36 week update... Surrogate Side

Date:  December 3rd, 2013

How Many Weeks:  36 weeks!

Total Weight Gain: I'm guessing a whopping 21.5lbs - a whole pound from last week...  Just 'cuz I've been eating a lot (duh, it was Thanksgiving!) and the apple pie had my name ALL over it!  Maybe even more than a pound??  Geesh, I hope not!

Baby Size: Honeydew Melon (still, this seems small to me, but who am I to scoff?)


What is going on with this baby:

• He's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on his own.  Let the countdown begin!
• His skin is getting smooth and soft and his gums are rigid.
• His liver and kidneys are in working order.
• Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.

Maternity Clothes:   While out shopping on Black Friday (that was so much fun!), I purchased a couple pajama sets!!  They are not maternity, but I got a bigger size than I would normally wear and they are delightful.  A little big, but so comfy and warm.  My belly is even covered!  My clothes otherwise are beginning to get smaller.  I feel like I have nothing to wear.  I almost want to go shopping, but decide not to since I only have a few weeks left.  I guess I can tolerate wearing the same wardrobe week after week for the duration...  I try to spice it up a bit, but there is only so much that still fits - and that's not so much at all.  Ha ha!

Sleep: Still going pretty darn good.  My crazy, weird dreams have calmed down.  My husband is no longer waking me up from my screaming nightmares.  (Well, I guess I woke him up first, huh?)  It's funny.  I think the only time I have dreams where I'm screaming for help is when I'm pregnant.  I believe this was the case for both of my other pregnancies as well.  I know for sure with my first because it prompted my husband to get an alarm system for our home because of my recurring nightmare where we were victims of a (not-so-nice) home-invasion while sleeping.  Hey, at least I got a security alarm out of it (which, by the way, I love).

Movement:  He's still moving quite a bit.  His movements are more centralized and a product of running out of space.  I have less sporadic kicks/punches and more "dragging" movement.  He also likes to stick his bottom right out there causing my belly to appear lopsided. 

Symptoms: Oh geez, I don't like this part because I always feel like I'm complaining.  But, really, I'm not!  Okay, with that said, here goes...  My back hurts.  I sometimes feel like I am smushing poor baby boy's head when I sit - this is kinda painful.  I think my cervix has some magic happening because that, too, is sometimes painful.  I cannot walk too fast because butterball in there just doesn't appreciate that.  I can feel him push into my cervix like he wants out.  Well, this happens even when walking slowly.  In fact, I think he prefers that I don't move at all.  On a more positive note, my boobies don't hurt!  Well, not like they did in the past at least!  (Only to return in a few short weeks with a vengeance...)

Food Cravings/Aversions:  No real cravings or aversions.  I ate very well at Thanksgiving.  My homemade apple pie was delicious.  I made it with some granny smith apples because I wanted it to be on the tart side.  Oh. My. Lord.  It was good.  I can honestly say that I ate the entire pie apart from one slice -- (Eeek!) -- over the course of three (or maybe it was 2?) days.  Oh well.  Don't judge me.

I'm looking forward to: tomorrow's OB appointment.  I eagerly anticipate the news of how much weight I have gained in this last week given I ate an entire apple pie...  I'm also curious to see if I've dilated at all.  (Yeah, I have a cervix check tomorrow along with a Group B Strep test.)  I can't wait!

(...you are welcome to interpret that last section as you see fit...)

Belly: