thirty-six weeks.

Date/How Far Along: July 30, 2013 = 36 weeks and 2 days.  Twenty-six days until our Guess Date and no more than forty days until Baby Hammar is here!

Size of baby:  Baby Averages from 36 Weeks: 17.2-18.7 inches and 4.2-5.8 pounds.  

Sleep: On Saturday night I slept six hours without waking up.  It was so wonderful :)  Otherwise sleep has been fine.  Uncomfortable sometimes, but for the most part I still can't complain.  He'll be out soon and I'm sure my sleep will be worse than it is now. 

Total Weight Gain:  I have another appointment on Friday, which starts my weekly appointment schedule, so I will know about gain every week from now on.  I'm so close that a few extra pounds don't really bother me.  (At least when I say it out loud, seeing it on the scale might produce a different taste in my mouth.)

Symptoms:  I'm waddling and sometimes have to have John help me out of chairs.  I previously thought to myself I never wanted to be "that" pregnant lady.  I've been humbled :)  I'm still experiencing the weird groin pain and lots of hip pressure/pain/stiffness.  I'm not sure if John would say this but I feel like I've been more emotional too, at least over the weekend.     

Movement:  He was SO active last night and I even captured some on video.  While I was taping though John looked over and was so excited that he could see it too.  I love when he's excited about the baby.  He's going to be such a great dad.  I've still been feeling lots of hiccups and lots of wiggles, not so much jabs anymore, but that's normal when they get bigger and have less room to move around. 

Maternity Clothes:  Yup, bought my first few nursing tank tops and a bra.  It felt funny.  Sidenote: John and I don't take plastic bags from stores if we only have a few things and I forget my reusable bags in the car.  The cashier at Babies R Us was so funny because we told her that and she very adamantly said, "She doesn't want anyone seeing her bra!"  John and I got a good chuckle out of it because I honestly could care less if people see my bra or any other unmentionables I buy :)  I've been trying to pack our hospital bag, which currently is spread around on the kitchen table, and I can't decide which clothing to bring.  I've gotten suggestions from friends, so hopefully that'll help narrow it down.   

Go-to eats:   Taco Salad!  We're having it for supper and I've been looking forward to it since Saturday when we decided that's what we were going to have.  I've been craving fresh fruit, so I've eaten lots of peaches and raspberries from our bush outside.  

Best moment/s of the week:  We had a very great week.  We got lots of walks in, three with John and one with a friend.  I got to see a few other pregnant friends and my sister Erin on Friday and see my family on Saturday for breakfast.  John and I got a lot done around the house and bought a few things we didn't have yet for the baby on Saturday.  It was a very productive weekend even though I'm exhausted today.  Looking forward to our taco salad will keep me going. 

Hardest moment/s of the week:  Being exhausted.  Knowing that we're getting closer and closer to the labor and delivery part.  I'm so excited to meet him and know that we'll have a baby regardless of how he ends up coming into the world, but I'm still a little anxious.  

Gender:  The babe is a boy.  I'm sure he'll be handsome like his daddy. 

What I wish people knew:  I am so thankful for all the thoughtfulness people have shown us throughout this pregnancy, whether it's gifts for the babe, a kind comment or an offer of help around the house.  We're so blessed by family and friends. 

What I’m looking forward to:  Seeing John's mom tonight, we have to bring her to the airport early tomrrow morning.  I'm actually looking forward to my midwife appointment on Friday.  Having lunch with John's grandparents next Sunday.

Milestones: You're shedding the downy hair that's covered you for the past few months and your hearing is fulling developed.   

To check out my growing bump click here :)

thirty-five weeks.

Date/How Far Along: July 23, 2013 = 35 weeks and 3 days.  Happy birthday to Uncle Karl from baby!

Size of baby:  Baby Averages from 35 Weeks:  He's probably a little over 5 pounds and it between 16-20 inches long.  One source said he's the size of a roasting chicken.  Possibly one of the worst references yet. 

Sleep: I feel like a light switch went off and now I have to get up at least twice per night to pee and then getting comfortable again is near impossible.  I'm still getting some good sleep, but I'm usually tired.  The pillow still does help, but it is just not easy between bathroom runs, a huge bump and back pain. 

Total Weight Gain:  I had gained nothing at my last appointment and the midwife said that was just fine.  He probably had a growth spurt before my last appointment.  I was also measuring a week bigger than I was supposed to which also can indicate a growth spurt.  Due to how happy I was about not gaining another 4.5 pounds I got Wendy's for Comet and I on my way home. 

Symptoms:  I asked the midwife about the groin pain and apparently it's totally normal and lots of women actually experience it.  It just has to do with all the pressure down there.  It's gotten tolerable and John is less worried every time I have to stop because of it.  I have been having lots of back pain this week which I assume is just the extra weight plus having to carry Miss B around at work.  I just try to continually change positions throughout the day in hopes that I ease the stress on my muscles.  I've been having very positive dreams about labor, delivery and breastfeeding as well.  It makes my mornings so much more positive.  I know he's coming (in no more than 6.5 weeks) and I know I can do it.    

Movement:  He's still wonderfully active even when it hurts :)  John has been touching my tummy more often to feel him and I love that.  The baby also seems to be especially excited when John and I talk to each other and he can hear both of our voices.  I've been feeling lots of hiccups!  Apparently my movements have also changed, my sweet grandma said to me on Sunday, "You know you're walking more like a duck these days."  I swore I didn't want to be the pregnant woman who waddles around and can't get out of chairs without help, but it's happened and I wouldn't trade it :)

Maternity Clothes:  Still a mix of both, but depending on what I'm wearing it can be more of one or the other.  I wore all regular clothes yesterday.    

Go-to eats:   I haven't had any strong cravings except for today.  I am meeting a friend for lunch and we decided on a place, but I couldn't stop thinking about a sandwich at a different place so she graciously said she'd go there with me instead.  I have been craving sushi so much, so that's another reason I will be so happy when this baby comes out.    

Best moment/s of the week:  We got to tour the birth center last Wednesday and that was reassuring.  It was still under construction when we saw it the first time, so it was nice to see what a room with a birthing tub looked like.  The tubs look great too which makes me more excited for our water birth!  I also got to see lots of family this weekend because we had our last baby shower.  It was such a blessing to have my grandparents drive up here from Nebraska for it.  I want them to be as involved as possible in the baby's life, so it was so nice.

Hardest moment/s of the week:  My sister and brother-in-law's puppy Sandy got hit by a car.  We are heartbroken and I feel worse because I know my sister is really sad about it.  We will really miss her!  Erin said though that she just got sent up to heaven for our grandpa's first heaven birthday.  I'm sure they're up there running and playing :)

Gender:  We are so excited about bringing a boy into the world. 

What I wish people knew:  I don't mind when most people touch my belly.  I haven't had a complete stranger do it yet, so that might be a little silly, but for the most part I haven't minded at all.     

What I’m looking forward to:  Another weekend of just our family of four, John, Comet, baby and I.  We'll probably try to get some more housework done, but hopefully we can find time to relax and enjoy each other's company.  I'm excited to see the few friends I get to see this week too!

Milestones: You are really focusing on gaining weight.  Most of your development is complete, so gaining weight is the next step to preparing for your entrance into the world. 

To check out my growing bump click here :) 

Have fun running and playing with Grandpa Morris little Sandy girl!  We love you!

thirty-four weeks.

Date/How Far Along: July 15, 2013 = 34 weeks and 2 days. It's only 40 days until our guess date and 54 days until we are 42 weeks.  The midwives will not let us go later than 42 weeks, so in 54 days or less we'll have a baby to hold in our arms.  Holy buckets!  Yay!

 

Size of baby:  We quit trying to compare his size to an object.  Here's baby averages for 34 weeks:  17.2-18.7 inches long and 4.2-5.8 pounds.

 

Sleep:  I think I have to say it's still going well.  There are nights that are worse than others and it is getting harder to find a comfortable position, but I'm still getting more than I'll get after baby comes.  For that I'm thankful.

 

Total Weight Gain:  I'm hoping it's not a large amount more than at my last appointment, but I have an appointment on Friday, so we'll see. 

 

Symptoms:  The worst part is my upper thigh and groin muscles.  I'm not trying to be too graphic about it, but they are sore.  Sometimes they feel like they're being pulled so tight that I have to stop walking or doing whatever I'm doing.  It's weird.  It's not something I've heard others talk about or that I've read about.  

 

Movement:  He's so active and it's wonderful, but not always.  haha!  Honestly sometimes his twists and turns hurt.  He's so strong.  For the longest time it felt like he only sat on the right side of my abdomen, but now it feels like he's everywhere in there.  Poor guy is probably running out of room.  His movements have started to feel more like twists and turns too, opposed to kicks and jabs. 

 

Maternity Clothes:  Not today, but I'm only wearing athletic clothing.  I'm surprised at how well some of my regular clothes still fit.  If I knew I may not have bought as many maternity pieces.  I haven't bought a lot, but good fitting pants/jeans/bottoms have been really important to me.  T-shirts have no been quite as important.  I know I still have a little ways to go, but I can't imagine growing out of all my shirts by then.  We'll see though I guess.       

 

Go-to eats: For a long while I was loving chocolate covered raisins, but the last few days they made me feel sick.  We're having taco salad tonight or tomorrow and I'm definitely looking forward to that.  I've been craving Pizza Hut bread sticks, but I haven't eaten any because I've had such an issue with salt.  I don't want to eat them and then feel nasty afterwards.   

 

Best moment/s of the week:  We had the entire weekend to ourselves.  We got some house projects done, although the house looks worse than it did when we started.  We went to Menards.  We got breakfast together on Sunday morning.  We got to go to church.  We played with Comet.  It was so blissful and I'm so thankful for it!  I also got to meet a friend's baby and see my last nanny family :)

 

Hardest moment/s of the week:  There wasn't really anything hard about last week.  I'm thankful for that.

 

Gender:  Little Hammar is a Mr.

What I wish people knew:  John has been my greatest support through all of this.  He's great. 

 

What I’m looking forward to:  We are touring the birth center on Wednesday evening and we have our last baby shower on Sunday.  My grandparents from Nebraska are coming so it will be fun to see them.  I'm so happy to get to include them in this exciting part of our lives. 

 

Milestones: You can recognize simple songs.  I told your dad I'm trying to get you to love country music before you even come out, so hopefully they're simple enough :)

 

To check out my growing bump click here :)

thirty-three weeks.

Date/How Far Along: July 9, 2013 = 33 weeks and 3 days.  

 

Size of baby:  Steering Wheel.  At this point we're making them up as we go. 

 

Sleep:  It's still going okay, most nights pretty good.  I'm waking up to go to the bathroom once or twice, but I'm most often able to go right back to sleep.  I have no complaints.

 

Total Weight Gain:  At my midwife appointment last week I was up to 158 pounds.  Argh.  That means I gained like four pounds in ten days.  My midwife said it was completely fine because I've been a stair step gainer, meaning I gain a bunch and plateau.  It still felt gross, even though it could've been from the take-out Thai food and wonderful bread pudding we had the night before.  I'm trying to prep myself for the fact that I will probably be at 160 at my next appointment.  It's not fun for me to think about.

 

Symptoms:  I'm sore and exhausted most of the time, but I'm just pretty sure it comes along with the territory.  He's coming soon and I can't complain. 

 

Movement: He's so busy in there and I love it.  Yesterday was really hot and he slowed down quite a bit from usual so I was worried, but he picked it back up towards the end of the day, so I'm sure he's doing great.  It was the first time I felt a little worried about it though. 

 

Maternity Clothes:  Yup.  There isn't much else to say about it. 

 

Go-to eats:  Nothing special although I've been wanting cheese so bad and we don't have any at home right now :(  I did get to pick fresh strawberries and make jam with my mom, dad and grandma this past weekend, so I ate SO many fresh berries.  There's honestly not many tastes better than fresh picked berries.

 

Best moment/s of the week: Spending time with my family.  It's rare that we get more than one full day with our families and it was so nice to spend so much uninterrupted time with them.  I got to pick strawberries with my mom and dad, which is something I used to do with my grandpa who passed away last summer.  We made jam with my grandma after that in the afternoon.  It's fun to keep traditions alive. 

 

Hardest moment/s of the week:  Being without John for a few days.  He had a wonderful time on his little mancation though and I'm so thankful for that. 

 

Gender:  Our babe is a boy.

What I wish people knew:  It's hard to feel fully prepared, but I think that's okay because nothing can fully prepare me for being a new momma. 

What I’m looking forward to:  Going to the farmer's market with John on Saturday morning.  We don't have any plans all weekend and just the thought of that is so exciting!  I also get to meet a friend from Blooma and her baby on Friday afternoon.

 

Milestones: Your bones are hardening and you're starting to keep your eyes open when you're awake. 

 

To check out my growing bump click here :)

thirty-two weeks = eight months!

Date/How Far Along: July 1, 2013 = 32 weeks and 2 days. 

Size of baby:  Loaf of Bread.  These comparisons are getting frustrating because we honestly have no idea how accurate they are plus they're starting to seem silly.  He's gaining weight, but probably not much more height.   

Sleep:  I honestly still can't complain about sleep.  I have my bad nights, but most are tolerable and I've grown accustomed to occasional waking.  I would still recommend the pregnancy pillow to anyone and everyone because I honestly feel it's helped me.  John said he's had to nudge me to roll over from being on my back a few nights, but I don't usual remember.  I have had to deal with a few nights with leg cramps again and I've decided it happens when I haven't had enough water.  

Total Weight Gain:  I would guess around 21.5 or 22, but my midwife appointment is on Wednesday so I'll find out then.   

Symptoms: My hips hurt, but thankfully yoga really seems to help.  I've had a few bouts of feeling nauseous, but we're pretty sure it's due to exhaustion and heat.  I just have to continue to remember to take it easy. 

Movement:  So much and it's so wonderful.  A few of John's family members got to feel him on Friday night, which was fun.  I love when other people find so much joy in it like I do every day :)  He's definitely a little mover!  One morning last week it felt like he kept walking back and forth on my stomach.  It was so weird feeling.  I'm not sure if it was actual kicks or if he was just rolling over.  I honestly wish there was some kind of recording device so I could save some of the kicks forever! 

Maternity Clothes: During the week I'm usually sporting athletic clothing, so actually today I don't have anything maternity on.  If I have to dress up or just wear jeans my bottoms are always maternity.  Some of my t-shirts still fit, but only the long ones.  The short ones fan out too much. 

Go-to eats:  I made Chicken Alfredo Pizza last night which was delicious!  I'm making taco salad for supper tonight which I'm very excited about :)  Food is just exciting overall.  He much be growing. 

Best moment/s of the week:  There were SO many great moments last week!  I got to take Betsy on a field trip to Target and Mall of America on Thursday which was also the day I got to see John's sister's family that we haven't seen since January.  We had a fun baby shower on Friday night with John extended family, so it was fun to see all of them as well!  On Saturday we got to spend time with my grandma and tell my youngest sister some exciting news and have our maternity photo session (can't wait to show off the photos)!  It was a wonderful weekend!

Hardest moment/s of the week: Being exhausted by the end of all the fun.  I felt so sick!

Gender:  Our babe is a little guy.

What I wish people knew:  It's hard not to be nervous or scared about labor and delivery, especially now that it's getting so close!

What I’m looking forward to: Spending time with family this coming weekend over the 4th.  I do have to drop John off at the airport on Thursday because he's going on a trip, so I'm not looking forward to that. 

Milestones: You are practicing skills you will need outside your baby palace, like sucking and breathing and kicking and swallowing. 

To check out my growing bump click here :)