Stay- cation

Memorial day weekend was Oh-So-Much Fun!!!  Usually a great time to getaway, but with a baby due any moment, we didn't want to get to far from the hospital. 

Enter Stay-cation;; a vacation in which you go  no where at all.

We are lucky enough to live in a vacation hot zone, so we decided to take advantage of all the wonderful things around us. 

Saturday we spend the day at Gaylord palms fabulous new water park, Saturday night we enjoyed roasting marshmallows on the beach, and Sunday was spent splashing around at Disney's Polynesian Resort. 

So much fun, can't believe we're down to our last few weeks as a family of 3!

Week 37

How far along:

37 weeks

How big is baby: 

The size of a winter melon, about 20" long and 6.5 pounds

Total weight gain: 

16 pounds.  At my last appointment my doctor mentioned that she hardly ever looks at patients weight charts.  She happened to glance at mine, noticing that I had lost a pound from the previous week, and that I had only gained 16 pounds total.  She looked me straight in the eye and said, "I just have to ask, are you eating?"  Ha, oh yes, I am eating, a lot.  She then went on to ask how much I gained with Nolen, and then said that is just what my body needs for pregnancies. 

Maternity clothes:

Skummy pants, dresses, more skummy pants. 

Stretch marks: 

None. Fingers crossed I get away without any the second time around as well.

Belly button: 

My turkey timer has popped...it's been out for weeks.

Sleep: 

I have been having CRAZY pregnancy dreams, like every night.  So in between waking up to pee, and waking up with Nolen, and trying to get comfortable, I have been having these crazy dreams.  Don't know about you, but when I dream at night I wake up feeling tired, like I didn't sleep. 

Best moment of the week: 

The countdown is on with this school year, 10 days left, Almost to single digits!

Food cravings: 

Frozen coke, Yum!

Food aversions: 

Seafood & steaks.

Symptoms: 

Lots of Braxton Hicks, getting stronger and more frequent. 

Still only a fingertip dilated, but now 60% effaced.

Movement: 

Loves hanging out on my right side.  Several times a day he'll give a good stretch, pushing his back and butt out the front of me as far as he can.  His little foot (I think it's a foot) loves to try and escape out of my right side as well. 

Gender: 

Little Man!

What I’m looking forward to: 
School being over so I can enjoy some time with Nolen, 2 years later it's never gotten easier leaving him to go to work each day. I may or may not still cry sometimes as I leave for work...maybe hormones, maybe Mommy guilt :(  I am SO looking forward to being home with my little men for a few months!

What I’m nervous about: 
Being overwhelmed with 2 kids, forgetting how to take care of a newborn. I'm also really nervous how Nolen will handle everything.  He's still a baby himself.  

What I miss: 

Wine,

Next appointment:

May 29th @ 3:00, only 1 left after that!

My weekly appointments haven't been showing much progress, which is okay with me.  I think my babies like to stay put for awhile. (Nolen had to be evicted 5 days after my due date.)  My doctor will only let me go a week over, so the latest that Hudson can make his appearance would be June 18th. 

I really hope that I go into labor on my own this time, to avoid being induced.  I dream of a labor story that involves my water breaking and us having to rush to the hospital... a girl can dream right!

Week 36

1 month to go! There are 15 school days left and 4 short weeks until little brother Hudson arrives. Yesterday began my weekly doctors appointments, making this delivery very real (and VERY close!) I'm barely a fingertip dilated, and %50 effaced. She said that little man is head down and really low, he's in position and ready to meet his new family! I also had my last sonogram, little man Hudson is estimated to weigh around 6 pounds 3 ounces right now. They usually gain 1/2 pound a week in the last month, so we're looking at an 8 pounder (Nolen was 7pd 3oz.)

How far along? 36 weeks

How big is baby? The size of a melon

Weight gain? 145 pounds. +20 pounds, more gain then with Nolen, but I'm okay with that. I think he's just going to be a bigger baby (has nothing to do with my nightly root beer floats.)

Maternity clothes? Oh yes! In fact we're in the dress stage, if I'm not in yoga pants I'm rocking a dress.

Stretchmarks? None (Thank you Jesus, and good genes!)

 Sleep? Up at least 3 times a night to pee, up with Nolen about 2 times a night, up with a dancing belly about 2 times a night. These boys are keeping me busy already!

Best moment this week? My banana wafer milkshake from Chic-fila

Movement? Less wild dancing, more stretches and "yawns." He also gets hiccups a few times a day. Poor little guy is running out of room in there.

Food cravings? Not really cravings, in fact I feel really full all the time, I think he's taken up my stomach space (which I am A-Ok with!)

Name? Hudson Graham

Labor signs? Finger tip dilated/50% effaced. Strong Braxton Hick contractions a few times a day, take your breath away.

Belly button in or out? OUT.

Rings on or off? On, along with my beautiful David Yurman push present :)

Morning sickness? None, again, thank you Jesus!

What I miss: Shaving my legs, and seeing my toes.

What I am looking forward to? Enjoying our last few weeks as a family of 3. Getting in as much Nolen time as I can!

Weekly Wisdom? After being shorthanded, they put me into a 5th grade classroom for a day. This taught me that I would NEVER be able to teach the big kids. They were tall, they were mean, and they hadn't yet discovered deodorant.

Milestones: On to weekly doctors appointments until Hudson arrives!

35 weeks...which conveniently means only 35 days until Hudson's due date!

Celebrating Little man Hudson

What wonderful people I have in my life, feeling really lucky to have them. Saturday my friends threw a "little man" shower to celebrate Hudson, complete with neckties and mustaches. Awesome friends, awesome day, love that Hudson got to be showered in love as much as Nolen.

Big Brother

Nolen is really getting into this big brother thing. He loves to hug and kiss my belly, and spent a good hour last night slathering it in loation (I guess he doesn't want a mommy with stretch marks either.) I think he gets it, I think he realizes there's a baby in there, but not sure that he totally gets it. Not sure that he realizes his world is about to be rocked. I on the other hand am starting to freak. Not only will I have TWO kids, but my baby isn't going to be my baby anymore. Poor little guy, he didn't ask for a brother. He didn't ask for his nice little life to be turned upside down. How is he going to feel when his mommy is holding another baby. How is he going to feel when we can't go to Disney because the baby is sleeping. I'm having a lot of Mommy guilt. Yet another reason I want to push pause on this pregnancy. I want enjoy every minute, every snuggle, every goodnight kiss with just Nolen. No interuptions allowed.

Week 33

How Far along? 33 weeks

Maternity clothes? Oh yes, but there's nothing better then my yoga pants aka "skummy pants." As soon as I get home I give Nolen hugs and kisses and then tell him "Mommy needs to go put on her skummy pants." He now points and asks "Mommie skummy pants?" "Yes, yes they are buddy."

Stretch marks? None with Nolen, I'm hoping it stays this way with Hudson (and and future babies I might have.)

Sleep? I flip to the left, I flip to the right, I get up to pee, then flip for another 8 hours untill my alarm goes off at 6:45.

Best moment last week? The pie festival. $10 all you can eat pie, enough said.

Movement? I was at a meeting this week when a co-worker (from across the table) noticed my belly moving. These aren't little cute kicks any more, these are "help me, I'm a 6 pound baby crammed in a small uterus."

Food cravings? Edaname, icees, fruit salad, and waffles.

Gender? Baby boy!

Labor signs? Some Braxton Hicks, some pressure. Doctor said little man feels to be head down.

Belly button in/out? Out and ridiculous looking.

What I miss: Wine, Step aerobics, sleeping, staying up past 8pm.

What I am looking forward to: My baby shower this weekend!!! Can't wait to have all my favorite girls together to celebrate this new little man. Feeling blessed!

I'm realizing that this pregnancy is in the final few weeks, and unlike most people who are just ready to get it over with, I'm wanting to hang on. I'm wanting to soak up each and every bit of this pregnancy. The baby kicks, the preggo belly, the amazing feeling of creating a life! I love being pregnant, and I'll probably only get to do this once more. Anxious to meet this little man, but in no rush for him to come out. I wish I could be pregnant forever (Tim may have other opinions :)