35 weeks

A few people have asked if I'm having twins! Nope, I'm just massive. 

One kind person said they thought my bump was small for 35 weeks. They're my new best friend :)

Wednesdays are my actual countdown day, so 35 weeks as of yesterday. Yesterday I was very uncomfortable and tried to rest. I gave myself a few small tasks too. Baby Woo's stretches and kicks hurt when my bump is hard with "practice" contractions. My hips and lower back have been sore so I've been taking  lots of baths to help with that. Sweet Mr Woo brought home some lavender bubble bath to soothe my aching bones. 

Regardless of my late pregnancy aches and pains and heartburn I am still enjoying being pregnant. It's so amazing. My body has been housing a whole new person! Feeding & protecting her!

 I love having my little baby with me all of the time. She is due to arrive into this world in 5 short weeks! It seems like yesterday Mr Woo and I found out she'd be coming into our lives.  I am blissfully unaware of how much our lives may change. I have no clue how we're going to feel. But I do think we'll be very happy. Our lives never being the same again doesn't strike me as a bad thing. I've seen my husband becoming a father and my love for him has deepened. I've become a zealous protector of this tiny soon to be born person. It is as though a switch flipped and I will do anything to make sure she is safe, healthy and happy, even now. 

I've been so touched by the kindness and love others have shown Baby Woo. People that I hardly know have made things for her and given sweet thoughtful gifts. Cousins that I haven't spoken to or seen in years have bought gifts and have written to ask about how I'm feeling. It's truly remarkable. 

Babies grow joy. I'm sure of this now. 

  

Before I start crying and need to blow my swollen nose (yes, my nose has swollen. People don't tell you that your NOSE will grow in pregnancy! Thankfully it returns to normal postpartum.)

I'd better show you the photos of the onesies the sweet ladies from Baby Woo's shower made! Including a few that a special friend sent in the post as she wasn't able to attend the shower! Thanks Vicky! 

i love buttons. 

Baby Woo has some very thoughtful and talented Aunties doesn't she?!

I need to introduce you to Baby Woo's newest friend....

I'm pretty sure I told you about Benjamin in the last post.

the lovely changing table...now I need to get in gear to make a matching cover for the changing pad!
notice my Rennie heartburn relief on the shelf? Ha! 

There ya have it folks...One week closer to holding Baby Woo! Hasn't it been an exciting week?! Mr Woo and I are attending our Child Birth class on Saturday. I'm a tiny bit nervous, maybe because it's all becoming very real! Ready or not, she's coming! 

Baby Woo's Shower

Sunday was our day for spoiling! 

Our dear friend Heather, who only just had an accident at work and ended up with a concussion, threw Baby Woo & me baby shower! Baby showers are only just sort of coming into popularity over here in Blighty, so it was extra special. 

Despite her concussion and 8 stitches she organised everything and got over early to prepare, with a little help from her boyfriend Andy. Andy put up Baby Woo's shelves too! So all the thoughtful presents had a home ready and waiting :D

mmmm!

The girls sent me out for coffee and decorated. 

We got some exciting news! There is another baby on the way! 

THE MOST ADORABLE AND YUMMY CUPCAKES EVER! 

What every celebration needs, a Christmas tree! 

How about a few more pix of the nursery, which is still very slowly coming together....

Gorgeous Door Hanger from Auntie Faith

How cute are these two who will live on the bookshelf! 

Little Snoopy! Thank you Faith! I searched everywhere and never found one! 

The start of Baby Woo's college fund thanks to Auntie's Toni & Krista  

Baby Woo's books! 

Tikki Tikki Tembo, Matilda and The Story of Little Black Sambo :)

Vintage Planter, minus the plant because I am terrible at keeping plants alive....

Just a few soft toys! There may not be room for Baby in there! 

That ragged raccoon is my teddy Rocky.

My very favorite of Baby Woo's dresses! 

It was an intimate gathering and we had such a lovely time! We ate lots and even sampled baby foods for one of the games! Gross! I'll tell you, I am glad I've made the choice make baby food from scratch! It was sooo gross even being the good organic stuff! 

We played some other games including "Guess the size of the bump" - not a nice game for the heavily pregnant mother to be you guys! 

One of the last things we did, and my favorite, was to paint onesies for Baby Woo! I still plan on stringing them up on a line so we can see them all and how precious they are, so those photos will be for next time, but they're lovely! Very sweet indeed. 

Our friend who so generously gave us the crib has given us the matching changing unit too. Her husband dropped it off early Sunday morning & I managed to put it together today! Photos to come...

I brought out the carry cot and dusted it off today as well....there was something residing in it already....

A SPIDER!!! EEEEW! I hate spiders! And this one was big and gross. It ran away under the crib!
Daddy Woo will have to find that thing and get it outside.
Another sweet surprise for today was Daddy Woo came in with a GIANT teddy bear! He won it at the community club that he runs on a Tuesday! Thankfully Benjamin Bear has taken over for the spider in the carry cot. 

In a few short weeks time my tiny baby will take over for Benjamin Bear in the carry cot & I am so excited! 

Mr Woo & I will be attending our childbirth class on Saturday and then I've got a final scan to check on the amniotic fluid levels. 

THEN IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will see my midwife after Christmas. Then it's just waiting for my body and baby to say it's time! 

34 Weeks

I am still surprised every day at how quickly these months have passed! So many people told me to expect time to draaaag, but I have experienced the very opposite. Maybe because I have loved every moment of being pregnant. It's been an adventure of discovery and magical! I've not always felt well and now I'm getting quite uncomfortable in every part of my body, but I have LOVED growing this baby & bonding with her. 

Even when she wallops me or I have painful practice contractions or terrible heartburn I treasure it. 

Some of you, my dear friends, have told me how heartburn is a sure sign of baby having a head full of hair...looks like you were absolutely right! 

I had a scan yesterday to check on Baby Woo's growth. We saw her in so much more detail, her little pursed lips, cute button nose and "mop of hair"! At first the sonographer said "she {baby} has some fuzz on her head...nope, she's got a mop of hair!". We could see it even though it was just a normal 2D ultrasound! 

Just like me, Baby Woo will enter this world with a head full of luscious locks ;)

My Mom said I looked like a spider monkey with all of my dark sticking up hair.
What do you think?

Baby Me circa 1977.

 I guess Baby Woo won't be needing any headbands in order to wear the sweet bows her Aunt Lindsay is making, she'll have enough hair to just clip 'em right on! 

During our check up yesterday the doctor found that I have polyhydramnios or too much amniotic fluid around baby. It's a very mild case, but as a result I had some blood tests to check for infection. I do not have diabetes or any of the other issues that can cause polyhydramnios and we will go

back to the hospital in 2 weeks for another scan to check on the fluid level again. 

The doctor isn't worried and neither are Mr Woo &  I. It's a pretty common complication 1 in 100 pregnancies. At this stage, being so close to full term the only action they might take would be to induce labor early if I am too uncomfortable, that might be a huge blessing actually!

This Sunday my sweet friend Heather is throwing a baby shower for me. It's going to be a very small and laid back affair, but I couldn't be more excited :) 

I'll take lots of photos so that I can share what we get up to!

I'd better get back to making this custom necklace and bracelet order or else! 

TTFN 

x