Week 35-baby growing fast!

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Week-35 Getting ready!

Still keeping busy getting everything ready for baby and just waiting for things to calm down (at least for a couple of weeks?) before baby gets here! One great milestone happened this week, all of the closets in the baby's room are cleaned and organized...what a sigh of relief! I have been feeling pretty good this week, just getting bigger of course, that is to be expected I guess! Ryan is getting so excited to have this baby here, he just keeps looking at me, I think he is expecting something to happen or something. He is so funny! He will be mad I said this but last night he goes "So have you been having any Briggs and Hogs?" haha I'm like "what?!", then he says "Benson Hedges?". hah he meant Braxton-Hicks! He is so cute, he remembered what they were from child birth class but just couldn't remember the name! oh man I am still laughing about it. It was probably funnier in person though! Only 5 weeks left now! Luckily, I have found some more very helpful baby care basics from a very reliable source :-)

Week 34-Busy busy busy!

Didn't I say that this spring was going to be so freakin busy?! I feel like I am constantly on the move getting ready for the next thing! With extra practices for recital (which is on the 5th and 6th of June), getting ready to write my FINAL paper (due the 1st of June), my future sister-in-law's wedding shower (one this weekend and one in a few weeks), getting the nursery ready, trying to wrap up my month at work, and other various showers and parties (so much fun!), well I have just been so busy!

We got the bedding this week finally!! It took forever for it to be in the Babie's R Us warehouse. I'll get a picture of the nursery as soon as it's all done so you can see how cute it is! As far as the baby goes, nothing too crazy going on. I think she doesn't have as much room in there as she used to. All I feel now all day is pushy and rolly movements instead of the hard kicks I was feeling before. It's pretty funny to watch my belly change shapes, it's always lopsided one way or another! Oh yeah, this week we found out that our good friend Morgan is pregnant too! Congrats Morgan, I'm SOOO excited for you and I know you read this blog to see what you're in for so I will try to be as detailed as possible for you. Um, here's a detail for you...I feel like I am about to pee my pants all freakin day and night! If that's not enough to keep you alert and on your toes at all times, well then I don't know what is. HAHA! So just as I was typing this, the baby decided to kick me SO hard in my side, I just jumped! I guess I take back that no kicking thing I said before. Thanks for letting me know you're in there baby!

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Week 33

Here is my week 33 update, only 7 more weeks left! Nothing too exciting going on this week, I am not complaining as much, I actually even feel good today! I even got on the elliptical for like 10 minutes, that is pretty good! I have been trying to take short walks throughout the day, I think it helps with the backaches and hip aches. Ryan thinks it's just hillaaaaarious to make fun of my "breadloaves" as he calls them, or my giant tingling swollen feet that look like loafs of bread with toes sticking out. haha! I am trying to keep my posts non-complainy so I won't detail the story of the lady at Hy-Vee this week telling me I should eat an apple....hah yeah so maybe I'll tell ya that one later. Just another one of those pregnant lady things! Ya know, like people suddenly feeling the need to mention how huge you are?! oh yeah...no complaining Melissa. Here is a recent picture of me, it was actually taken when I was almost 32 weeks but I think I look about the same so here it is! Yikes...

Baby care basics!

I've been learning so much as a pregnant woman! Important things, like how to feed the baby, swaddle, calm the baby, etc. These tips are super helpful for new moms, I am so glad I'm learning the best ways to take care of my precious child! They are so help in fact, that I will share them with you.

Another baby shower!

My mom held another baby shower for me at her house this past weekend. I got so many wonderful things! Cute clothes, baby necessities, accessories, etc. I love it! Here is a pic of a couple of my favorite things from the shower. Melissa Pioch made the cutest cake (the middle layer is missing here, we ate it) and my soon to be sister-in-law Rebecca made the diaper cake! I have never seen one of those, what a good idea!

And here is your WEEK 32 UPDATE! Only 8 weeks left!

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Just let me complain for a sec...

Ok so I told myself that I wouldn't be a complainy pregnant lady since being pregnant is such a blessing and I should be thankful and so on. Let me get one thing straight with you before I go into a pregnant lady rant...I am SOO thankful that I am pregnant and that she is healthy, I am SO excited to meet this baby and to be a mom. With that being said, being pregnant is really starting to get on my nerves! Maybe it's the hormones, maybe it the constant aches and pains, maybe it's the comments from people on large I am, maybe it's the lack of sleep...whatever it is, I feel the need to complain sometimes. My back hurts, my pelvis feels like it's being ripped apart, my ribs feel like they are being used as a jungle gym, and my feet are huge! This cartoon is a scene from my life last week as I sat huffin and puffin in the dressing room watching my cute little sister try on cute little shirts!