2 More Weeks!

This past weekend, my amazing sister-in-law, Kristen, planned a little "sprinkle" shower up in Indianapolis with some of my girlfriends. Sprinkle showers are just a nice way to spoil mom/baby #2 and stock up on essentials...or all new stuff if you're having a different gender from your first baby! I was so happy to have lunch with my two sister-in-laws, Kristen and Arynn, my two sorority sisters, Jessica and Leigh, and a surprise visitor - my wonderful friend, Navy, who lives down in Knoxville, TN! She was in town visiting family and we were both SO excited when we knew the weekends matched up and she could make it. I hadn't seen her in two years - since my baby shower down in Tennessee for Ethan!! I am very lucky to be surrounded by such awesome friends and it has been a joy sharing this pregnancy with them. I can't wait for them to meet baby girl!!

 

Eric is in New York this week for his last phase of training with his new job. We both were obviously a little anxious about him leaving this close to baby time, but trusted the fact that she will come when she's ready. I had a doctors appointment today and they confirmed she's still tucked away and there are no signs of her coming yet. I told the doctor I was pretty sure she had flipped positions in my tummy. Last night, I felt some pretty powerful movements and then a big "flop" and all of a sudden I felt her tush on the left side of my tummy instead of the right (where she had been before). The doctor pulled out a handheld ultrasound machine and said that indeed she did a little switcheroo! So she's head down, tush on my left side, and her feet are on my right side...positioned perfectly in my ribcage =)

As I mentioned last week, the emotions are at an all-time high and I have found myself to be very "weepy." Pretty much anything and everything can bring tears to my eyes at any given point. The other night, the tears came after putting Ethan to bed because "I just love him so much." Yesterday, it was the fact that all the clothes I had put away in her new dresser now smell like a new dresser...which led to me buying drawer liners and air fresheners at Target today. And my biggest "stress" as of late? What kind of headbands should I buy? Where should I get them? How often should she wear them? Will the headbands stay on? I mean, seriously? Haha! The good news is I'm able to keep perspective, laugh at myself, and realize how absolutely ridiculous I'm being. Most people would probably be worrying about how to juggle two kids under the age of two, how the sibling will adjust, etc. and I'm worried about...headbands. It's almost like the last couple weeks of waiting give you nothing to do but stress over silly stuff like this =)

How Far Along: 37 Weeks!

Size of Baby: Your baby weighs approximately 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches

Development: Your baby is simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on his or her thumb, blinking, and pivoting from side to side (one day you feel the tushy on the left side, another day it has swung around to the right side). All these are skills needed for his or her next gig  — starring as newborn. She is also busy putting on a half ounce a day.

How I'm Feeling: Excited and emotional are probably the best two words to describe how I'm feeling. I feel giddy thinking about the fact that we are SO close - two weeks away?! Two weeks and we will be holding a beautiful squishy newborn. Thankfully, I'm feeling less anxious about the actual surgery than I was a couple weeks ago. I think I felt more nerves because I actually know what to expect this time around whereas with Ethan it was all a new experience. I told Dr. Stowell about my anxiety awhile back and he reassured me that he will continue to check on me throughout the surgery. With Ethan, after he was pulled out I started breathing funny and couldn't catch my breath...felt like I couldn't get any oxygen. I was so foggy and remember saying, "Dr. Stowell, I'm not breathing right" and I started to cry. He responds, "I know, you're not. It's okay. Just focus on trying to breathe through your nose and out your mouth. It's okay..." He said it's the release of hormones after the baby leaves your body - it sends your body immediately into recovery mode and all sorts of crazy things can happen. He is such an awesome doctor and I trust him wholeheartedly so I just hope baby comes on June 26 and he can deliver her =)

Cravings/Aversions: Apparently I've adopted the mindset that since I'm only two weeks out from delivering baby girl then I should splurge and eat whatever I want...haha! Kinda kidding, but kinda not. I don't seem to have a problem giving myself a "treat" every day =)

My emotional rock! =)

37 Weeks w/Ethan and Baby #2!
**These side-by-side pictures are deceiving because now that we know Ethan was early, I technically wasn't 37 weeks in this picture even though I thought I was...but it's still fun to compare since it's the same dress!**