36 Weeks Update- Whoa Mama!

   I'm 36 weeks and a few days, it's so weird that many women have their babies at this time.  It's a great feeling to know it could be anytime now.  I was anxious to talk with my doctor and get some clues as to how close I am.  Our appointment was yesterday and he did just an ultrasound.  He won't check how dilated I am, until later or when I start having some labor signs.  Too bad.  He did tell me that there are 5 stages of engagement in the birth canal and Carter is at the 2 1/2 level.  He's also in the correct position for labor.  That made me happy to know.  The biggest shocker came when I weighed in.  Usually I gain about 1-2 lbs. every 2 weeks, well in the past 2 weeks I've gained 6 lbs!  The only explanation is the baby is growing rapidly, because I certainly haven't been eating more.   As you can see from the belly shot, I'm much bumpier than before.  Now the total weight gain is 28 lbs.  Dr.Wong estimated that Carter is just over 6 lbs. and if he goes full term will be around 7 lbs.  I doubt that, my sister and I were both over 8 lbs.  For the 3rd time, Dr. Wong said our baby has a fat face.  I think in China that means "healthy face", either way, he's messing with the wrong lady.  Admittedly, his face does look rather round.
   I've started packing my hospital bag and our camera is charged.  I have one more week left at work and have to finish report cards in that time.  I've worked the past 3 weekends in a row, in order to earn more personal days, so I'm pretty worn out.  I'm enjoying waddling to and from work everyday, 30 min. each way, which I hope will speed things along.  I'm so excited because my school is throwing a shower for us next week.  My colleagues have been so kind and supportive this year and I feel beyond blessed to work with such sweet, Christian people.
  I'll keep you more updated now that I will be seeing the doctor every week.  Thanks for reading!

36 weeks

                                                       For comparison, here is 1 month ago..

32 weeks

33 Weeks Update- So this is what they call "nesting"

       I kept hearing pregnant people say they were going through a nesting phase and I was thinking, "that won't happen to me." Nesting means you start cleaning, organizing, and preparing your home for the baby. It's actually strange how it just hit me. For the past week, I've gone to sleep and woken up thinking about what area of my apartment I will organize today. Then I'll try to go back to sleep, but the thoughts and urge to organize is so strong, I have to get up and do it right then. I organized the office, dining area, bedroom, and all of Carter's stuff. Who knew, how much fun it could be! Yesterday, Blair caught the nesting bug and spent hours on a mission to find, where does our dust originate from?? He searched high and low and determined the filter on the dehumidifier was the source. He spent an hour cleaning it with a toothbrush. I told him I didn't think a dehumidifier produces dust, so he kept searching. Finally, as much as we claimed, our dog doesn't shed, Blair thinks she's a large contributor to the dust and fuzz problem. Asia is getting a nice haircut on Monday!
     Also, I've been obsessed over finding the perfect stroller. I think we've decided on the Maclaren Quest, in grey. It's really light-weight and has a strong frame. We've had a few heated discussions in the baby store to reach this agreement. Blair was driving me crazy because he kept saying, "I'm sure there are more stores in Hong Kong to look at, we'll just keep looking." I'm thinking, "My feet and back can't handle anymore looking around, just make a friggin' decision!" I even couldn't sleep one night because I was thinking about a stroller, I only slept 3 hours that night. Who am I??
     This must be the most exciting post I've ever written, sorry. It's more for documenting the phases of my pregnancy.

33 weeks