35 Weeks Already?? HOW?!?!

I wrote this post freaking FIVE weeks ago and never finished it.  I'm ridiculous.  I promise to do a current pregnancy post next week (before it's freaking over already!) and hopefully weekly until Rudiger comes... but I better post this while I still can!

Wow, it's hard to believe I've hit 30 35 weeks already.  How is that freakin' possible?   Time is going both too fast and too slow. 

On the one hand, I can't believe how incredibly long I've been pregnant.  When I think back to that day when I walked down the stairs in a state of complete shock and disbelief and held that little stick with two blue lines up for JMan to see (there were no words!) - I can't believe HOW LONG ago that was!  It feels like I've been pregnant FOREVER!  It's like the longest marathon training schedule ever and man am I burnt out.  

 

I'm definitely ready for a margarita, a delicious Subway roast beef sandwich, and...  I'm MORE than ready to not feel like my thighs are expanding each and every week and to feel a bit less fat.  I'm ready to run without stabbing pain and calf cramps - okay okay - I'm just ready to run at all!  And I'm certainly ready to not here people telling me not to lift things at work or how "cute my chubby cheeks are".  Seriously people?  Chubby cheeks are NOT a compliment.  You pretty much just told me I'm showing my pregnancy poorly - in my face.  Thaaaannnnkkkksss for prefacing it with saying it was cute though!  

BUT.  But.  Despite all that.  On the other hand, I'm pretty much having a major freak out that THE END IS NEAR.  I have a short 10 5!!! weeks to go (maybe more like most first time moms, but maybe LESS?!) until a REAL LIVE BABY is here.  Only TWO FREAKIN' WEEKS until I'm considered "full term".  What do I do with it?  How do I take care of it?  What will breast feeding be like?  How do I swaddle a baby?  How do I keep it from getting flat head?  How do I keep it alive?  

And let's not even talk about labor and childbirth.  I've read books, I've been to class, but I'm still TERRIFIED.  Nothing I can do about it though, so I'm just letting that one go.  

In conclusion, we're talking panic mode.  

But let's check-in, using Jess' (CONGRATS Sfun questions:

How am I feeling?  Good!  Some days I feel great, other days I feel crappy.  Some days I feel huge, then I go to childbirth class and I feel thankful for still being so mobile and able to run / walk, weed for hours, mow the lawn, do everyday stuff.  That was my 30 week answer, in case you couldn't tell.  Rib pain and ab pain took over from 30-34 weeks.  It was NOT pretty.  

Baby stats:  At 35 weeks, the baby is the size of a large cantaloupe, about 19-22 inches and 5.5 pounds!  Wowsers!

Exercise:
I still try to exercise every single day.  I ran 4 miles last Saturday, but running is pretty sporadic these days, like only once or twice a week if that.  I DO try to walk every day, and I've been swimming a few times - which felt FABULOUS.  My current state isn't exactly what I want to be flaunting in a bathing suit though...

Movement:
It's weird when it feels like there's an alien inside of you trying to claw it's way out.  

Sleep:
Two nights ago I had the trifecta: 3 times up to pee, 2 calf cramps, and 1 hour of insomnia.  Then last night, I slept GREAT and didn't get up once.  It's a crap-shoot. 

What Do I Miss?
With the weather being so amazing I definitely am craving an icy margarita.  I had a virgin version the other day and it was okay.  I also want deli meat SO BAD.  I begged JMan to get me an Arby's roast beef the other day and he wouldn't cave, and then of course for Teacher Appreciation Week we've had all kinds of meat, cheese, and cracker platters and I WANT SOME SO BAD!

Wedding Rings On?
My wedding band is still on.  I took the engagement ring off about 5 weeks ago when I had a scare with swollen fingers and I got freaked they would have to cut it off.  I'd much rather they cut the band off than the ring!  But I haven't really had much swelling since then and as of now, it comes off easily. 

Belly Button In or Out?
I think I'm in denial about this.  I like to say it's "flat", and it's just the scar from having it pierced so long ago that's "out".  But it's probably actually an outie now!

Stretch marks?
Not yet.  Please don't let me get any!

Baby Name?
We're the worst.  Naming a baby is like the hardest decision IN THE WORLD.  We had a rough time naming Cooper, and in fact it "came to us" after we'd had him for a week.  I guess we're going with the same philosophy this time around, and just hoping it "comes to us" before he's 6 months old.  Or else we're just going to name him Cooper Junior. 

To do list:
We've finished our 4-week childbirth series and taken a breastfeeding class.  My co-workers threw me a lovely shower and then I had a big shower in Oregon over the weekend - and we have a TON of generous friends and family.  I spent all week putting stuff away / washing / organizing!  I still have a decent amount of cleaning / organizing the general house I want to get done and I want to get the carpets cleaned.  

Hopefully it doesn't take me five more weeks to get you another update!  EEK!

I need advice people!  How do I care for an infant?  What do I need to know?  What do you wish you had known but you didn't?  HELP!