37 Week Update!

Did I just really say 37 weeks?! Ahhh! Well...actually I will be 37 weeks tomorrow, but close enough! That means I have 22 days left...and only 3 1/2 Saturdays left, if I am counting today as a partial. I can't believe we get to meet our little Johnny man so soon. How crazy, beautiful is that?!?!

                                            

Here's a little update!

Size of baby: Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. Your baby weighs around 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 18-19 inches, head to heel, like a stalk of Swiss chard, (since I was clueless at to what that was...I attached a pic). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. (We've been told numerous times that John will have a head full of hair because Nick was covered at birth! So hopefully he doesn't come out like a wolf baby...hehe jk, but we're expecting lots of dark hair :) ).

Total Weight Gain: As of last appointment on 11 June 2012 (35 weeks) I had gained 38 lbs.

Sleep: Yea right! I get it whenever I can, however I can...cause I definitely am not having the best quality/quantity of sleep at night. I am too restless and have to get up to pee every hour.

Symptoms: INDIGESTION/HEARTBURN should def be my new middle name. Tums are truly my best friend...just wish they came in chocolate! Had episodes of Braxton Hicks contractions in my lower back a couple times already...I could of killed Nick when he said to me "just think...these aren't even the real things yet!" -doesn't he know he prob shouldn't say things like that?! Had nausea last week a couple times. Having a bit of achiness that radiates down my legs, into my pelvic region and hips. Having lower pressure on and off through out the day. Breasts are extremely tender and sore like how it was in the first trimester. I have bursts of energy at some points and then extreme fatigue at others. Increased discharge (sorry tmi). Nesting on and off...I think I went through the majority of my nesting period a month ago, Nick however totally went through it like 2 days ago. I'm talking about curtains being taken down and washing them, vacuuming every square inch of our house, doing massive amounts of laundry. I think he was literately finding things to wash. It was so endearing :)

Cravings: Any and everything...nothing in particular.

Belly Button in or out?: 100 % in! Hasn't changed a bit.

Stretch Marks: I have a few, but very faint. Mostly on my upper thighs.

Maternity Clothes: I have moved from medium sized shirts to large sized. Pants are a bit snug in larges, but big in x-larges.....so I guess I'm in between large & x-large in pants. I can still fit into medium maternity dresses....weird.

Movement: He was quiet & almost still there for a few days, but last couple of days he has been moving like crazy. I think he wants out already....I don't blame him.

Best Moments this week:  Knowing that I only have 3 weeks left!!! Almost have his registry complete. Got all his clothes washed, cleaned and put away. Had dinner with a dear friend who surprised me with mommy to be flowers :). I got a week off of work prior to my due date! Got a pedicure for first time since like January (usually do my own pedicures, but couldn't bend over anymore to paint my nails) and truly experienced a bit of heaven on earth for about 45 minutes. Ordered the cutest handmade matching sling, burp cloths, wipe case and some other baby things off of ETSY! Received a few more sweet shower gifts and finally bought his car seat!

What I'm looking forward to: Holding him for the first time. Looking over in detail and gazing at his little face, hands, body and all his beautiful parts. Being called mommy (which wont happen for a while...but that would be pretty awes if he came out talking...he'd be in Guinness book of world records and we'd be making some moolah!). Watching Nick change a diaper, feeding and bonding with him. Breast feeding for the first time. Watching him sleep next to us in the bassinet. Seeing him smile, hearing his first words, listening to him giggle. Witnessing Charlie's  first reactions when we come home with him. Seeing the joy and look on every ones face that comes to see him for the first time. Experiencing all the joys of parenthood with Nick. Not gonna lie...looking forward to at least remotely getting close to fitting back in pre-pregnancy clothes and having my body somewhat back to normal, but how I will miss having him here with me always and feeling him move inside me 24/7.

Milestones: That we made it to full-term! Praise the Lord!!

To Do List: Clean/boil bottles and paci's. Check our bags to make sure everything is packed and ready for hospital. Figure out how to use the breast pump. Take last & final pregnancy progression shots. Finish last minute books that I have been reading. Finish up last minute odds and ends on my Natty & Swank jewelry business. Get car seat installed. Cook/Bake some freezer meals.

I can't believe I am already typing a blog on 37 weeks! I look back over the past year and read my previous blogs and I can remember so clearly typing those up through tears and worry while just trying to hold out on faith and trust in the Lord that He was gonna bring our little man through to us. We have truly been through so much over the last year and it is amazing all that can take place in a year. As I am typing now I am recalling last year the day after my birthday on July 17th is the day that we miscarried and this year the day before my birthday on July 15th little John is expected to make his entrance into this world of ours. We are blessed beyond measure! Thank you Jesus for his life! We praise you because "He is fearfully and wonderfully made."

      Below are some random pics I have taken over the last few months......

                                                                A little peak of the nursery.

His bassinet already placed in our room...waiting and ready for his arrival!

Burp cloths, wipe case, car seat straps ordered off of ETSY in cute Robot pattern :)

Co-workers surprised me a adorable diaper cake, wipes and diapers!!!

                                                                            Me and some preggy girlfriends. Both are due in August :)

Me and my sweet girlfriend Laura at 36 weeks!

My beautiful friend Erin at my shower :)

 

Two wonderful women who threw my shower! So grateful for them!!

Beautiful baby blanket my Aunt B handmade John!

A little outfit I got baby John..."certified hunk" he will be...have you seen his dad?! :)

My cousin & best friend! Love her!

John's 3D ultrasound pic...33 weeks!

That's all for now! Maybe the next time I write...I'll be posting a pic of him with measurements :)

The Canoe

You were probably wondering what this blog post was about considering the title is "The Canoe". Well, it is all about my precious little doggie Charlie Chew Meatball Travaglini.  "The Canoe" is just one of his many names, and you may be wondering how he in fact  conceived that name....however....I can not help you with that. See, I am not sure how that name came about....it just came out of my mouth one day and ever since then we have been calling him that on rare occasions. So before we go any further let me just go ahead and break down a list of the many other names out there that we call him and let's see if I can also give you the whys behind some of the names:

- Charlie Chew (he chewed up my shirt, our carpet, the end of our night stands, my books, random q-tips found in garbage etc.)

- The Chew   (reference above)

- Chewy Man  (reference above)

- The Canoe   (not sure)

- Canoey Man  (again....not sure)

- Meatball   (Nick calls him this...I think it's an Italian thing?!?)

- Canoe Cachew  (it rhymed...thought it was cute)

- Lil Char Char  (when I pet his little head...awww)

- Char Canar (it rhymed....again i thought it was cute)

- Little Freak   (when he initially chewed up my shirt...our carpet...etc....he gets called this when he does things like that)

- Pee Pee man   (he peed, peed, and peed everywhere when we first got him....peed several places on our laminate hard woods and those spots are now destroyed. He is housed trained now...go figure...after all the damage that has been done)

Any who...with all those crazy names we have for him...and all the psychotic things he has done...like chewing up things...peeing everywhere...etc. I honestly wouldn't trade him for the world. His personality is so stinkin cute and oh so prevalent, and lots of times he mimics a little toddler to us because of his playfulness. He also has the best temperament ever! He turned 1 year old on April 11th...and it seems like we have had him for years. He is such a big part of our family and I just know little John and him will make best buds. All in all...Charlie Chew, Canoe, Meatball, whatever....is such a sweet dog, most friendliest dog ever, never meets a stranger...and has brought a lot of good times and joy into our lives. So today I want to pay tribute to him. Here's to Charlie!!!!

This little rascal rolled around in our dead grass and was covered in it...needless to say the Little Freak (one of those times we would call him this) ran into the house when I had my back turned and shook it everywhere. I was cleaning up dead grass off our carpet...floor and furniture for a good 45 min. He's a trip!

Brief History of "The Canoe"

  We adopted Charlie from the Humane Society last year as my birthday gift from Nick. He is a mixed breed of Basset Hound and Black lab. However, we think he has a little bit of Chow in him because of his spotted tongue and we also think he has Pit Bull because of chest/stance and facial structure. He has the smallest little ears to be a basset hound or a lab. His little body is long like a basset hound, and he has a long tail and short stubby legs. He is solid black...not a spot of white or any other color on him. He had 4 other brothers and sisters who were there that day at the pound. They were acting seriously ridic....jumping up on the kennel and barking all crazy like, but our ole Charlie (his name at the Humane Society was Booberry....yuck!) just sat there looking at us and didn't make a peep. He actually doesn't even bark much. I was concerned that he even had a voice box because he didn't bark for almost 3 months when we first got him (he does whine though, but not a lot). He however does bark when he wants your attention....but it is on rare occasions....like when its a full moon. We def think he was a God send because someone actually  had a deposit on him for purchase the day we got there and laid eyes on him. I was so sad because I wanted  only him out of the other 40 dogs that were there. The lady behind the counter told us if the customer doesn't come by closing then they are considered a no-show and "Booberry" goes back up for adoption....turns out....the customer was a no show and hence forth...we got little Charlie man all to ourselves! Definitely was a divine appointment...thank you Lord.

                           This one is my fav....he's sooo cute!!

  He loves the groomers....like I said...he never meets a stranger :)


   and that my friends is our Charlie :)