38 Weeks

Only 9 days left till we get to meet our daughter! To most of you your probably thinking, how fast, but for me it feels so far away.  Probably because my feet and ankles are gigantic, my hands are numb all day and the pain in my back has become constant.  Pain aside, we are so excited to meet you, and can't wait for dday, by the way any signs or hints you'd like to give us as to when that will be would be greatly appreciated. 

38 Weeks

My 38 week Dr appointment went well.  Every week I see a different Dr. in the practice, so I'm now just rotating between the four and it's funny how everyone has a different opinion.  The good news is that you dieted this week so my belly hasn't grown any larger and her heartbeat was normal.  Based on my exam she didn't think anything would be happening in the next week and they would see me for my 39 week appt.  She also sympathized with how swollen I am.  We will likely get one more ultrasound in if we make it to term to make sure everything is ok with the lil lady and hopefully start on your eviction notice :)

This week I worked from her per Dr's orders which I must say makes a huge difference on how my body feels. My back and feet feel the most relief that is for sure.  It was also your Nana's birthday on Thursday, and while we celebrated last weekend just to be on the safe side, I did have fun posting these pictures! 

Project nursery is almost complete, all we need is our little girl and a few other accents and we are done.  The biggest is her name which we are obviously waiting to put up till after she arrives.  Here are some pictures of how the space turned out, we really love it!!

I have the worlds best bestie and you have the worlds best God Mother.  On Sunday Brit came down to the city to treat me to a yummy dinner at Summer House.  She wanted to make sure we got in some bestie time before she went out of town for the weekend incase you decide to arrive early.  We had an amazing time, catching up and laughing like we always do.  She also got you the most adorable onezie, I have a feeling she is going to spoil you rotten, but that's ok!! 

I also had a great catch up lunch with my old boss JC during the week and she treated you to some really adorable goodies, as well as a Nordy's gift card for me.  It was so sweet of her to do that since she couldn't make it to the baby shower in June and way to generous of her.  Makes me miss working there so much. 

swaddles, onezie and hat, and ballet socks

How far along? 38 Weeks

How Big Is Baby this week? She is the size of a Pumpkin 

Total weight gain/loss: 37+

Latest purchase: Didn't buy anything for the nursery this week, instead i've been trying to distract myself by baking - so lots of ingrediants

Stretch marks? Zip

Sleep: After my physical therapy the exercises have helped big time for sleeping, i'm still up every hour or two to pee, however my back doesn't hurt as much.  Poor Dave though is effected from my snoring (karma)

Best moment this week: Seeing the nursery finished!!

Funniest moment this week: Laughing with Dave about how he expects his daughter to make a spreadsheet for the car she wants in 16 years.... long story

Miss anything? Everything 

Movement: Intense movement but she's still positioned on my right side.... not making me feel like labor is anytime soon :(

Food cravings: My appetite is insane, I can literally eat double of what i used to

Anything making you queasy or sick: Chicken pot pie, Dave bought one, no thanks

How Big is the belly: 40cm, no change from last week, thank goodness - she went on a diet last week. 

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: light contractions

Anything swollen? ME!!! 

Best way to describe my mood: Up and down, depends on when you catch me

Looking forward to: Meeting our daughter!!! 

37 Weeks

37 weeks is here and almost gone, as of today there are 16 days left till Baby Girls due date.  We started off this week with my 37 week appointment which was more eventful than expected. First thing my Dr. said after measuring my belly is we have got a big baby.  A week ago my belly was 37 cm and at this appointment it's 40 cm.  Usually your belly should correspond with the number of weeks along you are, so last week only being one cm ahead wasn't that big of a deal but now being 3 cm larger than I should be pacing she ordered an ultrasound to see how big she is.  

Look at those chubby cheeks!! The first thing Dave said was those are my cheeks in there :)  We found out that she is definitely big, at 37 weeks she's already weighing in at 7lbs 6oz with 3 weeks to keep on cooking. They couldn't tell us her length because it's too difficult to determine but based on her tibia she's shorter, also sounds like me :)  

My Dr. also directed me to be off my feet as much as possible for the remaining two/three weeks, since i'm experiencing so much back pain and circulation issues she also ordered me to go to physical therapy till this lady is out. I had my first session and it really did help A LOT. The last bit of news she said was there was potential to induce early if she gets to big and also to be ready for the potential of a c-section.  I quickly told her that was fine with me, why they seem less scary than natural to me is a mystery but it really does. 

37 Weeks

After that news from my Dr. it forced me to reevaluate the next couple of weeks.  Lots on the to do list to get completed and things to get in order from work so that I could work from home until she arrives. 

The glider got delivered which was HUGE, I was worried that we wouldn't get it till mid August, so happy it's here. My good friend Paula came over and did a nursery overhaul.  She literally organized everything from the changing table to the closet and we took everything out of the boxes, set up the monitor, set up the mobile, got the baby bjorn ready, you name it she did it.  

Saturday we did little things, well Dave did.  He installed a dimmer in the nursery as suggested by Paula, he got us a new carbon monoxide detector and bought us a safe which we definitely need with more and more people that will be int he condo it's just smart to have. He also installed the car seat - IT'S GETTING SO REAL. I packed my hospital bag since that's a must and organized a few drawers that really needed it.  All sitting of course :) That night my Mom and Dad came to the city and we celebrated you Nana's birthday.  A few days early since it's in the middle of the week.  Dinner at Tarintino's and desset at Forever Yogurt, yummy.  She was very excited that she has finally gotten her Flag Pole for the front of the house and we also found an adorable Scottie water color for the new house in Florida. 

Sunday we headed to Deerfield to celebrate Elyena Finder's 1st birthday.  It was a nice party at Matt's parents house.  Lots of kids running around playing and swimming in a baby pool, a BBQ and the birthday girl.  I took Dr's orders seriously and sat the entire time, luckily we have great friends that all sat with me in the heat! Afterward we stopped by Kara and Ross's since they literally live 5 minutes away and said a quick hello.  We would have stayed for dinner but momma was super tired from being in the sun so home we went. 

How far along? 37 Weeks

How Big Is Baby this week? She is the size of a Winter Melon at 7lbs 6oz 

Total weight gain/loss: 35+

Latest purchase: After my organizing session with Paula she sent me out with a list, I bought her mattress bc I figure at this point big gifts are probably over.  I bought swaddles, changing pad linters, burp clothes and knobs for the dresser. 

Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep: A distant memory - I wake up almost every 2 hours at this point to turn or pee or just be uncomfortable... at least i'll be ready for night feedings. 

Best moment this week: Seeing the nursery finished (minus the mattress)

Funniest moment this week: Joking that i'm to tired to complain about how uncomfortable I am with our IU friends

Miss anything? Feeling in my hands 

Movement: She's busy in there, it's like she pushes her legs out and her but goes all the way to the right side of my belly

Food cravings: All food, no wonder people gain so much at this point i'm like a garbage disposal

Anything making you queasy or sick: Oddly calamari grossed me out at dinner this week

How Big is the belly: 40cm Much bigger than last week, Dr's are talking about having me go a little early 

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Def. experiencing braxton hicks contractions

Anything swollen? ME!!! 

Best way to describe my mood: Happy 

Looking forward to: The mattress being delivered so I can post pictures of the finished nursery. 

Pregnancy Favorites

As my pregnancy winds down I thought it would be fun to give a nod to a few things that really got me through!

La Croix - I can't believe that I didn't discover La Croix until recently but it really does the trick.  I used to love drinking diet coke and haven't probably in years at this point, but the carbonation really makes me feel full so i don't over do it on snacking.

What to Expect When Expecting- What an amazing book! So helpful!! I almost had this sucker read in a week right when I found out we were pregnant.  But it was great to go back every week and month to remind myself of what was going on with Baby Girl and if things I was experiencing was normal.  I've also started reading What to Expect the First Year, also great!!

Forever Yogurt - It's like my karma was really good this year bc they opened the largest location in Chicago behind my house, good for me maybe bad for my waistline.  But I don't go everyday and it's certainly better than regular ice cream.

Urban Oasis- Once I started to really show my back started to take a toll and regular massages became a thing.  Urban Oasis has the best prenatal missus in Chicago, her name is Noreen and she's seriously the best! 

Real Housewives - Take your pick on the city, I love them all.  I guess this was a favorite preggo or not but man does it make me laugh, feel better about myself and entertain all the time!! Dave has already told me that I can't have Bravo on as she gets older bc it's a bad influence, couldn't agree more - mommy's guilty pleasure.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter- Lorin gave this to me when we went to visit them in Boston and while i realize stretch marks are hereditary I haven't had a one, now I just have to get through the next three weeks but so far so good!

Chocolate Chip Cookies - At least we know i'm my mother's daughter.  Your Nanas biggest vice is chocolate chip cookies and aparently mine while pregnant.  Mariano's might have the best if you want to buy them, but if i'm baking i'm using my good friend Paula's recipe bc it's the cookie bomb.com!!

36 Weeks

36 Weeks down, 4 to go!! I'd say we've reached the official countdown.  We have started visiting my Dr weekly at this point.  This weeks appointment went well, my belly is 37cm which she said is normal but usually that measurement is the same as weeks pregnant so i'm slightly ahead.  Heartbeat was normal at 163 (faster than usual but she had been moving around like crazy the whole appointment)

At 36 weeks baby girl is the size of a honeydew melon ranging from 4.2-5.8lbs and 17.2-18.7 inches long. While baby girl is doing just fine inside, on the outside life is starting to become more and more difficult s are for momma to say the least. I also thought work wouldn't be an issue, but getting there being there all day, not being able to put my feet up because of my desk set up is starting to also take it's toll.  My feet are so swollen I can't even fit into shoes at this point, and sadly flip flops are not comfortable for my back...wah wah wah.

This week was low key for us, Thursday night we got together with a few of our old neighbors, the Quinns and the Morrison's and it was so fun to have dinner with everyone.  They are such a great group of friends, afterward we stopped by Dan and Hillary's new place to see all they've done since they've moved in.  Hillary has an amazing sense of decor, she could truly be an interior designer.  Friday night we decided to take it easy after a long work week and hang in and order take out.  Even though neither of us have been traveling we are both tired, we must be trying to soak up all the sleep we can get. 

Saturday we had our joint dentist appointment, how exciting! After that we headed to Dave's favorite restaurant Max and Benny's, we had a great lunch and then stopped in the deli so Dave could pick up some goodies to bring home.  I swear if we lived up there he would have me there multiple times a week. We are also trying to get to some new restaurants in the last few weeks before DDay, although lots of friends have told us in the first few months it's still easy to go out to dinner, we'll see if that rings true for us. We continue to do baby prep at the house, this week we hung the art work which I was so excited about and it really turned out great.  We also got ALL of her clothes, blankets and anything else washed, now I just have to figure out the best place for everything to go. 

Sunday your daddy decided his back was feeling much better and as the Dr directed him he needed to get back to his usual schedule and not coddle the pain, so he went for a run this morning.  While he did that Brisco and I headed out for a walk to the park.  We took our time getting there and once we got there a lab decided to antagonise Brisco even after I warned the owner that he would snap at her dog. So even after that warning she didn't do anything and her dog tried to jump on Brisco and well we know how that went, Brisco snapped at the dog and started trying to protect himself.  Unfortunate her dog was so big he ran into me so hard and knocked me forward and i fell straight down on my hands and knees.  I was so stunned i had to sit there for a minute before i realized what happen.  I was so upset with this woman and just started to walk away and Dave ended up seeing me and came down - thank goodness! I was so upset from the whole ordeal but luckily did not fall on my stomach was just more shaken up.    

On a lighter note, I decided to document just how swollen my hands are as you can see that beautiful ring doesn't fit :( At least my nails look nice. 

How far along? 36 Weeks

How Big Is Baby this week? She is the size of a Honeydew Melon

Total weight gain/loss: 34+

Latest purchase: Baby laundry detergent (so exciting)

Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep: Meh

Best moment this week: Washing all her adorable clothes, she is going to be so stylish

Funniest moment this week: Freaking out after getting on the scale at the dr. bc really what am i going to do at this point

Miss anything? Feeling normal 

Movement: Much lower than usual

Food cravings: Sushi, I think Toro might be one of the first things I want to eat when we get home

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

How Big is the belly: 37cm (Dr said this number should be the same as weeks preggo, so i'm a little ahead 

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Def. experiencing braxton hicks contractions

Anything swollen? ME!!! 

Best way to describe my mood: Anxious

Looking forward to: Getting the car seat in the car, packing my bag for the hospital. 

Happy Fourth of July!!

Happy Fourth of July!!! 35 weeks down and counting! It's July 6th which is literally 30 days till my due date! Now the question really is will she be early or late?? Maybe we should do a baby pool and make it more interesting.  This week is the last week that before I start seeing my Dr. on a weekly basis, the countdown is really on.  

35 Weeks

Thursday was a great day, we were "off" so I ran around taking advantage of the time off and energy and did a bunch of returns and little odds and ends, and then headed over to Jenny and Nick's for a gourmet cookout.  Nick made us a delicious dinner on their grill, potatoes, burgers, brats, and chicken - it was a feast and soooo yummy.  Nick after this lady joins us you can come over and cook me dinner anytime. 

The main event of this week was celebrating the 4th! Instead of heading up to Barrington like we normally do we decided to have a quiet 4th of July downtown and relax do a couple things to baby prep but mostly spend time together.  We went to a BBQ at our friends house Lindsey and Mike and had a great time.  That night we walked to the lake to experience the Navy Pier fireworks.  For a couple that has lived in Chicago since 2006 it's crazy to think we've never seen the fireworks down here.  It certainly wasn't like being at home (LOTS of people), but the fireworks were great and Brisco loved being outside!!

Daddy, Mommy, Lindsey and Mike

Waiting for the Fireworks 

The weather has been just beautiful this week, not to hot which I am sooo thankful for. Unfortunately you daddy really did a number on his back so we spent a couple hours at the Dr. on Thursday morning, x-rays, and blood work and some meds came from that and then on Sunday he took a turn for the worse, we spent quite a bit of time at the immediate care center.  He's on bed rest for the next couple days hoping his back improves.  He wants to feel 100% when he gets to meet baby girl. While he took it easy, I got down to business with putting together some of the gifts we've received and also getting rid of a ton of boxes. 

Your infant car seat from your Bubbie and Zadie

Your stroller from your Nana and Papa

Saturday your Auntie Kelley came downtown and we had a late lunch at Crosby's Kitchen and then walked around and did some shopping on Southport.  After that we drove around looking at potential places for her to live, can't wait for her to be in the city full time!  We came back to the condo enjoyed some time on the deck and then went out to dinner.  It was so nice to spend time together and catch up one on one!!

How far along? 35 Weeks

How Big Is Baby this week? She is the size of a coconut (I question this size this week but it's what the bump says)

Total weight gain/loss: 30+

Latest purchase: Bought some items for the diaper bag, got some newborn sleepers, and bought the bumper from PBK, which I KNOW aren't ok for a newborn but it's something I want to have for down the road and if i don't use it that's fine.  

Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep: Meh

Best moment this week: Putting together several items, every day we are one step closer to organization. 

Funniest moment this week: Dinner with Jenny and Nick and laughing a lot

Miss anything? Wearing my wedding rings.... I feel like i'm missing a piece of me, since it's been four years with a ring on that finger. 

Movement: Has been a little quieter than usual with less jab movement and more pressure like adjusting. 

Food cravings: Anything!!! I'm so hungry... WHY?? not making it easy for me to keep my weight in check. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

How Big is the belly: 35cm 

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Not totally sure, did experience some super sharp pains this week

Anything swollen? ME!!! You can see it in that picture i have no ankles :(

Best way to describe my mood: Anxious

Looking forward to:  My washing machine being fixed so I can start washing all your amazing clothes, blankets, sheets you name it I need to wash it. 

New Mommy Advice

I thought this was such a cute idea from the shower your Nana and Pam threw a few weekends ago.  They asked all the guests to fill out these advice cards with their words of wisdom for me as I head into this next chapter.  I thought it would be fun to share anonymously of course. (ok one is a give away but that's ok)

• Stay calm and know I will always be there to support you and Dave and your future as well.  We are very excited to be Nana and Papa.

• Don't listen to Jenny McCarthy, vaccinate your child! Don't clean to much either, a child needs germs!

• Enjoy every moment, every day.  The years go by so quickly.

• Read books about getting your baby to sleep before she is BORN! Ask for advice about things but ALWAYS trust your mommy instinct!

• Enjoy every moment, soon she will be out past curfew and driving. 

• Hide veggies in macaroni and cheese.

• Do not make a special meal, one meal and everyone has to eat it! 

• Take lots of pictures.

• Relax....Nothing is that serious - Something to remember, laughter is a good medicine. 

• Cherish all the quiet times, sleep as much as you can and remember that it goes by so fast. 

• Enjoy cuddling and rocking, it doesn't last forever. Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow for babies grow up too soon - "To our sorrow so fly away, cobwebs, dust go to sleep, i'm rocking my baby - and babies don't keep"

• Sleep when your baby sleeps, don't stress about the small stuff, keep a sense of humor.

• Relax and enjoy.

• Enjoy the exciting adventure of your new bundle of joy and try to pace yourself.  Rely on Dave and your parents for help. Balance is the name of the game. 

• Always treat your children with love and respect and they will treat you the same way as they grow up. 

• Unless your nursing allow David to help out with those early morning feedings.  Enjoy those baby years, they pass by all to quickly.  Try not to spoil your baby, even thought it's very tempting. 

• Don't sweat the small stuff. 

• Take long vacations and Mary & George will babysit!

• Enjoy it while it lasts! As everyone has already told you, it goes by fast.  You'll have so many special moments with your daughter that you will cherish forever.  Take it all in strides - it can be tough but its worth it.

   

• Be as loving and caring as your mother was with you. Always be there for her and be a good listener.