My feet are officially swelling up, much longer and I will have cankles. I no longer even try to put my rings on, for fear of them not coming off.  I’m 40w2ds pregnant and feel like this baby is not coming out any time soon!

I have my 40 week appt today, so we will get to learn if anything has changed and will possibly talk induction. I’m going to wait as long as I can, but I’m just getting so excited to meet Raspbaby!

Scott is so excited for Raspbaby to arrive as well. He claims I’m hogging him/her (and have been for 9 months for that matter!), and wants me to share!

Here’s the video that Leah mentioned on Babywatch 2010. I took it on January 17th, the day before baby’s due date, I think it was celebrating early because my belly was going crazy that night!

Baby movement from kateblonde on Vimeo.

I’m officially 39 weeks pregnant- 7 days until January 18th, my due date! I realize that due dates don’t really mean that much, it’s just an estimate of when the baby might come. Only about 5% of babies actually arrive on the due date, but it’s nice to have a date to grow towards. In reality I may have to wait up to 2 weeks after my due date, but because my blood pressure is climbing higher I think that the most I’ll have to wait is a week after my due date and they will probably induce me. I have an appointment on Wednesday, so I’ll know more then.

At this point I think I feel like the majority of pregnant ladies out there- thinking that this baby will never come out! I do think I am not as uncomfortable as most pregnant ladies though. I was blessed with a small baby bump and I am very thankful. The baby hasn’t been moving around as much these days, probably a mixture of running out of room, and *hopefully* getting ready to make it’s grand exit!

I’m starting to think this pregnant nesting urge is all made up.  I have not really received any huge cleaning urge, just the normal lazy Katelyn.  I did clean out the drawers in the bathroom today, but I don’t really consider that as counting as nesting.

The baby room is mostly complete. I just need to re-hang all of the alphabet prints- we used tape first to see how they would look and they are slowly all falling down- I think the alphabet has about 14 letters left. I need to pick up some good sticky tack or a tape that will work better. Here’s your sneek peek. I’ll get the whole thing posted later this week.

As for diapering- I’ve mentioned that we are cloth diapering.  We do plan on using disposables in the first month and probably throughout when we travel, just to help us get used to this whole baby thing. As you may know I have a pretty talented mom, who knows her way around a sewing machine. Mom has been making us pocket cloth diapers- I’m not sure how many she has made at this point, but as for the ones I have seen/received already they are adorable!  Mom used the Jalie pattern for the diapers- I don’t know if she had to alter much in the pattern, we’ll have to wait to see until she does a review of the diapers on her blog.

Here’s one of the cute yellow diapers.

The diaper unfolded- with a liner.

Showing off the pocket and an insert.

And one of the red ones.

Wouldn’t it be exciting if for my 40 week photo I was holding a baby?! Keep checking for updates!

Sometimes it’s hard to believe I have only about 2 weeks left until my due date, 14 days! In some ways I’d say this pregnancy has flown by and others it crawled (hello horrible morning sickness).  But at this point I’m just so close to meeting Raspbaby that I’m really excited and the last months are all a blur- good and bad moments. We had our baby shower on Sunday and then last night Scott and I went to pick up a few things that we still needed before the baby arrives and I would say I think we are almost ready. The last major thing is to pack my hospital bag.

I’m hovering around around a 30 lb weight gain, which is a normal weight gain for my BMI so I’m fine with that. And with only 2 weeks to go I don’t expect to gain much more, except there certainly is a lot of chocolate around my house these days and I have no will power.  We had our 38 week appt yesterday and the doctor checked everything out. Basically there is nothing to tell and I now think that I’m going to have to wait until after my due date for the baby. Scott decided that the 22nd would be the best day to have Raspbaby, so on the 21st he is instructing me to do jumping jacks, eat spicy food or anything else that will help convince Raspbaby to come out.  I think sooner would be better (it’s getting tiring carrying this baby around), but with all the work Scott has to do in the barn over the next week (shipping and getting new pigs) he is really hoping baby can wait.

Did I mention that baby is now the size of a WATERMELON. Holy cow a watermelon, that is huge!

At the end of Leah’s Best Group Blog nomination- 20sb Bootlegger Awards post she mentioned that my best friend and a regular reader and commenter of ours was in labour! Her water broke on Saturday morning and her big (8lb 11oz) baby BOY was born on Sunday morning!  We are overjoyed for her and the excitement that we all felt calling eachother to announce that it was a boy was just amazing.  She asked me when we went to see her yesterday, if after this I wish I had found out the gender and I answered NO not a second later. So many of us thought that she was going to have a girl that when we found out she had a boy was just so shocking and exciting. Scott and I visited twice already, we just can’t stay away! I love that we got to experience pregnancy together and now will get to experience labour (already for her, I’m still waiting) and raising our children together. And I can’t wait for everyone else to catch up.

I’m 37 weeks pregnant today! AKA meaning: Raspbaby could come any day and everything would be fine(but please wait at least a week baby because I’m not ready!). I finished work last Tuesday, the holidays are mostly over (except for New Years but I’m not sure if I will be celebrating too much this year) so now it’s time to get my butt in gear.  As usual on my list- I still need to finish the baby room- getting closer now, and I need to pack my hospital bag- I’m so not the kind of person who will be able to run around while in labour packing my hospital bag. My shower is next Sunday which I’m so ready and excited for- plus it will give me things to organize during the week which will hopefully kickstart my nesting mode because so far I have nothing, except a messy house.

Yesterday I got maternity photos taken by Stacey of VdK Photography.  She was so quick getting me sneek peek photos, that I can show you some today. Yes that’s right, the day after I got photos taken I can show some off!  I love how they turned out and lucky for us it wasn’t that cold- only about -1. I’m really excited to see the rest.

This was one milestone I was excited to get to, 35 weeks pregnant, with 35 days to go (as of Monday the 14th)! I love coincidences like that.

This week I finally gave in and bought more maternity clothes. I was getting so sick of my 2 pairs of jeans and about 4 shirts.  Lucky for me I have a loving sister in Calgary who sent me a gift card to buy myself something at Thyme Maternity!  Well I spent it (about 5 times the amount actually.. it was a big money drop). I bought 2 tops, jeans and finally gave in and bought maternity & nursing bras.  I almost had a freakout when I got measured for the bras, I’m a WHAT?! Mom also made me another maternity top which I love.

I’m also not really sure how really skinny people find maternity clothes. I consider myself an average sized girl and I easily fit into a size small maternity pant. Talk about making a pregnant girl feel good!

Scott and I finally registered this week, as my shower is coming up (January 3rd) and I was dreading having to suggest to people what to buy me. We went with a checklist and Scott made sure that we registered for everything we think we might need (he’s very organized).  We ended up registering at Babies-R-Us, it’s tricky though because who knows what raspberry will actually like. Maybe he (or she) will hate everything… lets hope for an easy baby!

Heartburn has been my enemy lately, waking me up at 3 am feeling horrible, so I take some Gaviscon and struggle to get back to sleep. I’ve been having back pain, but nothing unbearable.  And I’m really starting to have to slow down at the barn, can’t quite climb over gates like I used to be able to.  I took a little fall at work last week on a really icy day, I wasn’t hurt at all but it made me realize I need to be more careful.  BTW only 6 more days of work!  Raspberry has been having little bouts of the hiccups! I think it’s so adorable feeling my stomach pulse in even increments. Plus I love the hiccups so I hope little baby is enjoying them too.

My next doctor’s appointment is on Wednesday (aka today because it’s taking me forever to get this posted), and after that my appointments are weekly.  Wow time flies.

I feel like the bump is getting bigger, but it’s not really showing in photos.  My belly is starting to feel heavy, I almost wish I had one of those belt things to hold it up, even though it’s not THAT large- I can’t imagine having twins!   Erica, Mic and I were looking at 40 week bump photos on Flickr and some of them are insanely crazy big.  I’m starting to have back pain now, and leg pain, especially as I put on pants or socks.  If I have to lift up one left I get lots of pain up the other leg.  I am on my feet all throughout the day, so I need to tell myself to take it easy, because I’m so not a quitter.  If someone at work tells me that I can’t lift up a box, it really makes me want to lift up that box even more.  I also feel like I slacker if I have to watch someone do something that I used to do all the time.  Whenever I get up off the couch I feel like I’m moving in slow motion and make funny noises, noises that Scott likes to mimic to laugh at me.

I still find it funny when I go to squeeze through places and turn sideways.  These days turning sideways is the same as going at it head on.  Also I always try to suck in when I go through small places, and sucking in does nothing for me now.

This baby is a moving machine.  I was laying on the office floor yesterday and told Scott to look at my belly because the baby was moving a lot.  Normally when I tell people that the baby is moving it immediately stops,  but not yesterday, the moves became even larger and Scott’s eyes went large was like holy cow!  Way to impress him baby!

We had family Christmas with Scott’s parents on the weekend because his sister is leaving for Australia on Sunday and his parents got us the cutest little snow suit!  Scott’s grandma knitted us 3 pairs of cute baby booties that I can’t wait to put to use.

I’ve never mentioned anything about names on here, we aren’t keeping them a secret but for some reason I feel like keeping it a surprise on the blog. So you will all have to wait until raspbaby arrives to know the name!

The work countdown is on, exactly 2 weeks of work left, and 40 DAYS until baby’s due date!

Just a quick update from pregnant Kate:

I’m at 33 weeks, with only 7 weeks to go!  I had a doctor’s appointment, and was scared to see that I had gained 6 pounds, in 2 weeks! Yikes!  I’ve gained 24 lbs so far… I only wanted to gain about 25, but looks like I’ll be gaining more then that.  I’m really not all that concerned about my weight gain, but it is kind of scary to just let myself go and watch as the pounds pile on.  My belly measured 31 weeks, so yay baby grew!  I don’t really see much of a difference in my belly, and even when I compare my photos over the last few weeks I don’t really notice a big difference.  I feel like I am carrying a beach ball on my belly, and this photo I took today confirms that fact!  My next appointment is in 2 weeks and after that my appointments will be WEEKLY! Holy cow time flies.

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2 posts in one day because I’m 32 weeks pregnant, with only 8 weeks (+/- 1 or 2 weeks) to go!

As of today I have only 1 more month of work, I told work today that my last day will be December 23rd.  I originally planned on working for 2 weeks in January, but that was when I thought that there were 3 weeks before my due date in January, when in reality there are only 2 full weeks.  My office always closes between Christmas and New Years, and although I think a month is too much time off before the baby, I know that I’ll be so busy during Christmas & New Years that that time does not count.  So starting December 23rd I will be off work for over 1 year!  It’s just so weird to even think of it.

Raspbaby is still the size of a squash (about 4 pounds and getting fatter every day). All 5 senses are working, and the brain and nervous system are going through major development.    I feel more jabs and stretching in my stomach now, more then just crazy wiggling and movement.  Baby will stick it’s elbow (or something bony) at my side and I can press it and it will move.  It’s like a fun game that Scott and I get to play.  Tease the baby!  And after being scared that the baby was not growing anymore, my belly is even bigger this week, so I’m no longer (as) scared.  I also have not really had much heartburn over the past week, which is a nice change and ironic since one website I read said I should be having more heartburn now.  But I’m feeling breathless really easily now, especially if I try to lay on my back, it’s no longer comfortable.