35 Weeks and Nesting!

At this point of the pregnancy, things seem to be both crawling by agonizingly slowly and rushing by so quickly I can't catch my breath. I can't believe I am already 35 weeks along with only 5 weeks until my due date and a guaranteed 7 until I meet my little ball of Wriggles. I'm still at school working with my students, so some days seem to stretch on and on and on and on. I spend my days on my feet, helping little people learn, picking up pencils off the ground, patrolling independent work, sitting on the floor in reading groups, writing on the board, the list goes on. When you're a primary school teacher you cannot teach from a chair; no one would listen!

And so, with only 4 weeks of work left, I am really counting the days. 18 more work days total, which seems like such a tiny number when you think about it. Even though I am large and uncomfortable, I think I might be bored out of mind if I was already staying home on maternity leave at this point. We are getting enough done on the weekends that I don't feel too harassed. This weekend we put together the baby's chest of drawers and I organized the closet (I know, so exciting!). This coming week is our big delivery of baby things including a cot, baby monitor, baby carrier, etc. Wednesday my work is throwing me a baby shower and Sunday is a 2 hour pregnancy massage. I have to say, I am looking forward to all of it!

I can definitely feel more and more of Wriggle's large movements, especially in my right ribs when I bend over. I was organizing the food cupboard, fridge and freezer this weekend (nesting, anyone?) and every time I bent down to get something I got a sharp kick in the ribs. "Hey mama," Wriggles seemed to say, "Remember I'm here and when you bend over I get squashed! Stand up straight!" As if I could forget about my bundle of joy!

  

Symptom wise I'm feeling pretty good for being this large. I have occasional heartburn, back ache, my face is breaking out in dry patches and now I definitely have stretch marks. The Braxton-Hicks contractions are more pronounced, and Wriggles enjoys squashing his/her head down on my bladder that makes me clench quickly before any wee escapes! I have to walk slowly otherwise I feel a great deal of pressure on my pelvis and I'm still waking up at least once a night to use the loo. Overall, I just LOVE my big pregnant belly. I love that I am growing a whole person! And as anxious as I am to meet this person, I love my time with them right now. Today is a day off work, and I spent most of it in the garden, reading, working, eating and resting. I loved sharing it with my little one so happy and cozy in my tummy.

I'm sill trying to stay active too - pregnancy yoga and limited gymnastics keep my strength and flexibility up. 

Hopefully the next month continues to pass smoothly as I make my final preparations for Wriggle's arrival!

30 Years old and 32 Weeks Pregnant!

Well, it really crept up on me... I'm actually really and truly 30 years old. Contrary to previous birthdays, this was celebrated very quietly. I worked during the day and my lovely students sang to me, wrote me birthday messages, brought me a cake and even made up a dance for me! My colleagues were lovely all day and then I left school "early". My husband and I went out for dinner at a local pub and then I got myself in bed early. Basically, a normal day but with a little extra cake! I definitely haven't been this sober on my birthday since I was 21.

I've always been anxious about turning 30 and becoming "old", but now with my little Wriggles growing bigger every day I was excited. I knew that I wouldn't meet Wriggles until I was 30, so I was ready for the big birthday!

30 years old and 32 weeks pregnant... And I almost can't see my toes!

So I'm 32 weeks pregnant now and $h*ts getting real! Wriggles is rapidly running out of womb (pardon the pun) which means I can feel nearly everything. I'm loving the little head and bum and elbows and knees and hands and feet. I like to rub them as they protrude out of my belly and talk to my little one, say hello, and think about the day that I get to hold their whole tiny body. Wriggles got in a very awkward position this morning, stretching my uterus sideways and causing quite a bit of discomfort. Luckily, that didn't last long! At my midwife's appointment last week, Wriggles was head down on the right side. I can feel that Wriggles is practicing that position daily - the pressure on my bladder and pelvis is pretty clear as I waddle down the hall! Another new thing in the last week were my first stretch marks... I tried my best to prevent it, but I guess I am just too small to fully house my growing baby! I've got just one strange little circle next to my belly button but I suspect as Wriggles continues to grow, so will my stretch marks. Turning over in bed (not to mention getting out of bed!) is also quite a struggle, and breathing and eating are both more difficult than before. Sometimes I wonder how the next 8 weeks are going to go - how am I going to get even bigger?! Where is baby going to go? Also, I've got 6 more weeks of work... yikes! Some mornings it feels like I'll never make it through, but I always do. I've just got to take it day by day, and remember that each day brings me closer to meeting my baby.

Weekend birthday celebration continues in Haddington!