38-week Blues and Bumpdate

I can already hear the responses, "Hang in there! She will come when she's ready," "The average first pregnancy last 41+ weeks," "She will be here before you know it," "You're only 38 weeks; the longer she's in there the better off she'll be."

I get this. I do. I just want to hear, "Claire, you are having a baby right now!"

I am 38 weeks today. I have two weeks left until my due date. I kind of can't believe it. We are really close to the end.

I am a little disappointed right now. All along I have been preparing myself to be overdue. I told my family not to expect a baby until late April. I wholeheartedly subscribed to this, until Sunday.

All at once several pre-labor indicators surfaced. My baby dropped (confirmed by my doctor). I had my bloody show (bleh, gross term). I was dizzy and nauseous and cramping. I detailed the car for two hours, cleaned the entire house, crafted, and nested like a crazy woman. I had plenty of contractions, albeit irregular ones. It really never struck me that these were signs of an "imminent" labor until I started Googling. Oh, Google.

Turns out an anonymous rabble of forum posters all had these symptoms, like, a week before going into labor. I was shocked. Completely surprised. I thought, excitedly, "Oh my goodness, this baby is coming early!" Not too early, so I was purely excited. Why do I put so much faith in these accounts?

I have chilled out substantially because it's five days later and I am still pregnant. I mostly mean I have become bored and disappointed and ate cookies for breakfast... I am hardly motivated to make that final push, if you will, to finish up the last-minute duties before Riley comes.

This is not a great thing. :/

Anyway, I know that even if I end up going way past my due date, this pregnancy will with certainty end by April 28, 2015. That is not so far away. And yes, I could still have a baby any day, but we're just not going to talk about that for now.

I like to always include a picture in my posts, but my phone is dead forever and my camera is nestled gently in my hospital bag, so here's this:

While we're at it, I should probably do my bumpdate--sans pictures. Sorry. 

How far along? 38 weeks
Baby is: Probably about 19 inches and 6 and a half pounds. My doctor said she doesn't think my baby is very big; probably around 6-7 pounds.
Total weight gain/loss? About 25 pounds 
Maternity clothes? Yes.
Stretch marks? ...yes. Boooo.
Sleep? I wake up every couple hours and toss and turn a lot.
Best moment this week? Nesting and getting excited for baby.
Miss Anything? Not recently.
Movement? Yes
Food cravings? Oatmeal cookies and milk.
Anything making you queasy or sick? Hopefully pre-labor? 
Have you started to show yet? Yes.
Gender? IT'S A GIRL!
Labor Signs? You bet.
Belly Button in or out? Out
Wedding rings on or off? Off. I actually bought a placeholder ring of sorts, haha.
Happy or Moody most of the time? A little bummed out, but still pretty happy.
Looking forward to? A baby!

A Photography Session!

Finally! It's been a while since I did pictures for somebody else. This girl is the cutest. She is a mover. Maybe it just seemed like that because I have never done a one-year-old session while being eight months pregnant. Anyway, pretty sweet, huh? 

So that is what I have been up to. Jeff is on spring break and I am officially done working, so we are having a stay-cation in our new apartment. We are going to Austin on Thursday so I will post about that when we get back. 

Peace.

Just Some Thoughts

I go into this post apprehensively--not because I am about to write something taboo or profound or anything, but because I know it's about to be a thought dump. That is what's happening in my brain right now and it might as well be on the internet, amiright?

I will try to organize these into succinct, little points.

1. Exercise and Pregnancy

I LOVE exercise! I don't understand how I go through bouts of inactivity when I know how great I feel after a good work out... Seriously, the rewards of an active life are astounding, especially in pregnancy. Since I still have the go-ahead from my doctor, I can't afford not to go. So, yeah, I walked at an old-lady pace for 25 minutes and had a sub-par leg day. Lame as this may be, I still went and I still feel great so I feel like a winner. Let's hope that earns me an easy postpartum recovery, haha.

2.  My Little Brother

Mid-backflip, which Nick always seemed to be pre-mission, haha :)

Nicholas Wheatley is serving a mission in France. He is the most positive missionary I have ever met. He is all sunshine. I started reading his companion's blog and this was reaffirmed to me. What a little stud. I love my brother. He is a great example all the time. Also, he has a blog as of yesterday. Ch-check it out!

3. Preparing for Riley

How in the heck does someone prepare for a baby? I am just feeling a little baffled. On the flip side, our car is fixed and all the doors successfully lock and unlock with both our key and key remote! We are installing the car seat tonight! So excited.

Since I have some free time before baby comes, I am looking for good baby prep books. I am pretty picky due to my Family Studies degree (I want my baby to be well-adjusted in the long run, so I want books that support authoritative parenting, please), so if anyone has suggestions for non-crazy books. Please let me know in the comments.

Also, I had two very special baby showers last week. They were awesome and I am so, so grateful for the love and support from so many friends and coworkers. We are so very blessed.

4. Sort of Starting to Feel Sentimental

I have four work days left. Those kids are sure cute. They are getting cuter as I'm getting closer to leaving. I believe this is 95 percent psychological. They keep hugging my legs and even lovingly patting my baby bump and my goodness, I am going to miss them.

Most days I feel really strained at work. There is so much crazy in that classroom. There are times I would like to delegate some strenuous responsibility and I can't. There are not always enough people to help. I have said this before and people tell me, "Well, one day you'll have other children to take care of when you're pregnant and you won't have people to delegate to." This is true, however, I doubt I will ever have 10 2-year-old Falcos while pregnant. I feel entitled to delegating for now. It doesn't matter anyway, because I literally have less than a week left!

5. To Sleep or Not to Sleep

I am suppose to sleep bank right now. Hm. Last night I couldn't really sleep though. I tossed and turned sleepily for about six hours (which felt like five due to Daylight's Savings). I already feel like a zombie and we don't even have a newborn yet.

My query is should I try to intervene and make the most of the available restful nights I have left (meditate, take a bath before bed, exercise more, etc.), or should I just roll with it and have a leg up when my baby comes. Thoughts?

6. The Easiest Move of my Life

I feel so lucky to move before the baby comes. I walked past our new apartment today and noticed that management has been cleaning things up. I even poked my head in the window and I am feeling pretty good about what lies ahead. I do not feel motivated to pack. I realize this is not so good, but, you guys, We are just walking down the stairs and around the corner. I can just carry my clothes on the hanger and put them away in probably 40 seconds. That is phenomenal. I will pack most things for real though, so no worries.

That's all. Just a nice, chill day and taking time to document it.

Bye!

32-Week Bumpdate + GOOD NEWS!

Eight weeks left.

Where does the time go? Lately, I've found myself a bit conflicted; often I feel totally ecstatic that this baby is coming so soon. Other times I am terrified. I know what little babies are capable of. But really, what are they capable of? Sometimes I think working at a pre-school is coloring the way I feel about motherhood and childbirth. I forget that babies don't come to the world running and climbing and putting every. little. item. in their mouth. I mean, heck. They don't even have a pincer grip, let alone the dexterity and where-with-all to take a Sharpie to the sofa.

{exhale}

I am grateful that new babies kind of just lay there for a little while. I think it will be a nice change after chasing ten two-year-olds under tables all this time. Just going from ten to one ought to be kind of great. (I will miss those kiddos though.)

Additionally, I have been a little worried about the delivery as well as postpartum care. I use to be really moody before I got pregnant. It was a kind of PMS that made me feel out of control. I wanted to grapple with the universe and cry and argue when I knew there was nothing to grapple with or cry or argue about.

I have also had three or four mild depressive episodes in my life and I just don't know what to expect when my progesterone levels (which seems to be keeping me so happy right now) plummet after delivery. I am pretty worried about it and I really don't want to be a crazy person. I guess that's kind of personal. I am soliciting advice in that area, so please let me know what kept you sane during or what you would have done differently with your postpartum recoveries.

Another thing I've been thinking lately: newborns are cute. I mean really cute. I understand they might be rashy or grayish or cone-headed (haha) at the outset, but my gosh, they are still REALLY cute!

You guys, she looks like a baby! She might have hair. She has fingernails! I just get so curious about what she's doing and thinking and looking like. I think about her a lot. I am just so dang excited!

Oh! I keep forgetting to mention that we will be in Utah for TEN WEEKS this summer!!!!! Hear that friends and family?! Jeff has an internship at the University of Utah so our little family of three is heading over to our homeland, haha. :) So, if you'll be in Utah, you better hit me up and hold my baby. :)

I should do the questionnaire, too before I run off doing errands:

How far along? 32 and a half weeks
Baby is: 17-19 inches long, 41/2 to 5 pounds!
Total weight gain/loss? 15-17 pounds 
Maternity clothes? Yes.
Stretch marks? ...yes. Oh, well. :) 
Sleep? This week I have slept pretty well!
Best moment this week? The older preschool kids asking me, "Do you have a baby in you?" Every time I walked down the hallway, haha. 
Miss Anything? Not recently.
Movement? Yes
Food cravings? I don't think so
Anything making you queasy or sick? I almost tossed my cereal this morning. But I didn't!
Have you started to show yet? Yes.
Gender? IT'S A GIRL!
Labor Signs? None.
Belly Button in or out? Half out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time? A little more irritable, but happy most of the time.
Looking forward to? Moving and being done with work in two weeks!

 Have a great weekend!

30-week Bumpdate

Hey, everyone.

I am 31 weeks tomorrow. Hello, that means we have a single digits number of weeks left! I am really liking this stage of pregnancy. I mostly love that you can sort of distinguish body parts when you touch my stomach! I'm not sure how accurate it is most of the time, but some parts are small and knobby--like a heel, and others are bigger and flatter. Anyway, it's sweet and exciting. 

Want to know what we are going to name her?

Riley.

Or Rilee.

By the way, Jeff did an excellent job at our impromptu photo shoot in front of our bedroom window. Much better than what I can throw together alone, haha

Here's the questionnaire:

How far along? 31 weeks tomorrow
Baby is: 15.7 inches long
Total weight gain/loss? 15 pounds (my doctor wants me to gain 30)
Maternity clothes? Yes.
Stretch marks? Not yet.
Sleep? I've reached the point where sleeping on my back makes me feel dizzy and I wake up a lot. Preparation for baby, right?
Best moment this week? "Interacting" with Riley; I.e., poking her and her poking back (or whatever she's doing in there)
Miss Anything? Range of motion
Movement? Yes
Food cravings? Tacos...We have had homemade tacos three times in one week.
Anything making you queasy or sick? No.
Have you started to show yet? Yes.
Gender? IT'S A GIRL!
Labor Signs? None.
Belly Button in or out? Still just partially out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy, but getting moodier.
Looking forward to? A baby in our house!

So that's about it. 

Also, here's a cute picture of my tomato and about a million ballpoint pins (maybe next time I'll share the project I'm working on). 

Have a great week!

PART-TIME!

Hello internet,

So, I am alive! I really mean I am a little more present in a cyber sense. Effective tomorrow I am done working full-time before this baby gets here. I have my life back a little! I am grateful to have some time to prepare and for those who are curious, the baby is doing well, although my doctor was the one who recommended the change. Also, if you are wondering I don't have a specified end date at work presently. Let's just say I hope to work as long as I can. I anticipate working part-time until April. We will see, of course.

Confession time: I have written a couple posts that I have saved as drafts because they are not finished. I am ashamed to have posted nothing for about two months! What kind of blogger am I? Well, a busy and distracted one, at best. I suppose I will post those soon and get my readers up to speed with what I did over Christmas break and such.

Also, I am 30 weeks! That means our baby girl is almost 16 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds. Also that means I am three-quarters of the way finished with this pregnancy! That is wonderful. So far third trimester has been pleasant. I have been a little bit sick and exhausted, but it's been a good experience.

I really don't feel that I have anything of merit to share right now considering that I ought to finish those procrastinated posts. I will say though that things are going well.

So yeah... It's good to be back!