38 Weeks

Countdown: ONE WEEK!!!

How far along? 38 weeks...this update is a little bittersweet as 38 weeks is my last full week of being pregnant! I'll get to be 39 weeks and 1 day for a few hours ;) And yes, we'll still take a picture.

Maternity clothes? same as last week- a mix, but definitely needing to wear maternity tops. Belly hangs out of others and that's just not cute! My favorites are the ones with the ruching, just covers better (kind of cups the belly rather than hanging off)
Movement? She moves all the time- feels like she's pushing around trying to make more room! I think she's having herself a little going away party and packing her bags...it's her last night in there! :) She also got the hiccups tonight (Sunday)- might be the last time I feel them before we meet her!
Cravings? Nothing this week other than the usual (SWEETS). We've been eating out a lot the past couple of weeks, so I feel like I've had such a variety of food, I've haven't had time to crave anything!
Anything make you queasy or sick? still just nauseous in the mornings and if I get a little too full
Sleep? other than getting up several times during the night to use the restroom (I think the record was five times), I sleep ok. I've had a couple nights of waking up and not being able to get back to sleep, but luckily only a couple
Best moment this week: Whew- what a week! First of all, my last day at work was Wednesday and I started my maternity leave Thursday. It was really nice to have a couple extra days to myself to work on things and rest and relax before the big day. Friday we had our last appointment and ultrasound- I'll explain more below, but I will say I am so grateful that baby looks so healthy...even if she is a little on the chubby side ;) We also had a nice "last weekend before we become parents!"= had dinner with my dad, stepmom, Laura and Annie; made it to a friend's wedding Saturday; had a good NST Sunday morning at the hospital then spent the day being lazy and doing a few last minute things around the house.
Gender: sweet girl
Labor signs? Having more contractions with pain, but still no consistent pattern
Symptoms? same ole, same ole- tired; swelling- I'm surprised my feet don't burst some days!; losing my breath easily; nausea; the urge to pee constantly...
Belly button in or out? Out! I hope it goes back after...
What I miss: not much...but I feel like I am going to miss being pregnant- being able to protect her, easily provide for her, feeling her move. However, I'm so excited to have her on the "other side" :)
Appointment Updates:  So my appointments this week were anything but uneventful! The NST Tuesday was quick and looked great. Like I said earlier, we went for our last doctor appointment and ultrasound Friday. Baby looked great- heart rate good, breathing and moving like she should be- but she was measuring "off the charts". Her estimated weight was 9lbs, 9oz. Big girl! This was quite a bit larger than we were expecting, so we had to have a big talk with the doctor about what to do- induce vs ultrasound. With her size and my frame, the fact that I haven't made progress so far,  and considering the risks of each scenario (and after a lot of tears on my part), we ultimately decided to have a c-section. I always knew an c-section was a possibility and was never opposed to having one, but it wasn't my first choice and one I had never really thought it through completely. It was also hard to make such a big decision in such a short amount of time, but we feel this is the safest, surest way to get her here. While it's surgery and little riskier for me, I feel like it's the best thing to do for her health and safety.
What I am looking forward to: meeting our baby girl TOMORROW!!
Milestones: It's time to have a baby :)