38 Weeks

Weight: 131.2 (+26.2 from starting weight, +1 from last week)

Symptoms: back pain, braxton hicks contractions, itchy belly, tired

How I am Feeling: I am so ready to be done with being pregnant. It is getting old. 

Best Thing about Pregnancy: Dan is so great at taking care of all of my needs. He rubs my back when it hurts, takes me out to dinner when I don't want to cook and holds me when I feel sad. I am really thankful for him. 

Worst Thing about Pregnancy:  I did it today. The thing that all pregnant women dread. I peed myself. I felt nauseous, so I went to the bathroom to be sick. Each time I threw up, the pressure on my abdomen pressed hard enough on my bladder to make me pee. I guess that's the only thing worse than throwing up- throwing up and peeing myself. I am so done. 

An open letter

My Dearest Baby Vickery,

I am on to you. You may not quite realize the technology that we have here on the outside world, but it is pretty amazing. I know that you are about 6.5 pounds and have a little bit of hair. I've seen your strong heartbeat and your practice breathes. I know that you are ready to come out and be with me and Daddy.

Why then, child, must your torment me so? I beg and plead that each little contraction will escalate into real labor. Partially because I am so excite to meet you, but mostly so that the discomfort of being 9 months pregnant will end. I have been praying since February that you stay where you are so that you can join us fully formed and healthy. Since you are, it's time to vacate the uterus. I suggest that, if you have any desire to have a brother or sister in the future, you make your way to the exit sooner rather than later and as gently as possible.

If this isn't agreeable to you, and I understand how comfortable and warm you are in my belly, can we come to some other arrangement? I won't force you out for another 3 weeks, but you have got to remove your feet from my ribcage. It is completely unacceptable for you to be kicking me there and will result in me taking any measures to evict you.

All my love,
Your Mommy

37 Weeks Pregnant

Full term!

Weight: 130.2 (+25.2 from starting weight, +0 from last week)

Symptoms: itchy belly, heartburn, back ache, braxton hicks contractions, sciatic nerve pain

How I am Feeling: I'm doing okay. My itchy belly is slowly driving me insane. I've been really tired and my sleep patterns are very irregular. Some nights I sleep for 10 hour and feel good the next day. Some nights I sleep for 4 hours and catnap all day. 

Best Thing about Pregnancy: I love Dan. He's so good to me. I've been really needy the last few weeks and he's okay with that. He rubs my back at least twice a day and usually rubs my feet at night to help me relax and get to sleep. He also loves the phrases "full term" and "any day now." His excitement for this new chapter in our lives in infectious and I am so excited for him to become a father. 

Worst Thing about Pregnancy:  I've spent the last 9 months learning how to be pregnant and have neglected learning what to do when the baby is born. The last few weeks I have read a few books on basic newborn and infant care, but will that really prepare me to bring home this tiny person? I guess I don't have any choice, do I?


Month 9: Watermelon

At week 37, your pregnancy is considered full term, meaning baby is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world… meaning careful refinement of the blink, suck, inhale and exhale. Meconium, which you’ll probably find in the first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines. If (okay, as) you worry about giving birth, consider what it’s like for the little one. During the journey out of your womb, baby will produce more stress hormones than any other time in life.

36 Weeks

9 months. How on earth did I get to be 9 months pregnant?

Weight: 130.2 (+25.2 from starting weight, +1.2 from last week)

Symptoms: sciatic nerve pain, backache, constantly having to pee, braxton hicks contractions, my skin is stretched so thin that it hurts

How I am Feeling: I am feeling very anxious. Seriously. This baby could decide to be born pretty much any day now. 

Best Thing about Pregnancy: Well, I've made it 9 months without any stretch marks on my belly or chest. I have quite a few on my bottom that showed up earlier, but they are starting to get lighter already. 

Worst Thing about Pregnancy:  I am starting to wake up with back and belly aches in the morning. It sucks to feel worse in the morning that I did the night before. I am not getting up twice during the night to go to the bathroom. I have gotten so use to it I don't even turn any lights on, so it's not too hard to get back to sleep. Sometimes I'll go to the kitchen for a glass of milk in the middle of the night if heartburn wakes me up. Dan and I use to not get through a gallon of milk before it would expire. We're going through 2 gallons a week now. I love milk. 


I think Dan is starting to get anxious, too. Someone needed him on Sunday, so Mike Henderson went into the Sunday School class to get him without letting him know who was looking for him. I happen to be in the hall at the same time, so he automatically thought that I sent for him and it was time to go to the hospital. I think he intellectually knows that it doesn't happen that fast, but all movies and tv shows make it appear so and he has become programmed. 


Group B Strep test at my doctors' office tomorrow. Hopefully it is negative or it will really throw a wrench into the birth plan. 

Happy 35/35 to me!

35 weeks down, 35 days until the little one's due date!


Weight: 129.0 (+24 from starting weight, +1.6 from last week)

Symptoms: sciatic nerve pain, tired, round ligament pain, heartburn, burping, going pee every 10 minutes 

How I am Feeling: I have good days and I have bad days. I've figured out that sitting cross legged on the floor helps my back hurt less and putting a heating pad on my back before bed will help me get comfortable enough to sleep for a while. 

Best Thing about Pregnancy: Baby hiccups are still the very best thing about pregnancy and I will miss them so much. 

Worst Thing about Pregnancy: I hate all of the comments people make about me and my body. I really hate being told how cute and little I am. I don't feel cute and I definitely don't feel little. I've gained exactly the amount of weight I should have. The only comment I have appreciated was a cashier who told me that I look very healthy. That made me feel good. 


It is crazy to me that the baby could arrive any day now. We have everything that we really need for the baby. I've washed all of the clothes and put together all of the gear. It's just a matter of time now. Sometimes I feel sad that these are the last days Dan and I will have together as just a couple and not the huge responsibility of being parents. I'm going to miss being spontaneous and carefree. At the same time, I can't wait to share this next adventure with him and have our own little family. 

I suck at blogging and some pictures

So last week week was rough. I had a very hard time sleeping and was very grumpy. Things have gotten better over the weekend and I have learned how to get comfortable enough to sleep. I did weigh myself on Wednesday morning and was at 127.4 lbs. Not too bad.

Josh K delivered our maternity photos yesterday and I love them so much. He did a really great job at capturing how silly Dan and I are. The more serious photos are stunning also. Here's a few of my favorites.

Week 33

33 Weeks Pregnant

Weight: 127.0 (+22 from starting weight, +0.8 in the last three weeks)

Symptoms: backache, tired, heartburn, 

How I am Feeling: I have had a rough few weeks, but I am getting anxious to meet the little one. 

Best Thing about Pregnancy: I love all of the movements and the baby hiccups. I also had maternity photos done on Sunday. That was a lot of fun and I am really excited to see the results. 

Worst Thing about Pregnancy: The pain in my back is really bad. I'm getting to the point of being ready to not be pregnant anymore. 




Month 8: Honeydew

Baby’s senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing your lullabies! Growth (at least inside your womb) is starting to slow, and you may notice baby descend into your pelvis at the end of this month.