- Showered with Love: Baby Girl was the lucky recipient of not one but two generous and fun showers this week! The first was thrown by a group of colleagues-turned-girlfriends. They had sweetly planned games (a celebrity parents & babies guessing game and Baby Catch Phrase!), a delectable ice cream cake, and really thoughtful gifts! The baby received her Boppy, her going-home outfit (see below - too cute not to share!), some stroller toys and books - so many useful and special items. Those ladies, each and every one of them, are keepers.
The next day, my current team at work threw a big shower for us, and R was even able to attend! For a game, every team member guessed the baby's birth date, weight and name, which have been so amusing to read. We had a Pizza Luce feast for lunch, a scrumptious and adorable cake, fun (and funny!) conversation, and more sweet gifts. This time we received our diaper disposal system, diaper bag, some bath and first aid items, and some really cute outfits and books for the baby. Again, I just cannot overstate how thoughtful, generous and kind my friends and colleagues are. I appreciate them all and cannot wait to share the big news of the baby's arrival soon!
- Locked and Loaded: Two meanings for this particular highlight!
- I can't remember if I have shared this already, but we received nearly ten different shipments of baby supplies this week! The multitude of boxes contained everything from a bath tub and hooded towels to diapers and a cozy car seat cover, not to mention several items I will need for nursing the baby. After washing, folding and putting everything away, we officially have all of the bringing-baby-home essentials ready to go! That means this little girl can come any time she darn well pleases now... hopefully it pleases her to come sooner rather than later!!
- As mentioned last week, we had an ultrasound scheduled for this week to confirm the baby's position. It was with much excitement and a tiny bit of trepidation that we settled in for one last prenatal look at our baby. (I felt fairly confident that the baby was in position, so I wasn't overly worried). Immediately, the sonographer announced, "There's a head! Baby is head down!" and we could breathe easier. After that, it was fun! We were able to get some images of her profile (including some thumb sucking!), head-on photos of her chubby cheeks, button nose and pouty lips, and confirmation that she is - in fact - still a girl (at which point R really started breathing easier). We watched her perfect little heart beat fast and furious (at just shy of 140 bpm), which I would happily sit and admire all day. Finally, the placenta position and amniotic fluid were measured (all good) and we were on our merry way, photos in hand! We visited with the CNP who confirmed that all continues to be well with the baby, so we can just continue to wait for her to arrive now... again, we're ready!
- Old Wives Tales: Given how ready we feel, I'm suddenly very open to hearing about and (within reason) trying various old wives tales to encourage the baby to make her appearance. This week, two in particular lined up beautifully: a full moon and a dinner party with R's colleagues wherein the hostess served some spicy green beans that have purportedly resulted in three previous dinner party guests going into labor! In spite of a generous helping of said green beans (which were delicious!), I woke up still decidedly pregnant this morning... ah well. I continue to sit, squirm and bounce on my exercise ball several times a day and take nightly walks with R and the dogs, but so far nothing seems to be encouraging this little girl to make her big debut. We'll see what this week brings!
- Farewell Work (Clothes): I have 3-4 days left to tie up work loose ends, after which I am on vacation until the baby comes. I have made plans to work from home for those days and it's not an exaggeration to say that I am giddy at the prospect. Waking up early every day, getting ready, squeezing my gigantic feet into painfully uncomfortable professional shoes, and dragging my exhausted body to the office was starting to take an unpleasant toll on me. In fact, at my Week 38 appointment, I mentioned how bad my feet and ankles have become to the CNP and, as I showed them to her, she gasped and said, "I'm not going to lie to you, that's a really bad case of edema!" I don't think most people would believe how horrifying my lower extremities have become, so I've asked R to take some photos. I certainly won't be posting them anywhere (you're welcome), but I just need photographic evidence so I don't forget! I said all of that to say that sitting with my feet up for the week is the perfect way to close out this pre-baby chapter of my career.
I have a few nursery projects still to share (the gorgeous handmade quilt from my Mom and the pretty snazzy changing pad tray that R built for the dresser), but we haven't yet taken pictures of them... stay tuned! Until then, enjoy this week's tracker and photos and check back next week for updates.
Week: 38
Weight: +40 pounds (in total) and I'm okay with that... the end is near!
Baby is the Size of a(n): a stalk of celery (19.6" from head to heel; she's also getting heavier: 6.8 pounds (according to averages))
Symptoms: frequently hungry (R is impressed with my insatiable appetite, though I suspect he's not necessarily impressed in a good way!), heavy and full belly pains, really achy pelvis (SPD), breathlessness, outrageously swollen feet, mental lapses, wacky dreams, trouble sleeping comfortably through the night, general moodiness (noteworthy breakdown this week: cried in response to a commercial again, though I don't even remember which one...), carpal tunnel tingling and numbness in my hands and arms at night, and a fair amount of pain in response to the baby's strong, emphatic movements
Current Obsession: citrus fruit, milk, vegetables and protein, protein, protein!
Current Aversion: pretty much nothing...
Thinking About: who our little girl will take after; seeing the actual little elbows, knees, hands and feet she's using to poke and jab at me; friends' guesses in our Baby Pool; and when her birthday might be!
Picture(s): 
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