36 Weeks!

How many weeks?  36 weeks

How do I feel?  My doctor told me that I am a perfect picture of health for a pregnant woman (knock on wood!).  I have gained a total of 22 pounds, my blood pressure remains lower (100/72), and I still have ankles which she was surprised to see.  My belly measures at 35 inches and the baby moves a lot with a heartbeat in the 130s.  He also likes to show off for the doctor and move a lot while I am there!  I had my Group B strep test this week, and I will get those results back this coming appointment.  Dr. Barbara was not too concerned about my liver/sensitive area at the top of my uterus so I am trying not to worry too much either.  This next appointment will be the same boring drill, but she will check to see how the baby is turned at the following appointment which I am really excited about!

I thought I might change it up this week, and write about "things I didn't know about being pregnant."  As many of you know - I do waaaaaay too much research and have over researched every aspect of conception, pregnancy, and delivery and am now starting to research "bringing home newborn", "breastfeeding", "sleep", and other newborn aspects.  Even with all of my research, I have been surprised by a couple of pregnancy related topics/ideas/realizations.  Some are as follows:

1.  I had no idea how much it hurts when this baby gets really active.  He is past the kicking and poking stage, and he is now so big that when he moves it just plain hurts.  I love knowing he is okay with all of his movement, but I feel the pain from my ribs to my sides, and I sometimes think he may just kick his way out at any moment.

2.  I am obsessed with my belly button.  I check it every day (which can be hard to do since it is not easy to see way down there).  It has not popped, and I am pretty sure it will just remain this stretched out and slightly extended circle.  While in the bathtub, I also noticed that I have three little freckles in there - how did that happen?!

3.  Speaking of baths - I had no idea how relieving a good warm bath can be.  I take one every night.  There are times that I get out and due to pregnancy brain, I am not even sure if I used soap but I don't care because my back, lower abs, and feet feel just a little bit better.

4.  People feel like they can talk to you all of the time when you are pregnant.  I was at Target this past week and three strangers from three different aisles asked me when I was due, if it was a boy or a girl, and how I was feeling.  I should of just said, "What are you talking about?  I am not pregnant."  but, I am not that brave or brash.  Instead, I answer their questions and waste many more minutes conversing with the checkout lady, security officer (no, I do not need help carrying things to my car), and the random child in the parking lot who points out my large belly.

Seven pillows - all for me! (well one for Brian
that he cuddles like a teddy bear)

5.  I also did not know how I could love my husband anymore than I already did, but I do.  He is so caring and picks up much of the slack around the house with cleaning and cooking.  He lets me sleep while he makes dinner, he cleans the jacuzzi jets so my tubs will be clean, and he finishes his to-do lists that I make for him plus even more.  My nights are really hard because I do not sleep, but he is always asking what I need and helps me get comfortable - even at 2am (and he sometimes even makes funny jokes while half asleep!).  He worries about my swelling hands (good-bye wedding rings) and Braxton Hicks, and he is the one who wants to make sure we have the plans in place for the big delivery day.  I can only hope this bean grows up to be half as wonderful as his father, and if he is then we will be the luckiest parents!

6.  Lastly, I had no idea how many people would be so excited to meet Baby Brown!  My Kindergarteners love him and can't wait to know his name and see him.  My parents ask on a daily basis about doctor appointments and travel plans, and Brian's family is equally as excited.  I want Baby Brown to be here so badly, but I also know he needs to cook a little bit longer. :)  I didn't know it was possible to love a human being that I have never met before, but I do.  I know the feelings will even be stronger and more real when he arrives!

On to Brian...

One of the many things we learned during our hospital classes was that gravity is our friend as it helps pull the baby down and put him in the correct head down position. So with that in mind, we drove out to the Brookfield Zoo just south and west of the city on Saturday. I had never been before (why pay for a zoo when Lincoln Park zoo is free and so close?) and Shelley had only been years and years ago, so we decided to take a trip. I'm glad we did, because the zoo was really cool. I had never seen indoor open-air exhibits for penguins (they smell baaadddd!) nor for monkeys, but Brookfield had them and they were really cool. During our day, I also took it upon myself to learn our new camera. Since taking pictures of Shelley every week in our living room is not much of a challenge, I tried different settings and took hundreds of photos. A select few are here, but I got some good ones. My favorite zoo is still the zoo in Puerto Vallerta, Mexico, (where else can you actually feed the animals!!!), but I would definitely go back to Brookfield.  Shelley walked the entire four hours and only complained a little toward the end :)

Next weekend, I am really looking forward to seeing my favorite 80's cover band, 16 Candles. It pretty much makes my week every time I see them, and maybe dancing will help Baby Brown drop. More pictures of that to come next week.

My favorite zoo animal - giraffes.  There were six in this exhibit!

This bear was sitting on a rock under the water and going to town on his bone.

We watched this polar bear for a while as he sat at the top of the stairs.  Little did we know, he goes down the stairs but goes backwards!  Much like a toddler does :)

Really cool primate house! 

And, because we are like five-years-old - a picture of an animal peeing.