37 Weeks

How far along? 37 weeks! Our little turkey is fully cooked and my belly button is popped out to prove it! Now we can finally say, we can't wait to meet our baby boy and welcome his arrival as soon as he's ready to join us.

Weight gain? 37 pounds... Thanksgiving!



How big is baby? Baby J is probably 21+ inches from head to toe and weighs between 8 and 8.5 pounds.

Maternity clothes? I'm finally able to wear my maternity clothes and some items are now too small for my torpedo belly! I don't know how mamas of multiples find clothes to wear, especially pants and tops together. I tend to have a gap between the bottom of my top and the top of my pants! Dresses seem to work out best for now, as long as they are long enough or I wear them with leggings.

Sleep? I find myself yelling at Ryan while he's asleep. He loves to snuggle, but at this point, he usually just ends up kneeing my belly or kind of on top of my belly and squishing me. I'm uncomfortable enough as it is!

Best moment of the week? With the exception of the crib, which is still getting refinished, baby's room is ready to go! Well, it's still a work in progress, but at least it's a comfortable, functional, space. His dresser is full of clean, ready to wear, clothes; the changing table is fully stocked with diapers, wipes, ointments and creams; the glider chair is equipped with a cozy blanket and boppy pillow, ready for us to feed him and rock him to sleep; he has a shelf full of books for us to read to him and even his very own cell phone fully uploaded with lullabies and soothing songs. He'll be sleeping in a Moses basket in our room for the first few months. We still have to put up some shelves, get some artwork, and a few more accessories, but for the most part, his little nook is ready and waiting.

Funny moment of the week? During our ultrasound Thursday, we learned that baby boy has a full head of hair! Just as we pictured him full of muscles after I had the cortisteroid shot when the placenta was bleeding, we now picture him with a full beard and mustache. My dad said, two months from now, we'll hear him from the bathroom, "yo Pops! Come teach me how to shave!"

Symptoms? Baby loves to push on my pelvic bone. I can actually feel his little hand push on the bone, especially on the right side. When he stretches, his little head puts a lot of pressure on bladder, so if he's in a wiggly mood, I might have to pee a couple of times an hour. I can also see how long his legs are when he stretches. His little butt pushes out of my left side and his little feet stretch out of my right side. When he wiggles his knees, it's like you can see a mouse crawling under my shirt. The first thing the doctor said during last week's ultrasound was, "wow! It looks crowded in there!" Believe me, it sure feels crowded!

Over the last two weeks, I've had a bit of high blood pressure. Combine this with my swelling hands and feet, and we have a concern for preeclampsia. I took a blood test last week and should learn Monday whether the signs are present there as well. Since my blood pressure is high, baby is big, and the placenta may deteriorate early, we now have to go in for non-stress tests and ultrasounds twice per week. So, this week, we have appointments Monday and Thursday to monitor my blood pressure, baby's heart rate, and whether I'm contracting for 30 minutes followed by a songogram to check the placenta and amniotic fluid level. Thursday, we have an appointment with the OB where we may discuss whether an induction is necessary based on the results of all the tests. Even though we'd be happy to welcome baby today, I'd love for him to have a early December birthday. I love the December flower and birthstone!

This morning's non-stress test showed my systolic blood pressure was still a tiny bit high but no higher than last week. It also showed that I'm having itty bitty contractions about 10 minutes apart! I can't really feel them, but they suggested staying super hydrated with my feet up, especially if I want to keep this little guy in until December.

What I miss? Seeing my lap! Yesterday, I was eating a piece of pie and of course Ryan needed a bite. He dropped half the bite on my lap and I had no idea where it landed! Thankfully, he cleaned up his mess.

What I'm looking forward to? December! Decorating for Christmas! Giving gifts! Online shopping! Baking cookies! Baby J is on the way and that means family and friends will soon be here as well! I can't wait! Our first Christmas as a family of three! It's going to be the best month ever!!

Here's the 37 week bump (plus a little preview of Baby J's nook).