39 weeks

From the Babycenter.com~

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

-How far along? 39 weeks!

-How big is baby? 6lbs? Dr. believes Caden will be between 6 and 7lb pounds at birth.

-Weight gain/loss? 33lbs+ (stayed the same for 2 weeks)

-Maternity clothes? Yup

-Stretchies? Nope

-Sleep? Sleep could be better, having more problems rolling/adjusting from side to side in the middle of the night, plus baby movement, usually around 1am.

-Best moment this week? Got quite a bit of gardening done :)

-Movement? She is running out of room, but keeps moving

-Food cravings? Somewhat loss of appetite. Eating smaller meals.

-Gender? Girl

-Labor signs? 1cm dilated and 50% effaced as of today. I am aware I could walk around like this for a week :( But I am hoping to make progress.

-Belly button in or out? Out and I hope it goes back in when she comes out!

-What I miss? Not being out of breath when I tie my shoes!

-What I am looking forward to? Seeing Caden. Seeing DJ with Caden.

-Weekly wisdom? Anyone have any wisdom to pass along?

-Milestones? Ever since I saw her heart flicker on the ultrasound, I have had it written down Caden was due May 8th. Today, I found out I have been mistaken. Caden is actually due May 3rd! They assure me they are not "moving up the date" but this has actually been her due date the whole time. How could I have added 5 days? Oh well. I guess I am a little closer then first anticipated.

I still feel really good. I ran a 5k last week in 33min, I am still following CrossFit and am super healthy. The Dr. insists I don't need to be seen next week as my pregnancy has been so "easy". I haven't had blood pressure issues, no anemia, no swelling, no diabetes, weight gain has been healthy etc...so, my next appointment isn't going to be until Caden is LATE (please don't be late), May 10th.

I have been having dreams about Caden. They are so vivid in the morning that I have to wake DJ up to tell him, because by the afternoon I forget parts or they aren't as "real". The last two I can recall involved her being born before Mother's Day because I had to run to the store and buy my own mother a card and the other one I could only remember she had dark hair (I can't remember her eye color) and she was breastfeeding with no latch problems. I don't care about the hair color, but I am hoping the date and latching are true :)

38 Weeks

From Babycenter.com~

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

-How far along? 38 weeks!

-How big is baby? 6lbs? Dr. believes Caden will be between 6 and 7lb pounds at birth.

-Weight gain/loss? 33lbs+

-Maternity clothes? Yup

-Stretchies? Nope

-Sleep? Sleeping has been great; I have been squeezing in a few naps here and there.

-Best moment this week?

-Movement? A little less movement, more like squirms...

-Food cravings? Chocolate milk, chocolate fudge, chocolate cookies....CHOCOLATE!

-Gender? Girl

-Labor signs? Having contractions, but nothing rhythimic.

-Belly button in or out? Out and I hope it goes back in when she comes out!

-What I miss? Cold beers and snuggling with my husband.

-What I am looking forward to? Dr.'s appointment 4/26 and seeing Caden's sweet face!

-Weekly wisdom? ...

-Milestones? Caden is full term and can come anytime.

Shopping cart cover

Caden's stylish shopping cart cover. Thanks to Babysteals.com I get emails everyday on items that are 25%, 50% or more off! Luckily, I snagged this before it sold out.

37 Weeks!

From the babycenter.com~

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Diaper bag packed

I decided there was no better time to get Caden's diaper bag ready then now! Thanks to a friend I was able to go off her list:

• diapers and wipes - take one per hour you will be gone - this is overkill but better safe than sorry.
  
• burp cloth - I pack one because the bib & extra blanket are backups when this is soiled.
  
• changing pad - if your Diaper Bag is as awesome as you think it is, it probably came with one of these.
  
• pacifier - even if you're against them: pack one. One (fussy) day it may look like a good idea to you.
  
• A&D - this is my balm of choice after trying every cream, ointment, balm under the sun.
  
• little toy - rattle, teether, etc.
  
• hand sanitizer - feel free to squirt this on every stranger that attempts to put their ever grubbing hands on your child.
  
• bib - 'nough said.
  
• extra change of clothes or 2 for baby - sleep n' plays are my fave for space effectiveness.
  
• pair of socks - because you never know when one will mysteriously go missing.
  
• extra blanket - for warmth, breastfeeding privacy, spit ups, leaky breasts, blow out diapers.
  
• tylenol, mylicon drops, teething tablets- still need to purchase.
  
• sunblock & hat for baby during summer - need to purchase hats that provide shade.
  
• a shirt for myself - again: spit ups, leaky breasts, blow out diapers make this necessary.
  
• lipgloss for me :) ... just in case i realize that I left the house looking a COMPLETE mess.

I added a hair tie, bobby pins, travel size bath stuff for Caden and disposable breast pads! Anything else you think I should add.....?

Good Food

Apparently, I have had some good food while prego!

Krispy Kreme BURGER:

Peanut Butter, Chocolate, Banana Ice Cream Sandwhich (couldn't wait for the cookies to cool):

I don't eat like this all the time, and often make up for it with workouts. Yesterday I ran a 5k in 35min, this is by far my slowest time, but I couldn't get my hips to move faster!

I wish I didn't love food so much :/ But these were worth every calorie!

36 Weeks!

From BabyCenter.com

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

-How far along? 36 weeks!

-How big is baby? 5-6lbs?

-Weight gain/loss? 32lbs+

-Maternity clothes? Yup

-Stretchies? Nope

-Sleep? Haven't had any problems sleeping, just wish I could do more of it!

-Best moment this week? Baby shower with friends.

-Movement? A little less movement, more like squirms...

-Food cravings? None to speak of.

-Gender? Girl

-Labor signs? Braxton Hicks contractions more frequently, but not "regular" or "rhythmic"

-Belly button in or out? Out and I hope it goes back in when she comes out!

-What I miss? Cold beers.

-What I am looking forward to? Dr.'s appointment 4/13

-Weekly wisdom? Took a breastfeeding class and was told to really give it 3-5 weeks before stopping (should it get too hard or we have problems latching). Also advised to reach out to a lactation consultant should things get hard.

-Milestones? Bag packed. Now, where to put all these needed gifts?! :)