40 weeks!--Happy due date to me!

(Pic to come.)

How far along? 40 weeks!

Baby size: Watermelon-size still.  On average, about 20 inches long and between 7 and 9 pounds.  (This is just based on averages...we don't know her size.)

Total weight gain: 24 pounds at my doctor appointment on Friday.

Sleep: Good and bad.  I am up at 6 am writing this post on a Saturday morning because indigestion woke me up (and this is after I unloaded the dishwasher and picked up the living room).  I also think nerves and being anxious are also keeping me awake now.

Movement: Still quite a bit of movement.  Her twists and rolls still crack me up at times.  It's hard to believe I have a full-grown infant moving around inside of me.

Food cravings/aversions: Still craving the junk food.  I drank a coke and ate Ritz crackers this morning around 5 am.  Isn't that lovely? I'm also enjoying Burger King.  Weird.  (On Halloween night, I didn't feel well at all.  I was in pain all over and simply starving.  Justin went ahead and went to my sis-in-law's for their annual Halloween get-together.  I stayed home and got Burger King for dinner.  Whopper value meal with cheese...up-sized to a large.  Never in my life have I done that.)

Pregnancy Symptoms: Nothing new really.  Cramping has intensified at times.  Indigestion has returned.  The pressure and pelvic pain has become way more intense at times.  All normal symptoms, though.

What I miss: At this point, I'm content and just taking in the last days of being pregnant because I know the end is in sight! :) --ditto from last week

What I'm looking forward to: Again, meeting her! --ditto from last week

Milestones: Happy due date to me!! (November 5, 2011)  However, I will say, hitting this milestone without sight of baby is difficult...especially for someone like me that's impatient.  I also decided to start my maternity leave last Thursday.  I started having really difficult days at school--both physically and mentally.  So I decided to go ahead and kick it in gear.  I never planned on working past my due date, anyway.  My sweet principal and co-workers were very supportive.  Now I'm hoping that she comes early this week so I didn't start it too early--Justin keeps reminding me that even if she's not here, this time is good for both me and her to relax and ensure things remain healthy and progress positively until the very end.  I'm thankful for a hubby that always helps put things into perspective.

As far as doc appointment went on Friday, I'm still at 1 cm.  My doctor thinks I'll stay there until I go into active labor.  She was very happy with that and positive that I even got that far on my own since it's my first.  She stripped my membranes (not even half as bad as people make that procedure out to be--at least with my experience).  Baby's heart-rate was "beautiful" as stated by my doctor.  She explained that it was "great" that I'm feeling crampy since pain means progress at this point.  She said she would expect to see me within the next 24 to 48 hours (I'll believe it when I see it) but we did schedule an ultrasound for this coming Thursday to check fluid levels if I haven't had her and an appointment for Friday where we will begin the discussion on induction.  She said based on how things look, she doesn't think I'm a candidate for going to 42 weeks--that she thinks I'll go into labor on my own before that.  Again, we'll see.

Best moment this week: Well I guess it was nice to start my maternity leave.  However, it's difficult to "enjoy" the time when I'm feeling so anxious and impatient to meet this sweet baby.  Working on this--I walked both of our malls with hubby on Thursday, shopped with my mom, grandma, and aunt on Friday, and I'm going to our church's holiday bazaar today.  Staying busy.

Moments with Justin: How about a mini-cry session in the middle of Penn Station due to my anxiousness and impatience?! Only my sweet husband would just hug me.  I'm often a mess these days.  Pregnancy hormones at.their.finest.  (At least it was a laughable moment after I pulled myself together over lunch and we had left the restaurant.)  I'm a mess and a work in progress....pregnant or not. ;)