37 Weeks

How far along: 37 weeks, 6 days

Maternity clothes: Nothing more really…with only a few weeks left I think I’m good for now J

Stretch marks: None…yay!

Sleep: I’m still doing pretty good.  Just have to have my one pillow between my knees and under my belly, and I just flip side to side a lot.  Luckily I still sleep all the way through most nights!

Best moment this week: Doing our maternity shoot!  For a while there, I was debating doing one since I’m still trying to be careful with budget (it definitely will be a relief once Hesston lands a job!) Anyways, I decided to look into it and see if I could do just a mini shoot just so I could have a few cute professional pictures with me and Hesston to document this first pregnancy.  I contacted Stacey Hansen from a referral I got from one of my trainers at work, and I could NOT be more grateful that I chose to go with her!  She gave us a great deal, and she gave me TONS of beautiful pictures.  On the day of the shoot, everything went really smooth, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather!  We met our photographer on a Saturday evening at Denzil Stewart Nature Park in Logan, and it was the prettiest spot!  I had never even heard of it, and was so glad she knew about this place!  We got there a little bit early and walked around looking for spots we for sure wanted to get pictures in.  Hesston even did a couple of test shots with his phone, and swears he could have just done the whole shoot himself…too bad babe, I wanted you in the pictures haha.  Anyways, after meeting up with our photographer and looking over all of the poses I really liked (thank you Pinterest!), we shot pictures at a bunch of really pretty spots, including down by a river…ya, this place was awesome!  I had two different outfits, and luckily it wasn’t too difficult changing even though we were standing out in the middle of this park haha.  Not too many people were there luckily :) After seeing all of the pictures though (which by the way Stacey got back to me VERY quickly) I couldn’t have been more THRILLED with how everything turned out!  I’ll put all the pictures up on a separate post :)

Miss anything: At this point, it’s just the same stuff, like being able to sleep on my back, being more comfortable while sitting, etc…but really life isn’t too bad!

Movement:  Same kind of cramped up type movements haha.  To me it doesn’t look my belly has gotten much bigger, but I’m sure baby has, so I’m thinking she is just really crammed in there lol.  One of the nights, she REALLY stretched out her legs a few times, and it honestly hurt!!  Her little feet were sticking out as far as she could get them to go, and my body didn’t like that very much lol. She’s hit my ribs a couple times too, and that definitely doesn’t feel too good!

Symptoms: Still this darn tailbone pain, constant Braxton Hicks, but luckily, I haven’t noticed the upper back pain as much lately!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Still no!

Have you started to show yet: Yep…it will be weird to not have this belly anymore actually haha

Gender prediction: Baby girl

Labor signs: Just having lots of Braxton Hicks!  Nothing too painful, but my stomach just gets reallllly tight, so it’s more uncomfortable than painful.  I don’t want to know what the real ones feel like just yet!

Belly button in or out: Still mostly flat, but it sticks out a touch if I stand just right…even my photographer said she had a moment she could see it popping out!

Wedding rings on or off: Still on!  I never had any problems with swelling thankfully :)

Happy or Moody most of the time: Really happy!  I feel so blessed with everything in our lives right now.  Even though we’ve had a heck of a time getting a job for Hesston (even though he has two masters degrees…ya we’re stumped a little bit too haha), we’ve learned to be grateful for everything going right in our life, and truth is, we have a LOT to be grateful for!  This baby is healthy, my body is still handling pregnancy really well, we aren’t having to move RIGHT before delivery like I was afraid could happen, so ya…life is just peachy :)

Looking forward to: Just baby girl getting here!  It really is crazy how close we are getting, and even though I feel great and don’t mind if she takes her time (just not too much time haha), I am getting more and more excited to meet her, and to have a new little baby to share our home with.

36 Weeks

How far along: 36 weeks, 4 days

Maternity clothes: I just ordered another maternity dress for my maternity shoot next week!  Can’t wait til it gets here!

Stretch marks: Still no…I’ve almost made it the whole way without them!  Hoping they hold out for 3 more weeks!!

Sleep: Ok for the most part.  I did have to wake up to go to the bathroom the other night, and was having some pretty tight contractions.  I can tell my body is prepping for what’s to come!

Best moment this week: I got to go to a Wellness Conference for work at Snowbird resort!  It was nice to change things up a little bit, and with Hesston being done with school, he was able to go with me!  He just hung out in the hotel ‘til I was done each day.  The funny thing was Hesston was assuming it would be warm like it has been in Logan lately, but we didn’t think about the fact that we were going to be at a much higher altitude, and there was still a lot of SNOW up there!  Haha…good thing Hesston doesn’t mind the cold!

Just a little bit colder than expected...luckily I happened to bring a jacket!

After the conference on one of the days, we drove into town to get dinner, and I just had to get Bruges!  We had it at a wedding reception a long time ago, and they have one in Draper...I've wanted to get it ever since, and we finally did!

Our nice little hotel room for the night!

So glad I was still able to get this shirt over my belly haha

Miss anything: It definitely would have been nice to get in the hot tub at the hotel.  It’s ok though…I’m getting closer to being able to :)

Movement:  Yes, and she is getting cramped in there haha.  I can tell because the main movement I feel is her stretching her bum and legs out straight.  It makes my stomach all lopsided, and I can see a little golf ball sized lump sticking out the side (her foot).  It’s always still just a relief every time I feel her move since I know she is still doing ok in there.  Here's a couple of fun little videos showing a little bit of her movement I was able to catch on camera!

Symptoms: Yes, especially as I’m getting closer and closer.  I am having worsening tailbone pain from sitting on hard surfaces (church is brutal lol).  I broke my tailbone when I was 13, and haven’t felt it hurt in such a long time!  Pregnancy is bringing all that back unfortunately :/

Food cravings: I’ve been loving this new Greek yogurt from Chobani that we got at Sam's Club…it’s amazing!!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, not really!

Have you started to show yet: Oh ya…just getting bigger!

Gender prediction: A little miss :)

Labor signs: At this week’s appointment, my doctor checked my progress, and I’m already 80% effaced and dilated 1 cm!  That was definitely not something I was expecting to hear!  We’ll see what happens at the next appointment…baby girl may be here sooner than expected!

Belly button in or out: It still looks mostly flat, but I can tell it’s starting to pop a little more!

Wedding rings on or off: Still on

Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy!  I can’t believe how short time is feeling right now.  Most women just want their babies out at this point, but I still feel good, and work is keeping me super busy, so I’m fine if she takes her time :)

Looking forward to: My mom coming up here!  She is planning on coming Memorial Day weekend (a week before I’m due).  It will be so nice having her here, and just being right ready to go to the hospital with us whenever it’s time!  Just gotta hope baby stays put til at least then haha.

35 Weeks

How far along: 35 weeks, 6 days

Maternity clothes: My t-shirts are still honestly fitting just fine at this point!  I still have to wear certain style dresses to church, and definitely am more comfortable in maternity garments, but other than that, I really haven’t had to buy too much luckily!

Stretch marks: None

Sleep: I still am honestly doing good sleep-wise.  As long as I have a pillow between my knees, the fan on, and haven’t had too much water before bed, I can usually still make it through the whole night uninterrupted

Best moment this week: Obvious one…Hesston GRADUATED from grad school!!!!!!  Knowing we are totally done with school (as far as I know haha), is seriously the best feeling ever.  It will be even better once we know what job he is gonna end up with, but for now, I am just basking in the fact that homework and early morning classes are officially in the PAST!! 

Not the best video, but this was Hesston's name being called, announcing him as a Master of Human Resources, and a Master of Business Administration...so proud of this guy!

About actual graduation, it was a seriously perfect day.  I worked from 7:30-12:30 and then left early so I could get changed and head over to the Spectrum where Graduation was held.  Hesston’s sister Kamie and husband Drew came down from Burley with their little boy Lincoln to celebrate with us (the rest of Hesston’s family was in St. George celebrating Hesston’s younger sister Chan’s graduation from Dixie since it was the very same day!), but it was so perfect!  Of course graduation is a bit long and boring, but I captured some perfect pictures of the event, got him walking and getting his diploma on video, and got even cuter pictures outside after it was over.  Then Kamie and Drew took us down to Salt Lake for dinner at an AMAZING pizza restaurant called Maxwell’s (seriously recommend this place), and just had such a fun, rewarding, wonderful day :)

Hesston jokes that I was really the one who earned the diploma, so he made me get a picture with the cap and gown on haha

So nice having Kamie, Drew, and Lincoln there with us to celebrate!

Enjoying a {virgin} margarita :)

Seriously one of the best pizza places I've been to!

Miss anything: Still missing being able to sit on a couch or in the car comfortably, or being able to sleep on my back.

Movement: Oh definitely!  She gets hiccups at least once or twice a day, and I can tell exactly the position she is in (partly because my Dr. confirmed with ultrasound), so she likes to stretch her bum and feet far apart sometimes and make my belly all lopsided.  Good news is that she is head down!  My doctor says she’s a smart kid since she got into position early on :)

Symptoms: Still having upper back pain, right in between my shoulder blades.  I swear, I wish I could have an adjustment like every other day to “pop” everything back into place, but I just have to tough through it until baby girl is out!

Food cravings: Sometimes still craving ice cold root beer every once in a while, or Swig drinks and cookies
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, feeling good!

Have you started to show yet: Definitely can't miss it.

Gender prediction: Girl

Labor signs: I am definitely having more and more Braxton Hicks contractions, especially if I am walking too fast or overdoing it with bending or lifting

Belly button in or out: Basically still totally flat, unless I stand a certain way and parts of it stick out a little

Wedding rings on or off: Still on, and somehow still loose!  I’m really grateful that swelling hasn’t kicked in at all

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Getting everything ready for going to the hospital!  I have been reading LOTS of packing lists on Pinterest to find out the most important things to have with when you go to the hospital so I feel prepared, but don’t way overpack.  I’ve filled out my birth plan for the hospital as well, and it’s just crazy to think we are really this close!