8 Weeks Left....

That's right, only 8 weeks until Baby Girl Schaab's due date! It seems that we have SO MUCH to do in the next 8 weeks!

Baby Girl Schaab weighs about 4 pounds and is about 17 inches long, taking up a lot of space in Caroline's uterus. Baby Girl Schaab will gain about 1/2 a pound a week for the next 7 weeks. She'll gain about a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survial outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair. Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth. About 80% of babies at this point have settled in a head-down position (vertex) by now, and most of the remaining 20% will do the same over the next 6+ weeks. Baby girl Schaab was head down last time we were at the doctor. When we go on Friday we'll have to check and see if that's where she still is!

Baby Girl Schaab's energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. Baby Girl Schaab is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though they don't necessarily coincide with Caroline's. Also, this month, all five senses are fully functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments (Thanks The Bump for the fabulous info!).

How far along? 32 weeks

Total weight gain: 20 pounds

Maternity Clothes: yup - and I love them!

Sleep: I dream about the night I'll get a full night of sleep. It's hard getting comfortable in bed on top of having to get up a few times at night. Baby Schaab also seems to want to kick a lot when I'm up in the middle of the night, making it a little more challenging to fall back asleep.

Best Moment this Week: Soaking up the Marco Island Sun! I also enjoyed shopping with my mom for baby stuff as well as talking all things baby with her by the pool. Apparently, I was sleeping through the night by 6 weeks old! I only hope we are as lucky!

Movement: She loves to move around! It staring to increase more and more. My mom actually felt her move at the pool! My belly has also been moving around a ton... where you can see it from the outside!

Food Cravings: Moose Tracks Ice Cream - which sadly they don't sell in Florida. I also am craving gummi bears!

Gender: GIRL

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I miss: Sleeping comfortably.

Milestones: We are into single digits on weeks left until the baby comes!

What I'm looking forward to: Our first baby class is on Tuesday. The class is called Caring for Newborns. Although Mike and I are not idiots, we felt this would be a great class to soak up some newborn knowledge.

Here's the class description: This essential two-part series will help new parents gain confidence by focusing on the physical, emotional and developmental needs of newborns.

Session 1: "Baby Care Basics" is "a must" for first-time parents. In this hands-on class, you'll learn the basics of caring for your newborn including bathing, diaper-changing, cord care, circumcision care, temperature-taking and signs of illness.

Session 2: "Understanding Your Newborn," a registered nurse and/or physician will discuss behavior and appearance of the newborn. Topics include: infant development, normal sleep/wake patterns, promoting healthy sleep habits, temperament/normal newborn fussiness and soothing strategies. Typical hospital procedures and how to choose a pediatrician will also be discussed.

This will be our first visit to Evanston Hospital as well, and we are very excited! We'll be heading there a few times this month to prepare for Baby Schaab's arrival!