Peanut Tracker: Week 36 Update- FULL TERM BABY!

With 22 days remaining until Charlee's due date, we can say that she will officially be full term tomorrow! This really is the home stretch. And based on how I've been feeling lately, this is wonderful news!

I have been experiencing a lot of cramping and a severe increase in Braxton Hicks contractions this week. The cramping has been getting so bad that it sends me back to bed for hours at a time. The contractions are irregular, but they last for quite a long time and every day when they start up again they are stronger than the day before. Today I have been very sore, cramping, and experiencing a lot of pelvic pressure. There was a time when I would have thought "if it hurts this much now, how am I going to handle labor?" Instead I keep thinking "I don't care how she comes, just let her hit full term and then get the heck out!" However, she better stick around until at least next Saturday or Eric's parents (who are on vacation) will not be pleased!

Although it's getting much more difficult for me to get around, I have tried to be semi-productive this week. On Tuesday I finally had the car seat inspected and received the paperwork for emergency contacts in case of an accident where I am injured but the peanut is not. I can't finish it until after she is born, so I put it in the folder of paperwork for the hospital so we can put it on the car seat for the ride home. Eric installed the seat correctly, but they suggested moving the seat from the middle seat to the passenger side backseat because the middle seat has an arm rest the can come down. I'm not crazy about the position, but it makes sense and I will keep her there if that's the safest place for her!

On Thursday, Eric and I went to the DMV to update our drivers licenses and to update our voter registrations. All I have to say is that I'm glad that DMV moved quickly because standing in line is not fun for anyone this pregnant! Afterwards we went to get wings at my favorite wing place and I had fun teasing Eric that the spicy wings would put me into labor.

Hanging curtains

Friday was fun because Eric and I finally did some work on the nursery. Before we went to search for curtains, we decided to get some lunch at a local BBQ place. When the cashier asked me when we were due, I answered "the 29th", and she joking told me to leave so I don't go into labor during our meal. That's right folks, I've reached the point where I scare people when I venture into public! We found the perfect curtains at Lowe's and came home to put them up. Although it was frustrating, Eric managed to hang the curtains on the big window, both valences on the other wall, and the decorative butterflies and diaper hanger. He started to hammer on picture frame hangers for the letters, but he cracked two of the letters and I had to replace them, so we decided to finish another day. I will admit, when he broke the letters, I cried. Because that's what I do now.

Curtain tie backs

Yesterday I painted the replacement letters and tried to create tie backs for the curtains but they didn't look right. So, I postponed that task until today and went to visit Malory and Brian for some college football and food. It was a rough night for UGA and FSU, but USC played well, so Eric was happy! It was great to get out of the house and it's a little sad to think that could be the last trip out of the house (except for groceries and a meal here and there) for a while.

I really wanted to reveal the nursery tonight, but since we left it in a disastrous state on Friday, I will have to write another entry just for the nursery once it's completed. I just hope that we are actually able to finish the nursery and all of the last minute to-do items around the house before Charlee arrives! I just can't seem to find the energy to do even the smallest tasks nowadays. We have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and I am anxiously waiting to hear what the doctor has to say!

36 weeks 5 days

In peanut news, she will be full term tomorrow and that means her lungs are more than likely strong enough to survive in the outside world! She is about 19 inches long and 6.5 lbs (about the size of a stalk of Swiss chard).

Current cravings: (decreasing because I can't eat anywhere near the amount I used to) chocolate milkshakes, cinnamon, beef

Current aversions: uncooked tomatoes, onions