Happy Due-Date Peanut!

Here I am, having reached the 40-week mark and it couldn't be a more beautiful day!  I hope this great weather sticks around just a little longer so Peanut can enjoy it for himself! 

I am so thankful for my friend Laura and her adorable son Tate who are both always up for a walk.  Although today's walk was cut a little short because of time it was fun nonetheless.

I had my 40-week appointment with the midwives this afternoon.  Like all of my other appointments it was pretty uneventful, something I am always grateful for. It was different thought because I had a Fetal Stress Test (just to make sure he's still going strong in there, which he is :) and an internal exam.  I'll spare you the details because I know some sensitive eyes may be reading this, but let's just say that I am progressing slightly, but there is really no telling when this little guy will come.  I think the Evening Primrose Oil I take orally to soften my cervix and Raspberry Leaf tea to strengthen my uterus are working well.  Let's hope this holds true when the real labor game starts!

I have been more than pleased with my midwives and feel so comfortable with and confident in them.  In fact this morning while out at my favorite coffee shop, Spruce Street Confections with my friend Jess I ran into one of my midwives.  After she gave me a big hug we talked for awhile and she was so very encouraging.  This afternoon I saw another one of the midwives and she was equally as wonderful.  She listened to my concerns about going post term and not going into labor naturally.  She was encouraging and confident that everything will happen naturally as it should, most likely by next week.  I still truly cannot comprehend that our little guy is real and that we will be holding him soon.  Labor feels so far away...yet I am so excited for when it happens.  Bring it on!

 

Our Last Few Days..

Last night Judd and I enjoyed a spontaneous night out on the town thanks to my mom's generous offer to buy us a special dinner :)  She is one of the most thoughtful people I know and really appreciate all of the small things that she gives me just to make life a little more special.  To celebrate one of our last days as pre-parents, we went to the Kitchen Upstairs, a modern, classy restaurant I have been wanting to try since I moved to Boulder.  It was awesome.

During our conversation we started talking about things that I am going to miss and those that I won't about being pregnant.  In these last few days that I feel the most uncomfortable, I thought it important to record all of the good and the bad, because I don't want to just remember the bad.

Things I am looking forward to post-pregnancy:

1. Being able to put on my pants, socks and shoes without significant effort (especially my left leg/foot).
2. No more heartburn!!
3. No longer feeling a burning/ stretching sensation on my right upper side, just below my rib (apparently due to my liver being here and there just not being enough room).
4. Sleeping on my back/ sleeping through the night (well...this may not happen again for a long time).
5. Getting kicked in the ribs.
6. No more inner-thigh nerve pinching from his cute little head settling in.
7. Being able to resume my favorite workout classes.
8. Being able to enjoy a glass of red wine or one of my many favorite beers.
9. Shopping for normal clothes.
10. Bringing our little boy into a community that is already so excited for and in love with him.
11. Not wondering every day if today will be the day we meet him!
12. Spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with our new little boy.
13. Carrying Peanut on the outside rather than the inside.
14.  Getting to meet this little man I have fallen so deeply in love with over the last 10 months!

Things I will most definitely miss:

1. Having clear skin.
2. Feeling special and beautiful just because I am pregnant (I've always thought pregnant women were the cutest, so its been fun to have this identity for awhile).
3. Getting to park in the "Expectant Parent" spots (oh wait, they're for "Expectant and New Parents" - awesome).
4. Wearing tight shirts with no shame.
5. Losing minimal to no hair every time I shower.
6. Having no issues with my body/ weight because I know it is serving a bigger, more important purpose that trumps any of my personal issues.
7. Getting monthly prenatal massages and weekly chiropractic adjustments.
8. Feeling his little feet move around in the same place.
9. Eating extra dessert and knowing nobody can judge me.
10. Getting to sleep in.
11. Having an excuse to nest and craft constantly.
12. Getting Peanut all to myself, every day, all day as I feel him change, grow and move around inside of me.

To-Do Lists

38 Weeks, 5 days pregnant.  My life looks a bit ridiculous right now.  I spent so much time "nesting" for weeks leading up until this point, convinced (or more nervously prepared) that this little guy was going to come much sooner rather than later, that now I find myself sort of running out of things to do.  My "to-do" lists continue every day however.  I have been to the grocery store ever other day, making absolutely sure that we are up-to-date on every possible thing we could ever need.  I have vacuumed three times this week, and do laundry daily.  I've been to Target more times than I can count in the last month and even fit in a nice big trip to Costco.  I know that Peanut could easily hang out for another two weeks, however, I also know that he could come tonight.  And because he could possibly come tonight, I cannot shake this feeling of needing to constantly be ready, at any moment. :)  

I am typically super productive with my days, but as I have been running out of things to do, I have started to tap-into my creative side.  Recent projects include knitting this Turkey Hat for Thanksgiving, 

Breaking out the colored pencils for some artistic time,

 and finishing one last project in the room (coat hook & hung picture).

Looks like we're ready to go.  Now when are you coming?

Maternity Photos

I love these maternity photos, taken at 36 weeks by my friend Laura Ramos at Fuse Photographic.  Her and her husband Travis are an awesome team of photographers - check them out!

Settling In

As I approach the 37 week mark I am so excited to almost be considered full term!  I cannot believe that this little guy is literally ready to meet the world any day!  Yes, yes, I know that he will most likely come closer to his due date, or potentially after (ahh!) but either way, he's coming soon!

Life has been a bit on the crazier side lately.  I feel like no matter how hard we try, Judd and I cannot seem to keep ourselves from being a bit over-committed.  It doesn't help that in the last few days I have been feeling less myself and much more pregnant and hormonal.  I have been pretty blessed throughout this whole process by feeling pretty good physically so its hard to complain if it just starts getting a little harder now.

What's going on...heartburn.  Its bad.  I have it throughout the day, seemingly independent of what I eat.  And its really bad at night when I lay down.  I have woken up in the middle of the night to stomach acid coming up my throat, ugh.  Last night before bed I tried a remedy recommend by my midwife - drink 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with honey.  It was real tart, but in combination with a few Tums, did the trick.

As I move around throughout the day I feel intermittent pressure in my pelvis, more precisely on my bladder. At first I thought I suddenly really had to pee, often, but then I realize that its just my future child's head settling in down there.  He also tends to pinch a nerve in my inner thigh occasionally, making me feel like one or both of my legs could give out, haha. Oh the joys of the third trimester.  :)  At my apt. yesterday my midwife confirmed that he is ridding really low, which explains all of these symptoms, but is also an excellent position for him to be in.

I've continued to go to a chiropractor every other week, and will soon be every week and I have loved it.  I really feel like she has helped keep my back and hips as in place as possible and minimized any discomfort I could be having.  I'm curious if her handy work has anything to do with how low he is sitting. I'm hoping this means a quick delivery!

The babies room is ready, clothes are washed and folded and even our reusable-diaper sprayer is hooked up to the toilet.  We plan to install the car seat early next week and really just feel ready!  I'm not sure if me being ready will allow him to come early, or if I am actually just setting myself up for a long 5 more weeks of waiting...haha, who knows.

Room Unveil!

Introducing Peanut's room!!  I have had so much fun over the past few months, scouring Pinterest for ideas and breaking out the sewing machine.  Judd's dad and grandpa were both pilots and so naturally Judd has always loved airplanes.  Hence the theme: vintage airplanes.  

There are many special things about this nursery such as:

- P-51 Mustang WWII fighter poster Judd bought on a trip with his grandpa and it always brings back great memories for Judd

- Aviator stuffed bear was Judd's when he was a baby

- Re-upholstered rocking chair was Judd's mom's grandma's original piece that Judd's mom had remade for us (thank you!). She rocked all of her babies in this chair and swears it is the perfect size :)

- Handmade newspaper airplanes in frame was a gift from my good friend Stephanie Whitehill

- Vintage globe, "R" (name will be revealed soon enough!) and red airplane are gifts from my sister-in-law Tamara and nieces, Hanna and Laurel from my CA shower

- Yellow bulb-like flowers were decorations at my friend Emily Stone's recent wedding

- Vintage airplane book was one of many super cool decorative books at our friends Justin and Ali's recent wedding

- Baby Tom's are a gift from my High School friend Stefanie (cannot wait to use these in maternity pictures!)

- Vintage images in some of the frames come from various old magazines and books that our dear friends Andrew and Danelle whom recently moved to Philadelphia have found and sent us

- And much of the hand-made stuff was made possible by many Pinterest tutorials (including the changing pad cover and bed skirt)

Time is Flying!

I have not written nearly enough lately.  I think part of this is because there is so much to write about, I have not known where to start.  Today marks 34 weeks and 4 days.  I had heard that life speeds by in the third trimester, but judging by how slow it seemed to crawl through the first two, I never thought it could be true.  The days are flying by however.  I feel like I took a nap and August was gone.  Incredible.  I cannot believe that I am literally counting down the weeks/ days right now until this little man will greet the world!

What I have been feeling lately:

Emotional:  (About babies)  Example: I was just watching Dr. Phil and they brought a newborn baby out onto the stage.  I immediately started to cry.  When I see newborns (including those being born in the video's of our birth class!) I am intensely overcome with emotion.  I know that this little boy is really with us now by how strong his movements are all day, but I still cannot fully comprehend that someday soon I will actually hold and look into his eyes.  I am so excited.

Sleepless: Last night I tossed and turned and walked around the house from 1:30-3:30 AM due to what I believe were slightly more intense than normal Braxton Hicks.  My stomach was so tight that it hurt and I felt hungry and like I was being punched in the stomach at the same time.  It crossed my mind, "this can't be early labor...can it?!"  A friend of mine went into labor a little under 5 weeks early, so I think mentally I am a little psyched-out as to the possibility that this little man could actually come much sooner than expected.  As much as I want him to come before I have to be medically induced, I am hoping and praying that he hangs on just a few more weeks longer.

Hydrated: I drink tons of water, almost 100oz. a day.  I figure, I am going to have to pee often anyway, I might as well do my body the favor of being extremely hydrated.  A doctor told a pregnant friend of mine this: "if there is only one word of advice I can give a pregnant woman, its drink LOTS of water, it will help with everything."  Done.

Adjusted and massaged: Two things I have indulged in this pregnancy: Seeing a chiropractor and getting a monthly prenatal massage.  During the last few weeks my body has started to really feel the weight of these changes and I believe taking care of the discomforts as much as possible is serving me tremendously.

Educated:  I cannot seem to read enough about labor and delivery, I love it.  I find the entire experience extremely fascinating and am determined to do this naturally.  I have read three books that were recommended by the midwives:

                  




Although all three contain a wealth of valuable information, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth stands out above the rest.  Ina May is the nations leading Midwife.  The first 100 pages or so of this book contain inspiring, natural and beautiful birth stories.  Before I started reading these stories I mostly had the typical Hollywood image of birth in my mind: Woman's water breaks as a complete surprise, she wails in blood-curling pain and is rushed to the hospital where everyone responds in a panic.  She is immediately hooked up to numerous monitors and finally delivers, clearly in unimaginable pain.  Its no wonder most women are terrified of birth.  These stories have helped rewrite my understanding of what birth should and can be.  I am not saying that I absolutely will not allow myself an epidural if it becomes necessary (truly, I do not know what I am getting into anyway), however, I do believe that my body was made for this and that it can deliver this baby boy naturally and beautifully.  Honestly, I am more afraid of hospital interventions then I am of experiencing what my body can and will do on its own.  I know this may sound crazy to some readers, so please excuse my short explanation, I would love to talk more in-depth if you are really interested.  Only a few short weeks until I get to put my reading to the test!

Prepared: Car seat: check. Stroller: check. Crib: check. Reusable diapers: check. Adorable overalls for every stage of the first year: check.  The nursery is nearly complete and I love it.  I will post pictures asap!