Looking forward to...

• Seeing what and who our baby looks like
• Seeing my husband as a father
• Seeing my parents and in-laws as grandparents, and siblings as aunts and uncles
• Nursing our child
• Finding out whether we have a son or a daughter
• Making my baby laugh
• Knowing that I'm mommy and nobody can take my place
• Showing off baby to our friends
• Seeing my hubby teach our child
• Teaching our child myself
• Snuggling with my baby
• Bringing our child to music in the park, the pumpkin festival, etc.
• Babywearing
• Baby bathing and swimming
• Baby's first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas...
• Seeing our child's personality emerge
• Taking our child on family walks
• Sleeping on my stomach
• Drinking a glass of champagne (or 3)
• Shaving my legs and cutting my toenails without a great deal of effort

40 weeks!

Today is my due date!! I think I'm ready to meet this child! The anticipation of not knowing when it will happen is so exciting but it's messing with my head! When I roll over at night I often get round ligament pain, but now I'm thinking "Oh! Was that a real contraction??"

Also, yesterday James' coworkers threw him a surprise baby shower - so sweet!! They gave us an awesome assortment of baby goods. So cool of them.

Tonight the 4 other couples in our Bradley Method class (and their 4 babies!) are coming over to our house. We're the only ones left without a baby yet - I'm looking forward to seeing them and hearing about their birth and parenting experiences.

Size of baby: The size of a jackfruit (??)

Sleep: I'm trying to get as much sleep as I want now, because I know I won't have the luxury very soon. A few nights I've been waking up really hot and sweaty - of course the first time I thought I might be in labor, but nope.

Movement: You know what feels really weird? For the past month or so, baby has been hitting me in the hip bone - from the outside of my hip. My pregnant belly has extended so far outside of my pelvis, that baby's head-butting the outside of my left hip and it is the strangest sensation!

Feeling: A few days ago I was feeling irritated with everyone in the world... except James, luckily. I feel selfish because all I care about and want to be around is my little family - the three of us.

Still have contractions every day - and they may be getting stronger even - but are not consistent. Remembering how much my feet were swelling a few months ago, I'm kind of amazed at how little they're swollen now!

What I miss: Nothing. I want to savor the last few days of being pregnant. It's awesome and amazing and miraculous. I seriously love it.

What I'm looking forward to: Meeting our baby!!

Best moment this week: The last special moments with hubby before we become a family of 3.

Worst moment this week: Being emotional and irritable.

Milestones: We're ready to be born! Baby's hair and nails are growing, and lungs continue to develop that last little bit.

Cravings: Nothing and I do not want to cook anything. Cooking is the worst right now.

Food aversions: I'm trying to make myself eat more eggs and leafy greens - neither sound good, but both are very good for me and baby.

I've forgotten to mention possibly the most unexpected and awesome symptom of pregnancy, and I need to address it since this might be my last pregnancy update post. My leg hair growth slowed way down. Day 6 of hair growth looks like yesteryear's day 2. So cool! I didn't realize this until a few months ago when I read that this happens to some pregnant women, and then I became aware of this fabulous side effect. I hope it sticks around!

Maternity pictures

I wasn't planning to have maternity pictures taken, but my sister offered and it was way fun. Thanks Sam!!!! I love them so much. It will be great to have these memories so I can always remember how much I loved gestating our little peanut :) These photos were taken at McKinley Park in East Sacramento when I was 34 weeks pregnant.

39 weeks

We're SO close!! Just how close I don't know, but it can't be more than a few weeks now. Could be days. At my appointment on Monday, I was 1 cm dilated and 0% effaced - which I was kind of expecting. My next appointment is the 30th - AKA 4 days after my due date. I think I just might make it there.

Today I went to a CHP office and had an officer check our carseat to make sure we installed it correctly. We did, which made me feel like a good mom. Haha. We passed our first parenting test! Even though everything he told me I had read already, it was still reassuring and I'd recommend any new parent do this!

Size of baby: The size of a watermelon!!

Sleep: Fine, although my nightly 3 trips to pee has increased to 4-5.

Movement: I can feel baby's foot pretty much every day, which I love. A few places on my belly are feeling a little tender, like they've been kicked too much and are bruising from the inside :S

Feeling: We went to music in the park on Sunday and I was pretty uncomfortable sitting on the ground... we left after about 40 minutes. I also feel really tired and have to pee constantly. And every once in a while I get a lightning bolt of crazy pain in my pelvis, which from what I've read, might be due to baby moving lower and pushing on new nerves that have never been pushed on before. Overall I feel really good for 39 weeks pregnant, these are just my notable symptoms.

What I miss: My old bladder function - this is redic!

What I'm looking forward to: Holding my baby. Finding out if it's a he or a she. Breastfeeding. Seeing what and who he/she looks like. Choosing a name (we have 1 girl name, but 2-3 boy names). Kissing that sweet little face...

Best moment this week: Hanging out with family Friday and Saturday.

Worst moment this week: Being a little grumpy (I'm entitled to that, right?).

Milestones:

• He's probably able to flex his limbs now.
• His brain is still rapidly developing - he's getting smarter by the week!
• His nails may extend past his fingertips.

Cravings: Nothing really... well I suppose I'm always up for dessert...

Food aversions: Nothing in particular.

House tour: Baby K's ocean-themed nursery

Finally, it's time to show off baby's room! It's an ocean/fishy themed room - there's not a ton of themey-type stuff, but a few accents around. Here's the view from the door.



• The glider was purchased on Craigslist.
• Chinese paper lanterns are from San Francisco Chinatown.
• Bookshelf is Ikea Expedit.
• Above the window I hung all the cards received at the baby shower.
• The quilt hanging on the crib was made by Aunt Sam and matches the theme of the room!

• Stroller is Baby Jogger City Mini.
• Crib is Ikea Sundvik.
• The wall mural is decals that were purchased from signchick1 on Etsy.

The mobile I made turned out to match the wall decal perfectly!



The bookshelf holds lots of books, a piggy bank and toys.

The dresser was daddy's when he was a kid. On the left is a changing pad... and I'm cheap so I just put a pillowcase on it instead of buying covers! The drawers under that hold all of our changing supplies. The diaper cake on the right will be disassembled when we need them, but it's so cute I wanted to leave it up for a while.

On either side of the dresser I framed pages from a children's book I found at a thrift store called Across The Big Blue Sea.

The other artwork on either side of the window and by the door is pages from the book The Rainbow Fish. Aunt Victoria found this set of 3 already framed at a thrift store.

The growth chart on the door was a freebie from Babies R Us when we registered. The trash can in the middle has a wetbag from 529 Baby to hold dirty cloth diapers.

And finally, the closet...

It has great vertical storage space - that top bar is too high for me to even reach, but it will be great to hang too-small clothing as baby grows out of them.

Thanks for visiting! T minus 8 days until my due date!!

My baby shower

My baby shower, on Saturday, June 30, was awesome. I was extremely honored that so many friends and family members came to celebrate our newest addition. We had about 25 people there! My mom and sisters hosted the party at sister's house. It looked so nice!!

Gorgeous food setup

Cute little fruit baby!

Diaper cake - so cute, and still in our nursery today

Outdoor decor

Cousins

Sabrina had her baby girl the next day!! Our babies are going to be BFFs, at 3 or 4 weeks apart in age.

Sisters and Mom

We were given tons of adorable, thoughtful and generous gifts for baby - I felt so incredibly loved!! I'm sooo grateful to my 3 beautiful shower hostesses for all their effort, and to every guest who came to celebrate with us!

38 weeks

Happy 33rd birthday, daddy! Today is my husband's birthday, and Saturday is my dad and sister in law's birthday. We're having a dinner for the two dads at our house tomorrow.

 

I can't help but wonder how many more of these weekly pictures I have left...

Size of baby: A pumpkin! That's what James calls both me and baby :)

Sleep: Just fine.

Movement: I love feeling our little pumpkin stretch out, and imagining what's going on in there. The most exciting feeling-the-baby news is that I felt a foot!!! It was a tiny little lump sticking out on the side of my tummy. I couldn't count the toes or grab it, but it was totally a foot! A few days later I felt it again, and I could feel baby move its leg away until I could no longer reach that cute little extremity (which actually seemed larger than I'd expect).

Feeling: I'm having a lot of hip/pelvic pain on days when I do a lot of standing, and still getting contractions once in a while. Now that we have all the essential items necessary before baby arrives (including installing the car seat!), I'm feeling a lot more prepared and ready. I'm still in no hurry though.

What I miss: I really want a beer when I BBQ!

What I'm looking forward to: My next appointment with my midwife is Monday, and I'm extremely curious to find out if/how much I'm dilated/effaced.

Best moment this week: Hanging out with my friend S, her week-old newborn and 3.5 year old little boy. I changed my first diaper (Yes, ever. I don't know how I got this far in life without the experience, but I've done it now!) and got to practice swaddling.

Worst moment this week: It's too damn hot - 100+

Milestones: Mommy milestones - diaper changing and swaddling - are mentioned above. Baby's head is now about the same circumference as his abdomen, and he's shedding the vernix caseosa - the protective white goo for sitting around in water for all these months. It's no longer needed because I could have a baby any minute now!

Cravings: Sweets.

Food aversions: I bought kale trying to be healthy, and find it pretty gross. The texture is just... blech. I don't think that's a pregnancy food aversion though, I think I just don't like it!

What a difference a year makes...

Same dress, before and after.

Can you spot the difference? :)

37 weeks

I'm full term as of today! I had a midwife appointment on Monday - baby is head-down! Good job, peanut.

My baby shower was also last weekend, and it was lovely! That deserves its own separate post (coming soon).

I continue to have contractions every day. At the end of the shower I actually had like 6 in an hour, then again while waiting for my appointment on Monday. But then I can go hours without feeling one.

Size of baby: A winter melon.

My midwife felt around and estimated the baby's current weight at 5.5 pounds. She thinks that I'll have a 7.5 to 8.5 pound baby at birth. Perfect.

Sleep: I use the Snoogle on nights I can't get comfortable. That helps. I'm getting plenty of sleep and it's fine. I'm used to having to pee at 1, 3, 5 and 7 a.m., so I don't consider that a disruption anymore.

Movement: Yep. I'm convinced that my child was startled by the loud fireworks last night! :(

Feeling: I think I feel great for someone who's about to have a baby! Some feet swelling (but really not too bad and drinking lots of water helps), and I'm certainly very tired after doing anything physical... and grocery shopping counts as something physical ;)

What I miss: Leaning over too much - like to write stuff on the coffee table - hurts my belly! I miss not having that pain.

What I'm looking forward to: Picking up the last items we need before baby arrives.

Worst moment this week: It was so busy with dad in the hospital and sister visiting - I felt like I was go go go constantly.

Best moment this week: My baby shower, and having all those lovely ladies there to show their love for me and baby (and husband). My dad also went home from the hospital on Saturday after almost a whole week!

Milestones: Reaching full term! Baby's now practicing inhaling, exhaling, sucking, gripping and blinking.

Cravings: Nothing sounds good!

Food aversions: Mexican food is not sounding great to me in particular.