Week 38

I am MORE than ready for this baby to be out of my belly. If I wasn't liking pregnancy much with a pretty normal and happy pregnancy, I am definitely not liking it now.

I can't get comfortable. Shoes- flats, tennis shoes, wedges, heels... all tend to hurt my feet and they're not even swollen! I think it's because of the increasing unbalanced belly weighing awkwardly on different parts of my feet. The love of my life has been the heating pad MawMaw Porter lent me.

At night I can barely breathe when I'm lying on my back or perched up to watch tv... I feel like my lungs and heart are being squeezed. Today I found out that they are. Apparently we have a very long baby.. not quite sure where she gets the tall gene... perhaps my Granddaddy Boone or MawMaw Porter. Maybe she'll get the skinny gene too and we'll have a little model on our hands haha. Her head is way down but her feet are way up in my ribs and she's run out of room. The Dr. said luckily she's running out of time too.

I love these cartoons.  Especially this one:

I wish I could just skype my Dr. on these weekly appointments. They are so unnecessary. Wish we could skype into the Child Birth classes too since I don't think we're going to make it to one. 

We did get the last few things on our list this week... plus a few extras :). Mom got me a breast pump so I'll be figuring out that sucker (literally haha) when it comes in. I also got a diaper genie with some of my gift cards, a baby towel, more cute clothes and bathing suit, and pink closet organizing tabs that have which size starts where... oh and some disposable changing pads or cloths to keep from having to wash our velour changing pad so often and also for carseats or anywhere else a mess could occur. 

Now, all that I have my eye on for her is that moby wrap, or even one of the really cute ones made on etsy. I finally watched the video on how to work it.. because I was a little skeptical if I could hook her in there by myself or how that would work. It definitely looks like the perfect thing for stingy moms like I know I'll be haha. 

I don't have any of the signs of labor... no mucous plug, no broken water, no painful contractions, no blood, no colostrum... so for now it seems like she's content to stay. This week, I tried the stairmaster, warm baths, spicy food, cleaning the shower, "time" with hubby :), walking, and trying to let gravity pull her out but no luck. I may just crawl in my bed and sleep until she comes.

It's a pretty sore subject when it comes to those who are determined to tell me the reality of babies coming late, but please let me just stay in my happy place of thinking mine will come sooner than later. I have been praying really hard to let that bitterness go, but I'm sorry if I take offense to the "late" comments... I'm just so emotional when it comes to feeling like no one cares how I feel when I'm bigger than I've ever been, moodier than I've ever been, more uncomfortable than I've ever been and the only thing that will change that is birth. Maybe she'll come on my birthday? If not, you'll definitely know what I'm wishing for when I blow those candles out! haha

Here's the bump at Week 38:

And here's some of the photos my dad took and BPosh edited for our mini maternity session:

37 weeks!

So, last week I started my weekly doctor appts. I had my Strep B test (which is sooo much better than a papsmear for those of you preggers who still have to get one) and they checked to see if I had already dropped, effacement, and dilation.. I had dropped, 50% effaced and no dilation. They also shut down my idea of elective induction (unless a health problem arose) but they said since she's already so far down there I may go early on my own. Either way, whatever's best for baby!

I went to my 37 week appt yesterday, expecting to be checked again on effacement and dilation, but no luck. I knew the stories that people can have no dilation and go into labor the next day, and those who are dilated for weeks but don't go into labor.. but I thought I'd at LEAST get an update to gauge the changes.. ugh.

I know I'm having Braxton Hicks, but I honestly feel like my uterus is so tight all the time that I can never tell if I'm having a lot or a little. I definitely having been having back pain from sitting too long, sciatic nerve pain, and other pain from ligaments stretching and making room for this now WATERMELON.

She's full term, but she obviously likes living in my uterus... so far the elliptical, a trip to ikea, walking 3 hrs at the mall, organizing the fridge, mowing the lawn, and red raspberry leaf tea have not sent me into labor. Gray's just hoping she'll come before our childbirth classes start so we don't have to go haha. Either way, the count down is on!

Mom and I went shopping today and I'm pretty sure I can say I have the prettiest nursing bra ever.. thank you momma! ha Not to mention I've been wearing my pre-labor bras, and apparently it makes a BIG difference putting on a new one when you've gone up 3 or 4 sizes and had no idea. No wonder I couldn't breathe lol.

We can't wait to meet our little babe! 

Here's the bump at 37 weeks:

watermelon in 3 days!

Things I love:
- Kinsley hearing daddy singing at church
- Kinsley hearing daddy pray for us
- that she already knows Foxy's bark
- my mom felt her move on my belly
- her head is way down there, the cervix is thinning... just waiting on percentage and dilation, but dr. said i  may go early on my own
- the shrinx hips and belly bandit i get to wear post pregnancy thanks to my momma! :)
- counting down until i can take advil again
- sleeping
- i've only had to buy like 4 or 5 maternity clothes, but I cannot WAIT to fit into my old wardrobe and shop in the non maternity sections again!

Not too thrilled about:
- just saw carowinds is open this week.. and i can't ride a single thing :/
- thinking.. what happens to my foam mattress if my water breaks in my bed? is it cleanable?
- back aches, hip aches, perinal aches and pains
- baby will be a WATERMELON in 3 days
- sore feet
- breast feeding
- diet starts in t-minus 3 weeks and 3 days (give or take)

35 weeks and 35 days left!

Here's the awesome stroller and carrier I wanted and actually got! Thank you mother-in-law!

Baby Kins had such a sweet baby shower thanks to Grammy, Shuggy, and Aunt Donna and everyone else that came to celebrate! I definitely feel more prepared for when she comes! We got some of the cutest outfits, blankets, accessories, and carrier and stroller... now we can officially bring her home from the hospital when she comes. I got so excited that I already started packing my hospital bag and diaper bag with my fashionable labor scrubs, pjs, possible outfits for Kinsley, and diapers. And I just MAY have the carrier already in my car just in case :) haha.

              

I've washed all her clothes, hubby's put up the shelves, and I just have to wash the bedding! The gifts keep rolling in, too! We Gray put together the cute highchair/swing and I've got the baby spa bath upstairs ready to be put together too.

These bears were made by my sis and I when we were really little... I found them in our attic and thought they were adorb!

Yay! The chandelier is hung! and we got a super cute carriage for Kinsley that she can push her dolls in from Aunt Donna.

I find out next week how far/ how not far dialated I am and the status on my sensitive cervix. Some people have mentioned how they scheduled inductions at 38 weeks.. I got a little too excited about the possibility.. but it's also overwhelming to think.. am I REALLY ready for her to be here in just 3 weeks!? That's insane. The more I think about it, the more I become okay with her just chilling in there, but we'll see what the Dr. says.

Closet getting organized and just a couple of the adorable outfits from the baby shower! Can't wait for her to wear all of the cute things she got and take pics of her in them :)

Dress for Bethany's wedding! :

I went to get a Mama Mio prenatal massage today at the Edamame Spa in Destination Maternity. It felt unbelievable considering my upperback, hips, and shoulders have been sooo sore. She even worked over my time trying to work out the knots and even still said I was just making progress in the knot department. I felt so good until the very end when I just about fainted. I was trying not to say anything, but I was blacking out and finally told her I was about to pass out. UGH. That clammy feeling, when the music is becoming muted, and my eyes are seeing more black than light... She started fanning me and grabbed more water... later admitting that I freaked her out a little... how embarrassing.

Bump @ 35 weeks: