35 Weeks

How far along?  35 Weeks 4 Days

Baby Length:  Over 18 inches long

Baby Weight:  About 5 1/4 lbs

Baby weighs as much as:  A Honeydew Melon

Weight gain/loss:  26 1/2 lbs as of this week, but I seem to vary by a few pounds from hour to hour so who knows.  My official record at the OB's office shows a 25 lb gain since pregnancy.
Stretch marks?  None - Yippee!  One pregnancy side effect that I have managed to avoid :)

Home Reno Update

So, needless to say we did not make the renovation deadline of 9/20 that was originally agreed upon with the contractor.  We are still living in our rental in Virginia Highlands which is very nice so it's not a bad place to be stuck, and we anticipate about 3 more weeks of renovations.  As of right now we have extended this rental until 10/7 and we may choose to go to 10/14 so that we don't feel rushed and have time if there are any other hold ups.  Here are a few recent pics from Jake's cell phone of the house.

Jake got one of the pool lights working.  He was so proud.

The tile is going in the master bath...stage 1 is Ivory Silver with Onyx Travertine. 

 Staining the wood floors in the kitchen... We went dark with the color "Jacobean."

 The newly finished hardwoods and fresh paint in the newly converted Master Bedroom.

34 Weeks

How far along?  34 Weeks 3 days

Baby Length:  Almost 18 inches long

Baby Weight:  About 4 3/4 lbs

Baby weighs as much as:  A Cantaloupe

Weight gain/loss:  26 lbs to date.  And its starting to become more and more belly.  I think the baby is going through a growth spurt right now...I read that I'll gain about 1 lb a week for the remainder of pregnancy and 1/2 of that weight is actually baby weight.  Our little one is fattening up - like mother, like daughter/son!

Maternity clothes?  Its strange because all of the maternity clothes seem to be getting smaller.  Maybe I'm drying them on too high of heat in the dryer ;)

Stretch marks?  Keeping well-lubricated.
Sleeping?  I am soooooo tired!  I can't get enough sleep these days.  I wake up only to feel tired and want to take a nap an hour later...I'm not sure how I'll survive the sleep deprivation when this baby arrives.  I love sleep.  Deeply, passionately love sleep.  This will be interesting.
Best moment this week:  We made some progress at the house and were able to check some things off of the reno list.  They've been painting, laying all the new hardwoods, we were able to pick a stain (we went with a nice dark brown), we selected a tile we really liked that was just a smidge over budget and ordered it and picked it up ourselves, they started tiling the master bath, etc etc etc.  It's nice when you feel like there is progress.  Those productive moments were nice, but they weren't near as nice as the hour-long pregnancy massage I had today at the Pregnancy Massage Center in Virginia Highland.  They are way too expensive and the location is noisy since its right on Highland Ave., but they are by far the most amazing pregnant lady massages imaginable.  I will probably try to get one massage a week for the rest of the pregnancy.  This was only my second one so far so I feel like I've saved up some credits to get them every week for a while!  I was also excited to finally buy the baby monitor - I decided on the Motorola video monitor over the much sleeker looking Summer BabyTouch since the reviews were so much better and the range is so much better with the Motorola.  We went for the big 3.5" screen display and it has alot of cool features that allow you to zoom, pan, check the temp in the room, talk back to the baby to soothe it...

Miss anything?  I miss being more active.  I get so winded just going for walks these days and it makes you feel bad about yourself when you're gaining weight and feeling fatigued so easily...I just try to remember all my energy is going toward the very important task of growing this little baby!

Feel any movement?  The baby has quieted down a little this week as compared to last week, but is still extremely active.  The foot is constantly jabbed out into my ribs which is such a strange sensation from the inside.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Only if I eat too much.
Gender: Its either a girl or a boy!
Labor Signs: Not really so far this week.  All the earlier symptoms have subsided.
Symptoms:  Lower back pain, heartburn, nausea here and there, dizziness.  Same as before.  The back pain is really bad this week, and it's the symptom I look forward to losing the most.
Belly Button? Out and kind of sensitive.
Wedding rings? They're on, but it was funny when I tried to get them off for the massage today!  That took some serious effort and I did have to lick my finger to get them off.  Gross.
Happy or Moody?  A good mix of Happy Moody this week.  There is just so much going on and so many stresses coming our direction these days, its impossible not to be a little grumpy and overwhelmed at times.  But life is good, and the house will get done as soon as it can and hopefully we'll be moving in before we know it.  Baby Nash seems to be healthy and happy inside and that is the most important thing.  We received some wonderfully generous gifts from friends at the Baby-Q, but I think Jake's favorite was a book from his old neighbors the Jones'....

Getting BIG!!

33 Weeks

How far along? 33 Weeks
Baby Length: Just over 17 inches long
Baby Weight: A little over 4 lbs
Baby weighs as much as: A Pineapple
Weight gain/loss: Up about 25 lbs. Boo Hoo Hoo. Hoo Hoo.
Maternity clothes? Well....with 7 weeks potentially remaining in this pregnancy, I officially hit my weight gain target for the entire pregnancy already. Crap! So I suppose that means I will probably gain up into the 30's. The baby must need it...or I really need all that Ben & Jerry's I eat every night.
Stretch marks? Still doing well in that department. My belly is growing and the skin seems to be expanding okay without any of the stretch marks.
Sleeping? Toss, Turn, Get up to Pee, Repeat. That pattern about every 2 hrs sums up my nights.
Best moment this week: This week had a few favorites. The first was that I gave up the wait and went ahead and got my hair cut and (sigh) colored again. I couldn't wait any longer. Pregnancy has turned me into a silver fox, and within 3 weeks I have grays growing in. Dr. Marcus recommended once per trimester, but I only made it 6 weeks this time...hope little Nashtastic forgives me for the stinky hair color fumes. I chopped off a good bit of length and darkened up my color, and I think it turned out great. The second fun moment was that I started out our venture to find a Pediatrician. I had a "meet and greet" at Dr. "Pip's" office near Northside Hospital. He was referred to us from 2 sets of friends, and although Jake wasn't able to join me at the meeting, I really liked him. And the last best moment of the week was our couples shower thrown by the Woodham's, Carter's and soon-to-be Zimmerman's on Friday night. They threw us a Backyard Baby-Q and it was a chance for our friends to all get together, eat some Fox Bros. BBQ, drink some beer and shower Jakey-poo with a little bit of the spotlight as well.
Miss anything? Enjoying New Zealand Savignon Blanc with my friends! I really wanted some wine at our Baby shower.
Feel any movement? The movements have intensified enough that they are even uncomfortable sometimes! The baby likes to kick out to the side and I'll get a random lopsided stomach with a foot jutting out my right side. Makes me look wider and weirder than I already do!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Heartburn! I am literally throwing up a little in my sleep frequently with this reflux. I wake up in a frenzy when it happens, and the other night I panicked and gasped when it happened and I think I inhaled some. I spent the next half hour rinsing with Listerine in the bathroom and then coughing up reflux whatever it is once I laid back down to sleep. Pregnancy is so so so sexy. I definitely have the glow.
Gender: Strangers love to wager guesses. I've had many psychic cashiers at various establishments tell me they are certain it is a girl, or positive it is a boy....but the majority seem to think girl. Maybe they know something we don't? They're starting to convince me.
Labor Signs: I had my routine OB appt with Dr. Marcus in his office this week. I mentioned to Joanne the nurse that I was having pinching a pulling in what I think is my cervix...its been my only weird symptom. And I guess just to ensure I wasn't dilating she had Dr. Marcus do a full pelvic exam...the good news is that everything was closed up and no signs of dilation. Dr. Marcus did feel a baby body part pressing down on the area and he was curious what it was (guessed it was the head) so he had me run down the hall to ultrasound for a quick peek. They didn't show me much, and what they did show mean I wasn't really sure what I was looking at, but he did confirm that the head was down - which is a great sign considering we are reaching the home stretch!
Symptoms: Lower back pain, heartburn, nausea here and there, dizziness. Same as last week.
Belly Button? I have an outie! I always wanted one as a kid since Whitney had one... My dreams are coming true! Ha!
Wedding rings? I'm leaving them on all the time now - even when they're tighter 'n hail.
Happy or Moody? I was a bit grumpy after my dress fitting for my cousin Katie's wedding in Nashville in 2 weeks. I had 2 dresses ordered 4 sizes bigger than my normal size...and one of them was still too small at the fitting. I had to go with the Taryn...which is a gorgeous dress, but a little shorter and skin baring than I was hoping for at 36 weeks pregnant. The tailor is going to add straps with some extra chiffon that I ordered though, so perhaps that will help me feel more "covered". I'm trying to stay positive and grateful for all of my blessings these days. Great life, great husband, healthy family, cute old granny dog, good friends...once we get this renovation done and move into the new house, I hope things will settle down a bit. Yes, we have a newborn coming so that will be hectic, but I need to settle in and nest. ASAP!

Jake was in the mood to play photographer and wanted to do a little Sammy photoshoot.  I'm not sure how much fun Sam was having, but they turned out pretty cute!

32 Weeks

How far along?  32 Weeks

Baby Length:  About 16.7 inches long

Baby Weight:  About 3.75 lbs

Baby weighs as much as:  A Large Jicama

Weight gain/loss:  Up about 23 lbs.  And the more rapid weight gain begins...I'll tell you, its getting harder to look at the scale.

Maternity clothes?  I've broken out the bins from my friends and am officially wearing mostly maternity clothes.  Other than the few flowy dresses that still fit, everything else is too tight.  Still living in dresses, but I did confirm that I have a few maternity jeans to fall back on as the weather cools off.

Stretch marks?  Nada.  Cocoa butter baby!

Sleeping?  I seem to sleep okay these days, but I do wake up very frequently all night.  I have room for about 1 drop of pee in my bladder these days, so I do wake frequently for that...and my abdomen aches all the time, so when I roll over I find myself waking up with a belly ache.  I also have developed nightmarish heartburn and reflux.  I wake up every few nights in a panic because the reflux creeps into my throat and its almost like I'm throwing up a little.  Because I'm laying on my back and sleeping at the time it happens, I end up choking and inhaling it half the time.  It's a delight!
Best moment this week:  Jake and I did our first baby class at Northside Hospital called Baby Essentials.  I have so much fun doing these classes with him.  In this class we learned all about Babies 101...including bathing, diapering, swaddling, how to pick a pediatrician, car seats, feeding and burping, etc.  Its so fun to do these together and I love to see Jake take the classes seriously and express genuine interest in learning how to be a great new Dad.

Miss anything?  Honestly, I miss feeling skinny and trim and fit.  I'm starting to feel like a whale these days!  I miss the way my old favorite pair of MEK jeans fit and felt on!
Feel any movement?  This baby is crazy!  Yes!  The second I am quiet and still the little Nashable starts a mosh pit in my belly.
Anything making you queasy or sick: I just can't eat very much in one sitting because I get so full so fast.
Gender: Unknown.
Labor Signs: Lots of BH contractions.  Lots of pinching and pulling in the nether regions.  Lots of round ligament pain and achiness in my abdomen. 
Symptoms:  Lower back pain, heartburn, nausea here and there, dizziness.
Belly Button? It's out - and looks weird!!
Wedding rings? Off and on.  Depends on my finger size that day.
Happy or Moody?  A little bit of both.  I can't predict my mood swings from one minute to the next.

It was clearly humid that day ;)

31 Weeks

How far along?  31 Weeks

Baby Length:  Over 16 inches long

Baby Weight:  About 3.3 lbs

Baby weighs as much as:  4 Navel Oranges

Weight gain/loss:  Up about 21 lbs.  I had my routine OB appointment this week and Joanne said I was only up about a lb since my last visit 3 weeks earlier. 

Maternity clothes?  Still no new purchases.  I was planning to go shopping and find something new and cute for my baby shower this past weekend.  Didn't happen.  I ended up and borrowed a maxi dress from my mom who is 5'3 and 105 lbs...thank goodness for stretchy material!

Stretch marks?  Nada.

Sleeping?  Same old tossing and turning with the addition of my new returning 1st trimester symptom.  I am so hot all the time!  I am hot and stuffy all night long and sweat constantly.  Its wonderful and makes me feel so attractive!

Best moment this week:  Hmmm...this week was kinda uneventful.  I guess the best moment this week was the storm in the Gulf.  Not because I wish a storm on the people of New Orleans, but because there was one I was able to cancel my trip to Nola to do training for the sales team down there.  Unfortunately, I am only delaying the inevitable and will have to rebook my trip for next week.  Que sera sera.  I also did get my carseat online on sale from AlbeeBaby.com in the pattern I wanted that wasn't available at BBB or BRU so that was exciting.  And I've decided I'm going to start shopping on Ebay and Craig's List for items that I don't mind using slightly used to save some money...this shit is expensive!!  And it's adding up quickly. I bought a nursing cover and WubbaNub elephant this week.

Miss anything?  Sushi.  We have thrown around the idea of walking over to Piedmont Park with Sammy, and walking around the park, then grabbing dinner afterward at Park Tavern...one of our old favorite places to grab late-night half price sushi.  Obviously that isn't something I can eat these days.  And I can't seem to develop much interest in eating a California roll just to say I went out for sushi.  This is one craving that will have to wait until after pregnancy.  Can I eat sushi/tuna while breast-feeding or do the same mercury concerns exist?  Not sure...I'll have to check into that and see how long the restrictions last for.

  

Feel any movement?  Lots.  The baby goes crazy until someone puts his/her hand on my stomach to feel it.  Then my child becomes shy and pretends it can't move.  That was the case with family all last weekend.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Food.  Its great going down, but regardless of what or how much I eat, it always seems to be too much or sit wrong.
Gender: Unknown.
Labor Signs: Hope not.  Still have the BH tightening in my abdomen frequently, and my new addition is a pinching, pulling, shocking feeling down yonder.  I think the baby is shifting downward and putting pressure or bumping my cervix.  It doesn't really feel good.
Symptoms: Moody.  I'm just off the past 2 weeks.  I seem to have the shortest temper ever and can't seem to wake up on the right side of the bed.  I've been in a funk ever since I had an "interesting" conversation with my boss last week about me going into surgeries (radiation environment) while pregnant and the fact that he isn't sure I can do my job after I have the baby.  The whole discussion just made me feel sick and angry and grouchy.
Belly Button? Still working its way out from the top down.
Wedding rings? Off and on.  Depends on my finger size that day.
Happy or Moody?  I really want to be happy, but honestly I'm moody and feeling sorry for myself these days.  We just got news from our contractor (who I really can't stand anymore) that because he ordered cabinets so late there is now a 3-4 week production delay on them.  And it took him 10 days after our initial conversation to actually get the order in.  That delay stinks, but that also means there is a delay after that to get counter tops in and appliances.  We're supposed to be done in 3 weeks (less than) and now we're probably looking at more like 7 weeks.  Please house be done before this baby shows up.  We made a few major decisions about light fixtures though (I'm going for a wrought iron look with 2 chandeliers over dining table and a lantern over formal living room) and they have the hardwoods going in throughout the first floor.  We've finally come to grips that we really can't afford Carrera marble (although I'd love it) so we narrowed down the choices to a few granites we like.  We went and looked at tile and realized our contractor the idiot hadn't budgeted for anything other than porcelain...we were really hoping for a real stone of some sort.  We'll find a way to get something cool though.  We loved the Carrera but its too pricey so maybe we can get a nice Travertine or Limestone for only double what Dave budgeted for.  I wish my Nana was here so that I could crawl into her lap and she could tell me the story about the black cat (can't even remember the details anymore) and then sing "Que Sera Sera" to me.  I need to relax and remember not to Sweat the Small stuff...because its all small stuff.

Here's a few pics from the Baby Shower:

30 Weeks

How far along?  30 Weeks

Baby Length:  About 15.7 inches long

Baby Weight:  Almost 3 lbs

Baby weighs as much as:  A Head of Cabbage

Weight gain/loss:  Up about 20 lbs.  I think this is where the weight gain starts to ramp up a bit, so I'm on schedule to gain at least 30 lbs.  Nice!  Not.  I need to cut out my nightly Ben & Jerry's in bed.  That might be part of the problem.

Maternity clothes?  Haven't personally bought a thing.  We're trying to save money since every penny we have goes into our new house (aka "Our Beloved New Money Pit") or toward the baby's gear/nursery.  I have a nice rotation of flowy dresses I already owned and hand-me-downs from friends that are working quite nicely.  Thanks, Michelle!

Stretch marks? Still looking good.

Sleeping?  I could sleep for 15 hours these days.  But it isn't quality sleep.  I flip from side to side probably 20 times a night.  Its a weird thing.  I do wake up occasionally on my back and freak out that I'm cutting off blood supply to the baby (they say its fine, just try to sleep on your side), and I wake up to pee at least 1 or 2 times a night.  It is so hard to get out of bed already!  Your stomach muscles really give - the stories are true.  My abdomen aches most of the time these days...but after getting up from laying down it is usually worse.
Best moment this week:  My family is coming into town on Thursday for my baby shower!  Yay!  Its rare that we all get to cram into a small house and spend time together so I'm really looking forward to it.

Miss anything?  Planning vacations...its been a while since we've gone on one, and Jake and I used to travel alot.  I think this is a temporary change of lifestyle, though.  I do hope even after we start a family we find the time to travel together and enjoy life with (and without) our kids.  Here's a few of my favorite oldies, but goodies from our special place - Maui.

Feel any movement?  Crazy little kickboxer in there.  There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to the time of day or how long the movement lasts...it just kinda comes and goes, but is much more intense.
Food cravings: No.  I'll eat it all, but I usually feel full and nauseas after eating these days.

Anything making you queasy or sick: This has returned sporadically and after eating.
Gender: Still a little mystery baby!
Labor Signs: Lots of BH contractions.  Hopefully that's all they are ;)
Symptoms: Crampy, lower back pain.  Tired.
Belly Button? IThe top's a comin' out!  Looks weird now that its turning into a halfy-half innie/outie.
Wedding rings? I'm looking down at a bare hand as I type this.  I swell spontaneously these days, and it usually doesn't last.  But its more comfortable to leave the rings off if I can.
Happy or Moody? Grateful for my family coming in to throw me a baby shower with my friend Julia.  I wish I could relax a little bit more and just enjoy the process of all of this...but with so much uncertainty with the house renovations and when we will be in, and how things will turn out, I find myself a grumpy, tempermental brat these days.  But this too shall pass, and I know the end result will be great.  As long as Baby Nash is healthy and happy and I have Jake by my side, it doesn't really matter when the darn house gets finished or if I get to set up the whole nursery in time.  Yes, it would be highly convenient, but its just stuff, and most of it isn't necessity.