39 week appointment

All is well!  Although I don't really remember any of the statistics such as, blood pressure, fundal height, Bunny's heart rate, etc.

All of that information went out the window once my midwife checked me and stripped my membranes.  Maybe I'm a wimp, but it hurt like heck!!  It felt like she was in there forever, and it really painful.  Hopefully it gets things going though, I'm really really really ready to meet Bunny.

She said that my body is definitely preparing for labor, the Braxton Hicks contractions that I've been having every 7-10 minutes have softened my cervix a ton, but still hasn't thinned it out all that much.  And I'm still hanging out at around 2cm.

My neighbor had her baby this morning, and she had her membranes stripped on Tuesday, so hopefully Bunny will be here by Saturday.  That would be great!!

39 week belly pic

My oh my!  I'm glad Bunny isn't growing much these last few days, I don't think it's possible for me to get any bigger.  I looked back at some of my previous belly pics and couldn't believe how tiny I was, yet I "thought" I was showing so much!  LOL!

OMGeezers guys, I'm so ready!  I'm going to ask to be checked tomorrow at my midwife appointment, and see if she's willing to strip my membranes.  Hopefully I've made some progress since I've still been having regular BH contractions.  I think I may go crazy if I haven't dilated a little further.

I really don't want to be induced, so I'm hoping not to have to go that route.  There are so many women who are induced and labor for hours and hours, don't progress, and end up with c-sections.  That's not my goal at all.  Also, I don't want to have to be in bed during my labor, I want the freedom to get in the hot tub and walk the halls.  I can handle pain SO much better that way.  But that's just my goal, I'll do whatever it takes to get Bunny out safely.  Hopefully my body kicks itself into gear soon!

39 weeks!! 7 days left until my due date!!

First off, I'd like to thank everyone for their kind comments.  It made me feel SO much better.  I'd heard that the last month of pregnancy was rough, I just didn't expect it to be as rough a people said.  Lesson learned!

How far along? 39 weeks pregnant!!  Only one more week until my due date!

Total weight gain/loss: Still hanging around 27/28 lbs.

Sleep: I've transitioned to sleeping during the day and being up at night.  I think it happened last week when I went through a phase where I was just exhausted all the time and kept taking naps during the day.  Hopefully it'll come in handy once Bunny arrives.

Food cravings: Cupcakes, cookies, candy, anything that's junk food related.  Pretty sad...

Best moment this week: Having regular BH contractions, I really hope they turn into the real thing soon!  I'm ready to meet my baby!

Movement: Still rolling around in there.  She's getting stronger, I was lying on my side and she moved and the whole bed shook.  It was so funny! 

Labor Signs: Ugh...  I wish they were more consistent.  Just the usual, pressure/pain in groin area, BH contractions, back pain.


Gender: Still girl, I hope!

Stretchies: I see them forming.  Oh well, not much I can do about it now, I've been oiling up but my belly is stretched to the max and hurts.  They're not noticeable yet, I had them in my 38 week pics near my belly button, I can only see them if I turn to the side at this odd angle.  But I know they'll darken in time, and probably look terrible once Bunny comes out and my skin isn't stretched to death.

Belly Button in or out? Still slightly out, it still hasn't "popped" yet, not sure if it will at this point.

What I miss: My sanity.  These last few weeks of pregnancy are really driving me crazy, I think it's the anticipation.  Hopefully I don't have too much longer to go.

What I am looking forward to: Going into labor.

Symptoms: The usual pregnancy discomforts, Braxton Hicks, mild swelling, frequent urination, irritability, etc.

Milestones: Making it another week.

Weekly wisdom: Sorry, I've got nothing this week...

Emotions: I'm out of it.  I'm so tired and ready to meet my baby.

Still pregnant and Short Term Disability issues

My 7 minute apart contractions lasted until about 6AM.  I knew I wasn't in early labor at around 4:30AM.  I just didn't "feel" it.  I walked around the house for a bit, did some squats, and just relaxed.  Bunny was pressing her head against my pelvic bone and it was hurting really badly, so I was trying to get her to move a bit.  I'm still having a few BH here and there, but nothing regular.  We'll see!  I'm at the point where I feel like I'm going to be pregnant forever, even though it's irrational.  And people's comments are really starting to irritate me.  I understand that I really don't have a clue about what it's like to have to care for a newborn 24/7, but if I say I'm bored, I really don't want to hear, "You better enjoy it now, I have blah blah blah kids and I forgot what bored feels like."  Okay, great.  I'll try to keep you in mind the next time I'm feeling bored and try to find some enjoyment in it.  Grrr....

My Short Term Disability claim manager called me today to ask some questions.  Turns out, after I didn't go back to work on 12/7, and spoke with my midwife, she told my insurance company that she took me off of work due to "emotional issues".  So it seems that I may have a problem getting paid for the last two weeks that I've been off of work.  First off, I didn't go into her office crying or moaning about emotional issues, I asked her about Postpartum Depression.  This is always a rough time of the year to me (it's the time of year that my mom passed), and I was concerned that with the stress of a new baby, emotions stemming from missing my mom, exhaustion, and changes in hormones, that I'd be a prime candidate for PPD.  I also told her that my boss thought it would be better for me to relax at home, instead of driving 45 minutes to work each way and dealing with people that weren't necessarily reasonable with their requests of a nine month pregnant woman.

I'm hoping that they approve my claim, I never thought that there would be a problem, so Hubby and I haven't really been all that careful with our finances.  Which is stressing me out.

My midwife usually takes women off work at 38 weeks, so I'm hoping I can get paid from my 38th week on.  I hope everything works out okay, I'd hate to get behind on some of our bills because of poor planning and assumptions on my part.  I really want to have everything in order when Bunny arrives, and wasn't expecting this added stress...

Braxton Hicks and back pain

I've been experiencing BH contractions for a couple hours today.  I noticed that they had a pattern to them and decided to time them.  They're 7 minutes apart, but not really painful and not picking up in intensity.  My lower back is also hurting, and I feel pressure "down there".  Not pressure with the urge to push, but kind of a painful pressure.

I feel really calm.  I'm not trying to get my hopes up and think that I'm in early labor, but I do plan to keep timing the BH and see if they continue.  Bunny has been really active, which is great, and all in all I just feel relaxed.

I do wish I knew if this was actually labor beginning or not.  My water breaking, or me having my bloody show would be great!  But I'll just patiently wait and see if things progress.  My due date is fast approaching!!  So Bunny will have to exit sooner or later.

We'll see what happens..

38 week belly pics (sigh....)

I'm not feeling all that photogenic these days, but I figured that since I've been documenting this pregnancy, I might as well post some 38 week pictures. 

(And, today is my last day in double digits!!  Only 10 days left until my due date!!!)

I learned a few things when looking at these photos:

1. Sweatshirts, while comfy, make me look like a cow.
2. My neck is fat.
3. My face is fat.
4. I just feel fat....

Never in my life have I felt this unattractive.  My husband keeps telling me that I look beautiful, that I didn't gain that much weight, that he doesn't care if I get stretchmarks, etc.  But I just feel like BLAH!  I've turned into an emotional creature.  My husband is so handsome, and I feel like garbage when we go out together, like people are wondering why he would marry a cow like me.  Ugh, hormones....  I've debated whether or not to write this post, but I think it's important that I'm able to look back on this pregnancy and see how I really felt.

So, with all that being said, here I am in all my 38 (nearly 39) week glory!!!

Nesting... take 2!

It's back!!!!!!!  LOL!!

What am I doing at 2AM?  (Besides blogging...)  Taking apart my stove and scrubbing the heck out of every nook and cranny.  I also took on the huge task of reorganizing the shelves in our bathroom and dusted the heck out of our bedroom.

My husband keeps telling me that I'm moving too fast, but I just want to get things done.  I'm hopping from one room to another, crouching down to clean under the bed, squatting to clean the bottom of the stove, etc.  It feels good to move around.

I feel WAY more relaxed now.  I completely understand that Bunny is going to come out when she's ready, but I just have to do something with myself in the meantime.

Here's a list of the things I've done to try to get her out:
1. Walk ALOT!!
2. Drank red raspberry leaf tea (I'm actually drinking a cup now.  I've always loved the tea and drank it regularly prepregnancy to help with PMS and cramps.)
3. Ate Eggplant Parmesan.  It was DELICIOUS!  I'd never had it before, but now that I have I'll be ordering it again.
4. Squats and lunges across my living room in hopes that it'll open my pelvis and Bunny will drop down.
5. Had some "quiet time" with the hubs.  (Sorry if TMI!!)  My midwife says it works, hasn't worked yet, but we'll see....
6. Ate fresh pineapple.  Supposedly it has some sort of enzymes that help induce labor.  I've ate it two days in a row and it hasn't done anything yet.

It would be SO funny if I went into labor today.  My sister and her husband get back from their cruise and Hubby and I are supposed to pick them up from the airport.  LOL!!

Happy Friday!!

38 week appointment

All is still going well.  I gained one pound this week.  Well, more like 1/2 a pound.  At this point I'm pretty much over gaining weight.  I've seen the scale move up more times than I would like, but oh well.

Bunny has dropped, as I assumed.  Which explains the lightening crotch I've been SEVERELY experiencing.  It's gotten to the point that sometimes I can't get off the toilet (sorry if TMI), or roll over, or lie down without almost being in tears because of the pain.

She didn't give me a belly measurement this week, and I forgot to ask for one.

Blood pressure was 116/68.

We met with Bunny's new pediatrician today.  It went GREAT!  We loved her!  She had all the qualities that we were looking for, and explained things in complete detail without us even having to ask her.  She doesn't believe in highly medicating children, won't use new medicines and/or vaccinations, has open hours, and was very caring.  She took her time with us and didn't make us feel rushed.

Now we're just waiting....

My midwife is on duty at the hospital we're delivering at this weekend, it would be SO great if Bunny decided to bless us with her presence!

38 weeks later...

And I'm STILL pregnant!  Woo-hoo!  I can't believe it!  I never thought I'd make it this far.  Seriously.  I was praying just to make it to 37 weeks, and here I am.  I'm super excited that Bunny is going to be so "cooked", it looks like my dream of having a "take home" baby will come true after all...

How far along? 38 weeks pregnant!!

Total weight gain/loss: I think I've gained 27 lbs total.  Hard to tell as my weight fluctuated a little since my last midwife appointment.

Sleep: Okay.  I've been REALLY tired lately.  I'll wake up in the morning, and still feel exhausted so I'll get back in the bed and sleep the day away.  Happens every.single.day.

Food cravings: Cereal and junk food.  My husband gets upset with me because when he goes to work all I eat is junk food.

Best moment this week: Packing up the car.  The car seat is in the back and all of our bags are also loaded up.  The only thing we need now is Bunny!!

Movement: She's still really active.  Trying to stretch out all the time.  I also noticed that she reacts more when I have my arm resting on my belly, or if I bend over.  She wiggles around like she's irritated with me.  Attitude already?  Oh dear, I'm in for it!!

Labor Signs: Not enough.  LOL!  I've been having menstrual-type cramps for the past few days, and more Braxton Hicks in my sleep that wake me up.  My husband woke me up with bug eyes the other night because he said I was moaning in my sleep.  When I finally realized that I was actually awake, I noticed I was having one of the worst BH ever!  It hurt so badly!  For some reason they are worse when I'm laying down.  Hopefully I'll be able to walk around when I'm actually in labor.


Gender: From what I can tell she's still a girl, LOL!  I still have dreams that she's a boy, I really hope my dreams are wrong!

Stretchies: I have two starting to pop up under my belly.  Made me so sad.  Hopefully I can contain them and they don't spread.  Ugh, I was so happy not to have any on my bump, but they just HAD to pop up!

Belly Button in or out? Still slightly out, it still hasn't "popped" yet, not sure if it will at this point.

What I miss: Absolutely nothing.

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Bunny.  That's all I think about these days.  Oh, and cleaning up my house.  It's a mess, but after my one day of "nesting" I've had no desire to get it back in order.

Symptoms: The usual pregnancy discomforts, Braxton Hicks, mild swelling, frequent urination, irritability, etc.

Milestones: Every day is a milestone for me.  I'm so happy to be where I'm at.  I just can't wait to meet my baby girl!

Weekly wisdom: Grilled cheese sandwiches are SO much better at 3AM.  Mmmmm!!!

Emotions: Nervous.  I still have these fears of something happening to Bunny before she's born, or after she's born.  Hopefully once I see her they'll go away.  I probably won't get any sleep after she's born.  Not because she'll keep me up, but because I'll keep myself up checking on her every second of every day.  I'm sure of it.

Eggplant Parm to induce labor??? I'm gonna try it!

So, my older sister called me today and told me about some stories she heard regarding eggplant parmesan inducing labor for some women.

Now, I'm really, really grateful that Bunny has stayed put for so long, but at this point I think emotions are getting the best of me and I'm ready to meet my baby girl.  So on Thursday, after my midwife appointment, if I haven't made any progress Hubby and I will be going out for dinner.  I'll be ordering a huge plate of eggplant parmesan.  According to the myth, it's supposed to put women into labor within 48 hours of consumption.  That means that I should be in labor by Saturday, which would be perfect because I'll be halfway to 39 weeks by then, and my husband is off work from Saturday - Tuesday.  He'll take Wednesday - Friday off and be able to be home with us all that time!  Perfection!!

But, just like any great plan, I'm sure it won't work.  I just feel the need to do something!  Sitting and waiting is harder than I had anticipated.  We went for a walk around the mall yesterday.  And I mean, I WALKED.  More of a slight jog.  Nothing happened.  I know in the end, Bunny will come out when she's good and ready.  I think me trying to evict her is more of a mental thing for me to keep my sanity.  It's been snowing like crazy here, and I haven't wanted to go out much, so I think I have a case of cabin fever.

38 weeks tomorrow!!  Awesomeness!!

Nesting...

Nesting mode has seriously taken over.  I woke up at 4AM with the strong urge to clean, clean, clean.  Everything irritates me.  Dust on the entertainment center.  A dirty rag in the kitchen sink.  A speck of lint on the carpet.  I feel like burning the house down and starting over!

And my husband thinks I'm crazy.  I expected the nesting instinct to kick in.  Actually, I thought I had already went through the phase when I was scrambling around to get all Bunny's necessities together.  But this is different.  This time I'm much more emotional.  I had to take a break because I felt like crying after I assigned myself the task to reorganize our entire walk in closet.

Some people say that this is one of the first signs of labor.  I really hope so!  My Braxton Hicks contractions are getting stronger and feeling more like bad menstrual cramps.  They even started to wake me up in the middle of the night.

But who knows?  Bunny may stay in my belly until next year.

I wrote this blog post to give myself a break from cleaning, but I feel like this "mess" is just staring at me, so I'm off to sort some clothes and do some laundry.

Happy Friday everyone!!

37 week appointment update

All went well with the appointment today.  I received my letter from my midwife so I can continue to collect Short Term Disability until I return to work.  So I'm officially on "maternity leave".  Feels good to know that I don't have to worry about work (or money).

Fundal Height: 37 cm
Blood pressure: 120/68
Weight gained: 1 lb
Bunny's heart rate: 155 bpm

I didn't have an internal exam this appointment.  My midwife didn't see the need to check at every appointment unless I was having more severe Braxton Hicks.  But, the good news is that Bunny is still head down, and in the most optimal position for birth.  Her back is at my left side.  We were instructed to practice what we learned in childbirth class 3 times a week so I feel more comfortable in my ability to push her out.

We set up a consultation with our pediatrician of choice for next week.  It was a very relaxed appointment.  I discussed my concerns about me having PPD, and will be calling the Behavioral Health office so I can get some pointers of things to do to prevent PPD, and what treatment I will receive if I do end up getting it.

I feel very accomplished today, everything seems like it is on the right track.  Now we're just waiting for Bunny to come out and join us!

THE milestone.... 37 weeks = FULL TERM!!!!!!

I'm on such a high today.  WE MADE IT!  My body held Bunny in until she was FULL TERM!  As I'm typing this with one hand, because the other one is on my belly, feeling my sweet little girl roll around almost as if she's celebrating with me.  We did it, we made it!!!  I'm so excited, and I'm SO ready to meet this little one.  Surprisingly, it still feels so surreal to me.  I can't wait to see her face, hear her cry, look into her eyes, and say, "Hi, I'm your Mommy."  The thought just brings tears to my eyes.  I still pray that she remains safe in there and is born healthy.

I'm going to have a baby!!!  Ahhhh!!  I'm still in disbelief, but I'm so excited!!!

Now on to the 37 week (FULL TERM) update!


How far along? 37 weeks!!  I've reached my LAST milestone, now on to delivery!!

Total weight gain/loss: Not sure, I don't think I gained very much this past week.

Sleep: Still great only if I'm propped up.  I have this weird pain at the top of my belly that radiates through my upper back.  I had a urinalysis done not too long ago, so I'm not worried about it being a UTI or anything.  I think it may be Bunny's foot or something, because I don't feel it all the time.  I'm bringing it up at my appointment on Thursday.

Food cravings: Still whatever I see on TV.  And loads of sweets.  I actually have to stop myself from purchasing junk food when at the store.  It's sad.... LOL!

Best moment this week: Making it to full term!!  Oh, and deciding after ONE day back to work that I'd rather be at home.  My boss was so sweet and let me take the rest of the time off.  Hopefully my midwife will take me back off.  We'll see.

Movement: Definitely!  She has her active periods, and her rest periods.  I'm really noticing a pattern right now.  Which may mean that she's going to be up from 10PM until about 1AM when she's born.  I'll be sure to assign my husband that shift.  HA!

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks.  TONS of them.  And they're getting more intense and make me feel like I can't breathe.  I literally have them all day.  And they hurt.  Now I'm worried that my plan to go "natural" won't happen, because if real labor contractions hurt WORSE than these, I'm in trouble!!


Gender: From what I can tell she's still a girl, LOL!  I still have dreams that she's a boy, I really hope my dreams are wrong!

Stretchies: No new ones...

Belly Button in or out? Still slightly out, it still hasn't "popped" yet, not sure if it will at this point.

What I miss: Absolutely nothing.


What I am looking forward to: My midwife appointment, and going into labor!  I really hope it's soon because I'm so ready to see this little girl!

Symptoms: The usual pregnancy discomforts, Braxton Hicks, mild swelling, frequent urination, irritability, etc.

Milestones: Hitting 37 weeks.  I still hope and pray that Bunny is safe and healthy.  I'm so excited!!

Weekly wisdom: Don't force yourself to go back to work.  LOL!  I did that and only lasted ONE measly day.  Oh well, I had to do what's best for my baby and my body.

Emotions: Good, I think I'm starting to nest.  I've been cleaning all morning, and don't see it stopping anytime soon.  Hopefully that means that Bunny will be on her way soon!!

One more day...

Until full term!!  I could just cry!  I can't believe we made it this far.  I'm so grateful.

Today is my first day back at work after being on bed rest.  And it's hard.  I'm sore and tired, but knowing that my baby girl will be full term tomorrow makes me feel like I can do anything.  I pray that she remains healthy and safe in there until delivery.

Wow.. one more day...

36 week appointment update

All went well!  I only gained one pound (woo-hoo!!).  My cervix hasn't dilated any further, my blood pressure was 120/80, and Bunny's heart rate was 140 bpm.

Also, I decided to go back to work.  It was totally my choice, because they said that if Bunny was born now, chances are she'd be perfectly fine, but financially it was a better decision for me.  My husband thinks that I'm going to go in to work on Monday, and then go into labor on Tuesday. LOL!  It would be too funny if that happened.  My goal is to be able to spend as much time with Bunny after she's born, which further encouraged me to bite the bullet and go back to work.

I feel pretty good, no more restrictions, and a lot less worrying about Bunny.  When I go back to work on Monday, I'll be one day away from full term.  Which is awesome!!!  I feel so much more relaxed about everything.  And now I'm just focused on meeting my baby girl, who is currently smashing my bladder with her head.

I have another appointment on Thursday, I'm hoping that by then things start progressing.  Isn't that funny?  I was trying so hard to keep her in, and now I want her out!  LOL!

Maternity Photos

We recently had our maternity photos taken at Ernest Sisson Photography.  They turned out great!  Unfortunately, we weren't able to do the outdoors session because I was put on bedrest.  But he agreed to do our newborn photos instead.  So excited!

I own the rights to these photos, so please don't steal them!  LOL (But seriously...)  Enjoy!

36 weeks pregnant! Woo-hoo!!!

How far along? 36 weeks baby!  Only one week until full term.  Hang in there Bunny!!!

Total weight gain/loss: No weight gain this week.  Surprisingly....  So, still at 25 lbs.

Sleep: Great, if I sleep sitting up.  If I sleep laying down, not so great...  But we're at the tail end of this pregnancy so I don't expect to be sleeping like a baby.

Food cravings: Whatever I see on TV.  Currently, Krispy Kreme donuts.  I haven't had any yet, but they were on a Food Network TV show and now I HAVE to have some.  Hopefully I'll be able to indulge tomorrow.

Best moment this week: Finally packing my hospital bag, and NOT being in labor.  I put the bare minimum in my bag, I'll let the hospital supply the rest.

Movement: Yup, she still pokes her elbows and knees out all the time.  She's running out of room for sure now, and is starting to wiggle even more often.

Labor Signs: Losing mucous plug, Braxton Hicks, dilated 1-2 centimeters, pain in my groin, etc


Gender: ALL girl!  (Although I have been having dreams that Bunny is a boy, but I'm going to trust the multiple ultrasound technicians that told me that Bunny is a girl...  They'd better be right!  My house is full of pink stuff, LOL!)

Stretchies: Same ones, the ones on my sides that I thought went away are getting darker, but I've been oiling them up every day.  Hopefully they fade quickly.

Belly Button in or out? More out than in.  It totally blends with the rest of my belly although the top slightly pokes out.

What I miss: Being able to breathe, but I know soon enough I'll be able to breathe just fine.

What I am looking forward to: My midwife appointment and next week, when we're FULL TERM!!!

Symptoms: The usual pregnancy discomforts, Braxton Hicks, mild swelling, frequent urination, irritability, etc.

Milestones: Like I've said before, every day is a milestone.

Weekly wisdom: Pregnancy goes way quicker than you'd think.  I went and read some posts I wrote when I was like 11 weeks pregnant and I wanted it to be over so quickly.  It really flew by!  It seems ages away, yet like it was just yesterday.

Emotions: I'm super clingy towards my husband lately.  I think it's just reality setting in that soon it's not going to be just us two anymore.  Not that I'm not happy, it's just a change.  A welcomed change, but still a change nonetheless.  We're getting SO close!!!

Whoa Nelly!!

Less than 30 days until my due date!!

I can't believe how close we're getting!  I seriously think Bunny is going to come sooner, the BH are still here and I'm steadily losing pieces of my mucous plug (sorry if TMI).

36 week post coming tomorrow, I'm so glad we made it to this point!

Hospital Bag and Labor & Delivery

Carlene and Georgina are going to kill me when they see this post! LOL!

We were all gathered over my older sisters house for a friends & family dinner yesterday afternoon.  Carlene and Georgina came with their HANDSOME little boys and we had a ball watching them run around.  Georgina has a 9 month old DOLL BABY named Nathan that I just couldn't get enough of.  And he's a chunker!  She kept telling me not to pick him up because "I don't want to read on your blog tomorrow that he put you into labor!!"  Famous last words....

After they left I noticed that my Braxton Hicks contractions were getting stronger and closer together.  It was to the point that I felt uncomfortable and grumpy during them.  So DH and I decided to casually sneak out of my sisters house and head to the hospital.  The ride there was painful.  I was worried, and hurting, and just kind of freaked out.  We were silent in the car.  Once we made it there, the attendant ran out with a wheelchair and wheeled me inside the Emergency Room.  My husband parked the car, even though they had valet.  He was just in a rush and didn't read the sign.  He came in and the attendant pretty much ran us to Labor & Delivery.  We checked in and they whisked us back in Triage and had me get situated to be put on the monitors and have an internal exam.  That's when I started to think, "Oh shoot!  I don't have my hospital bag, or Bunny's bag, OR the car seat!  I really hope she doesn't come tonight!"  Well, after that trip to L&D, I now know that I don't need ANY of the crap I was going to bring with me in my hospital bag.  They gave me everything I could possible need.  Non-slip socks, a comfy hospital gown/nursing gown, undies, etc.

Anyways, Bunny looked great on the monitor, she was moving all around just as happy as can be.  But it did show that I was contracting, and frequently.  The midwife on duty came in and checked me and noticed that I was about 1-2 centimeters dilated, but she didn't think I was in active labor.  They decided to have me drink tons of water and monitor me for a few hours.  I noticed that my stomach was just plain hurting while I was there.  It wasn't BH's it was just pain.  Then I realized that I hadn't gone, er... number 2.... in like 5 days!!  My husband looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Why didn't you tell me that?  You ate all that food and haven't gone to the bathroom?!?"  It never really crossed my mind, to be honest.  At that time, the nurse came in to remove the monitors so that I could rest before they came back to check me again.  I decided to go attempt to use the restroom.  What better place to try than at the hospital, huh?

Success!  I felt so much better after that (sorry if TMI), the BH contractions had eased up, and I felt more like myself again.  I even fell asleep for about an hour while waiting on the midwife to return.  She checked me and I was the same, which was great!  No progress meant no active labor.  They put the fetal monitors back on me just to make sure Bunny was okay, and then I was free to get dressed and be discharged.  The nurse gave me a pad because I was spotting a little from the internal exam.  I thought people were kidding when they said that hospital pads are the size of mattresses. Umm, no!  They are serious!  It barely fit into my underwear and made me waddle even more.  So I now know not to bother bringing undies to the hospital.  It's not even worth it.  I'll use their mesh ones.

All in all, I was dehydrated and a little backed up, which was irritating my uterus.  Bunny can still bake for a little while longer.  I feel relieved.  Oh, and Georgina, Nathan did NOT put me into labor!  LOL!!

I'm exhausted today, we didn't get discharged until 3AM, and didn't get home and in the bed until 4AM.  Needless to say, I'm ready to pass out.  Hopefully that'll be our last trip to L&D before 37 weeks, because they wouldn't have even attempted to stop my labor last night.

35/35 and only TWO weeks left until full term!!!!

How far along? 35 weeks, with 35 days left until my due date!  AND, only two weeks left until full term.

Total weight gain/loss: 25 lbs.  I packed on the pounds since my last appointment, but my midwife seemed okay with it.  Me, not so much...

Sleep: Pretty bad.  I keep having shooting pains "down there", and then Bunny loves to try to escape through my belly button, which hurts.  But I'll take all that and more to keep her safe.

Food cravings: Anything that my husband mentions.  And especially Blue Moon ice cream.  I'm still loving Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Best moment this week: Resting!  I was so concerned when I was told to stop working that I didn't think about how much it might benefit me.  I feel much more relaxed, and Hubby and I are able to spend more time together, which is great!  Also, just making it another week in this pregnancy.

Movement: All the time.  I read somewhere that movement was supposed to slow down, but that is NOT the case.  This little girl is always on the go!

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks, short/soft cervix,and  lightening bolts in my "lady gardens".

Gender: A tiny little princess.

Stretchies: No new ones.

Belly Button in or out? More out than in.

What I miss: Absolutely nothing.  I feel more grateful than ever these days.  Well, I wouldn't mind being able to get off the couch without help.

What I am looking forward to: FULL TERM!!!!!!!!!!!!

Symptoms: The usual pregnancy discomforts, Braxton Hicks, mild swelling, frequent urination, irritability, etc.

Milestones: Making it another week.

Weekly wisdom: Try not to worry about things that you don't have control over.  I learned that lesson first hand.  LOL!

Emotions: I'm still trying to get in control of those.  I'm trying to get through one thing at a time.