Weeks 37 and 38 Bumpdate: Full Term!

Halfway through week 37. Please note that this shirt is NOT maternity! (Um, just a size or two too large.)

The day I surpassed 37 weeks.

Wow. Well what a crazy two weeks it's been. I'm happy that I waited to post these ridiculous bumpdates, and am especially happy that though the repercussions related to Boston are far from over, we at least have a bit of closure on the situation. 

I almost don't know where to start in summarizing the last two weeks! Minus Boston, I actually had some really fantastic weeks. The Nutmeg State has seen some beautiful Spring weather (finally!), and Sammy and I have taken full advantage of it. We've spent almost every day at various playgrounds, friends' houses, grabbing ice cream, watching ducks and geese (his new favorite activity), and overall, we've had lots of quality family time. 

To top everything off, yesterday we celebrated James turning the big 4-0. We went out for a nice breakfast, played at the park, took a good walk, played in the yard, and went out again for dinner. Being that this will be our last few weeks as a family of three, I really couldn't have wished for anything more.

Awkward family photo at dinner. And yet it was the best of the five we took.

As for the pregnancy-related part, overall, I've honestly felt really good the past two weeks. I've had a lot of energy, that pesky pelvic-area pain has stayed away, and I had a great doctor appointment this past week. But I'll have the details of that for another category....

Meanwhile, Baby Sister continues to grow and plump up. Uh, and that's about all that happens with her lately. (Other than her brain continuing to develop. Details, details.) My What to Expect app has suddenly shifted to being all about me. And that's fine, as once this second baby gets here, I am fully aware that nothing will be about me anymore. Ah, the joys of motherhood. 

Total weight gained: I have official documentation in front of me - from my doctor - that shows a 31 pound weight gain. It's really interesting how I've had almost a carbon copy pregnancy compared to when I had Sammy!

Belly / movement: Throughout the past two weeks, I've gone through days of crazy, non-stop movement, and other days of feeling not much at all. But especially lately - I've felt a ton of movement. I'm trying to embrace this as it is perhaps one of the best parts of being pregnant. There really isn't much like it.

Signs of labor: A "symptoms" category seems silly at this point, so let's just get to the nitty gritty, being that we're now two weeks away from my due date. I feel like I've "buried the lead," as we used to say in my journalism classes, but at my weekly appointment the other day, I learned that I'm 4 cm dilated and 70 percent effaced! (Please don't ask me to explain what that means.) Granted, it's best to take these numbers with a grain of salt, as one can remain this way for days / weeks at a time, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I practically came out of that appointment skipping. At my last appointment - three days before going into labor with Sammy - I was also 4 cm pregnant and 90 percent effaced. So, at the very least, I feel like things are moving along, and as my doctor said, I won't need to start from scratch when I actually go into labor.

It's also been fairly obvious in other ways that I'm at the beginning stages of going into labor. For instance, I am nesting like crazy. If one showed up to my house last Sunday morning at 7 a.m., you would have found me scrubbing our toilets. Baby's room is near complete. Parts of our house that haven't seen a dust cloth in ages are now clean and particle-free. I actually cooked a couple times this past week! Our hospital bags are as packed as they can be, neatly arranged in my bedroom, my electric toothbrush and cell phone are fully charged at all times, and there is barely an item of clothing that needs to be washed. Our home is officially ready to welcome this baby.

Emotionally, I am a roller coaster. One minute I'm energetic and happy, the other minute I'm annoyed, feeling sorry for myself, and irrationally crying for some reason or another. James was quite amused at the standoff I had with Sammy the other night during dinner, when - in the midst of tears - I called my 21-month-old son "dramatic" for not even wanting to try his pizza, which had a delicious cauliflower crust.

Did you know that pineapple is known to induce labor? I didn't even mean to use it for that reason when I ate it for breakfast the other morning. But here's hoping...!

So yes - not only is our home ready to welcome this baby, but I am pretty sure that I am ready to meet her as well. Granted, I want nothing more for her to come out healthy and fully baked, but still. The thought of going through this for two more weeks is a bit more than I can take at this point. 

Sleep: Nothing has changed, though I did have a couple decent nights here and there throughout the past two weeks.

Food cravings / aversions: I'm back to feeling super hungry at almost all times. Though then I'll eat, and be stuffed within a few minutes. Also, I'm getting really excited to get back on the healthy bandwagon once Baby Sister makes her arrival. I haven't really wanted to mess with my diet lately, but I'm seriously debating a month off of sweets once Baby Sister has made her presence known for a few weeks. We'll see.

Best moment(s) of the week: There are almost too many to count!

As I mentioned in my last post, I had a fantastic day celebrating my friend A's baby shower in Boston last weekend. I got to be reunited with some of my best high school friends, and it was so much fun to catch up with everyone.

This kid continues to entertain us each and every minute lately. His vocabulary has just exploded, as has his quest to be the ultimate toddler. But most of all, I've really enjoyed our little mommy / Sammy excursions each day. I'm trying not to feel guilty that he'll soon have to share my attention, but there's definitely a bit of it creeping in.

As for the somewhat superficial "best moment", I was so, so excited to receive our new BOB Duallie stroller!! Yes, it might be the ultimate sign of being a suburbanite, but it's also a sign that I may actually get my old body back one day! And I will not be confined to the house with two kids! I absolutely can not wait to take walks this summer with this baby. (And my other two babies.)

And finally, one more pic of two of my favorite boys, taken during James' final and official birthday dinner. (Note that this was his fourth birthday dinner. It's been a long month of celebrating.) I am certainly a lucky girl.