35 weeks!

Baby boy measured in yesterday at 5 lbs, 11 ozs. Which isn't all that far off schedule because according to Baby Center, this week he should be about 5 1/4 lbs. So he's a few ounces bigger, but actually measuring pretty darn near perfect! Who am I kidding...he's my kid, so he's perfect regardless :). Also according to Baby Center, he is about the size of a honeydew, and most of his physical developments are complete, so he's just spending the next few weeks putting on weight.

How far along: 35 weeks

Maternity clothes: All style has gone out the window. I have about 5 "go to" maternity items that I save for going out in public (as in dinner, some one's house, etc.) otherwise it's a pair of maternity leggings or black yoga pants, a large t-shirt (one of Todd's if I can snag one), and a large cardigan or sweatshirt. Oh, and forget about the shoes. My brown uggs are just about the only shoe that fits right now. Even my gray new balances that I was able to squeeze into, now are screaming when I put them on because the laces are at their very ends.

Sleep: Forget about it. I'm up every couple of hours to pee...not that I'm complaining, because this isn't a big deal...but when you have to try and hoist an extra huge belly out of bed, and all of your joints have cramped while you were sleeping, it makes for a much longer and more painful process. And poor Todd...I keep him up just as much...especially since my cough still hasn't subsided, so every time I get up to pee, I also hack up a lung. Case in point: yesterday when I spent 7 hours at the hospital (yes, for another post), I fell asleep for about an hour or so. I woke myself up with my ridiculous snoring. The nurse came in and said "oh, someone woke up!" and I said "omg, did you hear me snoring?! so embarrassing". She cracked up and said "yes, but it didn't bother me." Later when I was on the phone with Todd, I relayed my snoring snafu to him and he said "tell the nurses that now they know how your husband feels every night". HA.

Best Moment of the Week: I still love feeling our little guy move all the time. That's by far the coolest part of pregnancy. But this week was a bit rough. I've been trying to get over my bronchitis/chest & head cold. And I had to kick off the week with another 24 hour urine collection, which always stinks. And then of course yesterday, when I went for my regular appointment at the Perinatal center, my blood pressure was through the roof, so they sent me up to Labor & Delivery for some more intense monitoring and lab work (I'm pretty sure they drained my right arm of all of it's blood). I spent the day hooked up to the fetal monitor and the blood pressure cuff, in a rock hard, angled hospital bed. Ended up being at the hospital from 11:00am - 6:00pm. But aside from high BP, everything else looks great, baby boy is completely fine and happy, and all is well. So I guess this was the most "bittersweet" moment of the week. :)

Movement: He rarely stops. Sometimes I wonder if he ever sleeps. Although he doesn't keep me up at night kicking, so I'm hoping this is some serious foreshadowing, and that he will enjoy sleeping through the night just as much when he is out of my belly.

Food cravings: We're back to milk! I could drink milk by the gallon. I. Love. Milk. And after posting about it on facebook, I've come to realize that just about every other pregnant friend I've had, was or is the same way! Go figure!

Stretch marks: Still don't see any, but I can see my veins through my skin, and it's getting tight, so I can tell we're nearing the end of available skin for stretching...

Gender: Still boy. Last week at my PDC appointment, Dad came with me, and the sonographer showed him a picture of baby boy's penis/scrotum...definitely couldn't miss it, so we know he's still developing just like a baby boy :)

What I miss: My waist line, my one chin, my shoes, my wedding rings, sleep, sushi, wine, and generally not being on edge or cranky most of the time. But again, I'm not complaining! The prize at the finish line is worth all of this discomfort and more.

What I'm looking forward to: Baby boy! As I was laying in the hospital bed yesterday, panicking and possibly pushing my blood pressure up even further, I looked at my belly and whispered to our little guy "you can't come out just yet! we're not quite ready" and then I realized...he's coming out at some point. Whether it be 5 weeks from now, or just a few days. At some point, he's coming out, and we will have a son, and we will be responsible for him. And then a sense of calm came over me and I realized we may never be fully prepared, but once we lay eyes on him, it's all forward from there...and I can not wait to hold him in my arms and experience motherhood through more than just belly kicks.

Weekly wisdom: This is for myself -- GET PREPARED! Hospital bags, pediatricians set up, and car seat installed...this baby could come any day now!