36 weeks

* How Far Along: 36 weeks. Only 4 weeks left
* Size of baby: Ultrasound reveals a 6lb 9oz baby plus/minus a pound
* Total Weight Gain/Loss: 36 pounds <---that should be fun to lose!
* Maternity Clothes: Unless I have to leave the house I usually just wear the Nike cotton shorts that I have in 4 different colors. It's hot hot hot!
* Gender: A boy. I made the ultrasound tech confirm today that baby was still indeed a boy and she said, "the man parts didn't fall off."
* Movement: He's gone from acrobat to a Kung-Fu Fighter. I get those jabs in the middle of my stomach as a gentle reminder that the space is getting tight down there.
* Sleep: Ugh....my nemesis! I rely on one tylenol pm to help me out with the restlessness, soreness, and constant adjustment. I try to go to bed as early as I can as Joey likes to rise around 6:30am. Typically he just comes into my room and watches tv while I sleep for an hour or so more. Gotta love that about a 4 year old!
* What I miss: wearing matching flip flops. Seriously! I looked down one day and I had one dark brown flip flop and one black flip flop on!
* Cravings: Anything that sounds good at the moment. I am craving fresh summer produce and my shopping list for tomorrow would rival a vegetarians!
* Symptoms: Hormonal mood swings...still. I am very sensitive lately and back handed comments and even looking at me wrong usually results in tears.
Braxton Hicks contractions come and go, but they are getting to be more common.
* Best moment this week: Joey woke up the other day on the verge of tears and said, "it's taking for a long time for baby brother to get here." He's getting so excited, even though I see a little bit of jealousy coming out.
* What Joey thinks: Joey likes the attention of being an almost big brother, but you can tell he is feeling a little bit anxious about it all. The mild jealousy is starting to show up in the form of tantrums during my maternity photo shoot and trying to turn the lights on during the ultrasound (since the attention was not on him).
*What I think: I am feeling nervous and anxious (see below bullet). Things are almost all ready for baby boy's big arrival. I guess we should finally decide on a name though.
36 week ultrasound/appointment: Today I had an ultrasound and appointment. The ultrasound went well, but I definitely noticed the technician spending some time studying the screen while the doppler was near my belly button. I asked if everything was OK and she said it was. While waiting for my doctor appointment, the ultrasound tech came back out to get me and wanted to have a "second set of eyes" on the ultrasound so my doctor stepped in as well. It's not diagnosed completely, but it looks like baby boy has a 2 vessel umbilical cord, when normally a baby has 3 (two arteries, 1 vein). They both thought that they saw 3, but only two were able to be picked up on the screen. Either the baby was not in the right position or the 3rd vessel flattened. Neither seemed too concerned about it and my doctor said that you can "theorize" that because baby boy is only in the 50th percentile for his weight at this time that that could be the result of only having two vessels. He said not to worry, but of course it didn't stop me from researching it further. Most of what I read stated a lower birth weight for baby was a possibility, but there are also further complications. Most 2 vessel cords are found in the 20 week u/s, but since mine is now only showing up in the 36 week u/s it may be just fine. Since my doctor isn't worried about it, I will try not too either. I still am wanting a VBAC, but if for some reason that may further complicate things I will elect for a c-section in a heartbeat!
*What's next?: 37 week appointment next Tuesday.