Almost 36 Weeks...Getting There!!!!

It's hard to believe that this pregnancy is almost over!  It feels like it just has flown by.  Maybe it's because we haven't had to have any specialist appointments and extra ultrasounds as we did with Q.  We have only had 2 ultrasounds this entire pregnancy (a dating one in December, and our anatomy scan in January), while we had 7 ultrasounds with Q (2 for dating, 1 for anatomy, and 4 for her foot including a Level 2).

I don't know if I'm already starting the whole nesting process or what, but today I definitely felt some renewed energy and have been doing laundry, errands, and right now a batch of blueberry muffins are in the oven.  Next up are going to be cookies and granola bars (if I have all of the granola bar ingredients).  At my midwife appointment on Monday, after describing my lower pressure symptoms, my midwife (Grace) confirmed that the baby's head is in my pelvis and also got me to do my GBS test now as opposed to around 37-38 weeks.  The test is a swab that determines whether or not you have to have antibiotics during birth.  Fingers crossed that it comes back negative!  I'm trying to be optimistic that I won't have to have an IV this time (for induction, antibiotics, or epidural).  My birth plan continues to be that of a natural plan - exhausting all non-pharmaceutical forms of pain management before having an epidural.  It's not that I'm afraid of an epidural, as I had one with Q and it was definitely a life saver...I just feel like my body would be capable of having an all natural childbirth.  I also want to be discharged from the hospital ASAP post-birth.  Obviously babies have their own agendas and schedules, but there's always room for optimism!

How far along? 35 weeks 5 days
Total weight gain: 42 lbs
Maternity clothes? Definitely...although my jeans have gotten a lot less comfortable to wear, so thankfully it's warm weather time now!
Stretch marks? *knock on wood*
Best moment this week: Finding out that Yoda is still head down and is descending into my pelvis already!
Miss anything: My skinny feet
Movement: Quite a bit still.  Mostly rolling-like movements or he/she sticks her bum out which makes my belly lopsided.  Yoda also is liking to punch me way down low, which isn't so comfortable.
Food cravings: Donuts
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!
Gender: Team Green
Labor Signs: Getting more Braxton-Hicks now and also feeling pressure "down there" whenever I'm sitting
Belly Button in or out? I'm going to say "out" now, although I don't have the weird alien looking belly button.
Wedding rings on or off? Only my wedding band. :( Had to take off my engagement ring on Tuesday because of swelling.
Happy or Moody most of the time: This week was a moody week.  I'm definitely getting uncomfortable and my feet and hands have swollen.  My feet look like sausages come the end of the day and are throbbing!  Sometimes it feels like my skin is going to split...not fun.
Looking forward to: Getting as much social time in with friends the next couple of weeks, including a date night with Steve!

Quinn is doing AWESOME and is as cute as always.  Her vocabulary is still expanding and she tries to repeat certain things that we say.  Lately she's been saying "Zat?" which appears to mean "what's that?".  For example, today she said "Zat?" when Steve was carrying a ladder.  We said "it's a ladder, Q" and she repeated back "ladder".  What amazes me is that after a few days she'll just say "ladder" or other words that she has randomly learned.  Sometimes it really surprises me with what she retains.  She's such a little sponge!

Q's also having fun with Pretend Play.  She'll sit her stuffed animals in a row and "feed" them food, always putting the food on a plate first.

Another one of Q's favourite activities is blowing and chasing bubbles.  She loves to shake the bubble wand and also is loving the chase...although sometimes the chase takes her around the side of the house and I'm not so fast at keeping up with her.

Well, that's it for now as Q is waking up from her nap and I can hear her calling for me!  Until next time! :)

Spring Has Sprung!!!!

Well the warmer weather is FINALLY upon us!  And not a moment too soon either, I don't think.  With the warm weather comes the realization that it's May...meaning that Yoda's due date is NEXT MONTH!!! Wow!  I feel like this pregnancy has flown by - maybe it's because it's been quite stress-free as compared to Q's pregnancy.  With Quinn, we were always concerned about her club foot, had a lot of specialist appointments and ultrasounds, and not to mention I was still working in quite a bit of discomfort.  This time around, things have definitely been easier in the pain department but not completely easy-going.  I was having quite painful Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction as I did with Q and heartburn that required some medication to control.  Lately though, both of those have quieted down *fingers crossed*.

At my midwife appointment 3 weeks ago, we found out that Yoda was breech.  I promptly made an appointment to see Jackie (my former chiro associate) for Webster.  After 2 treatments I had another midwife appointment and Yoda had turned!  I was thrilled!  Now I just see Jackie for other aches and pains since she knows a lot about treating pregnant women.

Here's the "Yoda Survey" for this week:

How far along? 33 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain: 40 lbs
Maternity clothes? Always...and still so comfy!
Stretch marks? Touch wood that no new ones have popped up other than the ones that I got with Q along my hips
Best moment this week: Yoda took a comfortable position on one side of my stomach the other night.  It was kind of funny to see a lopsided belly
Miss anything: Being able to go up a set of stairs without being winded
Movement: Really big movements that make my whole belly move
Food cravings: Chocolate lately
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!
Gender: Team Green
Labor Signs: Nope, just occasional Braxton-Hicks with exertion
Belly Button in or out? Kind of in between.  You can see it through all my shirts though.
Wedding rings on or off? On. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Can I say both?  Today was a great day, but yesterday I was more frustrated because I pulled a muscle
Looking forward to: Meeting Yoda next month! WOW!

How is Quinn doing, you ask?  She's as awesome as ever and definitely has her own personality.  She's starting to ask to do certain activities more now, which is both helpful and not-so-helpful (i.e. when I have to say "no" to her).  She loves to go for walks around the block or to the park in her wagon.  She'll start yelling "wagon" whenever we mention it.  And at the park she's a big fan of the slide and especially the swings.

Quinn Loves the Swings

(I do apologize for just the link and not the embedded video...but the video is on my phone)

Q's vocabulary continues to grow and she's starting to string words together into little sentences.  Usually her sentences can be about 2-3 words long, but she definitely gets her point across!  Some of her new words include - "hug", "water", "eye-keen" (ice cream), "sauce" (this goes for any sauce, be it ketchup or syrup), and "knucks".

So the story with "Knucks" is that it's something that Steve taught her when we were in Phoenix.  The whole bumping knuckles thing.  Anyway, we kind of forgot about it to be honest and were wondering what she was saying last week when bumping her hand against Steve's.  Then a light bulb went off for us and we realized that she was remembering what he had taught her a couple of weeks before!

"Knucks" with Quinn