Week 37

Week 37 | an update

How far along: 37 weeks

Best moment this week: 

We had so much fun celebrating the July 4th holiday with friends and family over the weekend. BBQ, flea markets, fireworks, and boat rides were all checked off the list. For me, one of the best moments was sneaking out for a nighttime walk on July 4th with T after C fell asleep, the temps had cooled off, and the neighborhood was lit up with people illegally shooting off fireworks from private lakeside residences. Ha. It has been too hot to walk lately, so a night walk was so nice for a change. Baby related, at 37 weeks, we are now considered full term. Sometime in the next 3-ish weeks, we will get to meet our newest little one! At my appointment this morning, everything checked out normal, and I've had no signs yet of an early arrival. Baby's heart rate slowed down this week to 128bpm, and my blood pressure checked out maybe the lowest it's ever been at something like 105/60. Could this be a sign of an impending arrival? We shall see...

Maternity clothes: 

Most of the time. The above dress is actually not maternity (similar here and here, short version here), but works perfectly now, as well as later. Empire waistlines, loose flowy bottoms, and double V surplice necklines will be perfect for postpartum and nursing after babe arrives...especially when we aren't just lounging in PJs all day! Now if only I could relocate my front door so that any visitors who come knocking won't be able to witness that particular aspect of life with a newborn! #lifegoal...get dressed and ready for the day by 10 a.m.

Sleep: 

About as well as can be expected for 37 weeks. I'm most comfortable laying on my right side, but am not very comfortable at all turning over or trying to get out of bed. This babe is not a lightweight! I'm still only getting up once during the night to use the restroom, so luckily, nothing there has changed yet. I suppose I could change my habit of drinking a full glass of water before bed, but a girls got to stay hydrated right!?

Miss Anything: 

Getting around easily, and regular exercise. The getting around easily issue will soon be corrected (aside from having a toddler and a newborn to tote around), but as we are in the heat of the summer, the regular exercise piece is unlikely to happen until the weather cools off. Babies can not regulate their body temperature, so any extended amount of time outdoors is pretty much out of the question when we are still in the heat of summer. The good news is, fall weather will be here before we know it, and we can look forward to lots of walks and time spent outside before the dreaded winter arrives. Or as T would have me say 'Winter is coming'...

Baby Movement: 

We still have a pretty active baby, although I do feel that in the last day or so things have slowed down a bit.

Cravings/Aversions: 

Nothing in particular this week. Does A/C count?

Symptoms: 

I've had some Braxton Hicks this week, and have just been uncomfortable in general with the heat. The couple of cooler days we had around the 4th were sooooo nice for a change! I'm sure all of the out-of-towners who planned to boat all day would disagree, but for me, it was perfect! Other than that, maybe a bit of swelling...my rings seem to be a little more difficult to take on and off.

Looking forward to: 

We are getting excited to meet the newest addition to our family any day now. We had a family 'maternity' photo shoot tonight with our new photographer, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the pictures turn out. C wasn't exactly super cooperative as we did an evening shoot right at his bedtime, so we'll have to see what we get!

On my mind:

So many things! 1.) What will baby's name be? I think we have the first name narrowed down to a couple of options, but we still haven't even discussed a middle name. 2.) I need to pack my hospital bag. Soooo unmotivated! We have spent most weekends away from home this summer, so I'd like to think that I'm pretty much a pro at throwing together a quick bag with my essentials if I end up down to the wire. Of course, a newborn complicates matters a bit, and I have to think about things like nursing and postpartum friendly clothing I'm ok having pictures taken in. And that right there is the central point of my procrastination. 3.) Soon-to-be BIG brother C. Our little guy has been having a bit of a serious mommy attachment lately (mainly at bedtime), and I'm worried about how he will handle having a new sibling around when I'm not available to help with his bedtime routine. (Tonight did not go well at all when I had T tackle some of the tasks like brushing teeth and putting on PJs...sob city!) C & I have talked about the baby, but I don't think he has any real grasp of what it means, or how much his life is about to change. Lol...we can probably include T in that equation as well! At least I can hopefully count on him to not have meltdowns! I did dig out the infant carseat yesterday, and C has been fascinated...climbing in and out, and falling on the floor just as many times. I may have to get a few other baby items out just so he has a chance to familiarize himself before his new sibling joins us!