35 weeks -- 245 days

Honeydew melon.  Does anyone else
get these things mixed up with
cantaloupe?

Time left:  3-5 weeks
                 21-35 days

Size of baby:  weight = 5 1/4 lbs.
                        length = 18 inches
Fruit comparison ------------------}

At my doctor's appointment yesterday she said that I was measuring at 34 weeks instead of 35.  Of course I went home to look up what exactly that meant.  Didn't find anything to be concerned about.  She uses measuring tape to measure the distance between my pubic bone and the top of the uterus (fundus).  The number of weeks pregnant you are should match with her measurement (ie. I should have been 35cm but was only 34).  Since I have now started my weekly doctor visits she said that they'd just keep an eye on it.  Strong heartbeat and a lot of movement so everything seems good.

Harper: She is still in there cooking and moving around.  We poke and bother her daily now.  My favorite thing, still, is when Bryan reaches over to find her.  It's nice now that he actually can.  He just looks so excited when he can feel her moving around.  I love it.  Other than that, she's putting on weight and her:

• kidneys are fully developed
• all basic physical developments are complete

Now we just play the waiting game...


Weight gain:  starting weight = 140 lbs.
                        current weight = 172 lbs.
                        total weight gain = 32 lbs.

My Body:

shorts and a tank in October - Hell yeah!

Full frontal

I have really been avoiding this week's post.  I'm not sure why but I'm just not very into it right now.  I am always thinking of things that I want to say or comment on but sitting down to write it has me feeling like I have to write a term paper for school.
I notice the Braxton Hicks contractions daily now.  At first I had no idea what they were but eventually pieced it all together.  I thought I was crazy until I had Bryan feel the difference.  He confirmed my suspicions.  I did learn something cool at the doctor's this week:

• weak contractions feel like the tip of your nose
• medium contractions feel like your chin
• strong contractions feel like your forehead

Very helpful information doctor, thanks!  So now when I have Braxton Hicks you can catch me pushing my belly then immediately pushing on my nose, chin, and forehead so I can judge what's going on.  They don't hurt; everything just gets really tight and weird almost like she's going spread eagle in there pushing in every direction at once.  My knees and finger joints are still killing.  Asked the doctor about that and she told me to take Tylenol - thanks, but no thanks.

Recent comments that made me raise an eyebrow (and, at times, my blood pressure):

• Are you sure there's only one baby in there?
  -Yes.  I'm due in 5 weeks.  There is definitely only one baby. 
  -What?!  Oh, never mind.  I didn't realize you were so far along.  Girl, you look good!
• You've been looking tired lately...
  -I work with kids all day and I don't go to bed when I'm supposed to.  I'm sure I'll look the same even after the baby comes.
• Are you having a baby?  {-- this is a kid question that I get AT LEAST once a day
• What do you need bottles for?  If you're breastfeeding you'll confuse her.
  -No, I will not confuse her.  She is a living organism who's survival in life depends on eating.  She will figure it out from the boob and the bottle because when she goes to daycare she can't take my breasts with me.
• You're piercing her ears while she's a baby?  I wouldn't do that if I were you.
  -Well, since you're not me you don't have to worry about it then do you?
• How are you feeling?
  -Don't even get me started.  If you can't make conversation with me unless it's about how I feel or if I'm ready for her to come then follow the rule of 'silence is golden'.
• I bet you're ready to get her out of there, huh?
  -No.  Not necessarily.  She's not ready yet and I'm not miserable in any way.  She's perfectly fine hanging out in my uterus.

And with that I think I'm going to chalk this week's post up as a loss.  It's now Sunday, October 23rd and I'm just now getting around to finishing and posting.  I'm just going to start on this week's post so that it's a little better.

The Nursery:

Thank you Aunt Lynn and Kerry!