35 weeks!

How far along: 35 weeks! Tucker was born this same week!

A silhouette picture is required when you haven't washed your hair recently enough. Haha. That belly is all baby! I swear the top is a built in shelf, too. Taylor and I are always talking about how crazy it is that there is a baby in there. 

Sleep: Not good but not terrible! I have to have about 5 pillows supporting this large pregnant body of mine plus I am always hot so I lay there with no covers. And then add in the 5-6 (one night 10!) times to pee and it makes for an adventure. But luckily I get to sleep until Tucker wakes up, which is usually around 8:30 or so, sometimes later.

Movement: I am really thankful he is such an active baby. It puts my worries at ease for the most part. I love watching my belly move the most probably. And seeing Taylors reaction to it contorting and stretching.  

Food cravings: Milk, I love all the milk. And we got some of those yummy sugar cookies for valentines and they are sooo yummy.   

Aversions: Nope!

Queasy/Sick: I am over being sick for the most part but I still have the congestion. Just pregnancy congestion, I'm sure.  

Other Symptoms: Heartburn has gotten better but mostly because I cut things out of my diet that were causing it. I get a really swollen ankle (yes, just one) when I'm on my feet too long. Taylor makes me put my feet up as much as I can. And the last few days I've been getting some lower back pain and cramping but luckily it isn't constant or even consistent.

Gender: BOY!

Labor signs: A few, but hopefully he will hold out!

Belly button - in or out? The top pokes out and the rest is flat.

What I miss: Sleeping all the way through the night.  
What I am looking forward to: Baby shower this weekend! Baby boy coming very soon!

Milestones: We are at the week when I had Tucker! If I make it past Thursday, it will be the longest I've ever been pregnant!

I took out a few questions and thought I'd just give a general update here.

Over the past week I've been nervous about my insulin levels decreasing. So at my appointment today, I made sure to cover everything I have been worried about.

My NST went great as usual. Baby boy was moving nonstop and his heart rate was responding perfectly.

I met with the doctor and explained how I had been to the hospital already for them to stop labor and they had to give me a steroid shot. Ever since that time, my insulin needs have lower than what I think they should be and what they have been. What he explained to me is this- there is a possibility that the placenta is sending out so many hormones and my pancreas could even be making some insulin and so this steroid shot actually caused a spike in insulin production which has been giving me more lows. He also said it is common towards the end of pregnancy for woman to use less insulin and that I might just have a new normal for the next couple weeks.

The risk involved is the breaking down of the placenta, or its calcification, which can lead to stillbirth. This is not something that they are worried about right now.

He said they wouldn't just induce me right now because of a slight decrease in insulin usage. The risks of that are greater now. And with the NST, which is the best predictor of how he is actually doing, they know that he is thriving at this point. And we don't want a baby in the NICU if we can avoid it!

So this is the plan- the perinatologist told me she wanted me to be induced in the 37th week. I told this to the doctor I saw today and he said he agreed completely with that. So when I have my first NST of the week next Monday, they will go ahead and schedule my induction for the following Monday, the 29th! And he said because I am high risk with my diabetes that I would get first priority that day and I would get to go in first thing in the morning to have our baby! How crazy exciting is that!? So assuming labor goes quickly like it did with Tucker, we will be having a baby on leap day! It's pretty funny actually, because Taylor has been saying from day 1 that he thinks this baby is going to be a “leap baby” and hopefully he is right!

So now that we have an actual date, we are getting things ready and crossing things off our list every day!

This week, on Friday to be exact, I will be the most pregnant I've ever been! So this is uncharted territory for me, but I am feeling pretty good (all miserable pregnant things aside) that I am going to make it to the 29th. Please please pray this baby and my body let's me stay pregnant that long. This gives us the best possible chance of him being healthy and getting to come home with us!

WE WILL HAVE A NEW BABY IN TWO WEEKS! 

We are so beyond excited! Let the countdown begin!