36 weeks :: Sophia is the size of a crenshaw melon!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

How far along?: 36 weeks exactly

How big is baby?: Almost 6 pounds, oh my!

Maternity clothes?: I pretty much live in yoga pants and tanks...best thing ever.

Stretch marks?: Still none...keep crossing those fingers!

Sleep?: Still good! My hips were getting a bit sore so I started sleeping with my body pillow again, which helped.

Best moment this week?: Spending time with Jordan's family at Brianne's wedding reception. Nothing like summer nights by a bonfire :)

Movement?: She's not in my ribs quite as often, but when she does stick a foot in there it hurts so bad! She loves to roll around in there though.

Food cravings?: I had a major craving for brownie batter but didn't give into it because I figured raw eggs were probably not the best thing for baby!

Labor signs?: I thought I was going into labor on Friday! I had been really crampy since Thursday evening and it got worse on Friday. Then when I left work, I went to Hobby Lobby and started experiencing stop-me-in-my tracks, have to breathe through them contractions for almost an hour. I was about to call my doctor if I got one more but then they completely quit, thank goodness!

Belly button in or out?: Still in!

What I miss: Photography. I've taken a break from shooting (still editing though!) until after Sophia arrives and I miss it already.

What I'm looking forward to: Getting our bathroom finished! Still not done...hopefully within the next few days.

Well, after my little "labor" scare...I decided I needed to get myself into gear and get my hospital bag packed. I think I packed entirely way too much stuff...oh well! I think I'll take the car seat over to the fire station to make sure that it gets installed properly today too. Sophia, you're not allowed to come yet! Mommy & daddy aren't ready for you quite yet :)

I don't know why, but I just have this feeling that I'm not going to make it to my due date. I have been crampy since Thursday and my Braxton Hicks contractions are starting to get painful now. They were HORRIBLE on Friday. Of course I was out in public (alone) while all of this was happening...I kept having visions of myself running out of the store with my pants soaked and not making it to the hospital in time. Jordan has to come everywhere with me now...I refuse to go anywhere alone :)