36 Weeks

36 weeks, I'm technically full term and my doctor says I can go at any time now. I'm starting to panic a little that I am not ready for him to be here. I want him to stay put until his due date but I'm feeling the need to try and make sure everything is ready just in case he doesn't listen to what I want and comes early. Even if he doesn't come early I am running out of time to get ready. After my doctor checked me a week ago it did make me have quite a few more braxton hick contractions. Monday night the contractions were actually pretty strong and consistent. Enough so that I laid down and called my cousin to ask her if by the next morning I was still having them if she could drive my van for me on my preschool field trip to the fire station. Fortunately they went away while I slept that night and I just have them randomly throughout the day now. My doctor wanted to check me on Friday but I'm not ready to have this little man yet so I am going to be declining being checked for the next few weeks.

My Beta Strep test results came back positive which I am a little sad about because it means I can't labor at home for as long as I wanted to, to make sure I get the doses of antibiotics to help protect James before he is born. I am trying to have a natural child birth this time and was looking forward to the idea of not being constantly hooked up to an IV in a hospital while I am in labor. I really do think the IV is my least favorite part of the hospital. Oh well. I will do anything to keep the baby safe and healthy so if that means I have to give up a little (like getting to stay home as long as possible) than I will do it. Thursday night my doula Whitney came over and gave me a WONDERFUL foot massage. I may not hurt a lot this time but that felt so nice!!! I wish I could have one every day.

35 Weeks

This week I had the amazing Angela Salazar take maternity photos for me. She just set up a preview on her blog angelasalazarphotography.blogspot.com. It was fun to take pictures to celebrate my pregnancy and the adding of a new little brother. Ariana was not too thrilled to have to take pictures and was acting very goofy the entire time.

This has been a good week. I haven't been hurting or too uncomfortable. The only new thing is when I sleep on one side for too long that side starts to fall asleep. Teaching preschool still hasn't been totally draining either. I'm surprised I can get on and off the floor as easily as I do. This probably has to be one of the easiest pregnancy on my body I've had. I can't believe I'm down to only 5 weeks! Today I had the beta step test done and my doctor checked to see if I was starting to dilate (this is the earliest I've ever had a doctor check me) I am at good 1, is what he said. Not that, that means much. I still want little guy to stay put until my due date. I had a big contraction right as the doctor started checking for the heart beat today. He laughed and said that was a pretty good one. James is still up really high, not surprising because both Alexis and Ariana where up really high until I was into full active labor.

Last Saturday I sorted all the baby clothes into piles by age and have them laid out all over the babies future room. I'm ready to start washing all the newborn clothes but maybe I should wait a couple more weeks. It will be strange to have a little one that completely relies on me. I've had kids that are so independent for the last few years that I know its going to take some adjusting. I'm a little scared of starting over after so many years but also so excited to hold my son. I can't wait to hear his cry, count his fingers and toes, kiss his little cheeks.

A "speical" card

I got this card on my pillow last night. I love my little girls so much. Its things like this that you keep and treasure just like my beautiful angel daughters. Having a note like this is so nice especially right now with everything that is going on in my life. Its making me cry just writing about it. : )

They Finally Caught a Lizard

We have a very large lizard family living around our house. Alexis and Ariana have been trying REALLY hard the last month to catch one of these quick little fellows. Well last week we happened to find this one in the front yard with his poor little tale missing. Alexis grabbed a cup and with mommy's help they finally caught their first lizard. They were so proud and excited they had to run up and show Ty Bair (the Bair family is the local lizard catching experts). Alexis was brave enough to actually touch it and Ariana had fun looking at it in the cup. We did let it go back into the front yard after about an hour so he can continue to catch bugs for us (and also because Mommy does NOT want a lizard lost inside the house!)

34 Weeks

34 weeks, wow. Time really is starting to run down and I'm starting to realise that I am in a time crunch. I've been feeling really good these past two weeks. The strange stabbing back pain is pretty much gone for now (thank goodness) not that I couldn't use a good massage though, its just nice to be able to walk without wincing. I went to the doctor when I was 33 weeks and for the first time this pregnancy I am measuring small. I've been right on all along and last Friday while my week count was 33 my fundal height was only 31. I told my doctor that I wanted him to stay in until his due date and I kind of got the "are you crazy look again". I really do though. I promised to provide preschool through Thursday, October 27 and my due date is Friday October 28'th so it actually does work in my benefit to have him stay put until at least his due date. As soon as preschool is out on Thursday October 27'th I'm going to start walking like CRAZY! ; )

Sweet Angela Davidson and Rachel Abbott hosted a baby shower for me on September 8. It was so much fun and I felt so loved. We were suppose to do cafe rio salad dinners and foot soaks but dinner was so good and we all had such a good time just chatting that we never got around to the foot soaks. James you got some REALLY cute stuff too! I can't wait to put up your crib and bedding. I hope you like airplanes because I do and you are going to have them all over your room.

I am starting to sleep more like a baby. I wake up around 6 or 6:30 every morning regardless of when I have gone to bed the night before and am ready for a nap every couple of hours. I fall asleep much earlier at night most of the time and if I don't its because I am really fighting it. I am tired almost constantly now but somehow I still can keep going.

Today I subbed in primary for one of the sunbeam classes. Whenever I go in junior primary Ariana has to stay with me or she cries. Today she sat right by me and lovingly rubbed and patted my belly during all of sharing and singing time. It was precious and I love that she is so attached to me and her brother. I am having maternity photos taken on Wednesday. I hope Angela Salazar can catch some of these cute little moments so we can have them forever.

Back to School Shopping

When I was growing up one of my families back to school traditions was my mom would sew me a new dress. Well I do know how to sew but I don't love it like my mom so my tradition is to take my girls shopping for one brand new outfit. We've been very blessed with lots of great hand me downs and I love clearance shopping. This is the one time of year they can pick something that doesn't have a clearance tag and as long as it is within a reasonable price range I will buy it (that's why they can only pick 1 new outfit though!) I love watching my girls load up the cart with dozens of choices and see the delight and magic of dressing up in the store dressing rooms with all the big mirrors. Shopping always includes lots of posing, modeling and dancing. Alexis loves it the most. Once Ariana finds what she loves she is done so she takes half the time but still really enjoys staring at her self in the mirror and skipping around the dressing room in her chosen outfit. I love seeing my girls so happy and just enjoying being a little girls.

31 & 32 Weeks

Weeks 31 and 32 have been interesting. My body has done some interesting things these last two weeks. Little guy most be sitting on or close to a nerve because on and off for the past two weeks I've had issues putting weight on my left leg. Every once in a while I'll step and it feels like I got stabbed in the back. Its made it really hard to walk around and not look completely ridiculous not to mention clean or get things done when that would happen. I also have been having a lot more braxton hicks contractions. When I get stressed and upset they seem to come instantly and frequently. With certain situations going on in my life currently it made this last weekend in particular hard to relax enough to not have them. Sunday I had to lay down for several hours because at dinner time I started having contractions every 7 minutes. After laying down and drinking LOTS of water they stopped. (Thank goodness!)

During week 31 I had a very concerned lady at the gym approach me during a class. She was REALLY worried about me laying down to exercise. (she really should have been more worried about me during the kickboxing portion not the floor exercise) I really was fine and I do know when to back off and while I get that she was concerned she's not my doctor so I kind of wanted her to back off. I do stick out at the gym A LOT now. You don't really see lots of big pregnant ladies walking around. I love exercising though and while I only go about once a week now I don't care what other people think.

My mom came to visit again for a week because my brother and his wife had their second little guy on Monday August 29. While she was here we made new fall centerpieces and sorted through lots of my hand me down boys clothes. Its starting to get more real. Its almost time for my little James to be here and my mom to come visit me because my little boy will be home and not in my tummy.

Ariana got to feel him kick her really well at dance yesterday. She thought it was so funny! They also got to feel his foot really well through my tummy last Friday. Alexis loved that! I love feeling him move and kick. Its been so long since I have been through this and I will miss it once I deliver. To feel your little one moving inside is something very special.