I’m so thankful to still be updating this blog as a pregnant woman!  Praise be to God for keeping our baby boy in the womb to continue to grow.  Our weekly update says he should be around 5 1/2 pounds & over 18 inches long.  Belly is now 40inches around too!  My doctor this week was very happy to see me back for another check up, and not at the hospital to deliver.. Her exact words were, “I’m glad you’re still pregnant!”.. lol  Everything looks good, she was pleased to see my measurement still growing.  Next week she will start checking to see if there is any dilating going on.  We already know I’m extremely effaced, since there is little that remains of my cervix.

These pictures always amaze me..  With all the movement I feel and trying to figure out the difference between a little bottom, feet, and heels, I try to picture him in there like this;

While trying to stay as comfortable as possible over the next days/weeks, I thought I’d share one of my favorite pregnancy items.  I was having some horrible, shooting pains into my lower pelvic several weeks back when walking, so I looked into support bands, and did some research.  This is the one that I ordered, and I’m SO glad I did!  It helps immensely to “lift” up the weight of your pregnancy belly and since wearing it, I’ve not once felt that tearing, shooting pain.

Another week down!  Whooot!  We’re all so, so grateful for another week of this pregnancy.  The hospital bag is all packed, little man’s bedding is all washed and ready for him, clothing, blankets, burp rags, etc, are all washed & put away.. Daddy put together his new crib last week, and even installed a new updated ceiling fan too.  His nursery is coming together, and just a couple of little items left to tackle.  I ordered curtains, but um, well apparently didn’t read too closely, because it was only one of the two panels that I needed.. doh!

Up until recently I’ve been feeling really great, physically, but now I’m definitely starting to have trouble sleeping, and being comfortable.  Feeling every bit of almost 9 months pregnant.  I did get a prescription for Nexium last week for the acid reflux, and ohhhhh thank goodness, it’s SO much better!  I recommend if you start having problems w/ it like I did, don’t wait it out until the point where tums, maylox, and an over the counter aren’t offering any relief whatsoever!  (lesson learned)  I also feel like he’s dropped down a little bit.  My lungs seem to have a bit more breathing room.

At my 34 week check up, I saw the backup dr since mine was out for holiday vacation, and she said measurements were great, no swelling in my ankles, and good strong heartbeat still.  All of what we like to hear!’

Apparently my pregnancy brain has gotten the best of me again.. I could have sworn I took a 34 week pic, buttttt, nope! Ah well, will again at 35

Growing more & more and getting closer to a safer zone for baby boy!..  While I don’t necessarily “feel” my belly growing significantly, it definitely is!  Two weeks ago I measured my waistline (or lack there of rather?) and it was 37 inches. Last week it was 38 inches.. This week?  You guessed it, 39 inches around!.. Yep, I’m almost to the jolly ol’ St. Nick stats.. lol   For the most part, really feel pretty darn good for being 8 months pregnant.  The last couple of weeks I’ve had some increasing troubles w/ acid reflux in my throat, but thankfully started a prescription of Nexium today.  After just one dose it is already making a huge difference..

Appointment this week was a quick one.. I took Ashlyn along since I wouldn’t be having a sono (big sis was in school), and she did great!  Did however, make the whole urine sample scene interesting in that teeny bathroom, and explaining why mommy was peeing in a cup, but hey.. Life isn’t supposed to be boring!  Dr.had to wait a couple of minutes to recheck baby’s heartbeat because it was in the 170′s/180′s, so she waited for him to calm down.. Once he did it was back in the 150′s again.  She called him a “mover & shaker”.. We just may be in trouble w/ this one.. lol

Little man’s crib arrived over the weekend, his nursery is all freshly painted (bye-bye pale pink walls w/ a chocolate brown wall, from it being Ashlyn’s room) to warm tan walls & one chocolate brown wall.  Bedding has been ordered (yay!)  and should arrive any day.  I didn’t think Erik was too interested in the theme of things, but I sure was wrong!  He said he couldn’t not be, since this child is our BOY!  (Ahhh… so the “a man & his son” thing starts this soon? lol)  So, needless to say after showing him my bookmarked links, he did some looking of his own, and found this one that he liked.. I’m good w/ it too

I really want to make a homemade mobile, but that may have to wait until after he’s here so that I can pick up some materials for the project..  That can wait, right?  I’ve got some wall art in mind too.  Always a craft project to keep life interesting!

As Erik & I were laying in bed last week, we were talking about our little man’s upcoming arrival.. We both agreed that while we’ve obviously known for the past 8 months that he’s coming, and we’re busy prepping our home to welcome him, his clothing, necessities, etc. it still seems a bit surreal.  We’ll finally be meeting our baby boy.  We can’t help but think about how he will fit in to our home & family, how the dynamics will change.  We cannot wait to see our girls interact w/ him and just know they will be little, mini mommies, and fall in love w/ him.  I’ve been finding myself daydreaming about this little boy too..  Our son.  I wonder about his personality, what he’ll look like.  I know I won’t be feeling his movements, kicks, and wiggles w/in my body for too much longer, but my arms sure do long to hold him.  I’m treasuring the last few weeks of having our two girls to love before expanding my heart for a third child..  It’s amazing how just when we can’t imagine our heart having the capability to give even more love, it always does.. Amen for that!  What a blessing children are..  My heart is full w/ the grace we have been given to have three children to call our own..

What an amazing experience.. We’ve gotten to see baby boy quite a bit on 2D sonos, but this was our first 4D.  Wow!  Technology really is incredible.. I cannot stop looking at him, and these images bring me to tears.  Little man is definitely filling out, w/ chubby cheeks just like his big sister had, and sweet, pouty lips too..  He didn’t have a cleft in his chin, but he definitely has an upside down heart shape to his bottom lip.   He loved having his left hand up on his face, and no matter how much the tech tried to wiggle him to get his hand to move, nope, wasn’t having it.. Daddy was also happy to see a nice clear shot of “the family jewels”..  lol  We could also see his hair.. That explains the drastic amount of heartburn.. I wonder if it will be dark like Kaylor’s or blonde like Ashlyn’s was.. Only a short time before we get to see this cute little man in person

Today’s appointment felt more like a “normal” one.. (finally!)  Had the very last sonogram to check for cervix length.. It’s around 14-15mm now.  Down from last week, but this could very well be normal, maybe not, hard to tell at this point, since preparation for delivery is around the corner regardless of being high risk.  I got to sneak a peak at baby boy too.. He seems very content in there, so hopefully he stays put just a little while longer.  The nurse tried to see if we could tell how much hair he has, but she couldn’t quite get that far around his head to see.  On a funny note though, she started laughing and looked at me closely to see if I had a cleft chin, and asked if my husband did.  I said noooo, don’t think we do.. She said she’s curious to see him once he’s born because he could either have a defined, square shaped jaw or a cleft chin.. Too funny.  He’s still head down, bottom up on my right side, and little feet in the center/sometimes in my right side.  Yep, that sounds like the norm for him!  I then saw my dr, and since the sono was done prior to, she couldn’t do the fetal fibronectin test again (too much, um, “interference”.. lol) but she wasn’t too concerned.  Measurements were good, belly still measuring exactly at 32w1d, and while I’m still officially on bedrest, she said in 4 weeks from now, at 36, she would “release” me and I would be allowed to do normal activities.. No marathons, but normal activities.. Yay!  4 weeks =28 days.. Eeek!  That’s really not too far away!

I have to say again, that I don’t know what I would do w/out my husband.. He has been busting tail around our house to get some projects done, fix meals, bathe Ashlyn, cleaning tasks, etc. and I’m so, so thankful for him.  He’s more than proved to have a Mr. Mom role!  (I’m not so sure he’d want to keep that for good though..hehe).. Love you, honey!

And here’s little man once again..

I know sometimes people look at sonogram pictures and go “huh?”.. lol   This might help see little man’s face a bit more..

Another foot shot..

Annnnnd a belly pic;