37 Weeks

37 weeks, 1 day

How far along? 37 Weeks…Full Term!

Total weight gain: 29 pounds

Maternity clothes? Oh yea
Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep:  Pretty good actually. Just restroom breaks every couple of hours.

Best moment of the week: We picked up the dresser and crib and Marc put it all together! We’re still waiting on the rocker from Pottery Barn and it’s not going to be delivered until around my due date, bummer, but not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things.

Miss anything: bending over to do anything…brushing teeth, washing face, putting on shoes, etc, etc.

Movement: He’s crazy busy in there, I hope he’s packing his bags for an on time arrival in 3 WEEKS!
Food cravings: I’ve wanted coffee more and more these past few weeks, probably because I’m not sleeping the best and I need something to get my motor running in the morning. Before I got pregnant I only drank coffee maybe once a week, I have a feeling we should start buying some stock in coffee real soon.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Gender:  Boy
Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: By the end of the day I feel more pressure on my pelvis than I have before, not sure what or if this really means anything. Other than that feeling good, nothing weird or crazy to report.

Belly Button in or out? Flat

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! It’s been lots of fun getting the nursery ready and putting the clothes away and finally opening the boxes of stuff we’ve received over the past six months!

Look forward to: I’m officially on my weekly doctor appointments until he arrives. I'm usually in and out in about 10 minutes, but it's always fun to hear his heartbeat. The doctor always tells me how “normal” my pregnancy is, I hope it stays that way through delivery.

Sunday Funday! ha

36 Weeks

36 weeks, 4 days

How far along? 36 Weeks

Total weight gain: 29 pounds, still gaining a pound or so a week.

Maternity clothes? Oh yes and I really love my Hudson maternity jeans, should’ve ordered these a long time ago!
Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep: I truly feel that I am being prepped for getting up every two hours. I used to sleep through the night, now I can’t remember when the last time that has happened because I have to pee all the time.

Best moment of the week: I ordered the furniture, we got the new windows/doors installed and Marc steam cleaned all the carpets this past weekend. Things are finally coming together! Nursery pics are sure to come in the next week or two once the furniture arrives.

Miss anything: SLEEP. And yes, I know, this isn’t going to get any better.

Movement: It feels like he’s huge, his movements are so “big”. It feels like I can feel an entire butt or thigh rolling across my stomach.
Food cravings: Grapes and more grapes

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Gender:  Boy
Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: I’m starting to feel pressure lower in my pelvis that I haven’t felt before. Like maybe he is starting to “drop”? I don’t really know if that’s the proper term or if that’s what is really happening but it does feel a bit different.

Belly Button in or out? Flat, but nothing has popped out yet.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy, can’t wait to see what he looks like!

Look forward to: We are taking the childbirth prep class this weekend. I’m not really expecting to be blown away by anything in the class but I feel like it will be a good all around experience. They will touch on everything from breastfeeding, infant care, and of course, childbirth. Two 6-hour days, oh joy. 

35 Weeks

35 weeks, 3 days

How far along? 35 Weeks…HOLY 5 weeks till my due date!!

Total weight gain: 28 pounds

Maternity clothes? Oh yes
Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep:  This week has been better, I’m still getting some hip pain when I sleep on one side for a prolonged period of time and my nose gets so stuffy too, but better than last week.

Best moment of the week: So obviously my shower was pretty fantastic, but we also did the hospital tour this week. It made everything very real. They took us through all the rooms we’ll be in (getting the initial check then labor and delivery and then postpartum), where to go when we get to the hospital and we filled out a bunch of paperwork so we don’t have to do it when we get there and I'm in labor. We were really impressed with the postpartum rooms. Each of us has a bed to sleep in which is great for Marc. All the other hospitals we’ve been to when we’re visiting friends don’t have a bed for the hubby, just like a window bench which seems really uncomfortable. We are very happy with the hospital even though it’s not where I originally wanted to deliver.

Miss anything: Seriously, sitting on the couch is getting so uncomfortable. I have to lean back so far otherwise my stomach puts so much pressure on my ribs. I’d rather be doing anything but sitting.

Movement: More and more active each day
Food cravings: not really anything special.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Gender: Still a boy, but I’ve been thinking about what would happen if my 2 ultrasounds were wrong and it’s a girl. Crazy things I think about.
Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Just seriously normal pregnancy stuff like immobility, heartburn, etc., but I’m still working out and staying very active which makes me feel like I’m not a super blob.

Belly Button in or out? It’s pretty flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Both. I feel like I get moody when someone (ahem…hubby) wants to talk about insignificant or unimportant things…I mean, come on, I have a baby coming out of me in the next month don’t we have better things to worry about?!?

Look forward to:  We’re getting new windows and doors in our house! Then we’ll get furniture and get the room looking like a nursery. Currently it’s just a bunch of boxes with a walk way to get through.

San Diego Baby Shower

I had another baby shower this weekend! This one was with my girlfriends from San Diego. It was at Brockton Villa, a cute little restaurant overlooking the water in the La Jolla cove. Sara and Anne did a great job with everything...I'm so lucky to have two such great friends, and sister, to go out of their way to do something like this for me. And my cousin, Dana, came into town from Phoenix to help celebrate and also my good friend, Davida, came from Phoenix as well!

Sara, me and Anne. Thanks, girls! I love ya!

Sara and Anne made the most adorable little decorations. Obviously shaped in a cupcake, they are made out of a blanket and onesie! I couldn't get enough of them and just can't bring myself to take them apart.

The food was delish! Smoked salmon in cucumber cups with creme fraiche and prosciutto and fig spread bruschetta.

And now with the Kobe beef sliders added to the mix!

Sprinkles cupcakes! They know me too well!

Family! Sara, me and cousin Dana

34 Weeks

34 weeks

How far along? 34 Weeks

Total weight gain: 26 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yep. Tops mostly, but I did just buy my first pair of pregnancy jeans. They are really cute actually and a brand I would normally wear.
Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep:  Not so good. Between the heartburn, every two hour bathroom runs and sleeping on my side I’ve managed to keep myself and Marc up numerous nights.

Best moment of the week: Took our last shoot of maternity pictures. Can’t wait to share them!

Miss anything: Sitting comfy on the couch. I have to lean back so my belly isn’t jamming itself into my lower rib cage.

Movement: The hiccups can be a bit annoying, especially when I’m trying to fall asleep. Otherwise it’s pretty cool when I can just watch my belly take on a life of its own.
Food cravings: I’ve been eating grapes like crazy. I could literally live on grapes and chocolate right now.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Heartburn and lack of normal person mobility. Otherwise I feel great, still working out and trying to stay in decent shape so that it’s easier to get back into shape once baby boy is here!

Belly Button in or out? It’s pretty flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Look forward to:  My baby shower in San Diego this weekend with all my girlfriends! Oh, and we officially decided on where we are going to get the furniture. We are getting the rocker from Pottery Barn and the crib and dresser from Babies R Us. It feels so good to have that decided, now we just need to order them.

33 Weeks

33 weeks, 2 days

How far along? 33 Weeks

Total weight gain: 24 pounds

Maternity clothes? I’m trying to wear regular clothes just bigger sizes rather than spend more money on actual maternity clothes. I feel like you slap a label on something as maternity and the price goes up so much. Although I do think I’m going to break down here and buy a pair of maternity jeans soon.
Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep:  I’m actually surprised at how well I am sleeping. Knock on wood, please. But so far so good.

Best moment of the week: We had a great weekend in Virginia, besides the shower which was obviously fantastic, we had a surprise birthday for Marc on Thursday night and all of his friends came to his parent’s house and his mom cooked a big meal for everyone. He was genuinely surprised and I loved the shocked look on his face when the door opened and they were all standing there. Unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures of it, but it was great!

We had lots of other birthdays to celebrate while we were there and one night we went to a club in DC (yes…a club), for a few hours for his brothers birthday. He had a table so I was able to sit without being really noticed as the pregnant girl in the club. If any of you have seen the movie, Knocked Up, where the two sisters try to get in a club while one of them is pregnant…it was totally the scene I was expecting to play out. But luckily the black dress I brought and the scarf I wore hid the bump pretty well and with a little maneuvering of my purse in front of my belly I don’t think they could tell when we walked in. We also went out to dinner with all of his friends to celebrate Hisham’s birthday and also just the two of us went out to dinner in DC one night. Overall it was a great weekend!

Oh, and I had a doctor appointment this week and Dr. Riley was able to tell that baby boy was in the head down position, hence the reason I get all my kicks and movement right under/at my rib cage. He said it’s very rare that he would move from this position so it’s looking good that he’s in position for a regular birth.

Miss anything: I can tell you being in a club and not having a cocktail or two was a first for me. Not that I missed it, just felt totally out of place.

Movement: It’s like an alien has taken over my belly when he moves around. And now that I realize that he’s head down I totally understand what those steady jerky movements are under my belly button…he has the hiccups. I’ve felt this like 4 or 5 times in the past few weeks.
Food cravings: Nothing really, just eating normal.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: I get hot really quick. I have a few friends who are pregnant as well and a few months ago we’d be out and they’d get hot so quickly. They'd ask if I felt the same way and I’d be like, “ Nope, I feel fine”…lalala. Well, it finally hit me and now I know how they feel. At night I can’t sleep with blankets and during the day I’m constantly fanning myself.

Belly Button in or out? It’s still in/flat’ish

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Look forward to: Getting new windows and baby furniture. We are expecting new windows and doors to be put in our second floor in the next 3 weeks or so, then I hope furniture will arrive. Errr, I probably need to order the furniture for that to happen. I keep putting it off and not really wanting to deal with it. Although it would be nice to get all the clothes we’ve received in drawers instead of in piles on the floor.

Virginia Baby Shower

 

Marc's mom, Fery, threw me a shower on Sunday afternoon at her friend Soodie's home in Virginia. The house was decorated beautifully, there was a ton of Persian food and the cake was so delish. There were about 50 people there to help celebrate, and it was great to have a couple of my friends there as well. My cousin, Jody, came down from Baltimore and Michelle came from New York City. Also, two of my girlfriends who live in Virginia, and also happen to be pregnant, came as well. I wish we all lived closer but I do have to admit it's so great to have friends on the east coast to visit when I come back.

Me and Marc's mom, Fery.

Cousin Jody, me and Michelle

Jill, me and Jehan, all due within 3 weeks of each other!

Thank you Soodie for opening your home to us once again!

Delish cake with Godiva chocolate favors in the background

Marc came at the end to help "clean-up"

It's hard to believe we have such a huge network of support on the east coast. Fery has so many wonderful friends and family that it feels like every time we come back we meet new people. Thank you so much to everyone who came and helped with the food and preparations, it means so much to us and we love you all dearly.

Now that we're back home and done travelling I feel like I actually need to start buckling down with getting baby boy's room together. Only 7 more weeks until my due date!