34 weeks - Cole

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along : 34 weeks! I can't believe how fast this week has flown. I'm starting to feel the pressure of how little time is left compared to how much I still want to get done before he comes. I move so slow; it takes me double the normal amt of time to do most things. 

Size of Baby :  ~18+ long & ~5+ lb

Total Weight Gain : ~ 21 lbs, still about 6 lbs less than last time.

Maternity Clothes :  100%.

Best Moment This Week : Josh & I celebrated our 10th anniversary over the weekend. We exchanged gifts, and then we went out on a rare non-movie date to the Melting Pot. It was delicious and fun.

I also had some good fellowship time this week - pictures & lunch with M&M, a play date at the park with Corrina, a drive to Denver with Mindy, and a phone call with Jeanna. I needed a little adult conversation :)

Gender : It's a boy! Unfortunately, this week Ash was acting up at nap time, so I had to clear off the shelves in his room of all the bins and books. The easiest solution was to dump them in the next room, which happens to be Cole's room. Then later Ash went in and knocked over all my neat stacks, so now Cole's nursery is a MESS. You can hardly walk in the door. So I'm slowly working on cleaning up and organizing the mess so we can put the furniture where it belongs and set up the crib. Hopefully we can get it settled this weekend; one less thing on my to-do list for the month. I still haven't made the time to finish up the roman shade either.

Movement : He's so long and strong. He's starting to get really cramped in there, so some days he doesn't move very much. But then there were two days where he almost didn't stop moving. I think it all correlates with whether he's having a growth spurt too. Growth spurts require energy and he sleeps all day. Also, hiccups have been driving me crazy lately. But today I made Josh feel the hiccups, and he made Ash feel it, and Ash's face lit up. Not with a smile, but with the tangible realization that Cole is alive & active inside my belly.

Food Craving : Still sweet tea and chicken. I've also eaten so much junk this week. The best was Melting Pot (and the complimentary chocolate covered strawberries we got). The funniest was when Stephanie mentioned Cheetos and then I had to get some next time I bought groceries. But the truth is I've lost all my self control this week. Every kind of junk you can imagine. I've indulged way too much. My body is feeling it; I'm breaking out and I don't feel healthy. I really need to reign it in, and read a good article about entitlement that spoke to what I believe is the issue at the root, so I'm going to try to work on that attitude this week.

What I Miss Most : I can't wait till I don't feel huge anymore! Everything takes me so long b/c I'm so slow. I just can't wait to be limber enough to reach my toes, quick enough to function, etc. 

Sleep : same. Up a couple times a night to pee and a couple more to roll over. Ash has been having nightmares in the wee hours or just a little before the alarm, so that's not helping my exhaustion. 

What I Am Looking Forward To : I can't wait to meet this kiddo!! Also, next week is my birthday and next weekend is my shower. So fun!!

Belly Button : same, getting shallower all the time. Still annoyed at the lack of symmetry. :)

Symptoms : Going to the aqua class Wednesday helped my joints, but b/c it was a new activity I was still just as sore and tired. I've been busy and active, so even though I said I was going to cut back and start "acting pregnant", I haven't. I'm feeling it. I've been tired, exhausted. Each evening my back and my stretched belly hurt. But each morning I awake feeling mostly rejuvenated and without pain, so I overdo it again and feel the same by evening. There's so much to do, my nesting instinct has kicked in, and my to-do list just won't stop. Every day I add something else to the list! :-O

So, it's the usual, exhaustion, aches, reflux, and generally feeling extremely big and squished.

Compared to last time : almost exactly the same.

Sorry, I didn't get around to taking a picture yet, so you'll have to wait for that one. Just look at last week's picture and imaging me a little bigger and with dark circles under my eyes ;-D