40 Weeks Today......

So we have to wait until 10:40 to see if there is going to be a baby born any time soon of if we are still playing the waiting game; Lance is meeting me there today & hasn't been able to be at a doctors appointment in a few weeks so he will get to hear his heartbeat & I just can't wait to see his face when he does!! I am really hoping that this is my last weekly survey & that I will be holding my baby boy in my arms very soon............like later today!!

How far along? 40 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 28 lbs. - not too bad I guess
Maternity clothes? yep
Stretch marks? not that i see but who knows what my stomach will look like once deflated
Sleep: still have no clue what this word means...BUT I have really gotten used to not sleeping so I guess that is a good thing
Best moment this week: Lance laying his head on my stomach & talking to Brayden; it is so sweet to see the man of my dreams in this way.....it brings tears to my eyes just to think about it
Movement: oh yeah.....he loves to beat up his momma
Food cravings: the chocolate craving has returned this past week but thankfully I am still craving the fresh fruit & veggies as well
Gender: BOY
Labor Signs: braxton hicks all day everyday & maybe a few cramps but nothing to make me think the doctor is going to have good news for me today
Belly Button in or out? flat in the morning but as the day goes on & I guess I eat & fill up it tends to poke out
What I miss: the days & weeks back when carrying Brayden was easier & I didn't feel so tired or ready to be (for lack of a better word) "done" carrying him; I just want to be holding him at this point....my body is tired all the time
What I am looking forward to: my 40 week doctors appointment today; Lance is meeting me there & hopefully we will have some good news
Weekly Wisdom: patience is a virtue; I myself can't remember this wisdom but it is good wisdom none the less.
Milestones: I have reached 40 weeks & have enjoyed carrying our baby boy everyday....even if I have complained a bit here in the last week & a half.

What is going on with Brayden during week 40?
The time has finally arrived! You and baby are ready to be a team. The day you two meet will be here in a heartbeat! Your baby weighs about 7.5lb and its total length is 21.5in; from crown to rump baby measures at 37-38cm. Brayden is about as big as its going to get. He now fills your uterus and has very little room to move. Before Brayden is born, bilirubin is transferred easily across the placenta from the uterus to the maternal circulation. Bilirubin is a breakdown product from red blood cells; through this process your body is able to get rid of it from the baby. Once your baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped, the baby is on its own to handle the bilirubin produced in its own body. Scientists believe once baby is ready to be born, it sends out a series of biochemical and hormonal signals that indicate its time. These cause the mother's body to trigger a series of biochemical and hormonal changes which will ultimately culminate in labor. Brayden is ready to make his grand entrance any time now. All of his organs are fully developed, and he has reflexes and more coordination. Brayden can grasp and hold onto things, turn his head, and respond to outside cues, including the sound of your voice. Most of the lanugo hair has fallen out, but some may still remain on the shoulders, neck, behind the ears and in the deeper folds of the skin. It too will shed in the weeks immediately after birth.

What is going on with ME during week 40?
You are not going to grow much bigger. You feel ready to have your baby, and very soon you shall. After all you can't be pregnant forever. Before you became pregnant your uterus weighed 2 oz and was capable of holding an oz of liquid. Now it weighs over 2lb and can hold a quart of amniotic fluid. Your baby too has grown a lot; from an egg to an 8lb baby. Much of baby's weight gain occurred during the last few months; they double their weight during the last 2-3 months of pregnancy (the final trimester). If your due date has passed and no baby has arrived, you are going to wonder how much longer. The stress and anxiety is going to get to you. Depression is another feeling that's going to set in. If you are not too thrilled with your pregnancy dragging on, here are few tips to help you stay sane:

• Keep yourself busy. Don't be afraid to make plans just because you might go into labor
• Pamper yourself. Enjoy all those indulgences which you won't have time for once baby arrives
• Realize that your doctor cannot pinpoint the exact day and hour of delivery

Thank you for the tips silly website.....I am still working full time so I am staying busy but do you really think that even a full & busy work day means that my mind is not on delivering this beautiful miracle I am carrying in my belly???? Thank again!!