Almost Full Term!!!

I had my 36 week check-up today and everything continues to be great! Yay! The belly is actually measuring at 37 (I think I may have already mentioned this, but the belly should measure the same as how many weeks pregnant you are) and the baby is in a head down position. I did gain 3 more pounds...ugh...and I have some stretch marks showing up on the underside of my belly (Ben told me that because I can't see them unless I use a mirror). You can sort of see them in the picture...nasty things aren't they?!? My feet are swollen slightly, but my hands have become the problem recently. My right hand is so swollen (a lot more than my left hand) and now the tip of the middle finger on my right hand is constantly numb and tingly! I asked the doctor about it today and she told me that it was just the result of some pinching of nerves and that it is nothing to worry about. It is such an annoying thing though. It feels weird just to type this entry!! As for everything else pregnancy related I feel great. Sleep is getting more and more difficult, but during the day I am fine. The baby still moves quite a bit (less kicking and more slow movements across the belly) and it's now getting to the point that many movements are uncomfortable. I sometimes have to push back to make it feel better. Oh, and one thing that I almost forgot, the braxton hicks contractions have really been underway recently!! They do not feel good at all (the belly hardens up and then I feel cramping and pressure near the lower part of my belly). The doctor says that it's an amazing thing, the body, because it knows what to do and it's getting itself ready. These "false labor" contractions wake me up sometimes at night and sometimes I have several in an hour. Yuck! And to top it off, I'm pretty sure that they're only going to start coming more often! It's all part of the excitement though, right?!?
As for everything else, I have been really busy this week (which is good because it takes my mind off of the waiting). I actually spent some time this week in my classroom trying to get things ready for my maternity leave (I am taking 9 weeks off) and I met some friends (Rachel and Destinee) for dinner. It was so nice to see those girls and catch up on things. I also had dinner at my dad's Monday & Tuesday night (Katrina made a great dinner and then there were leftovers the next night...bonus!!). Then yesterday Katrina and I went to Main Dish Kitchen where we made 7 meals to store in the freezer. This way when the baby is here all I have to do is get a meal out of the freezer and cook it. There is no chopping veggies, mixing ingredients, or washing of big dishes. Yeah! I love the idea and they even has a "New Mom" promotion going on right now, so I'll definitely be going back when the baby is here. And finally this week I started packing for the hospital. I have one bag for the labor part and then a larger bag for the postpartum period. I still have some finishing to do, but at least I'm somewhat ready. :)
This weekend Ben and I are heading to his grandma's to spend some time at the lake. Ben has a guy day planned (with friends from high school) on Saturday, so I'll be flying solo that day (hey, at least I'll be able to swim and lounge in the sun) and then Sunday Randy and Kristen are coming to visit us at the lake. It should be a great, relaxing weekend! I don't have too many of those left, so I am trying to enjoy it while I can.