Big weekend!

So we had quite an eventful weekend! Saturday we were pretty active- we went to pick out and cut down a Christmas tree at a farm and ran some other errands to several stores... The key here is I was very active. Well I counted at least 6 braxton hicks contractions during the course of the day, along with some low pressure and lower back pain. And I've been exhausted lately. I think this is progress! Sunday I had at least 4 braxton hicks contractions, and the same pressure and back pain. They haven't been painful, but I am definitely aware of them and that they sort of take my breath away. But I'm not hurling over in pain! Hopefully this just means I'm progressing naturally and that we'll have a baby within a couple of weeks!

Also, something else happened. Something traumatic for me. Saturday evening, I noticed my very.first.stretch.marks. 6 actually, on my left hip. I'm not positive they're stretch marks but I'm pretty sure. They're red and kind of look like spider veins, but different. I guess I should feel happy that I made it this far without any marks, but part of me is sad. Another part of me is very proud of them, I guess only because they're so small and in a not-noticable place. I'm wondering though- why 6? And why only on my left?

Saturday we picked up some last-minute items for Bethany at Walmart- since I was feeling so unprepared I solicited the advice of my recently-pregnant friends on items we'll need and got some things like diapers, more newborn-sized clothing, baby nail clippers, diaper cream and some other things. Saturday evening I plopped myself down on the floor in her bedroom and took her clothes/washcloths/blankets out of the packages and sorted through hand-me-downs, organized the laundry and put her room together a bit more. Tomorrow night I am doing laundry (I'm picking out machines on Thursday- sooooooo excited!) and hopefully packing my hospital bag. I really feel a lot better now although I still have quite a bit to do. I'm not worried that I'll go into labor within the next couple of days because I feel like I haven't had any of the other labor signs yet. But every woman is different, so we'll see!