38 Weeks

How far along?  38 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 36 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yup!

Stretch marks? Just a few

Best moment this week: Visiting with friends and family

Miss Anything? Getting in and out of the car comfortably. It is seriously one of the hardest parts of my day!

Movement: Yup, but he's running out of room!

Food cravings: Frozen fruit, tea and ice still

Anything making you queasy or sick: Actually yes. I'm not sure why I have been so nauseated lately but it has been terrible. I get really dizzy sometimes too. I dunno...It's weird.

Have you started to show yet: I have a watermelon sized growth on the front of my body. I think yes.

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: I have contractions every day but nothing comes of them. I have a Dr. appointment tomorrow so maybe I'll get some good news!

Belly Button in or out? Out...totally flat...aaaand squishy. So weird.

Happy or Moody most of the time: At this point I'm just miserably pregnant.

Looking forward to: Giving birth! (I just want to get it over with! Forget the horror stories!)

This week I have been running myself ragged with work and activities and trying to go into labor every way possible! lol I walk my dogs in the 90 degree heat for about 20-30 minutes every day, I hike up hills, I drink raspberry leaf tea...and nothing. The only thing I won't do is castor oil. Sick. No gracias! But, other than that, nothing new to report. My family and friends have been checking up on me daily and my frustration with the fact that I'm still pregnant just keeps growing at an ever-quickening pace. Joshua doesn't seem to understand how miserable this really is for me (and I mean, how could he? He's not the one packing the kid around 24/7) and he just keeps getting frustrated with everyone's concern. It has been a stressful environment around here to say the least!

We went to our friends, James and Jenna's, son's first birthday party yesterday and it was so much fun! Jenna had everything fixed up so completely adorable and Isaiah was just as cute as ever! Happy Birthday Zai!

Isaiah with his uncle Nathan

Loved this!

37 Weeks

How far along?  37 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 36 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yup!

Stretch marks? Just a few

Best moment this week: Finding out the true meaning of the term "nesting."

Miss Anything? Oddly enough...lunch meat. I had never really been that big of a fan but I guess when you're banned from something for 9 months, you start to want it. lol

Movement: Oh yes.

Food cravings: Frozen fruit, tea and ice

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Have you started to show yet: We passed that point a long time ago. lol

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Well, I started having contractions yesterday which lasted from about 5 or 6 PM until I went to bed that night, but they stopped sometime in the night. Although I did have some again today, nothing was consistent enough to be called labor.

Belly Button in or out? Out

Happy or Moody most of the time: I've been getting moodier as the days go on. I think I'm just over being pregnant.

Looking forward to: Meeting this precious little boy!

Sooooo... Still no baby. It has been almost 2 weeks since I found out I was dilated 3cm and 70% effaced and Eli is just being so stubborn (He's already acting like his father)! I went to the doctor yesterday and had another ultrasound to measure his growth. He is now 6lbs 11oz so he has gained a bit of weight, which Mommy and Daddy are very happy about. Above all else, we want him to be healthy. Yesterday I was 4cm dilated and that was before my contractions began so I have no clue how far I am now... All I know is that Eli must be pretty stinkin' comfortable in there because he just refuses to come out! 

Well, like I said above, I have truly begun to understand the term "nesting." Since I have been confined to the house to do absolutely nothing because Josh doesn't want me to go into labor just yet, I have cleaned every spare inch of this apartment...multiple times! It has become an obsession really. I have also been working on my "honey-do" list (which serves him right for making me sit around all day) so we have been doing a little home improvement lately. We hung shelves and pictures in the kitchen and he and I made a sign for Eli's room out of old barn wood Joshua got from the farm. We got some cloth drawers for the changing table to aid in organization and we still have to put up the deer pictures my aunt Christina had made for us! It's still a work in progress, but we're almost finished!

Lately my days have been spent cleaning, watching movies, enjoying some pregnancy tea, and hanging out with my pooches!

36 Weeks

How far along?  36 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 32 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yup!

Stretch marks? Just a few

Best moment this week: Going to the doctor and finding out some crazy news!

Miss Anything? Sushi. I'm pining for a dragon roll.

Movement: Oh yes.

Food cravings: Frozen fruit... weird I know.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Have you started to show yet: If someone looked at me at this point and couldn't tell I was pregnant...I would say they are a waste of a human. lol

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Not yet...I wish. lol

Belly Button in or out? Out

Happy or Moody most of the time: So excited and nervous!

Looking forward to: Having little Eli in my arms...very soon.

Ok so, yesterday I typed up this blog post and decided I would wait and put it out Sunday like I normally do (look at me, being on time and stuff!), but I went to the doctor today and found out that this baby could come, like, now if he wanted. I'm already 3cm dilated and 70% effaced!!!! No wonder I had been feeling so much pressure down there lately! She wanted to do another ultrasound because she said my uterus was measuring about a week small but the ultrasound was fine and Eli is about 6lbs 1ounce at this point. Will he be the biggest baby in the nursery? No, but thank dear Jesus for mom that he won't be 10lbs like his daddy was! He's already taking after his momma! I told my mom and her prediction is that I will have this little man by Monday... holy...geez. That is insane to think about! So prepare yourself world! Little Ater will be making his debut very soon!

Luckily, I did get A LOT of stuff done in Elijah's room this week! My mom got us a shelf and some cardboard letters so we painted those and put them up. And I FINALLY finished Eli's baby blanket!

 Josh also taught me how to swaddle a baby on a teddy bear this week. lol Seems strange that the guy would be teaching the girl, right? Well, he actually works at a pediatric hospital so changing diapers and swaddling babies are things he does on a regular basis! That definitely takes a load off my shoulders! So it looks like he will actually be teaching me a lot...because I just work with old people. lol I mean, diapers are involved, but not like the ones Eli will be using!! ;-)

The best part about everything I accomplished this week = picking out what Elijah will be wearing home from the hospital... We're awesome...We know. 

I also have my hospital bag packed and ready to go! Now all Joshua has to do is remember to grab the camera and we're set!

35 Weeks

How far along?  35 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 28 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yup! My favorite store is Motherhood. They have the cutest clothes!

Stretch marks? Just a few

Best moment this week: Seeing all of my family!

Miss Anything? Ugh... I want to be able to get off the couch without help.

Movement: All of the time. He's a wild one!

Food cravings: Strawberries! It's been more like an addiction. And not just fresh strawberries. I crave frozen strawberries primarily. I think it has something to do with the ice craving thing.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Have you started to show yet: My belly looks like a balloon that's about to pop.

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Not yet!

Belly Button in or out? Out

Happy or Moody most of the time: My mood-swings are actually getting worse. I think it has something to do with the stress of preparation.

Looking forward to: NOT BEING PREGNANT ANYMORE!!!!

This week my aunt, Rhonda, threw us the most adorable shower! I made Joshua come with me to this one (which he wasn't too happy about!). My Nanny made a super cute cake that my cousins decorated with EXTREMELY fat, sumo babies!! Haha!

All of the decorations were so cute! The popcorn filled buckets with "Rachelle's About to Pop!" on them definitely made me giggle and I especially loved the watermelon stroller filled with fruit!  

We played the ribbon game where everyone measures out what they think my belly size is and Joshua was nervous about getting that one way wrong! ;-) He didn't do too bad though. haha! We also played the bottle drinking game again which, as you can see, Josh cheated at and lost. Then I made Joshua open gifts with me (another task he wasn't too pleased about)! It was great having him there to share the attention with! lol

I was also able to see a lot of my family that I haven't seen in ages and Josh's mom, step-dad, and grandma all came down as well! 

Aunt Rhonda with her two daughters, Makayla and Gabby

Nanny and Papaw

Cousin Nathaniel. Look at those huge, blue eyes!

34 Weeks

How far along?  34 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 28 lbs

Maternity clothes? Shirts, shorts, jeans, the whole 9 yards. Regular people clothes no longer fit this gal.

Stretch marks? A few on my hips.

Best moment this week: 2 More baby showers!!!

Miss Anything? Getting out of the car without having to grab the door and hoist myself out. #pregoprobs

Movement: Heck yes. More this week than last for sure. My belly looks like there is a small theme park taking place in there. 

Food cravings: Ice

Anything making you queasy or sick:Nope! Still just dealing with the heartburn.

Have you started to show yet: Yup!

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Not yet!

Belly Button in or out? Out

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, excited, stressed, nervous... all of the above.

Looking forward to: Meeting this little guy!

This week I had TWO baby showers!!! Talk about busy! I am so thankful to have so many friends and family that are willing to put on these showers for us! 

The first shower was with my work family. April and Karen were just wonderful and we had so much fun! Karen brought her little girl who was definitely the life of the party! She was so sweet and LOVED having an audience! Of course, we were all happy to oooh and awe at her adorableness! 

April made me the cutest gift ever! It was a basket filled with "diaper babies" she had fashioned out of diapers, socks, and wash cloths! I absolutely loved it!

Our next baby shower was huge and SO MUCH FUN! My church family from Berea also happens to be most of my Dad's side of the family so the turn-out was amazing! We decided to have it at our favorite Mexican restaurant and my mom and aunt Sherry brought cakes and cupcakes and punch! This baby shower was adorable! Mom's coconut duck cake was super sweet and Sherry made a baby cake with a blanket modeled after Eli's comforter!!! I couldn't believe it! She also made a tribute to my blog on it!

My cousin Kylie with my baby cousin Tiffany

Baby Eli got his first pair of cowboy boots!

My aunt Sherry made this blanket for Eli. I definitely teared up when she was showing me the patches on the quilt and told me they were all made from fabric my late grandmother had. Some of the pieces were actually from a quilt my grandma had already started.

This was one of my favorite parts of the shower! Two of my best friends and my little brother all raced to see who could finish drinking from the baby bottle first! Cody gave up and Stuart cheated by taking the bottle cap off and just drinking the juice! (Left to Right: Stuart, Josh, and Cody)

And my other favorite part: The baby foot tasting competition. Danny, Brandon, Andrew and Grady were all champs!