36 weeks!!

How far along? 

36 1/2 weeks, 3 1/2 or less to go hopefully :)

Size of baby: crenshaw melon-- 

shes nearly 6lbs and 18 1/2 inches long!

Weight Gain: ~13lbs

Maternity Clothes: 

yes and some of them are actually getting a bit small (mainly the tanks/tshirts...)

Sleep: horrible! I have been fighting a sinus infection and over 48 hours I only slept for 4 hours... I'm talking, I fought trying to get to sleep so long that finally I just got up, turned the lights on and played online.  Sleep has still been hard to come by lately- I have been coughing so much my back and abs are sore, and I cough so much sometimes I gag myself.  It has NOT been fun to say the least.  Today is the first day I have felt a little better and last night I actually made it through the night without any coughing fits!! (I'm sure hubby was thankful as well!)

Best Moment of this week: 

my 36 week apt on Monday! :) Here is something I posted on facebook about the appointment:  

36 week Dr apt went good- dilated one cm, head is down, everything looks great. Her head is sitting right on my cervix and with a couple good contractions I should be fully dilated!  If I go into labor now they won't stop me.He said all we need to be ready is a box, some tshirts, and diapers and we will be set. Then we told him it was a girl and he said oh nevermind- you need designer shoes and designer clothes, dresses, etc...then he told us to make sure we go out to eat and to the movies bc we won't be able to do that for awhile :) talk about good advice :)

 also, my aunt came down to hang out with me and took me shopping for some necessity type things... we had so much fun and she bought Raleigh Grace some wonderful new things that I can not wait to use (towels, washcloths, passy, diapers, bath wash, lotion, and the list goes on and on!! :) )

 
Symptoms: 

a full tummy, lots of rib pain- its almost like she has no where else to go now, also some weird vibration feelings really low in my pelvis.

Braxton Hicks:

... not yet.

Movement:

lots of it! I can usually feel her punching me down low and kicking me up high... sometimes all at once-- I guess she is trying to stretch out? or maybe she is practicing being a gymnist? My aunt says that my tummy (when RG is moving) reminds her of a lava lamp... so true!! 

Food cravings:  

lots of H20 due to being sick... I had a weird craving for a fruit roll up the other day and that still sounds super good ha

Aversions:  

anything too "heavy"-- like big meals are just a turn off to me.  I def. can not eat as much as I have been eating

What I miss: 

bending over when I'm sitting or standing, getting out of bed easily, shaving my legs like a normal person (I can still do it but its such a chore!), my tummy not always feeling so "full" and hard, and overall, just NOT being sick :(

Gender: 

 my sweet little princess! 

What I'm looking forward to: 

my mom is coming to stay with me for the weekend-- this is only the 3rd time I have seen her since I found out I was pregnant... I am sooo excited to spend some time with her!! :) 

& nursery, nursery, nursery! 

Bump: 

36 weeks (at Grandaddy's house after celebrating my birthday!)

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From Babycenter:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your 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, your baby 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.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

 How your life's changing: 

Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!

You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.

Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.