8 days.

I put in my "official" notice today that 12/11 is, in fact, going to be my last day of work.

8 days. I have 8 work days left (well, pretty much 7 as this day is about over). Then I get to peace out of this joint forever. And let me tell ya, it's about 2 years overdue. Can you tell that people are really ticking me off today? Ugh. The only consolation I have is that I get to start telling people I'm leaving and pawn them off on others, starting today. Now to figure out how to wipe this giant grin off my face while I do it...

My favorite place.

In honor of this food-filled Thanksgiving weekend (mmmm pie), feast your eyes on few pics of our finished nursery. Please note that Baby Reeder has a teeny tiny Christmas tree on his bookshelf; no room should be left Christmas-less :) The photos over the crib are of the husband and I as babies, with a spot in the middle for Baby Reeder when our family is complete. The collage over the dresser includes pics of Mommy & Daddy, both sets of Grandparents, an ultrasound photo, and a belly shot (the baby's first home!)

Now that my lovely rocking chair is in place, I can just sit in there and enjoy the peacefulness that will soon be overcome by an adorable screaming baby. Can. Not. Wait. :)

Under a month!

How far along?: 36 weeks, 0 days.

Total weight gain/loss: First, let me say that this is unexplainable to me as I a) no longer have an appetite and b) have a very squished, tiny stomach (not the belly, we're talking the organ itself.) That being said, +3.5 this week, +19.5 overall. Doctor isn't worried, so I'll let it remain a conundrum.

How big is baby?: Almost 6 lbs and 18.5 inches long.
Maternity clothes?: I heart sweatpants.

Sleep: Blows.
Movement: Less frequent but still forceful. Hiccups 3-4 times a day that usual make the whole belly jump rhythmically (and then the munchkin thrashes about b/c she HATES the hiccups).

Labor signs: Nada. Had yet another doctor's appt today. Nothing too new to report (heartbeat at 135 bpm, still head down, slightly elevated blood pressure for me, but otherwise we're both A-ok!) Had my first internal check. Um, ouch. No progress, though, so looks like we're in this for the long haul (I didn't expect to have progress; it's more than likely that I'll go overdue since this is my first, just wishful thinking!!)

Food Cravings: So up and down these days. I still love sugar, I'm just not as hungry anymore.

Gender: Strangers' favorite question this week: "Do you know what you're having?" I'm always so tempted to say "A baby" but instead I just politely shake my head.
Belly button in or out?: Weirdly flat.

What I miss: Sleeping comfortably. Sleeping past 7 a.m. on days when I don't even have to get up. Hell, just sleep.
What I am looking forward to: Pie. Lots of pie. I dare anyone to glance in my direction as I eat all day tomorrow. God Bless the Pilgrims.
Best moment this week: Checking so many things off the list this week! Baby's car seat installed in my car? Check. Inspected by the fire dept? Check. Christmas decorations up? Check (thanks to Grandma!) Nursery finished? Check. I repeat, the nursery is FINISHED!!! (Pics to come soon!)

Weekly Wisdom: When you're 8+ mos. pregnant and the hostess asks you "Table or booth?", always pick table! Just barely fit in the Original Pancake House booth this weekend. Napkin had to sit on top of the belly to catch food because my lap couldn't be seen (which I didn't do, by the way, because I looked like an idiot. So instead I just got pancake syrup on my shirt. Eh, it happens.)

Milestones: Less than a month to go. Weekly OB appts from now on!

Phone call.

Just had this phone conversation at work:

Me: (picks up) "This is Sarah."
My boss: "Don't go. Stay."
Me: laughter
My boss: "We need you. Just come back. Or I'll move to Cincinnati and my family will watch your baby so you can keep working. OK, that's all. Bye."
Me: more laughter

Sorry Charlie (this is not his actual name; his name wouldn't rhyme as nicely...), but this girl is down to a handful of days before she gets to check off "homemaker" as her occupation on forms/surveys :)

35/35.

How far along?: 35 weeks, 0 days.

Total weight gain/loss: +0 this week, +16 overall.

How big is baby?: Adding about a 1/2 lb. a week from now on, so she should be around 5 1/4 lbs. She's just about to her birth length, so this growth is much slower. Just over 18 inches long this week.
Maternity clothes?: Shirts are too short (yes, maternity shirts) and pants are too tight (again, maternity). Awesome.

Sleep: Takes serious effort to roll over to the other side, then I have about 1 minute before that hip starts burning in pain and I want to flip again. Only I can't, because I don't have enough energy built back up from the last roll. So I just lay there, miserably hoping I fall asleep. Then thoughts of my baby creep into my head while I lay there, which don't help in the falling-asleep department, trust me.
Movement: Daddy watched (in horror) from the other couch while she forcefully moved about last night. Apparently being able to see my belly move from across the room is slightly terrifying.

Labor signs: Baby has run out of room. It hurts to even think about standing up. Strangers now stare at me with looks of pity on their faces. And this once emotionless woman now cries for no reason whatsoever (this still baffles me). All of this adds up to: I'm ready.

Food Cravings: My appetite is pretty much gone. Eating has become a chore again like in the 1st trimester. Oh, and the acid reflux doesn't help.

Gender: The baby LOVED seeing a Broadway musical this week (danced along to the music the whole time), much more so than attending a UD bball game. For this fact alone, I hope it's a girl....
Belly button in or out?: No longer a crater, now just flat.
What I miss: Walking up a flight of stairs and not being winded.
What I am looking forward to: Christmas decorating started today and I can't wait until it's all finished :)
Best moment this week: So many little moments this week reminded me how much I adore my husband. I would never have made it through this pregnancy without him. My little one is so very blessed to have him for her daddy.
Weekly Wisdom: Doing too much will induce crazy hip separation pain. Apparently just watching my mom put up my Christmas trees (she wouldn't let me help) is now classified as "doing too much" because, man oh man, am I in pain tonight!

Milestones: 35 weeks down and 35 days to go! What a fantastic coincidence and a lovely indication that the end is near! This also means you only have 37 days to get your Christmas shopping done...

Face-up?

I know I've had many theories about the position of my munchkin inside this belly over the last few months. And I probably have no idea what I'm talking about. However, I've got a new one.

I think this child is sunny-side up, a.k.a. in the posterior position. I say this because I no longer have a large, hard lump (Baby Reeder's bottom) resting uncomfortably under my Girls. Instead, I keep getting jabbed by what must either be feet or knees. These little knots quickly move out of the way when I push back (which I do often - sorry, little one.)

Evidently, this is not a favorable position and can make things much more difficult come D-Day. So let's hope I'm wrong this time. Or that Baby Reeder does an about-face before next week's appt, when my doc can provide confirmation either way.

Tact.

Tact [takt]
–noun
1. Acute sensitivity to what is proper and appropriate in dealing with others, including the ability to speak or act without offending.
2. Something all humans seems to lose when they are within 10 yards of a pregnant woman.

I swear this pregnant belly must have magical powers. It induces incredibly inappropriate comments from just about everyone, often in inappropriate situations (like on an elevator- talking on an elevator is never okay, especially at work.) My favorites recently:

a. "WOW, you look REALLY pregnant today." - Coworker
b. "Will you be offended if I call you a Weeble? 'Cause you're wobbling down the hall." - Coworker
c. "Have they checked your cervix yet? Any progress?" - Coworker
d. "You look like you're about to drop a bomb on us soon." - Random old man (And this was at 28 weeks.)

My responses:
a. "Um, thanks? Wait until you see me tomorrow."
b. "Yes." And then I glared at him.
c. "Haven't checked yet." And then I gave her a how-the-hell-is-that-any-of-your-business? look.
d. Awkward smile, but only because he was old and cute.

People, please learn to control your word vomit, because my level of tactfulness with my responses will only decrease as my due date approaches. Thanks.

Hide & Seek.

Baby Reeder at 33w4d

Happy Veteran's Day! Thanks to this holiday, the husband was off work today and able to join me for my 34-week doctor's appt. It was just routine, but we saw a different OB in the practice just for fun. She's a bit more relaxed than my normal doctor, so she's more open to helping things along earlier if Baby Reeder decides to be stubborn in a few weeks and not come out. We found out my usual doctor will be gone for 3 weeks over Christmas (!!), so I guess it's good we meet some new ones anyway.

Baby Reeder was playing hide & seek with the nurse today. He wanted no part of letting us hear his heartbeat. In fact, we could hear him kicking the wand of the doppler as she tried. After what felt like forever (but was probably 2-3 minutes max - it was super uncomfy for me...), she finally gave up and waited for the doctor to do it. Alas, his heartbeat was easily found and beating steadily in the 140's when the doctor tried. Everything else is great, as usual!

How far along?: 34 weeks, 0 days.

Total weight gain/loss: +1 this week, +16 overall.

How big is baby?: 4 3/4 lbs and 18 in. long. And I feel every last bit of that.

Maternity clothes?: No longer very comfortable, getting smaller and tighter.

Sleep: Sad, just sad. Two words: hip pain.

Movement: I was gearing up to write that the movement has really decreased this week, but today this child is going crazy. Lots of head butting of my pelvis and kicking of my ribs.

Labor signs: Increasing BH. He is still head down and I believe still slowly dropping.

Food cravings: Nothing new here, just sugar.

Gender: I guess I still think girl, Daddy still hopes boy.
Belly button in or out?: Flat.

What I miss: I have 2: being able to grocery shop solo and singing along to music in the car (This is tragic for me, with it being Christmas music time. I just can’t breathe enough while singing. So sad.)

What I am looking forward to: Putting up my Christmas decorations. Baby Reeder need to know how seriously we take this holiday when we bring him home from the hospital!

Best moment this week: Looking through a bunch of the husband's baby pictures from his granny. He was an adorably chubby baby and I pray that our child looks exactly like him. So darn precious. :)

Weekly Wisdom: Husbands are invaluable when it comes to grocery shopping, a lesson learned when trying to do it without one.

Milestones: I cannot even begin to explain how delightfully weird it is to think that we're going to have a baby come home with us soon. It definitely hasn't sunk in, but as Thanksgiving approaches, I'm realizing slowly that we're down to a matter of weeks here. Mind-blowing, for sure. (Is the "holy crap, we're going to have a real live baby soon" panic a milestone? I think so.)

No one told me...

...that my pelvic bone/hips would start separating at 33 weeks, much earlier than the books predict. And that it would hurt like nothing I've ever felt before in this pregnancy. And that it would make climbing the stairs seem like climbing Mt. Everest. And that it would be brought on by a medium-intensity walk, something I'm supposed to be doing. And that, when I explained the pain to my mother, she'd say "Oh yeah, that hurts like hell. Sorry, honey, there's nothing you can do about it." And that, while it only lasted a few days, it would scare me into not wanting to walk again for the rest of the pregnancy, fearing it will start again.

...that this belly would grow an inch a week towards the end. 42 inches this week. For real.

...that the baby dropping does not always mean you get a reprieve in the breathing department. Because, let me tell ya, this child is making her way south but my breathing is actually getting worse.

...that I would unexpectedly lose all control of my emotions. And that it might just happen when I meet the husband for dinner. And that the waiter will have to ask him if you're okay because you had to run to the restroom with tears streaming down your face. For no reason whatsoever. None.

...that I would actually utter the words "Oh, it's only 5:30? I was hoping it was 6:30 so I could get out of this bed." Yeah, that's 5:30 a.m., my friends. Gross.

...that despite all of the physical ailments, I would still love carrying this child. And that catching my profile in a mirror or window would still make me smile well into the last few weeks. And that I would be excited for weekends to end and Mondays to come because that means the days are flying by and my baby will be here before we know it :)

Resting away...

Well, this is my first official day off on my new part-time schedule, and I must say, it's been nice. Slept in until 9 (Tylenol PM-induced, though). Stayed in my PJ's until about 2. Trying to rest as much as possible. Things are getting harder and harder to do and I feel myself tiring out so much faster now. I feel like I need to "stock up" on rest when I can. Oddly enough, I find that I don't eat as much/enough when I'm at home vs. at work, so as soon as I'm done here, it's back downstairs to curl up with some spiced tea and a snack. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it :)

How far along?: 33 weeks, 0 days.
Total weight gain/loss: +1 this week, +15 overall. Measuring 41 inches around the big ol' belly.
How big is baby?: Over 4 lbs and at least 17 inches long. If he's going to be as long as his daddy was, he's got some serious stretching to do!
Maternity clothes?: Feel like I wear the same things over and over again, but I can't bring myself to buy anything new for what will hopefully be just a few more weeks, you know?
Sleep: Depends on whether or not I've taken Tylenol PM. With it, not bad. Without it (which is 90% of the time), ugh.
Movement: Usually intense, sometimes surprising, occasionally painful, always comforting :)
Labor signs: BH still. Otherwise, no other early labor signs.
Food cravings: Halloween did not help the sugar cravings, though I've managed to muster up a little more self-control than last week.
Gender: Doesn't matter, I'm already so in love.
Belly button in or out?: Flat.
What I miss: The husband. He's working some long hours these days...
What I am looking forward to: Getting to spend days at home with my little one, both of us in our jammies until 2 :)
Best moment this week: Getting all of Baby Reeder's shower gifts put away. Almost all the big stuff is put together and everything else has been organized in the nursery. This teeny little baby has an awful lot of stuff already! Thanks for the help, Grandma!
Weekly Wisdom: A load of baby laundry takes twice as long to fold as a load of regular clothes.
Milestones: Lots more pressure/pain in my hips and pelvic area. Maybe baby is dropping?? Fingers crossed :)

Next month.

"When are you due?"

"Oh, you know, NEXT MONTH!"

Hello, November, lovely to see you :)