35w

5 weeks to go... 6 at the most! It's so nice to have a light at the end of the tunnel!

Last night I was having contractions and a lot of lower back/abdomen pain... I timed contractions, but they weren't too regular, and at the most regular they were about 9 minutes apart. I'm getting them again today, but I don't think it's anything yet.

Today, though, has been interesting-at one point I had about the almost most painful 5 minutes of this pregnancy yet! We went and cleaned out the car, and apparently she didn't like that too much... after we got done wiping down the inside and vacuuming everything out, we hopped back in the car and she instantly flipped-usually if she pushes her butt up into my rib area it's on the right hand side, where there's an eensy bit of room-but today, however, she thought it would be cool to do it right smack in the middle and go as high up as she could. Seriously, I could feel the top of her butt about a half inch, if that, below my braline. IT HURT SO bad!and then her back was pushed into the side of my ribs... gosh I didn't know there was so much space between the ribs and skin, apparently there is (maybe there's not and she just made room!) but goodness that was wow. It was making me sick to my stomach because she was pushing up against my stomach and honestly I felt a bit lightheaded (wuss, I know). I'm glad it didn't last too long! That would be the WRONG place for her to decide to take a nap!

And then today we got the infant seat put in... although there are 5 weeks left, in the case that she gets here early the last thing Patrick is going to want to do before he can bring us home from the hospital is to go up to the fire station and get it installed. He didn't want to keep the infant seat itself in the car yet though-I think it intimidates him a little bit :) He said it's not 100% real yet to him... welll sir, pretty soon it will be!

34w4d

About the picture I posted yesterday: Apparently my hands look manly, because a friend on Facebook yesterday asked if they were Patrick's hands. Maybe that's a sign I should start getting my nails done? I don't work in a kitchen anymore, so that's no longer an excuse...

Anyway, I've been feeling ill today-like flu ill-so I was looking up some things and guess what I came across:

Pre-Labor: Signs that Labor is About to Begin

Possible Signs Labor May Begin Soon.
· Backache: Not the type of backache you have in late pregnancy that changes when you shift position, but a persistent dull ache that makes you restless and irritable. (have that)
· Cramps. Abdominal cramping that is mild to moderate in discomfort. (that too)
· PMS symptoms: crabby, irritable. (oh gosh, just ask poor Patrick)
· Nesting Urge. (YES)
· Frequent, soft bowel movements. Flu-like symptoms. (had me awake at 3am)

If you experience these symptoms, it is important to remember that they are not necessarily signs that labor is imminent. They may persist for days or weeks before labor begins. The presence of these symptoms is a good reminder to make sure you have everything prepared for labor and birth, and to make sure you are aware of what other signs to be watching for.
However, try not to get too excited about things, or start making too many plans assuming the baby is on its way. Continue your normal routines, get lots of rest, eat and drink well, nurture yourself in these precious days before the baby arrives.

34w3d

33w6d

Tonight was little Maya's first concert!
One Tree Hill taped a bit of one of their shows here at the Air Station, and Angels & Airways and a couple other people I've never heard of came and put on a concert. She was kicking and moving in there, that's for sure!

In other news, I'm pretty pretty sure she's dropped. I have so much pressure on my pelvis, and I am getting crazy back pains-just very crampy and very tight-even when I am just sitting watching TV.

33w5d

This particular post is for Aunt Gayle-she said to mark her words that little Maya will be here within a week. We'll see.

In the least, this past week has been a grand slam of signs that things are actually progressing and that my body is working its way up to the main event. Lots of Braxton Hicks, a great deal of lower back pain, decreased movement on her part (by a lot), way more trips to the bathroom at night... and crazy crazy pressure on my pelvis. THANKFULLY I think she's moved off my sciatic nerve-because I've noticed that hasn't been bothering me so much (watch I bet it gets me tonight!)

I really wish they wouldn't have scheduled my next appointment a month after my last one. I would have had one yesterday or the day before, so I'm just really paying attention to everything in the case that I need to give the Naval Hospital a call. She'll come out when she wants to I suppose-I'm not doing anything on the "labor encouraging" list till after the 1st, but I'll tell you what, Patrick is getting excited for me to pull that bag of dried chilies out of the cupboard to cook with every night.

At least it has begun...

33w2d

I'll be honest with you-Patrick's the one who has been walking Evie lately. By the time walk time comes around at night my sciatic nerve is so bad it's sometimes all I can take to hobble to the bathroom, or I'm so tired... and if I dare go in the morning it wears me out for the entire day and I am completely worthless. I know, bad me. But that's how it is, and I am being honest about it.

So today, even though I have the car, when I needed to mail a letter (and our mailman had already come around) I decided Evie and I would make the healthy choice and walk ourselves to the little annex-maybe between a half mile, mile total? I wear my crocs when I walk, because it's the coziest for my feet-flip flops hurt after a bit and it's too hot to put my tennis shoes on.Well I went to put on said crocs to head out the door-and they DON'T FIT! I mean serious don't fit too-my foot was hanging off the end, I couldn't fit them, width wise, in there at all. These suckers used to be a very comfortable fit, a little loose even. I couldn't believe it. I mean I knew I was swelling a little bit, especially since it has been steadily 90 (heat index still going up towards and past 100) but geez... sure am.

Since my goal starting October 1 is to do all I can to encourage labor, including taking hugely long walks every day (*hopefully* it will start to cool down, otherwise I'll have to suck it up) I'm going to have to find something to do with my little feetsies here. Poor crocs. Good thing we didn't end up getting another couple of pair for the pregnancy because they'd be worthless till I deliver.

Here's a shot of the poor sausages...

33w1d

We've done a lot to baby's room this weekend! Now I'm not as stressed about it... hahaha. I've been in full on nesting mode for the past few weeks and I know I've been driving Patrick nutty. The rest of the things we need in there can come as we get them... the glider (you'll have to use your imagination where it goes in the pictures, in the corner under her name, and the end table will move next to the glider on the other side), a lamp for the little end table, a clock for over the dresser, and a couple of pictures here and there-which we'll have plenty of, I'm sure, when she gets here!

32w6d

Soooo I've been having Braxton-Hicks for the past 3 days. Pretty intense at points too-the first day it happened I was good and did what they told me to in my previous appointments and such-drink a glass of water, relax for an hour or so (did that in the form of a heavy duty two hour nap) and see what's going on after. So I did, but they were still going on when I got up. They were there yesterday, though not so bad, but when I got up this morning (at 430) there were a lot of them, pretty frequent, and its now accompanied by a constant crampy feeling-like you feel when it's about that time of the month.

Of course today was grocery day, and I've had a lot to do-gosh is it uncomfortable when your uterus is squeezing away. Sometimes I had to slow down an awful lot just so I could keep walking. I called the Naval Hospital to see what they had to say about it, but she kind of dismissed it and told me to time them if I was concerned about it-so I guess I will maybe, I know they aren't true contractions because they aren't painful but still its uncomfortable and it's something different I am experiencing so... whatever I guess. I know I'm not in labor labor-the baby is still moving around a ton and I haven't dropped at all-and she's lying sideways, moreso than head down I think (though they say she is head down? Sure doesn't feel like it). I suppose its a start though... only 4 more weeks till full term, so there's gotta be something going on getting it all ready...

32w1d

I got to experience another fun pregnancy thing early this morning:

LEG CRAMPS.


It took all I had not to scream bloody murder when it came and woke me up. Good thing I read what to do to make it go away in one of my books just a couple of days ago.

32w

Misery, agony, I don't sleep, just ready to get this over with in general.

31w5d

Ohhhhh the sciatic nerve pain is getting more intense. Usually after a busy day it'll start hurting in the evening, but the past two days its started around 1 or 2 in the afternoon... and yesterday I was really busy cleaning the house, but today I haven't done too much at all, just a couple loads of laundry... I hope this isn't something that's going to be ALL the time before long, because once it gets really bad I can't walk around the apartment and rely on Patrick to help me out a lot!

And we actually got our dresser TODAY... just have to stain it and then we'll put it in the bedroom and hang up some decorations! I'm excited-something else to do!

31w4d

And her name is...


(click on the picture for a better view!)

I made those last night! I got the idea off this website-but at 20 dollars PER LETTER, I definitely wasn't interested... plus I like making things myself anyway! I didn't buy the ribbon for hanging them yet, I haven't decided what color to use... so all we need to do is figure that out and we can hang them up! Its getting there... slowly but surely! I also made this hook thingy because I am a sucker for crafts. I don't know what I'll even hang on it... her little bathrobe, perhaps?

31w3d

Not much to update on, but I had an appointment today! Everything is going good so my midwife is skipping bringing me in every 2 weeks and I'll have my next when I'm at 35 weeks, and it will be every week after that. They'll start checking on progress then too, since I am concerned with birthing this kiddo with my size and since the women in my family tend to go early.

Not much has changed-I'm actually measuring at 30w right now, but she said that could be how the baby is laying at the time, and I've gained 6 more pounds making it 25 total so far. Heartbeat was nice and strong as usual.

She (the baby) started something new this morning-trying to claw her way out! At least that's what it feels like... I've had friends explain it to me before, how toward the end you get sharp pains like that... sure enough, there she goes. I was sitting in the waiting room before my appointment and she was definitely clawing away, moving around a ton, and had the hiccups. All at the same time.

Patrick and I are working on some decorations in the baby's room now! We'll have our dresser on the 12th, we finally found one we want... and we're doing some letter things for her room that spell out her name. I went to Walmart last night to get the stuff to make them (on the site I saw this idea at-they are TWENTY DOLLARS PER LETTER! No way). I'll post pictures when they are done-so come back tomorrow and see what name we picked out for our little one :)