32 weeks!

This week was a pretty good week, if I do say so myself! Sleeping in the right bed, listening to the new noises from the house - and just being thankful for all of the blessings God has given us.  So undeserved, that's for sure.  Our learned patience has been so helpful during the last 7-8 months, especially the last 2.5 months, while we stayed at my mom's house, waiting on the close of the house and then knowing that after we closed, getting the work that we wanted to have done to the home before we moved in.  The last few weeks certainly have been hard to get thru, but it sure paid off!  That's not to say that our leaving mom's wasn't emotional, she cried!  When we talked the next day, she told me that she too woke up super early that Saturday, with a reassured feeling that her kid[s] were where they should be - in their home. It was comforting to hear her say that, b/c that's exactly right!  We're so happy!  Bonus -- we got that grille out and grilled steaks for dinner Saturday night! Mmm..... So tasty!!
Well, as mentioned in week 31's post, I had picked out a crib for Ava (and her future siblings), and needed to go a Target on the other side of town to get it. Thank goodness I called b/c the one that they had listed was the display!  So another word of advice, when Target's website says that a particular store has "limited availability" definitely call them first, b/c that means the display. And no, they don't sell that, b/c it's got other pieces on it - like one that holds a sign I guess.  And it was all sold out online!  Boo!!  Back to square 1.  I looked and looked and found a couple of other ones that were almost the same, put them on my registry (so I wouldn't forget them!), and went about my business.  Imagine my sheer delight when I decided to go online later this week and Target had them available!  I immediately transferred the money that was gifted to us by my father & his wife for a crib (yay!!), and put the crib, a mattress & a mattress protector in my online cart.  Order placed! Ah the crib.  So what that I had to pay $50 to ship it, I got the crib that Don & I liked, and all was well.  I set it up to deliver to the office and breathed my sigh of relief.  One more thing taken care of for Ava's arrival.  Next up, we have got to get that furniture from mom's house over here and start sanding and painting!  I've been saying it forever, and I have got to do it!! We'll figure out how to get it here, and then, with the crib here, I can match white paint, and get to stepping. She'll be here in 8 weeks!!  8 weeks, oh my goodness! I cannot believe it!
I had my 32 week check up at the dr, and all went really well.  I got to see a Dr that I really liked - kinda hope she's the one that delivers Ava.  She said I'm measuring right, baby will probably be about 7.5-8.5lbs (which is average) and will be about the average length, too.  It was really neat when she pointed out that her head was already down, her butt was on my left side, and her feet on my right (rib areas).  So sweet.  With each week, day, moment that this little thing grows and moves, my love is really starting to bloom.  I feel like I'm sort of reserving it for now, and as soon as Ava comes into this world, a flood of love will flow over her! For now, I have to make sure sweet Coco gets a ton of love from me - my sweet furbaby.  She is getting spoiled with cuddles and back rubs - not too much spoiling, so we don't have to break her from that.  Just lots of loving. She's very happy to have her yard back, so I know she's happy with us.

How far along?  32 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:   5lbs - how 'bout I jumped on the scale and had lost 2lbs - even after a couple of days of pigging out!  Nice.  (Dr is going to recommend another ultrasound to make sure baby is growing just fine, since I've gained so little weight - she wasn't concerned, she just wanted to recommend it for 36wks.)

Maternity clothes?  Yes, and more regular cotton tops, since I have them all hanging up in the closet now.  Also, I am loving the spring colors out now - the bright yellows, the turquoise!  Nice.  (I also bought 2 new dresses from Old Navy online - a long maxi & a navy eyelet one, since Easter's right around the corner!)

Stretch marks? No

Sleep:  You know it! 

Best moment this week:  Going to my dr's appt, and hearing great news.  I lost 2lbs, baby is of average size/weight (yay!), no problems, and the dr pointed out where her head/butt/feet were.  :) 

Miss anything? Pretty much nothing at this point! 

Movement?  A lot!  I love it - it's so freaky but awesome. 

Food cravings: Chocolate - I now am craving chocolate, which scares me b/c I don't want to gain a ton these last months, but I guess I'm okay... 

Anything making you queasy or sick?  Not really. 

Gender: girl

Labor signs: nope

Symptoms: Same ol' stuff - indigestion, lower region pain, but also stuffy nose! 

Belly button in or out?  Still in, still shallow.

Wedding rings on/off: On

Happy or moody? Been doing a LOT better this week - nice, happy, not as moody.  I think I'm just relaxing more, which is great.  I feel happier, or maybe just more at ease. Either way, it's an improvement from last week.  

Looking forward to: Our birthing class - we're doing an all day "crash course" at the hospital I'll be delivering (Baptist South).  It should be informative, as much as we'll need for it to be.  

......... Update - after the class, that is: Don & I got a lot of information for birthing, labor, etc.   Now, I'm officially terrified of going through labor!  I'm teetering on natural vs. the epidural, and then the more I think about it, the more anxious I get!  I don't want a c-section, that's for sure, but I'm am going to do some more research, and see if I can go thru the natural process - and maybe do the epidural if I'm halfway dilated.  Who knows, I mean, I won't really until I'm there going through it, but it's nerve-racking thinking about prelabor, almost labor, real labor.......... gosh, I didn't realize there were so many phases of labor!  We both - Don & I - will be a mess, you'll see.  Lord, help prepare us now! 

xoxo