Pregnancy Update @ 37 weeks

I had a pretty good week pregnancy-wise. With the exception of the swollen fingers, feet and aches here and there, everything was OK.
I am now "full term" @ 37-weeks depending on what calendar you're using. I truly feel so blessed and happy to be itching towards the end of this journey.


How Far Along? 37 weeks. By the standards used when I was pregnant with JOE, at this point, I was considered full term. But according to new guidelines from last year, full term is now 39-weeks. I am completely fine with this. J & I would very much like for her to wait until her due date. We still have a ton on our plates to do :-).

Size of Baby? Now about 19-inches long (almost at her full length!). For comparison, baby is now about the size of a honeydew melon and weighs about 6.3 pounds! Since my appointment last week, I somehow managed to lose some more weight. My current weight gain to date for this pregnancy is 3.2-lbs. I guess I will definitely be staying under the 10-lb mark.

Maternity Clothes? Fully in them now but I am still able to alternate maternity clothes and pre-pregnancy clothes. 

Stretch Marks? So far, nothing new has cropped up. But I can't always see around my round belly anymore For now though, I haven't noticed any new ones.

Sleep? It has gotten somewhat better. I am now waking up 4-5 times as opposed to upwards of 6-times per night. I'll take it. A couple skipped pee breaks at night adds up to about 20-minutes more sleep for me. 

Food Cravings? ICE ICE baby! I posted a picture of the larger cup I was able to get from Walmart to ensure I don't have to make multiple runs to the cafeteria to fill up my ice. Yay!

What I Miss: Being about to walk around without wobbling. I feel like one of those wobble toys you find at amusement parks or play areas. The ones you can knock down and they keep coming back up wobbling. 
I also miss going up the stairs without being out of breath. I miss my regular sized feet. I miss being able to put lotion on my feet without having to use my bed rail as a step area. There's a lot I miss but at the same time, I am grateful for this precious child growing inside of me.

What I'm Looking Forward To:  My hospital bag is packed. We decided J will stay home with JOE when I stay in the hospital overnight. That way, JOE can have some semblance of normalcy. My mom will be staying with me instead. 
I was hoping I'd be able to get a maternity photo shoot in. Similar to what we did when I was pregnant with JOE but at this point, I'm not sure we'll be able to find the time to do it. I feel disappointed about that :-(.

Symptoms? Sleepless nights, swollen fingers and feet. Still no real food cravings but last night, I had ice cream for dinner. Does that count? It wasn't much but I felt like having something sweet.

Movement? YES! Much slower movements now. I guess baby girl is running out of room in there. 

Belly Button In or Out? Still very much in. It never came out last time with JOE's pregnancy so I don't think it will this time.

Labor Signs? Braxton Hicks!!! Still manageable. I plan on starting on the same raspberry tea leaves regimen I did with JOE closer to this baby's due date.

Best Moment of the Week? Hearing JOE talk about her baby sister and the many kisses she always gives her. I had my weekly appointment a few days ago and JOE had to come with me. While on the examination table being examined, I made a face during a not so comfortable check and JOE turned to me and said "momma, its OK. The doctor is checking on baby sister." It was just too cute for words.

Weekly Wisdom: Learning to say no to foolishness. I encountered a couple of things this week that should have made me say "stop it!" but I didn't. Oh well...I'll try to do better with that.

Pictures? Yup. Here are a few pictures below.

I know...not the sexiest feet but they are what I have to work with right now :-). Praying they go back to normal after baby arrives.

JOE's many faces at my last OB appointment. She did so well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A side by side comparison. Baby is still quite high up. I am guessing she won't be making her debut any time soon.

 

Hope you had a great week. I am ready for the weekend! Have a fun and safe weekend and remember to be kind to strangers!