39 weeks.

I think it's finally hit me. I want to be done. I want this baby out! I'm so ready to meet him or her, and my body is exhausted and so ready. I'm quite proud for making it to 39 weeks without feeling this way, though, so go me! I can definitely see why women would want to be induced, but I'm still so against it. Unless it's medically necessary, inducing is not an option for me.

A couple of people have asked me when the baby is coming, and I've answered, "Could be tomorrow, could be in two weeks." Then I realize that I could have a baby tomorrow, and if that isn't a trip, I don't know what is (besides actually giving birth... I'm sure that's pretty trippy). With every little cramp and tightness in my belly, I get all worked up. "This could be it!" It hasn't been so far, obviously, but the fact that any little thing could be the start to my labor makes my head spin. 

I'm starting to feel fat now (once again, I'm glad I've made it 39 weeks without feeling like this), but I've noticed that if I get dressed and ready for the day, it makes me feel so much better. I've heard that that's one of the most important things for after having the baby, and I plan on getting ready for the day each day after having this babe. Plus, I'm not much of a sweat pants kind of girl. I'd almost always rather be wearing jeans with my hair and make up done, so I've got that much going for me.

I'm still sleeping through the night about half the time (the other half will be the death of me), and get this: still no stretch marks, and still no peeing my pants. It's a dang miracle, I tell you! I'm hoping to make it all the way to the end. I've started walking around the block every day to see if I can get things moving, but nothing yet. And today, out of pure excitement, I made a list of everything I want on my Subway sandwich that Zac will go get me after the baby's here, because I have been craving one of those this whole pregnancy, and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! Footlong ham sandwich, here I come!

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hallow's eve 2013.

On Halloween night, our last holiday as a family of two, Zac and I got ready to spend time with his family. I made some witch's fingers to eat (they grossed everyone out, even myself... excellent!), and Zac taped cotton balls to his hat to finish his costume (any guesses on what he was?!). Then we headed on down to the Swensons.

There, we ate some really good food, like walking taco and homemade chili! On the way down, Zac had texted his mom to ask if there was any walking taco left, since we were coming late. She said yes, and when we got there, it was all gone! Or so the bummed-out Zac thought. Really, they were hiding it the fridge. That was a funny trick, I thought, and it had me laughing!

We had so much fun down there, and ate waaay too much food. And yes, we most definitely took a few pieces of candy from our neighbor's candy bowl she had set out, just like we did last year. Happy Halloween!

PS: I dressed up as trailer trash with a beer belly (had to use that belly somehow), and Zac was a cotton-headed ninny muggins (his idea... he's clever).

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to wichita she goes.

My baby sister, Sara, left for her mission last Wednesday. She'll serve in Wichita, Kansas: land of the corn (as she says, with a half disappointed tone to her voice), and I'm so excited for her!

Last Monday, my whole family went out to eat at a "fancy buffet" (note: no buffets are fancy) in downtown Salt Lake City called The Roof Restaurant. My family took up an entire room, and the conversation was quite loud and interesting, like most Barlocker family dinners are.

Sara and I said goodbye after my mom drove us back to our cars that were parked at the McDonald's off Bangerter. We hugged in the parking lot, and it was kind of sad, but I'm so happy she's doing this. What a strong girl!

I'll miss that little baby sister of mine. 

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finally november.

I celebrated a lot of things today, the first being that it's finally November, the month my little babe will be born. I've been waiting for so long for this month to get here, but it also seems like it crept up on us too quickly. I'll become a mother this month. I'll get to meet my baby. So happy November 1st!

The second was my very last day of work, ever. I will not be going back. I've decided to stay home with my little babe to raise it, and that made me surprisingly nervous today. I had thoughts of What will I do all day? and How will we make it on one income? I've made it my goal to get out of the house at least once every day for the next, I dunno, ten years? I plan on keeping busy and making friends. As far as the one income question goes, we'll be okay. We've got a budget set up, and we'll do well. But my last day of work. I'll miss those people there. My co-workers decorated my desk with balloons and streamers, and brought five kinds of desserts to share! Not to mention that we all went out to lunch where I wanted to go. I will genuinely miss it there, but plan on visiting a few times after the baby comes!

And lastly, these leaves, you guys. The trees just in my complex are so stunning. The last few days, I've come home at the right moment where the sun makes them look golden! So today, in honor of November, I took out my camera and took a few pictures of them, because I know they'll be gone so fast, and that winter will take over  (it's supposed to snow on Monday, for crying out loud!). I wanted to remember fall just a little longer. 

So cheers to November, my baby's birth month!

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38 weeks.

Just two more weeks left?! This whole pregnancy things has flown by, and I'm not sure I like it very much, because I know that when this babe comes, time will go by even faster, and that makes me feel like this babe is already growing up too fast, even though it's not even here yet! Slow. the. crap. down. Cripes.

My midwife estimated that my baby is about 6 1/2 pounds now (that's a really rough estimate though). My belly definitely feels crowded, and I'm sure my baby is almost ready to come out. It stretches all the time, like it's trying to bust outta there! And what do you know, it's as big as a pumpkin, right in time for Halloween! I thought that was pretty awesome.

This week, the sudden wave of uncomfortableness finally hit me. Now I wake up in the middle of the night about half the time, and can't get back to sleep for hours, if at all. I've got lightning crotch, but only in my thighs (lighting thighs...?), and my feet and hands get swollen every so often. It's funny at night when I try to take my wedding ring off. I have a tiny cut on my left ring finger from trying to pull that thing off so many times. I breathe like an obese lady who just ran a marathon every time I move, and bending over is almost impossible (and when it is possible, I feel like dying). I think the worst of it, though, is this acid reflux I get, ya know, about fourteen times a day. Yucky.

But with all the bad stuff, there's twice as much good stuff. For example, reading our new books to this little babe (it loves it, and moves around so much to the sound of our voices), and getting the last pieces of the nursery put together, and looking back in the car to see a little car seat (we finally installed it!) and thinking that there will be a brand new baby in there soon! Not to mention looking at all the tiny clothes in the closet, and making a list of what to pack in the diaper bag (I've looked forward to that for so long... don't think I'm weird. I'm a list maker, and a list involving my baby?! Hot dang!), and feeling the babe's little back and bum push out from my belly, and rubbing them (it loves that, too). My life is about to drastically change, and I really couldn't be more excited!

I'm wrapping up my time at work now, too. Today is my very last Monday, and Friday will be my last day ever. I didn't think I would be sad about it, but now that it's actually here, I am feeling quite down. I'll miss the people here. My boss, who shares his dinner recipes with me, is holding a few of them hostage to make sure I keep in touch. I told him that I'd show up unannounced every now and then with my ornery baby and tell him to entertain me while I sit in his office. I think it'll be a good trade.

I can't believe that I'm this close to being done. It doesn't seem real! Soon we'll have a little baby to take care of and snuggle. Zac told me the other night, "In a few weeks, we'll be parents for the rest of our lives." Here we go!

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maternity pictures.

Remember when I mentioned that we got our pictures taken a couple of weeks ago? We got them back tonight, and while we were looking through them over cookies and a Reese's blizzard from Dairy Queen, Zac and I were really digging them! I kept turning to Zac and saying, "Oh my gosh, I love these!" I've made Heather my go-to photographer (she'll be there snapping away when I give birth!), and I'd highly recommend her! She's so much fun, and makes you feel at ease, and makes sure you look good in your pictures. You can visit her website here for more information.

Here are a few of my favorites!

37 weeks.

I had my last baby shower yesterday; a children's book themed shower! It was so much fun, and I got so many good books that I cannot wait to read to this little babe. I am obsessed with children's books, so I was in heaven. It was so good to see everyone on Zac's side of the family, and eat quiches and cheesecake and chocolate-covered coconut almonds.

This week, although I'm not quite at the point where I just want this baby out, I've been getting acid reflux quite a bit. I woke up with it in the middle of the night last night, and every time I bend over, I feel like throwing up, so that's fun. I can definitely tell that my thighs and hips are getting bigger (boo), but I keep telling myself that it will go back to normal after I have the baby (thanks to this little contraption I bought a couple of weeks ago--I've only heard good things about it), so I'm doing pretty good at keeping my chin up about my appearance. 

The popcorn and orange juice cravings are coming back for one last hurrah, I think, because I can't stop obsessing over them! Just trying to get my fill in before the baby comes (we bought 2 jugs of orange juice). Zac and I have also decided to take advantage of Friday and Saturday nights while it's just the two of us, and have been going on lots of dates lately. I'm certainly not complaining. Spending time with that man is heaven on earth.

This baby is somewhere around 6 pounds now. That's how big I was when I was born, so it's hard to believe that I'm so close! Just 3 more weeks! Not to mention I'm considered "full term" now, but I'm still hoping for a November baby. And the full moon last night didn't put me into labor, so that was nice. This little guy or girl is still head down, and sometimes I feel its feet all the way on the side of my stomach. It loves to stretch out as far as it can, and it gets the hiccups so much still. I love them.

For the most part, we've got everything ready to go. If the baby came right now, we'd be fine and have everything we need. We just need to do some finishing touches in the nursery, like hang the book shelves and make more crib sheets and changing pad covers. My hospital bag still isn't all the way packed, but it's close, and the car seat still isn't installed. I honestly wonder if we'll get around to that before I go into labor. :)

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