9 Months Pregnant: An Update

I can't really believe I'm 9 months pregnant, it seems like just yesterday I was in the early stages of my pregnancy puking my guts out every morning. Time has really flown by quickly! This will be my last preggo update before the baby comes. (!!)

How far along? 9 months/38 weeks. Holy cr*p. People keep asking me, "Are you ready?" I'm not sure, to be honest with you, I am feeling all sorts of emotions: I'm excited/scared/nervous/anxious all rolled into one.

Best moment this week? It was actually a couple of weeks ago, I'm going to rewind. My husband and I had to have a third ultrasound to make sure my placenta was in the correct position for labour (it is, thankfully) and our technician asked if we wanted to see our baby in 3-D. I think usually you have to pay for this but she just offered which was extremely nice of her so we said of course! So she went to a different room, got the special device, came back and we were able to see HIS FACE! There's an actual human being in my belly! I knew there was before but this time we could see his eyes (with eyelashes), nose and lips! It was unbelievable. We saw his kidneys, his limbs, his little heart beating....amazing. Apparently he is already 6 lbs. 6 oz., probably more now.

Symptoms? Swollen legs and cankles (my feet look like sausages at the end of the day and I can't zip up any of my shoes anymore), leg cramps, sore hips, water retention, frequent trips to the bathroom, aching back, interrupted sleep, increased appetite (baby is gaining 1/2 lb. a week these days), and some other unmentionables that happen to a woman's body that I won't put on the internet. Although I'm a bit uncomfortable, overall I'm feeling pretty good, I'm still moving around well and I'm extremely grateful for that. It's like my mother said: "You're pregnant, not DEAD."

Activity? Although my ribs feel SO much better (I took a bad fall on the ice a few weeks ago, you can read more about that in my last update here) they are still sore so I haven't been exercising or doing barre : (. I've been taking it easy. But I've been somewhat active at home - cleaning, organizing, purging unwanted items, donating, etc. basically full-on nesting. I definitely can't sit still, I never have been able to though. And the nursery is pretty-much set up! We just need some curtains and are waiting for a glider chair we ordered to come in. Our furniture wasn't supposed to arrive until a few days before baby's due date so I am very thankful it got here early.

These days I've only been wearing casual clothes that I can move in easily. Might as well be as comfortable as possible! Plus my feet don't fit into my fancier shoes anymore :( It's sneakers and slip-ons only!

Food cravings? Sweets. And chilled shrimp with that tangy cocktail sauce! This is the only "fish" or "meat" if you want to call it that, that I have eaten in the past 7 years or so. I have also added a bit of dairy to my diet, very little. And by dairy I mean DQ Blizzards.

Food aversions? Not really. I'm still eating healthy - lots of leafy greens, quinoa, beans, fruits and vegetables - but I am allowing myself a couple of treats a day, hence the trips to Dairy Queen once a day in a while.

Weight gain? Around 40 lbs., possibly more. My maternity pants are getting tighter that's for sure and I'm feeling curvier than ever. I'm finding it hard not exercising yet seeing the number go up on the scale each week, because at least when I was active I felt good about my body, that I was keeping it strong and toned, doing something positive for it while it changes and gets larger...but I'm sure I'll be able to lose the weight gradually after I give birth. I'm not too worried...Plus, this extra weight is for the baby and he's what's most important right now.

Stretch marks? Nope. Thanks to my homemade concoction!

Gender? It's definitely a boy. Confirmed once again at the ultrasound, just in case ; ).

Labor signs? I don't think so...although sometimes I get a cramp-like feeling and I'm not sure if those are Braxton-Hicks contractions or not?

Belly button in or out? OUT.

What do I miss? Sleeping comfortably, barre class, being able to put shoes on without feeling like I just ran a mini-marathon. I miss my regular clothes, too. And being able to touch my toes...

What I'm looking forward to? Meeting our little guy! I'm excited to become a Mom and watch my husband become a Daddy. I'm super-nervous about the labour part of course but I just have to keep in mind that after the real hard part is done, we will get to meet our son and everything will be ok ; ).

Milestones? Stronger, more intense kicks/punches/movement from baby. Even stronger than last month. It's like he's on a baby boat in my belly and the waters are very rough in there and I can see him sailing on the ocean. It's creepy yet amazing at the same time. My husband looks at my stomach moving and his expression is like, "Woah."

Bump? It may get bigger, I still have a couple of weeks to go although the doctor thinks he might come a little bit early....

Thanks for reading! Not sure if this will be my last blog post or not before I become a Mama and I may take a short break from blogging while we get settled but you can always follow me on Instagram @mariealamode and Twitter and/or Facebook if you like, for updates!

xo