38 Weeks

How far along? 38 Weeks, 3 days - 11 days till our due date!
Baby is the size of: A pumpkin. Weighs around 7-7.5 pounds (could be more or less). Boys on average weigh more than girls. By now, he could be at the maximum length of 20 inches. 
What's new with baby: He should be nice and plump. Movements often diminish due to the decrease in space around baby. Brain and nervous system will continue to develop well into childhood and teen years.   
Maternity clothes? Yup! 
Sleep: Sleeping okay. Pretty decent considering. I am super anxious. I go to bed every night thinking , "this could be it." 
Sleeping on: Side. 
Best moment this week: Just having everything done and ready for Christmas and baby. We got our hospital tour in just in time so we have an idea of what to expect/where to go. 
Miss Anything? No. 
Movement: Yes. Feels like he's popping out of my stomach. 
Food cravings: No.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  No.
Have you started to show yet: Yes.
Gender: Boy!
Name selected?: Kamden
Working out? No. 
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks.
Belly Button in or out? Surprisingly still in but I'm waiting for it to pop any day now.
Wedding rings on or off? Wedding ring on. Engagement ring off.  
Overall health: Feeling good!  Energy is good. I feel pretty active and mobile. I always imagined I would be waddling around and slow at this point but I don't feel like that is the case. Weekly check up is tomorrow. Last week the doctor said the baby is very low in my pelvis and most likely has a big head like his daddy. Oh, joy!  
Feeling (happy, moody, emotional, scared): Anxious!!!!!! Excited, nervous, scared, emotional, anxious, excited, and super excited!!! :)
Looking forward to: Meeting our son! And Christmas. Honestly, Christmas is a little overshadowed this year. 
Next appointment: Tuesday, Dec. 24

Outtakes

I've gotten a lot of comments on how everyone loves Heidi in my weekly picture and how I get her to sit so pretty for it, so I decided to share some outtakes. 

As some of you may know, the name Heidi was inspired by the beautiful Heidi Klum. It certainly ended up being the perfect name for our golden retriever because she loves getting her picture taken! 

This first picture below is the picture that started it all when Heidi decided she too wanted to be apart of the weekly bump watch. Without being called, she just walked over with her toy and sat next to me to get her picture taken. The rest is history. Every week, without being called she comes right over to pose with me. In some of the pictures below, you can see how I started alone and she walked right in. I think it is a combination of her being a total ham and our love for one another - truly (wo)man's best friend. :)

Photo credits to my hubby who loves constantly snapping picture after picture. 

Full term!

                         

How far along? 37 Weeks, 5 days - 16 days till our due date!
Baby is the size of: A bunch of swiss chard (?) or a winter melon. Weighs around 6.5 pounds (could be more or less). Boys on average weigh more than girls. 
What's new with baby: Considered full term which means all his organs are fully developed and he's ready for the outside world. From now till our due date, his focus will be on gaining weight. He is okay to be born at any time now and would not be considered premature. Yay! 
Maternity clothes? Yup! 
Sleep: Sleeping ok but not great. Toss and turn and wake up a bunch for potty breaks.  And I'm super hot! Doc says the light sleeping is your body's way of training for when the baby gets here. She also said that when I'm awake in the middle of the night to hit the hubby and say, "baby's crying" so he can get ready too. Hahahaha!
Sleeping on: Side. 
Best moment this week: 1) Celebrated the holidays with some friends 2) Jeff's work through us a shower. It took me almost 2.5 hours to get there, but it was worth it. Thank you LRMD! 
Miss Anything? Wine (and I mean not just a sip. I want a real (big) glass)
Movement: Yes. He's cramed in there. 
Food cravings: No.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  No.
Have you started to show yet: Yes.
Gender: Boy!
Name selected?: Kamden
Working out? No. 
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks.
Belly Button in or out? In. Just waiting - It is going to pop any day now.
Wedding rings on or off? On. Opting to take off my engagement ring (it is a half size smaller than my wedding band) before it gets stuck in my finger. 
Overall health: Feeling good! My back hurts, I'm out of breath and I'm slowing down but overall, I really do feel good. Starting to near the point of max uncomfort but not fully there yet. Baby's heartbeat is good. My blood pressure is good. Weight is good. I have low platelets so I've been tested almost weekly to check my levels. Basically, if my platelets remain low, I won't be able to have an epidural. So we shall see about that. Overall, we are healthy and doing good! 
Feeling (happy, moody, emotional, scared): So excited! Anxious! Also so scared and nervous of the unknown and life changes ahead. But generally sooooo excited! 
Looking forward to: Meeting our son! 
Next appointment: Tuesday, Dec. 24

Here are some pictures from the week: 

Thank you Lanigan Ryan for showering us with love!! And the blue teeth :) 

So happy to be going through this with two of my best friends - who are also having boys in 2014. 

Yes, this dress makes me look huge and Kamden has grown a lot! The silhouette pictures above were taken the day after this picture, for reference. 

36 Weeks

How far along? 36 Weeks, 6 days - 22 days till our due date!
Baby is the size of: A honeydew melon. Weighs around 6 pounds (could be more or less).
What's new with baby: His main priority from here on out is gaining weight. Skin is pink and legs are chubby. (ahhh so cute!)
Maternity clothes? Yup! 

Sleep: Sleeping pretty good. Wake up several times for potty breaks.  

Sleeping on: Side.
Best moment this week: 1) We got together with several friends to celebrate the holidays and spend some time before baby 2) Work threw me a surprise shower on my first day back in the office in what feels like forever. 

Miss Anything? I really want a nice big glass of prosecco or sparkling rose.
Movement: Yes.
Food cravings: No.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  No.
Have you started to show yet: Yes.
Gender: Boy!
Name selected?: Kamden
Working out? No. But I hope to do some walking or light working out this week since I'm no longer on bed rest.
Labor Signs: Yes.
Belly Button in or out? In. It is going to pop any day now.
Wedding rings on or off? On. Getting tight. Doubt I will be wearing my engagement ring next week.
Overall health: Feeling good!
Feeling (happy, moody, emotional, scared): So excited but a little nervous and definitely emotional
Looking forward to: Being full term tomorrow! Come on Kamden! We can't wait to meet you!!
Next appointment: Weds, Dec. 18

Jeff's company holiday party

Pregnancy must-haves and faves

As I am coming to the end of my pregnancy with only a few weeks left (yay!), I figured I would share some of my pregnancy must haves and favorites for you mama-to-bes out there. 

1. Pregnancy Apps: I loaded my phone up with lots of pregnancy apps and have loved reading my baby's progress through all of them. I guess when you download and set them up, you also get registered to get emails which I have found to be super insightful. 

2. Baby Bargains book: This book is a must! They update it every year (so make sure to get the most current version) and rate and review all baby products and brands on the market. We referenced this book for almost every items we bought and registered for. 

3. Prenatal vitamins: I took Nature Made prenatal vitamins and started even before I got pregnant. Make sure your prenatal vitamin has DHA, which helps to promote brain health for baby. 

4. Leggings: If you've read my blog before, I have expressed my love for maternity leggings quite a few times. I bought two pairs of these early on in pregnancy and just fell in love with how comfy they are. Since then, I bought a few more since I wear them so frequently. They are great for lounging around the house and out and about. 

5. Tumbler: Drinking a lot of water during pregnancy is crucial. We have several 24-ounce tumblers in our house which I load up every morning with water and take to work. They are great to just keep refilling throughout the day. Now, in my third trimester, I feel like I can't get enough water so I always have my tumbler around. I love them because they keep my water cold and don't sweat. Also love the tumblers with straws - I feel like I drink more when I have a straw. 

6. Prenatal massage: You have to get at least one prenatal massage or more during pregnancy. These are the best especially once your back and legs start aching as you gain more weight. Know that prenatal massages are a little different - you're on your back hugging a pillow and you flip halfway through to the other side. I feel like it takes a little while to relax at the start of the massage because you're face is exposed and the baby usually moves for the first part but once you relax, they are amazing! 

7. Body pillow: Having a body pillow to sleep with the last half of pregnancy is totally essential. I bought the regular straight body pillow but next pregnancy I am totally getting one of the larger curved pillows. The only downfall with these pillows is they take up a lot of room in the bed. Sorry hubby! 

8. Palmer's body butter: I used Palmer's body butter to apply to my belly, back, butt, legs, etc. as a hope to avoid stretch marks. A lot of friends I spoke with also swore by Palmer's during pregnancy. You get to smell like a chocolate bar. ;-)

9. Flats: Invest in some comfy flats if you don't have any already. Around month six, your feet start to swell and hurt from the extra weight. While I still wore heels, I eventually made the switch to flats full time because a) they are comfy b) your balance is off when you've got a round tummy, so for the safety of you and baby, wear some comfy flats. 

10. iPad or tablet: I have lived on my iPad. I use it constantly to update our baby registry, look up products, read articles, get ideas, etc. 

11. Supportive husband or partner: I don't have enough words to express how wonderful my husband has been during my pregnancy. He's my best friend and my rock. I know I'm being totally cheesy, but I just love him so much more everyday and his support has been endless and solid through all of the ups and downs, mood swings, etc.  I hope you have someone to help support you and make you feel beautiful during this special time in your life. 

So there it is, that's my personal list of must-haves for pregnancy. I should also say it's important to have a great doctor that makes you feel comfortable. I started with a different doctor at the beginning of my pregnancy and quickly switched to a practice that I just love. Trust your instincts and talk to your friends with kids to see how their experience was with their doctor so you know what to expect and what you are looking for. 

Maternity Clothes

I got away with not buying a lot of maternity clothes because I wear a lot of dresses, so my wrap dresses and some stretchy dresses have lasted me through these bigger months. I did purchase some new dresses that were not maternity but again a wrap dress or stretchy so I could wear it now and after pregnancy - or I bought a few dresses in the next size up. Maternity jeans and pants are a must so I stocked up on a few and I bought a handful or so of maternity tops. Here are the sites/stores I used to snag my maternity clothes. Happy shopping!

1. Loft: Ann Taylor Loft is one of my favorite stores and it was a major plus that they have a maternity line. I bought my jeans from them - just ordered my regular, prebaby size in maternity. I also got a couple tops from them but also bought some regular sized tops in a size up. 
2. Gap: I bought most of my maternity clothes from Gap including my work pants and several cute tops. They run sales frequently so wait for a sale and stock up. 
3. Old Navy: They have affordable maternity clothes and also run sales frequently.  
4. Zulily: I had a bit of an obsession with Zulily. They have daily deals on kids and maternity items. A word of caution, they do not allow returns on any items so make sure you love what you are going to purchase. I bought a few things that I was totally disappointment in once it arrived because it was cheap material or see through but you're stuck with it. However, I did also get a few cute things from them and they have great baby items and deals. Just know what you are buying before you click all the way through to purchase. Sometimes they have well-known brands at great deals. One more word of advice, it usually takes a little while to receive the item you ordered. 
5. Destination Maternity (Motherhood/Pea in a Pod): I shopped both online and in stores at Destination Maternity and/or Motherhood/Pea in a Pod. They tend to be a little bit more expensive so look for deals or splurge when you have a nice event or you see something you absolutely love. 
6. Target: Target also has a maternity line with some cute items. I didn't actually buy anything from them, but look every time I'm in the store and check out their site occasionally. 

Kamden's locker room nursery

We've finished Kamden's nursery! We went with a sports theme and kept it totally boy with blues and red accents - and incorporated some adorable elephants. Here are a few pictures of the completed room...Now we just need a baby! 

P.S. I swear I did NOT pose Heidi in any of these pictures. We have generally been spending some time in the room and she loves laying next to the crib or sitting next the glider. 

35 Weeks

How far along? 35 Weeks, 6 days - 29 days till our due date!
Baby is the size of: A coconut. Weighs around 5 to 5.5 pounds (could be more or less). Baby won't get too much longer (around 18 inches now) but will gain about a half a pound a week.
What's new with baby: At this point all of his major organs should be nearly complete. The majority of his effort going forward is geared towards rapid weight gain. He's also practicing breathing movements (aka hiccups).
Maternity clothes? Yup! Been in lots of lounge wear over the last few weeks (leggings, Jeff's t-shirts, PJs, jeans, etc).

Sleep: Sleeping okay. 

Sleeping on: Side.
Best moment this week: 1) Having my mom in town. She cooked us lots of yummy food (including some freezer meals for after Kamden arrives), helped with the dogs, ran errands for me, put up our Christmas tree and much more since i have been on bed rest. (Thank you Mom!!) 2) Had a movie date with my hubby to see Hunger Games. Yay! 3) Got our Christmas decorations up and finished Kamden's room (will post pictures soon). 

Miss Anything? No.
Movement: Yes.
Food cravings: No.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  No.
Have you started to show yet: Yes.
Gender: Boy!
Name selected?: Kamden
Working out? No.
Labor Signs: Yes.
Belly Button in or out? In. But it feels like it might pop out soon.
Wedding rings on or off? On. Getting a little tighter.
Overall health: Feeling alright. We were unfortunately in a car accident coming home from my in-laws on Thanksgiving. We were rear-ended, but thankfully we were all okay. However, since then my back has been really bothering me.  I am just so thankful none of us were hurt and that the dogs were not in the car (because they would have been in the back where we got hit). Our car is now going to take 4 weeks to get fixed which is a bummer since we got it to be our family car and of course we are just about to welcome our family. But I keep reminding myself that things are things. We are all safe and healthy - and my puppies were safely sleeping at home and that is everything.  (Yes, I am pregnant and emotional!)
I had a doctors appointment yesterday and got a good status report.
Feeling (happy, moody, emotional, scared): Happy, nervous, emotional, excited, overwhelmed
Looking forward to: Christmas celebrations over the next few weeks - and honestly, I cannot wait to meet our little man!!! I'm secretly hoping he arrives before Christmas. :)
Next appointment: Tuesday, Dec. 10