38 weeks pregnant...we are READY!

As I got ready for my little bump update this week, I couldn't help but wonder, will this be the last one? Will Liam come before next week?

That's the thing about having a baby... you neeevver know! It takes some patience, I'm telling you, and a lot of flexibility. 

Every day I look around my house and ask myself, if my water breaks this very second, do I have everything ready?  

Even though I don't think I will ever 'feel' ready to take on the huge, enormous responsibility of becoming a parent, practically speaking, I'm ready!

*My house is spotless. I swear the vacuum gets run every day 'just to be sure' it stays that way! I've definitely had my 'nesting' burst of energy. I even cleaned the laundry room. THE LAUNDRY ROOM! Do you hear me, people?! Who does that?

*My car is cleaned, shampooed, and the carseat is installed! (Note to self... fill up with gas! Even though the hospital isn't far, I'm sure it's the last thing we'll want to worry about when the moment comes!)

*Our hospital bags are packed!

(I nearly fainted the day after I did our hospital bag post when I went upstairs and Keith had his own bag completely packed! He's so excited for his little man to get here.) 

I've even made a list of things we need to grab as we run out the door so we don't forget anything! 

*I make sure to shave my legs every day. You know how your mother always told you to wear clean underwear in case, you know, you died or something? Well, my motto is, make sure everything 'below the waist' is well-groomed in case, you know, I go into labor today!

*I've prepared over a half a month's worth of freezer meals that we can just defrost and throw in the crockpot. (My goal was a month's worth, but no more will fit in the freezer!) I may do a post later on all the recipes I used. I am telling you, it is so nice to know that I won't have to really worry about dinner at least for a few weeks while we're figuring out life with a newborn! Hallelujah, we won't starve after all, and won't be stuck eating pizza every night!

*Our house is stocked with all the 'necessities' of life.  We have ample supplies of toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, you name it, I've 'Costco-ed' it. YES I know, I know, the store will still be there after we have a baby! I'm just a little overzealous psycho ... what can I say, I like to be prepared!

*The nursery is done, done, and DONE! It's officially my favorite room in the house. 

Complete nursery reveal is coming soon......

So yes, I think we are ready to welcome our son into our home!

(Did I forget anything???? :)

As for me... (though I am going to miss having Liam 'all to myself') I'm definitely ok with no longer being pregnant!

However, don't be surprised if I don't let annnyyone hold him!!!  :) :)

 

How far along? 38 weeks, 4 days. My due date is TEN DAYS AWAYYYYY!
Total weight gain: about 35
Stretch Marks: Notta one! I am so thankful.  
Maternity clothes? Duh
Sleep: Though I wake up with some pains/aches almost every morning and pee all through the night, I am actually still able to sleep! Something I've very, very thankful for, as I've heard so many women say otherwise!
Best moment this week:  Just feeling like I am breathing a sigh of relief that everything I wanted done is DONE! And we took our breastfeeding class this week. (Well, I kind of made Keith come along with me to the class, but he said he learned some things, too.)
Miss Anything?  I miss when it was easy to just sit down and eat comfortably. Sitting down at all feels kind of awkward these days....
Movement: Goodness, I feel like his movements are getting more and more painful! I can feel EVERYthing! I think he's using my ribs as jungle gyms....
Food cravings:  I don't usually drink milk by itself at all, but these past few days I've been REALLY wanting some chocolate milk, so I bought some Hershey's syrup today. Sweets, too! My pinterest this week was evidence of that, I pinned dessert after dessert (and even made a few, too!)
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!
Gender: Oh Boy!
Labor Signs: Some contractions here and there, but still nothing super consistent.
Symptoms: Still get fat feet every day. :/ I had a dr. appt monday and the first thing my midwife said when she walked in was, 'aww, look at your little fat feet!' She sent me home with two pairs of compression socks and ordered Keith to massage them!
Belly Button in or out? outeroo
Wedding rings on or off? off! My hands still really aren't that swollen, but I don't want to take any chances.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! I am so happy to finally feel like I have everything 'ready'.
Looking forward to: Uh, duh!  I'm like, really looking forward to pushing a baby out my va jay jay! No. Thaat would be a negative, ghost rider.
But I am looking forward to meeting him!
Showing: Indeed.

What's in my hospital bag?

All my bags are packed... I AM READY to go to the hospital!
If you know me, you know that I am a planner. I like to be prepared for everything! So obviously I've had my hospital bag (Liam's too!!) packed for weeks!
I've asked and asked and asked moms I know what I should bring to the hospital. I've asked for tips from IG moms, read blogs and more blogs, looked on google, you name it! I did lots of research because I wanted to really only bring things I would 'need' and things that would make our short stay as comfortable as possible.
Hopefully this will be helpful to anyone else who is wondering what to pack/not to pack in your hospital bag.

 1. Comfy pants/PJ's. 
Comfy is key for me, so I've packed one roomy pair of VS yoga pants and one pair of roomy pj pants. Who knows, I might end up chillin in my hospital gown, but I also know myself, and I know that I'm most comfy in my own clothes.
Also, it's worth mentioning that several people have said that a nightgown with a low neckline for nursing is the best thing to wear after you push out a baby, I just haven't found one yet.
2. Comfy tees & camis!
I made sure that every shirt I've packed will be easy to nurse in. They all either have low or loose necklines for easy access.
3. 'Going home' outfit?
I'm not sure I'll actually wear this, but just in case a skirt will be more comfy than pants, I threw one in.
4. Robe, slippers, flip-flops.
I did have a few people tell me that if you bring your own robe, you might bleed on it, but this robe is SO comfy that I just have to have it.
5. Swim suit. 
 The labor & delivery rooms at our hospital have jacuzzi tubs, so this is just in case I'm feeling like a soak and don't want my goods all on display.
6. Socks. (underwear too!)
 Ok...I admit...I've probably packed WAY too many pair of socks, but the hospital gets COLD and I hate to wear dirty socks. I packed regular ones and then also some of the fuzzy socks.
Also in this 'category' that I didn't really feel it was necessary to photograph: undergarments! I seriously think I packed at least  ten pairs of underwear. I just got a cheap pack of underoos from Target that I'll be ok throwing away after since I'm fairly positive they will be ruined.  I realize I may just spend my time in the mesh hospital ones (Joy! :) but just in case, I've got plenty of my own comfy ones!  I also packed a nursing bra and a few comfy bandeaus.
7. Hoodie.
Again with the cold hospital! Who likes to be cold? Not me!

8. Make-up remover wipes & flushable hand/face wipes.
I figured these would be much easier than bringing my whole giant face wash.
9. Toiletries!
I'm keeping it pretty simple. Obviously I'm bringing a toothbrush and toothpaste even though it's not pictured... Lotion, shower wash, loofah, shampoo/conditioner (though I probably won't actually wash my hair there unless it's ultra-nasty) deodorant, tissues, hand sanitizer. I'm not really bringing any hair products because I guarantee the last thing I'll be doing is my hair, but I am bringing several headbands, a hair clip, bobby pins, & hair ties. Def keeping the hair a low-maintenance situation.
10. Makeup, Obvi. 
There will be pictures, after all. 
11. iPad. 
Who knows how long labor can take.... I might get bored. :) I'll probably bring a book, too.

I also have a list of 'things to grab as I walk out the door' that I don't have packed since I need them every day:
Phone charger
The toothbrush :)
Camera
Snacks/hard candy
(I got several kinds of hard candy that I really like just in case I'm DYING of hunger and really need something of substance)
Cash for vending
Water Bottle
My birthplan
The boppy
Extra pillows for me & pillow & blanket for hubby.
(He's in charge of packing his own bag...which we all know will consist of throwing some deodorant and a change of underwear into a plastic sack..)

And then, of course, we have Liam's bag!
I found my sweet & cheap diaper bag at TJMaxx. I was very picky about my 'diaper bag', as I didn't really want anything that looked remotely like a diaper bag. I found a Timi & Leslie online that I realllly liked, (AMAZING diaper bags, but they are EXpensive, so for now, this will do fine).

 (I was WAY too excited to pack this bag...........)
Ok, here's what's in it...
1. Blankets. 
It won't be anywhere near cold here when we leave the hospital, so I packed a pretty lightweight cotton blanket and an Aden & Anais Muslin swaddle wrap. (I have heard SO many great things about these)
2. Flannel receiving blankets. 
I realize the hospital has these, but I wanted to bring my own as well.
3. Burp cloths.
For obvious reasons  
4. Nursing cover. 
Yeah, I'm sure this won't get used, but just in case people are visiting when baby's gotta eat!

5. Paci. 
Our hospital does not have/supply pacifiers at all. I'm not even sure yet if I want to give him one...but just in case!
6. Both reusable and disposable nursing pads. 
Several pairs. You never know. 
7. Baby nail clippers. 
I don't know how many people I've heard say that their newborn scratched up his face in the first day :(
8. Antibacterial wipes. (Wet Ones)
Sometimes, hand sanitizer just isn't enough for me.
9. Lansinoh lanolin.
Yeah. I have a definite feeling I'll be needing this.
10. Hand sanitizer. 
Don't be surprised if you come to visit and I make you sanitze. :)
11. This little bag is so wonderful!
I made it and I really wish I could find a tutorial somewhere...but I can't, so I might just post my own. It fits everything listed here in this picture, as well as about 4 diapers. Perfect for all those little things in a diaper bag that annoyingly get lost at the bottom.
12. Wipes.
In my cute case that I made from this tutorial. Easy peasy & super cute!

 Ohh, the newborn clothes! My favorite part! Yes, I probably have too many of everything, but you can't talk me out of any of it! :)

13. Little newborn caps. :) 
14. I packed three simple onesies and a little button-up shirt. 
15. Socks.
16. A little pj outfit.
17. Cute pants.
18. Those little mitten-things.
Now these are definitely necessary, or so I've heard!!

Have I forgotten anything? Anything else you guys recommend?

I cannot believe that in a few weeks, we will have a tiny human to fill these tiny, adorable clothes.....

 

week 37--full term!

How far along? 37 weeks, full term this week! Due date is SIXTEEN days away!
Total weight gain: meh. 35 maybe?
Stretch Marks: Notta one! I am so thankful.  
Maternity clothes? I am getting very tired of rotating through the same 4 pair of pants/shorts...........
Sleep: Still sleeping pretty good for the most part.... In a few weeks I'm sure all that will change.....
Best moment this week:  Aside from hanging a few things on the walls, the nursery is DONE!! Oh yes, I've been working on it for months, planning out ideas in my head, and it's so wonderful to see them in real life....
LOTS of pics to come soon. 
Miss Anything?  I miss...giving myself a pedicure WITHOUT breaking a sweat!
Movement: There's an entire newborn baby INSIDE my body. I feel like I can feel him blinking at this point.
Food cravings:  Ice cream still!! My 5 o'clock 'snack' today. And I don't know if it's possible to 'crave' ice, but there are times when all I want to do is eat a cup of ice.
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!
Gender: Oh Boy!
Labor Signs: I've had some more painful & very obvious Braxton Hicks this week.... Still nothing too severe though....
Symptoms: Still with the damn cankles!!
Belly Button in or out? outeroo
Wedding rings on or off?  I actually took them off this week. :( Sad day. Another pregnant lady told me she had to get hers CUT off...and then I went to see if I could slide mine on and off easily and I could not get it off at all w/o lotion. DEFinitely don't want to have them cut, so I've retired them for the next few weeks.
Happy or Moody most of the time: SO moody. Everything is either on my nerves or makes me cry. And then there are days when I'm happy as a hippo........(I'm sure Keith wants to run away)
Looking forward to: I've had this 'before baby' to-do list for awhile and it's pretty much DONE!! The house is clean, the nursery is done, and I'm looking forward to NOT having a to-do list.
Also, it's worth mentioning that, even though I am TERRIFIED of giving birth, and even more terrified of actually becoming a PARENT (Did anyone else feel like this??!!!!!) I am siiick of being pregnant. Even though I will miss having Liam all to myself, I am looking forward to no longer being pregnant!
Showing: BAaahahahah. Yeah. Obvi.

I made this little sign to go on the 'gallery wall' in the nursery. 

Did you know that 'Liam' means 'Unwavering Protector'? Well. Now you know. :)

Our brave little man is coming soon!!

36 weeks

(Since I have gotten some big chunks of the nursery done, I decided to do my pictures in there this week. A little pre-preview of one corner of the room at least...)

 

How far along? 36 weeks, 4 days. Due date is in 24 days!!
Total weight gain: About 30... zoiks maybe a little more, it seems like in the last several weeks of pregnancy, the weight just piles on!
Stretch Marks: Notta one! I am so thankful.  
Maternity clothes? I can definitely see why women who are 39 weeks pregnant live in sweats....
Sleep: I am still able to sleep through the night (a blessing I am very thankful for!) other than getting up to pee and occasionally waking up in a crazy sweat.
Best moment this week:  Got quite a bit of the nursery done, packed mine & Liam's hospital bags, & got to cross a few other big things off my 'to-do before Liam' list. AND we did our childbirth class... that was fun :) :)
Miss Anything?  I miss being able to just produce a cute outfit out of any of my clothes....selections are so limited these days.....
Movement: crazy crazy movement that makes my whole belly hop!!
Food cravings: It seems like right when my feet start to swell and I have to lay off the salt, all the foods I want are realllly salty!
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!
Gender: Oh Boy!
Labor Signs: Just Braxton Hicks, sometimes a few a day, but nothing to write home about.
Symptoms: My feet no longer look like feet. :/ I thought maybe I'd escape the pregnancy feet-swelling... NO SUCH LUCK! It really came from out of the blue this week, and it only seems to get better if I'm laying down with my feet up. (Which is ....like.... never....)
Belly Button in or out? outeroo
Wedding rings on or off? on...no hand swelling yet....
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Along with nervous/anxious/excited/nervous/anxious.
Looking forward to: Tomorrow is my last day of work for awhile, so I'm looking forward to finishing my to-do list and then RELAXING! 
Showing: It's funny the looks I catch people giving me when I'm in public that they think I don't see. It's that 'holy crap that chick is really pregnant, I wonder if she's going to go into labor right here?!' look......

This is how I feel about the fact that I ACTUALLYHAVETOGIVEBIRTH

in, like, 24 days-ish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

35 weeks...

How far along? 35 weeks... only 5 weeks to go! 
Total weight gain: Still between about 25-30  
Stretch Marks: Notta one! I am so thankful.

Maternity clothes? Notice how the shirt I'm wearing here doesn't quite fit my belly in the first picture? yeah. story of my life these days.
Sleep: Aside from waking up in the wee hours due to heartburn, I've been sleeping pretty well still. 
Best moment this week: I've made some great progress on the nursery! I made the curtains, a few crib sheets, and a changing pad cover, and today just finished sewing the crib skirt.
Miss Anything?  COMFORT!
Movement:  ALL the time, I think pretty soon I'll be able to see little hand & foot impressions popping out of my belly.....
Food cravings: Still on an ice cream binge. And...sweets in general! I'm not really a sweets type of person, but I want candy evvvery day! And of course.... all the Halloween candy is out already..... like TWO MONTHS early, wth?!
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!
Gender: boy boy boy. It's funny, I have probably at least several people a week just randomly ask if it's a boy, I guess because of the shape of my belly?
Labor Signs: Not really, I think I have had a few Braxton Hicks ... (maybe...?)
Symptoms:  I have had the WORST God-awful heartburn this week. I've never had heartburn in my life until now, so at first I just sat there MISERABLE not knowing what to do. It was 5 am and of course, no tums or anything of the sort in the house, so I got on google and read that you can drink warm water mixed with baking soda. Worked like magic!
Belly Button in or out? outeroo
Wedding rings on or off? On still! Thankfully no swelling for me yet....
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy but getting very nervous/anxious about actually having to give birth...
Looking forward to: Finishing the nursery & seeing what it looks like all put together.

A night to remember

I am often blown away at how quickly time passes. (I'm sure I'll be saying this more and more here very soon, as I have seen firsthand how fast babies grow up!)

I cannot believe that exactly one year ago tonight, I was dancing away at my wedding...truly one of the best, most perfect, happiest days of my life.

For those that don't know me personally, my wedding day isn't my actual 'anniversary'....we got married at the courthouse over a year before our wedding...

but this day still has a tremendous amount of meaning to me.

My wedding, despite a few things going wrong, (TORRENTIAL downpour right before the ceremony, causing us to have to move our dinner indoors) was completely, absolutely perfect. A lot of people said it was the most fun wedding they'd ever been to, something I'm very proud of because that was my goal! I wanted our families to come together and celebrate love. I wanted to be able to celebrate the fact that Keith and I had come out a stronger couple after a year-long deployment. I wanted to just CELEBRATE!

And celebrate we did, man!

Definitely a day/evening that I'll never, ever forget.

Life will soon change very drastically for us, as we'll no longer be a family of two....

But we'll always know how we started out. 

:)