Week 38: Feelin the Pressure

      Feeling the pressure in more ways than one this week. I started really feeling some interesting pre-labor pains this week and honestly, they caused a lot of excitement around the Merrell house. Every time I would breath loud enough for Chad to hear he would look at me like I was about to explode or something. With good reason though, I had a few rough days, where my back hurt so bad I thought Liam might be squeezing my spine or something. My feet and ankles are so swollen that i literally have one pair of shoes that work (Church is embarrassing...brown snow boots are not really considered to be "Sunday bests", but its all I got).

Almost every day this week I tried to walk 2-3 miles and its getting harder and harder to do that. I'm getting more cramps and back pains and a whole lot of pressure with each step. Between that and doing my nightly stretches i thought, maybe, just maybe I'll be a little dilated or effaced.

We went in for our appointment and Dr. Codd was wonderful. He listened to all our concerns and questions and gave us another ultrasound. I'll be honest, it kinda concerns me that he's taken so many ultrasounds, he seems to be unable to tell if the babys head is down or not. Each time, his head has been down but I hope next time we go in, he's able to tell without an ultrasound and Liam will be right where Dr. Codd wants him. I personally think Liam knows he needs to have his head down but he's torn because he's grown so fond of kicking me in the ribs, he just doesn't want to fully drop just yet.

He didnt even check to see if i had dilated and then he gave me the whooping cough shot and sent me on my way. So naturally I cried. Man I wanted him to tell me that I had made even just a little progress but no, he just said to come in if my water breaks...yeah duh! I was a little frustrated so Chad and I went directly to Natures Nook and bought raspberry leaf tea and evening prime rose oil. I don't need the baby out I just need progress.

We will be walking tonight, and every night for a while I think.

Christmas was wonderful of course, as it always is. Poor Chad had a cold he was getting over so he slept pretty much all day, which allowed me to nest to my hearts content. I cleaned up from Christmas, scrubbed floors, made freezer meals, skyped with family a few times and watched the crackling fire (on repeat on tv) and listen to Christmas music all day long. We went for a drive, came home and made a beautiful Christmas feast...which we ate off of our TVdinner tables (one day I'll own a real table, with chairs and everything). Liam definitely had the most gifts under the tree, it gave Chad and I got a good glimpse into our future, a future we are very excited about.

Since everyone is asking, I'd LOVE for him to come on the 1-4th of January, I think that would be perfect because it gives him a little longer in there to ripen up and gives me and Chad a little longer to get ready but he would also come before Chads back in school and less available to me. While I'd LOVE for him to come in that time frame, I'm perfectly aware that I'm a 1st time mom, my baby is his fathers son and he might just be late...that's ok too, I'm just thrilled that he's coming! 

Week:38

 Total Weight Gain: 36 pounds up from my pre-pregnancy weight.

Stretch Marks: Lots and lots, its like a colorful sunset on my belly.

Best Moment This Week: Christmas morning with Chad, probably our last Christmas that we will ever sleep in together.

Missing: Shoes. I have one pair...just one that fits my swollen feet. I already had large feet to begin with but I've gone from a size 9 to and 11!

Movement: a little less this week, he's still a mover but i think he's running out of womb (you see what I did there)
Symptoms: Back pains, cramping and swollen everything.

Food Cravings: Ice water all the time

Causing Nausea: NONE

Labor Signs:Braxton Hicks and back pains

Belly Button: Popped! 

Wedding ring:  Off

Moods: Alert. I'm super aware of everything going on with my body right now, just waiting for that baby to tell me he's ready.

Next Doctor's Appointment: Next Friday.

Looking Forward to:Re-cleaning everything I cleaned last week...whats wrong with me.

Baby Facts: His head is about the same circumference as his abdomen. He may have about an inch or so of hair already and he's slowly shedding that white goo on his skin (called vernix caseosa) but we might see some of it at birth.
He's the size of a pumpkin