Wee One Wednesday: 37 Weeks

Full term! Full term! Baby Lu is officially full term! 

It's funny because even though I feel like I've been pregnant for 62 years, it is also so surreal to know that I have gone from this to this...

...in 9 short months. And for the record, I definitely think my belly looks bigger in person than in these 37-week pics. 

While some of my most recent days have felt very long and uncomfortable, it is also so hard to fathom that I am already here, nearing the very end of my third pregnancy. My second trimester seemed to come and go in the blink of an eye, and the busy-ness of watching two littles with a traveling hub while trudging through the last 9+ months really has made the whole pregnancy ordeal a pretty quick one for this Momma. Physically, I am definitely ready to be D.O.N.E. being pregnant. But. Emotionally and mentally? Not quite yet. I am happy to report, however, that as of last weekend, the nursery is officially complete and ready for occupancy! And my belly is just about out of room for occupancy:

Size of the Baby: We got to see Baby Lu last week, at my 36-week ultrasound. A few things were confirmed: (1) Most importantly, the baby looks perfectly healthy, praise the Lord; (2) The baby is waaaaaaaaaaay low, so much so that he/she was hiding his/her face from any cute ultrasound photos; (3) The baby was measured to be around 6 pounds, 13 ounces at that point, with an estimate of being around 8-ish pounds when he/she is delivered at 39 weeks exactly; (4) I am not dilated at all, which hopefully means I'll make it to that 39-week delivery day. It was so fun having my hub and two littles at the appointment with me, for our last in-belly glance at Baby Lu. 

According to babycenter.com, at 37 weeks, Baby Lu now weighs approximately 6 and 1/3 pounds (not this baby!) and is a bit over 19 inches long (not this baby!), about the size of a bunch of Swiss chard. I don't know what Swiss chard is, but it doesn't sound very appetizing. I mean, chard? What in the world is that?  

Symptoms:  Well, the thought of sleeping through the night is a joke at this point. I wake up every night, have a bowl of Lucky Charms, and then try to go back to sleep quickly. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes it doesn't. Also, heartburn/indigestion is pretty regular these days, and sadly, so is daily nausea. I never had any of the latter with Banks or Raleigh during third trimester, but it stinks. I'm guessing it's because the baby is so low that he/she is putting some weird pressure on my stomach or something? But blech. It is no fun. Also, fatigue, back pain, and a heavy belly are regulars at this point, as expected. 

Movement: This continues to be a very strong baby, with the movements still making me suddenly gasp in pain at random points throughout the day, again very different than it was with Banks and Raleigh, when the movements never felt painful. As always, though, I love these movements and will really miss them after pregnancy. 

Sleep: As mentioned above, insomnia is part of my nightly routine. But. I am thankful that I am able to sneak in a couple of naps over the week, when I become especially tired during the day.

What I Miss: Not having to think twice about whether it's worth it to stand up. Not being short of breath. Being able to run around with my kiddos. Having a day without nausea. And, duh, adult bevs. 

Cravings: Raw broccoli and carrots. Cheese and crackers. Southern cookin'. Caramel Cadbury Eggs. 

The Belly:

I am headed out for my last OB/GYN appointment in a couple hours. Crazy! And please come on back for my LAST WEE ONE WEDNESDAY POST next week!!! See you then!