37 Weeks

Full term... the words almost every pregnant lady looks forward to. Assuming my iron levels have gone up (find out Tuesday morning), I can safely have this baby any time with my midwife. I'm so thankful to have reached this point. I've really wanted to enjoy this pregnancy, and at times I have, but it has taken such a toll on my body this time. Maybe just this one time I'll have a baby that decides to come early...only God knows that detail. In any case, we're so close now. The end is in sight.

Litl B is now considered "full term," even though the due date is three weeks away. If I go into labor now, his/her lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though.)
Litl B weighs about 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 Litl B'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.

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 37 Weeks 3 Days

Total Weight Gain: 10 pounds. It's hard not to be discouraged seeing that number drop again. We figured that due to my body having a not so grand reaction to all the iron and different supplements I'm having to take, that is probably the reason it went down again.

Maternity Clothes: Looking forward to the time when I'm back in my regular clothes. It's hard when even your maternity shirts don't even cover you completely anymore.

Best Moment This Week: Can't place my finger on one exact moment, but I can say that I survived the week and so did the kids.

Gender and Name: Getting so excited to see what little miracle God has given us.

Movement: Seems to be slowing down now that I'm truly out of room...at least I feel like I am.

Food Craving: Just want to have a normal meal.

Sleep: Had one good night of sleep this past week. All the other nights aren't even worth talking about.

Symptoms: Still dealing with the anemia issues. I'm amazed at how quickly I will get exhausted. Some days, aside from being a mom to two children, just getting the dishes in the sink washed and the laundry done is about all I can accomplish before being completely wiped out. It's a weird feeling to not have the energy that you are used to. As I walk around our apartment and see all the little details or even some of the big things that need cleaning, I start to stress out knowing I don't have it in me to get it all done. BJ has been helping out which is such a blessing and he's always reminding me that it's ok to have clutter around, we'll get to it when we can. I'm trying to just relax about it all.

What I miss: Breathing normal. On top of having a hard time breathing because of Litl B sitting up high, I found out that anemia can actually make it difficult as well. This too shall pass...

What I'm Looking Forward To: Having my next baby appointment. Praying for some good news.