This has been my goal week from minute one. And I am so happy we hit it. This week my body has really been getting ready for Henry to come. I've had lots of symptoms that labor is near which is exciting! These symptoms can last for a few days before labor begins or a few weeks so there is no telling how soon he will be here but I'm thrilled my body is showing signs that it's getting ready. Henry has really dropped now. I feel downward pressure most of the time now, especially when my bladder is full and he has his head on it. I also started contracting last week and into this week. I've had Braxton Hicks contractions for weeks now where my tummy just gets tight but it doesn't hurt at all and often times I don't even realize it happened until it goes back to normal and is soft again. This week they have changed into what I think is "false labor" contractions. My tummy gets really tight and hard like Braxton Hicks but now my belly feels crampy and really uncomfortable. I noticed one I had last night I even was holding my breath through but it was totally doable. For most of the week these have been happening more at night and when I'm active, like running around at work. They have also been very irregular. I'll have one and then won't have another one for an hour and then have two back to back. Last night however during dinner I probably had about 7-8 so I started timing. Still not in regular intervals and they went away after a few hours. Hopefully this is helping to dilate or efface me a little so munchkin can get out! I just can't wait until the real thing starts, I just want to get it over with and meet my little man!
I had my weekly BPP on tuesday and Henry did his tricks quickly this time (which was nice to not sit there for 30 minutes and worry). He also got a growth sono this time and weighed in at 6lbs 11oz. I'm so happy he is growing and doing well. He was hiding his face again, shocker! So here is the best pic we got this week. Can you see his little fist held in front of his face?
Then I got canceled tuesday night so Taylor and I got to enjoy wednesday (Taylor's day off during the week) together. We rand some errands and picked up Henry's ottoman for his room, it was ready but the chair is not yet. Hopefully it will be here before he is. I also did one last load of baby laundry and made sure everything is clean and ready to go. His room is just so cute and fun to be in.
He wants to meet us I think. Check out this video of him trying to bust loose! Crazy how much he moves.
I packed my diaper bag with some boogie wipes, a bulb syringe, a few burp rags, a bib, a swaddling blanket, an extra outfit, a small hand sanitizer and roll of dirty diaper baggies and of course some diapers and wipes. I also packed Taylor's backpack from college with the same items so he has a man-bag to take with him when he has Henry with him and doesn't have to carry my black and white polka dot purse looking diaper bag. He was thrilled with this idea and I was happy to play along. Taylor is just so excited to meet his son. The look on his face when I was contracting the other night was priceless. I wish I could have taken a picture of it, it was like a little kid on Christmas morning. "Is is time?!", " are you ok?!", "Should you be timing these?!" I loved it. He makes me so much more excited to meet Henry too. He put our swing together the other night while I was at work too.
I worked thursday night and I didn't get much sleep at all the night or day before so I was tired and hormonal and burnt out. I've literally been at the hospital for weekly sonograms, lab draws, Dr. appts, work, meetings etc every single day for the past 3 months strait. I can't get far enough away from that place and I am ready for my maternity leave to get a break from everything.
I started crying at work that night talking to a friend. I have loved being pregnant but the combination of everything just made me feel so overwhelmed. I'm just ready to be done. I am just so ready to have him in my arms. If I'm not going to sleep, I might as well get to snuggle my little man-cub in the mean time. People keep telling me that I'm going to regret saying that and that I will be so exhausted and overwhelmed once he gets here and that I should enjoy these last quiet moments but the truth is.... I can't wait for the middle of the night feedings, and crying and snuggling and stroller walks and milestones hit and seeing my husband hold his baby....His human baby....
I've been dreaming of these days for so long that I am totally welcoming the change. I know it'll be hard and stressful and exhausting and a huge life change and no I've never had a newborn at home before or breastfed or any of that. But, I have people tell me all the time "you have no idea what you are in for", "it's the hardest thing you will ever do", "you don't get it", but I don't care. They don't get it. They don't know how many times I cried in the waiting room at the infertility office, hiding my face behind a magazine, watching the new babies and pregnant moms walk into the OB/GYN side right next door. Or how I used to close my eyes as I walked by the bullitan board in the hallway of the "success story baby birth announcements" on the way to the exam room. Maybe they don't remember how bad we wanted this baby. How hard we worked, how much disappointment we went through and how many times I thought "maybe we will never get pregnant" after failed months over and over and over again. We have wanted this sooo bad for so long so I just want people to let us enjoy it. Let me be excited for him to be here, let me want a screaming hungry newborn in my arms. MY screaming hungry newborn and let that be ok.
I read an article the other day about a clearly frazzled brand new momma in line at target with a crying newborn and another couple near her said "oh just wait" with a negative connotation as in raising children is just one horrible headache after another. The woman who wrote the article was a bystander and was totally taken back because having and raising children is an amazing and wonderful thing! She responded to the woman "Yes, just wait...until he smiles the first time at you!, Just wait... until he starts talking! Just wait.... until he runs up to you at preschool and hug your legs when you pick him up because he missed his momma! Just wait.... until he come home from school with a dilemma and needs his mommy to help him and you save the day! JUST WAIT!" I feel the same way, everyone has something negative to say about motherhood and newborns. Why don't you tell me how wonderful it is to hold your brand new baby for the first time, to fall in love with them, to hold them and rock them as they sleep on your chest, to watch them get fat and grow because of your milk you give them, to see them learn to sit and crawl and walk and talk because YOU taught them. I'm excited for all of that, every second good and bad...so just let me be.
Momma bear rant over. Bottom line....come on baby cub, we are ready for you.
I woke up the other night and Taylor had fallen asleep with his hand on my belly, waiting for Henry to kick. I about lost it. He is so wonderful and so excited too. I can't wait to see him hold his son. That is probably the greatest excitement for me at this point.
Chalkboard time!
How far along? 36 weeks, Henry tipped the scales at 6 lbs 11oz at his growth sono this week.
Total weight gain: 15 pounds total now.
Maternity clothes? Same ole, same ole. I am getting kinda jealous that there is so much cute spring stuff but I can't buy any of it because I won't fit in it for awhile.
Sleep: Let's face it, I sleep like crap. I'm trying to adjust to it. I used to be able to sleep for 12 hours strait with no issues and now I can't stay asleep longer than 2 hours in a stretch, I either have to get up to go to the bathroom or flip to my other side because my hip hurts and that means I have to move all my pillows and blankets... Taylor and I both wake up, not fun. UGH!
Best moment this week: Seeing that Henry is still doing well and growing. And starting to contract!
Miss Anything? Moving around without feeling like I'm going to fall apart. I'm out of breath, my hips and pelvis and lower back hurt, I can bearly pick crap up off the floor. I'm just ready to be active and normal again.
Movement: Remember last week when I said he wasn't kicking as much as just making big body movements? Well I lied, this week he has been kicking and punching (my bladder and crotch) and rolling around all over. My belly looks like an alien is going to bust out of it.
Food cravings: Orange Juice and banana nut muffins this week.
Symptoms: My hips, pelvis and lower back are very sore, I think he is scooting down and getting ready. Out of breath all the time, lower energy level and some swelling in my legs.
Belly Button in or out? We will say flat-ish now. I don't think it's going to pop, I had a freakishly deep belly button to start.
Wedding rings on or off? still on but they get a little snug at the end of the day or if I walk with my hands down for a long time.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Both, I started out super happy and ended that way too but I got kinda emotional thursday. I will say, the only thing I got super anxious about was coming home to my freshly mopped floors that took me 3 hours to do and lots of moaning and groaning to find tiny muddy pawprints ALL OVER. I could have killed Taylor for not wiping her feet but oh well. He said he would redo it for me and he did. What a good man.
Looking forward to: Henry coming!! I just want to meet him, HURRY UP BABY!!
No comments:
Post a Comment