Full term and waiting...

Last week was number 37 and I am officially full term! My due date is now 15 days away! It's strange, during my whole pregnancy I've wanted to just get to this point so Bambino is fully developed and ready for the world. Now that it's here, it seems like time has just completely stopped! Knowing that he/she could come at any time and we are just waiting really does make the last few weeks seem longer than they really are. Now I know what all of those moms were talking about when they said the last month is the longest!



37 weeks, 2 days
My belly literally looks like a HUGE Easter egg!

A few things that have happened in the past week or so- I've have a couple of doctors appointments to check Bambinos growth, and my progress as well. Everything looks healthy with no worries. Although, in Italy they are still worried because Bambino is bigger than the average baby here. What can I say... we're American! Overall, the growth is averaging out, but the abdominal circumference is still off the charts! Apparently we're going to have a little Buddha baby :) Because of the big belly, the baby already weighs a lot according to their measurements. I won't say how much at this point since we have the wagers listed on facebook, you'll have to keep guessing ;)

How am I feeling? Well, for the most part I still feel pretty good. The feet are still swelling every day, but the long walks I go on help with that. I'm able to walk a good 2-3 km each day (it usually takes about 45 min to an hour, sometimes with multiple walks), so that's a nice relief from the stopped clock! I also have a new walking buddy, Jennifer (my friend that just moved here from Chicago). She's joined me on a few walks and it's nice to have a girlfriend to talk to while exercising.  I'm finding that my lower back is really sore these days. Almost every night Josh rubs my lower back and it feels so great! But then the next day it hurts again. The good news is that I only have to endure this for a couple more weeks! Now that the baby has dropped a little he/she is also sitting right on my bladder... so trips to the bathroom are more frequent, and this makes it hard to get a good night's sleep. I'm in the bathroom 4-5 times each night now! On the brighter side, I can breathe a lot better and don't get winded anymore. At the same time, I now get inner thigh cramps because Bambino is sitting lower than before and blocking a nerve or something. It usually happens when I walk which is strange, but it's really painful and it usually makes me double over. I don't think it's a blood clot because the symptoms are very different- so don't worry!

Nesting? Yes... I've been trying to clean the apartment a little each day- a good thorough cleaning as I go. It looks a lot better! A few projects that have already been tackled include the baby's "corner" in the guest room, cleaning and organizing the pantry and linen closets, cleaning everything for Bambino (clothes, sheets, toys, etc), scrubbing floors (but they get dirty the next day... so frustrating!), overhauling the bathroom, dusting every nook and cranny (same problem as the floors...), and tons of laundry. But most of my nesting energy has gone into research for having a natural birth, and also cooking things for after Bambino arrives. Since it's just me and Josh, it might be difficult to cook after the baby comes, so I've been making some simple meals and putting them in the freezer. It's also a great way to pass the time that seems to have stopped!

Bambino's corner. See all the boxes of diapers I mentioned before?
Also, the box under the crib is packed full of diapers... I think we're
set with diapers for a while!

I love the changing pad cover! Kinda hard
to see here, but it has a giraffe, elephant and
a turtle on it :)

You can see the blanket that Auntie Leslie made for Bambino,
I love it!!



Contractions? Yes, I've felt some Braxton Hix contractions for the past few weeks and I think I had some mild contractions the other day (they felt like minor menstrual cramps), but nothing serious yet. I think my body is just getting ready for the big day.

We're looking forward to meeting the little guy/girl! Hopefully Bambino comes soon :) I'm definitely nervous for the actual delivery, but I feel my usual mentality of "let's get this show on the road!" kicking in... I think I'm ready!