Little Baby Smith: 36 weeks

How far along? 36 weeks, the length of a stalk of celery

Total weight gain: Still at 19 pounds. I am really surprised that I've stayed this low honestly. I have had no swelling at all this round yet. With Henry I had +4 pitting edema that I found out later was literally shown to a nursing class in a video I sent to my friend as a "great example of what it looks like for learning to assess their patients". I'll be interested to see if I have a big 10lb gain at the very last week like I did with Henry (all fluid of course).

Maternity clothes? my shirts are getting a little snug and short, I'm living in the biggest of my maternity wear. The girl is large and in charge.

Sleep: Lots of contractions, getting up to pee, flipping sides to get comfortable. The usual. But I am still able to nap and such which is great. In fact, this week I napped every single day when Henry did, just because I could.

Best moment this week: Henry feeling better (read below) and finally feeling ready for her to come.

Miss Anything? Sugar, though I did cheat a few times this week. It was a rough week. And sleeping and moving around like I normally do. I'm super pregnant, just in case anyone wanted to know.

Movement: Just when I thought she was getting settled and falling down to get ready to come out, She's beeing flip flopping all over again. Still head down but moving all around. I love love love watching her and feeling her and I am trying to soak in every moment because I know I will miss it so much when she's born.

Food cravings: ICE and peach slushies from sonic. Thank god they're sugar free.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing :)

Gender: GIRL

Symptoms: Braxton hicks this week, the cramping and lower back ache stopped by monday afternoon, she is still down low but not super super low according to my doctor this week. I have had some mild nausea and light headedness today and I've heard that can be normal at the end of pregnancy, yep, I'm at the end.

Belly Button in or out? flat, completely. It's weird.
Wedding rings on or off? ON! I took my ring to be cleaned and dipped since it hadn't been done in probably a year now. Gross. I was without it for 3 days while they did that and I was sooooo happy to have it back on. I love love love my ring. Love it.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Super emotional, no tears this week but it's been a long week and I'm just on edge.
Looking forward to:
ELEANOR BEING BORN!!!! I seriously can't wait, and yet at the same time, I can. Oddly enough. I am so excited to meet her and get the whole labor and delivery thing over with, pain wise. But I will say delivering Henry was the most amazing moment of my life. The euphoria and excitement and love and adrenaline rush I felt was so incredible. I seriously can't wait for that moment again and to see Taylor hold her for the first time. But I am oddly enough not chompin at the bit to get her here. She is okay by me to cook a little longer. First of all, I want her to be healthy as possible. Second, I am trying to enjoy time with Henry and every single day I have with him alone is one more day of snuggles and just down time before our world gets changed (for the better, but changed none the less). It also gives me more time to get a few more things wrapped up and I can't complain about that.

What we did this week:
Took care of a sick kiddo. Last week Henry threw up three times last tuesday night from what we thought was a reaction to mandarin oranges. He hasn't had a stellar appetite since, but I figured it was normal toddler pickiness setting in. Wednesday morning he got up and ate a great breakfast which was awesome because he literally ate nothing for lunch or dinner the night before despite massive amounts of effort on my part. He was being clingy and whiny and out of nowhere threw up several times, in my bed. Awesome. I threw him in the tub and rinsed him down and let him play while I cleaned up and had Taylor come home to help watch him so I could keep my weekly appt with my doctor. She checked me after hearing about my symptoms and I'm only 0.5-1cm dilated. Which is fine, she can cook a little longer for sure. We did a fluid challenge and BRAT diet for Henry and worked to keep fluids in him and thankfully he hasn't been sick again and started eating again today. Thank God. Worried momma over here.
The rest of the week was such a switch from last week for me, my nesting and motivation has quit. Not completely, but for the most part. I am super pregnant, I am tired, I am winded and weak and I am done getting ready for this baby to arrive (for the most part). I tried to keep on top of things to keep everything clean and organized so that when she decides to come into this world I can rest assured the people coming to my house to help with Henry and our dog don't walk into a mess. Also so that when I am gone and come home I can know my house is clean and nice and neat so I don't walk into a mess and so that when we have our newborn pictures taken in our house sometime in the first week or two of her life that it's already clean and ready to go for that too. I asked Taylor to use the old fashioned bucket and mop system with floor cleaner and then polish to do our floors (normally I do the swiffer wet jet and vacuum). He also went and used Christmas money we saved from our parents to go buy white wooden blinds for all of the windows on the front of our house. We have always had curtains or sheers and it's been no big deal, but we are adults and it's due time we make our house look like we actually live in it and take care of it and not just rent it. He put the ones in the bathroom, mudroom area and dining room the other day and they are beautiful. It really changes the look of our house and I love it. He will be doing the landing of our stairs, guest room and Eleanor's room this weekend. The only windows on the back of our house are Henry's room and our room and those have blackout curtains in them anyway and then the big bay window and breakfast nook windows and I think we want shutter style blinds for those so that will come later.

I did a lot of laundry and cleaning and packing of hospital bags and birthday shopping for Henry this week. I got him an entire new spring wardrobe (since the kid needs another toy, like he needs a hole in his head) and some more puzzles and books since he is obsessed with those lately. I plan on getting him a bigger slide than the one he has for outside and maybe a water table to play with in the backyard this spring and summer. I need a few more ideas but that should be a good place to start. Since his birthday is only 8 days after she is due, I would like to have all of that wrapped and ready to go so we can not have to leave the house to get things unless we want to. It dawned on me the other day that I need to get a few party things for our family party for him and Easter clothes and basket stuffers for the kids too. I found Henry an easter shirt and Eleanor a dress and shoes, just have to order the dress online. Eleanor will be easy to do, Henry I struggle to find toys or age appropriate stuff to put in it that's not just junk. So that will be interesting.

I also finished most of my freezer meals this week. Taylor and I went to Sam's and Walmart and got all of the food we needed to make the recipes I gathered for freezer meals. I am so proud of myself for being so on top of things this round of baby prep. With Henry I did nothing, but thankfully we had some friends and family bring dinners and I found that I was excited to cook healthy food and use the grocery store as an excuse to get out of the house I had been cooped up in. This time I know the dinners don't come as easily from others (which is totally fine) but I also don't want to have to do anything extra if I don't want to, so if I can use the freezer meals to get us through the first few weeks or in between cooking some nights, I will.
I have offically cooked, wrapped and frozen: