Darrell & Sharyn

How far along: 39 weeks – almost done!

Baby’s size: Mini Watermelon – Your baby matches up to a mini watermelon, weighing a bit over 7 pounds. (Length: about 20 inches, head to heel)

Sleep: I get anywhere from 1.5-2 hour chunks at a time before I have to get up for the bathroom. It is nice that I am able to go right back to sleep afterwards, but it still leaves me slightly exhausted in the morning. The morning exhaustion is getting better, so I know it is just prepping me for the first months with baby.

Maternity Clothes:Yep. And now I have only two options: Pull my pants up over my belly button so my tummy doesn’t stick out under my shirt, or just wear dresses.

Food Cravings: I really want a BBQ bacon cheeseburger with a Dr. Pepper. That is what I have been craving the last week, but I haven’t really done much to satisfy that craving. There is a Red Robin only about a mile away.

Food Aversions: Still spicy like it has been all pregnancy. I am able to eat a little bit more of a spice, but I can’t put too much on my food otherwise I can’t eat it.

Symptoms I have: False Labor contractions. They are coming and going. They were about 20 minutes apart for a couple hours the other night, then I laid down and they went away. 🙁 Other than that, I have heartburn after taking my vitamins but Papaya enzymes have been helping with that. I have been getting nauseous again. No actual throwing up, but very nauseous. I realized yesterday that I had been standing and doing things too long and my ankles swelled up. Luckily the swelling went down once I got off my feet. I have been getting “lightning crotch” where it just feels like EJ grabbed a nerve down there and yanked on it. Boy does it hurt! Luckily it only lasts a little bit before it goes away, but it sure takes my breath away.

Doctor’s Appointment:  Tomorrow afternoon.

Movement: His movement is definitely getting slower which is not helping my anxiety. I have to sit there and really focus on him moving because he isn’t doing the jerky kicks now. It is just small stretching movements.

Belly Button: The tip of it is popping out depending on where baby is situated when I check.

Gender: Boy!

What I’m looking forward to: Getting this show on the road and seeing EJ. Hopefully sometime this week.

What I miss: Easily rolling over in bed and being able to get dressed quickly instead of taking awhile since I have to stop and take breaks for breathing after bending over.

How far along: 38 weeks

Baby’s size: Leek – Your baby, now as long as a leek, weighs nearly 7 pounds. (Length: more than 19.5 inches, head to heel)

Sleep: Most of the week I was up every 90 minutes either for the bathroom or just a hip pain. Last night however.. I slept in 4 hour chunks and only had to get up once for the bathroom. Yay! I think it was helpful that I laid the two body pillows down and slept on them and also added some other extra pillows. Downside was it made it hard to get up in the middle of the night.

Maternity Clothes: Yup. Still getting rid of shirts as they slowly stop covering my belly. At home I just relax around in whatever is comfortable, but when I go to an appointment, I like having the top and bottom since they measure belly etc. Seems to be the same outfit every week for that.

Food Cravings: I have been craving a Dr. Pepper. I don’t want to buy a big one as I only want one glass with a meal, but everytime we have gone out to eat since I started having this craving, they don’t have Dr. Pepper. It so isn’t fair. 🙁 Oh well.. I have been eating a lot of chocolate chip cookies and getting my cookie dough fix in. 🙂

Food Aversions: Still spicy. I am most likely going to suck it up and see if I can get some spicy into my meals to help bring on labor if needed (worth a shot even if it doesn’t work, but we won’t begin that probably until late next week)

Symptoms I have: Everything under the sun. 🙂 Just kidding. Occasionally I get heartburn, but some papaya enzymes have been a charm with that. My hips are so out of whack it isn’t funny. It hurts to waddle around and go up and down. We bought an exercise ball and that has been a lifesaver! It totally helps realign my hips and I feel so much better after a couple minutes on the ball versus the couch. The downside is I start to get tired and doze, so I have to move to the couch so I don’t fall asleep on the ball. Every walk we go on I get contractions and it is really uncomfortable to do walks. Makes me a little sad, but happy at the same time since we are so close. I am constantly nauseous no matter what I do. (Even the Sea-Bands aren’t helping).

Doctor’s Appointment: Tomorrow afternoon. I am hoping it is our last one until baby is here, but who knows. Maybe the full moon this weekend will jump start labor. 🙂

Movement: Everywhere! This little one is all over the place. He only really gets going late at night and rarely during the day. Most days they are such soft movements that I miss them. Then I start stressing out and he gives me a good thump. So I try to not worry unless I haven’t gotten his dance party by bedtime.

Belly Button: Starting to pop.

Gender: Boy!

What I’m looking forward to: A nice alcoholic beverage and of course meeting our son! I am slightly dreading the labor part, but am looking forward to the light at the end. Oh.. and Darrell’s mom is going to be here tomorrow so she will be a huge help as we get the rest of our life ready for baby! So excited!

What I miss: Easily rolling over in bed instead of having to take a couple breaks to get the roll done. Darrell laughs because I usually have to reach over the side of the bed to grab the frame and help pull myself the rest of the way.

And just for fun…. A picture of the front view of my belly. I have a stretch mark at every point that I was given a shot for the fertility medications. It isn’t purty, but it’s my bellah!

*sorry for the blurry pic. I seem to forget to take them until I am exhausted and about ready to climb into bed*

Weekly Updates:

How far along: 37 weeks – Yay! Full term!!

Baby’s size: Swiss Chard – Your baby is as lofty as a stalk of swiss chard and weighs 6 1/3 pounds. (Length: a bit over 19 inches, head to heel)

Sleep: It’s been rough the last week. Either my hips hurt constantly, I am up every 90 minutes for the bathroom, or I am woken up with contractions. I think I am getting about 6 hours total. I know this will be normal once baby is here, but I still don’t like it. 🙂

Maternity Clothes: Yup. Starting to actually not fit into some of the maternity clothes I was given.

Food Cravings: None. My appetite has actually gone up a little bit, but I just find something to eat. I can be starving but nothing sounds good. I’m thinking banana pancakes for breakfast in the morning.

Food Aversions: Getting better. I can’t do really spicy, but I am starting to be able to tolerate a moderate spice. Definitely excited for that!

Symptoms I have: Heartburn after every glass of water (which sucks big time). Hip pain, contractions (not regular yet), nausea again, exhaustion.

Doctor’s Appointment: Today! Next one is next Wednesday. Maybe we will make it, maybe we won’t. Only baby knows! 🙂

Movement: EJ is definitely a mover. I feel him all over the place. He is more of an afternoon/night person than a morning person. I feel him move constantly from about 10:30am-1am. Other than that he just kind of hangs out and occasionally stretches. Makes me stress a little bit when he decides he isn’t going to do any movement until after 2pm.

Belly Button: Level. Almost done! 😛

Gender: Boy!

What I’m looking forward to: Meeting EJ finally! I am also looking forward to being able to do more things on my own and not running out of breath so easily. I know Darrell is looking forward to me being able to change the litter box again. 🙂

What I miss: Sleep. And I could really go for a Strawberry Daquiri or a Midori Sunrise.

*This is a photo my aunt took at our maternity shoot wanderings on Sunday. I will probably post some more after I go through them and see exactly which ones I like*

Weekly Updates:

How far along: 36 weeks

Baby’s size: Crenshaw Melon – Your baby, almost 6 pounds and still packing on the pounds at a rate of about an ounce a day, is comparable to a Crenshaw melon in size. (Length: more than 18.5 inches, head to heel.)

Sleep: It depends on the day. Some nights I sleep through the night and others I am constantly tossing and turning and having to get up for the bathroom.

Maternity Clothes: Yes and even most of those are starting to not fit properly. I am starting to get more limited to dresses when we actually leave the house.

Food Cravings: Unfortunately, I have still been eating those cookies like crazy! I think it is more because they are there and I am to tired to find something else. We did buy a watermelon and I have been enjoying eating that, but no set cravings on anything.

Food Aversions: There are some days where absolutely nothing sounds appealing. Overall, I am still only dealing with the spicy aversion.

Symptoms I have: Same as last week, except this week I have been having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions. They are slowly getting more painful and I have been having menstrual like cramps which the midwife has informed me is most likely real contractions and I need to watch that.

Doctor’s Appointment: Next appointment is next Tuesday. Starting to get close. None of the midwives think I will make it to my due date. We shall see what EJ decides.

Movement: He still has his dance parties, but with all the Braxton Hicks and real contractions going on, he moves his dance party to different times of the day. There is no more regularity except that he will have at least one 45 minute party a day.

Belly Button: Level. Almost done! 😛

Gender: Boy!

What I’m looking forward to: It sounds weird, but I am actually looking forward to labor. I know it will be painful and I know that I will most likely complain throughout it, but I am looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel and the labor is the next step for that.

What I miss: Baking, cooking and the ability to finish unpacking. I have almost no energy lately. I am exhausted and can barely do something for more than 20 minutes (besides sleep and a movie). It is hard, but totally worth it. (Right!?!?!?!)

I know this is late as there has been a lot on my plate in the last few weeks. I am trying. I really am. 🙂 Plus I realize I forgot to take photo’s, so I am just using some we have taken around.

Weekly Updates:

How far along: 35 weeks (35/35 day!!! ~ 35 weeks down, 35 days to go)

Baby’s size: Honeydew Melon – Your baby, now as hefty as a honeydew melon at 5.25 pounds, doesn’t have much room to maneuver in your belly. Length: more than 18 inches, head to heel. {Of course, as of last week our baby was almost 7 pounds, so this is a little off, but more of a general idea.}

Sleep: It is getting harder as I am up almost every 90 minutes to go to the bathroom. EJ definitely does most of his moving around at night.

Maternity Clothes: Yup. I am starting to find out that I don’t fit in some of my maternity shirts. My belly sticks out under them, so I am slowly starting to become limited in what I can wear.

Food Cravings: Darrell has been making quite a few batches of chocolate chip cookies and they are sooo yummy!

Food Aversions: Slowly starting to be able to eat spicy which is nice, but I can’t eat everything yet. Chips and salsa are still out of the running 🙁

Symptoms I have: Heartburn, waddle, pelvic bone loosening up, and an unstable tummy table as baby is running out of room. 🙂

Doctor’s Appointment: Today we had one at the birth center and then our next one is on Monday since I am now on once a week appointments! I can’t believe we are that close already!

Movement: EJ is more active at night than in the morning. From the time I wake up until after dinner, I usually have to focus in order to feel him stretch and move around. After dinner though, it is like he is having a dance party and constantly moving around.

Belly Button: Level. Almost done! 😛

Gender: Boy!

What I’m looking forward to: Getting the diapers in the mail and then finally meeting this little human that has been cooking for 35 weeks!

What I miss: Being able to grab anything out of my closet and know that it fits. Plus my feet have grown a little bit and now I don’t fit in some of my shoes. 🙁