weeks 35-38

so, little miss lauren is already here.. but i thought i would finish up the pregnancy weekly updates just for documentation sake :-)

How far along?:  35 weeks

Weight gain: 25 total 

Cravings: peaches, ice, vegetables

Maternity clothes: yes! i

Stretch marks? : nope.. some crazy veins though! 

Miss anything?: sleep, always

Symptoms: RLS, hip pain, nausea/ vomiting, INSOMNIA 

Movement: YES! She is very active.. especially at night

Gender prediction:  GIRL!!!!!!!!!!! 

This week: Was more of the same. I worked a lot and tried to keep up with Robert’s social calendar :-) It was also my 32nd birthday! Although I worked that day, the boys brought me out to Mexican food that night and then let me sleep in late the next morning. Robert, Lauren, and Rob got me the most beautiful earrings. They are the August birthstone, since both my babies are August babies. I love them!! Rob cooked my favorite dinner on Saturday night. It was the best weekend :-) We also got a lot of last minute things I needed for Lauren.. like a new monitor, breastfeeding stuff, etc. 

How’s Robert doing?: Great! He had a good week at school and loved running around with all all weekend. He seems so grown up lately with SO MUCH ENERGY... but maybe that’s just my lack of energy? ha

How’s daddy doing?: Great.. poor guy is working so much. He is getting a lot of shifts in before Lauren arrives. I am sure he is tired with everything going on.. but he would never say. 

How far along?:  36 weeks

Weight gain: 27 total 

Cravings: ice, ice, and more ice.. also cucumbers and apples

Maternity clothes: yes! 

Stretch marks? : nope.. some crazy veins though! it’s so bizarre!!

Miss anything?: sleep, always

Symptoms: RLS, hip pain, nausea/ vomiting, very very itchy skin, INSOMNIA, so much pelvic pressure, contractions that have started keep me up at night (mostly between 1am and 3am..)

Movement: YES! 

Gender prediction:  GIRL!!!!!!!!!!! 

This week: I finished working all my extra shifts.. thank goodness! I am lacking energy these days! I also had my 36 week appointment. It was all pretty routine. I had my group B test done (negative!) and she checked me, given all my recent contractions, pelvic pressure. I am 2cm dilated and 60% effaced. She is head down and engaged! Yay! I mentioned to my NP that I have not been sleeping due to itching. I have tried so many different skin solutions.. bio oil, coconut oil, aveeno oatmeal baths.. but no matter what I do or how much I moisturize, I am always itching. There is no rash which concerned her. The itching is in weird places too.. not my stomach, more my hands, arms, and feet. She decided to run some fasting liver labs the next day and start bi-weekly NST that day. I ran and got Robert from school and then went back up to the hospital to be monitored. The first thing they do is measure the amount of amniotic fluid around the baby. Mine was low. I was told to rest 2 hours in morning and afternoon and drink a glass of water an hour. I will go back on Friday to get the levels rechecked. I am still waiting on my labs. It is always something. If anything is abnormal, we will induce delivery. The concern is that the itching could be a symptom of the pressure from the baby blocking the bile duct and not allowing the gall bladder to function well. This can put the baby at risk by causing my placenta to not function well.. a symptom of this is low amniotic fluid. The good news is that Lauren’s heart rate did exactly what they wanted it to do and she does not appear to be affected by any of this. 

How’s Robert doing?: He’s doing pretty well. He has a cold and has been very clingy. He has started to cry to go to school again :-( He has good days once he is there, but he is not happy about going. It breaks my heart, and to be honest, completely defeats me. I know he is sensing the huge change.. he keeps telling me Lauren is coming. He is so so sweet about 90% of the time, but that 10% is pretty challenging, especially when I should be resting and dad is at work! It’s been a challenging week!

How’s daddy doing?: Working so much.. and then coming home and helping out so much here too. Super dad!! It was great because he got to come to my OB appointment. I loved having him there. He is pure comfort and calm for me. 

How far along?:  37 weeks

Weight gain: 28 total 

Cravings: peaches.. and a beer, but that will have to wait!

Maternity clothes: yes! 

Stretch marks? : nope... fingers crossed

Miss anything?: sleep, always

Symptoms: RLS, hip pain, nausea/ vomiting, very very itchy skin, INSOMNIA, so much pelvic pressure, contractions that have started keep me up at night (mostly between 1am and 3am..)- same as last week!! The end of pregnancy is no picnic.. 

Movement: YES! 

Gender prediction:  GIRL!!!!!!!!!!! 

This week: I continued with my biweekly NST at the OB office. The amniotic fluid continues to be a bit low, but Lauren looks great with her heart rate. We will just continue to watch her. I am exhausted and feeling very pregnant. I am feeling like labor will be sooner rather than later. My body is achy and having very strong contractions. We shall see!

How’s Robert doing?: He is having a great week! He ready for Lauren to be here.. I can tell he is tied of all the talk and ready for some action! We took him to see his first movie this week.. PLANES! He loved it and did so well. He sat through the entire movie and clapped at the end! Such a big boy!

How’s daddy doing?: He is doing well. He is wrapping up the last of his 24 hour shifts before Lauren arrives and we are SO glad :-) He is sure Lauren will be here any day now!

How far along?:  38 weeks 

Weight gain: 29 total 

Cravings: ice, always

Maternity clothes: yes! 

Stretch marks? : nope.. woohoo!

Miss anything?: sleep, always

Symptoms: RLS, hip pain, nausea/ vomiting, CONTRACTIONS, cramping

Movement: YES- but not as obvious. Several times a day, I am trying to get her to move. Luckily, I can hear her heart beat with my stethoscope (so cool!!) so I am able to have reassurance that way!

Gender prediction:  GIRL!!!!!!!!!!! 

This week: Well, this is THE week! I only made it 2 days into this week! Lauren was born at 38 weeks, 1 day. I will write birth story in a separate post.. but as a side note, I went to my OB the day I turned 38 weeks. I was devastated to find out I was only 1 cm dilated and barely effaced at all. The people who had been checking my cervix prior to her were measuring my external os rather than my internal os. I cried. Who goes backwards in their pelvic exam?? ME! Little did I know, there was no reason to cry! In less than 24 hours, she would be here. On this same day (August 15), my amazing mother in law arrived. We got take out Thai food and enjoyed visiting that night. We were all sure it would be at least a week before any real action started! 

How’s Robert doing?: He’s doing good! Like I said last week, he is ready to meet this girl already. All this talk is just getting old! He loves to talk about what he will do with Lauren when she arrives- play trains, cars and eat chicken are the latest. He is so sweet and seems to be getting older all the time!

How’s daddy doing?: Great! He is done with all the long 24 hour shifts at work and is just ready for miss Lauren to arrive. He is sure it will be any day. He is almost always right... ha. We both have had so much anxiety over who will be with Robert when Lauren comes. We have a million scenarios mapped out in our heads.. BUT now that his mom is here, we can relax. She will watch him. We are feeling a lot of relief!