39 weeks

I am 39 weeks today! We have been very busy this week getting the nursery together and making sure we are ready to have a newborn. We couldn't have gotten so much done without the help of my mom, dad and sister. They helped us so much and thanks to them his nursery is ready! I woke up this morning with contractions and thought today was the day. They have slowed down, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. I was 70% effaced at my appointment, but no dilation. I was a little disappointed, but I'm trying my best to be patient. We are full of anticipation waiting on baby Barrett to choose his birthday.

How far along? 39 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a watermelon! 

Total weight gain? 36 pounds! I never thought I would gain this much, but my doctor said some of it is from swelling thank goodness! 

Maternity clothes?  wearing mostly yoga pants and flowy dresses...also the sleep shirts from Victoria's Secret have been really comfortable. 

Sleep?  Waking up a couple of times in the night. 

Best moment of the week? Getting the nursery finished! It feels so good to finally have his room ready. 

Food cravings? Cereal and as always sweets. Mom and I went shopping the other day and we bought Chocolate, gummy bears, skittles, and then went to the Flour Shop and got cupcakes, reeses pieces cookies, and a carrot cake whoopie pie! Barrett sure does have a sweet tooth ;) I think he may take after his cousin Collin!

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms:  Contractions, a lot of pelvic pressure and sharp pains, and lower back pain. My right ankle is still swollen. 

Mood this week: Excited about being so close to my due date!!

Movement: Oh yes, all the time!    

What I’m looking forward to: Barrett's birthday!

What I miss:  I miss a lot, but no complaints here! I know it will all be worth it!

Next appointment: Wednesday, August 22nd

38 weeks

I am 38 weeks and almost ready for him to be here! I think Steven and I are both ready for him to be here, but his nursery is still not complete. His recliner still isn't in and we haven't hung anything up on the walls yet, but we got everything else organized and cleaned this week. We got a new car and have started packing our bag for the hospital. Barrett feels so heavy lately; it is getting harder and harder to pick things up off the floor and if I lean up he makes it clear that he is not comfortable unless I give him some room and lean back a little. I have also started having contractions, but they haven't been consistent. I went to the doctor again, but didn't get checked because of what happened at the previous appointment. I am supposed to really take it easy and am not allowed to get in the pool :(...apparently I developed a friable cervix...no fun for me. Only two weeks left until my due date, but I'm still predicting his birthday to be this Saturday on the 18th.  Come on baby Barrett! We can't wait to hold you in our arms!

How far along? 38 weeks 

How big is baby? the size of a pumpkin! 

Total weight gain?  It has been fluctuating because of the swelling. I got up to 35 pounds at one point, but it has gone down a few pounds.

Maternity clothes? Yes and my yoga pants have been the most comfortable. 

Sleep? Sleeping okay.  

Best moment of the week? Getting a new car that I will feel safe driving with a baby.  

Food cravings? Sweets as always. I hope this sweet tooth calms down. 

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms:  Swollen right ankle and a lot of pressure. Also, some contractions!

Mood this week: Happy and full of anticipation.

Movement: Still moving all the time.   

What I’m looking forward to: Seeing Barrett's face for the first time. Steven and I have both been having dreams about his birth. We cannot wait!

What I miss: Not feeling like I have a bowling ball in my pelvis. I know I'm going to miss feeling him all the time, but I am so ready to feel normal again.  

Next appointment: Wednesday, August 15th

37 weeks

I am 37 weeks pregnant and officially FULL TERM! I got checked for the first time and I'm 50% effaced. I am hoping I go into labor a little earlier than my due date because the pressure is getting worse. This last week, I've had a lot more pelvic pain and pressure and my feet and ankles are starting to swell. I don't think having a baby at the end of August in Texas is the best idea, but only a few weeks and he will be here for sure! 

This has been a very sad week with losing our PaPa, but I feel comfort knowing that he is no longer in any pain and that we will get to see him again one day. He would have been so happy to be here for baby Barrett's birth, but I know he will be there watching over us with a huge smile on his face.

The chigger bite bumps are STILL everywhere. I hope the red marks go away soon!

How far along? 37 weeks

How big is baby?  We had an ultrasound and the doctor said he already weighs 6 1/2 pounds!

Total weight gain?  33 pounds

Maternity clothes?  yep...feeling huge!

Sleep?  I wake up at least twice in the night to go to the restroom and his movement wakes me up sometimes.

Best moment of the week? Spending so much time with family.

Food cravings? Sweets with coffee.

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms:  Swollen and hurting feet, lower back pain, and a lot of pelvic pressure.

Mood this week: Sad 

Movement: All the time. He kicked the doctor while he was doing the ultrasound. He is very strong!   

What I’m looking forward to: Finishing the nursery...hopefully we are able to get everything done this weekend. 

What I miss:  Feeling good in my clothes.

Next appointment: Wednesday, August 8th.

36 weeks

Chigger bites are still there, but at least they have stopped itching!

How far along? 36 weeks

How big is baby?  a crenshaw melon, probably around 6 pounds.

Total weight gain? Around 30 pounds...I'll find out Thursday for sure.  

Maternity clothes? I'm really not comfortable in any clothes, but mostly dresses. 

Sleep? I'm sleeping pretty comfortably, but I wake up at least a couple of times through the night to go to the restroom.  

Best moment of the week? Celebrating our two year anniversary and having a spa day yesterday!

Food cravings? Lime flavored fruit popsicles and anything sweet still.

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms: I've noticed some swelling in my feet and fingers when I get too hot or when I walk for too long. My feet swelling just started a couple of days ago so I think I need to drink more water. I've also had a lot more lower cramping.  

Mood this week: Happy and feeling the need to get everything ready in our house. We still haven't finished decorating the nursery.

Movement: Still feeling him all the time. I can tell he is too big for the rolling around he used to do, but he is definitely kicking and punching all the time.    

What I’m looking forward to: Getting checked for progress for the first time at our next appointment. 

What I miss: At this point, the hardest thing about being pregnant is just finding something to wear. I do not feel cute in anything! 

Next appointment: Thursday, August 2nd!

35 weeks

This week started off great and ended terribly! We had our maternity pictures taken on Thursday and had so much fun! I can't wait to see them! We took them all outside and ended the session with some of us sitting in a field. I am really scared of spiders and insects so I wasn't a huge fan of sitting in tall grass or even walking through it, but I figured it was worth getting some really good pictures. We haven't seen any of the pictures yet, but I can definitely say that no picture is worth what we have been through the last few days! We woke up the next morning itching like crazy and were covered in chigger bites! I have never been so miserable as I have been with all these bites. There is nothing you can do to get rid of the them faster; you just have to try not to itch them because they will scab up and scar. We have been putting on anti-itch cream and taking Aveeno oatmeal baths. Somehow I managed to get a lot more bites than Steven, and the combination of being this pregnant and itching all over my body is something nobody should experience! They are starting to feel a little better so hopefully the itching will go away soon, but I read that the bumps can last weeks...yuck! So other than the last few days, I have felt good, and we are getting very excited about meeting baby Barrett! We cannot wait for him to be here!

After our pictures

35 week bump/chigger bites

My right side got a lot more bites.

Just a small part of the bites on my back.

34 weeks

I am 34 weeks and feeling really good! I had my last baby shower on Saturday given by my friends and it was adorable! (pictures coming soon) We have had to re-schedule our maternity pictures twice because of the weather, so hopefully we will get to take them Thursday. We also start our childbirth classes tonight! Only six weeks to go...this pregnancy is flying by!

How far along? 34 weeks

How big is baby?  About the size of a cantaloupe, around 4 3/4 pounds,  but he has been measuring big so probably over 5 pounds now.

Total weight gain? Around 27-28 pounds.  

Maternity clothes? Wearing mostly dresses, yoga pants, and leggings.  

Sleep?  Today was the first day in a while that I was actually able to sleep in. I think this weekend wore me out!

Best moment of the week? My baby shower!

Food cravings? Sweets and my white chocolate cappuccinos. I ran out of the mix that I always got in Natchitoches so I need to find it here! It's caffeine free and delicious!

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms: Still having feet pain that I hope will go away after this pregnancy. I think I have really hurt something in my right heel :(  

Mood this week: So happy! I think I have come to terms with not being able to fit into any of my old clothes. I want to just enjoy the rest of this pregnancy because I think I am going to miss my belly and feeling all the movement. 

Movement: I feel him all the time! My stomach jumps and waves throughout the day and if I bend over or even lean over a little I feel him pushing on me to lean back. I can also feel more little kicks at the top of my stomach. He is hiccuping quite a bit too! We went to the movies yesterday to see Spiderman and he had me jumping and shifting through most of the movie...he is going to like action movies like his daddy :)

What I’m looking forward to: Going through everything we have and getting all the last minute necessities. 

What I miss: This weekend I missed being able to wear my old bikinis.  

Next appointment: Thursday, July 19th

33 weeks

I'm 33 weeks and have had a great week! I went to the doctor on Tuesday and everything is looking good! His head is down, my blood pressure is low, and my doctor told me to start eating more fats and proteins like bacon and cheese :) My feet pain is really my only complaint. I haven't been able to do as much as I would like, but I guess I just need to take advantage of relaxing and staying off my feet. Barrett's furniture came in and we ordered a glider/rocker recliner that should be here in 4-6 weeks! We are having maternity pictures taken on Sunday and I also have another shower on Saturday that my friends are giving me! This upcoming week is going to be so fun! I feel like I'm growing so much every day. My little cousin Collin said "Barrett is getting longer!" lol!

How far along? 33 weeks

How big is baby?  About the size of a pineapple

Total weight gain? 26 pounds

Maternity clothes? I am mainly wearing maternity clothes and long dresses. I am also starting to take over Steven's t-shirts to sleep in. 

Sleep? Sleeping pretty good. 

Best moment of the week? Getting Barrett's furniture!

Food cravings? Sugar cookies from Great American Cookies and coffee.

Food aversions? none.

Symptoms: Feet pain and still feeling pressure. The doctor said to stay off my feet and that my pains are perfectly normal. He said it is just from growing so much right now. 

Mood this week: Happy!

Movement: He is moving all the time still! He has had the hiccups a few times this week and liked to punch and kick me all throughout the day.    

What I’m looking forward to:  My last baby shower on Saturday!

What I miss:  Being pregnant really has been amazing, but I miss just being comfortable. 

Next appointment: July 19th

32 weeks

I'm 32 weeks and it feels like this baby will be here so soon! This week Steven and I have been going on walks around the neighborhood. I haven't been on the treadmill in a while because I've been so tired, so these nightly walks are just what I need to get a little exercise while spending some quality time with my hubby. This week we also were surprised with a baby shower given by Steven's co-workers. It was so thoughtful that they planned this for us and Steven has only been there for a few months! We are so thankful that he works with such sweet people. This has been a pretty good week overall other than some pain and pressure. Barrett's furniture will be here soon so I will post pics when it arrives! We can't wait! 

Our family of three...soon to be four! :)

Surprise baby shower!

So cute!

Steven's co-workers who planned the shower.

How far along? 32 weeks

How big is baby?  About the size of a jicama.

Total weight gain? 25 pounds! 

Maternity clothes? Yes and the top of my stomach is sticking out a lot more now.  

Sleep? He is kicking me so much so it has been keeping me awake a few nights this week and last night he had the hiccups! Even though it was preventing me from falling asleep I kind of loved feeling his adorable little hiccups,   

Best moment of the week? Steven's co-workers threw us a surprise baby shower at his work! It was so sweet!

Food cravings? Sugar cookies, cereal, and spicy food! 

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms: This week I have been feeling a lot of pressure and sharp pains really low. I actually thought I was having Braxton-Hicks contractions yesterday but it's hard to tell what I'm feeling because I've never been through this. I'm going to talk to my doctor about it Tuesday at my appointment, but I think these are just normal symptoms especially because I'm carrying him so low.   

Mood this week: Happy and anxious. 

Movement: Still feeling him all the time!! I think I'm going to miss watching my stomach jump up and down.   

What I’m looking forward to: His furniture coming in and decorating the nursery!

What I miss: I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again! I also miss having skinny legs...it is crazy that I used to complain about my body pre-pregnancy!   

Next appointment: Tuesday, July 3rd

31 weeks

I am 31 weeks and getting more and more excited to meet this baby boy! He feels so huge now and his movement makes me jump or gasp because it's so strong. I've been feeling much more back and stomach pain this week, but the doctor said it was perfectly normal because the baby and I are both growing so much right now. This week Steven and I have been talking a lot about what our lives are going to be like once Barrett get here and how much everything is going to change. Our main concern right now is how Sophie is going to adjust to not being the only one who gets our attention. She is really high maintenance and pretty much like our child. A lot of people tell us we won't care about her anymore once Barrett gets here but I really don't think that will happen at all. She is so special to us and we are going to try and get her used to Barrett as soon as we can. Last night, we got our first taste of what it might be like having a new born. Sophie has been sick and she woke us up every two hours to take care of her. Not being able to sleep in lately and waking up with a sick puppy is preparing us for parenthood. Even though we know it will be a lot of work we could not be more excited to become parents to this precious baby boy! 

We got Sophie a new toy because she's been sick and she loves it! A shark that is almost as big as her!

How far along? 31 weeks

How big is baby? About the size of a pineapple

Total weight gain? 24-25 pounds! 

Maternity clothes? Yep, but I am still also wearing regular clothes that are loose-fitting.

Sleep? Not bad, but my back pain makes it difficult to get really comfortable.

Best moment of the week? Getting all of Barrett's new shower gifts put up and washing all of his adorable new clothes!

Food cravings? Right now I am craving popcorn and ginger ale. Still loving sweets too!

Food aversions? None. 

Symptoms:  Back, stomach, and feet pain. Feeling sick when I get really hungry. 

Mood this week: Really happy considering the new pains. 

Movement: All the time. Sometimes the kicks scare me because they are so hard!   

What I’m looking forward to: Going to the Rangers game and wearing my maternity shirt Steven bought me for my birthday. 

What I miss: As always, sleeping on my stomach.  

Next appointment: July 5th

30 weeks

Oh what a difference a few weeks have made! My belly has grown so much this past month and I know it is still going to get bigger! I am 30 weeks today and feeling so tired all the time. My worst symptom has definitely been my feet hurting every day. I already had bad feet before pregnancy, but now they hurt all the time! It probably didn't help that I wore 4.5 inch wedges on Friday AND Saturday. I hope that once I have him and lose the baby weight that my feet will at least go back to only hurting every once in a while. Other than my feet pain and being exhausted I still feel pretty good for being 7.5 months along. One thing that has changed this past week or so is that ALL of my t-shirts are either too snug on my belly, or they just aren't soft enough for me to sleep in. I used to come home and put on a cute t-shirt and shorts and feel so comfortable and relaxed...not anymore! Because all my clothes are feeling so uncomfortable I have been very picky about what I can sleep in. I only want really soft shirts and I don't want them to be constricting. Shorts are a whole different story and I have started to take over Steven's work-out shorts when I am feeling huge :) His kicks are still very consistent and getting stronger and stronger! Only 10 weeks to go!

I finally got the video to work! Here is a little glimpse of Barrett moving around at about 29 weeks. This baby boy is constantly moving! 

How far along? 30 weeks

How big is baby?  The length of a cucumber

Total weight gain?  19+...I'll find out Thursday for sure. This morning, my scale was right around 19-20 pounds.

Maternity clothes?  Mainly wearing dresses...maternity or loose-fitting

Sleep? Good 

Best moment of the week? Having our first baby shower!

Food cravings? Sweets and coffee

Food aversions? None

Symptoms:  Feeling tired and feet pain...also getting a few painful kicks on the left side.

Mood this week:  Happy and so grateful for my family working so hard on our shower. 

Movement: All the time!

What I’m looking forward to:  Getting all of our shower gifts out and putting our big stuff together. 

What I miss:  Sleeping on my stomach!!!

Next appointment: June 21st

29 weeks

Thursday we went in for one of the many check-up appointments to make sure everything is normal and baby is growing. My doctor said it felt like I was measuring around 27 weeks so he suggested an ultrasound the following day to check the growth of my uterus and baby just to make sure he was growing enough. We really weren't worried at all because I can tell he is getting bigger every day. He feels so much heavier just this week.  

So we went in for a sonogram and were completely shocked to find out that not only is baby Barrett healthy and growing, but he is measuring at over 30 weeks! He is already 3.2 pounds! So it looks like we are going to have a larger than average baby. I feel so lucky to have a healthy and growing baby, but I have to say that knowing my baby's head is measuring at 31 weeks already and that his whole body is measuring over 30 weeks makes this first time momma super nervous about actually having him. It's starting to become real that he actually has to find a way out of me...I was hoping to just stay in pregnancy bliss and denial and keep pretending that the stork will somehow deliver him from my stomach to my arms in a cute little basket. I just have to keep telling myself it will be worth it once we are holding him in our arms! Only 11 weeks until the due date! 

How far along? 29 weeks

How big is baby?  3.2 pounds! About the size of a butternut squash...this seems appropriate considering he is constantly squashing all my organs, specifically my bladder.

Total weight gain? 19 pounds! It is so weird to see the number on my scale now. I am having to try really hard to not let it get to me that my whole body is expanding. 

Maternity clothes? Yep. Found some really cute pants from Express that aren't maternity and they are amazing! The waist band is smocked and they are light weight and so comfy!

Sleep? Sleeping good, but Barrett kicks me if I roll over a little too much.  

Best moment of the week? Definitely watching our baby on the screen during the ultrasound. He kept opening and closing his mouth and moving his tongue around like he was tasting something. I had just had a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, so I think he was enjoying that. It was adorable! My mom came too so she got to see her first ultrasound since she was pregnant with me! 

Food cravings? Still sweets. 

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms:  Nothing really new. His kicks are so hard that they actually startle me. They will also hurt once in while now too. 

Mood this week: Probably more on the grumpy side. I am feeling stressed about everything we haven't done and being in the third trimester is making me realize how soon he will be here. We have got to get to work on the nursery!

Movement: All the time. I have some good videos of my stomach jumping around with his movement but for some reason they won't load into this blog. 

What I’m looking forward to:  My baby shower on Saturday!!! 

What I miss: I cannot wait to sleep on my stomach again. 

Next appointment: Thursday, June 21st. 

28 weeks/Third Trimester!

I cannot believe I am already in the third trimester! So far, this pregnancy has flown by. It's hard to believe that we will be holding our baby boy in three short months! 

How far along? 28 weeks

How big is baby? About the size of an eggplant

Total weight gain? 15-16 pounds

Maternity clothes? Both. I have been trying to find some comfy dresses because it is way too hot for pants or constricting tops.   

Sleep? Still sleeping great. I haven't been able to sleep in though because Barrett's movement will wake me up and I am so hungry in the mornings. 

Best moment of the week? Feeling his movement getting stronger and knowing he is growing, getting his baby bedding in the mail, and passing my glucose test! 

Food cravings? I could seriously eat sweets all the time. I could just skip meals and eat dessert all day if I didn't have to worry about nutrition and weight gain. I am still loving oreos and peanut butter and I got to have a delicious piece of strawberry cake at Olivia's 2nd birthday party (thanks Jess!). 

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms: I experienced the first kick from Barrett that actually hurt! I am also feeling more tired.   

Mood this week: I am just full of anticipation and trying to read about all things baby. Steven and I have been reading What to Expect When Expecting together. 

Movement: I feel him all the time and I can tell he is really growing because his kicks are getting stronger. I love watching my belly jump up and down. 

What I’m looking forward to: My first baby shower! Ash let me pick the cake flavor so I chose Oreo cookies and cream! I can't wait!

What I miss: Just the usual sleeping on my stomach. I am also starting to have a hard time picking out outfits to wear. Cute maternity clothes are hard to find. 

Next appointment: This Thursday, June7th

27 weeks

27 week bump

Holding baby Barrett

How far along? 27 weeks

How big is baby?  A rutabaga

Total weight gain?  As of Thursday at the appointment I was right at 15 pounds and baby could weigh over 2 pounds already! 

Maternity clothes?  Maternity and regular clothes

Sleep?  Sleeping good. I can feel Barrett moving when I lay down at night and every morning when I wake up. Feeling his movement right when I wake up puts a huge smile on my face. 

Best moment of the week? Getting his crib in! It is all set up and the only thing in the nursery. We love it!

Food cravings? Peanut butter, oreos, vanilla ice cream, fruit...still anything sweet

Food aversions? None

Symptoms:  My feet start to hurt so easily now! I also had some bad cramping over the weekend. I think it is from my stomach stretching. 

Mood this week: Emotional. Excited about my growing belly...not so excited about my feet pain.

Movement: I still feel him all the time! I can tell he is getting bigger because I can feel him on both sides now and not just the left side. I think he still likes to try and cuddle up on my left side though. 

What I’m looking forward to: So many things! Getting the rest of his furniture, my family baby shower coming up, and starting the third trimester!

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach. We all went to my Aunt Carolyn's house for Memorial weekend and I was able to lay out on my stomach in this pool floatie and it felt so good to just relax laying that way. 

Next appointment: June 7th. I had my glucose test done on Friday and it was the best experience I've ever had giving blood. The nurse only had to stick me once (this has never happened) and Steven said my blood was flowing fast. Usually, they stick me at least three times in multiple places and only give a tiny portion of the blood they need and I end up passing out or getting sick, so this was such a pleasant surprise! Having more blood in your body is a great pregnancy symptom for me :)

26 weeks

I am 26 weeks and growing every day! We finally went shopping for baby stuff and picked out some of the big items we will need. We had so much fun, but I think I overdid it because after folding and unfolding stroller after stroller I started to get cramps in my stomach. We ended up going home a little earlier than planned because I needed to get off my feet and relax. My belly button has been sore and I noticed it has changed just this week. It's starting to flatten out- you can see inside of it now! Barrett must be growing so much this week. He is still kicking and moving just as much as he always does and Steven finally got to see one of his super strong kicks. The other day I had my laptop in my lap and he seriously kicked me so hard that my laptop moved! I've been telling Steven about these crazy hard kicks and on Sunday (at 26 weeks exactly) I could feel the pressure and his kicks starting so I called Steven over to see if he could catch a glimpse. When Steven sat down, Barrett started having a dance party and my stomach was moving so much! Steven couldn't believe how much my stomach would move and he said it looks like it hurts. It hasn't hurt at all so far...I actually love it and look forward to the moments when I can feel him move (kick, punch, dance, or whatever he is doing in there). Here comes the serious prego belly! I'm excited that I really look pregnant now :)

My new weird belly button

Getting big!

Sophie wanted to be in a picture.

Embracing my bump!

How far along? 26 weeks

How big is baby?  A head of lettuce

Total weight gain?  I'm not sure...I'm guessing around 15 pounds. I'll find out Thursday at my appointment.

Maternity clothes?  Both...t-shirts are getting tighter! 

Sleep? I'm sleeping fine, but I wake up with my stomach feeling kind of achy. I think I am just starting to feel the pressure of the extra weight.

Best moment of the week? Shopping for Barrett

Food cravings? Still wanting sweets all the time. I have even started to like oreos more! I will indulge and have a couple and dip them in peanut butter! Oreos have never really done anything for me so Steven thinks Barrett loves oreos like him :)

Food aversions? None.

Symptoms:  Some stomach cramping, sore belly button, some lower back pain.

Mood this week:  Very emotional. I cry so easily (and it's usually because of something I watched on tv or just because I am so happy). I honestly didn't think pregnancy would make me more emotional because I was already that way...but I was wrong.

Movement:  I feel him all the time and I love it! 

What I’m looking forward to:  Getting my glucose test over with! I am a nervous wreck when it comes to blood work. 

What I miss:  Sleeping on my stomach for sure!

Next appointment: Thursday, May 24th