Baby #2 at 37 Weeks

This was supposed to be a 34 week post... then a 35 week post... then a 36 week post... you get the idea.  But better late than never, right?

At 34 weeks we tried doing another photoshoot with Jack and the baby bump.  Cute idea but... Jack was not happy about being asked to stand in front of me holding a chalkboard sign when all he wanted to do was go play with his toys.  So this was the best we could do :)

We were laughing during this... we only asked him to hold the sign!  

Here are some pictures from our 31 week ultrasound of Baby:

Profile shot

3D picture of the face (with the umbilical cord kind of blocking) 

Pictures taken during the ultrasound really don't translate well into still frames... but I think this baby is going to look a lot like Jack!  Especially in the 3D picture I could really tell the resemblance.  Obviously we will wait and see when s/he comes out... but come on, I was hoping for one child to look like me! :)

We don't think Jack really has a clue what's coming soon, but he has learned that "Baby is in Mama's tummy", if you ask "where is the baby?" he points to my tummy, and if you ask him to kiss the baby he will kiss my tummy.

We are actually almost ready for Baby, we accomplished a lot in the last few weeks.  We bought Jack a new "big boy" dresser and moved the baby dresser into the nursery.  I have washed all the newborn clothes, blankets, burp cloths, etc and put them away in the baby's room.  In a fit of nesting, I also washed the infant carseat, swing, and bouncer material so everything is fresh and clean for the baby! Putting away the clothes was SO much fun and brought back so many memories of Jack wearing those itty bitty newborn outfits.

Taking out Jack's clothes and replacing them with baby clothes in the nursery! 

You may notice the pink stripe in this room... when we moved in, this was the previous owner's little girl's room.  It is really nicely painted with green stripes and a pink band going around the room.  We are keeping the pink for now, and if Baby is a boy we'll repaint it blue.  The green is a cute color and matches all the Peter Rabbit baby bedding, so we are keeping that as it is.

All my appointments have been going well.  I am measuring as I should be, heartbeat is always in a good range, and everything is progressing just fine.  My doctor thinks I'll probably go post-dates again, so I am preparing myself for that this time and not hoping to go early like I did with Jack.  Baby is head down too, which was good news.  Baby's butt is under my right ribs, which I can now feel sticking out a lot and I can feel lots of feet and knees on the right side too.  I think the baby likes to hang out on the right side in general, because sometimes my belly is really lopsided to the right.  Things are getting tight in there!

I'm starting to feel like it's the end of the pregnancy: back pain, starting to waddle, Braxton Hicks contractions, difficulty getting comfortable to fall and stay asleep (I literally prop myself with 5 pillows all around me each night), reflux, carpal tunnel, shortness of breath, dropping everything I try to hold onto, and "pregnancy brain".  Today at work I managed to spill water all down my shirt right before going in to see a patient.  I also mix up words like, "your fracture showed no x-ray" (an actual quote from Dr. Kane).  Thankfully patients are understanding when I mix up words or drop my pen or their prescriptions (sometimes repeatedly).

But I am loving feeling the baby's (not so) little kicks, movements, hiccups, and am trying to enjoy those while they last!  I remember missing baby movements the most after Jack was born.

James has been awesome as I'm nearing the end.  He makes dinner almost every weeknight, does all the dishes, and gives Jack his bath.  I typically then put Jack in his pjs, read him his books, and then go collapse in bed by 8:30pm.  On the weekends when I'm able to nap I have more energy to do wifely-type duties, but even then he keeps telling me to "just to lay down" and not to push myself.  He's also great at back and foot massages.  I couldn't ask for more!

36 weeks on Valentine's Day! 

This past weekend was my last on-call weekend before Baby.  On-call in my new job basically means rounding on newborn babies in the hospital and working urgent care 8-1pm Saturday and Sunday.  Then answering nurse's calls when needed.  My mom came to visit and help with Jack, she was amazing.  She watched Jack, cooked, cleaned, did our laundry, did some sewing I had saved for her (I always say I can sew up people, just not any kind of fabric!), and helped with other projects around the house.  James was able to do some schoolwork and actually take naps himself.  Thanks so much Mom!!  Sorry I did not take any pictures... I will next visit!

So the countdown is on... 3 (at the most 4) weeks left until we meet our little one and Jack becomes a big brother!