37 Weeks

Another uneventful appointment... everything sounded great, going great etc.  A few notes:

• I have a "tentative" induction date for the 25th, which is exactly 39 weeks.  She will check me next Friday at my 38 week appointment and we'll schedule then.   Obviously, if she comes earlier I won't be induced.
• She said she expects the baby will be in the 7lb range.  I told her I was concerned she was going to be huge because everyone comments on how ginormous I am.  She said I am carrying a lot of extra fluid (I'm assuming she noted that as she squished the baby around my belly), and also because of the way I'm carrying her- completely out front and high.  GAH.  So, that was relieving to not know I'd be delivering a 17lb baby.  HAHA!
• I've been having a lot of pain in my right wrist lately, and first thought it was because I was sleeping on it wrong.  However, I always sleep on my right arm, and its never bothered me until the past week or so.  She said it likely is carpal tunnel, from the fluid retention and swelling, and I could use a brace if that helped.  
• Sleeping has been terrible.  I'm only able to sleep on my side and that ends up pinching a nerve in my hip, and combined with my wrist hurting (and having nowhere else to put my arm/wrist while I'm on my side), I'm not all that comfortable.  I've also had really bad heartburn the past few nights, which I haven't had much this pregnancy.  Most nights I lie in bed until 2 or 3am and wish I could fall asleep.    Thank goodness I'm working half days and have been able to nap with Hudson in the afternoons.
• Yesterday I was sick all day... flu-stomach bug type symptoms.  I was hoping it was a sign of labor soon but no such luck. 
• This afternoon/evening I had quite a few crampy contractions, and I went grocery shopping and had contractions the entire time.  Nothing regular or very strong and once I got home and laid down for a bit they've gone away.   Uncomfortable, but I welcome them... all the more closer to labor I'm getting! YAY!!

Here I am... in all my additional 52#'s of glory.  EEEK.   That's 12lbs more than I gained with each of the boys.... and combine that with the fact that I started this pregnancy 12lbs heavier than normal.... disgusting.  Oh well.  

And the swelling feet.  The other day it was pretty cold out so I had to wear shoes to work (not flip flops).  First off, most of my shoes are too tight (uh... ya think... look at those sausages!!), and then by the evening I had Hudson pull off my socks and I about died looking at my fat ankles!  EWW.  

You know you're huge when...

Saw this on Baby Center pregnancy board... cracked up at so many of them.  I can so relate to these!

You know you're huge when....

• You can't open the window above the kitchen sink because your belly is in the way.
• You knock your toddler over because you cant see them under your belly
• You have your kid stand on the coffee table for you to tie his shoes
• Your belly touches the steering wheel!
• You can no longer squeeze the shopping cart past you in the check out lane and have to step in with the cashier behind you to move the cart forward.
• You attempt to get into your car as normal, but don't make it, and only one cheek makes it onto the seat. Then you try to shut the door anyway to save face, only to slam your other cheek and have to try again. 
• You pee all over your hands when trying to give a urine sample at the doctor's office b/c you can't see where the hell you're putting the cup down there and you're just winging it and hoping for the best.
• You look at your jeans and go "yeahhh not about to happen" as you reach for your sweat pants.  Again.
• You cant reach the bottom of the washer to get your clothes out (not so much with this pregnancy... we have a front load now, but been there, done that with the boys' pregnancies!)
• Your boobs rest on your belly.
• You have to assume the sumo wrestler position to pick things up. You know, feet spread apart, hands on knees, grunting while bending over and standing back up...
• Your belly button completely disappears...it is stretched FLAT!

Preggo in Full Force

Ahhh I can 100% tell I am preggo.  Not just the weight gain (already.  Ugh.  but... can't complain too much b/c I've been eating terrible terrible foods), but huuuge boobs, acne like a pubescent teenager, mood swings (ha!  yes... worse than 'normal'), and hip issues. 

About 2 weeks ago I started regular visits with the chiropractor.  This was routine during my first two pregnancies.  I thought at first I was going to get by without needing the chiro this time but alas, at 9 weeks my hip got out of whack which in turn caused issues in my shoulder/upper back on the same side- resulting in an awful lingering headache. 

I've gone twice to the chiro and he has urged me not to sit crossing my legs since during pregnancy the joints etc all loosen in the hip area (thus a big reason I end up needing the chiropractor I suppose?).   I've been trying hard to sit without crossing my legs but sheesh that's hard to do!  I am not scheduled to go back until next week but I'm already feeling out of whack in my right hip now so I may end up getting adjusted a little earlier than planned.   

Its just crazy to me that I'm typically totally fine in-between pregnancies but within a couple months of being pregnant I'm getting out of sort and unable to adjust it myself.  At least I know what to do to cure it, right?

It was about 2 weeks ago that I started noticing some icky acid reflux/heartburn showing up.  During P's pregnancy I had heartburn toward the end, and with H I had acid reflux (literally... could feel the acid come up my throat EEWW) toward the middle/end.   This is so early for me.  However, I met a friend for Panera one evening and after I came home I coughed so much on the acidy burning in my throat that I ended up chucking my entire dinner.  Talk about ruining my favorite meal!!  Since then I've been taking Zantac before every meal.  It doesn't matter what I eat, if I don't take an acid reducer I'm inevitably coughing from "throat scratchiness" after eating.  

Spreading the News

Okay, we've only known I am pregnant for a week but oh my... I feel like its been forever!  I hope this pregnancy doesn't go by this slow the whole time!

Ultimately, we decided to go ahead and tell the people that we would share any upsetting news with if something ends up happening to this pregnancy.  Our first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage before we told anyone and it was hard to tell good news laced with bad.  We knew regardless of what happens we would want support or to be able to share with those close to us.  

Ryan's dad came over last Friday for dinner and we decided to tell him.  It was a spur of the moment thing and he just handed him the envelope with the "baby tickets" in it.  His dad stared at it FOREVER and I was feeling a bit nervous.  Uhh.... uhh..... He seemed happy!

I told my mom via text.  Hurricane Irene was heading right toward her and she and Mike refused to evacuate even though the police were sending everyone off the island.  I was terrified we'd end up with another Katrina situation and she'd never learn about this baby.  So before I went to bed I hurried up and sent her a text.  

She called me the next morning and was so excited!  I told Lori and my sister the same way.  PREGO!  (We had some friends before we were married that said they always associated Prego spaghetti sauce to the wife being pregnant b/c that's the only kind she would eat... some reason we always only buy Prego and it always reminds me of "PREGGO!" HAHA!)

My mom told my grandma, who said she had had a dream a few nights before that I had a baby boy.  GAH!  And then Ryan accidentally spread the news to our neighbors (UGH) and I told the girls via text as well.  Funny how the times change.... my first few pregnancies texting wasn't even a thought because not everyone texted.  Now its like the norm for spreading news HAHA! 

I went into work yesterday and found out that another 1st grade teacher is pregnant with her 3rd... she's 13 weeks along.  Her older two are close to the same age of my boys, so she was super excited when I told her.  I hope all this spreading of the news so early isn't a bad idea.  It makes me nervous.  However, I'm already feeling symptoms... really sore tatas, bloaty, and I can feel kind of pinchy feelings in my uterus when I think I remember that as the stretching/growing (right)?  From the pregnancy updates it says by 6 or 7 weeks I think that the uterus doubles in size so I'm assuming that's what the feelings are.  

5 weeks so far!  So early, but so excited about this whole baby thing!