37 WEEKS (WINTER MELON) - Dec 11-17

Comparing this photo to the 36 week one is strange... Only one week apart. Belly is sitting lower and more... out? No wonder my lower back is so sore!

(Here's the 36 week one for reference...)

I started to "worry" that this might be the last week I'd have a chance to do bare-belly photos. Looks like I've made it another week, but I got sentimental!

As you can see, my belly-button is off centre (sitting more to my right). That is because most of baby's body is on my left! Lop-sided beach ball belly :)

• Some of this post may be TMI... You've been warned... and will be warned again.
• The reality that baby could come any day is starting to sink in. I start taking more consideration into how far from home we go, where David's jobs are, what the road conditions are like, etc. Some days I'm so ready. Some days I get super nervous!
• Baby is 6.5 lb (ish) and probably around 20 inches long. I don't expect much (if any) more growth in length, but he will keep gaining weight until he's born! Maybe an early baby wouldn't be so bad after all... :S
• Baby doesn't have much room left in there, but he still finds ways to be active and kick around! Getting his exercise in... His latest favorite seems to be, "Let's see how far I can kick out and make mommy's stomach stretch to the side in a creepy cone shape!" I'll have to try get a picture that does this justice one day. Way too weird. 
I didn't capture a picture to show this, but check out this quick 30 second video I took looking down on my belly. The last 5 seconds is the craziest! SOOOO alien!! <3
• Baby didn't come on my 25th birthday (December 11), so that is a plus! My birthday remains MY birthday for a while longer! :)
• I'm having increased discomfort... heartburn, rib pain, back pain, restless sleep, frequent urination. Can't complain though, because I'm not working!! I can spend my baby-less days however I feel I need to. This most often involves some chores, random "to do's", blogging, watching a TV show, taking a nap... what a life. Haha!
• Our hospital bag is (mostly) packed, we have washed all the baby clothes, we have our car seat installed, we have the bassinet ready, we have been gradually (albeit maybe not enough) working with Sherlock to get him ready, I've applied for EI Maternity Leave benefits... we are almost ready for this baby to come! As ready as we'll ever be I guess. 
• I went to a physiotherapist who works with pregnant women and postpartum women. She showed me some stretches that are good for pregnancy as well as prepping for labor & delivery. Next time I see her will be 6-8 weeks after baby and we will focus more on recovery from delivery and strengthening my pelvic floor. 

• TMI SECTION:
• December 12 & 13 I was having "loose stools" for lack of a better word. This is NOT regular for me at all. I let the doula know as this is a common early sign of labor, and she assured me this can happen many times before labor actually starts, but to keep being aware of my body. EEK! 
• Update: Nothing ever came of that this week, but I'll be ready!
• This week I first noticed some lactation from my right breast while I was in the shower. I was able to express a little colostrum. I try every time out of curiosity, but nothing ever came of it until now! To be honest it freaked me out a little bit... This is all too real!