Christmas Bump!

This week marks 38 weeks, also known as one of the longest weeks ever. Only because I want to be done. I've finally reached that place where I'll be sad not to be pregnant, but I'm so miserable that not being pregnant sounds good too.

Look how big my tummy is!

Also...I can't believe it's Christmas Eve. It's freaking me out a little, I'll be honest. This year has truly flown by.










How Big is Noodle?
Roughly the size of a baby.

Maternity Clothes?
Oh...oh yes. Sometimes I can still get by without them, but it's pretty rare.
These days, however, even my maternity pants keep falling down because Noodle has dropped enough that baby keeps pushing my full panel down off my hips. It's fun! Right?

Stretch Marks?
I really thought I'd make it through this entire pregnancy without a new one, but I didn't. I have one little, itty bitty tiny teensy weensy one. It's kinda cute.

Sleep?
It's very, very hard for me to sleep now. I've spent the last week concentrating VERY HARD on turning Noodle to the optimal birth position and that's been incredibly hard. It also involves being VERY aware of how I'm sleeping. So I've been left sleeping in my bed (which is hard as it is) with minimal pillows  and a GIANT couch pillow between my thighs. However, I also have to turn almost completely over on my tummy, as far as I can, with my left leg straight and my right leg as high as I can get it bent to as near a 90* angle as possible...and after a few hours of sleeping like that my hip goes numb and my shoulder burns and I wake up and have to pee and then settle back into it and my back is on fire and....oh, it's just agony.

Best Moment of the Week?
When Dr. John told us I was progressing and Noodle wasn't as posterior as before and should be in a good birth position if baby will engage where he or she is at now.
All this hard work hasn't been for nothing!

Miss Anything?
Not hurting.
Running.
Sleep.
Peeing like a normal person.

Food Cravings?
I'm back on the apple kick again. Go figure!

Food Aversions?
Anything large, honestly. I don't eat big meals anymore for fear I'll go into labor and throw it all up anyway.

Labor Signs?
Well, I've been losing large pieces of bloody mucus for the last couple days. It's been my experience that is a fairly good sign for me, but usually I lose it all at once, so this is somewhat new to me.
My contractions haven't been painless for awhile, but now they're downright agonizing. Thank goodness I'm only having a few a day!
Multiple soft stools daily. (Yes, this is a sign of impending labor.)
I'm an emotional basket case. I seriously cried the other day and I still have no idea why. Then I saw our maternity pictures and those made me cry. The Christmas tree makes me cry. I cried while watching a stupid sitcom. It's dumb. I cried in the shower last night because I successfully managed to shave my legs.
Yep, I'm a basketcase. And yes, this is a sign of impending labor for me.
Hot flashes.
I've been nauseated today. Just more signs that my body is "clearing out."
Hormone rushes, too.
And I'm so easily hurt right now, it's stupid. Everything hurts my feelings.
OH...and NESTING. I'm a nesting MANIAC today! WOAH.
I'm also anxious and panicky. Oh joy.

Looking Forward To?
Well, right now I'm looking forward to spending Christmas with Mister, my family and my kids when they return from their father's house.
Then I'll be looking forward to membrane stripping on Friday, if I don't go into labor before that. Right now I'm thinking I may go into labor on the 26th, but if not and I end up getting stripped, I think I'll have the baby on the 28th.
But I've been so wrong this whole time...

Random Stuff:
This has been my first experience with OFP (optimal fetal positioning) techniques and I can say it's REALLY REALLY HARD when you're THIS pregnant and you're THIS miserable. I recommend all pregnant women ask their providers for their fetal position in their 30-34 week stretch so there is not only more time to move the baby, but more room. I've been in an absolute PANIC all week trying to get Noodle out of a posterior position and into a more optimal birthing position and it's been hard, hard hard and nerve wracking, too! Please, people, learn more about this if you're pregnant and be aware of it in the beginning. There were a million things I could've been doing throughout my pregnancy to avoid this all together, had I known.

Like I said earlier, I'm into that "I'm done" stage a little bit. I truly didn't think I would be with this pregnancy, and I'm certainly surprised I'm here so quickly, but I am here, nonetheless. I'm absolutely TERRIFIED of labor and delivery this time around and I'm saddened that my pregnancy will be over, and this chapter of my life will be closed, but with the back labor, positioning pain, contractions, complications, overall misery and general PAIN...yeah, I'm looking a little forward to moving on to the newborn part.

In the meantime, however, I am trying very hard to enjoy every moment of this Christmas with my kids, family and Mister while still being largely pregnant and a bit more free-handed before our lives settle into a family of 5. The romantic in me is still in love with having a large bump next to a dimly lit Christmas tree and quietly drinking cocoa by the fire with Mister. As hard as these last few days or weeks are on me, I'm still wildly in love with this Christmas with my loved ones. And having Noodle still so close to my heart is just adding to the sappy sentimentality of it all...

On that note, friends and loved ones, Merry Christmas to you and yours. Enjoy every single second, people. All of these moments truly are non-returnable gifts...and my favorite gifts of the season.

Until next time...