13 days or less! 38 weeks, 1 day

Pics taken at 38 weeks, 1 day

1. How far along? 38 weeks, 1 day
2. Maternity clothes? maternity clothing
3. Stretch marks? none :)
4. Sleep? making waking appearances at sometimes 3:30 and 5ish
5. Best moment last week? RELAXING this past weekend...and seeing the first REAL snow of the winter season!
6. Movement?shifting and such, but the occasional jab still gets landed
7. Symptoms? linea negra,swelling in ankles (big time!) and some in hands, Braxton Hicks contractions...to the point that I had them for an hour straight last night about 7 minutes apart...but no baby girl yet!
8. Gender? Baby girl...Kensington!!
9. Labor signs? other than my Braxton Hicks...no real labor signs
10. Belly button in/out? It's OUT there
11. What I miss?ditto last week-mommy needs her sugar fix some kinda bad (and is displayed in my snack bag I have for the hospital...poptarts, sour patch kids, chocolate mini-eggs, peanut butter cups, fruit snacks...I promise there are healthy options too, but that's also what the cafeteria is for!)
12. Looking forward to?getting to meet this sweet baby girl...We are ready!!
13. What's going on with Baby A? (from www.thebump.com)

Yow! If you feel a sort of lightening bolt running up and down your legs (and in your crotch), don’t freak out. At 38 weeks, baby’s probably sitting pretty low in your pelvis, which means he’s bumping into all kinds of nerves down there -- including some pretty sensitive ones you might not know you had. Be on the lookout for signs of labor, including contractions that come on stronger, at more regular intervals, and the “bloody show.” It could happen any day now -- or it might not be for a few weeks. Until then, try to relax.

Your baby's the size of a pumpkin!

Baby is about 18.9 to 20.9 inches long and weighs about 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. Her head is now about the same circumference as her abdomen.

your baby at 38 weeks

• She may have about an inch or so of hair already.
• She's slowly shedding that white goo on her skin (called vernix caseosa) but you might see some of it at birth.

Baby Kensington's Room!!

My sweet little Kensington...

I hope you enjoy your room as much as mommy and daddy did/do in getting it ready for you...

(Beware, you are about to enter the realm of a future Diva)

...

...

...

The craziness of baby shower gifts and a room that needs to be fixed!

Coming in her doorway

Panning around her room...

towards her walk in closet

Her crib (put together quickly one night by her daddy!)

Photo album and frame that I can't WAIT to fill up with cute pictures and memories!!

A look into her crib, complete with crib mobile, blankie and stuffed animals

More animals and knick-knack boxes of baby things

Mommy and baby rocking chair with homemade blanket from a friend, boppy close by and a cute owl night light

Baby Calendar to fill out on her wall

Walk in closet...already packed full of stuff!

Cutest lil shoes for teeny tiny feet!

Can't wait to snuggle her in this fluff and puff snowsuit...especially since it's been snowing ALL day here...of course there will probably be none here when she actually comes...

A lovely sign of her nickname also from a friend...hanging in her room

Sassy door jumper...she won't be able to use this for a bit, but it was too cute to not put up already!

Baby girls Pack n play...she will most likely be living in this bad boy for a while, or at least enjoying naps and all as we stay downstairs throughout the day while I am home with her

Her swing/bouncer combo

So, all in all, baby girl, we are SO ready for your arrival and we really cannot wait for you to come into this world :)

Under 20 days to go...

Man, this last month is literally

i

n

c

h

i

n

g

along...

I think it's only because I am such a planner and have had everything we need for a while now...we just need our sweet little girl to come join us!

I was actually looking at the remaining stuff on our registry and it really doesn't appear that there are any MUST HAVES before she arrives...

Her room has been set up and prepped to completion...

And we have enough diapers and wipes to fill a pool, along with clothing too!

So, 19 days and counting down (or less?!?) til we meet our bundle of joy!

We are both super duper excited and can't wait...but in the meantime, I may need to get my husband to take some maternity photos before I no longer have my cute baby bump!! 

37 weeks, considered full term!!

Pics taken at 37 weeks

1. How far along? 37 weeks
2. Maternity clothes? maternity clothing
3. Stretch marks? none
4. Sleep?  still sleeping through the night, thankfully
5. Best moment last week?  Seeing Kensie again for the ultrasound, and then my husband and I staring at the pictures of her chubby little cheeks the.rest.of.the.week!
6. Movement? space seems to be getting tighter, but she still manages a nice kick every once in a while, and naturally she is shifting a lot
7. Symptoms? linea negra,swelling in ankles (big time!) and some in hands, Braxton Hicks contractions
8. Gender? Baby girl...Kensington!!
9. Labor signs? other than my Braxton Hicks...no real labor signs
10. Belly button in/out? Out...maybe flattening
11. What I miss? still missing my sugar...I have a MAJOR sweet tooth
12. Looking forward to? relaxing the rest of this week and upcoming weekend...we have pretty much everything ready, we just need this little bundle of joy to come on!  And, getting to spend V Day with my hubby!
13. What's going on with Baby A? (from www.thebump.com)

37 weeks pregnant

Get excited. At 37 weeks, your baby has reached full term. That means he’s developed his most crucial functions. Of course, he’ll get even healthier and stronger over the next few weeks, so don’t get too impatient. Around week 37, many moms-to-be find themselves organizing cupboards and scrubbing their floors. That’s the nesting instinct kicking in as your body senses baby will be here shortly. It also might be your brain’s way of making sure you’re prepared for just about anything, so you can feel like you have an extra edge on this whole new parent thing.

Your baby's the size of a watermelon!

Yay! Baby has reached full term. He likely measures around 18.9 to 20.9 inches and weighs about 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. He's gaining about 1/2 ounce each day.

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your baby at 37 weeks

• He's practicing some skills: inhaling, exhaling, sucking, gripping and blinking.
• He's getting his first sticky poop (called meconium) ready for his first diaper.

36 week ultrasound and check-up

Let me start off by saying that I have one healthy baby in my belly.

She comes complete with super chubby cheeks, eyelashes and a mohawk of hair

yes...mohawk!

Baby Kensington, top 2 pictures have her facing you and you can see her eyelids closed, nose, and lips...and super chubby cheeks...also note the mohawk puff of hair atop her head, and even some eyelashes!

My husband and I had our 36 week check up on Monday (2-6-12) and an ultrasound.  We got to see her sweet, chubby face, eyes closed, hair whipping around (well, not literally, but in my mind as much as she moves, she MUST be trying to do something with that hair-do)

The ultrasound tech took measurements to get an estimate of weight, which came out to be 7lbs 13 ozs

Now, in my mind this was great...delivering an almost 8lb baby sounds fantastic!

Now put on the fast forward button and we get to the meeting with my doctor...she tells me that that was what baby girl weighs NOW 

Holy Sheesh!

So, since I have 4 more weeks and babies tend to pack on 1/2 lb a week, add 2 more pounds to the estimate

Yes, you are right if you got almost 10 lbs of baby to birth

THEN to add to this, my Dr said this estimate could be off -/+ 1 lb, so if we go to the heavier side, we are talking almost 11 lbs

I kinda freaked

Not so much in her office

But definitely at home on the couch, snuggled with my dog and crying on the phone to my husband.

I think she was trying to inform me of options, saying if this scared me we could opt for a scheduled c-section, and if things progress and we make it to 40 weeks, then I may need to get induced.

There are plenty of other scary things she talked about that I will leave off, but let's just say that this new info is way different from what I had planned in my head.

I was really hoping to have a natural birth with no pain meds/induction/etc.  Just let my body do what it was made to do

So, now I am on a special diet which limits basically everything I want (so long pregnancy cravings which JUST started to come around within the last month)...now its meat, veggies and water...delicious!

(sarcasm...I wish I could eat breads and pastas and candy and soda and and and...)

But, on the brighter side of things, my mom had me (her 2nd child) a week late and I was born naturally weighing a hefty 9lbs 13 ozs...oddly enough the exact same predicted weight for my daughter...

Fate, perhaps?

I call it possible payback

36 weeks down, 4 or less to go!

Pics taken at 36weeks

1. How far along? 36 weeks
2. Maternity clothes? maternity clothing
3. Stretch marks? not one :)
4. Sleep?since my massage and feeling much better (no more sickness!), I have been sleeping through the night, although I tend to go to bed super early (8 or 9pm) so that makes me wake up at 6ish
5. Best moment last week? attending a birthday party for a 1 year old (my cousins son)...getting to see all my family there AND getting pictures of Kensie at our 36 week check up yesterday...I will post more on this later
6. Movement? mover and a shaker...still!
7. Symptoms? linea negra,swelling in ankles and some in hands, Braxton Hicks,itchy belly again, headaches that persist throughout the day
8. Gender? Baby girl...Kensington!!
9. Labor signs? other than my Braxton Hicks...no real labor signs
10. Belly button in/out? Out...
11. What I miss? eating what I want...found out info at 36 week appointment that I may need to watch what I continue to eat these last 4 weeks...again, I will post more on this later
12. Looking forward to?celebrating my cousin's birthday up in MD at Dave and Busters this weekend!  I love arcade games!
13. What's going on with Baby A? (from www.thebump.com)

Your due date is just four weeks away. Hasn’t time flown? Your once-poppy seed would probably be able to breathe on his own if he was born right now. (If not, he’d probably need some TLC, but he’d likely be okay.) Most of his systems are in working order at 36 weeks. Since baby really could decide to make his arrival any day now, try to put in a little prep work. For example, if you took a child birth class a few months ago, you might want to reread any materials you were given and practice some of the breathing techniques you learned with your partner. Go over your plan for getting to the hospital, and all the what-ifs (like, if you go into labor while you’re at work, will you go home first or straight there?). You might also want to remind your boss and colleagues of the status of all your work projects, so they know exactly where to take over if you’re suddenly out of the office. Week 36 is also a good time to enjoy a date with your partner. We’re guessing you won’t be up for dancing, but a nice dinner might be just what you two could use.

Your baby's the size of a coconut!

She's still in the 17.2- to 18.7-inch and 4.2- to 5.8-pound range and continues to beef up.

your baby at 36 weeks

• She's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on her own.
• Her skin is getting smooth and soft and her gums are rigid.
• Her liver and kidneys are in working order.
• Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.

Baby Showers Galore!

My husband and I are very fortunate to have wonderful co-workers as well as amazing friends and family.

We each had a shower at work

on top of a friends/family shower thrown back home

It was all amazing 

and

quite overwhelming!

My work surprised me and got me to come to a full on decorated lunch room complete with presents, decorations, and cupcakes by telling me that I needed to come see where some home made dumplings were being kept for me in the fridge.

Yes

I am a SUCKER for food

To my wonderment, my entire lab was standing in there waiting for my arrival...then the fun began!

We ate cupcakes made by one of my co-workers and I opened my gifts and marveled at each cute outfit, toy, etc!  It was all very generous and sweet!!

My husband, earlier in the same week, was given a card and gift certificate to one of our registry places.  I couldn't believe how nice that was considering he hasn't been working there very long.

The finale of baby showers ended last Saturday back home with friends and family.  It was SO great to see just about EVERYONE we invited!  There was even a good friend that flew in from Georgia to see us!

Diaper Cake from friends/family baby shower, made by Samantha

We played a few games (including guess how big around my husband and I are while hugging, the guys had balloon bellies and had to take shoes and socks off and put back on without popping balloon bellies, and a diaper relay race between boys and girls...naturally, girls won!)

We were literally showered with gifts and amazing things.  I couldn't believe it all.

Diaper Stroller/Bassinet from friends/family baby shower made by Amanda

And of course, reality set in a teensy bit more.

Yea, we are going to have a baby here in about 30 days

O.M.G.

I feel at times we are overly ready, with room set up, diapers, wipes, toys, blankies, butt paste...you name it...

Then, other times, I worry about what if something happens and I have no idea what I am doing!

But then, I have to think to myself, everything will be O.K. and tons of other women have gone through the exact same things...and look how they are and how wonderful their children are...

So, hurry up March 6th, I am ready to see my baby girl!