How we’re growing?:  At 39 weeks, our little guy’s around 20 inches long and over 7 pounds!  My pregnancy app. says he’s the size of a small pumpkin, but he feels incredibly large, heavy, and squirmy to me…

How I’m feeling?:  I’m uncomfortable, anxious, and really excited!  Weeks ago, I was battling dizzy spells and so many Braxton Hicks contractions.  I was sure baby was coming early… but here we are at 39 weeks  (+1 day). The contractions are still pretty constant — all day and night — and baby feels very low in my abdomen, though he loves to stretch his big Lurie feet up into my right ribcage.

Running with Cookie:  With baby riding so low, I’m continuing to battle sciatic pain, which comes on as sudden, sharp pains in my low back and hip sockets.  Running with sciatica at nine months pregnant sounds crazy, but movement is the only thing that helps.  Running throughout this pregnancy has been such a good thing for me, mentally and physically, so I’m pumped that baby and I have logged over 800 miles together!  And we’re still going!

What I’m eating?:  I don’t have room to eat a lot, so I’m snacking all day: cinnamon raisin toast with peanut butter, sliced dates with peanut butter, Larabars, protein bars, apples, oranges, snap peas, roasted broccoli, chickpea noodles (Liv’s favorite!), salads with RANCH (ahh, how I love ranch…), black cherry chip ice cream, and mugs of red raspberry leaf tea, with an occasional decaf coffee in there… because I love myself.

What we’re up to?:  We’ve tackled some huge projects around the house!  Baby’s room is officially organized and ready — minus decor, which I’ll get to eventually… (He’ll actually be staying in our room for at least the first couple months while we have family visiting).

We replaced our long-overdue, busted, beat-up, old couches with a beautiful sectional that we all love!  Boy, was that a process!

There are moments when I feel really and truly, peacefully ready for baby, but in the same breath flip-flop back to feeling like there’s so much left to do!  It’s like having two brains: a rational one that knows having the toaster oven impeccably clean isn’t necessary, and a very pregnant, don’t-mess-with-me one that’s inexplicably driven to make sure everything (and I mean, everything) is in it’s most organized, pristine state.  Pregnancy is weird, guys…

Despite my endless checklists and preparation, there’s never an excuse to not have fun with Jared and Liv.  There were St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at the community center and a leprechaun visit to Liv’s classroom!

I’m pretty sure she thinks leprechauns and pirates are the same…

There have been countless games of Bingo and Crazy Apes, Barbies with head-fell-off-atosis, dance parties, family movie nights, and Duplo creations.

Although the moments when I feel “ready” are fleeting, I’m hanging onto them: savoring the bursts of confidence that I’ll be strong and resilient through childbirth, as well as the challenges of transitioning from one to two children.  One of my weaknesses that I consider a strength is how stubborn I am, which I credit to my Nana.  I was born on her 60th birthday in May, and whether it’s because I’m a Taurus just like her, or we share the same DNA, I know I’m stubborn and determined, just like her — with one huge difference: My grandfather died when my mom was only four years old and my aunt was two, so my incredible Nana raised two girls on her own.  Not a day goes by that I don’t tell Jared how grateful I am for him — that we’re a team in this crazy chaos of parenthood and life.

Week 39 in Review:

• Workouts:  6 runs, 3 walks, & endless hours of housework and nesting
• Miles with Cookie:  817 miles
• Weight gained:  +19-21 lbs.
• Favorite foods:  Peanut butter (on everything), black cherry chip ice cream
• Cravings:  Salads with ranch, cinnamon raisin toast, and muffins
• Next appointment:  Hopefully, the next time we see our midwife is when we meet our boy, but I have an appointment scheduled for next Friday, 3/31 (at 40 weeks + 1 day)
• Highlight:  Liv’s had a string of uncharacteristically epic meltdowns.  These have been especially devastating, knowing we’re days away from welcoming her little bro.  But when she calms down, Liv’s been able to explain: “I need mommy time.”  “I just need some love.”  And even: “Will you love me after baby?”  It’s heartbreaking to hear those words, but I know her four year old brain is processing the changes to come — changes I struggle to wrap my own brain around!  So we’re talking a lot, hugging even more, and today, when she hugged me for the hundredth time, she said: “Mom.  I’ll still love you after baby’s here!”

❤