38 weeks.

Your baby has really plumped up. He or she weighs about 6.8 pounds and is over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). Your baby has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his or her hand for the first time! His or her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If your baby is born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he or she is born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time your baby is 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after birth, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Baby girl is moving around so much lately. Definitely seeing some pointy parts of her body slide across my stomach. I haven't seen any specific, identifiable parts or anything, so not that creepy yet.

Not much to update on. Going to the doctors every week. Our next appointment is on MLK day.

My last day of work is tomorrow. Can't believe how fast this has all gone. This week has flown by because I was training my replacement while I am on maternity leave. Now I get to watch trash t.v. professionally, eat Bon bons, ect. Ect.

Hiccups

Baby girl, you seem to constantly have hiccups.  Such a funny feeling!

Tour of the birthing center/37 weeks (one day early) update

We will be 37 weeks, officially tomorrow.  Here is baby update:

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, her lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

So we finally went on the tour of the birthing center.  It was interesting to be there, but not as scary as I thought it would be.  I thought possibly seeing where the "bidness" goes down might be frightening.  It was so quiet and no one was really there when we went.  That was kind of good.  I was worried I was going to hear some woman screaming her head off while we were passing through.

We have Eliana's diaper bag packed and we're finishing up our hospital bag.  Ryan finished the last of her laundry today, I just need to hang it.  Girl has a closet full of clothes.  I don't think I am supposed to look at my daughter's side of the closet and be jealous, but I am.  haha.

I think that is it for now!

    

36 weeks! And a happy new year!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds – at the rate of about an ounce a day. He or she now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long.

Your baby is shedding most of the downy hair that covered his or her body, as well as the vernix caseosa – a waxy substance that protects the skin during its nine-month bath in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows these substances, along with other secretions, and they form a tar-like black substance called meconium which your baby passes in his or her first bowel movements.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full term. (Full term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are preterm and those born after 42 are post term.) Most likely he or she is in a head-down position. But if not, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version. (This is a fancy way of saying that your caregiver will try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating him or her from the outside of your belly.)

Happy new year!  We are only 26 days out from our due date.  WHOA.  Also, I have been pregnant for 253 days.  That is a long damn time.  haha.

I rang in the new year folding baby clothes.  Ryan did all of her laundry and I packed her diaper bag.  We're super wild.  We also had some sparking cider with his friend though, so we got a little crunk.  Today I have the day off and I am feeling so lazy.  :(  I've noticed my days off make it insanely difficult for me to get and do anything.  I am much more productive on days I have work.  

This weekend, we're going on a tour of the hospital.  That should be exciting and sufficiently nerve wrecking.  haha.  

Baby girl is MORE than welcome to stay in for a bit, as we still have a lot of organizing to do and she still has some more developing to do.  (Though, the organizing seems like it will never end.)  I cannot wait to sleep like a normal person again.  

Well, I'd better get off of this couch before I become a permanent fixture.    

Pictures

Ryan putting together the stroller. :) 

Little miss will be reppin UC Davis

I just loved this.  :) 

Didn't end up buying these but love these pants.  I planned on getting some cute, colored pants once I am wearing regular clothes again.  She can match her momma. 

Some of the clothes hanging in the closet.  We got more since this photo was taken, though!

35 week appointment

Met with another midwife yesterday for our last 2 week appointment.  Seems like we were just starting on these! Now we will be going every week.  So crazy.  It's going to be hard to schedule my time around these things with work and all.

Anyway, the appointment went well.  Better than our last one!  The last one, (I can't recall if I wrote about it)  was scheduled with a doctor I didn't really care for.  I didn't even end up getting to ask all of my questions so I had a lot for the midwife this appointment.  I asked about my baby vibrating inside of me.  Lol.  That is really the only way I can explain it.  She said it is normal due to their nerves still developing and all of that.

Today, Ryan put together the car seat and stroller.  He even went and installed the car seat.  We're going to find a place so that we can get it checked, just to make sure it's all installed correctly.  Ryan was fussing over it, even though she isn't here yet.  So I think that will make him feel a little better.  Lol.

Tomorrow I plan on organizing some more.  We also have this huge bag o laundry to do.  After laundry is done, we're going to pack up her bag with a couple of outfits for her, some blankets and caps, and whatever else I might throw in there.  I am getting so excited.

We went to Target the other night and used our gift cards we received.  Oh my Lord, I wanted to buy all of the little girl's clothes they had there.  So many cute things.  So many cardies.  I die.  I resisted though.  We bought nipples for the bottles my sister-in-law gave us.  We also purchased some breast milk storage bags ,some more swaddling blankets and other random things.  I feel like we're doing pretty good and there may only be some small things we need still.   

Also very important, I've started to figure out where I'll be doing her photos.  Lol.  I cannot wait.  :)

35 weeks. :)

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now. He or she is over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon)! Because he or she is so snug in your womb, your baby isn't likely to be doing dramatic somersaults anymore, but the number of movements you feel should remain about the same.

Your baby's kidneys are fully developed now, and his or her liver can process some waste products. Basic physical development is now mostly complete – your baby's main job over the next few weeks is to put on weight.

We are hanging at Nana's right now, waiting for Christmas festivities to begin. Tamales, children screaming, ect. Ect.

We are only 5 weeks out. It could be sooner, but likely at the most 7 weeks How crazy is that? Time has flown by and I couldn't tell you even where it's gone.

I am trying to get everything ready for work for when I am out on leave. I feel like I am running out of time. Lol.

We only have little things left to get, on top of organizing. I am getting excited and have been watching all of the informational videos I can. :).

Out next appointment is the 28th. I will be checked them for how I am progressing.