35 Weeks!

How far along? 35 weeks! Only TWO more weeks to go until full term!

Total weight gain/loss: It seems to change every time I see the doctor! It was 28lbs on Monday but only 27lbs on Friday.

Maternity clothes? yes! Bought a pair of maternity yoga pants that I've been pretty much living in all week since I haven't been at work (I'll get to that further along...)

Stretch marks? still just boobs and hips, none on the belly and hopefully it stays that way.. fingers crossed!

Sleep: I think the dreams just get crazier and crazier and keep having more and more people in them that I haven't seen or talked to since college or high school or even middle school. I had a nightmare the other night that had Mike Delany in it and we were searching an old creepy house and he went to the third floor and the door closed behind him and I just knew he was trapped so I got spooked and ran out of the house and I remember someone else was waiting outside but can't remember who now.. I woke up really scared because I hadn't had a nightmare in so long that I ended up holding my pee for a few hours until the effects wore off... I'm such a big baby.

Best moment this week: Not so sure this is a good moment BUT the doctor made me take the whole week off so in turn I was able to finish getting the diaper bag for the hospital packed for Jude and finished the majority of the nursery decorating :)

Miss Anything? Not having acid reflux so bad that I literally feel like I'm swallowing fire, fitting into normal sized clothes, not having such annoying contractions, being able to go a few hours without peeing, being able to find a comfortable position to sleep in (I have to note here that this has become THE biggest nuisance ever. Not only is every position uncomfortable and I have to swap sides often, but I find myself waking up even more sore than before I went to bed if that's even possible and it's so bad that even my HANDS are KILLING me when I wake up. I don't know if it's because I'm so tense when I'm sleeping that I'm squeezing them or if I just put them in positions that cut off the blood supply but it is badddd!) and not being so hungry 24/7... oh and also being able to touch my toes and reach things that used to be easily reached... and not getting out of breath trying to reach said things.

Movement: a lot.. especially during contractions... 

Food cravings: Still fruit but last night I was craving chocolate ice cream with fudge & marshmallow and today it was Cook Out.. I literally passed a Cook Out and had to circle back around to get it because I was dying to have a hot dog and a coca cola with their ice (I LOVE their ice!!)... side note: if you are not from NC and don't know what Cook Out is, you live a sad, sad life. :)

Anything making you queasy or sick: beef/eggs/those meals Melissa always makes for lunch 

Gender: Boy :) 

Symptoms: See above "miss anything" section!
Labor Signs: And this is what you've been waiting for folks.... On Monday on my way to work I started having contractions again while driving. By the time I went to lunch at 11, they had not gone away so I called my doctor and the nurse of Dr. Sansing whom I had seen at the hospital wanted me to come in so at 1pm I went in to the office. Dr. Sansing didn't seem to worried about the contractions but one of the first things out of her mouth was that she was taking me out of work... ALL WEEK! eeek! So I was supposed to spend the whole week relaxing and not doing anything stressful. Normally, this would be great to not have to work, but I really didn't want to use all my PTO up and I have a hard time relaxing nowadays so I knew this wasn't going to be easy. But I digress. She told me to come back in if I had any more contractions.

On Wednesday night at around 9pm I started having some more contractions but these were more in my lower back so I took a hot bath and then slept through them. Not so bad so I didn't call the doctor. 

Then on Friday I decided that I could handle a short little outing to Target and Babies R Us to return two things from our baby shower. But as we were leaving Babies R Us, I started having contractions. These were much more painful when I was walking. It literally would take my breath away and I'd have to bend over and squeeze Ben's hand really hard. When we got home, I kept having them but they weren't AS painful when I was laying down on my side and the pain was a little higher up. But if I got up to walk to the bathroom, the pain was sharp and lower like before. The contractions were varying in time but ranged from 2 mins apart to 8 mins apart randomly and averaging about 5 mins apart. We started timing them around noon and by one fifteen decided to call the doctor. They wanted me to come in so I went in and saw Dr. Eisenberg. She explained to me that having contractions are going to be a normal thing from here on out and not to worry too much and just try to deal the best I can. She said once they are a steady 3-5 mins apart and I can't talk through them because they are so painful then it's time to go to the hospital but if I get them and the office is open, to come in so they can check if I'm dilated. So she went ahead and checked then and I was one centimeter dilated. I was very surprised by this since on Monday I was not dilated at all. She said that this is normal since I'm getting close to full term and I'm likely to start dilating a centimeter or so each week until it's "time" and then of course I'll dilated the rest of the way. 

So for now, it's just a waiting game to see if I go into labor soon or not, although I think I'm clear until AT LEAST Friday since the swab Dr. Sansing did last Friday was supposed to tell me if I was going into labor in the next two weeks and it was negative. 

Belly Button in or out? I think it's going to stay in

Happy or Moody most of the time: depends on the day.. I'm very stressed trying to figure everything out. I really really really want a water birth but the hospital I'm supposed to deliver at doesn't have birthing tubs so I'm going to try and talk to my doctor on Monday and see if I have any other options. It is just stressing me out thinking about giving birth and finding a pediatrician and dealing with money stresses and Ben losing weight to join the military and everything else. TOO MUCH to think about but I am VERY happy to see little man soon! 

Looking forward to: The baby shower my work is throwing me next Saturday :) they seem really excited about it so I am too!!

Here is a sneak peak of part of the nursery... 

Please ignore the mess on and around the changing table. That is no longer there and the changing table itself is a lotttt more organized. And keep in mind that the saying will be directly on the wall but I've just been taping them to the wall for now until everything is in it's official place! I have two other quotes in the room like that, both from Harry Potter.