Journey to P31: 34 Weeks, Nursery's Done!

Its so hard to believe that the countdown to Mary Elizabeth's arrival is in the single digits...just 6 more weeks!! Sometimes it feels like 6 weeks is right around the corner, like when I think about how close I am to actually meeting and holding my daughter. Then other times, like when I'm stuck in the bed like a beached whale, I feel like 6 weeks is forever away! But I am so excited!! Its funny because at this point, we have everything ready and done for her. The nursery is done, the car seat is installed and our hospital bags are packed. However, now all we have to do is wait. And wait. Pregnancy is certainly an exercise in patience, as if 2 and half years of infertility wasn't enough. For a planner like me, its hard not to know when she'll be here. I can't fully plan anything for the next few months not knowing whether I'll still be pregnant or if I'll be going into labor or when I'll have a newborn. But I know that parenthood is a much bigger exercise in patience and the inability to plan so I guess I'm just in training.

So what's going on at 34 weeks? I haven't blogged in a while because I've been in a constant state of crazy busy and pure exhaustion. This is my busiest time of year at work so usually by the time I get home, I am beyond exhausted. Of course, that doesn't stop me from cleaning/nesting, cooking, laundry, working on the nursery, etc. Then by the time I'm done with whatever chore I've given myself for the afternoon, I'm so tired I could cry and Parker comes home to a cranky, sleepy mess. Everything seems to take longer to do these days. I guess carrying around 18 extra pounds is enough to slow anyone down. Not only does everything take longer but its definitely more difficult. Bending over, lifting and carrying things, walking up and down the stairs are all significantly more physically taxing. When I actually take the time to rest, I feel pretty good. I still have sciatic pain but not too bad anymore. I'm having more Braxton Hicks contractions now but other than that, I actually feel pretty good. I take a half a Benadryl just about every night to sleep and since I started that (with my doctor's approval of course), I'm starting to sleep pretty well again too.

Mary Elizabeth already has so much personality. She is very responsive these days and her schedule is more predictable. She loves to be touched and she loves the shower. She loves it when I eat and when daddy comes home. I can't wait to see meet her and see her reactions in person. According to the books I'm reading, she's probably about 5 pounds and is anywhere from 18 to 20 inches long. She probably won't get much longer but will still put on a few more pounds.

I'm still doing yoga every week, though its becoming more challenging every week! I can feel the extra weight in the poses and the belly definitely gets in the way. She seems to enjoy it though and always wakes up from her nap to do yoga with me. Sometimes it literally feels like she is doing yoga poses right on my bladder! She also gets the hiccups about every other day, which has to be one of the cutest things ever.

32 weeks