Thirty-Seven Weeks

It seems the milestones are flying fast and furious lately! 37 weeks means the baby is officially full-term and can safely come whenever she wants... key phrase there: whenever she wants. We just don't know when that will be, so now we wait! There's plenty for us to do while waiting, though. Some of the highlights from this week included:

• A Fine Tradition: A few years ago, R and I started making trips in December to the Käthe Wohlfahrt store in Stillwater, MN. It's the only U.S. location of a lovely little German Christmas store with delicate and detailed handmade wooden ornaments and other charming decorations. We purchased 10 ornaments our first year, and now we go back every year to add a few more to our collection. Those ornaments and some really cute felt ornaments are all that we put on our tree... it's fun to see it fill up a little more every year, and the time we spend together on these little jaunts is very special to me. We went this weekend and in addition to some other adorable finds, we added one very special ornament this year!

• It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: As we left the Christmas store in Stillwater, big fat snowflakes began falling and continued through the night. When we made it home, we finally put up our Christmas decorations while the snow softly and quietly piled up. Sitting in our cozy living room now with the tree twinkling and the stockings hanging by the chimney, I'm thinking the only thing missing is a sweet baby to hold and sing Christmas carols to. (Side note: I relate to the song "(Baby) All I Want for Christmas is You" a whole lot more than usual!) No matter what happens this year - whether the baby arrives before or after Christmas - our holidays will never be the same! So much of the magic of the season is best experienced through the innocent joy of kids and I can't wait to see and share that with our daughter in the years to come.
• Stocked and Ready: Because we are feeling the pressure of being so close to the end of this pregnancy, R and I went on a buying spree this week and ordered or purchased the last of the necessities for the baby's arrival. By Wednesday of this week we should have all of the diapers, blankets, towels, first aid products, bath items and nursing supplies we could initially need. What's more, we purchased the remaining items I need for my hospital bag(s), so by 38 weeks we should be all set to grab a bag and head for the hospital at the drop of a hat (though I suspect we'll have a fair amount  of warning). It's nice to at least feel like we're physically ready for the baby... the rest will hopefully happen one day at a time once she's here!
• Flipping Out: So the (only) big surprise from this week's OB appointment was some uncertainty by the C.N.P. we saw as to whether the baby is head down or possibly breech. All along, the doctors have been asserting that she's been head down, but the C.N.P. was unconvinced. As such, we now have an ultrasound scheduled at our Week 38 appointment to check the baby's position. We're sure hoping the baby is oriented correctly, as we'd like to avoid the discomfort of attempting an external version or a scheduled C-section. As crazy as it sounds, I'd like to experience labor! I'm not terribly concerned, as I still think she is head down, but we'll feel much better after seeing for ourselves next week! (Also, getting to see the baby once more before delivery is an unexpected bonus!) More to come as we learn more...

And with that, I'm sleepy and my *last* pre-baby week in the office starts bright and early tomorrow. Time for the tracker!

Week: 37

Weight: +37 pounds (in total) - the C.N.P. reassured me this week that several of those pounds are likely water weight from all of my swelling (you guys, the swelling is SO gross!!), so not to stress about this too much. I'm trying!

Baby is the Size of a(n): a stalk of kale (just over 19" from head to heel; thank goodness we're briefly flipping back to length instead of weight, as she's weighing in at approximately 6 1/3 pounds this week (according to averages))

Symptoms: frequently hungry, heavy and full belly pains, really achy pelvis (SPD), extreme shortness of breath, outrageously swollen feet, mental lapses, wacky dreams, trouble sleeping comfortably through the night, general moodiness (noteworthy breakdown this week: ended up staying rather late at work one night this week and cried mournful, hungry, overwhelmed tears all the way home - woe is me!), and a fair amount of pain in response to the baby's strong, emphatic movements

Current Obsession: fruit, milk, and anything from Victory 44 (we met some dear friends there for breakfast this morning - what a treat!)... that's pretty much it! I'm forcing down a fair amount of protein lately, as I understand it to be quite important at this point for the baby's brain development. 

Current Aversion: not much (we even had salmon for dinner tonight - unheard of)!

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; securing a pediatrician; having our car seat installation checked for safety; writing some thank you notes; packing a hospital bag; and encouraging this kiddo to get and stay head down!

Picture(s):