35 Weeks, 5 Days (Aug 04 2010)
It's hard to believe that there are only 30 days left until Dana's due date, September 3rd. Time seems to be simultaneously creeping by (so excited to meet her!) and flying by (so much left to do!) We are still waiting on the delivery of the Pottery Barn changing table we ordered a MONTH ago; as of yesterday, the "latest possible" shipment date would be August 14. Don't these people know I could have a BABY by then? (Probably not, but it's possible.)
Will's baby cradle is supposed to make its way up from Memphis to Chicago sometime this month. I'll have to order a mattress pad to go inside the cradle, but they sell those on Amazon, so that's no big deal.
We have yet to choose a pediatrician, or even speak to one, except over the phone. I am hoping to get a consultation scheduled with one or two of them for this Friday afternoon, to talk about the practice and and ask questions and get to know them. Of course, I'll have to do some research and put together a big list of questions first.
The main thing I am spending my energy on (besides carrying around this lovely giant baby) is getting things at work ready for my maternity leave. This means training people on my responsibilities, and communicating the transition of responsibility to everyone. Next week is close week (my last before Dana is born), which will be pretty intense. But after that, my replacements will be handle more of my stuff to get some practice before I really leave, so my workload will get lighter and lighter as time goes by. Yay!
I haven't done my little pregnancy check-in list in a while so...
Total Weight Gain: 25 lbs as of my appointment 2 weeks ago. I'm probably past 30 lbs at this point, I'll find out an official number tomorrow when we go back to the doctor. This appointment tomorrow is the first of the weekly appointments - exciting! (Not because I love going to the doctor, but because it means our baby is coming soon-ish and requires closer monitoring.)
Maternity Clothes: My stomach is roughly the size of a beach ball or watermelon, so maternity clothes is all I'm wearing these days. It's so big that some of my maternity tops are getting too short.. I'm going to have to upgrade to some kind of tent. My feet are starting to swell - we're lucky it's not cold out or I would need maternity socks too.
Best Moment This Week: It's been a pretty good week so far, lots of good moments to choose from. Visiting my parents in St Louis last weekend, listening to Great Expectations with Will in the car, gossipping with Olivia and Laura last night.. all lots of fun.
Tonight I'm going to ask Will to take me to the pool - he got me a "spouse of student" membership a few weeks ago, and we're really taking advantage. One trip to the pool can keep me from getting really uncomfortable for several days, it's just a great way to get a (very) little exercise, some great stretching, and a lot of relief from gravity. I think Dana enjoys being in the water too, she likes to do little dances in my belly when we're swimming.
Movements: Any time baby Dana moves, I feel it. There's no extra room in there anymore for her to float around unencumbered. She's head-down at this point, and should stay that way until she's born, so I mainly feel her hiccups and stretches. She typically gets hiccups about 2-5 times a day, around mealtimes like me, though sometimes she wakes me up in the middle of the night with the tiny spasms.
Also, based on what I feel, we're pretty sure she has her legs bent and knees tucked up at her chest, with her feet and heels by her butt. During weeks 32-34, she really had one of her feet dug up in the left side of my ribs, and was causing really painful bruising. However, I think she's found something more comfortable for both of us, since it's not bothering me this week.
The other thing she does is jab with her elbows, or sometimes lightly scrape them along my sides. So far it doesn't really hurt, but it might start to as she continues to pack on the pounds. Speaking of pounds, she's supposed to be somewhere around 6.3 lbs this week. Big baby!
Food Cravings: none
Belly Button: Oddly variable between definite innie, flat, and just barely an outie.
Overall: Feeling excited, impatient, alternately anxious/unprepared and so-totally-ready-let's-get-this-show-on-the-road, physically large and sluggish and slightly swollen. Can you tell I need an evening at the pool? :)