Week 37: Anyone For Swiss Chard?

At 37 weeks they say that our baby is as long as a stalk of swiss chard, a little over 19 inches, and weighs a touch over 6 lbs.  It's still funny to me when they compare Baby Johnny to fruit or the length of a vegetable. It's hard to visualize the size of our baby compared to swiss chard, but here's our wavy baby.

And me growing at almost 38 weeks....

Let It Rain

After 2 baby showers and TONS of amazing gifts from friends and family, Baby Johnny's nursery had officially become a storage room. Where in world could I fit all this precious stuff? 

 

Help! What do you do when you don't know what to do? Call Mom. My mom came for a weekend while Johnny was in WA for a wedding, helping me get organized, things washed and put away. Baby Johnny's room is actually HIS room now! Thanks Mom!!

That memory box in this second photo was Johnny's mom's gift to us at the shower. She kept her hospital bracelet from when he was born, his favorite hat, overalls, pictures drawn for her and some childhood pics! What a special gift for our son!!

My Chicken Is Cooked

Since the books compare our growing baby to fruits usually, it almost seems awkward that this week they compare him to a small roasting chicken in week 35. For some reason I feel better about them comparing him to fruit, but so be it. He weighs more than 5 lbs and is 16-20" long now.  Last week at an appointment with the NP she did an ultrasound to see if his head was down. Well...it was down and the size of his head alone looks like a small roasting chicken!! I asked the NP if that was the baby and she laughed and said "That's his head." Just his head??!!Oh my goodness. I can't believe how big he's getting. I'm excited to meet him.

He and I are getting both getting bigger and the weight is apparently a little much for my ankles. They look worse than they feel. Ha! These hobbit stumps and sausage toes do shrink down during the night at least.Sexy huh?!

Shower For Gundie

My pals that I made in the wedding industry threw us an awesome baby shower last month. The shower theme was Baby Bundy by Gundie. If you want to know about Gundie, you have to ask. ;0)

It was such a fabulous time, from the food to the games and the fantastic gifts. Aimee's house was the perfect setting for the shower and her delicious drinks, including the Nojito were delicious. The decorations were awesome!

Carissa of Sugar and Spice Specialty Desserts (who also made the desserts for our wedding) made ALL the food and desserts!!! I loved everything and thought the mini mason jar salads you shake up were so fun. Carissa almost didn't make them because she was worried about suggesting "shaking" at a baby shower. Too funny!! All the food was outstanding and of course the desserts, divine. I can almost smell chocolate caramel tartlets now. Mmm....

Shannon of Flourish created these amazing masterpieces for the shower. The spiky ball looking things are where castor oil come from. She also made me a beautiful, unique wrist corsage for me twisting the metal even. So talented!!

While Lora of A Day to Remember is a coordinator by trade, I don't think she's had to work on too many baby showers. She was in charge of games and they were a blast and I had never played them before! One game included everyone blindfolding themselves and drawing the items Lora described from our house to our baby and our dog. The winning image was framed and will be hung in Baby Johnny's room. What a thoughtful idea!  The playdough babies were fun too.

Jen of The Memory Journalists was there to capture all the fun and festivities too, which is so nice. It's great to have awesome pics of big events in your life. 

I can't thank everyone enough for the fantastic gifts and fun day!!! I had such a great time and Baby Johnny will love all the great outfits, toys, books and blankets that he got.

Swelling Belly to Swelling Body

I don't have much to complain about my pregnancy because I have had it pretty easy, but I do want to be as honest as I can about the symptoms that I've experienced. My recently pregnant friend asks me to tell her all of it, the good and the "bad". She may eat her words, especially after last week when she had to hear about how they check to make sure you have "room" for baby. ;0o

Earlier in my pregnancy my biggest complaints were not being able to sleep on my back any longer and missing sushi. As I move into the last two months of my pregnancy there are a few things that you would expect:

1. trying to roll myself out of bed or off the couch, instead of jumping up
2. using my hand feet to pick my socks up off the floor instead of bending over
3. waddling to the bathroom several times at night to pee
4. my family birth right(s) finally "developing"
5. my sizes fluctuating quickly
6. CRAVINGS

And there were a few things that I was surprised by:
1. needing to wear a pantyliner through my pregnancy (if you have to ask, don't)
2. actually didn't know I was not going to be allowed to sleep on my back (like a cruel test or joke, I may have cried when I first read it)
3. that kicks from my loving spawn growing inside me can be painful

Including my recent symptoms (which prompted this post):
4. getting as HOT as a hibernating bear
5. my ankles and feet turning into hobbit stubs at the end of the day 
6. cramping/pain when walking for too long (although I think it has a lot to do with his head being down)

I remember reading a book when I was first pregnant telling all the horrible things that people don't tell you about being pregnant. It made me kind of nervous and thinking I would never be the same. I feel like there may have been some unnecessary scariness. It's not like everything happens all at once, or that you shouldn't expect significant changes when you are: providing and creating another human life inside your body.

No matter what symptoms you have (with a few exceptions), I don't think I've met any mothers that would say they would take it all back if they could. This is such an amazing experience and I know it will all be worth it. Although, ask me again after I've given birth...I may feel differently. Ha! ;oP

That's My Bladder, Not A Soccer Ball!

Seriously, this kid moves more often than not. We are starting to feel his limbs when he stretches way more than just tiny movements. Sometimes he kicks so hard, I'm sure he's going to rupture one of my organs, poke through my stomach or I'm going to see a foot coming up through my throat.

There are times that his movements feel like he's squeezing my cervix like a stress ball or trying to push himself out, but I wouldn't trade any of this for the unique experience that I've had. Baby Johnny also had hiccups the other night, which is a small, rhythmic experience. At first I think they're kicks until his movements become repetitive. 

I can't believe that he's growing at a rate of 1/2 lb weekly now!  Only 49 days left until his due date!!! When do you think he will grace us with his presence? On time? Early? Late?