36 Weeks

We celebrated hitting 36 weeks with a photo session with Emilee.  I met Emilee several years ago through The Knot as we were planning our weddings and we’ve been to several get-togethers since.  In the last year she has started her own photography business and we were thrilled to have to her do a maternity session with us.  But, I think we will be even more thrilled once Baby Tipp is here and she takes his first professional pictures in the first few days of his life.  Click on the link above to see the sneak peak of our photos. 

This past week we also had a growth ultrasound to check Tipp’s size and fluid levels since I was measuring 4 weeks ahead at my last appointment.  As of 35 weeks and 3 days, he weighs 6lbs 1oz, which puts him exactly in the 50th percentile for his age.  The fluid levels and everything else looked great as well.  Tipp is slightly head down in a oblique position – sort of diagonal into my hip.  He still has a few weeks to drop down. 

With the summer-time weather coming I’ve started to have a little swelling especially in my feet and they hurt like pins in my heels if I stand too long.  I’ve also been itching like crazy which is worse at night.  But, I pampered and treated myself to a pedicure last weekend with my mom.  We earned it – she had come over to steam clean our carpets and help deep clean our house.  We really appreciated the help and love a sparkling clean house.  Let’s hope I can keep it up until Tipp arrives.

This week we also finished buying everything we will need from our registry.  Thanks to gift cards and coupons we’ve received we spent a total of $95 at Babies R Us.  Our BOB stroller finally was delivered from being on back-order and we picked it up at REI.  We love it even more and can’t wait until Tipp is big enough to go jogging with us.  Until then, we will have fun taking long walks around the neighborhood.

This week, Tipp is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Our baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, Tipp will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.)

How far along? 36 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: 26lbs
Maternity clothes? Yes and some tops are too short!
Stretch marks? Yes all over my stomach – disgusting.
Sleep: It’s sooooo hard to turn over at night
Best moment this week: Having Emilee take photos of us
Movement: All the time
Food cravings: Salads with tons of toppings and ice cream
Gender: Definitely a BOY!!
Labor Signs: Lots more Braxton Hicks
Belly Button in or out? Still in
What I miss: Wearing some of my shoes since my feet are swollen
What I am looking forward to: A nice long holiday weekend at home -  the first Memorial Day weekend we can remember not going to the beach.
Weekly Wisdom: Keep up the water intake – it helps with the fluid retention
Milestones: The fact we have maternity pictures to show!