37 week update

Ok, I am officially uncomfortable. No more floating through pregnancy.
-Getting up and down requires a HEAVE-HO and a grimace as I brace myself for a little bit of pain.
-Walking long distances is awkward and unnatural and occasionally painful. I wish my hip and core region would stop the loosening process.
-My hands are swollen and painful - especially at night. I haven't slept more than 3 hours without waking due to pain. I have to re-adjust my hand position or put them in the freezer. Not joking - I get up, walk over to the kitchen, and rub my hands on cold stuff from the freezer.
-Measuring 41.5 weeks (as of Monday's appointment, so probably more like 42 now. Or 82.)
38 lbs gained.
-Not a single stretch mark - UNTIL YESTERDAY. I swear, they literally appeared in one day. Just at the tip of my big belly around the button. Grrrr. I know it's superficial to care about, especially since I'd never wear anything that showed my stomach even if I had one worth showing off, but I was just very content with my former stretchmarkless status.
-I have elephant feet and ankles. Not painful though, just ugly.
-I'm running out of clothes to wear. Even Brian's tshirts aren't long enough.
-People have stopped telling me how small I look. Now I mostly hear comments like, "hang in there. You're almost done."

Done whining now. On with the good news:
-No progress towards labor! No dilating, no effacing - nuthin'!
-I can still carry around my 32 lb toddler just fine.
-So grateful my doc has let me be low-maintenance. No non-stress tests, no bed rest directives, no extra ultrasounds, no steroid shots, and he even let me skip my appointment last week because I was feeling fine and just didn't wanna go in!
-Bassinet ready. Diapers and clothes ready.
-My mom is coming for a week! Luckylucky Brianna to have her favorite playmate to rescue her from this potential upset in her little world.
-Still running everyday. Bizarre, I know. I can't even explain it. I just get up every morning and go. It actually feels more comfortable than walking. And for that short 30-40 minutes, I almost feel like a normal human being. But I've slowed down - as of today, I can't make it to 7 on my treadmill. For the first half of this pregnancy, I started at 7 and worked up from there. Now I plod along at a ten minute pace. I had to order new shoes because I'm destroying mine. Apparently running shoes weren't meant to hold up well for obese women  (which, according to the charts, I'm only 20 lbs away from).
-Heart rates are perfect - 145 and 143.
-My BP has stayed normal.
-7 days to go. SEVEN days to go!! Pray that we make it that far - these babies need every minute inside  (and I still have a few more to-do list items to cross off!)

You want more whale photos? I found another Beluga I resemble....
But - here are the real ones:

I know exactly what my mom will say when she sees these: "Chelsea, you are half NAKED! Put a shirt on!" Sorry mom. My definitions of modesty have changed.