38 Weeks

Planning on taking some baby bump pictures tomorrow, as I've quite exploded in the last couple of weeks, but I thought I'd get caught up on my verbal update for now.

We've been going for bi-weekly OBGYN visits with our wonderful doctor, Dr. Susan Taylor from the Boyd Medical Group on Portage. My tummy has been measuring exactly perfect, the head is always down during the visits, baby is unbelievably active, my blood pressure is perfect, and my weight gain is incredible! So far I've only gained 17 pounds overall! Someone at a Christmas gathering told me that when they delivered, they immediately lost 20 pounds of baby, amniotic fluid, water, etc. So, if I'm as lucky, maybe I'll be 3 lbs. in the minus after all of this! And if I have got some pounds to lose, that's okay too, since I'm breastfeeding and apparently that just melts the pounds away.

On the stretch mark front, I have not managed to avoid that bullet. My thighs and rump are in as bad condition as ever, my boobs are definitely in the running for most mangled, but now my stomach has joined the ranks. The other day I was just examining my bulbous self in the mirror, and noticed a few little purple ticks on the underside of my belly. I didn't think too much of it. But only two days later, another inspection showed that those tiny little ripped stitches had become entire torn seams! My skin had begun to completely unravel from the bottom up. And now, looking at myself, I look like I've been attacked by some kind of jungle cat! To be honest, I'm pretty darn bummed about the whole thing. But Matthew's been just an angel through it all, reminding me that it's all worth it, that they'll fade, that they will forever be beautiful reminders on my body of the incredible thing I'm doing for our family. He's such a sweetheart.

I've been going for regular CBC blood tests, getting poked and prodded until the cows come home. At the most recent doctor's appointment, I got to have a delightful below the belt swab done to test for strep, or something like that. I've been leaving containers of my pee at the local clinic on a monthly basis, and I'm pretty much starting to feel like some kind of cattle, or something. Some sort of baby producing vessel with no other purpose. Sigh. I'm really starting to miss not-pregnant Holly.

Moving is getting really difficult. With less than two weeks left before baby G's due date, it just isn't easy being me right now. I definitely need assistance putting on pants, socks, boots. Can NOT bend over to save my life, if I need to pick something up off the ground I have to squat down to get it (good practice, right?) I've also completely stopped sleeping properly. I generally get to sleep at around 4 or 5 in the morning, if I'm lucky, and then am up at 10 or 11, having desperately tried to get some sleep in there somewhere. I wake up to turn over, then fall asleep for an hour or so. Then wake up to use the bathroom, or because I'm in agonizing rib pain or I can't breathe, or my legs are sore or SOMETHING... Basically I'm totalling about 4 hours a night. I posted recently on Facebook that I can't wait until this baby comes so I can finally start getting some sleep! Backwards, right?

Eating has also gotten really difficult, as space in my abdomen has gotten incredibly limited. I've had to start eating smaller meals more frequently, instead of big meals less often. I can't really fit much in there! I also can't really sit upright very long anyway, and since one is required to sit upright to eat, it poses a problem.

Baby still hasn't dropped. :( Once this happens, I should get a lot of comfort back, at least in the upper part of my abdomen. The baby is so high, its crowding my ribs. So much so that I don't really go any longer than ten minutes without extreme rib aches and pains. There's no room for my lungs so I can't really breathe deeply (or sing, which is a huge bummer.) I need to spend pretty much 80% of my day laying on my side in bed or on the couch, with pillows propped all around me. I can't take long car trips anymore (too vertical) and I can't see movies in the theatre anymore (again, too long sitting vertically.) I'm almost immobile! Which just adds to the fact that lately I feel more like some kind of animal, or baby-making robot that just requires nutritional input and occasional output. I've been watching a lot of Saturday Night Live reruns on Netflix, though! And when I say a lot, I mean a LOT.

There's still a lot to do before baby comes, I've got quite a list. This includes cleaning out and sterilizing our car, and installing the car seat. Finishing construction on our apartment, including the ceiling (which is really important to me.) Doing one big grocery shop and preparing some frozen dinners to eat during the first couple of weeks. Purchasing some last minute baby items we have yet to buy. Finding a way to freaking apply for maternity leave benefits and employment insurance, which I'm having tremendous trouble doing. I've also got to finish my maternity book, which I know I won't be interested in working on once that "maternity" portion of this journey is over. And then lastly, I've got to pack my hospital "go-bag" and print off copies of my birth plan. There's a lot more, but a lot of it I can't even really do because I'm just too exhausted or sore. So Matt's got a lot on his plate!

In other news, my maternity leave from work officially started December 15th! So I haven't had to deal with that for a few weeks, and I've been LOVING it! I can't imagine working under these circumstances!

I think that's all for now! I just feel so extremely blessed to have had such a flawless pregnancy so far! I've come full term and then some, my baby is healthy and in position for launch! I've had no complications, and aside from the extreme discomfort that comes with the last month of pregnancy, since I knew to expect those anyway, I don't really have any complaints. Yeah, I can be a bit of a whiner when it comes to pain and discomfort, but I know that it's all worth it. Just to hold that tiny little baby in my arms... I can't wait!!!