Due Date Week!

Well, another 3 weeks just flew by and now we are exactly 5 days away from Baby Rice's due date [insert shocked emjoi face]. It has gone by so fast, yet also seems like it has drug on for a long time. I can't imagine how fast time is going to go once this baby actually gets here. Trying to savor every moment.

36-37 weeks

 

Not too much happened these weeks. We started going to the doctor once a week at 36. At visit they checked for dilation. Yes, it is as pleasant as everyone says it is. I was not dilated and I was really excited about that. The doctor thought I was bonkers and said very few women get that excited about not being dilated. I told her I wouldn't mind if the pregnancy lasted a few more weeks. Hey, I still have a nursery to finish and loose ends at work. Weight gain is steady and feet swelling is continuing. Week 37 we finished up some final touches on the nursery. Jared hung the bookshelves, the paintings, baby boy's initials above his crib, and we finally rolled out the rug we bought back in December...

38 weeks

This week I celebrated my 27th birthday! I spent my birthday weekend down in Wilmington getting spoiled by my mom, brother, and Matthew. We went to the beach, where I got fried, and had some much needed relaxation (and a virgin daiquiri).

They treated me by taking me to get my nails and toes done. Thank goodness because I was starting to worry my toes would look hideous in labor. You can't paint your own toes when you can't reach them.

I came home and celebrated with my girlfriends at Kanki, of course. I have been eating at Japanese Steakhouses for my birthday for as long as I can remember. Even more fun to eat there when pregnant!

Jared and I both had pretty busy weeks so we weren't able to really celebrate my birthday until later in the week. We treated the dinner as a combo, Lauren's birthday and our possibly last date night before baby arrives! The sweet waitress brought us out a complimentary dessert and wished us congratulations.

As for the doctor update, I let them check me again at 38 weeks to see if I had changed any. We found out I am 1 cm dilated, which is basically nothing. I don't have any real signs of labor, just what seems to be Braxton Hicks contractions here and there. The scale has me weighing in now at a total of 50 pounds gained (oy vey). I am attributing that to all the swelling, I swear I am retaining all the water I am consuming. I give myself a +1 pitting edema on my assessment (only my medical friends will get that).

I thought this was pretty crazy to see. Everyone at work had told me I was dropping and they are all guessing I am going to deliver soon. The left is 37 weeks and the right is 38 weeks, exactly one week apart. I'd say I see the drop they were all talking about.



39 weeks





Here we are, 39 weeks, standing in the completely finished nursery, which will at some point get its own post. I am obsessed with it and can't wait to share all the little details. I love how everything turned out and it is now easily my favorite room in the house.

I kicked off my 39th week by celebrating a good friend's bridal shower. She is going to make one stunning bride! I am really looking forward to their wedding at the end of April not just because it will be our first evening out post-baby, but because her and her groom have been together forever and its about dang time they got hitched!

I swore I would not be one of those women that obsessed over their due date approaching soon (5 days to be exact). Being clinical, I know that the dates are simply estimates and only about 5% of women deliver on their due date. I promised myself I would remain calm and realize baby boy would come into this world when he is ready. However, all the other pregnant women around me are delivering like crazy! Two moms from our childbirth class, one was due two days before and the other one the day after me, a girl I work with was due 5 days after me, all delivered last week. I know my time is quickly approaching which makes it hard to focus on anything else.

I am not necessarily ready for this pregnancy to end, because I have really enjoyed this time. I think I am more anxious about the unknown of all of this. He could come today, tomorrow, or two weeks from now and all those would be perfectly acceptable from a clinical standpoint. I however, do not like the surprise element in this. I wish I could get a narrowed down date, like, he will arrive between Wednesday and Friday this week. That way I quit freaking out and overthinking every little symptom I have. Honestly, I don't think I have any signs that he is coming soon. I just have some minor cramping, feeling tired, and backaches, but those are all signs of pregnancy itself.

In addition, I am trying to go as natural as possible with this labor. I understand that there are some things that are going to be out of my control, but I want to try to go with a little medications and interventions as possible. With each day that passes I get more worried I will go over my due date and they will start talking induction, which is the absolute last thing I want.

Finally, I think it is hitting me that I am actually going to have a baby at the end of this. I have been living in a little bit of denial about all of this because my pregnancy has been so "easy." But, in a few days or weeks (hopefully not) our lives are going to change forever. I know all for the good, but nothing will ever be the same again. We will be parents and will be responsible for keeping a tiny human alive.

Just when I think I am about to lose it and have even more crazy thoughts, Jared does something like this:

 

he hid a thank you card to me in my stack of cards I was addressing

He is constantly reminding me how everything is going to be alright and we will figure all this out. And yes, everything is going to change, but it will all be worth it. He reminds me that soon we will be holding our son and all the worries will be gone. Though I am sure I will be plagued with more worry as our boy grows and we venture through this parenthood thing. But, I am so lucky that I get to do all of that with this man. He is one amazing husband and I know he will be an even more wonderful father. 





31-35 weeks

Wow, it has been awhile. These past 6 weeks have literally flown by. I can't believe I am in my last month!

The time has been filled with nursery and master bedroom renovations, baby showers galore, lots of organization, and eating (of course)! Nesting is certainly in full effect (even though Jared claims I was nesting well before actually pregnant).

31-32 weeks:

Slowly but surely getting bigger here.

These weeks were jam-packed with home updates! We put all new laminate hardwood flooring upstairs which means, no more carpet (thank goodness)! All three bedrooms feel like totally new spaces. We knew we were going to redo the nursery, but the master bedroom facelift was a bit of a surprise. Once the floors started to go down I knew I wouldn't be happy with the horrible vomit-beige-brown colored walls for much longer. So it started with paint and then progressed to new bedding..a painted dresser and side tables...new curtains...and mounting the TV on the wall. I am so happy with the outcome and will be so thankful for this space where Jared and I can hopefully retreat.

before, you can kind of see the horrible carpet and paint color

after, I picked a color totally out of my comfort zone, sea salt, and I love it!

Aside from being sore from helping managing the floor laying and painting, I felt great. Some back pain from sitting at my desk too long. Still loving to eat and enjoying my sweets. Baby boy moves all the time and I love it. Trying to walk regularly and using my pregnant Pilates DVD, which I am sure is getting more entertaining to watch as I get bigger.

33 weeks:

The excitement of baby's first shower threw me off and didn't take a proper belly picture.

This week my long time best friends, Caitlin and Meghan, threw me and baby boy the sweetest shower! Friends and family from near and far came to celebrate with us. I can't believe how much love everyone has for someone they haven't even met yet. The theme matched his nursery, woodland, and was just too cute for words! Of course my baby brain was in full swing and I forgot to take pictures of the set up.

The girls had everyone fill out a card of questions and leave some thoughts for Baby Rice. I can't wait to show these to him when he is older. It was especially fun to hear everyone try to guess his name. Yes, Jared and I are still the only ones who know what his title will be :)

I am so thankful to be bringing this boy into such a loving family and friend group. We were spoiled beyond words and can't thank everyone enough for all their generosity!

This week my sweet co-worker found out she is having a little boy too! She is due July 22 :)

34-35 weeks:

oh yeah, the belly grows.

I dubbed week 34 "the week of showers" because we had three in one week. First, we had Jared's work shower with his team. Everyone was so sweet, gave some great advice and baby boy stocked up on some fun toys. Then it was my work shower where my team was seriously far too generous, meaning they basically bought everything remaining on our registries. Finally, we drove to Wilmington for a quick trip to see the people that couldn't make it to the Raleigh shower. Again, so many people love this little boy and it is incredible to me. We feel so loved and supported!

Baby boy has been enjoying kicking me in the ribs, nesting himself under my breast bone so I can barely breathe, and pushing down on my bladder these weeks. I officially have the full on pregnancy waddle and feel like a big mama duck. Found out at my 34 week check up that I have officially gained 45 pounds total, so that was fun. But, the doctor doesn't seem worried, my blood pressure is still normal and I am measuring on track belly-wise. I was able to coax her into feeling baby's position and guessing his size. She said he is head down and about 5 pounds! Woohoo!

Swelling struck in the middle of week 35. I was told by the husband I am no longer allowed to wear my wedding bands because he does not want them to be cut off me. I guess I understand that. I couldn't stand having a bare hand so I went to Target and got a fake one :) How attractive are these cankles? (disregard the state of my toes, I can reach to paint them)

I am most looking forward to our 36 week check up this week. I hear a lot of fun things happen, like checking for dilation which I also heard feels amazing (sarcasm of course). Can't wait to find out where exactly they think he is positioned and how big he is! Also, looking forward to finishing the nursery this weekend and sharing the updates! This is the current state: