Koetje Family

How far along?  39 Weeks
Size of Baby:  watermelon
Best moment this week: We took more maternity pictures this weekend!  Wes took them, as we wanted to do some with baby blocks spelling the names we have picked.  Since we haven’t announced names, Wes wanted to do them so it can still be a surprise.  We also were able to get some with Simba cooperating!
Not baby related.. We started packing our apt this weekend!  I am so excited to be in the process of getting our house.  We started packing so we won’t have as much to do when baby gets here.  This is definitely going to be an adventure!
Miss Anything? Walking normally!  My left hip has been locked up and I am starting to waddle a little. 🙂  The waddling I don’t mind as it isn’t too bad yet, but my left hip has been a kicker this week!
Movement: Some days I feel like baby has slowed down and doesn’t move a whole lot.  Then other days the baby doesn’t stop!
Food cravings: cookies and ice cream!
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope!
Gender prediction:  Nothing too specific
Labor Signs: uncomfortable contractions, cramping, shooting nerve pain, and baby is engaging (causing the nerve and hip pain), pressure
Symptoms: achy shoulders, sore tail bone, swelling, constant need to pee, contractions, linea negra, nerve pain, and hip pain
Belly Button in or out? Looking a little more like an outie these days although still not fully popped
Wedding rings on or off? Off
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to:  Meeting our little one!   I am still so happy and content to be pregnant and have really enjoyed it, but I know the next part is going to be even better!

How far along?  38 Weeks
Size of Baby:  pumpkin
Total weight gain/loss: 22lbs according to dr. appt.; lost a lb!
Size of belly: 38.5 cm.
Baby’s heartbeat: 135 bpm
Best moment this week: I loved this past weekend!  It was the first weekend that we didn’t have anything planned and we were able to just spend time together at home.
Miss Anything? Being able to walk without hip pain and breathing easily 🙂
Movement: Lots!  I finally got some of it on video!
Food cravings: Sweets and fruit are such a constant craving all the time!
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope!
Gender prediction:  Nothing too specific
Labor Signs: uncomfortable contractions, cramping, shooting nerve pain, and baby is engaging (causing the nerve and hip pain)… I am also beginning to dilate
Symptoms: achy shoulders, can’t get comfy, achy tail bone, swelling, constant need to pee, contractions, linea negra, nerve pain, and hip pain
Belly Button in or out? Still an inverted outie 🙂
Wedding rings on or off? Off.. I will probably just keep them off even though I could probably get them back on
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to:  Holding and cuddling up our sweet little one!  It is getting so close and I am so looking forward to meeting our gift!  At the same time, I don’t want the pregnancy to end since I am enjoying it so much but I know the next part is going to be so much better!
*Side Note:  This week we had out first official day of fall and it hit me that I have now been pregnant all four seasons this year!  It has been such a joyous time that I have truly enjoyed.  I know I will miss being pregnant and feeling my baby’s movements within me which is the most fascinating feeling!
Dr. update: Again, this is serving as my pregnancy journal for now, so read on if you wish but this is mostly for me to remember later! 🙂
I am doing great again this week.  My blood pressure is staying low at 90/60, my weight is good, my belly is measuring on track and my body is starting to show signs it is getting ready for it’s job.  I have been having contractions and apparently they are doing something!  I am dilated to 1cm but still no thinning and just becoming soft.  The baby is starting to engage into the birth canal and dropping.  The dr. is pleased with how I am looking for a first time mom.  I still think I will go late and am definitely okay with that since I am still enjoying pregnancy and not over it at all!  It needs to slow down a little! 🙂

How far along?  37 Weeks
Size of Baby:  winter melon
Total weight gain/loss: 23lbs according to dr. appt.
Size of belly: 38 cm.
Baby’s heartbeat: 132 bpm
Best moment this week: Not baby related.. but we got the house!  At least we settled on price so now just the waiting game of inspections and appraisal!
Miss Anything? Nothing specific this week.. I’m still able to do anything I could do before.  I am staying pretty flexible, can get in and out of the floor with Simba (although not always the most graceful way) and eating as before.  I did want some caffeine earlier this week, which was weird since I have been off caffeine for a good year or more.
Movement: The baby is definitely starting to run out of room in here but tries to go from one side to the other which is not always the most comfy! 🙂
Food cravings: I had a craving for yogurt for a few days but nothing else too specific
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope!
Gender prediction:  This week it has been more of ‘we’ll see’ than others.
Labor Signs: I have been told multiple times that it appears the baby has dropped although I am still not waddling!  I also started having contractions this weekend that were mainly just uncomfortable not painful.
Symptoms: achy shoulders, can’t get comfy, achy mid back and tail bone, swelling, constant need to pee, contrations, linea negra, and a little bit of on and off carpel tunnel syndrome
Belly Button in or out? Well… I’m going to say both!  It is like an inverted outie… the edge is out but the middle is still flat/in… all around odd looking 🙂
Wedding rings on or off? Off, I didn’t even try them yet because the carpel tunnel that showed up has been coming and going on my left hand.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to:  Knowing what sex the baby is and finally call it by name and not be guessing if it is right or wrong!  Also, not baby related.. inspections next week!

Dr. update: Again, this is serving as my pregnancy journal for now, so read on if you wish but this is mostly for me to remember later! 🙂
I’m still doing great!  No signs of baby’s arrival during my physical exam, blood pressure was 100/60 and I gained 5 lbs this week!  That goes along with the 2 cm my belly grew this week too.  I have noticed I go through growth spurts where I gain a lot at once and then nothing.  Also, my Group B Strep was negative, yay!  So no antibiotics are needed during labor!  One awesome thing that happened during the appt this week was that Wes got to feel the baby’s head!  He was so nervous about pushing on my belly but the dr. was guiding his hands and assuring him he was not going to hurt the baby or me.  The dr. also showed him how he can tell the baby is not engaged in the birth canal yet.  I could tell Wes was so excited, his face lit up when he could feel both sides of the head!  The dr. is also wanting to keep a close eye on me just from a gut feeling he has that I may develop pre eclampsia or toxemia.  He has no hard clinical evidence of this, just from my swelling and his gut feeling.  There is nothing to worry about now and I could still not develop any of it and be fine.  He is just being overly cautious (which I don’t mind) so I am going back to the dr. in about 4 days.  He gave me specific things to watch for but so far I’m still doing great!  This is one reason I love my dr.

How far along?  36 Weeks
Size of Baby:  romaine lettuce
Total weight gain/loss: no gain; 18 lbs. according to dr. appt.
Size of belly: 36 cm.
Baby’s heartbeat: 148 bpm
Best moment this week: Not baby related.. but finding a house!! We are making an offer 🙂
Baby related… Wes was an amazing husband and helped me clean the house. (I think the nesting bug kicked in but I didn’t have the energy to do it all myself) 🙂  He also cleaned my car and installed our carseat! I also got our hospital bags packed!!!
Miss Anything? Not really… I still miss not being able to stay comfortable for more than 30 min, but I think I’m starting to get used to it by now
Movement: Little one has gotten active again! I think the funniest moment was when I laid down for the dr. to measure my belly and baby stuck it’s butt out so far that Wes and the dr. chuckled because my belly was so lopsided! The dr. patted it down so he could get an accurate measurement 🙂
Food cravings: nothing really this week
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope!
Gender prediction:  I’m still thinking boy but at the same time, I sometimes still feel that little voice of doubt that it could still be a girl!  We are so excited to find out!
Labor Signs: a little crampy and apparently having contractions I don’t really feel.. I would be okay with that continuing for a bit longer 🙂
Symptoms: achy shoulders, can’t get comfy, achy mid back, swelling, constant need to pee, and linea negra
Belly Button in or out? I’m going to just say flatish.. I don’t think it is going to fully pop…
Wedding rings on or off? Off, they got tight last week and I figured I need to stop chancing it.. although I am thinking of trying them again.  My fingers do not look swollen as much and it feels so awkward without them!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to:  Meeting this baby!
Side note: I have been trying to stay really active throughout the pregnancy and am being able to still be flexible, somewhat get in and out of the floor and staying active.  This weekend Wes and I noticed the cause of my swelling though!  Every time I have to go up to the video control room to help Wes on Sunday’s, my ankles and feet get very achy and swollen.  Once I keep them up, the swelling goes back down and doesn’t really come back.  I think it is just a sign that I’m over doing it and my body forcing me to relax.  For those that do not know… the video control room is basically on top of a mountain that takes a million stairs to get to!  It always takes me a few minutes to get my breath back as well 🙂
Dr. update: Again, this is serving as my pregnancy journal for now, so read on if you wish but this is mostly for me to remember later! 🙂
I am still doing good!  My blood pressure is staying normal at 112/68 and my belly is measuring right on track, no longer ahead!  I didn’t gain any weight in the past 2 weeks since my last appt.  I had my Group B Strep test this week and will find out the results next week.  It is a normal test to see if I carry a certain bacteria.
The dr. also checked my progress and it doesn’t look like I will be going into labor anytime soon!  I have not thinned at all and am still closed up.  The baby is also still head down but high and not engaged into the birth canal at all.  This just confirms my feelings that this baby is comfy and not coming any time soon… more than likely late!

How far along?  35 Weeks
Size of Baby:  honeydew melon
Total weight gain/loss: probably about 20 lbs.
Best moment this week: The long weekend with my hubby!  We decided to take the weekend and get ready for baby!  We went to Babies R Us and got everything we needed still, reorganized the apt, did baby laundry, put things together, and got everything we need for me to pack our hospital bags!  We feel so ready for our little one to come and I love that our apt actually looks ready for a baby 🙂
Miss Anything? Comfort! Ha, I have been so uncomfortable this week!  I can’t sit, stand, or lay down without either having to pee or have achy muscles.  I know this is all part of late pregnancy and I still have a month to go but I do miss being able to sit and read without having to get up every other paragraph 🙂
Movement: Baby has slowed down quite a bit but still kicks and moves enough for it not to be concerning.  I think baby is simply running out of room that it can’t flop from one side to the other any more!
Food cravings: Still all things sweet!  I also have had a craving just about the whole pregnancy for biscuits that I don’t think I have mentioned before.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Not this week!
Gender prediction:  I still have a stronger feeling towards boy but this week I have also thought of baby as being a girl and loving it!  We are trying to get Simba use to the baby names so we alternate them when talking to him instead of just saying ‘baby’.  He just looks at us like ‘who is that?’ 🙂 But calling the baby the girl name now isn’t as weird and feels right as well, so we shall see!
Labor Signs: a little crampy
Symptoms: swelling, heartburn, achy mid back, can’t get comfy, linea negra, round ligament pain, and constantly peeing!  (I actually had to go to the bathroom before and immediately after brushing my teeth one night, it was a little ridiculous haha)
I am sleeping much better now that my chiropractor gave me some tips.  I now do my stretches and exercises right before bed and get my muscles loose so I can now sleep for about 3 hour stretches instead of getting up every hour!
Belly Button in or out? It is still mostly flat but if I just wear a thin shirt over my belly without a panel or anything else going over it, you can see my belly button where the top part is out.
Wedding rings on or off? They actually had to come off the last day of this week.  I have been checking them daily for a few weeks now and at the end of this week I went to get them off because they felt tight and it was a little difficult.  I thought it would be wise to not try to get them back on when they fit my pinky snuggly 🙂 It feels so weird to not have them and I definitely have moments of panic that I have lost them!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Mostly happy this week but I have had my moments of moodiness.  I realize it afterwards and not even know where it came from… lovely hormones 🙂
Looking forward to:  Having this baby!  Now that our apt is ready and things are set up, I can’t wait to use it all and have a squishy little baby to love!  Can’t wait to know if this is a boy or girl, announce the name, and know who little one looks more like.. so excited!!