All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

I packed tonight. But I don't feel like I have a lot in that suitcase of mine. I'm trying to think of other things I need.

I'm not packing things "to do" because I don't think I'll have much time to watch a movie or play cards while in labor.

I have my grippy slipper socks.
I have my comfortable pants I may not end up wearing at all.
I have my "coming home" outfit.
I have my toiletries (except my brush which hopefully I'll remember when it's time to go!).
I have my nursing pads (I didn't bring them last time and I needed them).
My phone and camera are charging.
The Boppy is sitting on top of the bag.
My pump is accessible to Kevin if he needs to bring it to the hospital.
What else do I need to bring?

The baby's bag is full of clothing options--boy, girl, neutral, sleepers, shirt/pants. I have the fleece snowsuit and the blanket.

My going-to-the-hospital outfit is laid out next to the bed.

Although I'm still holding out hope for one last chiropractor appointment tomorrow, I guess you could say I'm ready.

Handmade with Love

I've been busy the last few weeks learning how to knit hats :) It's super fun and fast!

This one is for Snowflake's first photo shoot:This is a fleece diaper cover. My mom helped me with this one, but it was super easy. At first it was made just for practical purposes, but I may also end up using it for Snowflake's photo shoot since it matches the hat.
A knitted hat for Colin. I made him one that was "toddler sized" that was too small for his head, so I had to make another that was "child sized."
A big brother shirt for Colin. My mom helped with this one too :)
Hmmm...what else can I make in the next few days? I'd love to make a cocoon for pictures too.
Photo Credit: http://kristineldridge.com/blog/?p=3637

But I'm not sure if I will get the itch to actually do it or not.

Midwife appointment

BP: 100/60
Baby's HB: 130s
Belly measurement: 38 cm
Cervix: 1 cm dilated

Midwife asked me when I was having the baby and I said somewhere between next Wednesday and Saturday. Although I would love to fit in my last chiropractor appointment, which is on Thursday.

38 weeks

Happy Thanksgiving!
38 weeks Snowflake vs. 38 weeks Colin
How far along? 38 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Holding steady at +32 lbs
Size: Leek, or over 19.5 inches and 6.8 lbs.
Baby Development: "She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb." (From babycenter.com)
Best moments this week: I signed up a piano student for my January session, and potentially 1-3 more (a set of triplets!). I'd really like to get another group of 5 started. We went out to dinner at Famous Dave's last night, using a gift card. It was our last dinner out as a family of 3. I also really enjoyed that chiropractor appointment.
Movement: All the time. Stretching, yoga, booty shakes, you name it. I feel a little foot or knee or something pushing out all the time. I like to play with the foot/knee and move it around :)
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not feeling like my pelvis bone is going to bust, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat, orange juice, not feeling like I have to pee every time I stand up.
Stretch marks?: None that I can see.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good as long as I keep my body pillow doubled up between my legs and I don't have to get up to attend to Colin's requests (water, potty) in the middle of the night.
Belly button?: Flat
What are you looking forward to this week?: The long weekend, spending some time getting ready for Snowflake, and my midwife appointment tomorrow. I'm anxious to see if there has been any progress.

Please remember to make a guess in the poll. If I have any say in Snowflake's arrival, you only have about a week left!

I {was} a hurtin' unit

Since about Friday I've had horrible pain in my upper pubic bone. Snowflake must be dropping and putting lots of extra pressure on things down there. It hurt so bad I had a hard time getting up out of bed, out of a chair, and walking. When I slept, I had my body pillow folded in half between my legs just to give the bone some relief. Up until last Friday, I was hop, skipping, and jumping around.

If you've ever broken/bruised your tailbone, it's like that but in the front. Not cool.

Luckily I had a chiropractor appointment this evening. Dr. S. is a miracle worker. He asked me how things were going, and where I was hurting. I told him about my pubic bone, thinking he couldn't actually do anything about it since it's not my spine, but he said he could fix it! So after an awesomely long and thorough adjustment, he used his little tool to loosen up the round ligaments attached to my pubic bone. Apparently they were all twisted up or something. And now? Relief.

I'm just hoping it lasts until either:
a) baby moves and doesn't put pressure in that area anymore or
b) next Thursday, which is our next appointment

I heart my chiropractor.

Midwife appointment

BP: Good
Baby's HR: 144 bpm
Belly measurement: 37 cm
Official (office scale) weight: Same as last week.
Cervix: I decided not to get checked.

Midwife said not to worry about the GBS being positive. Hopefully my labor will be quick again, and the less time the baby spends down there, the less chance s/he will contract it. They can always test the baby for it after birth and treat it then. She seemed not to be worried about it at all, so I won't be either.

She asked me if I've packed my bags yet. I said no. She said to tell her when I have so she can be ready.

37 weeks

37 weeks Snowflake vs. 37 weeks Colin
How far along? 37 weeks (Hellooooo full term!)
Total weight gain/loss: +32 lbs. (honestly, I don't think I've been subtracting right for awhile. My weight has been the same for a few weeks now).
Size: Swiss chard, or just over 19 inches and 6 1/3 lbs.
Baby Development: "Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb...Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz." (From babycenter.com)
Best moment this week: My long term sub came on Tues and Wed this week, so that's off the checklist of to-dos. She feels comfortable with everything, and is ready whenever she needs to be!
Movement: All the time. Stretching, yoga, booty shakes, you name it. I feel a little foot or knee or something pushing out all the time. I've noticed most of the poking movements are on my right side now instead of both sides. Maybe that means Snowflake is all bundled up in there now instead of straddling my stomach.
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not feeling like my pelvis bone is going to bust, not snissing, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat,
Stretch marks?: None. I do believe my linea nigra has appeared, but it's pretty light.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good as long as I keep my body pillow doubled up between my legs and I don't have to get up to attend to Colin's requests (water, potty) in the middle of the night.
Belly button?: Flat
What are you looking forward to this week?: My Midwife appointment tomorrow. I don't think I'm going to have her check me unless she thinks I've dropped. I might also nest around home and school.

Speaking of midwife, my stinkin' Group B Strep test came back positive again. Ugh. I'll chat with Midwife tomorrow to see what my options are. I don't mind getting the penicillin IV, I just don't know if it's in Snowflake's time schedule this time around. And I hated wearing the IV (with nothing attached to it) in the tub because the tape lost its stickiness in the water and got in the way.

In case you're wondering, I have not packed a bag yet. I may throw a few things in for Snowflake this weekend, because that's super fun, but I'm not quite ready to "be ready."

Midwife appointment

36 week check up! From here on out, I have weekly appointments. Holy furballs.

BP: Good
Belly measurement: Right on track
Baby's heartrate: 128-130 bpm
Baby's position: head down, legs wrapped around my stomach.
Cervix: Closed and getting soft

Midwife says she's in denial about how close I am to the end. Me too. I can't believe in just a few weeks we'll have a baby to snuggle and love on (even if it is in the wee hours). Plus also? This is going to sound kinda...weird...but only those who are patients of Midwife know this. I'm going to miss seeing her so often. ::sniff::

Midwife also asked me how I was feeling about being almost done. I told her I was just going through a list of all the stuff I have to do before the baby comes. She said that usually for second time moms, after all of the "to dos" are done that's when it all happens. I told her I had a lot to do so it won't be happenin' for awhile!

Next weekend I'll start packing up the hospital bag and all that good stuff. Until then, I have to focus on getting my classroom and my sub ready! I feel so disorganized, but slowly I'm making some progress.

And the countdown begins...

36 weeks

36 weeks Snowflake vs. 36 weeks Colin

How far along? 36 weeks (wait, when did that happen?!)
Total weight gain/loss: +29 lbs.
Size: Crenshaw melon, or 18.5 inches and almost 6 lbs.
Baby Development: "Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day...She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement." (From babycenter.com)
Best moment this week: I went for a walk with Colin in the dark and he looked up into the sky and asked, "Mom, what is dat?" They were the stars. We're usually inside when it's dark and although I'm sure he had seen them before, he's now at the age where he notices things like that and asks about them.
Movement: All the time. Stretching, yoga, booty shakes, you name it.
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not snissing, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat
Stretch marks?: None. I do believe my linea nigra has appeared, but it's pretty light.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good.
Belly button?: More flat than out.
What are you looking forward to this week?: My Midwife appointment tomorrow. Yay for cervix checks and Group B Strep tests! (Speaking of which, cross all your crossables I test negative this time). And we're going down to Roch this weekend for the last time before Christmas.

Colin's birth stats

Woohoo! Thanks for guessing in the polls on the right. The number of girl guesses is quite interesting! Maybe we'll all be in for a surprise!

I thought I should refresh your memory about Colin's birth stats to "help you out" a little.
He was born 4 days before his due date.
He was born at 5:16 a.m.
He was 6 lbs 4 oz.
He was 20 inches.
He was a boy. ;)

So for those of you who were holding out on guessing, maybe that will help you.

Halloween

A little late, but that's okay :) These aren't the best pictures, but you get the idea.
Colin was a puppy for Halloween. Here he is on the step saying cheese.
His first door. We were at the next door neighbor's house. He rang the doorbell and ran. Kid's already a pro at ding dong ditch. We made him stay and after he found out he got candy, he didn't run away at the other doors. ;) He went to just a handful of houses of neighbors he knows, and then later went to his Grandma and Grandpa's house.Here's what our front step looked like on Halloween. The mum is courtesy of my mum. Pumpkins courtesy of Kevin's mum. And, of course, Colin's super cute carving all lit up.
And a video of Colin in his costume. This is after he was done trick or treating in the neighborhood and just before he went to Grandma's house.

35 weeks

35 weeks Snowflake vs. 35 weeks Colin
How far along? 35 weeks = 35 days left to go!
Total weight gain/loss: +29 lbs.
Size: Honeydew, or 18 inches and 5.25 lbs.

Baby Development: "Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight." (From babycenter.com)

Best moment this week: Browsing the cloth diaper store with my mom and friends and seeing/holding baby Mason. I also washed some prefolds and baby blankets. That was pretty exciting.
Movement: Lots and lots of movement these days. Mostly in the form of stretching.
Food cravings: None really.
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not snissing, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat, being able to walk at the end of the day
Stretch marks?: None. I do believe my linea nigra has appeared, but it's pretty light.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good.
Belly button?: More flat than out.
What are you looking forward to this week?: My chiropractor appointment on Tuesday will be heavenly and much needed :) I have really started to slow down this week. There must be a wall at 35 weeks. Some nights I just need to crash on the couch and ignore the dishes and the laundry and all that boring stuff.

Check out my new polls to the right. Take a guess and win bragging rights :) Last time around, my cousin Kelly won the expectnet poll. December 10 is not the real due date. It's a little bit after the real due date. I'm ridiculous like that.