It just keeps growing...

Only 5 weeks left!  I'm kind of hoping it's more like 2.  Any time after week 37 is fine with me!  However, this baby has consistently measured exactly to his due date so I would not be surprised if he showed up exactly on June 3rd.  Which is also okay with me.  Right now, I am planning on working until May 21st and that would give me almost two weeks to get everything settled here and rest before he arrives.  My weight gain has been between 22 and 26 pounds for the last, nearly, seven weeks.  Even though I haven't gained many more pounds between week 28 and now it seems pretty obvious that my belly hasn't stopped growing, and growing, and growing.  Sometimes, mostly when I'm laying down and not trying to roll over, I forget that I'm pregnant.  For a moment, it almost feels like I have my body back and I can breathe and move and there aren't little feet prodding my ribs.  Then, of course - like all dreams do, it comes to an abrupt end.  I have to pee, I get a swift kick in the ribs, or a punch to the cervix, or heaven forbid I have to switch sides and roll over!  Then I feel pregnant - really pregnant - almost like a big, fat, beached whale!  I have to say the last three weeks have not been much fun.  The pregnancy waddle is in full swing, the constant peeing keeps me up all night and there's just no way to be comfortable.  I am definitely ready to have my body back!  Plus, it will be excited to FINALLY get to see what this little guy looks like!  I can't decide if he'll have red hair or not, or Hannes' nose or what color eyes he'll have.  I'm just ready...

34 Weeks!

Hiccup, hiccup, hiccup...that is pretty much all that Baby B likes to do right now.  He enjoys hiccuping the most during meals, at bed time and after I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.  He also, usually, finds several other times during the day to hiccup too.  It wasn't so bad when he was smaller, but now he's so big and heavy that I can feel the hiccups, big time!  It's almost as bad as having the hiccups yourself.  He also, very recently, began to like surprise kicks to the ribs.  It feels more like a roll and then a swift kick in the ribs.  Lots of fun!  For the most part, I am still able to get around pretty well.  I hope it continues for the next three weeks.  That's how long I'm planning on working.  Then I'll have about two weeks to rest and prepare for the baby arrives.  That is if he decides to come on time.  Secretly, or not so secretly, I am hoping he comes early...any time after week 37 is great!  But somehow I think that he will come on June 3rd.  Not a day early and not a day later.  I guess we just have to wait and see....  My belly button is still hanging in there...barely.  I really don't want it to pop out, but I feel like it's inevitable.  It's just a matter of time.  Hannes thinks it's fun and really wants to touch it, but I have this weird thing about belly buttons and it makes me very angry if anyone touches it!

In other news, Hannes started in the opening game of the season for his new team, Tenhult.  We all drove to Gothenburg to watch his game and met up with his parents and his Aunt.  It was a beautiful day, warm with lots of sunshine.  It felt nice to be outside which made it a little more okay when they lost 3-0.

33 Weeks!

Still 7 weeks left!  I am definitely feeling more uncomfortable and having a very difficult time sleeping. Between the hiccups and baby kicks and the peeing, there isn't much time left for sleeping!  Baby B is definitely getting stronger.  Yesterday, while reading an email from Caity - thanks Caity! - Baby B kicked me so hard I cried.  I swear his foot almost broke through my skin!  It was not too fun.  My belly is now so big and low that when I sit it has to fit in between my legs.  It's not very ladylike.  I have decided that I am only going to work 4 more full weeks.  Then I will work on Monday and Tuesday of the next week, I have a very light schedule on those two days.  Then I will be home the last 3 weeks before the baby comes, but secretly I am hoping it doesn't take that long!  Any time after week 37 is fine with me!

We have decided on a stroller and we also just ordered a baby swing from amazon uk.  Thanks for all of the help Facebook friends!  We decided just to get a swing and not a bouncy seat.  I figure it will be more helpful and with a limited amount of space we want multi-use items.  I think this weekend we will start washing baby clothes and getting some things together.  It's about time I start my nesting phase!

PS -

If anyone is interested in getting me the most awesome baby gift ever, I have an idea for you!  I found the cutest baby book on ETSY.

I love the navy chevron print and the neutral page inserts are adorable!

I love the combination of grey, yellow and navy.  Here's the link to the store:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/118894177/pre-orderbaby-booknavy-chevronthe-sweet

It would be great to have a baby memory book that isn't in Swedish!

Ugly Babies

Yes, they do exist.  I also have no problem pointing them out.  I have been known to say things like:

"Oh my gosh, Hannes, you have to see how ugly this baby is!"

"Why does she keep posting pictures of her baby?  It is not cute!"

"Oh man, I really hope our baby doesn't look like that!"

"What is wrong with that baby's face?"

Sometimes my honesty can be a little too much.  I wonder if I'm just being hypercritical because I'm pregnant and obviously want my baby to be the cutest ever?!  Who knows?  However, as the day of Baby B's arrival gets closer and closer I can't help but think about what he will look like.  Will he have red hair or dark hair?  I had almost black hair when I was born and Emily and Tyler both had very dark hair.  Will he get Hannes' nose or chin or thighs?  Will his eyes be blue or green?  I am so curious!  I'm not really scared that he'll be an ugly baby.  I mean he could be.  What I'm scared of is that he will be an ugly baby, but I'll be in denial and just think he's the cutest thing ever.  And post pictures all over the internet and gush about my baby like he's the cutest thing on the planet all while people make comments like, "Doesn't he look like an alien?"

If he looks better than a crazed dictator plotting to take over the world then I'll be happy!

Wild One

I've been saying for a while that Baby B is one active fetus.  I finally have some proof!  Hannes took this video of my belly and while it's only a few seconds long this is a regular occurrence.  He loves to get his feet up in my rib cage, too.

He's also a big fan of hiccups.  He gets them several times a day, especially around bedtime.  Now he's big enough that you can feel them from the outside!  All of the books I've read and my baby app say that they don't mind the hiccups.  However, Baby B hates them!  At least, I think he does.  He moves a lot and does a lot of kicking and covering his face when he gets the hiccups.  Which, I interpret as him not liking them.  I guess I'll never really know for sure.

Empty Nest

I am guessing this is how people feel when their children grow up and move away.  It's a very strange feeling to go from a full house to an empty nest.

We had our first visitors this past week and it was kind of a tight fit in our small apartment and we had a wild toddler!  There was lots of noise and running and playing, some getting annoyed and a little arguing, of course.  Overall, I think everyone had a great week; we were able to do a lot of things!  We spent a night in Copenhagen and a night in Gothenburg.  We spent a few nights here in Jönköping/Huskvarna.  We did a lot of walking!  I mean a lot!!!  I'm kind of surprised I was able to make it, especially since I feel like this baby belly of mine has doubled in the past week.  He's getting really heavy to carry around and I still have 8 weeks left!  I am really not sure if/how I am going to make it.  I kind of feel like Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, after she ate that gum and turned into a giant blueberry!  I am waiting for the Oompah Loompahs to come and roll me out to be juiced...I think I would feel a lot better!

Try not to look too closely at the picture.  It is sans makeup after a 2 hour drive from Gothenburg, but since I skipped last week and feel like being lazy all weekend I figured it was the best it was going to get.  Lately, I find that my belly "dips" into a lot of stuff; like, the kitchen and bathroom sink, the counter top and other places, and I get stuff on me under the belly.  Which, of course, I cannot see so I end up walking around with a wet or dirty stripe under my belly all of the time.  I'm sure it's pretty funny to other people.