stretch marks?

None.

Sleep?

Sleep is okay. Getting out of bed in the middle of the night when I have a full bladder is rough.

Best moment this week?

Lots of stuff in preparation for Olive! Going over our birth plan with 1 of our midwives, meeting with our pediatrician, getting the house more organized (thanks for the help, mama & dad), AND having the nursery painted (pics to come soon)!!!

Food cravings:

Too many sweets!

Gender:

Female!

Belly button in or out?

I have an "outtie".

Movement?

Lots of movement, tons of hiccups, she's now found my ribs-ouch!

What I miss?

I miss not being able to wear my engagement ring. It has those sizing balls on the inside of the ring and every night it has become more difficult to take off. I'm still able to wear my wedding band though. :)

What I'm looking forward to:

Eating a medium rare steak on Thanksgiving and having an over-easy egg! :D

Milestones: Baby girl is about the size of 4 navel oranges. This week our baby is weighing in at around 4-4 1/2 pounds — which means there are only a few more pounds to go! Believe it or not, it is possible for my belly to get bigger although I just don't see how. :) Our baby's lungs are continuing to mature, producing increasing amounts of surfactant, a fatty liquid that lines the inside of the lungs and helps the sacs within expand efficiently for breathing. Our baby is also practicing sucking and swallowing (which fully coordinates between 32 and 34 weeks). She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth. My fundus height is 32cm. And baby is still head down! :)

31 weeks!

How far along? 31 weeks (We're just days away from being 2 months away from our due date.)

Weight gain/loss: 1 more lb. gained. Total weight gain 16 lbs.

Maternity clothes? No new clothes and I already hate one pair of my maternity jeans. Ugh. I need more dresses.

Stretch marks?

None. Shocking! I guess there is still time. Or maybe I'll be one of those lucky ones that doesn't get them. A girl can wish!

Sleep?

Sleep is better, but climbing in and out of bed and having to rearrange pillows sucks!

Best moment this week?

Seeing some paint go up in the nursery and loving it!

Food cravings:

Anything sweet!

Gender:

Female!

Belly button in or out?

I have an "outtie".

Movement?

Lots of movement and lots of hiccups.

What I miss?

I miss being ache-free, I miss sleep, I miss being able to bend over, I miss not being out of breath, I miss eating anything & everything I want, I miss my hips not hurting, I miss being able to wear normal clothes, I miss my body, I miss feeling like my belly is humongous, I miss being comfortable, I miss being able to jump up from the couch, I miss driving comfortably, I miss not having to pee what seems like every 5 mins., I miss not having RLS. I miss all of these things and more, BUT I wouldn't change a thing. I'm lucky to be able to go through these experiences because I'm pregnant and I'm having a healthy baby. All of it is worth it for Olive.

What I'm looking forward to:

At this moment? Labor & Delivery. I'm ready for her to be here. I want to see her beautiful face.

Milestones: Our baby is the size of 4 large apples & about 4 pounds and can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. Also, as baby girl continues to grow and the living quarters get more cramped, she will start making more deliberate elbow and knee jabs instead of spastic kicks and movements.