36 week/9 month update

I have one question: where has the time gone?! It seems like only yesterday we were so excited to go in for our first ultrasound to see our little speck on the screen. I'm starting to think that "time flies" is going to be a regular phrase around these parts once our little guy arrives. It's just beyond words how quickly this pregnant has gone by. Now that I'm at the end I've been thinking a lot about this whole journey, and the first word that comes to mind is "fast." I hope I remember this when he is born and really cherish every single stage and moment...I'm realizing that it will be gone in the blink of an eye and sooner than I know it I'll have a walking, talking, kindergarten-ing baby boy. Insane.

As far as how I've been feeling, still really good. There are moments in the day where I am pretty uncomfortable due to his positioning (he seems to really favor sticking his foot right up in my right side/ribs), but it's not too bad at all. I haven't had any other aches or pains, no back pain, and I'd say the only other uncomfortable thing is what I'm assuming are Braxton-Hicks contractions that I get mainly in the middle of the night. I wake up in a bit of pain but then they subside and I can go back to sleep. No big deal though. I've had a good amount of energy and have been able to continue to work out every single day. I always do some form of cardio for about 30-45 minutes (or maybe an hour or so if I am walking outside), and then I've also kept up my weights routine but lowered the weights all the way down to 5-8 lbs. I do think this portion of my exercise routine has helped me really maintain my muscle tone in most areas, but I still notice a change in different places. I'm not concerned though, which is SUCH a good feeling. I feel like because I've been as healthy as possible my body has done exactly what it has needed to do to sustain my little boy. Any weight gain or change is the natural thing my body had to do and months ago I surrendered to this. It feels good to just "be" and to accept it. I'm proud of myself.

I posted a photo a couple of days ago with Henry's in-progress nursery, and we are still making headway. Hank needs to touch up the white trim tomorrow and then we will be moving everything in and beginning the "fun" stuff- putting the pieces together and decorating. H. will sleep in our room for awhile, so there's not a rush, but I'd really like to try and have it done before he comes.

Tomorrow is also our last day of birthing class! It was a six-class series and I feel that overall it was pretty beneficial. It took place at the birthing center, so it was good to get familiar with where this will all be happening. Tomorrow we graduate and do some sort of labor practice. And speaking of labor, I've been having the most vivid dreams about giving birth and meeting Henry. He's just so cute in my dreams, just staring up at me with blue eyes. In the dream I'm overcome with this sense of peace and happiness, and it's pretty surreal. I definitely can't complain. I wake up with a smile on my face every time.

And, here are a couple 36-week photos:

It's funny that my little pigmentation line isn't a straight line. It kind of cuts apart and veers off...but whatever! This week H. is the size of a Crenshaw melon, which I have NEVER heard of before. The idea of any kind of melon making it's way down and out of my body is a little disturbing, but what goes in must come out so I am just focusing on HOLDING and LOVING my little Crenshaw melon and not the whole process of pushing said melon out of my body.

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. 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. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.)

So, that's 36 weeks! I'm off to go on a little walk around our neighborhood with Madeline. I hope all of you have a lovely Sunday.

xoxo