Update

My doctor's appointments have been going well and no more concerning things going on.  Blood pressure is completely normal and swelling is down from where it was a couple of weeks ago.  Baby has also shown good growth and is back to measuring completely on schedule.  He is still measuring about two weeks behind Caleb, but totally normal and showing good growth week over week.  He is also head down (fingers crossed he doesn't flip).  My doctor is still hoping for baby during week 39, but has agreed, we don't need to schedule an induction that week since he's measuring average instead of big like Caleb.  I'm hoping for a baby early in week 40 to avoid an induction.  It sounds like January 23rd is the last possible day I can be pregnant.  My money is still on January 19th.  Lots of Braxton hicks that are getting more and more painful.  I've also had some pretty good lower back pain on and off. One day I will feel great and the next day my back hurts so bad I can't hardly get up. Last night was one of those nights.  I was nearly in tears and laying with ice on my back.  Caleb was trying to help by stretching my legs (he's seen Travis help me do this) and kept telling me "it be ok mommy.  Daddy be home soon.  Him can help you."  He also told me in the morning I would wake up and feel all better.  That wasn't exactly the case, but I did have a massage today and I can't remember the last time my back felt this good.  Just being able to lay on my stomach for an extended period of time on the special table seemed to help a ton.  I think baby shifted positions a bit and I have had no pain at all today.  Hoping it lasts for a while, or that we stumble across a large sum of money and an extra hour in the day so I can go get a massage each day.

As we get closer and closer to being parents of two, I'm feeling differently than I did last time.  I'm not near as scared about having a newborn.  We've done that before and although it wasn't easy, I know we can do it.  What I'm nervous about is how will we balance everything and have both kids get what they need...and how will we ever get anything else done!  With Caleb on his no nap schedule, we have almost two hours each evening after he's in bed to get caught up on work and housework, have some time to talk as adults, and time to relax!  Even if Calvin goes to bed around the same time as Caleb, I will have to follow shortly after to survive the night wakings and early mornings, so our peaceful evenings will be a thing of the past.  We also have the luxury of getting up before Caleb if we need to since he doesn't typically get up until 7:00.  Prior to December, I would get up at 6:00 every week day to either get to work, or get work done at home.  I've already given up that hour in the interest of sleeping more.  Oh well, somehow we will figure it all out and some things will just have to take a back seat for a while.

Week 37...papaya

Week 36...honeydew

Now where will I find a pumpkin this time of year for the next photo?

We have a nursery

We took this morning as our opportunity to finish up the nursery and are pleased it is done before the holidays, Caleb's birthday, and Calvin's birth (hopefully in that order!).  Only things left to do are hang the mobile and the baby monitor.

Update

We haven't been as good about taking and posting pictures, but here are some updated ones...

Week 35...head of romain lettuce

Week 34...coconut 

Week 32 or 33 (we missed one)...spaghetti squash

 I'm struggling a bit with buying the right fruit/veggie for the weekly pictures.  There are such huge variances in size of each one.  I think the spaghetti squash was much bigger than the coconut, but oh well.

Still feeling pretty good.  Last week was rough and I was beginning to wonder how I would make it six more weeks, but this week has been much better!  My braxton hicks were getting pretty painful.  They are still happening, but not near as painful.  I was also super, super tired last week.  I was really struggling to get a good nights sleep.  Not sure if baby moved or what, but I am sleeping much better.

Baby is still looking good, but didn't grow quite as much as expected at our last appointment.  He grew one weeks worth instead of two.  The doctor didn't seem too concerned, but said if we aren't seeing a bigger growth by my next appointment (Tuesday), she will do an ultrasound to double check things.  Baby is moving like crazy and has a strong heartbeat.  She's confident he will have a bigger growth at this check, so fingers crossed for that!  I'm also supposed to be checking my blood pressure between appointments now to keep an eye on pre-eclampsia.  I have a few signs, but nothing alarming yet.  So far, blood pressure has stayed well below an alarming range.

As for the to do list, not much progress!  Nothing really needs done, but would be nice to get done.  Here is what is still on it:
- install new blinds (here, just not hung up.)
- hang up bookshelves (here, painted, just not hung.  We did get Caleb's hung)

31 weeks

I am now 32 weeks pregnant (haven't taken this weeks picture yet).  Here is what we have been up to:
- buying necessary baby supplies...very few needed this time around, but we are set now
- installing new ceiling fan
- finishing painting
- arranging finiture
- clothes washed and hung in closet
- blankets washed and folder
- diapers changed down to the right size and put away
- final touches on sub plans at school.  I think there are only two things left on my to-do list
- working away on the cross-stitch wall hanging.  Over half done, but still a ways to go!  Hoping to get a lot done over Thanksgiving and Christmas break.
- filling the freezer.  I've been trying to make at least one extra meal a week to put in the freezer for easy meals post baby.  I've just been doubling whatever we are having for dinner that night and making a crockpot of soup at least once a week.  We eat the soup for one meal and freeze the rest.

Still left on the to do list:
- install new blinds (ordered, but not here yet)
- hang up bookshelves (ordered, but not here yet)
- hang up border on wall

What baby has been up to:
- frequent hiccups!  These started around 30 weeks and are happening a few times a day.
- moving a lot.  This little guy doesn't like me to lay down in the evenings.  He wiggles all around.
- growing, growing, growing...baby has been measuring about one week behind "average." So I am hopeful that means he won't be huge and my doctor won't feel the need to discuss early induction.  Caleb always measured 2-3 weeks ahead of "average."

How I've been feeling:
- my back has been feeling much, much better.
- sleeping pretty good most nights for about 2.5 hours in a row.  Then I usually have to go to the bathroom, change positions, and fall back to sleep.
- out of breath...the extra weight is taking it's toll and a flight of stairs will leave me winded.  I'm still making it to they gym 2-3 times a week to do some cardio.
- relieved that it sounds like a long-term sub is lined up at school...and she's a retired English teacher, so I won't need to check papers!!!!

Week 31

Update

Week 29 - eggplant

Week 28 - acorn squash

Here are weeks 28 and 29.  We will probably skip a week 30 picture...one site says cabbage (we won't eat that) and the other says cucumber, which I don't think is right unless they are talking about a monstrous cucumber. 

We are making progress on the room.  The shelves are painted and up and half the room is completely painted.  The other half just needs the second coat.  I'm working on a few small projects to hang up, but have his door letter done.  Caleb choose the fish and crab to go on it.  He also talked me into buying Calvin some new pjs today.  He told me our baby doesn't have enough pajamas.  

Week 26

Oops...missed week 25 picture.  Here is week 26.  We were inspired to get the picture taken as cauliflower was on the menu for tonight.  Baby is measuring a bit smaller than Caleb was at this point.  Maybe this one won't be quite as big?  No gestational diabetes again, so that's a relief.  Caleb helped us pick out somethings for the baby's room the weekend.  He picked a crab and "a cute little fish" to hang on his door.  He also picked a fire truck, bus, and sailboat to go on his coat/towel hook.   He still wants the room to be pink and actually thinks that it is going to be.  We are going red and blue, but the red looks pink in the container.

Week 24

Week 24...baby is the size of a cantaloupe.  Another fruit Caleb was super excited to eat.

This baby seems to be a lot more active than Caleb was.  He moves nearly all day, every day - especially if I lay down.  I'm wondering if this is a sign of his personality!

My belly is measuring 36 inches around...or as Caleb says, "it getting so, so big."

We are making some more progress on baby's room.  I'm hoping it is painted by the end of October.  There is not near as much pressure to get things ready this time since we know what to expect and we have everything we need.  We have most of the big things out of the room, just trying to figure out spots for a few other things.  The biggest thing I'm struggling to find a place for are all of Caleb's old clothes.  I have some Ziploc vacuum bags that have cut it down to a much smaller stack, but still trying to find a good place that we can get to relatively easily as baby grows.