Week 37

How far along? 37 weeks
Weight gain: 26.5 pounds
Stretch marks? Nope!

Sleep: Mostly good
Best moment this week: finally getting the nursery setup - we love it!
Miss anything? red wine and sushi
Movement: a little less movement overall but some of the movements are very big
Food Cravings: none
Anything making you queasy or sick: not really
Symptoms: allergies, lower back and pelvic pain
Gender: Girl 
Labor signs: experiencing more and more braxton hicks
Belly button in or out: Out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Mood: Happy
Looking forward to: meeting our sweet baby girl!

Week 36

How far along? 36 weeks
Weight gain: 24.5 pounds
Stretch marks? Nope

Sleep: Mostly good
Best moment this week: Spending time with my hubby! He is finally done selling for the Summer season, and we've been able to spend lots of time together - going out to dinner, grabbing coffee, shopping for the baby. Everything is better when I get to do it with him!
Miss anything? red wine
Movement: yes! Click here to see her moving: Baby Swenson Moving
Food Cravings: buttered toast
Anything making you queasy or sick: no
Symptoms: allergies, lower back and pelvic pain
Gender: Girl 
Labor signs: No
Belly button in or out: Out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Mood: Happy
Looking forward to: Our 37 week instructional class at the birth center and finishing the nursery

Week 35

How far along? 35 weeks
Weight gain: 23.5 lbs
Stretch marks? no 

Sleep: Some nights good - other nights horrible. 
Best moment this week: We had a lot of photography in our lives this week! We received our belly photos from Brittani Capetz Photography and LOVE them! Thanks again Brittani for the amazing photos and your creative eye.

My pregnant BFF, Christine, and I took belly photos together this week. We are due 9 weeks apart, and we figure it is unlikely we will have big bellies together in the future and had to capture the moment. Thank you Kirsten from KME photography for the fun afternoon and great pics!

We also found out this week that we are WINNERS of the {Fresh 48} Session Giveaway by Laura Leigh Images. Here is the entry Pete submitted that led us to win:

"Photos can be an immortalization of those we love, moments we cherish, and sights that never get old. In a few short weeks our baby girl will be experiencing the world and those in it who love her the most for the first time. We want to document the love, the excitement, and the raw compassion (and maybe a little raw chaos) that these first few days will offer us. I was never fortunate enough to meet my maternal grandparents and although our little girl will be surrounded by all 4 of her grandparents in those first few days, it is unlikely that we will get another chance to capture a moment similar to this again. We are experiencing the full circle of life this year. A couple weeks after we found out we were pregnant, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. 

Our daughter’s first few days are important for us to capture because Barb is with us for a limited time. It’s not just her interactions with the baby, but the bond and interaction between her and Amanda, that I want to freeze in time. A perfectly recorded memory can happen as quickly as a shutter snap and can be recalled in an instant with a digital image. When she is old enough to appreciate it, I want for my daughter to see the love of her Grandma as real as if she was in the room with her at that moment, and I want Amanda to experience her Mom’s love and guidance in the same way. The perfect timing, the perfect people, and the perfect setting happen only a few times in our lives, and for eternal preservation of this perfect event, we need the help of Laura Leigh Images."

Miss anything? hot baths, feeling comfortable, red wine, sleeping on my back
Movement: Yes. She still kicks every once in awhile, but most of her movement is side-to-side rolling.
Food Cravings: peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. I know this may seem like a crazy pregnancy craving, but it is something I ate periodically before I was pregnant. Weird, I know. My hubby thinks it's crazy ;)
Anything making you queasy or sick: I guess fish is still making me queasy. Pete ate talapia last night and it smelled HORRIBLE.
Symptoms: Allergies, pelvic pain, and lower back pain. 
Gender: Girl 
Labor signs: No. Our appointments will be every week from here on out because we're getting so close to the due date. 
Belly button in or out: Out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Mood: Happy
Looking forward to: Meeting our sweet baby girl in one month (give or take)!!!

Week 34

How far along? 34 weeks
Weight gain: 22 lbs
Stretch marks? no - thankfully!

Sleep: HOT! I wake up several times a night feeling hot and sweaty. I would make our place cooler, but I'm afraid my poor husband will freeze to death. While I'm roasting away in shorts, a tank top, and a top sheet, Pete is frozen stiff in sweatpants, a long sleeve shirt, and layers of blankets. Sorry honey, just a few weeks left ;)
Best moment this week: My 3rd and final baby shower. Pete's mom, soon-to-be Grandma Sharon, and her sister, Sandy, hosted a wonderful shower with lots of games and entertainment. We even had a guest appearance from Opera Grandma.

-- stayed tuned of video from Opera Grandma --

Miss anything? feeling comfortable
Movement: Yes! Baby Girl is still moving around like crazy. She's especially active when I'm listening to music in the car and when Pete gets home from work. I'm certain she is going to love music and be a Daddy's Girl. 
Food Cravings: none
Anything making you queasy or sick: no
Symptoms: Allergies, pelvic pain, and lower back pain. Nothing terrible though. My allergies seem to be improving - YES - and the back pain comes and goes. 
Gender: Girl 
Labor signs: No
Belly button in or out: Out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Mood: Happy
Looking forward to: finishing the nursery

People keep telling me I'm lucky that I'm all belly; while I appreciate the compliments, I can't help but wonder where all of the 22 pounds has gone. I'm certainly not carrying around a 22 pound baby. This chart helps answer that question:

Where Does My Pregnancy Weight Gain Go?

A normal weight gain of 25 -35 pounds (28 to 40 pounds for women considered underweight, only 15 to 25 pounds for those overweight), over a nine-month pregnancy is expected. Where does it all go? Location Average Weight (in pounds) Fetus 7.5 Placenta 1.5 Amniotic Fluid 2.0 Uterus 2.0 Breasts 1.0 Blood 3.0 Water 3.5 Fat 7.5

Week 33

How far along? 33 weeks
Stretch marks? no :)

Sleep: Pretty good. I need to put a notebook by my bed though because I keep thinking about everything we still need to buy. It is a bit overwhelming!
Best moment this week: I had my second baby shower on Saturday, and I was definitely showered with LOVE :) I feel blessed to have so many amazing women in my life!

 

My mom and sister did an amazing job planning the day, and I must say my cake was awesome! Way to go Kelsey!

Miss anything? hot baths
Movement: Yes! Our sweet baby girl is still moving a lot and has hiccups at least once each day. Pete even got to feel her hiccuping this week. 
Food Cravings: none
Anything making you queasy or sick: no
Symptoms: allergies, of course. I'm also starting to experience a bit of pelvic pain. I guess things are starting to shift to prepare for our baby's arrival. 
Gender: Girl 
Labor signs: No
Belly button in or out: Out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Mood: Happy
Looking forward to: our last baby shower :)

Week 32

How far along? 32 weeks
Stretch marks? no

Sleep: Mostly good. I still wake up a few times each night either trying to get comfortable or getting up to use the loo.
Best moment this week: We had our first baby shower yesterday :) A co-ed BaByQ with friends and a few family members. WOW! We left the park feeling incredibly blessed and loved. We have some pretty amazing people in our life! <3 

Soon-to-Be Daddy and Mommy

We forgot to take pictures until the very end when most people were already gone - oops!

I am especially grateful for my mom and sister and ALL they did to help me prepare for the party. Pete was in Las Vegas on a work trip Thurs-Sat and hungover upon his return wasn't able to provide much help.
Miss anything? red wine and being thin - lucky for me, most of my girlfriends are also pregnant, so I have a few kindred spirits.
Movement: Yes - lots of somersaults and hiccups! I can tell our sweet baby girl is starting to get cramped in there though. 
Food Cravings: Not really. One day I'll want Mexican and the next I'll want Chinese or Ice Cream. I was like that before getting pregnant though ;)
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope
Symptoms: I'm still having problems with my allergies.
Gender: Girl
Labor signs: No
Belly button in or out: slightly out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Mood: Happy
Looking forward to: our belly photos and remaining showers

Week 31

How far along? 31 weeks
Weight gain: 19 pounds at my 31 wk, 2 day appt
Maternity clothes? mostly all with a few regular items mixed in

Stretch marks? no
Sleep: Pretty good. Every once in awhile I wake up with a dull aching in my legs and hips, and in my sleep stupor, I slowly realize I have accidently rolled over onto my back. Though I'm not sure how that is happening since I've been sleeping with a pillow on each side of me. If I had to guess blame someone, I'd say Pete is moving my pillow in his sleep ;)   
Best moment this week: We found out several weeks ago that our health insurance will not cover our delivery at the birthing center as we had planned. Even though they originally said they would. So, we met with our new doctor at Park Nicollet in SLP for the first time this week, and she really put our minds at ease. We are confident we will still be able to have the natural birth we had planned without pressure.  
Miss anything? drinking
Movement: yes and lots of it
Food Cravings: soft serve yogurt
Anything making you queasy or sick: not really
Symptoms: My allergies are still REALLY bad :(  
Gender: Girl
Labor signs: No
Belly button in or out: slightly out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Mood: Happy
Looking forward to: our belly photos and upcoming showers