thirty-five weeks

Please excuse the terrible picture.  I kept forgetting to take one, and there isn't really any where 'good' to take a picture in our house right now.  So I guess here is a peek at Ryann's bathroom?  And my super sleepy eyes.  Yay.

Well, this pregnancy had to get exciting at some point, right?  Haha, just kidding.  But I did have a doctor's appointment this week.  It was the first one we had to drive back to KC for.  I got the girls all settled at a friend's house, then headed on my merry little way.  Everything was going swimmingly, until the nurse took my blood pressure of course.  She asked, "do you usually have high blood pressure?" Oh you know, only during the end of my pregnancies.  Apparently it was 150/104 when she first took it.  That's no good.  I laid down on my side for a few minutes and she took it again.  130/84.  Not perfect but WAY better.

My doctor isn't super concerned yet since it came back down and their was no protein in my urine, but she won't let me go two weeks without coming back in.  They also drew some labs, and my LDH was slightly elevated.  It can be a marker for pre-e, but apparently is the least concerning thing they check, and it was only slightly elevated.  Nonetheless I get to go back on Tuesday for a BP check and another lab draw.  I'm not really at all surprised.  I was expecting the blood pressure to become an issue at some point, as it has with the last two pregnancies.  I just don't really want to end up on bed rest, so I'd appreciate the BP to hold out for at least another two weeks.  

how far along:  35 weeks (compare to 35 weeks with Ryann, 35 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby:  What to Expect is telling me that she is roughly the size of a canary melon.  I'm sorry, what the heck is a canary melon?

weight gain:  26 pounds.

maternity clothes:  Definitely.  I'd prefer to just live in my pajamas but I also refuse to do that.

symptoms:  Swelling.  Lots and lots of swelling.  Braxton hicks.  Restless legs.  General uncomfortableness.  All the good stuff.  Oh, and I seem to need a 20 minute nap each day now.  It's like all the sudden I get SOOOO tired and I just have to lay down and sleep for a bit.

exercise:  77,592.  After my doctor's appointment I've been really trying to take it easier.  It's irritating to not hit my step goal daily, but I'm not going to be pregnant much longer, so I guess I can deal.

cravings/aversions:  Mostly watermelon, strawberries are good too, and popcorn.

movement:  This girl has to be running out of room.  Some of her movements are downright painful.  And she has regular dance parties in the middle of the night.  I hope that trend doesn't continue after birth!

sleep:  I wake up once a night to go to the bathroom, and sometimes I just can't get back to sleep.  Plus Ryann has been waking up before 6am, and keeps coming in our room, despite us insisting she has to stay in bed.

gender:  Girl.

looking forward to:  A weekend with no plans!  Christopher finished his sports medicine boards and we have zero activities of any sort scheduled, so I'm hoping we can have a little fun, and get some more unpacking done.  I've got a few visits from friends on the calendar for next week and while the house will be nowhere near perfect (as if it ever would be), I'd like to make it look as good as possible.

worries:  That I'll get put on bed rest.  Bed rest with two kids and a house full of stuff to unpack and organize just seems mean.  Also, Ryann and Elsie haven't really been listening to me this week.  I feel like I'm constantly talking to myself and having to yell and be mean to get their attention and I hate it.  I absolutely hate it.  But I'm not sure what to do.  Life will definitely be interesting when #3 arrives.

what's different this time:  Swelling, for sure.  This is the first time I really haven't been able to wear my rings.  Also I don't recall being so exhausted towards the end.  I'm sure I was tired, but this is crazy tired at random times.

best moment this week:  Elsie has decided that she has to kiss baby sister goodnight every night.  Well, she has been doing that for a while, but now she has to 'kiss baby sister's cheeks', meaning she kisses both sides of my belly every night.  It is ridiculously cute.