The Final Month

35 weeks

I guess it's time for another bump update, before the bump is gone!  We are in the last stretch, month 9, with 29 days to go until we meet our son.  Unlike the last pregnancy where the end became a drawn out waiting game until nearly the 42 week mark, Baby Boy is scheduled to arrive via c-section on Monday, December 1st unless he decides to come earlier on his own.  I must admit, the type A planner in me is really enjoying knowing that there is a defined end in sight.

Weight gain: Currently up 34 pounds, I looked back at my weekly updates during my pregnancy with Kate and last time around I had only gained 28 pounds at this point.  Oh well, every pregnancy and baby is different!

More Differences:  The annoying symptom that stands out the most this time is heartburn.  I get it constantly and very rarely had any with Kate.  Last time I was plagued by horrific leg cramps in the middle of the night and thankfully that has not been issue.  I've been more emotional and crazy about silly things though, to the point where I know I'm not being rational and yet still can't help it.  It is very unsettling to feel slightly unhinged at times and I'll be glad when I feel mentally like myself again.  I am much more exhausted in general, as the mother of an active toddler this should come as no surprise and yet it still catches me off guard sometimes when very simple tasks leave me short of breath and in need of a break.

Big Sister loves to snuggle up to her brother

Favorite memories of this pregnancy:  I have loved watching Kate get excited about my belly bump.  She kisses and snuggles and pats her brother all the time.  Maybe I have forgotten, but I feel like he moves around a lot more than Kate did and it's hilarious when she's resting her face on my tummy and feels a foot or arm wriggle by underneath her cheek.  Decorating the nursery was also a lot of fun and I go and sit in his room often and daydream about the sweet little boy who will be giggling and playing in that room someday.  It has been such a blur of a year and pregnancy, but looking back the timing of it all is perfect and I love that we're about to become a family of four.

Big Sister in training- Kate practices gently tucking in all her dolls and animals

More sibling training- sharing toys with Laing yesterday, the girls always play together so well

Looking forward to:  Seeing what he looks like, watching Kate meet her brother for the first time, seeing Matt holding his son, introducing him to our parents, being able to take a deep breath again without squashed lungs, rolling around on the floor with my kids, just better mobility in general, and I'm really looking forward to that vague, undefined point in time months from now when I get a full night's sleep again.

Dreading:  Surgery, recovering from surgery, sleep deprivation, feeling guilt over not being able to give Kate as much attention, and that first emotional week back to work after maternity leave.

Looking back on life as a family of three

Thankful for: an easy and healthy pregnancy.  Yes I'm tired, but I'm growing a human and if my biggest complaint is exhaustion I'd say it's thankfully been another smooth and uneventful pregnancy.  I'm also extremely grateful for Matt who has been doing double the work around here when it comes to household chores and pretty much everything that has to do with Kate so that I don't overdo it.  Sometimes I feel helpless or frustrated that I can't easily get her out of the tub or car or clean up spilled food, but then I just feel even more blessed that he does everything so willingly and without being asked.

November will probably creep by since I'm eagerly counting down until December and I'm increasingly miserable lugging around all the extra weight.  We'll happily spend these last four weeks soaking up our only child a little longer and praying for a healthy baby boy to arrive at the beginning of next month!