Week 38

Week: 38

Baby: Kason is still considered "early term" right now. He is as long as a leek and has really plumped up. He is around 19 1/2 inches long. Kason has a firm grasp and his organs are mature and ready for the outside world. 

Total weight gain: 26 pounds! I actually went down one pound due to being sick lately. 

Sleep: I have started having dreams about how the delivery will go. I had a dream a few days ago that I had surgery on my stomach right where a C-section would be. I was not pregnant in my dream, but the surgery seemed exactly like what it would be if I have to go through with a  C-section. I also had another dream where I took Kason to a daycare when he was 1 day old and forgot I had a baby until they called me to come get him. The dreams are pretty weird and I know they are just part of the anxiety of his arrival. 

Favorite moment of the week: Kyle and I got to spend an evening downtown enjoying the beautiful weather and we were able to enjoy this weekend to ourselves. We had no major plans and just spent time together. It was wonderful to get to relax with him on what may be our last weekend just the two of us. 

Miss anything? I miss eating full size dinners. I haven't cooked in weeks because I get sick if I eat too much after 5pm. Kyle has been so understanding of this and is eating larger meals at lunch and snacking when he gets home. I do look forward to eating dinner again one day!

Movement: He still moves quite a bit and the movements are lower than they used to be. I know that I will miss feeling his movements when he is born, but it will also be great for him to just be in my arms.

Cravings: Milk! Milk! Milk!

Anything make you queasy or sick? Eating after 5pm or so. There has been one day in the past 4ish weeks that I have not gotten sick at night when we went to bed. I'm pretty used to it now and Kyle is so sympathetic about it. He hates that I get sick, but I've had an amazing pregnancy up until this point. I can handle a little sickness at night if that's my only complaint. 

Gender: Boy!! Kason Dale Basham!

Labor signs: I am now dilated 3cm and 40% effaced. My OBGYN is happy with my progression and said that we will meet again next week and set an induction date if he does not come before. 

Symptoms: Due the way he is positioned, the right side of my body hurts when I bend that way. He is mostly on that side so there isn't a lot of give over there. 

Mood: I feel like my mood is good, but I am getting anxious about his arrival. I keep thinking each day, "Will today be his birthday?" and I keep Kyle busy with little to-dos because I feel like we have to rush to get things done....only to wait!

Looking forward to: Him being here any day now!!

Thankful for: The time I have been at home. It has been such a blessing to get everything ready for Kason's arrival. His room is ready and we are packed and ready to go. Now, I am just keeping the house clean and enjoying my reading and down time until he comes. I am so happy that I get to have this opportunity to be home with Kason for the rest of our time in Tennessee. 

Week 37

Week: 37

Baby: Kason is now considered "early term." Spending the next two weeks in the womb helps Kason's brain and lungs to fully mature. He now weighs around 6 pounds 8 ounces and is a bit over 19 inches long. 

Total weight gain: 27 pounds!

Sleep: Sleep has become restless as the anxiety grows for the upcoming weeks. I am having some really crazy dreams that are not always about the delivery, but they all keep me stirring at night. 

Favorite moment of the week: My favorite moment this week was getting to see Kason on the ultrasound. We were able to see that he is head down and facing my back. This is a great position for when labor comes. We were able to measure parts of his body and everything look right on schedule. They are estimating his weight to be about 6 pounds 8 ounces right now. We did not look to see if I have dilated any...we will measure that again next week.

Miss anything? Moving has become pretty painful at this point. It is hard to lean forward, backward, sideways....really any way! =) I am completely out of room (or so I think), yet he keeps growing. He must be cramped in there.

Movement: When he moves now, I feel it all over my whole body because it has become so tight. He doesn't really have room to wiggle, so even the smallest movements encompass my whole stomach.

Cravings: Milk! I want glasses of milk and cereal all the time.

Anything make you queasy or sick? My reflux is slowly getting worse as Kason takes over my body. I feel like I am out of room and he keeps gaining weight! Ha! This is only making it harder to keep food down. I wouldn't trade it for the world, but it does make me feel pretty sick most days. 

Gender: Boy!! Kason Dale Basham!

Labor signs: I am having Braxton Hicks more often these days and they are sharper than they have been before. They will stop me in my tracks for a split second while they pass or they will wake me up at night.

Symptoms: The only symptom I am having at this point is the sickness from reflux. I am getting sick several times a day because my food just cannot process anymore. I am definitely looking forward to that first meal after he comes when I have room in my body!! =)

Mood: Other than being anxious and ready, my mood has been great. I am trying to enjoy these last few weeks without wishing them away. This is hard though when you know you are so ready to meet your child.

Looking forward to: Seeing Kason in his room. The nursery is officially finished and ready to go! I finally got around to taking pictures of the completed room, so enjoy:

I realize there are not pictures in those frames. One is for a maternity picture and one will have his newborn picture in it. 

The horse on the top shelf was Kyle's toy when he was little. It's broken now, but I love it being in Kason's room.

This rocking chair was mine when I was growing up. Of course I forgot to take a before picture, so Mom is digging through old pictures trying to find one. It was cream colored with a yellow cushion before. We had it repainted for our game room so Kason could enjoy the Hogs playing in it.

Thankful for: I am thankful for a healthy, growing boy. He is doing fantastic right now and I just can't wait to meet him soon. It's hard to believe that we have such little time left before he arrives. I am also thankful for all of the family that is going to make their way out here for his arrival. I know it is not an easy trip, but Kyle and I are so excited to have all of the grandparents coming to meet Kason. 

Week 36

Week: 36

Baby: Kason is still working on gaining weight - about an ounce a day. He weighs around 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He is still considered "pre-term" right now. I went to the doctor this week and will start going every week from now on. During my checkup, they found him head down and I was dilated 1 cm. My doctor was happy to see this progress and we will do an ultrasound next week.

Total weight gain: 26 pounds! Joy...haha!

Sleep: Sleep is going well when I am actually sleeping. I am still getting up quite a bit, but I am sleeping hard when I get comfortable. 

Favorite moment of the week: This week, BSF started back up. This is Bible Study Fellowship that I have attended for many years now. This is my first year to attend the women's day class instead of the night one. I am excited about having the time to go to this during the day and my group was very excited about Kason's arrival. This made me feel good since he will have to stay with me for the first 6 months. I am also excited to start my weekly appointments. Going every week will reassure me that all is well and he is progressing as he should be.

Miss anything? I miss being able to bend at all...haha! It has become very difficult to move my body forward, backward or sideways. It used to just be uncomfortable, but now it really hurts to bend.

Movement: Kason moves many times during the day, but they mostly occur in the evenings and when I lay down to go to sleep. For some reason, he thinks that is playtime. I think he is just preparing me for less sleep! =)

Cravings: I just want to have milk all the time. We have been going through it quite a bit here and I panic if we run out! 

Anything make you queasy or sick? All food after lunch time. Ha! The idea of eating dinner really grosses me out right now because it usually means I will be sick at bed time. Poor Kyle has just been rummaging for food at dinner time because cooking in the evenings is not something that sounds great right now.

Gender: Boy!! Kason Dale Basham!

Labor signs: I mentioned this above, but I have some labor signs starting to show up. I am dilated 1 cm, 20% effaced. We are definitely in the home stretch.

Symptoms: The Braxton Hicks are becoming more regular. They are not terrible, but they definitely stop me in my tracks when they hit. They happen anytime of the day right now.

Mood: My mood is becoming anxious. Now that I know we are so close and it could really be any day, I find myself daydreaming about how it will happen. This can sometimes lean to worry because I hear stories about the other ways women have had babies. Some stories are great and some are scary. For a control freak like me, it is hard to NOT know what my story will be. 

Looking forward to: We have our next appointment on Tuesday to do an ultrasound and see what they estimate his weight to be. I am excited to get to see him and find out if I progressed any. I am also excited about this coming weekend because Kyle and I are going to have a "freezer meal party." We are going to work on some freezer meals to store up for the winter and I am excited to get this weekend with him!

Thankful for: I am thankful for the wonderful development of Kason and that he is so healthy right now. He has done so well during this pregnancy and I just can't wait to meet him in a few weeks. 

Week 35

Week: 35

Baby: Kason weighs as much as a honeydew melon right now. That puts him being about 18 inches long and 5 1/4 pounds. He is not making dramatic movements anymore. They are now jolts and pushes and should remain like this until he arrives. His kidneys are fully developed and his liver can process waste now. Kason's job over the next few weeks is to put on weight.

Total weight gain: 23 pounds!

Sleep: Sleep got somewhat better over this past week. I started taking my vitamins in the morning so it was one less thing to go through my system at night. That has seemed to help out a lot over this past week. I have also really tried to eat my big meal at lunch and snack at night to avoid having anything heavy sitting on my stomach when I go to bed. 

Favorite moment of the week: This past Friday was my last baby shower for little man. The urology residents and their wives hosted a shower for us. It was a wonderful time and we received so many sweet things. We are so blessed to have this group of people to walk through this journey with. It was a great time! We also attended one of my co-teacher/friend's wedding on Saturday night and had a great time seeing all of my friends for teaching. It's weird not seeing them everyday. 

Miss anything? This week, I miss being able to get up easily from a sitting/laying position. I really have to use my arms and wiggle around to get up from the couch or bed. It is quite a sight and not graceful...haha! It will be nice to be able to just stand up again soon!

Movement: The movements are still just pushes and jolts. I think this is what I will feel from here on out. He has got to be out of room at this point, so the movements will not be as dramatic anymore. 

Cravings: I am really enjoying drinking milk right now and I have to keep our refrigerator stocked with it. I want a glass every morning with my cereal (I know...that's double the milk). It seems to be the one thing that does not make me feel sick right now.

Anything make you queasy or sick? The reflux is still there, but it is not quite as bad as it was last week. I still don't feel great in the evenings but it seems to be letting up some.

Gender: Boy!! Kason Dale Basham!

Labor signs: None this early!

Symptoms: I have started having Braxton Hicks contractions at night that will wake me up. They are somewhat painful but very short-lived. I have a feeling they will become more common now that we are so close.

Mood: Great this past week other than some frustrating moments because everyday tasks have become impossible. 

Looking forward to: We have our 36 week appointment this week, BSF (bible study) starts this week, we have our breastfeeding class and I am packing the bags this week! Trying to check off the to-do list so we don't run out of time!

Thankful for: Sweet friends who throw us amazing showers. When you live so far from home, you realize that the term "family" does not necessarily mean related. Kyle works with some amazing people and we are so thankful for all of their hard work on our shower and for thinking of us. =)

Week 34

Week: 34

Baby: Kason is the size of a cantaloupe at this point....weighing about 4 3/4 pounds. He is almost 18 inches long this week. His fat layers are filling out, which makes him rounder. His lungs are continuing to mature and it's nice to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks, with no other health problems, generally do fine. We are in the home stretch now. 

Total weight gain: 23 pounds! My weight slowed down a little this past week, and I am okay with that. It's a lot to haul around! =)

Sleep: Still really difficult. I have my body pillow still along with three pillows to prop up on. By the time I do get comfortable, I have to get up and use the restroom. It's a night long battle...haha! =) Poor Kyle has no room in our bed and sleeps way over on the edge!

Favorite moment of the week: Too many to name!! We had a dear friend from high school/college, Merritt Hambrick, come stay with us for a few days while she attended a conference here. It was great to have a guest in our house and play catch up. It's been years since we have seen her! My other favorite moment of the week was that my Momma came for the weekend!! We had such an amazing time shopping for baby Kason and working on his room. My mom and I have not just "hung out" since March, so I was so excited to have some one-on-one time with her before I become a mom. We hit up the outlets, shopped at the mall, bought Kason way too much stuff and hung decorations in his room. I am so happy to have accomplished so much this week with her. I was definitely sad to see her go, but it will only be for a short time. She will hit I-40 soon enough when Kason decides to make his debut. 

Miss anything? I am missing the nice summer weather we have had here. It got really hot here this week and I am not enjoying it...haha! I want it to go back to what it was before when it was just barely in the 80s. Hopefully this heat wave will pass quickly and fall will be here! It's my most favorite time of the year and I can't wait for pumpkin-smelling everything to be out. 

Movement: His movements have become more like pushes and shoves. He used to move across my entire stomach, but he is too big now to do that anymore. He now just pushes around in there or shoves over to one side.

Cravings: My cravings have really subsided. I don't really want a particular thing anymore. 

Anything make you queasy or sick? I had my first bowl of chicken noodle soup this past week since it made me sick back in the first trimester. The thought of soup in general made me queasy for many months of my pregnancy. I decided the other day to give it a go and just see and I am happy to report that I enjoyed and look forward to my bowls of chicken noodle soup that fall/winter. 

Gender: Boy!! Kason Dale Basham!

Labor signs: Not any yet, but I'm sure they will be soon!

Symptoms: Due to the extreme heat this past weekend and walking so much with mom, my feet have swollen up some and are very sore. I wore my most comfortable shoes over the weekend, but nothing seems to help when you are not used to carrying around this much weight in the desert (haha)! I have had them propped up quite a bit since in order to reduce some of the swelling. They are still not nearly as bad as I always thought they would be, but 5 weeks left may get me there! =)

Mood: Great with all the excitement of guests around here!

Looking forward to: This week I am looking forward to our last baby shower with the urology crew and one of my dear friend's weddings on Saturday. It's hard to believe that both are already here. 

Freak-out moment of the week: No freak-out moments other than just the excitement of having mom here for 2 whole days!!

Thankful for: I am thankful for a mom who loves me unconditionally and will drive 24 hours (roundtrip) just to shop and work on Kason's room. I was so happy to have her here investing in the preparation and getting to see all of the goodies we have for him so far. I can't wait for her next trip out here because that means she gets to meet her grandson for the first time. This next month will fly by quickly and she will be here before we know it. I look forward to the relationship that my mom and Kason will have together.

Week 33 - Month 9

Week: 33

Baby:

Total weight gain: 22 pounds! My legs are feeling it!!

Sleep: Sleep is getting more difficult. Kyle is over his sickness and we are back in the same room. I don't feel like I am getting up as much to go to the restroom, but I am struggling to get comfortable. My body pillow is the most wonderful thing ever, but it is so difficult to roll over at night. I am one of those sleepers that tosses all night, so I wake up every time I try to start rolling over. As I am getting larger (ouch!), the comfort level is decreasing!

Favorite moment of the week: My favorite moment of the week was finally getting the crib back and putting it together. We also got the room organized the way we want it to be. It was such a great feeling because I feel like I am running out of time (even though I technically have 7 weeks left). Here are some pictures of the progress so far:

It's still a work in progress, but we are getting closer every day.

Miss anything? Like I mentioned above, I am missing sleep. Luckily, with being home, I can sleep in some. I miss having a consistent nights sleep where I don't wake up 400 times. I know...I know...people say this just prepares you baby, but it is still hard.

Movement: Kason moves all the time. I love to watch him move around and I wonder what I part of him I am seeing when he shoves around in there. 

Cravings: Unfortunately, cravings for anything have passed right now. Eating in general doesn't sound very appetizing due to the reflux. I just wish I could find something that wouldn't bother me at all. If I could, I would eat that all day. 

Anything make you queasy or sick? Eating....haha! As the weeks are beginning to wind down, eating is getting harder and less desirable. I hear people say that the reflux goes away almost immediately after birth...let's hope for that!! =)

Gender: Boy!! Kason Dale Basham!

Labor signs: None this early!

Symptoms: The round ligament pain is increasing over the past week. I have moments where it truly hurts my stomach muscles to move around. It is hard to go from sitting to standing and vice versa when I haven't moved for a while. My obgyn thinks there may be some Braxton Hicks mixed in with the round ligament pain.

Mood: My mood was not the best this past week. Up until this point, I have been doing really well and I have been in good spirits. This week was hard though. Kyle was busy all week...having to be at various functions and taking call. He also left Friday and was in Chicago through Sunday. This left me by myself a lot more than usual and gave me time to start panicking about running out of time to spend with him and get things done for Kason's arrival. I think it is just starting to hit me how close we are at this point. Kyle and I went on a true date when he got back Sunday night and that helped me so much. We were able to talk about my fears and just spend time together. 

Looking forward to: My next dr. appt on Tuesday and my mom is coming for Labor Day! I am so excited to get to spend some time with her before Kason arrives. We need some girl time and I need her help getting things wrapped up for Kason's debut. 

Freak-out moment of the week: My only freak-out moments consisted of being here more by myself (like I mentioned above) and working myself into a tizzy because of the short amount of time we have. 

Thankful for: A husband who will take me on dates when I am feeling down and worried. 

Week 32

Week: 32

Baby: Kason is the size of a jicama this week (whatever that is...haha). He is roughly 3.75 pounds and about 16 inches long. I can totally believe this because he is pushing on every part of my body. He is sitting up in my chest and down in my knee caps all at the same time. Not sure where he will go over these next 8 weeks. Kason will gain a third to half of his weight from her to delivery. 

Total weight gain: 22 pounds (Boo!!!) It was a little difficult to stand on the scale this time and watch them keep scooting the bars over. I was hitting numbers I never imagined seeing....but I know it means that Kason is healthy and growing. (It's still kind of crazy though...haha!)

Sleep: So I am still sleeping by myself (if you remember, we slept in 2 twin beds in FL last week)....not that Kyle and I are fighting, but he has come down with a really bad cold and spends all night coughing up his lungs. We tried to sleep in the same bed the first night, and every time I moved, he coughed....and every time he coughed, I moved. So, I got up and went to the spare bedroom so we could try to catch some Zzzzz's. We have been in two bedrooms all week because he got worse before he got better. I won't say I hate sleeping by myself. It gives my body pillow and I more room....but I miss the hubby, so I'm ready to be back to normal.

Favorite moment of the week: I had a shower with some of the residents' wives and that was super fun. We met at a local Mexican restaurant here in Knoxville and spent time hanging out and enjoying each other's company. It was fun because three of the girls have kids and the other three of us were expecting. It was fun to exchange stories about what is to come! I also started prenatal yoga at the hospital this week. I go once a week and it has been really fun to practice breathing techniques and stretches that will relieve the pressure of the baby.

Miss anything? This week I am beginning to miss certain shoes. My feet haven't swollen at all during my pregnancy, but they are now showing signs of swelling. I tried to wear some wedges to church the other day, and I could barely get my feet in them...much less wear them for hours. I still have a lot of shoes I can wear (I mean...come on....I have over 100 pairs of shoes), but it is sad realizing that not only are all my clothes taken from me, but now some of my shoes are. 

Movement: He is a wild child! You can see him move from the outside and push from one side to the other. My belly looks so lop-sided sometimes. 

Cravings: Nothing specific this week.

Anything make you queasy or sick? My reflux is killing me. I have to eat really small meals and eat really early every evening to give my body time to digest. Kason is so crammed in there that he is cutting off my stomach and making it very hard to digest my food. The meds help some, but I know that this just comes with the territory over these last several weeks. 

Gender: Boy!! Kason Dale Basham!

Labor signs: None this early!

Symptoms: The symptom of pregnancy this week is the LACK of ability to get on the floor and back up. I look hilarious having to roll over onto my knees to get up off the floor. I try to avoid it at all costs if I can. Kyle thinks it's funny when I drop something and just stare at it. I tell him I am trying to decide if it is worth it to bend down and pick it up....haha! 

Mood: My mood has been good over the past week. I just haven't felt well due to the reflux so I feel kind of grumpy around eating time. It's just really hard to eat knowing you are going to feel queasy later. 

Looking forward to: This week I am putting a lot of focus on getting the nursery put together. We got the crib back from being refinished last week and it is ready to put together. I am ready to have the nursery ready to go so I don't have that worry in September. 

Thankful for: I am thankful for such a great pregnancy so far. I have not had any true complications during these past 32 weeks and I am so thankful for that and hope that I continue to have a smooth pregnancy in the upcoming weeks.