Today I am 36 weeks pregnant. That sentence blows my mind. Of course I knew it was coming, last week I was 35 weeks, the week before 34 weeks...so on. But today I am 36 weeks pregnant. This last week has been somewhat crazy. Aside from the hospital tour things have been changing and emotions flowing and every little thing makes me question if labor is on the way. I'm driving DH nuts!!
Here's what's been going down: Last week suddenly I had this intense drive to wash LD's clothes, prep his diapers, and get his things in order for his arrival. When I say intense I mean like I HAD TO WASH HIS ENTIRE CLOSET, despite the fact that he wouldn't fit all of it immediately and even though I was exhausted I couldn't wait until the next day to finish. I had to do EVERY load. DH was a little scared at my insistence to finish. I'd been holding back on packing a hospital bag, afraid I guess that if I "built it he would come", too soon. DH had been pushing me to get one done and our doula also recommended it during our first prenatal meeting telling me to at least have it done by 37 weeks. Around the end of last week the hospital bag HAD TO BE PACKED. I could not fight the overwhelming urge to put it together. Although I'll admit I really only got LD's bag done, as I'm not even sure what the heck I really need anyway. :) This weekend DH and I finished the nursery, although LD won't be sleeping there until at least 6 months we plan to use it as a changing station. I was frantic about making sure that area was set up and we were ready to go. Was this nesting? It felt like it. But hey this is my first time at this rodeo so I'm not too sure just yet. Next up, my skin was not beautiful and glowy during pregnancy, except for about the last month or so. It suddenly cleared up and I was totally enjoying that. Without any change in routine in the last few days, puberty-like acne has returned in full force. The rash I had on my arm a few months ago returned too. Hormonal shift wreaking havoc on my skin? Is this a sign? The last few days the girls have filled out as well. I started with very little and it stayed that way throughout basically, but suddenly BAM there they are. In the emotional department I'm suddenly very angry. I just have very little tolerance for the littlest things. I remember reading someone's birth story somewhere that said they were suddenly very angry and it ended up being a sign labor was nearing. I've also been battling complete and utter exhaustion. I'm sleeping. No problems there, but after just a few hours being up I literally am exhausted. Even if I sit at home on the couch all day with my feet up I end up exhausted. If I go to the store I'm not walking around aimlessly anymore, I go in get what I need and get out. That's so not me. I'm an ambler. All over the store, picking up this and that with no real plan or time restriction. Now...I just want to get in and get out. I'm not uncomfortable and I'm not really in pain, mostly. There are two nerves that are somewhat in your pelvic-thigh area that LD sometimes presses on while I am walking. It started as just one, but now sometimes he hits them both simultaneously. It gives me quite a jolt, stops me in my tracks. DH keeps thinking I'm having some sort of contraction because I'll double over and make a noise. Contractions are something I can't say that I've experienced. Am I not having them? Or am I too dumb to know what they are? Again I don't know, this is my first time. I haven't consciously had a braxton hicks contraction or even a labor contraction to speak of. So does that negate every other possible sign I have previously mentioned? After all the contractions are the real deal, they are the driving force of labor. I don't know. I do know that I'm anxious and I'm ready and today I am 36 weeks pregnant...
