Wow, 36 Weeks!!!

     I can't believe I am already 36 weeks. It seems like time has flown by. I am not at the point where I will be going to the doctor weekly to get checked. I had an my 36 week appointment today and things looked good. I have gained 29 pounds so far (hopefully not too much more either :) ) and my blood pressure still continue to be good. At 36 weeks they start checking for dilation. It really doesn't give that great of an indicator of when labor will come - a co-worker has been dilated 1-2cm at 36 weeks and is now getting induced), but some idea. At this point my cervix was still closed, which didn't surprise me, but she did say that her head is really low. I am not sure if they have considered the baby as "dropped," but she was happy with where she was laying. Heartbeat sounded good too which is always music to my ears.



My belly button is an in-betweenie.
 Not quit in, not quite out :)



Zoe wanted in the pic

    

I am starting to get quite a bit more uncomfortable now. With this heat, my ankles, feet, and fingers have been getting VERY swollen. Brian compared my feet to the feet on Shallow Hal. If any of you have seen that movie, there is an overweight lady who has large cankles (sp?). A girl at work was kind enough to borrow me her TED stockings to help with some of the swelling during those longs shifts. Speaking of those long shifts, it is getting tougher to do 12 hours. My boss has been very flexible and kind and we have re-worked some of my shifts to 8 and 12 hours. Instead of working three 12 hour shifts in a row, I am now working one 12 hour shift followed by two 8 hour shifts. It is not my back that hurts as much as it is my feet and I get really tired! I have started to get quite a bit of reflux in my throat and sleeping is a whole different story. I toss and turn and of course get up to pee like 8 times a night. Of course she is worth every bit of this, it is just funny to look back and see how the body changes.

  My cold has finally gotten so much better. I still have a bit of a lingering cough, but it is nothing compared to what it was last week. I was so miserable it was unbelievable. It seems that they last longer too when you are pregnant. Maybe they do, maybe they don't and it is just because you can't take anything. Either way, I am just happy I am feeling SOOOOO much better.

  My friend Erika and I did some craft projects a few weeks back and I have been meaning to post some pictures. Erika, Maija, and I still have some more crafting to do, but the nursery is almost all done and I have to say I am very happy with how it turned out. Brian added some shelving for me. Erika and I got the letters for her name all decorated and Brian was able to get them hung. Again, there is still some pictures to make and more things to put on the shelving, but all in all it is almost there!!!!

 Here is the dresser with the changing table and the lamp. Above the changing table we are going to get our craft on and add three different pictures. Erika and I added the orange ribbon around the the lamp for some color. I thought that lamp was so cute - Home Goods!!! We actually got the changing table and the diaper pail for free from our neighbors which was very nice!!!!

 Don't mind the mess, but on the left is a picture of the book/toy chest. We are obviously going to need more room for all her toys, but for now there are some little ones in the bins and we will have to find a bigger one we can put in a playroom when we make one for her.  Above is the shelving that Brian hung. The elephant is a piggy bank I got at my shower. The little shelf is only 6 inches wide so I wasn't sure what would work. That is when Erika and I decided to make the blocks with her name (right picture). We bought the blocks, painted them green and added the stickers. It is a little hard to see but the letters are all glittery and the blocks surrounding Mae have animals on both sides. The bottom shelf I have Sophie the giraffe hanging out (although it is a toy and she will use it when she is able), but I plan on putting a picture and some keepsake items on it.

  So the above pictures are the crib with her name and obviously a closer picture of her name. Maija, Erika, and I found the white letters at JoAnn Fabrics and were just going to add the ribbon, but found those cute the decals to put on them. It was a little afraid we would mess up, but Erika is quite the crafter and all it took was a little hot glue. Thank God Brian was able to hang them though, that would have been a disaster if we would have tried! I think they turned out really cute and I love them!

 

 

Brian insisted that she had a fan in her room. He read that keeping a light breeze helps prevent SIDS. He picked out the fan all by himself. I think he did a pretty good job! It works really nice in the room. The picture on the right is a picture of my rocker that I got at my shower from my Grandma and mom. It is so comfortable and I have just been enjoying it for myself so far! I think the little one is really going to like it too! I know when my mom sat in it she was surprised at the comfort too!!! The picture behind the rocker is actually a recycled picture. It is hard to see but it is of a little curly haired girl hugging an elephant. I had it hung up in my room when I moved out my junior year of college. I found it downstairs tucked away, bought a cheap white frame,  and I think it fits pretty well!!!

  I have this week off work so I am going to try and get some stuff done around the house. Unfortunately the bathrooms need cleaning :(. I am looking forward to next week - my lovely co-workers are throwing me a work shower on July 12th. I think it is too kind of them for doing that! I am very lucky to have such a sweet, wonderful group of girls (and a few guys) that I work with who are all so caring!!!