End of Pregnancy Roundup: Look at Applesauce Grow!

Here's the Preggo in Review from my pregnancy with Tommy. 

Here's the review from my pregnancy with Applesauce...

14 Weeks



20 Weeks

23 Weeks

29 Weeks 

32 Weeks

34 Weeks

36 Weeks

37 Weeks

38 Weeks

39 Weeks

40 Weeks

40 Weeks and 3 days: On the way to the hospital! 

40 Weeks: A Little Late

That's 40 weeks, y'all.  Dang.  

40 weeks with Tommy.

Your Growing Baby

Congratulations - your baby is now fully formed and ready to be born.
(Everything else is just a super happy extra special bonus.  Hooray. Eyeroll.) 


Your Growing Belly

If your due date has come and gone, your pregnancy is officially post-date. If you're still pregnant two weeks from now, then your pregnancy will be post-term. Anywhere from three to twelve percent of pregnant women may go post-term. The good news is that the baby is going to come out at some point—the bad news is that it may be as much as two weeks from now.

In the meantime, your care provider will check your dilation (how open your cervix is, if at all) and effacement (how thick your cervix is), to try to predict when labor will begin. If you hit forty-two weeks, your doctor will assess your health with a non-stress test and may use ultrasound to see if your baby has enough amniotic fluid. If your baby seems fine, you and your care provider can discuss when to schedule induction of labor. No matter what, one way or another, somehow, that baby's getting out!

You

I decided to stop working the Friday before my due date.  I worried it might be too early and that I might regret it but I ended up having a really wonderful week.
Wait, I take that back.  There was one bad thing that happened.  Tommy got into something at daycare and had a pretty bad allergic reaction.  But we administered the proper meds and he was fine within half an hour so that was good.  His new teachers now know what it's like so I guess if anything came out of it, that would be one good thing.
Anyway, the 40th week was great other than that.
-I got my hair did. Thanks Steph!
-I got some super quality time with Tommy T.  I got to see him fall asleep during dinner.  That was hilarious.

We took Tommy to Jump It one evening.  Tommy's Godmother Traci told us that if we go during the week after work, it's hardly busy at all.  It was awesome! He pretty much had the whole place to himself!

 This little booger has gotten so independent.  It's incredible.  He wasn't afraid to climb anything!

 He tried everything! He had so much fun.  $5 for almost 2 hours.  Can't beat that!

He also had his own unique way to do everything!

During the week, I also got some nesting done.

-I cleaned out the bathroom.

-I also organized Tommy's toy bins.  Because that was a good use of my time.  It will totally stay organized for more than a week, I'm sure. :) 

-I altered a pair of maternity pants. 

I had a pair of maternity jeans from when I was pregnant with Tommy that were a little out of style but they were comfortable.  Comfort in the 40th week is definitely my top priority. So here they are.  Baggy pants to skinny jeans! Nice toilet shot! :) 

So I honestly was very busy all week and it went really fast. I was feeling pretty decent too so that was a huge plus.  

Full term at 40 weeks! I'm so lucky to make it to my due date.  ;-) 

Guh. 

39 Weeks: Anytime, Applesauce!

Your Growing Baby 

You're in the home stretch! After nine months of growth and development, your baby is ready to be born, or nearly so. At week 39, your baby is fully developed and anywhere from 17-23 inches long and weighs 6-10 pounds. Don't be frightened if your OB-GYN says your baby is large: It's extremely difficult to judge a baby's weight accurately from the outside.

Your baby is adding neural connections and growing hair and still gaining weight. Researchers have theorized that when babies are ready to be born, they send a chemical signal of androgens to the placenta, which increases the production of estrogen and leads to labor. If so, it's proof of the old saying that "only a baby knows when it's ready to be born."

Your Growing Belly 

Don't be surprised if you get discouraged now. Relatives may be calling regularly to find out if labor has started. Ignore them and make plans every day—see a movie, take a walk, read or simply lounge around at home. Relish this peaceful time while it lasts! To get some relief from your weight and aches, do plenty of hands-and-knees cat stretches and pelvic tilts. Soak in a warm bath, swim, or just float in the pool to take a break from gravity.

You

This has been a rough week. Work has been stressful.  I've been much more tired than usual.  Sleep is harder to come by.  Pressure is worse.  Discomforts are high.  Typical end of pregnancy crap.  Still even a little heartburn occasionally.  I'm pretty sure I've been feeling contractions here and there.  I'm feeling random groin pains still too.  Fun.  

I went to the doctor today and she said I was close to 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced.  Seriously? Do you know how much pain I was in to get to 3 cm last time? A lot more than this time, that's for sure. I contracted all day, all evening and then my water broke at 3:30 am.  I made it to the hospital by 7 am and BAM only 3 centimeters.  Lucky for me the contractions only hurt during the evening.  But this time? BAM, already almost at 3.  So I guess that's a good thing, right?? We'll see! The doctor thinks it will be soon so that's exciting.  She asked me, "Are you ready to have this baby?" I've wanted to have this baby all week but as soon as she said that, I got really nervous.  You mean it's finally here? This could really be happening soon?? It's crazy.  

So what does 39 weeks pregnant look like? 

Here's a pic from the wedding this weekend since I don't feel like taking one tonight.  This was right at the point in the Backstreet Boys song where the guy sings, "Am I SEK-SHOO-ALLL?? Yeeeaaaahhhh!"  It's my favorite part.  You cannot NOT dance to that part.  So I did.  And Katie caught me dancing at the reception.  Anything to get this baby out, right?  "Am I everything you need? You better rock your body now. EVERYBODY! YEAHHHH!!"  

Anytime, Applesauce! We'll be delighted to make your acquaintance! 

38 Weeks: On a Boat

Yep, that's me... in a swimsuit... and 38 weeks pregnant.  Yikes! But I paid enough for a maternity swimsuit, I might as well get some use out of it, right?


Your Growing Baby (from FitPregnancy)

The average newborn has a length of 21 1/2 inches and weighs 7 1/2 pounds. She is fully developed, though still adding connections between neurons in the brain (this continues well after birth). Her nails have been growing and now reach to the ends of her fingers and toes. Her movements are quite restricted by her close quarters.

Your Growing Belly 

You're probably having a whole lot of back and neck strain, lots of fatigue, and not much relief! You continue to add a pound a week and have a hard time getting around gracefully.Keep eating small, frequent, nutritious meals, and if you think that your contractions may be the real thing, eat something. The calories will help fortify you for the job at hand.

You! 

Well I have to say, that's the first time I've read that you still gain weight in the last month.  A pound a week too?  Yay! Now I don't feel so bad.  That sounds a lot more realistic.  Hopefully these last few pounds are going toward the baby and not my giant backside.  :-) 

How am I feeling? Fine as usual.  No huge complaints. The heat SUCKS.  But as long as I stay in the A/C I'm okay.  I'm super tired due to the messed up dreams I've been having along with the frequent bathroom trips at night.  The baby's movements, when she's stretching, really kind of hurt.  It's impressive! She's a strong little stinker.  

My doctor's appointment was today.  There was some progress but nothing to get too excited about.  The head's a little lower (-1), 75% effaced, and 1.5 cm dilated.  It's better than nothing! 

Here's the pic from my pregnancy with Tommy T... 

Quite a difference from a winter pregnancy to a summer one!! 

So that's all the news for now.  Until the next time! 

37 Weeks: Happy Full-Term Point!

Your Growing Baby (from Fit Pregnancy)

Your baby is now 20-21 inches or so and weighs about 6-7 pounds; he looks very much like a newborn. In the vast majority of pregnancies, the fetus begins to move into delivery position.

Your baby is practicing her breathing, but she has increasingly less space to practice stretching and kicking. Your baby' intestines are also building up meconium, a greenish-black substance made of baby by-products such as dead cells, shed lanugo, and amniotic fluid. It'll become your little darling's first bowel movement, hopefully after she is out of the womb.

Your Growing Belly

This week, you may expel the cervical mucus plug, aka "bloody show," at any time. If you're worried about stretch marks, be patient. They'll begin to fade a few months after you deliver. Stretch marks are caused by broken collagen fibers under your skin's surface. The strength of your collagen is genetic, so if your mom got stretch marks, you probably will, too.

The hormone relaxin is causing all of the smooth muscle in your body to unclench. You'll feel like you have loose "rag-doll" joints. You're probably having Braxton-Hicks contractions, which you may or may not notice. How can you tell these contractions from the real thing? If you have to ask, they probably aren't. Real contractions grow progressively stronger, more intense, and more regular.

What About You? 

I'm still trucking along. I had my 37 week appointment today.  My exam revealed no progress.  Still at 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced.  The baby is at position -2 so I won't be sharing a birthday month with her, that's for sure.  But that's fine because I'm still only 37 weeks.  The longer the baby stays in there, the bigger and cuter she becomes! I'm still measuring right on target so she's probably 6-7 pounds just like the info says.  

But honestly I just keep growing.  They say right on target but it feels like one giant belly. It's really sticking out there, huh? I broke out the old American flag tank.  I think I'm close to busting through it! 

Fits a bit different now huh? (23 Weeks? Nearly half my pregnancy ago! Crazy!)

I definitely wasn't sticking out as much last time, was I? I was a lot more excited to hop up to the 37 week mark.  

It doesn't seem that long ago but it was almost 3 years ago.  Cannot believe it.    

 I tried to do something similar to show my excitement for reaching the 37 week point but it just doesn't come across the same.  :-)  Happy Full-Term Week! Very excited! But more excited to meet this baby!

On the Road to Becoming a Big Brother

The hospital where I am going to give birth offers classes of all kinds.  Tonight we decided it might be fun for Tommy to attend the class for brand new siblings called "Especially for Children."  It was free and we would get a tour of the hospital so we went for it.  Andrew ended up getting stuck in Fort Wayne for work so I had to take him by myself. Not a problem but taking Tommy anywhere by myself at this stage is pretty darn exhausting.

The nurse giving the class said she would fit the class to the age group that was there.  There was a 10 year old, 4 four-year olds and 2 two-year olds.  So the class was a little above Tommy's head but he did great.

The first part of the class was a movie. Sweet! It featured a pirate and a parrot named Carrot. The movie talked about what was going to happen when the baby arrived.  Or ARRRRRRRived, I guess. Ha!

 Then we practiced changing, swaddling and holding a baby.  He's a natural! Except he was poking the baby in her eyes and mouth.  Might want to work on that.

 We went on a tour of the delivery unit.  All the kiddos took turns pressing buttons on the beds to raise it up and down.  Now that's a treat!

 They also enjoyed looking out the window to the parking lot.

Since Tommy Hawk was such a good boy, we had Chick-Fil-A for dinner.  You're looking at a guy who was well-behaved AND stayed dry all through the class! I was wayyyy too afraid to let him attend wearing big boy undies so he wore a pull-up but he would have been fine. What a big boy!

I think someone is ready to take on that big brother role! Way to go, Thomasaurus!

35 and 36 Weeks: Two Posts in One

35 Weeks (from FitPregnancy) Your Growing Baby

At more than five pounds and between sixteen and twenty inches, your baby is becoming more ready for birth with every passing hour. She's the size of a small roasting chicken.

Her nervous system and immune system are still maturing, and she's adding the fat that she'll need to regulate her body temperature. But, everything else, from her toenails to the hair on her head, is fully formed. If she were born now, she'd have more than a ninety-nine percent chance of surviving.

Your Growing Belly 
Your size is probably making you really uncomfortable. You're carrying so much extra weight and fluid that simple things can be tiring. If your job requires sitting all day, take frequent breaks to walk around and stretch your legs (if you have the privacy to lie down for a few minutes or do stretches on your hands and knees, even better).
You'll see your care provider once every one or two weeks now. If you have other children, this can be a poignant time, because it is the last few weeks of being a family in the way that you're used to. Don't forget to arrange care for any children or pets for the two to three days you'll be in the hospital. Ask a neighbor to collect your newspapers and mail.
Your...Self? 
Did they seriously just say a roasting chicken?? I love the information they write up for this stuff.  So how am I feeling? Fine.  Good enough.  I shouldn't complain.  It's not that bad.  Heartburn, discomfort, constant bathroom trips, all the bad stuff just isn't that bad.  I'm ready to be done with this pregnancy but the discomforts are just annoying, not painful.  Now there are times when the baby's movements become somewhat painful.  I don't know what she's hitting in there but it makes me JUMP.  Like WHOA, what the heck was that?? Sometimes... this is going to sound odd... but sometimes it tickles.  Is that normal?? I jump when that happens too.  Also the constant waterbed like motions and foot pedaling that she's doing on my organs in there kinda makes me nauseous occasionally. Sort of like riding a roller coaster.  It's weird.  But again, I'm not vomiting.  I'm not in severe pain.  I'm not distraught.  So for that, I thank you, little lady. :)

I have caved in the pink department.  I finally bought something pink.  Check out these snap-on booties. I love these things.  We had a black pair for Tommy.  They don't fall off! They're wonderful! Yes I bought pink.  I'm embracing the pink.  Lord help me!

So my 35 week doctor's appointment, she started doing exams.  I also had my Group B test.  Disgusting! I am half a centimeter dilated and 50% effaced.  She told me I would NOT be sharing a birthday with Applesauce.  So that's good.  It will be interesting to see how much I've progressed in a week. 

36 Weeks (from FitPregnancy)

Your Growing Baby
With one month to go, your baby weighs about six pounds and is fattening. Her full length from crown to feet is about 20 1/2 inches.Your Growing BellyHas your baby's movement slowed down? If so, you shouldn't worry. Five to ten percent of all mothers report that babies start to slow down as they grow larger and get more cramped for space. Still, you should be able to feel your baby move more than ten times a day. If you're concerned, try drinking a sweet beverage, such as orange juice, and then lying on your side for a while. Most babies will wake up and start to move. If you're still concerned, contact your healthcare provider.
Your SELF
At my 36 week appointment today, she told me I'm still only 50% effaced but I'm 1 cm dilated.  A teeny bit of progress so I guess that's better than nothing.  Heartburn still sucks.  I have random groin pains, like I pulled something but it comes on when I'm just standing there.  Weird.  The baby must be getting crowded in there because her movements can be very painful.  She still has hiccups twice a day usually.  The fatigue has really set in.  I'm exhausted. Other than that, I'm still trucking along.  

I'm sick of these belly shots but I'll be mad at myself later if I don't document it.  Here's 36 weeks.  

HUGE!

Here's 36 weeks back in 2010.

Also huge!

Annnnnddd here's how I really feel... like eating oreos in my pajama pants.  Yay pregnancy! 

34 Weeks: Ugh

Well here it is.  34 weeks.  Ugh.  That is one giant belly.  I literally have to carry it around like this all the time because it's so heavy.  Ok that's not true.  But it just looks so huge.  Maybe it's the stinking horizontal stripes on all maternity clothes right now.  WHY??? Why horizontal? Who is making these clothes?? Oh wait. Heidi Klum.  Jessica Simpson. Elle MacPherson. Beyonce. Nicole Ritchie. (People who don't have to worry about horizontal stripes because they are either super models or have stylists and make up artists to make them look amazing.)  Just about EVERYTHING at Target is striped. Sadly, even everything I have purchased has stripes.

Apparently everything I purchased in 2010 was also striped.  Sheesh.  This is 34 weeks last time.

So what's happening in there... 

Baby:

Your baby measures about 19.8 inches (50.3cm) from head to toe and weighs about 5 pounds (2.3kg). Baby is probably settling into the head-down position, although it might not be final. Organs are now almost fully mature, except for lungs, and the skin is pink instead of red. Fingernails reach the ends of fingers, but toenails are not yet fully grown. Baby might have lots of hair. Movements are less frequent because of the tight fit.

Mom-to-be:

Your uterus hardens and contracts as practice for labor, known as Braxton Hicks contractions, but you may not feel them yet. Your pelvis has expanded and may ache, especially at the back. Uterus is pushed hard against your lower ribs and your rib cage may be sore, and your navel is probably pushing out as a result of your abdomen being stretched.

What's happening with me? 

Well I'm getting heartburn from even water now.  That's fun.  Leg cramps are still happening every once in a great while. Nightmares are often and terrible.  I'm waking up 2 times a night.  Once to go to the bathroom.  Then the second time I'm just wide awake for no reason and I can't get back to sleep. That's also fun.  I assume that's actually why I'm fatigued and not just from the third trimester in general.

It is unbelievable that I have only 6 weeks left.  That is my first thought.  My second thought is I still have 6 weeks to go??? I'm getting to that point where I'm ready to be done.

One part that is different from my first pregnancy is that the movements of Baby T2 can be painful.  I don't remember Tommy moving around and streeeeetttccchhhhiiinnggg out and jabbing me with elbows and feet to where it hurts.  That's new.  But luckily the pain is temporary and she usually moves again to release the pressure.  Phew! Relief!

So the countdown has begun. I don't think in weeks accomplished now, only in the weeks I have left.  Viability is three weeks away.  It's definitely going fast.  That's one positive! Weekly doctor appointments start next week.  Here we go!

House Update: Baby Applesauce's Room

On Sunday we decided to FINALLY finish up Applesauce's room.  I haven't posted anything about what we've been doing so I have a lot to catch up on.  

Let's go back to where we started... all the way back to the day when we bought our house (two years ago this fall).  

 So this is what our house looked like when we bought it.  Ugh, that's a LOT of white paint. :-)  You can see railing of the stairs extends to the open area at the top of the stairs.  We decided we needed an extra bedroom upstairs so we closed that part in.

 This is how it used to look from the open area looking toward our bedroom.  (Look at how little Tommy was- 10 months).

 So back in APRIL, we started construction.  Well not WE but the people we hired.  Frame is up!

 Drywall too!

Now the paint! It really fits in well in the house, like there was always supposed to be a bedroom there. Wonderfully perfect.  

 So now it's a baby's room! We hope Applesauce likes it!

 Curtains from Target... because we don't know that other stores exist.  The trusty ol' boppy is from when Tommy was little.  She does have two new pink stuffed toys waiting for her in her crib that will be ALL HERS.  No hand-me-downs there!

We moved over all of Tommy's baby furniture.  Tommy got a new set.  We'll have to show you that in a future post.

 I made the pennant banner from different ideas on Pinterest.

 I found a couple of posters also on Pinterest that I totally copied and plan to hang on the wall somewhere.  For now they are sitting on the dresser.  You can see the Star piggy bank that a friend of mine got for Tommy.  We already had a blue pig piggy bank for him so now we can use the star for Applesauce.
Also I got a little hat rack when I was shopping on Saturday for all the headbands and hats that Applesauce will wear.  Whee!

This is the new view when you go to exit the room.  The closet is on the right.  I hope Applesauce can handle having a small closet for awhile.  

Another hand-me-down that worked out almost too perfectly is this calendar.  We received two calendars at Tommy's baby shower(s).  Again, we used the blue one (just like the piggy bank) and the yellow and purple one will be used for Applesauce! Nice! Crazy how well it matches.  I did NOT do that on purpose either. 

The star hanger is something I picked up at a resale shop while shopping on Saturday.  

Hope the baby likes Wi-Fi! 

So the final touch is that we have to move the Wi-Fi and router out of the baby's room and into a more open space.  As much as it really adds to the decor of the baby room, I will be so excited to get it out of there! :-)  

So that's what we've done so far.  We'll have only a few minor updates from here on out but we wanted to get all the big stuff done now.  Only 6.5 weeks to go!  Getting excited!