No, there is nothing going on….yet.  But I had Nate take this picture in hopes that it might persuade him to come out! 

Dear Nolan,

I love you so very much, but unfortunately, you have overstayed your welcome.  Please come out and say hello ASAP.

Love, your very uncomfortable Mommy

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 40: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: You have a baby!

The average birth weight for babies born at 40 weeks is about 7 pounds 8 ounces, and the average length is about 21 inches.

There are a number of surprising physical characteristics you may notice upon your little one’s arrival. You may not have realized the extent to which your hormones can affect your baby at this stage. Because of the presence of your hormones in your baby’s system, your baby’s genitals (scrotum in boys and labia in girls) may appear enlarged. Your baby boy or girl may secrete milk from the tiny nipples. This is another hormone-related occurrence that should disappear in a few days and is completely normal. Finally, hormones may cause some “infant acne” pimples on your baby’s face.

These too will disappear within a month or so of birth.

• Skin. Although many moms think of a baby’s skin as “perfect,” it can be very sensitive. When your baby is born it’s normal for her to have skin discoloration; blotchy, dry skin; or even rashes.
• Head shape. Your baby’s trip through the constricting birth canal will temporarily mold her tiny head into a cone shape; this will round out within a few days of life.
• No tears. Babies are capable of crying at birth, but they are born with an underdeveloped tear duct system. You may notice that tears don’t appear until 1 to 3 months of age.
• Umbilical cord. After the cord is cut, a remnant will remain attached to the baby’s abdomen. It will drop off within the first month.

I am really 39 weeks.  My estimated due date is one week from today, we just always thought it would be later.  I don’t feel that way anymore! 

Last week was a busy one for us:

- I cleaned alot

- I had a pedicure and manicure on Tuesday

- Dr. appt last Wednesday, ultrasound scheduled for this Friday to check on Nolan’s size.

- Brayden visited our beloved pediatric dentist, Dr. Ross on Thursday. All his teeth are perfect, and he was soooo good :)

- Found out on Friday that Aly had allergies and needs to have minor surgery this week  

- Had a very uneventful and unromantic Valentines Day, even though we didn’t even have a toddler in the house  

- The dogs were shaved – yay!

- I had a wonderful Sunday afternoon with my friends, including lunch and a movie

- Mom’s birthday was yesterday, and Scott came home (with his new “friend” Katie) to surprise Mom for her birthday – and Dad has been home since Friday night.

- And last, but overshadowing all – my Grandpa is not doing well   He has not eaten since last Thursday, and is on morphine to keep him comfortable.  Please pray that God keeps him pain free, and doesn’t let him suffer for long.  He has had a very rough and painful year, and he doesn’t deserve to live like that.  He is in a hospital in Indianapolis, and it isn’t smart for me to travel up there at this time   I am trying to stay positive and unemotional.  I am heartbroken, but I don’t want my boys to feel it.  I don’t want to stress to cause an early Nolan arrival, and I don’t want to worry B.  He is a worrier, and he catches on to every conversation and attitude around him.  He even asked last night if his Grandpa was still in the hospital If anyone has tips on how to explain death to a 2 year old, please let me know.

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 38: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Growth slows down

This is the week that your baby begins to outgrow the watery home where he’s been developing these past 9 months. He should weigh almost 7 pounds this week, but at a length of about 21 inches, he hasn’t grown much taller. The average full-term newborn weighs from 6 to 9 pounds and is 18 to 21 inches long.

Here are a few other developments this week:

• Slowing growth. Although your baby’s growth is slowing, fat will continue to accumulate to help insulate him even more for entry to the outside world.
• Meconium (baby’s feces). It will continue to build up in her intestines.
• Head. By now the circumference of your baby’s head and abdomen are about the same.

Week 39: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Skull bones

Even as late as the 39th week, there’s one part of your baby’s body that hasn’t quite finished developing: the two soft spots on his head called the fontanels, where the skull bones haven’t yet joined together. These areas allow the flexible skull bones to bend, without damaging the brain, as your baby travels down the birth canal.

Because of the strength of the contractions during labor, many newborn heads look elongated or cone-shaped right after birth. The bones will return to their round shape within a few days after birth. During your baby’s first year, the skull will harden; by 18 months the soft spots will have completely hardened.

Other last-minute developments:

• Skeleton. It continues to develop. Your baby now has 300 bones (about 100 more than an adult does, since some bones fuse together as the child grows).

I am officially out of office until May – whoooo hooo!!!  Brayden woke me up this morning as he ventured to the side of our bed and whispered, “Mom, it’s morning, wake up” – a quiet 7:30am wake up call is MUCH better than a 5:30am alarm.

We made the decision this weekend that we are going to attempt to cloth diaper Nolan!  Not necessarily because it is cheaper, because it may not be – we will find out.  But really because I read a startling fact this weekend:  Disposable diapers take 500 years to decompose in landfills!  Can you believe that?  1 of my New Years resolutions is to reduce our carbon footprint so our children, and our children’s children, have a healthy place to live in the future.  We have started recycling, we don’t buy bottled water anymore, we take our own bags when we go shopping, we are slowly weeding out the plastic use in our home.  However, when you work for a company that produces disposable diapers, and whose stock is going to help you retire and send your kids to school, you feel somewhat guilty in making such a change…but shouldn’t said company have a responsibility and the mindset to think “green” as well?

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 37: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: It’s getting crowded in there

Now baby weighs almost 6.5 pounds and his total length is about 21 inches long. But he hasn’t stopped growing yet; he’ll continue to develop about a half ounce of fat a day. Still, overall growth does slow from here on out. That’s fortunate since there is very little available space left in the womb.

Here are a few final developments taking place in week 37:

• Immune system. It continues to strengthen and will continue to get stronger after birth yet will not be completely functional until early adulthood.
• Dexterity. Your baby can now grasp with his fingers as dexterity improves.

Of course, we already knew that – but it was confirmed today.  For those of you I haven’t told, I had a horrible dream about a month ago that I had to have another ultrasound and for some reason Nate couldn’t be there.  The ultrasound tech started looking around, then said to me, “Who told you this was a boy?”  So when the doc ordered another ultrasound this late, I started freaking wigged out became concerned :)  So I made her confirm this morning that he, indeed, was a boy.  And he is.  Whew.  Could you imagine?  The nursery is finished, all of his new clothes have been laundered, and everything is monogrammed….then, surprise!  It’s a girl!  And she is due in 3-4 weeks! LOL.  My OCD personality type couldn’t handle that.

Ultrasound was good.  Everything is measuring great, looking great, he is breathing very well!  She didn’t say his head was too big, which we told her was a concern – but she did say he was measuring 7.5 lbs!  Please take that with a grain of salt, they are never spot on with a weight measurement from an ultrasound – he is probably more like 6 or 6.5lbs.  Remember, he is probably just very tall, so they are most likely over-compensating the weight.  I then had to have a NST (Non-Stress Test) to measure his heartbeat, ect.  Everything was perfect.  No contracting, and he seems to be as healthy as they come.  We are so blessed.

Ultrasound picture from today – neither of our kids have ever given us a good ultrasound picture   You should be able to make out his nose, and his hands are near his mouth.

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 36: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Gaining more weight

Your baby now weighs around 6 pounds and is 20.7 inches long.

Your baby works hard to accumulate all the fat he can in preparation for delivery. His body grows rounder every day, since about 15% of his total weight is now made up of fat. Once he’s born this fat layer will help him maintain his body temperature and give him a reliable energy source.

Developments this week:

• Organs. Development of major organs, such as the kidneys and liver, is complete.
• Lungs. Some fine-tuning, such as the final development of the lungs, still takes place inside the womb.

Just some teaser pictures I took with my iPhone – hopefully the majority of the nursery will be finished today!!!  Everything you see was painted by yours truely

Well, it is official, I am full term and Mr. Nolan is welcome to join the world as soon as he is ready   Hopefully not too soon, we are still hoping I get a couple weeks off work before his appearance.  Oh yea, and preferably when Nate gets back from Dallas   All is well in the Wolff household -1 this week (so far – ask me after bedtime tonight when Daddy isn’t here). 

And a BIG - HUGE - ENORMOUS Congrats to two very good friends of mine.  Both Bridget and Deana are preggo with #2!!!  We couldn’t be more happy for both of you!  Everyone think pink!!!  We need some girls in the playgroup!

 Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 35: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Gaining fat

In week 35 the average baby weighs around 5 to 6 pounds and measures about 16 to 19 inches in length.

Your baby will begin to gain weight more rapidly than ever before…adding about ½ to ¾ pound each week from this point forward. Healthy fat is being deposited all over your baby’s body, especially around the shoulders.

Because of his size, your baby may move around less as her surroundings become more cramped. His head may be resting on your pubic bone in preparation for labor and delivery.

Other developments taking place this week:

• Central nervous system will continue to mature.
• Lungs. The lungs will most likely be fully developed by Week 35.
• Activity. Your baby develops daily activity cycles. You may notice she is often more active at night, when you’re trying to rest.
• Respiratory and digestive systems. Even though they won’t be considered full-term until the end of the 40th week, your baby’s respiratory and digestive systems are nearly mature.
• Immune system starts to develop.
• Umbilical cord. It’s now about 20 inches long and 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter. At birth it will be about 2 feet long and a ½ inch thick.

I just can’t catch a break, the sinus infection is back, and everytime I cough, I just feel so sorry for poor Nolan.  Other than that, all is well.  I am just getting really big and tired!  I started drawing and painting the nursery yesterday, so hopefully I will have pics to post of the boys “new” rooms this week!

 Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 34: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: No more floating

As of this week your baby has grown so large, he takes up most of the available space inside the uterus and can no longer float around your womb. Your baby is now about 4.7 pounds and about 16.8 inches long.

More developments this week:

• Adrenal glands. Your baby’s adrenal glands grow and produce corticoid hormones. Together with prolactin from the pituitary, they will stimulate lactation.
• Skin. The vernix coating on your baby’s skin grows thicker to better protect him. Your baby’s skin gradually becomes less red and wrinkled as the fat beneath it fills out and stretches the skin.
• Skull. His skull bones are still quite pliable and not completely fused together at the top of his head. That will make it easy for him to slip down the relatively narrow birth canal.

OK, I know our road to get to this point was a long and emotional rollercoaster, and I am so blessed and thankful to be a mom again.  So please, no one take offense to this, or think that I am a horrible or selfish person…

I am not one of those moms who loves to be pregnant.  I actually despise it.  I don’t do well with change in general, and when that change effects EVERY aspect of my life, I feel like everyday is an out of body experience.  I am ready to be me again.  And with all of that being said, I am crabby.  Therefore, from this point on, I will not be held responsible for any of my actions or anything that comes out of my mouth   Remember, out of body experience….not Heather.

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 33: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Using her senses

Your baby now weighs about 4.4 pounds and is about 16.4 inches long from head to toe. He’ll gain a good deal of his weight in the final few weeks before birth.

In these last few weeks billions of your baby’s brain cells are helping her to learn about her environment. These cells help him to listen, feel, and even see.

This is another important week for visual development. By now your baby may be able to experience her surroundings visually, since the pupils can now detect some light. Her pupils constrict and dilate to allow your baby to see dim shapes.

Other developments this week:

• Head. Your baby’s head size will increase about 3/8 of an inch in circumference this week.
• Sleep time. Your little one now sleeps much of the time.
• Lungs are continuing to mature.
• Weight gain. Fat will continue to be added on to your baby’s body for protection and warmth.
• Testicles. For most boys, the testicles have now moved into the scrotum.