37 Weeks - 3 weeks to go

37 Week Photo of the ever-growing belly!

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Congratulations! Your baby is full-term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away. He 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.

Survial, I'm going to make it, I will keep on survivin'

Today, I am one day shy of 37 weeks, and also the day I wished this baby would be born. I don't think I am going to get my wish, or my Granny's wish (sorry Gran) but all I know is that the baby will be here soon and that is very comforting.

If I could paint the picture of how I look today, this would be it. Hardly cleaned up. Wearing track pants that just barely fit, and fall down when I bend to do toilets and mopping. A t-shirt from my pre-pregnant days that does NOT even come close to covering the belly. And a hair clip and a hair band to keep the hair out of my face so that I do not have to touch my hair or face with chemicals. Oh yes, a vision of beauty I tell ya.

I have been doing FULLLLLLL on nesting today. That and resting. If you read my other blog I did not have a very good day today. I think it time this baby comes out. I think a baby on the outside would be better now, than on the inside.

Today, I was a busy bee. I washed out the inside of the fridge, and all of the compartments and purged old jars. It is sparkling. I also vacuumed the main level of the house. I washed down all the cupboard fronts in the kitchen, the door frames, did all of the windows and doors. I also mopped the main level of the house. I am awaiting the arrival of a brand new dishwasher and range any moment now. That is a good thing. I also dusted and totally cleaned the main powder room clean. Scrubbed everywhere as much as I could. I cannot STAND that bathroom. It stinks and I can never keep it clean enough. I washed the baseboards in there, and the walls in there. I think Cliff is going to paint it this weekend, and finally get a mirror in there. Update it a bit. It really needs it, especially because EVERYBODY who comes in here uses it.

I also washed down the staircase railings and posts. They were SOOOOO dirty too. I dusted the light fixtures too. It feels good to clean, but trying to keep the kids occupied is truly another story.

The rest of the mopping will be done tonight when the kids get into bed. I need a break from them today. I am tired. Trying to keep five kids happy, and trying to just survive the day is a crazy day. It was nothing like I wished it to be...

Something positive about today, well my in-laws have decided to give me a bit of housecleaning for the first month after baby is born. That is a good gift!

finishing up

Well, Cliff and Cameron put the bassinet together tonight! It is empty and in our bedroom awaiting the arrival of our baby. Today the kids helped me sort and pile up clothing for both a boy and girl and neutrals and then, they helped me put it into the machine. It was a full load of laundry complete with the white going home blanket, a bassinet sheet! (thanks APE, it is perfect and I have been looking to buy one all of this time!), all of the little wash cloths, the baby bath towels, the gender neutral receiving blankets.

The suitcase is pulled out, and ready to be filled. Also, I emptied out a basket that will hold little cloths and diapers for the countless diaper changes ahead. And, Cliff adjusted the infant seat. All he needs to do is fasten in the base in the van. The boy stuff is in Cameron's room. The girls stuff is the little girls' room. We are preparing our nest! It feels good. We are so excited. There is a blank camera card in the camera, and one in the video camera.

My photo cards were developed, and I just need to sort and place into the correct photo albums. My big Gramma ginch is also in the wash. And, I feel a BIG clean coming on!! I see so much that I just want to get at lol! And, by goodness I will!

My appointment today 36 3/6

Well, I am up 1.5 pounds bringing my grand total of weight gain to 33 pounds at almost 37 weeks. My blood pressure was the best it has been throughout the whole pregnancy (maybe it was the afternoon snoozed that helped?!) In any regard. I was checked, and I have made progress again. Cervix soft, and I now a solid 2 cms. I am measuring 37 cms, and baby's heart was bopping away at 144. Sounded great. Baby was also sitting a lot lower. I could sure tell that for sure. So could others at school lol. They said I was way out there, and now baby dropped. Could be tonight, could be about 2 weeks from now. In any event, baby will be here soon. Today, I had a feeling that this baby could be a boy. I don't know if I am thinking back to when I had my first, or if it was looking at the cute blue clothes. But, we look forward to meeting this baby! We cannot wait!!!

IF baby does not make an appearance in the next couple of weeks I will be induced by breaking of my water around my 38th week by my doc...which is SOOOO close. Sometime in the week of the 18th of November. I also have my papers to carry around should I have to go to the hospital tonight or during the week, or to my next week appointment.

Tonight, I am going to wash some infant clothes, get the suitcase out, start packing, get Cliff to build the bassinet. Who knows...always better to be prepared than not.

I locked myself out of the house this morning. Good one. I had to borrow a cell phone to call Cliff to come home and open the door. Preggo brain. I don't think I have EVER done that. Oh well.

Sneek Peak

Here are some shots from my maternity shoot done on Sunday morning by the lovely and talented photographer, Jillian Kirby! I am so excited to see the other photos!

Nesting Nutso

Well, it has been a busy couple of days. Saturday I had my hair done FINALLY, we had a wedding to go to, and then a reception.

Sunday morning, I had my maternity photos taken. I think they are going to be beautiful. I also had my friend Lisa (the one with the same family like me, and due with her 6th 3 days before me) to have a photo or two taken together. Belly to belly, and back to back. We had a great time, and a great way to capture our 6th pregnancies together. We laughed a lot, and I cannot wait to see the results. After the photos, we had lunch and with the weather being so beautiful we took the kids to the park to play. We all had a good time. I found it hard to move around. I had to wear my pull on sandals as nothing fits anymore! Thankfully the bathrooms were open this week too!

After we got home, the kids and I got the playroom sorted and purged and put back together.

And, of course for the past couple of days I have had some moments where I get the nesting nutso coming out of me! I finally got a few letters written and mailed, I got the photo albums done and put away. I did the baby photo album. I cleaned out the basket over the TV armoire, I cleaned out the little dishes in the chalkboard tray. Yesterday I went crazy after dinner cleaning and organizing things that don't usually bug me. But, yesterday they did, so off I went and I cleaned out the board game cabinet, I cleaned out the craft cabinet, I cleaned out a couple of drawers in the bedroom for the baby stuff to go in, and now I have a car seat, and baby clothes for both a girl and a boy.

Last night before bed, I experienced a bit of pinkish discharge which I believe to be "bloody show" and had some little contractions, more like regular braxton hicks, that came and went. Obviously, I didn't go into labour...but that doesn't mean it won't happen! So, baby could be here today, tomorrow or couple of weeks from now. It is hard to say. I have my doctors appointment tomorrow afternoon. But, if I notice things are starting to happen you betcha I will be ringing the doc. I am 36 weeks and 2 days today. My second child Claire came 24 days early which would be 2 days from now.

Today, I stripped our bed, and I am washing and drying the sheets, and today I am going to wash a few little outfits, get the suitcase out, start packing, and get my other photo cards developed and put away. And, I have asked that Cliff please build the bassinet tonight after work!

I have been finding that last few days very hard to walk around with such swollen feet, and legs. And just all of the pressure of the baby who has definitely moved down again further. I hope this baby stays in until I hit 37 weeks which is on Saturday.

Week 36 - 4 Weeks left

Week 36! I am in the home stretch!

At the end of this week, you're going to reach an important pregnancy milestone — your baby will be considered full-term. That means you could give birth any day now. As your baby gradually drops down in your pelvis in preparation for birth, your lungs and stomach will finally be able to stretch out a little so you'll breathe more easily. On the down side, you may find you need to go to the washroom more often as your baby squashes on your bladder.

Here I am, squished into wedge heels, and pregnancy tights that my husband had to help yank over my swollen feet and legs. That was fun! lol. We were off to a family wedding and reception.

Here is a close up, note how the bum is as big as the belly. Yup.

And yes, I decided to go darker with my hair and had my hair done FINALLY the same day!