{36 weeks}

Entering my 36th week of pregnancy has been my hardest to date. I entered our 36th week of pregnancy smack dab in the middle of my 4 12 hour work stretch...in the ICN. It ran me ragged. By the 2nd 12, my feet were stinging by lunch, I felt my hands swelling, and I was just exhausted. The atmosphere of the ICN is just so different than the NICU; mostly because the babies under your care take more time and parents are often at the bedside for hours of the day. It just means that I cannot sit as often as downstairs (albeit, there are days in the NICU that you don't sit down either). By Saturday evening, as I ended my 3rd 12 hour shift (on my first day of 36 weeks), I was exhausted. My feet STUNG! I don't think I have felt this bad ever in the entire pregnancy. Luckily, I was able to have an easier day Sunday, which made the day seem better. I am fortunate I do not have any more 4 day stretches left of pregnancy!! 

Monday I found some strength and purged, purged, purged. My mom came over and took bags of old paperwork (my entire 4 years of nursing school paperwork/binders/tests/study notes/homework/CARE PLANS) to the trash....at first I started to rummage through the papers...but after the first load was dumped, I started to feel happier, and the rest of the purging was easier. I could purge a little more (especially in my closet), but I made a big dent and everything feels organized in the office. 

I also had my 36th week OB check up on Monday. Luckily, little Jack is a good baby and his head down!!!! I haven't dilated, which I'm happy about. I have a few more things I need to accomplish before he comes. Plus, I am taking some pregnancy pics this coming Saturday (at 37 weeks). 

On Tuesday, I worked on nursery decorations. I have alphabet letters I want to paint to place above the crib. With the help of Tiffany, I cricuted jungle animals to frame above the changing table/dresser. And I found cardboard letters to spell Jack. I'm not sure if I'll leave them on the windowsill or hang them on the wall....but everything is coming together!! I'm excited to have it all done!

Then came Wednesday morning...the beginning of a 2 day work stretch. I had two babies that each weighed 1.5 pounds each. I clocked in at 0700, and hit the ground running. I don't think I charted my first 0800 assessment until about 1600...yes, another busy day. I loved the day...caring for 2 micropremies is amazing...but again my feet are DONE working. I am getting to that point of just being done with work....

Then on Thursday morning, I awoke at about 2 am with heartburn. What? This has never happened before...ugh, it's not fun, and it lasted about 45 minutes....just in the middle of really good sleep. But somehow ~ I am not sure how ~ I received a call at 0505 on Thursday morning, letting me know I could have the day off. What? This has been unheard of since about July! This MADE my day. It turned out that I was able to get the entire 12 hour shift off! I slept in. When I stood up for the first time, my feet ached...what is wrong with them? But I was able to relax, do some school work, and do other things around the house.

Tomorrow, Friday, I am making final preparations to get things ready for the maternity photo shoot on this Saturday. I'm a little nervous, but super excited to get some last minute pictures before little bean arrives! :)

{35 weeks}
 

The 35th week of pregnancy is here :) I kicked off the 35th week by seeing Wicked, the musical on Saturday. Christine and I had surprised our mom with tickets and dinner for her birthday. I probably would never have seen it if it wasn't for my mom wanting to see it so badly. Well, it did not disappoint and I highly recommend it! It was amazing. Probably my favorite musical EVER! 

 

 

This has been the week of baby :)

Sunday, I was treated to a fabulous baby shower hosted by my mom, sister and mother-in-law. I have been preparing for baby and seeing him grow each week, but it made the whole pregnancy seem more real....everyone talking about Jack and seeing baby things he will soon use... I felt very blessed to be surrounded by family and friends who showed so much love and support to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you mom, Christine and Nancy for hosting a beautiful event for me. I can actually say I am starting to believe that a baby will be here in almost 1 month!!!

 
 

At Dinner Club on Tuesday, I was spoiled with a few more baby gifts and love by friends in the club. (Oh and one of the girl's mom is a fancy caterer...and she cooked for us this time while teaching us some of the tricks of the trade). It was FABULOUS!

As the week of baby continues, I just returned from a baby shower with my coworkers. Jaime and Tiffany threw me a wonderful shower. Thank you to both of you! ...Again, I am just in awe from the wonderful support I received from all my friends for Jack and me. I can really say that Jack is already spoiled...and I am ready for baby!!!! (in 4 more weeks though, not any sooner please...and when I finish his laundry!!)

 

 Thanks Jaime and Tiffany for organizing my awesome baby shower!

 I don't know what's happening here...but blame it on being preggers!

As I finished hanging up all the new clothes and putting away all the other treats, I can't help but smile. I still find it surreal that in ~ 1 month, an actual baby will be using all this great stuff. I can't wait!!!!

{34 weeks}

We're at 34 weeks!! And to welcome in the week, I received a special treat on October 6th: a LCD from work. I got to leave at 3pm, which makes for a free afternoon. It was a beautiful, sunny evening...Brandon and I strolled along Lake Washington, ordered his new iPhone (his birthday present) and ate out at the Cheesecake Factory. It was a nice break in my 4 day work stretch! 

As for Little Bean, he continuously grows more active and active every day. I am feeling entire body parts (even the spine) jut in and out of my belly. This active baby has been a great blessing and I am throughly enjoying the weeks. His movements are reassuring me that he is healthy and also gearing me up for November 17th, when we get to meet the little guy! Speaking of that, I need to decide on his first outfit {to go home from the hospital in!}

His room is coming along...we have a crib mattress [thanks to Tom & Nancy :) ] and I think I found the wall art we will display in his room. More on that with pictures later....

Such a beautiful October evening on Lake Washington. 

Playing with the geese! 

Things are continuing to go well...and I couldn't be happier. Life is good :) for which I am thankful.  

{33 weeks}

...and Brandon's 29th birthday :)

 

Saturday, marked the kick off for our 33rd week of pregnancy. Where does the time keep flying off to? The weekend was spent celebrating Brandon's 29th birthday :) His last before the big 3-0 hits. Between, Husky game, lobsters, friends, family, wakeboarding, and a fish fry, I think he got enough celebration in!

As for the pregnancy, holy buckets. The kicks and rolls have suddenly come on full swing. Watching my stomach become lopsided, with a few quick & strong kicks in a row is crazy. I can feel bony prominences sticking out and retreating back as quickly as they came. It's super fun...and still amazing to think about. We keep telling Jack that we can't wait to meet him...7 weeks seems soooo far away...but then we tell him..'no, stay in...we can wait' ;) I still need to get him some cute decorations for the room. I have a couple ideas....one for over the crib, and one for over the changing table area.....still a work in progress. 

Speaking of work, on Friday I met with the NNP program co-lead at UW. She happens to work at Valley, but I have never met her since she only works weekends....and I do not. I have to admit, I was nervous to meet her for my first meeting with her....I felt as if I was a freshman in high school, 7 + months pregnant. When she saw my belly, I immediately relaxed when I realized she wasn't laughing at me for thinking I could do school while pregnant (or with a new baby). She said that I could easily switch to part time....and there was no official timeline I had to follow.  I couldn't be kicked out of the program for taking too long...I am 'grandfathered' in. Yay! {I think} So I decided to continue taking classes this quarter. She told me that I could see how things were going after the baby...and decided to register for a class in January or hold off a quarter.....so it seems doable...I seem to be taking things day by day. Things have a way of working out...if they are supposed to. :) 

As for work, I am continuing to work my 0.9 FTE hopefully through November when Jack is born. For this upcoming weekend, I requested 48 hours of LCDs...but since work has called me on each of my days off saying they are 3 or 4 short, I doubt I have much of a chance even receiving a 4 hour LCD. Oh well, I guess I feel lucky I am still able to work and feel really great. Thank you, thank you, thank you...it is not taken for granted (especially when I work in the NICU).

 

 Husky game - W over Stanford 

 Lobsters for birthday

 

A beautiful sunny day for a 29th birthday

{32 weeks} 

Friday, Sep 21, we took the Amtrak train across the entire state of New York from Niagra Falls to Rhinebeck, a town about 2 hours north of NYC. We luckily reserved business class, so we enjoyed ample leg room, comfy reclining seats, free beverages and Wi-Fi....what more could we ask for on the 7 1/2 hour train ride!

Friday night was Liz's cocktail party to welcome wedding guests. It was sooo good to see her and she looked beauitufl. Loved both of her dresses....the cocktail party dress and her wedding dress :)

Carly, Liza, Blaire, Liz, Colleen, me, and Karen. So good to see all the girls :)

Saturday welcome the 32nd week of our pregnancy. :) I really can't believe it. Only 8 more weeks left...well I think I'll be a week late but who knows. We had lunch at the wedding venue, explored the grounds and hung out. Saturday night was Liz's wedding and it was fantastic. So good to see you Liz.

Playing around at lunch at Locusts on Hudson

Congratulations Liz! Wishing you and Stu a lifetime of happiness :)

 Cocktail Hour

Sunday was traveling day (again :). From taxi, to Amtrax, to subway, to bus, to La Guardia airport to plane to home....we made it safely home at 6 pm Sunday....a little edema in the ankles {or cankles} but not too bad. We watched Boardwalk Empire and passed out! 

A fabulous trip to say the least!