41 Weeks

It’s crazy, this is definitely going to be my last weekly photo. I hope you’ve enjoyed them! :)

How far along? 41 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +30.4 lbs; I’m still packing on the pounds. Hopefully baby isn’t following suit!
Maternity clothes? Yup! And lots of PJs.
Stretch marks? Still not seeing any.
Sleep? Yup, still sleeping. Waking up once around 4:30 or 5am, but sleeping pretty well!
Best moment this week? I worked from home this week, so it was a pretty quiet week for me without much human interaction. Rather boring, actually. The best moment for me was probably my second appointment with my midwife on Friday. I went on both Tuesday and Friday and had a Non-Stress Test and had an Ultrasound to measure my fluid levels around the baby. On Tuesday, the fluid levels were a little low, even though the NST was good. They told me to hydrate really well and hope that the fluid looked better on Friday. I followed directions and it did look better, which was great to hear. I really do NOT want to be induced. That said, I did feel water logged all week. :)
Miss Anything? I’m missing seeing people during the day. It’s really boring being home alone. I’m also still missing sleeping on my back!
Movement? I feel like the baby has been moving around less the last couple of week, but I don’t think it’s actually that it’s moving less, I think they’re just smaller, more subtle movements. There really isn’t much room left in there.
Food cravings? I don’t want to eat anything. Except all the sweets. But even those are becoming less interesting.
Anything making you nauseous? Food. Eating it. Smelling it. Thinking about it. No food, please.
Symptoms? Still feeling the burn. The heartburn. Still hard to put socks on. I had Chris help me put my shoes on a couple times this week.
Gender Prediction? I’m like 60/40 boy. Chris still thinks girl.
Belly Button in or out? Still flat and stretched out.
Wedding rings on or off? On, though my knuckles are feeling slightly swollen.
Mood? Anticipatory…and a little nervous that I’m going to have to be induced.
Looking forward to? I’m looking forward to going into labor in the next few days. If I don’t, my midwife wants to induce me on Friday. I’m totally down with a Friday the 13th birthday, but I really, really do not want to be induced. This feeling has finally begun to outweigh my nerves about the actual labor and deliver and how it’s going to feel physically. I know the only way out of this is to make it through that at this point, so it’s just going to have to happen.

I’m also looking forward to every single person I know no longer starting every conversation we have with asking how I’m feeling. I want to give them a good answer, but I really don’t know how to answer that question. I’m feeling the same as I’ve been feeling. Normalish. I feel like that’s basically a guise for asking if I’m in labor, or if we’re not face to face, if I’ve had the baby yet. People, I promise I will tell you when I’ve had the baby. And I’m feeling like I’m 41 weeks pregnant. I don’t want to eat and it’s hard to put on my shoes. That, however, isn’t a very interesting answer and makes for awkward conversation, so I’m feeling fine.
Now some words from Dad: 41 weeks, y’all! Melissa and I were joking earlier this week that Mini Mitch must know how cold it’s been in Chicago and opting to stay in his or her warm world for the time being. As a matter of FACT, I have finally been able to put my head up to Melissa’s belly and hear the baby’s heartbeat. Which is pretty amazing – I’ll definitely remember it. All in all, I think we’re both still feeling pretty good at 41+ weeks. In my opinion, the only thing I’m not 1000% looking forward to is the hospital stay. I’m looking forward to Melissa having the baby, then being back home and having our new chapter of home life begin. Since Melissa will be induced Friday if Mini Mitch is still in hiding, this past weekend we had a bunch of lasts, like our last “Saturday night to go crazy!” and “opportunity for Sunday brunch without a baby present.” We took FULL ADVANTAGE, by staying in Saturday night and me making my typical Sunday breakfast of late, breakfast sandwiches. Maybe we will look back and wish we did something? I’m not sure. I think our lack of activity is simply another display of how ready we both are for this next chapter in our lives. Since this is the last time I’ll post pre-birth, I just want to say thanks to everyone who came to our blog and read our words for the past 9 months! It’s been great to have an outlet and share our news along the way, and we appreciate you being a part of this moment with us!

40 Weeks

Happy New Year! Today is my official due date, which is pretty nuts! Still no signs of labor though. Actually, every ultrasound I’ve had, starting back at the very first one, I have measured 5 days behind, so all along I’ve thought my due date really should be January 5th rather than the first. We’ll see what happens. Any day and, unfortunately, anyone else’s guess is just as good as mine. I have no inside information. Everyone keeps asking how I’m feeling. I’m feeling the same as I have been. A little more discomfort than a few weeks ago, but nothing crazy and mostly at night.

This week I was off of work and it was a pretty low key week. We cleaned some, tried to get life a little more organized, prepared a bit for the upcoming year like I do every year. I put together a bullet journal, which I think will be a great combination for me of a planner and a place to keep track of all the things for Mini Mitch that we want/need to track like sleep, feedings, diapers, stats (height, weight, head circumference, etc), vaccination schedule, and anything else I’ll need to keep track of that I may not be thinking of. I’m really excited about it. A bullet journal is a bit more work than a store bought journal, but it’s completely customizable and I think it will be really functional. I can always make changes to it and make it anything I need it to be as time goes by.

How far along? 40 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +28.2 lbs; I’ve really been packing on the pounds the last couple of weeks. Probably because I’ve been sitting around the apartment, not walking to and from work, not going to the gym, and eating whatever sounds good (ice cream and sugary cereal anyone??).
Maternity clothes? Yup…and they’re starting to get tight!
Stretch marks? Same. Still none that I can see, but nervous about how my stomach is going to look once it deflates!
Sleep? Still waking up pretty consistently between 4:30 and 5:30, but only once a night. Could be so much worse.
Best moment this week? Like I said, it was a pretty low key week. I was able to enjoy lunch with a friend on Thursday and then a prenatal yoga class and lunch with another friend on Friday. Last night we had our neighbors over for dinner and a super-low-key-didn’t-even-last-until-midnight New Years Eve. I’m really just enjoying these last days as a couple without the kinds of responsibilities and compromises that I know are going to come with this baby.
Miss Anything? Sleeping on my back. Oh how I can’t wait to sleep on my back. So much sleeping on my back.
Movement? Not moving as much as it used to, but still moving consistently. I hear it’s pretty tight in there, so the movements are much more subdued and subtle.
Food cravings? I’m craving absolutely nothing. The last few days, the idea of eating (mostly in the evening) has made me a little nauseous.
Anything making you nauseous? See above. Apparently the idea of eating dinner. I just have no more space. The inn is full.
Symptoms? This is consistent with last week – nothing new. Still having heartburn, still having a burning feeling in between my top two abs (mostly in the evening) that is likely from my ab muscles separating…and is normal, according to my midwife. Still having Braxton Hicks. Lots of groaning when getting up or sitting down. Putting socks and shoes on is really hard…mostly because of the bending down. Being pregnant in the summer and being able to slip flip flops on must be nice.
Gender Prediction? I still have no idea. People are still really split. Like I said last week, I just hope it’s definitively a boy or a girl.
Belly Button in or out? Same. Flat and stretched out looking.
Wedding rings on or off? Still on.
Mood? Patient. And organizey. 
Looking forward to? Just looking forward to meeting Mini Mitch, whenever that time comes. I’m also looking forward to having BOTH of my appointments over with this week. I’ve now been upgraded to TWO appointments at my midwife’s office until Mini Mitch graces us with his or her presence. One is a Non-Stress Test, an Ultrasound and an appointment with my midwife. The second is another Non-Stress Test. If I don’t have the baby before next week, I’ll have to do the same thing next week. I’ll be spending lots of time there. Just hoping everything looks good and we can hold off conversations about induction as long as possible. I’d rather the baby just be able to come when the baby is ready to come!
Now some words from Dad: 2K17 BOO YA! So excited for this year :) Melissa has been holding steady, if you couldn’t tell from the above, and I’m feeling calm as a cucumber. I’m super pumped and can’t wait to be a dad – it’s going to be AWESOME. I was a little jealous of my friends who were out on New Year’s Eve, but I did have a great time hanging out with our neighbors eating yummy food. My guess for the date Mini Mitch would grace us with his or her presence was 1/2, so I’m pretty sure based on everything that has been observed I will be wrong. Melissa has “end of week,” which is pretty generic but I’m growing more confident she’ll be right on this one. As always, I’m still feeling girl on gender – but we’ll see! More than anything, I’m excited and can’t wait for our chapter as parents to begin. I’m sure it’ll be challenging, but hey if you’re not being challenged you’re not growing as a person. Also, I’m incredibly excited to share our names with people! So let’s see – fingers crossed it happens this week. If not, I’ll have a haiku for my portion of the week 41 entry :D

39 Weeks

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals! :)

It’s really mind blowing that we’re at 39 weeks and to think that life as we know if will never exist again in what could be a week. I’m really looking forward to having a baby, and I think it’s going to be really fun to see how our life changes. No matter what other peoples’ experiences or what people tell us, I know that our experience will be unique to us. I’m sure it’s going to be a huge adjustment and learning experience, but I hope we can maintain some of the life we’ve built and the way we’ve enjoyed doing things up to this point.

How far along? 39 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +26.4 lbs; Overall, I’m really happy that I was able to exercise as I had been before I was pregnant throughout my pregnancy and that I was able to keep from putting on an excessive amount of weight. Hopefully I’m able to find the time to fit workouts in and I’m able to continue doing the things I enjoy and that make me feel good in my workouts and at the gym.
Maternity clothes? All the maternity clothes.
Stretch marks? None that are visible to me, but I worry that I have them around my belly button and they’ll show up in the form of loose, wrinkly skin after the baby is born.
Sleep? I’ve been sleeping alright. Some nights I don’t wake up at all, other nights I wake up once or twice. I’ve always been an early Christmas riser, but I’ve been waking up early the last few days.
Best moment this week? I was head down just trying to get work done before the office closed for the holidays this week. Oh, and get the apartment clean. And get all the Christmas presents ordered and wrapped. It felt like a really busy week. I think my favorite part was waking up early on Christmas morning, having some quiet time opening our presents at home with our tea and coffee, then Facetiming my parents and opening the presents they gave us and vice versa. Then we had a nice breakfast that Chris cooked before getting ready and heading out to Chris’ parents’ house.
Miss Anything? Being able to travel to my parents’ house for Christmas…even if they didn’t make our traditional Christmas Eve shrimp this year.
Movement? Still moving as it has been for the last few weeks. Not really kicking so much any more, but the butt pushes out on the left side while a knee pushes out on the right side. I usually rub them and they’ll disappear back inside.
Food cravings? Nothing to write home about. I hate to say it, but I really don’t feel like I had any cravings throughout this pregnancy.
Anything making you nauseous? No nausea.
Symptoms? Still having a bit of heartburn. I feel like the discomfort people talk about has set in this week, though it hasn’t bene terribly uncomfortable. I have this burning pain in the top of my stomach, right at the center of my abs. I’m a little worried about separation there, but I’ll ask my midwife and see what she says. I also have some pain on the lower right side of my stomach, but that really isn’t anything new. I’ve had a bit of Braxton Hicks this week as well, but I didn’t notice it happening as frequently as I noticed it last week.
Gender Prediction? Same. Chris still thinks girl, Mom still thinks boy and everyone else we talk to is split too! I just hope it’s one or the other at this point. There would be some very difficult choices and decisions to make if it wasn’t one or the other and I don’t know if I’m prepared for that.
Belly Button in or out? It’s very flat these days and potentially a bit stretched out.
Wedding rings on or off? Still on. I really haven’t experienced any swelling to speak of.
Mood? I’ve been really anxious the last few days, but not because of the baby, because our apartment is a mess and has stuff EVERYWHERE. It’s really stressing me out! I did all of our laundry the other day, I just finished vacuuming some of the apartment, I swept the other day, cleaned all of the kitchen counters. Maybe I’ll dust tomorrow. We just need to get all the stuff cleaned up and put away. It’ll make me feel so much better.
Looking forward to? While I’m really anxious because it’s so unknown, I’m definitely looking forward to meeting this little one. I don’t want our life to change because I love the life we’ve had for the last 7+ years as a couple (living together), but I know this is a great change that we’ve wanted for a really long time. It’s getting to the other side that scares me. It’s hard when you’ve spent a long time preparing for any event that is new to you – there’s an element of excitement, an element of confidence knowing you prepared as best you could, and an element of fear of the unknown and whether your preparation has been enough. I’m looking forward to and afraid at the same time of how I’ll handle the pain of an unmedicated labor. I know I just have to keep thinking that in this case, pain is progress and that it is temporary and will bring our baby to us. I know I can do it, but the interesting conundrum is I’m afraid I can’t.
Now some words from Dad: HO HO HO, everyone! Merry Christmas! I hope all of our tens of thousands of readers have had a wonderful holiday as well :) We had a fantastic Christmas filled with lots of love, joy and laughs. My highlight of the week was NO CONTEST Christmas Eve and Day. I think I decided this year that Christmas is my favorite time of year – more than any other holiday and even my birthday. There is something about a time of year that brings holiday cheer, special music and all my favorite people together. It’s getting to crunch time for Mini Mitch, and I can’t wait to meet him or her. Even though we have hospital bags packed, I have this feeling like I’m missing something from my bag… but I’m sure whatever we have will be fine. For the next few days, I’m just going to enjoy the days with Melissa cleaning and laying around. One of my favorite parts of pregnancy (not sure if I’ve written this yet but likely have) is laying with Melissa and resting my arm/hand on her tummy where Mini Mitch is chillin. Part because of what’s in there, part because I know if I ever put my hand on Melissa’s stomach without a baby in there she’d slap it away faster than you could say “BOOYA!” This week really has been tops, it’s been a great holiday – I’ve really enjoyed spending time with my parents and having my sister’s family in the Chicago area. Until next week, and hopefully we are baby-free (we’re hoping Mini Mitch waits until 2017 to join us :D), have a great last week of 2016, y’all!

38 Weeks

This week we had our 37 Week appointment along with an ultrasound to check on baby. Baby weighs 6 lbs 14 oz, give or take a pound either way. They couldn’t tell me how long he or she is, and it was harder to see things because the baby is so much bigger and the bones are more calcified. You can only see one smushed part of the body at a time. She could tell that the fluid level looked good and that baby has hair. The heartbeat was 140 and my fundal height was 36.5cm. The ultrasound was done at 37 weeks and 1 day, but they said the baby was measuring 36w3d. Honestly, that isn’t surprising to me – every ultrasound we’ve had (3 now), baby has measured consistently about 5 days behind and I’ve always thought my due date was early.

How far along? 38 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +24.4 lbs, pretty consistent with last week
Maternity clothes? Yup.
Stretch marks? Still none that I can see.
Sleep? I slept pretty poorly this week due to this cold I’ve had. This is the worst cold I can remember having in a very long time. I couldn’t breathe and was really uncomfortable and restless all week.
Best moment this week? I had a pretty laid back week because I was just trying to rest and get better. Yesterday we went to brunch with some friends because one of said friends is moving, so it was bittersweet, but it was fun to hang out with everyone.
Miss Anything? Nope, not really.
Movement? Yup, still moving around, but kicking less because it’s tighter in there. Feels like more constricted movements and rolls. Also, hiccups, lots of hiccups.
Food cravings? Been eating lots of ice cream lately, but I’d call that one of my typical phases more than I’d call it a craving. It isn’t something I have to have at all costs or anything.
Anything making you nauseous? Still no.
Symptoms? My heartburn seems to have actually subsided a little bit this last week. It’s still there sometimes, but it hasn’t been nearly as severe or often, which is awesome. I’ve still been having Braxton Hicks this week. I don’t expect that to change until the baby comes.
Gender Prediction? Chris is still set on girl. I think I’m taking boy just so we have our bases covered.
Belly Button in or out? Same as it has been. Pretty flat.
Wedding rings on or off? Still on. Same.
Mood? Sick and wanting to get better…which could also be confused with lazy…
Looking forward to? Having my Christmas shopping done…I have yet to start it…
Now some words from Dad: Helllooooooooo everyone! This week was pretty mellow compared to last week. I’ve been maximizing Christmas music listening, and I have more shopping done than wifey :) My two highlights of the week were brunch yesterday, along with having a good friend over last night. Saturday was filled with laughs, which help maintain sanity during the cold winter days! I’m really looking forward to welcoming Mini Mitch into the world. Until then, I’ll be enjoying these last couple of weeks as a twosome and hoping Melissa’s cold subsides. The wakeful nights this past week have been kind of a preview of things to come, so I could use a couple more good nights of rest before we’re waking up to a little one full of demands. That said, I am super excited for the holidays and what’s to come. Walking around Target this weekend I saw a bunch of infant/toddler clothes, and I can’t wait to be bundling up Mini Mitch in some cute threads :D Until next week, Merry Christmas y’all!

37 Weeks

Today we are considered full term! So crazy to think that in the next few weeks, life as we know it is going to change completely and will never ever be the same again.

Again, we had a fairly eventful week this week including our 36 week appointment where the baby’s heartbeat was 144 and my measurement was 35.5 cm. We also had our infant and child CPR class. It felt sooo long to me, but it’s useful information for sure.

We both had our company holiday parties this week. Chris was in NY for about 24 hours and I played party planner for my team. My office party is always a fun one and no one gets any work done all day. We started about 8:30am and I left the bar at 4pm, but I’m certain there were people out all through the night. It’s definitely a marathon.

We finally sat down and got our thank you notes for our shower written yesterday. It needed to be done badly and it was really nice that Chris helped me. It took us about two hours, so without him, it would have taken me at least 4. I still need to address them, but they’re written!

Oh, and I got a blanket in the mail this week from Nana. It’s a crocheted blanket that I found and really liked that I asked Mom if she could help me make since I don’t really crochet well. Nana saw Mom’s work on it and thought she should help :), so she took it over and sent it to me when it was finished. It’s so pretty and it’s nice to have something that involves both my Mom and Nana. When the package arrived, we noticed it smelled strangely…as if it had been sprayed by a skunk or something. I washed the blanket multiple times and I think I finally got the smell out, but the remaining balls of yarn may be gonners. We’ll see.

How far along? 37 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +24.8 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yup. Still.
Stretch marks? None that are evident.
Sleep? Still sleeping well for the most part. Not even waking up to go to the bathroom. I did have a fairly restless night last night, but I’m blaming this cold I seem to have come down with rather than pregnancy.
Best moment this week? I had a pretty nice week. My favorite moment was probably the massage I got on Monday night. I mid back has been sore lately, so it was really nice to get a massage and have that worked on a bit.
Miss Anything? With this cold, I suddenly miss being healthy.
Movement? Yup, still moving around! There is a knee or foot or something on my right side that keeps popping out…like making a little shelf popping out. We’re having an ultrasound done tomorrow, so I’ll be interested to see what body part it really is.
Food cravings? No cravings, but I did make a decision on what I wanted for dinner one time this week. That’s an improvement!
Anything making you nauseous? Nope.
Symptoms? Other than this big ole belly? Still pretty consistent with the heartburn and the baby in the ribs. Braxton Hicks have been a thing for me this week. It seems like every time I stand up from sitting down it happens and it was happening most of the night last night. The more often I get them, the more I hope I don’t have the baby before my due date!
Gender Prediction? I’m still pretty neutral. I may be leaning more towards boy though since everyone else seems to think it’s a boy. We’ll see!
Belly Button in or out? Same. Not in and not out. Just flat. I don’t expect this to change at this point.
Wedding rings on or off? Still on. Not really experiencing much swelling.
Mood? Pretty average. No real moodiness to report. Just trying to be productive as much as I can these last few weeks.
Looking forward to? I’m looking forward to our ultrasound tomorrow to get an idea of how big baby might be and just to see it again.
Now some words from Dad: Hi Everyone! This week was kind of a whirlwind. Between the infant CPR class, prepping work ahead of my trip, and then my 25 hours away from home, it was pretty hectic. Like Melissa said above, infant CPR class was long, but very informative. My key takeaway I’ve been telling everyone is that you should do 30 chest compressions for every 2 breaths, regardless of age (infant, child, adult). When I was first certified for CPR, it was 15 to 2, so that was a nice update to receive. I also did not know that the faster you can pulse the compressions, the better – they recommend 120 beats per minute rate or faster. Our instructor, MRS. VOGEL oddly enough, told us to think of the BeeGees song “Stayin’ Alive” while doing them.

Although it was fun to see my work team and spend time in New York, it felt awesome to arrive back with Melissa on Friday and spend the weekend together. With all the snow we’ve had and the radio tuned into Christmas music, it’s starting to feel like the holidays are near… which they are! We need to get on our Christmas shopping :D

35 Weeks

We had a nice relaxing week this week, but still had a lot going on. It was a two day work week for me and my office was closed Wednesday to Friday for Thanksgiving. On Tuesday we had our 34 week appointment. I measured 34cm, so right on track and the baby’s heart rate was the same as it was last appointment at 136. I just keep wondering how big the baby is or is going to be. Given that I was long and how tall Chris is, I feel like it has to be long. We’ll see!

On Thursday, we went out to the suburbs to spend Thanksgiving with family. It was a pretty laid back day full of yummy food and football. The rest of the time off was spent just trying to get things on the to do list checked off. We ran a bunch of errands, returned some things, bought some things, cleaned some things, made some things. Today I spent most of the day making a crib sheet and changing pad cover.  A while back I found a fabric I really liked and I couldn’t find a sheet/changing pad cover combo that I really liked, so I figured, why not…I’ll make it! And now we have something I love! :)

How far along? 35 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +22.2 lbs, same this week as last
Maternity clothes? Starting to feel the limits of my maternity clothes wardrobe, but still able to fit into a few pre-maternity items.
Stretch marks? Not that I can see.
Sleep? I did wake up too early a couple times this week and was wide awake. I laid awake from 5am to about 6:30 am a couple mornings ago. I just refuse to get up that early when I don’t have to! Other than that, still getting my sleep.
Best moment this week? I think for me, finishing the crib sheet and changing pad cover were my best moment of the week. It feels so good to make something that looks good and that I’m happy with! Plus, it’s something we’ll use daily.
Miss Anything? I thought of something this morning, but now I can’t remember what it was. So, I must not be missing whatever it was that much…
Movement? Yup, still feeling lots of movement. Not a lot of big kicks, more pressing out and sweeps of limbs across my belly.
Food cravings? Nope.
Anything making you nauseous? Nope.
Symptoms? Heart burn, sore back after sitting for too long, heart burn, my ribs feel like they’re on fire, heart burn. Nothing I can’t handle though. I keep wondering when I’ll get as uncomfortable as everyone says you get. I also wonder what that discomfort feels like – maybe I’m feeling it, but I’m somewhat unaware? I asked a friend about her experience this weekend and she said she thinks I just deal with discomfort better than a lot of people. Maybe, maybe not. I’m starting to get really interested in how I’m going to handle labor pain.
Gender Prediction? I still don’t have any feelings one way or another. Lots of people thinking it’s a girl lately.
Belly Button in or out? Still pretty flat.
Wedding rings on or off? Still on.
Mood? Expectant. Lots of wondering about what’s to come.
Looking forward to? I’ve been thinking a lot about when we need to get the car seat put into the car and when I need to get a bag packed. Looking forward to have these last few things checked off the list, especially since the next five weeks are just going to FLY by. Between work being busy right now and the holidays, I know it’s all going to be here before we know it!
Now some words from Dad: Hi, everyone! As usual, Melissa provided a great summary of our week above. In addition to her gems, I just wanted to point out that my intramural volleyball team won this week and I went 3-0 in football this weekend :) I’m getting pretty excited for our family’s special day to come. Until then, I’m savoring every last bit of Melissa’s pregnancy. As a dad I think one of the harder things for me has been to soak in every ounce of the pregnancy experience without sacrificing too much of my routine. For instance, I have been choosing to not go to the gym so I can spend more time helping out around the house/being with Melissa. A month of that, plus visits from out of towners and holidays, and whoa! I realized this weekend I have gained 10 pounds since the marathon in October. So that said, I’ve been trying to start being cognizant of striking a balance between being there for Melissa and reserving some time for myself. I’m sure this equation will be so much more difficult once Mini Mitch arrives, but hopefully thinking about it now will help me better prepare for it in the future. If anyone has any tips for us on family/me-time balance, let us know!! And thanks in advance!

36 Weeks

How far along? 36 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +23.4 lbs, same this week as last
Maternity clothes? Yup. All the maternity clothes. Will be testing out some non-maternity sweaters this coming week.
Stretch marks? Nope.
Sleep? Still sleeping well.
Best moment this week? This week was a busy one at work, which I’m sure the next few will be too. Friday was probably my favorite day this week. We had a planned shower for Mini Mitch with our Longhorn volleyball team. We went out for pizza, then came back to hang out at our place. It was really fun to hang with everyone. That afternoon at my office, my co-workers managed to pull off a surprise shower and actually shower me! No one ever surprises me! It was awesome. :) They bought a bunch of my favorite snacks and the whole team came to join. We got super generous gifts at both showers and were left feeling really loved.
Miss Anything? I miss being able to eat a full size meal. I’ve definitely lost that ability in the last week or so. Me. Want. More. Fooooood.
Movement? Still rolling around in there, sweeping feet around, and pressing its butt out at me.
Food cravings? Still none, which has been frustrating for Chris for months now. It’s just now finally getting annoying to me. I’m getting tired of eating cereal all the time because I can’t decide what else sounds good. I just wish I could say – that! I want that thing for dinner!
Anything making you nauseous? Nope.
Symptoms? Still daily heartburn. Still burning in the bottom of my ribs. Back pain after standing or sitting for too long. I don’t want to do either for a long period of time. I’m starting to feel like I’m waddling or at least leading with my belly when I walk. Maybe I’m starting to feel some of that discomfort people are always talking about. Maybe it’s just how my day is feeling today.
Gender Prediction? Still no. Mom is back to thinking it’s a boy.
Belly Button in or out? Still flat. I’m starting to think it’s tacked down from my two surgeries last summer that used my belly button for access. At this point, I’ll be surprised if it does pop out.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Mood? Sleepy.
Looking forward to? This week promises to be another busy one and there are a few things I’m looking forward to. A massage tomorrow after work. My 36 week appointment on Tuesday. My company holiday meeting/party on Thursday. A day off on Friday.
Now some words from Dad: Hi Everyone! Melissa just laughed at me because I start every post with “Hi Everyone!” – well, that’s whatcha get when you don’t have prompter questions to help you through writing the blog each week – :P!!  Like Melissa said above, this past week has been a good one. I was probably the MVP this week because I got a TON done around the apartment. One day I had a “get rid of stuff” day where I was able to reorganize our storage unit, purging many things and make space. Most importantly, I installed our infant car seat and took the car to an auto dealer to have the installation inspected. I was surprised to learn that when you have both the “latch” connection AND seatbelt option on a carseat, you should use one or the other, NOT both. The more you know… Other than that, we had our second-to-last Bradley Method class this weekend. I’m pumped to be coming to the end of the 12-week course, but I’m also going to miss hanging out with our teacher and classmates every Sunday. I’d totally recommend the class, which focuses on prepping parents for trying an unmedicated/low intervention labor, so if anyone is interested in such a thing let us know! Until next week, PEACE!

34 Weeks

This week we had our hospital tour. It was pretty lackluster, in my opinion. They showed us the triage area, which was nice because I’ve never been there. Then they took us to a delivery room and a postpartum room. I didn’t feel like I could really ask the volunteer doing the tour any questions after she told us we might “want to bring our own diapers because she wasn’t sure if the hospital provided them…  She also didn’t show us where to get ice, water, etc. She did tell us how much it costs to self park, but wasn’t sure about the valet, so there’s that…

The more and more I feel the baby move, the more ready I’m feeling to meet him or her. I know having a baby here is going to be a big, big life adjustment and change, but I feel prepared just knowing that it’s not going to be easy right off the bat and we’re going to have to be patient with ourselves.

How far along? 34 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +22.2 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yup, still wearing them. I did wear regular workout pants today though. I just can’t get behind buying maternity athletic wear.
Stretch marks? Still not noticing any. My mom says hers didn’t show up until after her babies were born – as in, her skin was stretching, but you couldn’t tell until after. We’ll see what happens…
Sleep? Still sleeping, albeit a bit lighter than my usual dead-to-the-world self. Also, I’m most comfortable on my back…so that’s happening…
Best moment this week? My week this week was pretty quiet. Chris was in Michigan for deer camp, so I kept it low key and mostly just worked late while he was away. The best moment was probably having my parents and brother come back through town on their way home. It’s always nice to get to spend time with them since we live so far away.
Miss Anything? This would be where I say sleeping on my back, but that seems to be happening anyway…
Movement? The movement seems to be getting a bit more confined, so while it’s still happening often, the movements seem smaller. I’m really starting to wonder how big the baby is… yes in weight, but mostly in length.
Food cravings? Still none.
Anything making you nauseous? Nope.
Symptoms? Still LOTS of heartburn. It’s almost constant. Also, the sore back and the itchy tummy situation. The pain in my right side seemed to have a small resurgence this week. Other than the need for Tums, I’m mostly just feeling the need to move around or change positions often.
Gender Prediction? Mom seems to be leaning more toward girl now. So does Chris. I still have no feelings one way or another.
Belly Button in or out? It’s flat. Not really in or out.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Mood? Nothing out of the ordinary. Is patient a mood?
Looking forward to? This is a two day work week for me this week, so I’m looking forward to that along with Thanksgiving. I also plan to get a couple of sewing projects done this week. Basically, I’m looking forward to time at home to check some things off the to do list and then spending more time with family.
Now some words from Dad: Hi Everyone! This week was pretty eventful. Monday-Wednesday I was up in Michigan for deer camp. I didn’t shoot anything this year, but thanks to hunter-planning (we decide as a collective how many total deer we need each year), we’re still going to have a freezer full of venison next year. Yaaaaaasssss! While I was at deer camp I really missed Melissa – which is pretty typical. More than that, I started to wonder how that feeling of longing will be different when mini Mitch comes along. I’m sure I’ll just miss them both more, but was just wondering how it’ll be :)

After deer camp then back for some work, Melissa’s family came through Chicago for the weekend, which was really relaxing. We did an early Thanksgiving dinner with Melissa’s folks, and my parents surprised us by coming down to the city to join for the evening. It was a GREAT time filled with laughs and tasty food. Following a weekend of chicken pot pie, Portillo’s, Thanksgiving, and Lou Malnati’s, I may need a few days of carb-lite eating to prep for Thanksgiving 2 in a few days… :D

33 Weeks

Our baby shower was yesterday and it was SO nice to get to spend time with everyone and celebrate Mini Mitch. There was an owl theme, I’m guessing based on the owl I made for the baby.

Isn’t he cute??

We also had our 32 week appointment this week. I measured 33cm and the baby’s heartbeat was 136. Everything seemed to be going well! I was a bit uncomfortable the next day, but it could have just been some of the food I ate. Probably not a good idea to eat an entire Chipotle burrito bowl when the baby is taking up all of your stomach’s real estate.

How far along? 33 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +21 lbs
Maternity clothes? At this point, shouldn’t the question be “Regular Clothes?” The answer to that is, occasionally.
Stretch marks? Not yet. Nervous that I can’t hold them off for 7 more weeks.
Sleep? Sleeping pretty well, still, though I feel like I’ve been waking up earlier than I’d like to even when I want to sleep in.
Best moment this week? We had a pretty eventful week. I think my favorite part of it was having so many friends and family come to town (in addition to all the family and friends here in Chicago) to celebrate Mini Mitch at our shower.
Miss Anything? Still no.
Movement? Lots of movement this week. Lots of jolting and rolling around.
Food cravings? Not at all.
Anything making you nauseous? No real nausea, but I did feel a bit off and uncomfortable a couple times this week.
Symptoms? The most prominent one is heartburn. Still getting an achy back after too much sitting. Also feeling tired a lot, but not so tired that I can’t function, so that’s good.
Gender Prediction? Still no strong feelings. A lot of people around me are thinking it’s a boy, which makes me feel like it’s going to be a girl, but who knows!
Belly Button in or out? Still in, I think. Maybe flat.
Wedding rings on or off? Still on and pretty normal.
Mood? I was too busy to be in too much of a mood this week. Pretty average, I’d say.
Looking forward to? I’m looking forward to getting a little relaxation and organization in this week. We have lots to put away from the shower, I just have to figure out where away is. We also have lots of thank you notes to write. Feels like lots to do, but I just want to relax.
Now some words from Dad: Hi everyone! This was a great week! It was so much fun to spend time with family and friends who were visiting for the shower. I thought Melissa’s friends, her mom, and my sisters and mom did a great job organizing the event. In addition to the event and visits going well, so did our 32-week appointment. Only two more visits until our 36-week appointment, which will include an ultrasound of mini Mitch. It’ll be the last time we see him/her before he/she is born! Crazy how fast this is all going along, but it’s been a blast :)

32 Weeks

How far along? 32 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? +19.4 lbs; I guess last week’s non-weight gain and candy eating has caught up with me.
Maternity clothes? Yup, still wearing them.
Stretch marks? Still not seeing any, but I’m starting to see a linea negra appear. Was wondering if I’d get that.
Sleep? Still sleeping through the night. I did wake up early this morning though – what’s up, Standard Time?
Best moment this week? It was a pretty busy week, but a good one. On Tuesday night, I had dinner with a bunch of other pregnant ladies I met through Bump Club. It was nice to spend a little time with some other women who are in the same stage of life as me…and make some potential new friends! I also had a bump club event where I won a bassinet! So crazy – I have won so much at Bump Club, made some potential new friends and really learned a lot. I would totally and completely recommend it to friends…or strangers!
Miss Anything? Nope.
Movement? We had a couple of quiet days this week, which made me a little nervous. Let’s be honest, I was doing all sorts of things to try to get the baby to move. It must have just been sleepy or growing or sleepy because it was growing and nothing worked. We’ve resumed our normal rolling around and jabbing activities though, which makes me happy.
Food cravings? Still nothing. I kind of wish I had a good one, just to have something to tell.
Anything making you nauseous? This heartburn is really on the verge sometimes.
Symptoms? Still lots of heartburn, a little round ligament pain (thankfully less than a few weeks ago), an achy back at the end of the day or after sitting for too long, and some sore ribs (on and off) from some baby activity.
Gender Prediction? I just want a pronoun to use and since everyone seems to think it’s a boy, I’ve caught myself a couple of times saying or almost saying he. That said, I still don’t have a feeling one way or another. Can’t be sure!
Belly Button in or out? Still in. Very shallow, but in.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Mood? I’ve noticed myself being slightly more irritable than normal, but for the most part have been able to internalize it any talk myself down for being irrational. Outwardly, I think my mood has been pretty normal.
Looking forward to? This is going to be a busy week! Tomorrow we have our 32 week appointment (so crazy to think we’re already this far along!), then Tuesday night (did you think I was going to talk about the election? I was not.) I have a dinner with a co-worker and one of our reps that should be lots of fun – both are great girls, on Thursday night we have dinner out with Chris’ whole family and my family arrives that night as well, the on Saturday we have my shower! Like I said, it’s going to be a busy week full of things to look forward to. I’m sure it’s going to fly by. It’ll likely be exhausting, but also really enjoyable.
Now some words from Dad: Another 7 days = another week in the book of pregnancy. Aren’t you glad I know how many days are in a week? ;) This past week has been pretty memorable, not so much from the pregnancy standpoint as much as the CUBS, WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS standpoint! We were lucky to be able to watch some of the MLB Playoffs with family this year. I attended the parade on Friday on Michigan Ave. I’m not really big on massive crowds of screaming people, but it was worthwhile to be a part of that historically big sea of Cubs fans. My only downer from last week was not seeing Melissa much during the week – for whatever reason our schedules were both busy and conflicting. This week, I’m looking forward to having a productive week and getting ready for the arrival of friends and family for the shower next weekend. Then deer hunting for me! It’s gonna be a great time! Until next week, here’s some pics/video from the Cubs parade, which was attended by a modest 5 million people: