35 - 36 - 37 - 38

Week 38?!  Oh boy, I've got some catching up to do.  All has been great.  Pleasantly busy.  Baby is growing.  Due date is nearing.  It can really happen any day now, but baby is showing no signs of wanting to evacuate its happy place.

Let's backtrack a bit to week 35 because that was a fun week.  Husband and I took our last pre-baby trip.  We had a wedding to attend in Madison, Wisconsin, so we made a long weekend out of it.  First stop was Chicago.  The flight there a bit uncomfortable.  There was nothing wrong with the flight itself, I just felt cramped in my seat and I couldn't sleep.  I always sleep on planes, but this time I couldn't get comfortable enough to knock out.  When  I stepped off of the airplane, my feet were tingly and I realized that they were swollen.  Not fun.  The flying made me grateful that I had no more traveling to do for the remainder of this pregnancy.  Besides that, Chicago was fun!  Most of our time there was spent eating really good food. 

We made it a point to visit Publican Quality Meats for their, well, quality meat selection.

We ate delicious foie gras at the Purple Pig.

FOIE!  (ugh, damn you stupid California anti-foie gras law)

And we enjoyed a really unique dining experience at Alinea.  We had to make this reservation months ahead of time.  It was a special splurge, especially since I'm not sure when we will be able to visit Chicago again.

One course included playing "Hide n Seek" with your food.  We had to find this very savory piece of jerky inside of a nest of twigs.

Another course included a small fire in the middle of the table.  After sitting there for a good 15 minutes, the waiter revealed a beautiful piece of Wagyu beef hidden in the middle.

Dinner concluded with our table transforming into a giant dessert canvas.  Yes.

After a day in Chicago, we drove to Madison to attend our good friends' wedding.  The road trip was much more comfortable than the flight; no complaints there.  The wedding was really touching and beautiful.  I'm really glad that we were able to attend!

35 weeks in Chicago!

When we returned from our trip, I had one more week of work before officially beginning my maternity leave.  I was a little nervous about what I was going to do with all of my free time, so I made a list of things to do to keep me busy.  I have been tackling that list head-on since day 1 of my leave, and I'm still working on it.  Currently at week 38 (2 weeks into maternity leave), I've only had one full day where I have stayed home and done absolutely nothing (it was heavenly!)

Last week of work, pre-4th of July weekend

4th of July came and went, but we didn't do much this year.  That's my fault because it was hot as hell outside and I refused to leave our loft.  We were planning on walking to Grand Park for their 4th of July celebration, but I was in no mood to walk several blocks in 90+ degrees F weather and sit in the sun all afternoon waiting for nighttime.  Getting there at night for the firework show wasn't an option either because then it would have been too crowded at that point to find a place to sit.  So that was vetoed.  Boring, I know.   

4th of July weekend wasn't a bust, though, because husband's family threw us a super thoughtful baby shower.  I feel completely spoiled with all of these celebrations happening in honor of the baby.  Also, I can't help but feel a little bit guilty (I'm not worthy!)  We were truly touched and appreciative of this celebration.  Baby is a lucky one, surrounded by so much love.

Baby shower photos, courtesy of my sis

Like I mentioned earlier, I've been keeping busy checking off items from my To-Do list.  Finding a pediatrician, completing all of our hospital baby classes, packing our hospital bag, washing and organizing baby clothes, getting our cars serviced, researching and buying a car seat and stroller, taking Lola to the vet to update her on her doggie vaccinations, writing Thank You notes to friends and family, grocery shopping, preparing freezer meals to keep us fed for those first few weeks with baby...the list goes on!  It is really, really nice to have time to tackle everything. 

At 37 weeks - 1st week of maternity leave done!

I've been visiting my doctor weekly to check for progress.  But at 38 weeks, there is none.  The baby is as active as ever.  Sometimes a hand or foot will protrude and form a tiny lump on the side of my belly.  It is so awesome.  I am still completely in awe of how this baby is growing inside of me.  I'm okay with it taking as long as it needs to fatten up and prepare for this big world.  In the meantime, I'll be finishing up my To-Do list, getting lots of rest, and waiting patiently.

Symptoms:  General discomfort.  The belly is heavy.  I have to pee all day, all night.  It is all tolerable, though.  I can't complain.  I am very lucky and happy for these normal symptoms.
Thoughts on Food:  Food is all good.  I'm eating well and regularly.  With the baby dropping, it seems that there is more room for food to process itself.  Indigestion is gone (hooray!), and hopefully gone for good.
Cravings:  I'm really loving cereal right now.  I buy a pack of gluten-free, naturally-sweetened corn flakes once a week from the market.  That cereal + almond milk + fresh sliced banana has been my ideal lunch for the past few weeks.
Thankful For:  So many things!  The opportunity to have escaped with my husband one last time (pre-baby) for a weekend, our families who have showed us so much love, having extra time to nest and prepare for baby.  And a healthy, thriving baby of course!
Current Weight:  128.5 lbs at 38 weeks.  My digestive system seems to have kicked itself back into gear, thank goodness!  Weight gain is still steady, but slower now.