Welcome to Week 38
Sunday, May 16, 2010
37 weeks pregnant — now in Week 38!
21 DAYS TO GO!
THREE WEEKS TO GO!
THREE WEEKS TO GO!
THREE WEEKS TO GO!
We are really getting down to the wire, folks!
Lately, I’m getting constantly asked about the due date, and I always reply with, “Three weeks to go, but anytime’s good!” and then the person will chuckle and agree that I probably do want it over with soon.
But …
I am also getting a lot of the annoying people who launch into spiels about how FIRST BABIES ARE ALWAYS LATE, and FIRST BABIES ARE NEVER EARLY, and YOU MIGHT BE TWO WEEKS LATE HAR-DE-HAR-HAR!
Assholes.
I obviously know that yes, being late is a very real possibility. But as the wise and powerful Amalah says, “the word ‘overdue’ pretty much feels on par with the f-word during the final weeks of pregnancy.” It does! It really does!
I would prefer to think positively. After all, a friend of mine just delivered her baby boy — her first! — eight days early, while they were still in Week 39. SEE! It’s possible!
OK, before I get too worked up, here’s what happening with Baby Boy this week:
Baby’s size: He could weigh between SIX and EIGHT whole pounds, and might measures 21 inches. Since boys are usually bigger than girls, I’m betting on eight or higher!
Development: He’s storing his first poo (that will be Darling Husband’s turn to diaper), and his lungs are maturing. At this point, he’s considered totally full-term, and could arrive at any time — most likely without needing medical intervention.
Appearance: Getting stronger every day, and packing on the pounds. Clearly, he wants to come out before he outgrows any of his cute clothes, right?
Weekly re-cap
(May 9 to May 15)
Symptoms: Swollen ankles and feet, leg pain, trouble sleeping, feeling like the baby is going to fall out, the worst heartburn of life!
Body changes: Nothing really seems to have changed.
Belly button: In for keeps.
Baby movement: Not much “moving,” but lots of jamming his feet/hands/knees so far out that my skin sticks out — yup, like in Alien. I swear, he must be nine pounds already!!!
What’s new? This was my first week of maternity leave. It actually seemed to last the length of two regular weeks, since I’m all, “What’s with all of this time???”
Energy level: Low. I’m staying up later, though, since stopping work. Just … not up for much walking around these days!
Baby preparations: Carseat is installed (thanks, Darling Husband). Everything else baby-related has been done for ages, so this week I’ve been addressing envelopes for the birth announcements.
Cravings: My mother-in-law’s homemade cream puffs (of which I had two servings).
High point: Being off work has allowed me to me mega-super-incredibly productive. Like really productive. I had a massive list of things I wanted to do before the baby comes — cleaning, organizing, etc. as well as weird things like “scrapbook our entire lives up to this point” — and I’m happy to report that about 95% is finished. I kind of want to give myself a gold star, or at least a positive performance review.
Low point: As odd as it sounds, my low point is sort of the same as my high point. Going on maternity leave has been a big HUGE adjustment. I felt weird without going to work, without defining my days by my career. I felt like being at home meant I had to be a maniac cleaning/organizing machine, because if I wasn’t, then I wasn’t being a productive person at all. I was also lonely here by myself. But as I get more and more uncomfortable, I’m beginning to listen to what Darling Husband has been saying all along: my job right now is to finish carrying this baby, and take care of myself.
Five reasons why Week 37 rocked
Saturday, May 15, 2010
36 weeks, 6 days pregnant
22 DAYS TO GO!
- Saying “Three weeks” when people ask when I’m due
- Listening to their response of, “Wow, you don’t look nearly that far along!”
- Being off work has allowed me to watch an abundance of girly shows on TLC and Slice
- Eating three consecutive plates of peanut-butter crackers (prepared by a bewildered Darling Husband)
- Getting TWO full servings of dessert (homemade cream puffs) before father-in-law was even served one. Muahahaha!
A hot mess
Friday, May 14, 2010
36 weeks, 5 days pregnant
23 DAYS TO GO!
I walked into the vet yesterday, toting Little Dog, and had to wait a minute at the counter for service. I was just standing there, shifting my (massive) weight from foot to foot, when I caught sight of myself in a mirror.
Uh …
Somehow I had left the house in black yoga pants with flour streaks (from my breakfast pancakes), and a grey tank top with a stain (from my lunchtime pizza). My eyeliner was kind of haphazard, my hair was in a messy ponytail, and my face was flushed from the heat.
For half a second, I reasoned, “Oh, new moms are supposed to look like crap. Whatever.”
And then … THEN! … I remembered that I am not yet a new mom.
Nope, I am just a preggo slob. Technically, I should look way better than normal, since I’m on maternity leave and have all the time in the world to groom and dress carefully.
And let me tell you — it’s a dark day when you feel ugly while standing across from the veterinarian technician who is wearing puppy-printed scrubs.
Owwww, it burrrrrrrrns!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
36 weeks, 4 days pregnant
24 DAYS TO GO!
OMG, people!
I thought I had bad heartburn BEFORE. I had NO IDEA what Week 37 would bring. Ow ow ow!
I am chugging milk. I am eating ice cream bars (big hardship, I know). I had to start taking three heartburn pills a day, because by 2 p.m I was almost in tears from the burning pain.
I am pretty sure the baby should just COME OUT NOW, PLEASE, as I have heard that heartburn goes away immediately after giving birth.
In the meantime, I am the preggo constantly clutching at her chest/throat, and feeling like she is regurgitating bubbling green battery acid.
COME OUT ANYTIME! Mommy means it!
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