Week 34, Day 6

A lot has happend since the last update. Zoe and I have started summer school, we had a baby shower and Brandon and Christine have moved in with us! Life is good!

Matt and I had a midwife appointment yesterday. We met with Roswitha, our fourth midwife to meet. She grew up in Germany and has a thick german accent. Matt keeps telling me he hopes we get her because he wants to hear her tell me to "pooush." Silly boy. I gained 4 pounds in 3 weeks. She seemed... less than excited about that. I was pretty sure she was on the verge of calling me fat, but maybe she is just foreign and I read her wrong. She is nice though, as long as we aren't talking about weight. :op

Zoe had a strong heartbeat and my blood pressure is still low - 107/72. She continues to be head down - although her butt is so bony at first Roswitha thought she might have her head over on my right side - but she said she successfully felt the head at the bottom. Pray Zoe stays head down! It is most probable that she will, there isn't much room left in there - but I still want her to be head down, down, down.

At 36 weeks you can birth at the birthing center - and so, by the time of our next appointment we will be able to have Zoe at our desired location! Hurrary! Here is a short video made by Mateo at our last appointment. I was in the bathroom.

So, summer school. Monday - Friday, 8:30a-2:30p at UT. Quite the task if pregnant. I was carrying my backpack (you know, because I loathe the rolly bag) but I almost died on Wednesday and I decided that I'm going to have start actually acting pregnant. On Wednesday I had to walk from my last class, to the co-op, then buy some books (adding more weight) then catch the Forty Acres and then take the Far West back to my car. My stomach was so tight and I had a ton of pain in my upper ab (or what used to be my abs) area. I started to feel like maybe I was over doing it. Matt is always tell me to rest more and stop doing so much, but its hard when I feel like there is so much to get done! But on Wednesday I actually scared myself, because I don't want to hurt Zoe by lifting more than I should or being exhausted or any other thing. And so, I make changes that I hope will help - since I have to finish this semester. I have completely decided that I don't actually think it is healthy for Zoe - or for me - to carry my backpack. Especially since after being on campus, I consistently have pains/cramps/contractions consist with signs of preterm labor. Now, that doesn't mean I'm going INTO labor - especially since if I rest and drink plenty of water my stomach relaxes and the cramps go away, etc. I talked with Roswitha about this - and the fact of that matter is that these *are* signs of preterm labor and as long as they go away, then that is good - but I need to pay close attention because one time they may not go away - and in her words "we want no preterm babies!" We being the collective, everyone in the room when she said it (Matt, Me, Christine and herself...oh, and Zoe!). So, I have decided that I need to do whatever I can to be kind to my large, awkward, ever growing body. And thus! The rolly bag. School finishes July 9th - I have a final on July 10th. So, as long as Zoe can manage to stay in for 5 more weeks, we'll be good. If she could manage to stay in until we go see Harry Potter that would also be preferred - but I'm not as intent on Harry Potter as I am on finishing summer school!

And so, every day I come home - eat a ton - and then rest. I haven't been doing anything related to HSL, or really anything in general. I do cook dinner - but I've been known to move a chair into the kitchen and sit, rather than stand, at the stove. I really just feel extremely pregnant. I was feeling 100% great until this last month when the tiredness (different than first trimester tiredness), muscle soreness, cramping, back ache, etc came at me full force. Pregnancy..it's a good time!

Finally, some amazing friends and family threw me an amazing shower this past Saturday. Zoe got just about everything she could ever need to be a baby on the outside and my sister even bought me my RUNNING STROLLER! I want to go running so badly I could cry. And believe me, I really could - it doesn't take much these days to set me over the edge. If Matt and I say anything less than kind to one another, or I feel too tired after my school day, or I think about just how big I'm getting - I get sent to tears immediately. Not sobbing, but uncontrollable eye-welling-up-ness (ay, hormones!). The baby shower girls even had Debbie bring a cake from Elms in San Antonio - the very same kind that Matt and I had at our wedding. I am enjoying how Elms is consistently walking me through every big event in my adult life. Here is a picture!

p.s. I forgot to mention that since the last post, Matt and I both turned 23. :)

love!