Holy Indigestion!

Yep, it's striking yet again....that horrible, unGodly bout of indigestion that is not only keeping me from my precious sleep, it's also very painful and persistent to the point of being a complete and total annoyance. Most of you are probably thinking that as a woman who is nearly full-term in what is not her first pregnancy that I should be very familiar and used to this common pregnancy symptom, but no, not so much for me. I'm known to have an iron stomach and am one to eat jalapeños like candy, so although I have previously had the occassional bout with heartburn / indigestion, it's certainly not something that I've had to deal with very often or on such an acute level. I mean, this pain is unreal and feels like my entire chest, throat and esophogus is burning...it really hurts and has the tendency to pop up in the most inopportune if times, like when I am trying to go to sleep. Ugh.....I guess the bright side is that is should be gone after I have the baby so hopefully I will be forever rid of it very soon! If it doesn't go away then I have to admit that we are going to have a real problem on our hands since I am anti-bland food and very much like to "spice it up" when it comes to what I eat. I've already had to become much more docile in my eating habits lately already because of these recent cases and would hate to even think that they might not go away...for my sake, let's hope that they are indeed pregnancy related and vanish from my system (and my memories) very, very soon!

Hudson-isms

So, numerous people I know do posts about the funny things their toddlers / younger kiddos say and use the reference of the child's name followed by an -ism, so now that Hudson has been talking our ears off for a while now I'm starting to hear some very humorous and post-worthy things come out of his mouth and have decided that I would *try* to remember them or write them down from now on and then post them here to document them and share them with my readers as Hudson-isms. I can only remember one that he's said over the past couple of days, but there's sure to be many, many more gems just like them in the future! I am certain of it with all of the chatting and story-telling he's had going on these days!

So, here's somewhat of the dialogue from one conversation between Hudson and I yesterday afternoon....

Hudson - "Mom play blocks, Hudson build T-Rex"

Me - "I can only play blocks for a minute and then have to finish working. We've played a lot today and now I need to do some work."

Hudson - "No, Hudson want to play blocks...no work." (he's pouting and getting angry at this point)

Me - "No, I can play for a while, but remember how mommy told you that I won't be going to work anymore and will be staying home with you and baby brother?"

Hudson - Nods and says "O-tay...."

Me - "So, since I'm not going to go to work anymore I have to still do this other work to help make money though."

Hudson - He then says in a very angry, annoyed little voice - "NO! No work, Daddy work, Daddy make money!"

LOLOLOL!!!! Seriously, my jaw dropped to the floor and I could NOT believe he said that! It seriously was one of the funniest things ever and even David couldn't believe it! SO funny!

Wordless Wednesday

 

Pregnancy Week 38 Appointment

Monday was my weekly OB appointment and thankfully, everything went fantastic and it was an overall positive appointment. I finished my last week at work last week, so my appointment was actually a little later in the morning on Monday and I had asked my mom to watch Hudson while I went to my appointment and ran a couple of errands since David was working. So that way I wouldn't have to worry about those couple of things later in the week. I'm just relieved that the appointment went so well and that we are still set to meet our baby boy next week!

HIGHLIGHTS

• My blood pressure was good again which was a relief since I had that recent scare when it went up and had to be admitted into L&D, but it's back to normal and I haven't really had any measurable swelling in a while so that's good too.
  
• Baby was active and heartbeat sounded good at 152.
  
• Dr. P. gave me the results from the blood draw I had taken about a week and a half ago and those were excellent as well. My blood count had gone from a 7 to 30! So, it seems as if the iron supplements I have been taking have been working and my body is actually absorbing the iron, so I won't have to have a blood transfusion prior to my c-section after all. I will still have to go in the day before to have another blood draw done so that the hospital can begin sourcing blood in case I need it for after my surgery, but I won't have to stay overnight before my scheduled c-section to get a transfusion like we thought might happen. (I haven't had time to document my second visit to the L&D at the hospital, but basically I was sent in by my OB for high blood-pressure, that actually corrected itself while I was there, but my blood count came back dangerously low and I ended up having to be admitted and even stay overnight in order to have a transfusion and receive 2 units of blood. It was a scary mess combined with the possibility that I could be borderline of developing preeclampsia too, which after doing a 24 hour urine catch and my blood pressure recouping, it was discovered that I was not at risk for preeclampsia after all which was an absolute relief because I was NOT ready to be having my baby boy at 34 weeks!)
  
• Most importantly ----DRUMROLL!!! ----- my c-section date and time is confirmed for next Monday, December 7th and I am scheduled for surgery early that morning, so I have to arrive at the hospital by 9 am.
  

CONCERNS

• None really....besides for me to continue taking 2 iron pill supplements daily up until my surgery date in the hopes that it will continue to improve my blood count and decrease the chances of me having to have a blood transfusion after the c-section. Which of course, I would absolutely love to avoid as much as possible.

That's about it really, so we are officially set to meet our baby boy this upcoming Monday and we cannot be any more thrilled! I'm a bit nervous too, understandably so I guess, but trying to remain positive and calm that all will go well with the surgery, that we will be blessed with a beautiful, healthy new baby boy and without complication allowing us to leave the hospital after the minimum stay requirement so that we can return home and begin our life as a family of FOUR! I know I've said it before, but I'm going to most certainly have to say it again, and that's that I absolutely cannot wait!

REWIND - Halloween 2009

Only about a month late....I am now finally posting some pics from Halloween this year. Hudson was our own little friendly neighborhood Spiderman and had a blast this year from beginning to end! He hasn't been *too* into Halloween the past couple of years and has always acted less than thrilled to be in costume, but not this year! This year he was all about helping pick out his costume and then couldn't wait to wear it either, heck, he even wore it before Halloween just to try it out and pretend to be Spiderman before the big day. This year we did our traditional visit to see my parents (Grandma and Grandpa) and over to David's mom's house (Nana), but we also actually took Hudson door to door for a little real trick-or-treating this year which is something that we had not done in the past. We went to the small neighborhood across the street from my parents house and let me just tell you, Hudson LOVED trick-or-treating and had SO much fun! He was so excited going up to each and every door and would say TRICK-OR-TREAT! real loud, tell them he was Spiderman, he said thank you for the candy every time too and would then proceed to tell them he was going to the next house, lol! It was great and he was very, very well-behaved and courteous which was a bit of a shocker for our little hellion! I'm just glad he loved it so much and was able to behave so that he could enjoy it and that we could actually enjoy him enjoying it too. It's hard to enjoy these times if the kiddos aren't cooperating or behaving so the fact that he was so good made it so easy for us ALL to have a great time. Here's some pics of our little man in his full-on Spiderman attire....I would have to say I think he's the cutest little Spiderman I've ever seen too! (even though I know I am totally and completely biased in saying so!)

Excited about all of the candy at Grandma & Grandpa's house

 

Gotta have neon glow sticks!

 

Mommy and her little Spiderman

 

Daddy and Spidey cutting it up...

 

Daddy fixing Hudson's super mask

 

Fun with glow sticks....

 

The battle of the century and Brea trying to get in on the action too!

 

Nana giving Hudson a pumpkin FULL of candy!

David and Hudson decided to have a superhero battle and David was supposed to be the Incredible Hulk taking on Spiderman, lol!

Exchanging brutal blows, ha!

  

Is that a body slam coming on??? Nah', just a little intimidation.....

  

And Spidey wins!!! Daddy was down for the count!

Belly Pic - 38 Weeks 2 Days

Belly Pics -- Last Week's Pics -- 37 weeks 3 days

Hudson's Hot Wheels Themed 3rd Birthday Party

It's taken me well over a month now to finally get this post finished because I've been SO busy, but of course I wanted to document Hudson's third birthday and share some pictures from the Hot Wheels themed party that we had for his special day! It was just a simple family gathering in our home, but Hudson LOVED it and that's what was most important. Those who know Hudson, know that he is an absolute Hot Wheels fanatic or even more-so, just a car fanatic in general, so he was ecstatic about having a Hot Wheels themed party even though we didn't go all out as far as decorations or anything like that goes. Just a few simple decorations and paper supplies donning the Hot Wheels motif and he was as happy as a clam! Of course one of his favorite parts besides all of the cool toys and other wonderful gifts he received, was the FABULOUS Hot Wheels cake that his Aunt Debbie made for him! He was over-the-top excited about his Hot Wheels cake (and the party in general), that he has talked about it ever since! We made traditional BBQ dishes for dinner and then open presents and had cake and just relaxed and hung out as a family. It was great and Hudson had an absolute ball!

My mom, dad and brother trying to figure out tne of the gifts my parents bought for Hudson....

Checking out his first new toy!

Nana with Miss Harper, Hudson's newest cousin!

David and Hudson

Time to open some gifts!

Hudson was WAY into opening the gifts, but the cards - eh', not so much...

Cars of course!

Really cool puzzle book from Aunt Jessica, Uncle Marc and Harper

Showing Grandpa his Optimus Prime Transformer

More gift opening with mommy....

He loved everything and had a total blast!

Our "big" gift to our little boy....

It's a Little Tikes tool bench that he LOVES!

He was in total awe and has played with this thing a ton since his birthday....

Still playing with his new tools

Cake time! Shelby was guarding the cake, lol!

LOVED the cake and was so thrilled with the way it turned out.

Pretending to blow out the candles...he was just a *little* impatient.

Thanks to my sister, Debbie, for making such a cool cake for Hudson's birthday....it was perfect and he absolutely LOVED it!

Yay!!! Now the candles are finally lit....

Singing happy birthday!

Time to blow out the candles for real....

He already has a blue mouth from promptly biting into his smash cake, ha!

He had SO much fun and was devouring this cake, he loves cake, but was gaga for this one! Even David was having quite the laugh over it!

Mommy and her cake-covered little boy!

My sister Debbie and my niece Cassidy

David and my nephew, Matt, winding down with some PS3 later in the evening.....it was a long, but fun night!

38 Weeks

Finally hitting week 38 and only a little bit more than ONE WEEK until we meet our precious new son! I cannot believe that one week from Monday I will be holding him in my arms and will instantly fall in love all over again with this little miracle that we prayed so, so very hard for. I cannot wait to see his face, hug him tight, hold him close and to kiss his sweet little forehead goodnight. I will become a mommy of two and cannot wait for my heart to be even more filled with a love that words cannot even describe. It is such a blessing and one that seems virtually indescribable by most terms. 

Here's what is going on with both me and baby this week according to BabyCenter.com

How your life's changing:

For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.
Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

How Your Baby is Growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Productive Day = Mission Accomplished

Despite all odds and not only a rocky start, but also a shaky and patience testing afternoon I somehow made it through my first day at home with Hudson without a complete hormonal breakdown. I was even able to get him to go to sleep by his bedtime and also was lucky enough to make some pretty good dents into my to-do list today! It wasn't easy, but I am up for the challenge...although I do realize that it will be an entirely different ballgame for me once our baby boy arrives in less than two weeks and everything will likely flip upside down,inside out and totally out of control for a while. Hopefully, I'll maintain my sanity and clarity and be able to gracefully muster through whatever challenges I might face. At least this is what I hope for and continue to pray for the strength and guidance to help me do so.

Week 37 Fun Mama -To - Be Facts

How far along? 37 weeks 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: ACK! 34 lbs. with 2 weeks to go until we meet baby boy! Not too shabby actually considering my goal was to try to stay around a 30 lb. gain. I was highly surprised that I had not gained and had actually lost 2 1/2 lbs. since my last appointment over two weeks ago! I'm not going to get TOO excited though as I could very well possibly go in to my next appointment and had gained a ton during the week and a half between appointments/

Maternity clothes? Yes, but some items are officially getting snug. I'll be fine with the short amount of time I have left though.

Stretch marks? Yep, they're still there, but luckily I haven't spotted any new ones.

Sleep: Could definitely be better, although I have been making an active effort to go to bed earlier lately and actually went to bed at a reasonable time pretty much every night this past week.

Best moment this week: Hearing baby boy's heartbeat again at my appointment on Friday and getting an official date for my c-section....SO excited to be meeting baby boy in just two short weeks!!!

Movement: Lots of moving and shaking going on as usual.....I think he's ready to be free in the outside world just about now! ;)

Food cravings: Chips and salsa.....gotta have it at least once a week if not more. Still craving chocolate on a daily basis too!

Gender: Still a boy and was confirmed again during my growth sonogram that I had the Friday before last. So, no more worrying about having a surprise in the OR.

Labor Signs: As far as I know, I have not dilated at all and have had no signs of labor with the exception of the sporadic contractions that I have been having for a couple of weeks now. Some are Braxton Hicks while it's pretty apparent that others are the real deal. Hoping that I don't progress early at all though since we've got a lot to do before baby boy arrives.

Belly Button in or out? Definitely poking out now! I would *almost* say that I've officially sprung an outie, but I'm still in denial, lol!

What I miss: Being able to get in and out of my garden tub without feeling like I'm going to "top" over.....I'm still clinging to life to my warm baths though!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting our baby boy in just two weeks! Spending lots of time with family on Thanksgiving and over the holiday weekend.

Weekly Wisdom: I don't really have any today....my mind is racing to remember all of the things I need to do!

Milestone: Getting my c-section date and FINALLY deciding on baby boy's full name.

37 Weeks

What's going on with both me and baby this week according to BabyCenter.com

How your life's changing:

Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.) Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.

It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though her quarters are getting cozy, she should still be as active as before.

While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.

How your baby's growing:

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Cutesy Tootsies!

Aren't these the cutest little baby shoes?!?! These are a couple of pairs of Robeez that I recently scored on one of my favorite discount shopping sites and I cannot wait to get them and for baby boy to eventually sport these cute little soft-soled slipper-styled shoes. I actually ordered them in the 6-12 month size though so it will be a while before he gets to wear them....I figured that would be best since those are the months he will start creeping and hopefully, start cruising and walking around that time as well! SO excited to meet him and for all of the milestones ahead of us!

Mommy & Baby Gear

While I know we still need a lot of things to prepare for baby, both items for baby boy and for myself and David as well, I just wanted to share a few of my favorite purchases so far that I am hoping are successful once baby boy gets here. Now I desperately need to start making lists of what we need to do and to purchase in the next 2 weeks, eek! - only 2 weeks left until we meet our baby boy!!! From a hospital list, to things to do list, to a must have essentials for baby list, I am sure that I will have to stay on my toes to get everything done and ready for our little one before his big arrival! You'd almost think I hadn't already done this before since it seems our preparation is a bit lacking and behind at this point, but it's been a hectic past few months and I guess everything just totally snuck-up on us!

1. Miracle Blanket (I ordered two of these from this website and have heard nothing but rave reviews for them from anyone I know that has tried them with their own babies)

2. Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Backpack - in Baroque Roll pattern - I already have a PPB Touring Tote that I absolutely love, so I expect nothing less from this larger bag. It seems to be a great size especially for a newborn and a toddler and has a ton of storage space and compartments that should help keep us organized.

3. Baby So Smart Mei Tai Carrier - I obviously have not been able to try this out properly yet since baby was not included in my purchase, hehe, but I've heard great things about the Mei Tai Carriers and really want to make baby-wearing work for us this time around since it will provide a great sense of bonding with the baby, but will also hopefully make it easier to get out and about with two little ones or even help make it easier to get stuff done around the house. This is just one of a couple carriers I have and I also plan on buying at least one other one I want to try out for sure. The first photo just shows the type of carrier it is and the second photo is the actual fabric selection that I ordered the carrier in. LOVE it!





4. Peanut Shell Sling Carrier - I actually bought two of these at the same time in the patterns below, but again, won't know how well they work for us until baby boy is here. I've heard mixed reviews about the sling style carriers that are this kind of pouch style, so it will be interesting to see if baby boy likes them or not. They definitely are easier to put on vs. the Mei Tai, but I've also heard that once you get used to the Mei Tai's, Moby Wraps and some of the other more complicated carriers, that you can get them on and off pretty easily, it just takes some time to adjust to them and get in the routine of putting them on and off.





5. Nursing Covers - I actually have a couple of these right now and was holding off on buying any additional until we see how breastfeeding goes for both baby and me this time around. I have one nursing cover from Hooter Hiders (clever name, huh?!?) and then another one from Peanut Shell. I've actually found a ton on Etsy that I love as well so I've definitely got my eye on some others if I feel like I end up needing more than the 2 I have and quite honestly, this is one thing I would love to learn to sew and possibly sell later down the line since learning to sew has been a goal of mine for quite some time and one I hope to tackle once I am home more and have more time to focus on such a thing. So, I might even be able to make myself one, who knows!?! (First things first, I'll have to get THE perfect sewing machine, or at least one that is multi-functional and operator friendly so it will be easy to learn for a beginner like me!) In any case, I am hoping that breastfeeding works better this time around and I get to get some good use out of the nursing covers, otherwise I guess they might be useful to use to toss over the baby carrier to cover from the sun or something, ha!



6. Hospital Gown - Well, this obviously something for moi, but something I wonder if I'll even get to use or not, lol! I actually decided on a whim to order a couple of these super cute hospital maternity gowns from one of my favorite discount websites a few months back and hope that I will actually get to wear them when I am held up in the hospital for a couple of days after my c-section. I like the idea of wearing something so comfy, yet cuter than the traditional hospital gown and since I got them for such a great deal, it wasn't any more costly than buying an inexpensive nightgown say from somewhere like Target or even Motherhood maternity. I don't have either one of the patterns shown below, mine are much cuter in my opinion, but I just couldn't resist the idea of a cute gown and the fact that it didn't cost a bundle means I don't have to worry so much about how much I wasted on them if they get ruined during my hospital stay!



7. Aden and Anais muslin swaddling blankets - These are HUGE swaddling blankets and I have heard that they work very well. Hudson was a swaddler, but managed to wiggle his way out of many of the blankets we used, so if our new bundle of joy takes to swaddling as well as his big brother did, then hopefully these will do the trick and keep him "under-wraps" and nice and cozy during bedtime and nap-times.



8. Grobag baby sleeping bag / sack - Not a completely new item in our house since we did use some sleeping sacks with Hudson, but this one is a bit lighter weight and is a soft cotton vs. most of the fleece bags we used previously when Hudson was a baby. I actually ordered the exact turquiose and green striped one below and can't wait to use it! Heck, it looks so comfy I wish I had one for myself, lol! Oh, and even better, they are SO oversized and roomy, the smaller size fits up to 6 month olds and I've heard that they can last in them even longer depending on how big or small your baby is. They come in different togs, which is a scale of the varying levels of warmth / weight of the fabric and range between a .5 tog for warmer regions to a 2.5 tog for cooler regions and cooler weather. I actually got the .5 tog first to try out and will see if we need anything heavier later since I also have several other fleece sleep sacks and also another heavier sleep sack that I ordered recently as well.

REWIND - State Fair of Texas 2009 Visit

I know, I know....the Fair was like forever ago, but I've been otherwise preoccupied lately and am *just now* getting around to posting about our trip to the fair and also, Hudson's third birthday! I figure better late than never right!?!? :)

We actually went to the fair on a Saturday this year and it wasn't too, too bad as far as the crowds go. I mean, it was crowded, but nothing that sent me over the edge, at least not until the end of our day once I was already all worn-out, wobbling and ragged from hauling my huge-ole pregnant booty all over the fairgrounds. We actually had a photo session for family photos earlier that morning and headed directly to the fair from there, so by the time we arrived it was already a bit after lunchtime. Hudson napped in the car, but in true Hudson fashion, he was on a tear on this particular day and decided to be not-so-cooperative not only during the photo session earlier that morning, but also decided to be an all-and-all complete holy-terror virtually the entire time we were at the fair as well. Eh', I didn't expect much different since he is a free-spirit and wants to do what he wants to do, but I had hoped for at least a little bit better behavior for some reason.

In any case, it wasn't the worst time we could have had, but it was a lot less enjoyable than if he would have been just a little bit better behaved. David said that it was so bad that he wouldn't bring Hudson to the fair again until he was 7 or 8 years old, lol! I doubt that that will be the case, but that just goes to show you how worn out David was with dealing with what is now known as the tumultuous three's in our house, ha!

So, here's just a few photos from our lovely trip to the State Fair 2009. :)

Hudson intently "studying" the map of the fairgrounds



Now daddy has to study it too.....



No trip to the fair would be complete without a Fletcher's Corny Dog!
Am I right or am I right?!?!?!



Those first few bites of hot yummy goodness are simply divine!



Gotta wash it all down with some good-ole juice!



YUMMY STUFF!



Walking in the crowds....Hudson seemed to want to run free though....



Hudson and daddy....love it!



My cute little boy staring up at Big Tex in amazement...



Howdy folks.....



I'm B-I-G Tex!



Hudson's favorite part of the fair...the CARS of course!



And the car that he loved seeing the absolute most...



Want to take a guess, anyone? Anyone?



The Transformers Bumblebee Camaro of course!



Even David and I thought this thing was pretty darn cool to be honest.



Hudson was so into this car and just kept talking about it all afternoon.



He kept wanting to go back and see it again and again. He was so, so excited to see Bumblebee because he loves Transformers and well, loves cars in general so of course it was the perfect combination!



And now for something a little different.....some interesting livestock.....



Nothing too exciting here....



We of course popped in and watched a bit of the dog show....



But, in all honesty, it wasn't really that entertaining so we only stayed about 20 minutes or so...



This was probably the best move of the entire show, ha!
And that's all folks!



One tired, grumpy little boy falling asleep on the car ride home!

Belly Pic Comparison - LOL!

Just for kicks...take a look at these two pics! WOW! I definitely look like I should be having this baby boy any minute now!

16 weeks 4 days

36 weeks 3 days

Belly Pic - 36 wks 3 days

36 Weeks

Getting closer to the finish line.....we will finally be meeting our little boy in just 3 short weeks or less if he decides he wants to come early!

Here is what is going on with both me and baby this week according to BabyCenter.com

How your life's changing:

Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!
You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.

Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.

Surprising Facts: The stages of labor

For first-time moms, labor takes an average of 15 hours, though it's not uncommon to last more than 20. (For women who've previously had a vaginal birth, it takes eight hours, on average.) The process of labor and birth is divided into three main stages. Here are the highlights on how childbirth progresses:

First stage The first stage begins when you start having contractions that progressively dilate and efface your cervix and it ends when your cervix is fully dilated. This stage is divided into two phases, early and active labor.

It can be tricky to determine exactly when early labor starts. That's because early labor contractions are sometimes hard to distinguish from the inefficient Braxton Hicks contractions that you may have been feeling for some time.

Unless there are complications or your midwife or doctor has advised you otherwise, expect to sit out most of your early labor at home. (Be sure, though, to check in with your caregiver to make certain.)

Early labor ends when your cervix is about 4 centimeters dilated and your progress starts to speed up. At this point, you enter what's known as the active phase of labor. Your contractions become more frequent, longer, and stronger.

The last part of the active phase — when your cervix dilates from 8 to 10 centimeters — is called the transition period because it marks the transition to the second stage of labor. This is the most intense part of the first stage, with contractions that are usually very strong, coming about every two and a half to three minutes and lasting a minute or more.

Second stage Once your cervix is fully dilated, the second stage of labor begins: the final descent and birth of your baby. This is the "pushing" stage of labor, and it can last anywhere from minutes to a few hours. (It's likely to be quicker if you've previously given birth vaginally.)

Your baby's head will continue to advance with each push until it "crowns" — the term used to describe the time when the widest part of your baby's head is finally visible. After your baby's head comes out, your midwife or doctor will suction his mouth and nose, and feel around his neck for the umbilical cord. His head then turns to the side as his shoulders rotate inside the pelvis to get into position for their exit. With the next contraction, you'll be coached to push as his shoulders deliver, one at a time, followed by the rest of his body.

You may feel a wide range of emotions now: euphoria, awe, pride, disbelief, excitement (to name a few), and, of course, intense relief that it's all over. Exhausted as you may be, you'll also probably feel a burst of energy, and any thoughts of sleep will vanish for the time being.

Stage three The final stage of labor begins immediately after the birth of your baby and ends with the delivery of your placenta. The contractions in the third stage are relatively mild.

This Week's Activity:

Create a grapevine. Make a list of all the people you want to hear about your baby's birth — with their phone numbers or e-mail addresses — and pass this along to a friend who can spread the news. That way, when you're ready for others to know, all you have to do is make one call. Include at least one person from work on the list, so they can spread the word there.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.