38 weeks - Baby watermelon causing her mother some uncomfortable days and nights

This week has brought my first real challenge during this pregnancy. I know that I am lucky to say that, but I didn't expect such a weird thing to plague me, especially this close to the end. Last week, I mentioned that my feet had started to itch and they were rashy. Well, this last Tuesday after the itchy feet got worse and worse, I asked for a topical steroid (cortisone wasn't cutting it). Unfortunately, it really hasn't helped either :(

On my appointment Thursday, the doctor told me it is called PUPP; and it is basically something that can appear towards the end of the third trimester and doesn't go away until up to a week after the baby is born. Wow - that's fun news... My doctor did prescribe for me to start taking benadryl at night - as an anti-itch and a sleep aid, so that I wake up less often to feel the itch. So, that does help for the night and sleeping... Ben said he is getting better sleep now too - hah! But it doesn't really help for the itching and burning all day long :(

Outside of discussing PUPP with the doctor, there wasn't much change with my 'natural progression' - though the doctor mentioned that is is quite normal and even if I had some change, it wouldn't mean anything different than where I am right now. She said she feels like I have an average 7 pound baby in the womb right now - if I give birth to a 7 pound baby, I'd be elated - as both Ben and I were nearly 10 pound babies - so yikes! I know that babies like to put on weight in their last weeks, so we'll see...

This week Baby Q is a little more interactive with her playing. If I catch her when she kicks, and I give a push back, she'll go back and forth with me for a while. Ben's even been able to catch her a couple times. He calls it 'patty cakes' :-)

We went to a class called 'Happiest Baby on the Block' in Sioux Falls today. We thought it was a very good class, and as usual Ben rocked his baby caregiving skill set as he provided the dollies with the tightest and best formed swaddle! They told us in this class that we should keep in mind their current awake and sleep cycle will stay through first month or two after they are born. This does worry me a bit, because Baby Q seems to be awake a LOT of the time. Though, maybe this means she is sleeping a LOT through the night?? ;-) Wishful thinking...

Ben's parents, Rella & Larry are staying the night tonight, along with our nephew, Brody. We went to Pizza Ranch and had the supper buffet there (a Brody favorite); Baby Q and I ate quite a bit of pizza, so let's hope labor doesn't start tonight.. hee hee...