whoa! Where has the week gone. I forgot to post my weekly blog post on Saturday. I cant believe it is Wednesday already.

My phe levels have finally hit the target at 2.5 mg /dl while that’s great it also means no more phe tolerance increases unless they drop below 2 again. currently i am sitting at 1875mg phe which is roughly 37.5 grams of protein.  I have been having 3 packages of instant oatmeal for breakfast a day, chow mien or sandwiches for lunch and rice and veggies for dinner.  It is a lot of food though. Specially in summer.

On Friday we had our family/anniversary/maternity photos taken by our family friend Jo with captured by Jo photography. I love them and will be sharing a few of my favorites in a separate post later.

I was hoping to have gone to the island on the weekend to visit my family but i was having trouble with edema and swelling. My feet, hands, writs and legs all got really puffy. While my midwife assured me it was safe to travel and I trust her my doctor and my OB felt it was not a good decision. In the end i decided not to go as i was to uncomfortable.  Cole did however go to the cost on Monday for a few days. It is our first separation in over 7 years and i have been having a lot of anxiety. I will breathe better when he gets home later today.

we did take a nice little day trip to see coles parents last week in Clinton and stayed for dinner. I always find time at the ranch relaxing and rejuvenating.

I got my eyes tested last week to as I needed new glasses again.  Pregnancy always changes my prescription it seems. I had lazer eye surgery in 2012 and lived glasses free till madelyn, i needed up back in glasses when she was 8 months old.  I am back to wearing them full time. My lenses were so scratched though it was driving me batty. I was going to hold off to have them tested till after baby because sometimes when you finish nursing as your milk and hormones regulate your eye sight can change again. But that could be a year or more off for us so my optometrist told me to just get them checked now and then again in a year. I also got new frames.

I had enrolled madelyn in summer camp swim lessons mon/tues/wed for the next 2 weeks as a way to get us both in the water and was so excited to get back to the pool only to discover when i got there on Monday that i was not aloud to swim laps while she was in lessons anymore as they are short on life guards. I was so disappointing. Its torture to sit at the side of the pool while shes in the water.  The water feels so good specially when my feet are puffy and swollen as they have been.  My midwife says the swelling is probably from the altitude and pressure changes we have been having as we have had some crazy weather here this July.  I am grateful though as we havent had any terrible tragic forest fires or hazy smoky skies that we have seen the past 2 years. Its been damp and cool and lots of rain. With thunder and lightening storms here and there.  It has made it a bit hard to get out or be active though. Im feeling sluggish and tired so my motivation is low.

We had our 35 week midwife appt yesterday and went over a few things. Baby is doing well. Still very active. big strong movements that make my whole belly move. I am being tested for b12 deficiency and other then that things are moving along. Our next midwife appt will be a home visit since we are trying for a home birth.

I have been going to chiropractic 2 times a week and massage once a week to help manage the pain in my low back , hips and sacrum. It makes me anxious thinking about how sore i get and how much worse it will be during labour so trying to work on it now.

i picked up some raspberry tea leaf tea to start drinking in preparation for birth. I think it really helped my delivery and healing with Madelyn so i am hopeful it will again.

The nursery is nearly complete and the dresser should arrive today so im exited to put away her clothes and set up the finishing touches in the room.

hard to believe that baby could be here in the next few weeks. I am starting to daydream about what she will look like, what she will feel like and smell like. Newborns have such a scent around them , it helps mothers bond and hormones regulate and help to navigate breastfeeding.  I am looking forward to exploring her and learning her and touching her little feet and hands. Life is going to change so much. I am excited to see Madelyn finally meet her sister to. I am terrified and excited.  I still cant believe this is happening again. What a blessing it has been to experience this not once but twice.

Here is what babycenter,ca has to say about week 35

#35weekspregnant #babynumber2
#girlmama #5weeksleft #giveortake

Your baby now weighs about 5.25 pounds/ 2.4 kilograms and measures approximately 18 inches/ 45 centimetres from head to toe. Her elbow, foot or head may protrude from your stomach when he stretches and squirms about. Soon, as the wall of your uterus and your abdomen stretch thinner and let in more light, your baby will begin to develop daily activity cycles.

we are off to swim lessons so check back later for our family photos :)