35 Weeks and So Much To Do!

How far along? 35 weeks and 2 days

Total weight gain: According to the doctor’s scale, 36 lbs, which is surprising given how much cake I ate this past weekend.     

How big is baby? Dr. H. estimates close to 6 lbs (and that she will most likely weigh in the 8lb range at birth, which is a HUGE relief, and should quiet my fears of giving birth to a 20lb baby!).  The website compares her to a coconut. I’m guessing that’s a weight thing, cuz she’s also around 19-20 inches long.  That’s one big-ass coconut!

Maternity clothes? Um . . . ya. Though I’m down to the same 2 or 3 outfits cuz most of my stuff no longer fits.

Stretch marks? None so far. . . I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter! 

Sleep? Sleep continues to be ok. Hip pain makes it difficult to fall asleep, but once I do, I’m usually ok

(not counting the 95 times I get up to visit the bathroom or grab some honey nut cheerios).

Best moment this week? My baby shower! If I can get my hands on some of the pictures, I’ll do a post. A HUGE thank you to my mom’s friend Carolyn for arranging such a lovely afternoon. And another HUGE thank you to my mom for making sure there was a Publix cake!! So good! (And Kelly, I ate more than enough cake to cover your share!) And another HUGE thank you to Volkswagen for designing my car to work like Mary Poppins’ carpetbag. We were given so many wonderful gifts, and almost all of them fit in the back of my VW Rabbit. It was so amazing to see so many of my friends. As much as we love where we live right now, I miss those girls in the worst way! I just wish I had been able to spend more time with each of them.

How are you feeling? Well, my usually skinny feet and bony ankles are looking a little foreign to me these days, as are my hands and fingers. If you can overlook that and this awful hip pain I’ve been feeling the last couple of days, I still feel pretty good. I’m still able to waddle my way around the neighborhood, and Scout is getting better about not pulling so much. She was so used to the two of us running together, it’s been hard for her to slow it down.   

Miss anything? Laying down, sitting, getting out of the car, getting off the couch, getting off the bed and walking like a normal person.   

Movement? This little girl is such a squirm!!

Food cravings? Strawberries and vanilla frozen yogurt are big this week (topped with Magic Shell – yum-o) . . . and of course, peppermint.  

Aversions? Nothing new.    

Anything make you queasy or sick? Not this week.

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first and middle name ready for debut upon baby girl’s arrival. 

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny…but not sure for how much longer.

Wedding rings on or off? The wedding band is still on, but I’ve had to retire the engagement ring (although today I was able to wear both thanks to the cooler weather.)

Looking forward to: Our last ultrasound in two weeks (when the doctor heard how big my brother was at birth – about 10 and a half lbs!!! – she scheduled one just to double check that Baby Tuna was not headed for a similar weight), finishing with the nursery, and the Hubs’ birthday tomorrow (we’re keeping it low key, but it’s another excuse for Publix cake!!!)

With only a month left in this phase of the adventure, it’s becoming massively overwhelming to think about how much is left to do. This could be why I can’t take a nap to save my life.

Still To Do List

 + Find a pediatrician

+ Thank you cards 

(of course they need to be purchased first)

+ Purchase items left on our registries 

(Thank God for gift cards!!)

+ Make and hang curtains in nursery 

(just waiting for the fabric to arrive)

+ Finish making the mobile and name letters

+ Put away and organize a butt-load of baby clothes 

(they’re all washed, but somehow I don’t think leaving them in a pile on the back of a chair in the living room is acceptable.)

+ DIY some maternity photos 

(This is an easy one, we just have to find the time during daylight hours)

+ Get a pedicure 

(maybe when my mom comes down in a couple of weeks)

+ Write out our birth plan

+ Get a baby book that isn’t pink 

(Why are they all either pink or blue?!)

+ Pick an outfit for Baby Tuna to come home in

+ Pack our “Go” bags

+ Get some last minute things to go in our "Go" bags

And speaking of "Go" bags, to my mommy friends out there, was there something that you brought with you to the hospital that you could never have lived without? AND . . . was there anything that you wished you had brought, but didn’t?