35 Weeks

Today I woke up having contractions and lower back pain that came and went in waves. It kept waking me up, I would worry for a moment, and then I would fall back asleep. This repeated itself for a while. Once up and about, I had to laugh at myself. When I have situations with contractions like that, I think: "Oh, maybe he's coming today!" When I have a day where I feel normal, I think of the women who said they were having a completely normal day when their water suddenly broke. Then I think: "Oh, maybe he's coming today!"

I know, I am getting so incredibly impatient.

Though in my heart, I do hope he will wait until September.

Here's this week's update:

How far along? 35 weeks, 1 day. 

Total weight gain: 22 pounds. Half of which is in my face.

How big is baby? 5 1/4 pounds.

Sleep: A stuffy nose makes it hard to fall asleep. Otherwise, I've been sleeping relatively well.


Best moment this week: Yesterday morning Rafael wasn't moving. I started getting really worried, since usually he kicks and punches a lot. I can't tell you the smile I had on my face when he started moving around again! Such a relief. 

Movement: He has longer phases of not moving now because of limited space. 

Food cravings: I'm loving müsli with fruit, milk, and nuts; rolls with herb cream cheese and cucumbers; and chocolate milk.

Belly button in or out? Flat.

What I miss: Yesterday in the forest I could smell mushrooms and wished I was agile enough to go trudging through the steep parts of the woods like I used to be. I miss being able to be more adventurous on walks, exploring the more hidden areas of the forest. 

What I'm looking forward to: September.


Milestone: 35 weeks is a wonderful point in pregnancy, because if born at this point, babies would have a 99% chance of survival, and most likely wouldn't need to be put on oxygen. Also, this week I'll begin going to weekly acupuncture in preparation for labor...both my husband's cousin and sister did this, and had births that lasted between 2 and 6 hours. I would feel so lucky if Rafael's birth is that quick!


P.S. While trying to take a decent photo of myself, Boston jumped up on the bench and cuddled up to me. He is such a sweet, affectionate little being, and I feel so blessed to have him and Kiki as my companions.