Week 38

“You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way.” Ephesians 4:3

I keep forgetting to take a picture...But I wanna post this anyway before it's too late ahh!

How far along?

Whoops! A day late on the blog this time. 38 weeks, 1 day. THIRTEEN DAYS til due date. Y'all. I hope this the last baby bump post. I really, really, really do! It probably will be-- even if Eli is still cooking at 40 weeks-- because if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Baby size?
Eli could be somewhere around 6.5 to 7 lbs. The weekly email says he's the size of a leek. These produce analogies were fun at the beginning, but they sure didn't finish strong.

Weight gain?
Total of 28-32 lbs. Going up and down every day now.

Sleep?
Between being 9 months preggers and everything that comes with it, a sinus cold, and noisy neighbors, sleep is precious and elusive. Nap time is all the time.

Cravings?
Still fruit and sweets. Being sick has kept the eating frenzy at bay…sort of. I ate almost an entire pineapple in one sitting. Made a batch of strawberry cupcakes. And for some reason, a sleeve of honey roasted peanuts hit the spot after a hike.

Aversions?
None

Symptoms?
Aches and pains. Noticeably loose joints. Starting to have some swelling in my ankles and feet. (Daily walks, feet up at night, avoiding salt, and drinking lots of water is the cure. I'm actually not swollen on the days we walk or hike because it helps circulation so much.) We are getting to watch Eli's every move. Having a decent amount of Braxton Hicks.

Mood?
Excited! I have so much less anxiety and worry than I had those horrible few weeks not long ago. I'm much more at rest. Being sick did make me a little grumpy though. The sinus pressure and a restricted airway in addition to these already-squished lungs were no fun. (Never been so thankful for a Z Pack! Two weeks of this was far too long.) I've been pretty content at this stage of the pregnancy otherwise. My wanting Eli to come on out is because I miss him- not because I'm near the point of physical misery. Yet?!

Looking forward to? 
Eli's grand entrance!

What's new?
- Car seat is installed, and we're packed.
- Baby dome has dropped.
- Applying all those safe and natural motivators for Eli's eviction. 
- Getting great reports at my weekly appointments. Eli is locked and loaded.

Prayer Requests?

- Both of our friends who were deployed are back at home with their families! Thank you for your prayers for the Hulls and the Rodolphs while they were gone. Please join us in prayer over their transitions and readjustments back to work, family, and friends. Coming home is one of the most amazing experiences, but it can also be one of the most difficult. It is a learning process and takes an insane amount of hard work, humility, and communication for any family. Pray for soft hearts and patience. 
- Please pray for our overall health. Pray for the bond that Hubs and I will have during Eli's journey to the outside. Pray for excitement, peace, rest, and joy over the next weeks and during delivery.

This baby bump journey has been so fun to follow with you. 

Here's to hoping our next blog post will be a birth announcement!