Lauren is a baby who loves... no... INSISTS on being held much of the time. :) She is taking a nap beside me right now, and is happily stretched out like a starfish. So, this gives me a few minutes to update the blog.
Wow! I had completely forgotten how much work having a newborn can be. She is totally worth it, but it has been a shock because I had just plain forgotten what it is like to have this precious little baby who is totally and completely dependent on us for everything. I am completely in love with her, though, and this makes it all 100% okay.
Let's see... since she was born three weeks ago yesterday (6lbs 14oz and 19 1/2 inches), she has gone through two growth spurts! She is now 21 1/2 inches and a little over 9 lbs! This baby girl LOVES to eat, and she is definitely chunking up. She is starting to have a few more alert periods, but she still spends a lot of time sleeping. Up until the past couple of days, she would not sleep unless one of us was holding her. Clay says she definitely has my "snuggle gene." :)
She is starting to make new sounds. At first, she just cried. Then she started the grunting. Now, she squeaks and squeals, and I love it! This morning, I also heard an "ahh" sound, and she has never made that before. She is making eye contact more often now, and I was talking to her yesterday and she smiled at me twice. Now, I *KNOW* it is too early for it to be a "real" smile, but it was so absolutely precious! I can't wait for those smiles and laughs to become more frequent.
In good news for me, I have lost 24 of the 36 pounds I gained with this pregnancy! So, only 12 to get back to where I was when I started. I am determined to get back to the gym soon. Clay and I have been taking Lauren for a walk some evenings, but it has been really hot the past couple of days. We just have to figure out some sort of schedule so that we can still exercise and have a happy baby at the same time. :)
Brittany and Zach are technically with their dad and Julie for their six weeks, but I am still seeing a lot of them. Zach finished his regular baseball season, and his team won the league tournament (Go Ferguson Health Care!!) He is now playing on a tournament team, so we will brave the heat of summer to go and watch him play some more. He is really doing well, and I can tell that he has been practicing with his dad. He rarely lets a ball get past him anymore, and he is getting some great hits!
Brittany has spent a lot of her summer at the pool, and she has the tan to prove it! She definitely did not get my skin, because she tans a beautiful golden color. She is getting ready to go to camp next week, and she is super excited! She is such a big help with Lauren, and she loves singing to her.
Lauren is starting to stir... oh, and there went a poop, so I will add pictures later!
Baby Ticker
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Lauren Claire is here!!
Here is Lauren's birth story, for those of you who have been asking for it! :)
We went to my OB's office for my 9:00 appointment on Tuesday morning, May 26. Blood pressure was still 120/80 for the second week in a row, and my weight gain was at 36 pounds. It had stayed exactly the same for three weeks. He checked, and I was still 2cm dilated and barely 60% effaced. He asked if we had talked about inducing today (haha... we sure HAD!), and told us to get our bags and head on up to L&D. I was SO nervous at this point!! So many people had told me horrible induction stories, and I was really scared. I felt like this was my first baby, and not like I had already gone through it twice.
So, we got up to L&D where they put me in the exact room where Brittany and Zach were born! I was in my gown and sitting in the bed by 9:30am. The nurses came in to ask questions and to start my IV. That was a lot of fun! She tried putting it in my forearm, but something wasn't right and it stopped flowing and it HURT. She finally took it out, and did it down below the base of my thumb. That was much better, and it didn't hurt at all.
At 10:45am, she came back in and started my Pitocin. I had a wonderful nurse! I had told her that I didn't want an epidural or pain meds, and I was telling her about the things people had said about pitocin-induced births. She said that I could definitely do it if I wanted to do it, and not to let other people scare me. :) So, I kept that in my head. At 11:30am, she came back in an increased my Pitocin by one unit. Dr. S came in at 11:41am to check me and break my water. I hadn't really dilated a lot more at that point, but I was a little more effaced. He broke my water with the giant crochet hook, and we were on our way to a baby!
My contractions had already started to become pretty uncomfortable before that, but I was getting through them just by holding Clay's hand and him telling me when they were peaking and heading back down. Once my water was broken, they started coming closer together and were a lot harder. The nurse gradually increased my Pitocin again around 12:25pm and again at 1:21pm. By the second time, I was hurting pretty bad and we asked if she would check me, as it would give me some mental clarity about any progress that I had made and how this thing was going. She said that she had been noticing some "earlys" on the monitor, and I asked what this meant. She said it was when the baby's heartrate starts to decrease slightly with the contractions. She said it was an indication that things were moving a lot closer. So, she checked me and I was 3cm dilated and 90% effaced (1:21pm). I was hurting a lot by this point, and she changed the position of the bed so that it was like I was sitting up in a chair. With every contraction, I closed my eyes, held Clay's hand, and he talked me through it. Although, I think I was doing a lot of the talking... things like, "This hurts." "Ow, ow, ow" and "I don't like this!" LOL He was SO great, and never left my side for even a second. At one point, I was having a bad contraction and the blood pressure cuff (my nemesis) messed up and was squeezing my arm so hard that I thought it was going to pop vessels. I had been telling Clay about the cuff when a contraction hit, and he just tore the bloated cuff off of my arm. For some reason, even though I was in the middle of a lot of pain, I got cracked up at the visual of him doing that and I laughed my way through that contraction. It still cracks me up now to think of it. Anyway, he was absolutely perfect, and I can’t tell him enough how much I appreciate him going through the whole thing with me, taking care of me, supporting me, and making me feel loved. He did absolutely anything that I wanted him to do, and he anticipated most of it without me ever having to ask. :)
Okay, getting off track... anyway, so I was sitting in the bed in the chair position when I had another contraction. This one felt different, and I could tell that the baby was getting closer. Clay called the nurse. She checked me again and I was 5cm dilated and 100% effaced. She said that she could feel the baby's head right on my cervix, and that she thought things would be moving along quickly now. She called Dr. S and told him how quickly things were moving along. The nursery people brought in the baby measuring/warming station thing, and my nurse went out to get her table. I had another contraction, and she came back in during the middle of it. She checked me again, and I had dilated to 8cm that quickly. She laid the bed back, had me roll over on my right side with one arm above my head, my right leg straight below me, and my left leg crossed over my right leg and with my knee up as close to my head as I could get it. That is hard to describe... anyway, she said that she had found that this position worked to help people become complete a lot faster. She said she would be right back and walked out as the next contraction hit. My body involuntarily started pushing, and Clay hit the nurse button without me even having to tell him. She came running in and saw what was happening. They were getting me turned over and into the birthing position, and I was hurting a lot so it was hard to turn. I think I was crying a little at that point, because I just wanted her out and I could feel her head pressing so hard. I was trying not to push because my doctor hadn't made it yet, but my body wasn't listening. I was so afraid she was going to shoot across the room and nobody was going to be there to catch her! During the next contraction, my body was doing its thing and I opened my eyes to see Dr. S come in just in time to make the catch and hold her up for us to see. :) I didn't have to do any pushing at all. She basically just shot out into his hands at 2:36pm. Instant relief! :)
He first thought I didn't have any tears, but then found a very small "skid mark" (that made me laugh). He went ahead and did a couple of stitches, which I can't even feel two days later. They did the measuring and weighing (6lbs 15oz and 19 1/2 inches), and then handed her over to me. She spent the next hour to hour and a half (I lost track of time) nursing, and then they moved us to our postpartum room. We were discharged 24 hours later, and we are at home doing great!! I feel SO much better not pregnant, and I am so happy to have her home. Clay took a few days off of work, and we have just been sitting around snuggling with her and loving her. Brittany and Zach are both completely in love with her, too, and life is just perfect!
So, she was 6lbs 15oz and 19 1/2 inches long. Born 5/26 and 2:36pm. Welcome to our lives little Lauren Claire! We love you so much already, and you make our family perfectly complete!!
Of course, any birth story worth its weight wouldn't be right without pictures!
Here I am on Tuesday morning before we left for the hospital... nice and big and swollen and pregnant!
Here is Lauren just after delivery.
All wrapped up like a burrito and snuggling.
I have spent most of the past three days staring at her. :)
Zach and Brittany were (and still are) SO excited!
Such a PROUD (and handsome) daddy!!
Ready to leave the hospital with our baby girl.
Brittany is happy she is home!
Sound asleep and so peaceful.
Stretched out and relaxed on her boppy last night.
We went to my OB's office for my 9:00 appointment on Tuesday morning, May 26. Blood pressure was still 120/80 for the second week in a row, and my weight gain was at 36 pounds. It had stayed exactly the same for three weeks. He checked, and I was still 2cm dilated and barely 60% effaced. He asked if we had talked about inducing today (haha... we sure HAD!), and told us to get our bags and head on up to L&D. I was SO nervous at this point!! So many people had told me horrible induction stories, and I was really scared. I felt like this was my first baby, and not like I had already gone through it twice.
So, we got up to L&D where they put me in the exact room where Brittany and Zach were born! I was in my gown and sitting in the bed by 9:30am. The nurses came in to ask questions and to start my IV. That was a lot of fun! She tried putting it in my forearm, but something wasn't right and it stopped flowing and it HURT. She finally took it out, and did it down below the base of my thumb. That was much better, and it didn't hurt at all.
At 10:45am, she came back in and started my Pitocin. I had a wonderful nurse! I had told her that I didn't want an epidural or pain meds, and I was telling her about the things people had said about pitocin-induced births. She said that I could definitely do it if I wanted to do it, and not to let other people scare me. :) So, I kept that in my head. At 11:30am, she came back in an increased my Pitocin by one unit. Dr. S came in at 11:41am to check me and break my water. I hadn't really dilated a lot more at that point, but I was a little more effaced. He broke my water with the giant crochet hook, and we were on our way to a baby!
My contractions had already started to become pretty uncomfortable before that, but I was getting through them just by holding Clay's hand and him telling me when they were peaking and heading back down. Once my water was broken, they started coming closer together and were a lot harder. The nurse gradually increased my Pitocin again around 12:25pm and again at 1:21pm. By the second time, I was hurting pretty bad and we asked if she would check me, as it would give me some mental clarity about any progress that I had made and how this thing was going. She said that she had been noticing some "earlys" on the monitor, and I asked what this meant. She said it was when the baby's heartrate starts to decrease slightly with the contractions. She said it was an indication that things were moving a lot closer. So, she checked me and I was 3cm dilated and 90% effaced (1:21pm). I was hurting a lot by this point, and she changed the position of the bed so that it was like I was sitting up in a chair. With every contraction, I closed my eyes, held Clay's hand, and he talked me through it. Although, I think I was doing a lot of the talking... things like, "This hurts." "Ow, ow, ow" and "I don't like this!" LOL He was SO great, and never left my side for even a second. At one point, I was having a bad contraction and the blood pressure cuff (my nemesis) messed up and was squeezing my arm so hard that I thought it was going to pop vessels. I had been telling Clay about the cuff when a contraction hit, and he just tore the bloated cuff off of my arm. For some reason, even though I was in the middle of a lot of pain, I got cracked up at the visual of him doing that and I laughed my way through that contraction. It still cracks me up now to think of it. Anyway, he was absolutely perfect, and I can’t tell him enough how much I appreciate him going through the whole thing with me, taking care of me, supporting me, and making me feel loved. He did absolutely anything that I wanted him to do, and he anticipated most of it without me ever having to ask. :)
Okay, getting off track... anyway, so I was sitting in the bed in the chair position when I had another contraction. This one felt different, and I could tell that the baby was getting closer. Clay called the nurse. She checked me again and I was 5cm dilated and 100% effaced. She said that she could feel the baby's head right on my cervix, and that she thought things would be moving along quickly now. She called Dr. S and told him how quickly things were moving along. The nursery people brought in the baby measuring/warming station thing, and my nurse went out to get her table. I had another contraction, and she came back in during the middle of it. She checked me again, and I had dilated to 8cm that quickly. She laid the bed back, had me roll over on my right side with one arm above my head, my right leg straight below me, and my left leg crossed over my right leg and with my knee up as close to my head as I could get it. That is hard to describe... anyway, she said that she had found that this position worked to help people become complete a lot faster. She said she would be right back and walked out as the next contraction hit. My body involuntarily started pushing, and Clay hit the nurse button without me even having to tell him. She came running in and saw what was happening. They were getting me turned over and into the birthing position, and I was hurting a lot so it was hard to turn. I think I was crying a little at that point, because I just wanted her out and I could feel her head pressing so hard. I was trying not to push because my doctor hadn't made it yet, but my body wasn't listening. I was so afraid she was going to shoot across the room and nobody was going to be there to catch her! During the next contraction, my body was doing its thing and I opened my eyes to see Dr. S come in just in time to make the catch and hold her up for us to see. :) I didn't have to do any pushing at all. She basically just shot out into his hands at 2:36pm. Instant relief! :)
He first thought I didn't have any tears, but then found a very small "skid mark" (that made me laugh). He went ahead and did a couple of stitches, which I can't even feel two days later. They did the measuring and weighing (6lbs 15oz and 19 1/2 inches), and then handed her over to me. She spent the next hour to hour and a half (I lost track of time) nursing, and then they moved us to our postpartum room. We were discharged 24 hours later, and we are at home doing great!! I feel SO much better not pregnant, and I am so happy to have her home. Clay took a few days off of work, and we have just been sitting around snuggling with her and loving her. Brittany and Zach are both completely in love with her, too, and life is just perfect!
So, she was 6lbs 15oz and 19 1/2 inches long. Born 5/26 and 2:36pm. Welcome to our lives little Lauren Claire! We love you so much already, and you make our family perfectly complete!!
Of course, any birth story worth its weight wouldn't be right without pictures!
Here I am on Tuesday morning before we left for the hospital... nice and big and swollen and pregnant!
Here is Lauren just after delivery.
All wrapped up like a burrito and snuggling.
I have spent most of the past three days staring at her. :)
Zach and Brittany were (and still are) SO excited!
Such a PROUD (and handsome) daddy!!
Ready to leave the hospital with our baby girl.
Brittany is happy she is home!
Sound asleep and so peaceful.
Stretched out and relaxed on her boppy last night.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Zach's Spelling Bee
While I am updating, I might as well tell you about Zach's latest accomplishment. This year, the second grade held a spelling bee. It started out with Zach competing against the kids in his classroom. He made it through that one, so the next day he competed against another classroom. Passing that one, he moved onto a competition with the entire second grade on the third day. He didn't win, but he did really well, and I am really proud of him! Parents didn't get to attend, so there are not any pictures, but I wanted to brag on him, too! Way to go, Zach!!!!
Brittany's awards assembly
School is officially out for summer break! Yesterday morning, Brittany had an awards assemby at school. She did great, and she received several awards. She got one for making all As throughout the entire year, one for good behavior (no demerits for the entire year), one for computer lab, where she completed more activities than the other students in the 5th grade, and the Presidential Fitness Award. She was really proud of this one, because she was the only student in her school to receive it. In order to achieve this, she ran a mile in 8 minutes and 34 seconds, did 43 situps in a minute, did 3 chinups, completed a shuttle run (and she doesn't remember the time), and she had to pass a flexibility test. She sat with her legs straight out in front of her and had to reach 33 inches, but she made it to 35. So, she was super excited about this! She was also recognized for Accelerated Reader points. It was a good morning for us, and I am super proud of my daughter! I have pictures and video that I will post later.
Congratulations, Brittany!!
Congratulations, Brittany!!
Busy week!
Well, I guess it has been a little more than a week since I posted. We've had quite a bit of adventure. The Friday after my 36 week appointment, I started having regular contractions. These weren't anything like the Braxton-Hicks that I have been having for months, so I started paying attention to them. They were only 10 minutes apart to begin with, so that was okay. Clay's mom was coming to spend the weekend, so Clay decided to go pick up some food for us all to eat. While he was gone, the contractions were suddenly down to 4 minutes apart. I texted him and told him that I would feel better if he were here, because it was making me a little nervous to have them so close together and be so far away from the hospital. He got here, and I went ahead and ate a little to see if that would make them stop. Nope... they kept on at 3-4 minutes, so we decided to head over to the hospital. We got there sometime around 8:45 or 9:00. They took us up to Labor & Delivery, and got us settled into a room. The nurse checked me, and I had dilated to 2cm and the baby was at -2 station. She got me hooked up to the monitors, but they weren't picking up the contractions at all. We finally got that all figured out, and my doctor decided to keep us overnight. So, Clay and I tried to sleep. My contractions fizzled out overnight, and the next morning my doctor came in and let us go home. We spent the entire day Saturday napping and trying to catch up on our sleep. I continued to have contractions throughout the weekend but nothing worth getting excited about.
On Tuesday morning, we went for the 37 week appointment. Still dilated to 2cm, but I was now 60% effaced. My doctor talked with us, and we decided that I will go to his office first thing next Tuesday and then over to the hospital for an induction. He said that due to my history of fast labors and us living an hour away, that might be the best thing. He said that my cervix is "very favorable" and he thought things would happen very easily. Of course, I've never been induced and people have been ever so kindly sharing Pitocin horror stories with me. I don't use pain meds or an epidural when in labor, so I'm very grateful to these people for sharing these stories! Ha!
I haven't had a lot of contractions this week, and I'm thinking that is due to the fact that I have been stuck on my side on the couch. I had a lovely little friend named "hemorrhoid" pop up early in the week, and I've been trying to get rid of it. So, things are a little better today, and I am thinking it may be time to go for a walk. I really would like to go into labor on my own, but I just have two more days to do that! I am more pregnant today than I have ever been!
Either way, our baby girl will be here three days from now! I can't believe it, and I am so excited to meet her. We all wonder who she will look like, and how she will act. I think she must have her daddy's patience, since she is content to hang out where she is and not come on out to meet us. :)
Watch this space for pictures of our baby girl... soon!
On Tuesday morning, we went for the 37 week appointment. Still dilated to 2cm, but I was now 60% effaced. My doctor talked with us, and we decided that I will go to his office first thing next Tuesday and then over to the hospital for an induction. He said that due to my history of fast labors and us living an hour away, that might be the best thing. He said that my cervix is "very favorable" and he thought things would happen very easily. Of course, I've never been induced and people have been ever so kindly sharing Pitocin horror stories with me. I don't use pain meds or an epidural when in labor, so I'm very grateful to these people for sharing these stories! Ha!
I haven't had a lot of contractions this week, and I'm thinking that is due to the fact that I have been stuck on my side on the couch. I had a lovely little friend named "hemorrhoid" pop up early in the week, and I've been trying to get rid of it. So, things are a little better today, and I am thinking it may be time to go for a walk. I really would like to go into labor on my own, but I just have two more days to do that! I am more pregnant today than I have ever been!
Either way, our baby girl will be here three days from now! I can't believe it, and I am so excited to meet her. We all wonder who she will look like, and how she will act. I think she must have her daddy's patience, since she is content to hang out where she is and not come on out to meet us. :)
Watch this space for pictures of our baby girl... soon!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Getting close!
I went for my 36 week OB appointment yesterday, and this was a great one! Blood pressure and weight gain were fine, and I measured 34cm (up two from my appt two weeks ago). I had my GBS test and he checked to see if I'm progressing any toward labor. He had good news to share... 50% effaced and "a loose fingertip" dilated, so almost 1cm. This made me really happy, since it is telling me that my body remembers what to do! I've been crampy for the past couple of days, and I lost a little of the plug this morning, so I'm hoping that means that things are moving forward. I've been spending some time on the elliptical at the gym and did three miles on Saturday and Sunday, and then two more miles on Monday night. Maybe all of that is helping to move things along. I think we're heading back to do a little more in a few minutes.
Clay thinks the baby will be here this weekend, but Brittany is still positive that she is coming next Wednesday. I don't care either way. I'll take her as soon as she is ready to make her entrance!
I go back to the doctor again next Tuesday, and I hope to be able to report more progress!!
Clay thinks the baby will be here this weekend, but Brittany is still positive that she is coming next Wednesday. I don't care either way. I'll take her as soon as she is ready to make her entrance!
I go back to the doctor again next Tuesday, and I hope to be able to report more progress!!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Long overdue update!
Well, Brittany told me that it has been too long since I've updated the blog, so I am going to do that tonight. A lot has been going on, and I just haven't taken the time to sit and write.
We had our 34 week OB appointment last week. My weight gain was great, blood pressure great, and the baby's heartbeat was great! He measured, and I am measuring a little bit small (although nothing too bad). He decided to do an ultrasound to check baby's position and fluid level. He placed the wand on my belly and we immediately saw a head in the correct position. That was wonderful news! I also have plenty of amniotic fluid in there, so that is also great news. I will go back next week for my 36 week visit, when he will start checking for dilation and effacement. I will then go weekly until this little girl makes her appearance. It is getting SO close now, and we are all getting super excited!
This past Sunday was exciting, as I had my first ever baby shower! You would think that I would have already "been there done that" since I have had two babies in the past, wouldn't you? Well, when I was pregnant with Brittany she decided to come two days before my shower! Then, when I was pregnant with Zach I already had the baby gear, so there wasn't any need for one. So, I was very excited when my friends Nicole and Jeanna wanted to have one for me this time! They did all of the planning and got everything ready, and they did a GREAT job! Even though it was raining, a lot of people came, and I really feel very blessed to have so many special people in my life. I enjoyed every minute of it, and am so happy to have had this experience! Of course, there are pictures... :)
The beautiful diaper cake that my friend, Mandy, brought:
The yummy cake that we got to eat:
Brittany and Zach helping me open gifts, while Jeanna keeps notes:
A great shot of the gift table, taken by Brittany:
Zach and his friend Bravyn (Nicole's daughter):
A picture of Granny, Brittany, Zach, me, and Mom at the shower:
After Clay came to help bring everything home, he took a picture of me with all of it:
There are so many more pictures, but I won't post them all. We had a great time, and are so thankful for the wonderful gifts. We got so much pink, and I love it!!
So, that brings me to today. I am 35 weeks, 4 days pregnant now and feeling okay, for the most part. I am getting pretty swollen, and I can't wear my watch or my engagement and wedding rings (although I wear them on a chain around my neck, because I'm too sentimental to just leave them at home). I'm also not sleeping so well at night, so that means I am sleeping later in the mornings. I am very blessed to have a husband who will get the kids up and ready, and take them to school so that I can get a little more sleep before I go to work. Other than that, I am just really ready for the baby to be here! I can't wait to meet her, see her, hold her, and love her. It won't be long now!!
We had our 34 week OB appointment last week. My weight gain was great, blood pressure great, and the baby's heartbeat was great! He measured, and I am measuring a little bit small (although nothing too bad). He decided to do an ultrasound to check baby's position and fluid level. He placed the wand on my belly and we immediately saw a head in the correct position. That was wonderful news! I also have plenty of amniotic fluid in there, so that is also great news. I will go back next week for my 36 week visit, when he will start checking for dilation and effacement. I will then go weekly until this little girl makes her appearance. It is getting SO close now, and we are all getting super excited!
This past Sunday was exciting, as I had my first ever baby shower! You would think that I would have already "been there done that" since I have had two babies in the past, wouldn't you? Well, when I was pregnant with Brittany she decided to come two days before my shower! Then, when I was pregnant with Zach I already had the baby gear, so there wasn't any need for one. So, I was very excited when my friends Nicole and Jeanna wanted to have one for me this time! They did all of the planning and got everything ready, and they did a GREAT job! Even though it was raining, a lot of people came, and I really feel very blessed to have so many special people in my life. I enjoyed every minute of it, and am so happy to have had this experience! Of course, there are pictures... :)
The beautiful diaper cake that my friend, Mandy, brought:
The yummy cake that we got to eat:
Brittany and Zach helping me open gifts, while Jeanna keeps notes:
A great shot of the gift table, taken by Brittany:
Zach and his friend Bravyn (Nicole's daughter):
A picture of Granny, Brittany, Zach, me, and Mom at the shower:
After Clay came to help bring everything home, he took a picture of me with all of it:
There are so many more pictures, but I won't post them all. We had a great time, and are so thankful for the wonderful gifts. We got so much pink, and I love it!!
So, that brings me to today. I am 35 weeks, 4 days pregnant now and feeling okay, for the most part. I am getting pretty swollen, and I can't wear my watch or my engagement and wedding rings (although I wear them on a chain around my neck, because I'm too sentimental to just leave them at home). I'm also not sleeping so well at night, so that means I am sleeping later in the mornings. I am very blessed to have a husband who will get the kids up and ready, and take them to school so that I can get a little more sleep before I go to work. Other than that, I am just really ready for the baby to be here! I can't wait to meet her, see her, hold her, and love her. It won't be long now!!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
OB appt, Baby Position, and Loaves of Bread
I always have the best of intentions to update my blog, but you can see that it doesn't happen as often as I want it to happen. I'm hoping that my energy will return with the delivery of this litle girl!
My 31 week appointment was great! He said that all of my bloodwork at the previous visit was perfect, and that my iron levels were higher than he usually sees in someone at this stage of pregnancy. So, YAY for my body doing what it is supposed to do! :) I also had only gained 1.5 pounds, so that made me happy! He said that the baby was still breech, and we talked some about this. Since she had been breech throughout the pregnancy, he said she might end up not turning on her own. This really scared me, because I just don't like the thought of a c-section at all. He knows this, so he talked to us about some ways to encourage her to turn. So... let me tell you all about my fun week last week:
Every night for approximately 30 minutes, I relaxed with my head down and rear end up in the air. :) Sometimes, we would pile up pillows on the couch. Brittany piled up 5 pillows and then helped me to lie down with my head on the couch and butt on the pillows. I stayed that way for around 45 minutes. Another favorite was the ironing board. Clay propped it up against the couch, and I climbed on with my head near the floor and spent around 20 minutes that way. I put a bag of frozen veggies near the top of my belly and Brittany put her iPod headphones down near the bottom of my belly. Too bad no one thought to grab the camera and take pictures!
So, on Thursday night after we got into bed, I really thought I could feel her head down low, and Clay thought I was right. We were going to have an ultrasound done on Friday, but we got there too late and had to wait the rest of the weekend. On Monday at lunch we had one done and she is definitely head down!! I am SO happy about this. We have prayed every night for weeks that she would flip into a good position, and I am now saying thank you every night! I am SO relieved and have had such a weight lifted.
So, let the countdown begin! I will be 33 weeks on Saturday. Brittany is guessing that she will be born on May 20. This is the night of our AWANA closing program, and she just seems to think that will be the day she is born. I think she could be right about that... it will be about 37 1/2 weeks. So, we will see how close she is! Zach is still spending a lot of time with his hand on my belly, only he can actually feel identifiable body parts now, and he thinks this is really neat.
I'm feeling okay pregnancy-wise, but I am starting to really swell. Earlier this week I got on the scale and it showed that I had gained 5 pounds in a week. I know I haven't been eating that badly, and I actually did 3 miles on the elliptical last Saturday and 3 1/2 on Sunday, so I'm fairly certain that is from fluid retention. On Monday night my feet looked like someone else's feet... completely unlike mine! Tuesday, I could only wear flip flops to work. Wednesday, Clay was sitting in my office talking to me and I propped my feet up. He said, "Wow! I really see what you're talking about now. They look like loaves of bread!" haha They aren't as bad today, and I can actually see foot bones in the top again. My wedding ring still fits, and I am happy about that. I'm still wearing my engagement ring on a chain around my neck, but I will be glad to be able to put it on again in a few weeks.
So, overall, it has been a wonderful couple of weeks! Clay has a meeting in Little Rock at the end of next week, so we are taking the kids and heading up for a couple of nights. It will be our last getaway before the baby is here, and I'm looking forward to it! :)
My 31 week appointment was great! He said that all of my bloodwork at the previous visit was perfect, and that my iron levels were higher than he usually sees in someone at this stage of pregnancy. So, YAY for my body doing what it is supposed to do! :) I also had only gained 1.5 pounds, so that made me happy! He said that the baby was still breech, and we talked some about this. Since she had been breech throughout the pregnancy, he said she might end up not turning on her own. This really scared me, because I just don't like the thought of a c-section at all. He knows this, so he talked to us about some ways to encourage her to turn. So... let me tell you all about my fun week last week:
Every night for approximately 30 minutes, I relaxed with my head down and rear end up in the air. :) Sometimes, we would pile up pillows on the couch. Brittany piled up 5 pillows and then helped me to lie down with my head on the couch and butt on the pillows. I stayed that way for around 45 minutes. Another favorite was the ironing board. Clay propped it up against the couch, and I climbed on with my head near the floor and spent around 20 minutes that way. I put a bag of frozen veggies near the top of my belly and Brittany put her iPod headphones down near the bottom of my belly. Too bad no one thought to grab the camera and take pictures!
So, on Thursday night after we got into bed, I really thought I could feel her head down low, and Clay thought I was right. We were going to have an ultrasound done on Friday, but we got there too late and had to wait the rest of the weekend. On Monday at lunch we had one done and she is definitely head down!! I am SO happy about this. We have prayed every night for weeks that she would flip into a good position, and I am now saying thank you every night! I am SO relieved and have had such a weight lifted.
So, let the countdown begin! I will be 33 weeks on Saturday. Brittany is guessing that she will be born on May 20. This is the night of our AWANA closing program, and she just seems to think that will be the day she is born. I think she could be right about that... it will be about 37 1/2 weeks. So, we will see how close she is! Zach is still spending a lot of time with his hand on my belly, only he can actually feel identifiable body parts now, and he thinks this is really neat.
I'm feeling okay pregnancy-wise, but I am starting to really swell. Earlier this week I got on the scale and it showed that I had gained 5 pounds in a week. I know I haven't been eating that badly, and I actually did 3 miles on the elliptical last Saturday and 3 1/2 on Sunday, so I'm fairly certain that is from fluid retention. On Monday night my feet looked like someone else's feet... completely unlike mine! Tuesday, I could only wear flip flops to work. Wednesday, Clay was sitting in my office talking to me and I propped my feet up. He said, "Wow! I really see what you're talking about now. They look like loaves of bread!" haha They aren't as bad today, and I can actually see foot bones in the top again. My wedding ring still fits, and I am happy about that. I'm still wearing my engagement ring on a chain around my neck, but I will be glad to be able to put it on again in a few weeks.
So, overall, it has been a wonderful couple of weeks! Clay has a meeting in Little Rock at the end of next week, so we are taking the kids and heading up for a couple of nights. It will be our last getaway before the baby is here, and I'm looking forward to it! :)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
4D Ultrasound and a trip to Branson
The kids had spring break a couple of weeks ago, so we decided to take a trip up to Branson. Clay closed the office at noon on Wednesday, and we headed to Texarkana for our 4D ultrasound. I was really excited, because this wasn't available when I was pregnant with Brittany and Zach. We got some great shots, but our DVD isn't working. I've got to go back on Tuesday and see if the lady can make it work. Anyway, the u/s went great! I was afraid we might not be able to see her face, but we got a lot of cute pictures. I am already in love with her and can't wait to meet her! The only part that concerned me is that she was breech, and I just want to be sure that she turns before time for delivery. I do NOT want a c-section. The tech who did the u/s said that I have a lot of fluid and that she has plenty of room to turn, but it has been almost two weeks now and she is still breech. At least I think she is... I can feel body parts and kicks that make me think she is still head up.
After the ultrasound we headed to Little Rock and spent the night. We stopped to see Clay's mom and showed her our ultrasound pictures, as well. I think she really enjoyed them! Then on Thursday morning we were off to Branson. We had a great trip with lots of good food and we really enjoyed spending the time together. We took the kids to see the Titanic exhibit, went to the indoor waterpark, did a lot of shopping, and a lot of eating! We came home on Saturday and it snowed on us for a few hours of the trip home. We all had a great time, and it was a great way to finish spring break.
I am now 31 weeks pregnant and am so excited that this baby girl could be here in as little as 6 weeks! I go back to the doctor on Tuesday. I think my two week appointments will start now, and that is exciting! I've also done pretty well with my eating and exercising this time, so let's hope I get there and haven't gained another ton of weight. My shower is scheduled for May 3, and I am also really excited about that! I missed my shower with Brittany because she was born two days before it was scheduled, and then I didn't have one with Zach since he was my second and I still had all of my baby stuff from Brittany. So, this will be my first baby shower and I can't wait!
Okay, now for the u/s pics! The first one is my favorite because she smiled at us. :)
This one is a great shot of her foot:
This one is a little creepy, because her eye is open:
Will report more after my appointment on Tuesday!
After the ultrasound we headed to Little Rock and spent the night. We stopped to see Clay's mom and showed her our ultrasound pictures, as well. I think she really enjoyed them! Then on Thursday morning we were off to Branson. We had a great trip with lots of good food and we really enjoyed spending the time together. We took the kids to see the Titanic exhibit, went to the indoor waterpark, did a lot of shopping, and a lot of eating! We came home on Saturday and it snowed on us for a few hours of the trip home. We all had a great time, and it was a great way to finish spring break.
I am now 31 weeks pregnant and am so excited that this baby girl could be here in as little as 6 weeks! I go back to the doctor on Tuesday. I think my two week appointments will start now, and that is exciting! I've also done pretty well with my eating and exercising this time, so let's hope I get there and haven't gained another ton of weight. My shower is scheduled for May 3, and I am also really excited about that! I missed my shower with Brittany because she was born two days before it was scheduled, and then I didn't have one with Zach since he was my second and I still had all of my baby stuff from Brittany. So, this will be my first baby shower and I can't wait!
Okay, now for the u/s pics! The first one is my favorite because she smiled at us. :)
This one is a great shot of her foot:
This one is a little creepy, because her eye is open:
Will report more after my appointment on Tuesday!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Playing catch-up
29 weeks and counting! I can't believe that 3/4 of this pregnancy is already over!
Time to catch you all up on what has been going on during the last two weeks! Last weekend, Clay and I attended the HMH Foundation Gala. We had a great time, but I was really tired toward the end. Of course, the fact that I stuffed myself at dinner probably didn't help. :) Brittany took a picture of me before we left. I don't have any with Clay that don't make me look like a big-bellied monster, so I will not be posting one of the two of us until I get the pics back that were taken at the gala. For now, here is a pic of me:
Oh, and before I forget to post it... here is another comparison belly pic. This one was taken at 27 weeks 6 days pregnant:
In pregnancy-related symptoms, I am having a lot of reflux lately. Just this weekend, my hands have swollen enough that my engagement/wedding rings are no longer comfortable. I took them off to sleep last night, but crammed them back on before church this morning. I am kind of sentimental, so it makes me sad to not be able to wear them. I'm hoping maybe it is from the salty foods I've eaten over the weekend, and that my hands will return to normal soon. My shoes didn't fit so well for church this morning, either. Something else I've noticed is that it is starting to hurt worse when I'm in bed at night. My hips and thighs are sore, so I guess that is a good sign that things are shifting around as they should be! Other than these things and being tired, I feel pretty good. I am really excited that the baby could be here in another 8 weeks! In one way that seems so close, and in another it still seems far away. I know it will pass quickly, though.
I hope to have some good pictures to share after the ultrasound this week!
Time to catch you all up on what has been going on during the last two weeks! Last weekend, Clay and I attended the HMH Foundation Gala. We had a great time, but I was really tired toward the end. Of course, the fact that I stuffed myself at dinner probably didn't help. :) Brittany took a picture of me before we left. I don't have any with Clay that don't make me look like a big-bellied monster, so I will not be posting one of the two of us until I get the pics back that were taken at the gala. For now, here is a pic of me:
We had our monthly OB appointment last Tuesday, and I had gained another 7 pounds. I really have no idea how, because I'm not eating THAT much more than usual. Maybe it was from overdoing it on the wonderful food at the gala? :) I guess my body just likes to hang on to every pound it can while pregnant. Clay and I have gone for a walk both days this weekend, and if the weather stays this beautiful I will be walking every day! I love this time of year!! Okay, so back to my appointment. I had my one-hour glucose test, and I had really been dreading it. Every time I've taken it before, the drink was cola-flavored. This may be okay for some people, but I truly dislike anything with that flavor. It seems that maybe a lot of people feel like I do, because Tuesday I was given orange! I hesitantly tried it, and was pleasantly surprised! It tasted like orange Kool-aid with extra sugar poured in. I was able to drink it in about 2-3 minutes, when in the past I have had to force it down with them fussing at me for taking too long. So, I was VERY proud of myself! I never heard back from the office, so I'm guessing that no news is good news. They also did a thyroid check, since my numbers were a little low at my first prenatal visit. Dr. S says that this sometimes happens to women in their first trimester, and he just wants to follow up to be sure that they are back where they need to be. My blood pressure was great at 110/60, and it was a good visit. I go back in three weeks for the next one.
Oh, and before I forget to post it... here is another comparison belly pic. This one was taken at 27 weeks 6 days pregnant:
In more exciting news, we are taking the kids with us this week for our 4D ultrasound! We are all really excited about this and can't wait to get a good look at this little girl. We will leave the u/s and head up to Branson for the rest of the week, since we are out for spring break. So, I'm really looking forward to the next week. I just have to get through one more day of work on Monday first. That's what I get for not doing my paperwork for the past week or two.
In pregnancy-related symptoms, I am having a lot of reflux lately. Just this weekend, my hands have swollen enough that my engagement/wedding rings are no longer comfortable. I took them off to sleep last night, but crammed them back on before church this morning. I am kind of sentimental, so it makes me sad to not be able to wear them. I'm hoping maybe it is from the salty foods I've eaten over the weekend, and that my hands will return to normal soon. My shoes didn't fit so well for church this morning, either. Something else I've noticed is that it is starting to hurt worse when I'm in bed at night. My hips and thighs are sore, so I guess that is a good sign that things are shifting around as they should be! Other than these things and being tired, I feel pretty good. I am really excited that the baby could be here in another 8 weeks! In one way that seems so close, and in another it still seems far away. I know it will pass quickly, though.
I hope to have some good pictures to share after the ultrasound this week!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Hello, third trimester!
There really isn't a lot going on, but I wanted to document the beginning of the third trimester! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting bigger and bigger every day, and I am getting really excited about meeting this little girl!
I am in a great mood this weekend, and I'm sure that is a relief to everyone around me. Not that I've been in a perpetually grumpy mood, but it is no secret that I am not my normal self while pregnant. I feel more like me this weekend than I have felt in several months now! I'm feeling way more pregnant than fat, and that helps a lot. The weather has been near 80 degrees, the sun is shining, and I feel great! Yesterday morning, Clay and I took the dogs for a walk at the park. We walked a mile before the dogs started driving me insane with all of the "Let me stop and smell this", so we went home. Late yesterday afternoon we went back and walked two more miles. I haven't exercised as much over the last few weeks, and I can tell that this is something that I truly need to resume. I'm planning on trying to walk at least three miles most days, as long as the weather cooperates. It is supposed to be a rainy week, though, so I may have to fire up the treadmill and get moving on it.
It seems the kids are getting Spring Fever, as well. Zach told me this morning that he wants to take his bike to the park if it isn't raining when he gets home from his dad's. Brittany seemed happy about this, too. She has really become more interested in exercise over the past year, and the great weather makes it even more enticing!
So, that's where we are! I go back to the doctor in a week and two days for my oh-so-yummy Glucose test. Then a week later, I have my 4D ultrasound! We are really excited about that, too. I will have pictures to post after that one. I'm going to have Brittany take some belly pictures tonight, so I will be putting those up before long. (I'm being optimistic... I'll have them up before the baby is born, anyway!)
I am in a great mood this weekend, and I'm sure that is a relief to everyone around me. Not that I've been in a perpetually grumpy mood, but it is no secret that I am not my normal self while pregnant. I feel more like me this weekend than I have felt in several months now! I'm feeling way more pregnant than fat, and that helps a lot. The weather has been near 80 degrees, the sun is shining, and I feel great! Yesterday morning, Clay and I took the dogs for a walk at the park. We walked a mile before the dogs started driving me insane with all of the "Let me stop and smell this", so we went home. Late yesterday afternoon we went back and walked two more miles. I haven't exercised as much over the last few weeks, and I can tell that this is something that I truly need to resume. I'm planning on trying to walk at least three miles most days, as long as the weather cooperates. It is supposed to be a rainy week, though, so I may have to fire up the treadmill and get moving on it.
It seems the kids are getting Spring Fever, as well. Zach told me this morning that he wants to take his bike to the park if it isn't raining when he gets home from his dad's. Brittany seemed happy about this, too. She has really become more interested in exercise over the past year, and the great weather makes it even more enticing!
So, that's where we are! I go back to the doctor in a week and two days for my oh-so-yummy Glucose test. Then a week later, I have my 4D ultrasound! We are really excited about that, too. I will have pictures to post after that one. I'm going to have Brittany take some belly pictures tonight, so I will be putting those up before long. (I'm being optimistic... I'll have them up before the baby is born, anyway!)
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Aches and Pains of Pregnancy
This honestly isn't intended to be a post of complaint! Honest! It's just a mere effort to document this part of the pregnancy. ;) Actually, I have felt worse. The first trimester was by far the least fun of this entire journey. I was hoping for a burst of energy as the second trimester hit, but I never found it. I did lose the constant nausea, though, and I am forever thankful for that! So, the second trimester is drawing to a close this week and I have a new symptom. I have a strange pain on the upper right side of my belly. It feels almost as if someone is sticking me with a hot poker. I finally got tired of worrying about it and called my OB's office today, where the nurse reassured me that it is actually quite common for this stage of pregnancy. She said that they hear a lot of complaints about it, and that it is just all of the tugging and stretching that is going on. So, I can take Tylenol, warm baths, and use a heating pad to make it better. It is actually better since I've been home and on the couch tonight. When I get up and move around, it comes right back and feels like something is tearing. Not a pleasant feeling!
It just occurred to me that I haven't posted since my last OB appointment at 24 weeks. Everything measured well, although I had gained a little more weight than I had hoped. The only potential problem was the amount of Braxton-Hicks contractions that I had been having. After hearing that I had six on the way to the appointment that morning, he decided to do an exam. I'm happy to report that the exam showed that the contractions aren't causing any cervical changes, so we're great! They are definitely uncomfortable, painful at times, but nothing I can't handle as long as I know that everything is okay. :) My next appointment is in two more weeks, when I will be 28 weeks. I am scheduled for the ever-so-much-fun glucose test at that appointment. Actually, I don't expect it to be as bad this time because my OB now has the orange flavor. He told me he thinks it tastes like a melted orange popsicle. I've only ever had the cola flavor, and I don't like cola-flavored things anyway. Still... I will definitely be glad to get this over with!
On to the fun stuff! We have been slowly buying baby things! Our furniture came in the same day that I had my last appointment, so Clay spent the afternoon putting it together. Some of our bedding is backordered, so I haven't taken pictures yet. I will do that as soon as it comes in. Last week we put together the bouncy seat, and Brittany put a baby doll in it just to see how it looks. Well, our little Yorkie (Chloe) decided that she didn't like the baby doll. It was hilarious to see her jump up on the back of the couch growling and barking at the little doll who was making cooing noises. :) This weekend we went to Texarkana and bought a few clothes, a package of diapers, and some wipes. Oh, and I also bought a Boppy! I couldn't find the swing I wanted, so I came home and ordered it and my diaper bag. So, slowly but surely we are getting ready for this little girl to come into our lives!
I am now 26 weeks and 2 days pregnant! If I have her around the same time I had Zach (37 weeks), that just gives me 11 more weeks to go. I had Brittany at 38 weeks, so that would give me 12 weeks. I am so ready for her to be here! Clay is ready for her to be here! The kids are VERY ready for her to be here! Let's just hope the next couple of months go quickly.
It just occurred to me that I haven't posted since my last OB appointment at 24 weeks. Everything measured well, although I had gained a little more weight than I had hoped. The only potential problem was the amount of Braxton-Hicks contractions that I had been having. After hearing that I had six on the way to the appointment that morning, he decided to do an exam. I'm happy to report that the exam showed that the contractions aren't causing any cervical changes, so we're great! They are definitely uncomfortable, painful at times, but nothing I can't handle as long as I know that everything is okay. :) My next appointment is in two more weeks, when I will be 28 weeks. I am scheduled for the ever-so-much-fun glucose test at that appointment. Actually, I don't expect it to be as bad this time because my OB now has the orange flavor. He told me he thinks it tastes like a melted orange popsicle. I've only ever had the cola flavor, and I don't like cola-flavored things anyway. Still... I will definitely be glad to get this over with!
On to the fun stuff! We have been slowly buying baby things! Our furniture came in the same day that I had my last appointment, so Clay spent the afternoon putting it together. Some of our bedding is backordered, so I haven't taken pictures yet. I will do that as soon as it comes in. Last week we put together the bouncy seat, and Brittany put a baby doll in it just to see how it looks. Well, our little Yorkie (Chloe) decided that she didn't like the baby doll. It was hilarious to see her jump up on the back of the couch growling and barking at the little doll who was making cooing noises. :) This weekend we went to Texarkana and bought a few clothes, a package of diapers, and some wipes. Oh, and I also bought a Boppy! I couldn't find the swing I wanted, so I came home and ordered it and my diaper bag. So, slowly but surely we are getting ready for this little girl to come into our lives!
I am now 26 weeks and 2 days pregnant! If I have her around the same time I had Zach (37 weeks), that just gives me 11 more weeks to go. I had Brittany at 38 weeks, so that would give me 12 weeks. I am so ready for her to be here! Clay is ready for her to be here! The kids are VERY ready for her to be here! Let's just hope the next couple of months go quickly.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Brittany and the Bee
Brittany participated in the Howard County Spelling Bee last week. In this spelling bee, kids in 3rd-8th grades from different schools around the county come together to compete, and the winner advances to the state competition. This was the third year that she has competed. Her first year (as a 3rd grader), she got out in the second round when "hedonism" tripped her up. In 4th grade, she ended up in a spell-off for first place with another girl. They stood up there spelling words back and forth for around 45 minutes. Neither of us remember the word that she finally misspelled, but she wasn't upset at all. Just happy that it was over and that she had done so well, coming in second place out of so many kids.
So, that brings me to last week. I don't know how many of you have ever had the privilege of sitting and watching your child compete in a spelling bee, but let me just say that it is not the most relaxing way to spend the afternoon! Every time she got up, I felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest. Zach went with us, and the first time Brittany got up to spell, he leaned over and said, "I feel like I can't breathe!" It was so sweet that he was nervous for her, and that he cared so much about whether she got the words right.
She had a great first few rounds, and then she got up to spell again. The announcer then says, "megalopolis" and I was afraid. She stood there calmly and spelled it correctly. The entire audience cheered. It was great! The next round, she got "oregano" and I was relieved. I knew she knew that one. For some reason, though, she ended up saying the "r" twice, and that was the end of this year. She wasn't too disappointed. After that round, there were only three people left. So, she left feeling like she had done well. I think she did GREAT! We're already looking forward to next year!
Congratulations, Brittany, on working so hard! And thank you, Zach, for caring about your sister. :)
So, that brings me to last week. I don't know how many of you have ever had the privilege of sitting and watching your child compete in a spelling bee, but let me just say that it is not the most relaxing way to spend the afternoon! Every time she got up, I felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest. Zach went with us, and the first time Brittany got up to spell, he leaned over and said, "I feel like I can't breathe!" It was so sweet that he was nervous for her, and that he cared so much about whether she got the words right.
She had a great first few rounds, and then she got up to spell again. The announcer then says, "megalopolis" and I was afraid. She stood there calmly and spelled it correctly. The entire audience cheered. It was great! The next round, she got "oregano" and I was relieved. I knew she knew that one. For some reason, though, she ended up saying the "r" twice, and that was the end of this year. She wasn't too disappointed. After that round, there were only three people left. So, she left feeling like she had done well. I think she did GREAT! We're already looking forward to next year!
Congratulations, Brittany, on working so hard! And thank you, Zach, for caring about your sister. :)
Pictures!
I've been promising pictures for quite some time, but you know that pesky camera cord of mine likes to hide. Well, this week I found one that works. So, tonight I am finally following through on my promise to post pics! I've had several people asking for belly pics, so I am going to be brave and post them.
The one above is my official "this is what I looked like at 23 weeks 2 days pregnant" picture. My "belly pics" are below.
Almost 6 weeks and bloated:
14 weeks:
23 weeks (last Monday):
So, you can see that our little girl is definitely growing! Brittany and Zach continue to be amazed at her little wiggles and squirms. Zach loves to ask (at any given moment) where she is right now, and then he wants to keep his hand on my tummy until he feels her move. Brittany was watching my belly the other day, and she saw my shirt jump. She immediately jumped back and said, "Whoa!" It really surprised her that the baby can kick that hard. Zach is asking lots of questions about "when I was in your tummy", and he finds it fascinating that he used to be able to elbow me from the inside. :)
I go back to the doctor on Tuesday for my 24-week visit. I don't think we'll do a lot at this one, but I always enjoy going.
In non-pregnancy news, Clay and I got an award at this year's Nashville Chamber of Commerce banquet. We received the "Best Remodeled Building of 2008" award. We're really happy with the way our office turned out, and it was an honor to receive the award (even if the picture in the paper made me look like I had 4 chins!)
We also took a little trip up to Petit Jean a couple of weeks ago, and the kids had a great time! I forgot my camera, so we had to buy a disposable one. I'll have to remember to take it and get the pictures developed. We stayed in a cabin for the weekend, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, drank hot chocolate, and hiked. We got up on Saturday morning to eat breakfast and then set out on a "short hike" to the waterfall. Three hours later, we returned from our 6 mile hike down and then back up the mountain! We had a lot of fun, and the scenery was beautiful!
That's really all that's been going on around here for the past few weeks. I will check in again soon!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The project begins!
I am really excited! We have been looking at baby bedding, furniture, paint colors, etc. for so long (it seems, anyway). Well, today the painter came and he says he can start on Monday! We are going to have him paint the baby's room and Zach's room. Zach's is blue, and I think it is just too dark and makes his room feel like a cave. So, he has chosen a new color and is excited about it! Brittany loves her pink walls, but she wants to add some polka dots, so we are going to order some of the stick-on wall dots for her. The baby's room will go from a cave-like dark green color to a much lighter color. :)
So, now that we have the painter lined up, I went ahead and ordered the furniture! It is scheduled to ship in two weeks. We already have a lot of the bedding and room accessories, so I am really excited to get it all set up and ready! I will definitely be taking before and after pictures, because I think it is going to look totally different. Of course, it would help if I could find that camera cord...
In pregnancy news, everything is pretty much the same. I am feeling more movement, and I've been a little crampy for the past couple of days. I guess everything is stretching to accommodate the baby. Otherwise, I feel pretty good, and I am just counting down the weeks. We are so excited to meet this little girl! Brittany and Zach talk about her a lot, and I know they also are really excited for her to be here!
So, now that we have the painter lined up, I went ahead and ordered the furniture! It is scheduled to ship in two weeks. We already have a lot of the bedding and room accessories, so I am really excited to get it all set up and ready! I will definitely be taking before and after pictures, because I think it is going to look totally different. Of course, it would help if I could find that camera cord...
In pregnancy news, everything is pretty much the same. I am feeling more movement, and I've been a little crampy for the past couple of days. I guess everything is stretching to accommodate the baby. Otherwise, I feel pretty good, and I am just counting down the weeks. We are so excited to meet this little girl! Brittany and Zach talk about her a lot, and I know they also are really excited for her to be here!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
It's still a girl!
We had our big ultrasound at my OB appointment yesterday. Dr. S measured everything and says that everything looks great! So far, I don't have a big baby, and I am very happy about this! :) He kept trying to look at the gender, and she had her little legs shut tightly together. After he had finished everything else, he went back to look one more time and she opened them just long enough for us to see that she is definitely still a girl! Of course, we're very happy about that, and about the fact that she is healthy.
I have been feeling so much more movement lately! Clay is able to feel the kicks now, too, and that is really exciting! Last night, we were lying in bed talking and she was moving around a lot. I told him to put his hand on my stomach and wait. The first time he said he felt something, but he wasn't sure if it was the baby or my colon. I cracked up and told him that even when pregnant, my gas doesn't poke and jab! :)
I'm still feeling great! Sciatic pain is gone most of the time, and I'm exercising almost every day. It really seems to make me feel a lot better. I had gained several pounds more at the doctor this time, but he still hasn't fussed at me. It was Christmas, after all! I really think the weight gain will slow down more now, since I am eating healthy again and exercising. If not, I will have plenty of time after she is here to work it off. For now, the goal is a healthy baby, and we seem to have that right now!
Oh, I do have a funny story to tell. Brittany and Zach went with us to the ultrasound yesterday. Dr. S was showing us all of the parts as he was measuring them. At one point, he said, "Here is the butt and the femur..." and I heard Zach start giggling. He just couldn't seem to stop laughing, and I instantly knew what his eight year old brain was thinking. "He said butt! He said butt!" So, I started laughing, too. The more I thought about it, the funnier it became, and if you've ever had an ultrasound, you know that laughing is not very conducive to the doctor being able to get a clear picture. I finally had to totally block that out of my mind and concentrate really hard on what was going on right in front of me. Little boys! :)
I do have some pictures, but I haven't scanned them. They really aren't as good as the other pics we've gotten. Little Squash (as Clay and the kids affectionately call her, after the week that she was as big as a squash) was turned where we just couldn't get a lot of clear profile shots. The new ultrasound machine hadn't come in, so when we left, Dr S said that we will probably get to come back in and play around with the machine once it gets there! So, maybe we will get some good pictures soon. If not, we are going to do a 4-D scan in about two months! I will try to scan some pics and post them tonight after church.
I have been feeling so much more movement lately! Clay is able to feel the kicks now, too, and that is really exciting! Last night, we were lying in bed talking and she was moving around a lot. I told him to put his hand on my stomach and wait. The first time he said he felt something, but he wasn't sure if it was the baby or my colon. I cracked up and told him that even when pregnant, my gas doesn't poke and jab! :)
I'm still feeling great! Sciatic pain is gone most of the time, and I'm exercising almost every day. It really seems to make me feel a lot better. I had gained several pounds more at the doctor this time, but he still hasn't fussed at me. It was Christmas, after all! I really think the weight gain will slow down more now, since I am eating healthy again and exercising. If not, I will have plenty of time after she is here to work it off. For now, the goal is a healthy baby, and we seem to have that right now!
Oh, I do have a funny story to tell. Brittany and Zach went with us to the ultrasound yesterday. Dr. S was showing us all of the parts as he was measuring them. At one point, he said, "Here is the butt and the femur..." and I heard Zach start giggling. He just couldn't seem to stop laughing, and I instantly knew what his eight year old brain was thinking. "He said butt! He said butt!" So, I started laughing, too. The more I thought about it, the funnier it became, and if you've ever had an ultrasound, you know that laughing is not very conducive to the doctor being able to get a clear picture. I finally had to totally block that out of my mind and concentrate really hard on what was going on right in front of me. Little boys! :)
I do have some pictures, but I haven't scanned them. They really aren't as good as the other pics we've gotten. Little Squash (as Clay and the kids affectionately call her, after the week that she was as big as a squash) was turned where we just couldn't get a lot of clear profile shots. The new ultrasound machine hadn't come in, so when we left, Dr S said that we will probably get to come back in and play around with the machine once it gets there! So, maybe we will get some good pictures soon. If not, we are going to do a 4-D scan in about two months! I will try to scan some pics and post them tonight after church.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A little update
I don't have pictures to add... yet. My camera cord seems to have disappeared once again, but as soon as I can find the sneaky little thing, I will have pictures up in this space! :)
I am now 18 weeks and 4 days pregnant. For the past couple of weeks, there haven't been a lot of updates as far as the pregnancy goes. I have started feeling more and more movement, although it still can't be felt from the outside. I am excited for Clay and the kids to be able to feel all of the dancing around this little girl is doing! My little baby belly has also suddenly become noticeably larger over the past 48 hours. I was sitting on the couch last night, and I looked at my stomach and commented that it looked a lot bigger. Clay said he had just noticed this, too. I also have had several comments over the past few days about being pregnant and asking when I'm due. Earlier this week I started training again at the gym. My workouts aren't nearly as heavy as they used to be, but I feel so much better about myself! Before getting pregnant, I was in the gym most days of the week, and I was a healthy eater. Not so much for the past 4 months. So, I was really excited to get back in there on Monday, and I've been back every day. I feel so much better, both physically and mentally!
I haven't posted anything over the Christmas break, but we had a nice time. We had Christmas here, at my mom's, and at Granny's, and then went to Dallas to see Clay's sister and her family after New Year's Day. We all had a great time ice skating, eating, and just catching up. I have pictures of all of the kids to put on here as soon as I find that crazy cord.
So, that's my update for now! I have an OB appointment next week, and we will get our big ultrasound. I'm excited about seeing the baby again! I will update on that (with pictures!) as soon as we get home.
I am now 18 weeks and 4 days pregnant. For the past couple of weeks, there haven't been a lot of updates as far as the pregnancy goes. I have started feeling more and more movement, although it still can't be felt from the outside. I am excited for Clay and the kids to be able to feel all of the dancing around this little girl is doing! My little baby belly has also suddenly become noticeably larger over the past 48 hours. I was sitting on the couch last night, and I looked at my stomach and commented that it looked a lot bigger. Clay said he had just noticed this, too. I also have had several comments over the past few days about being pregnant and asking when I'm due. Earlier this week I started training again at the gym. My workouts aren't nearly as heavy as they used to be, but I feel so much better about myself! Before getting pregnant, I was in the gym most days of the week, and I was a healthy eater. Not so much for the past 4 months. So, I was really excited to get back in there on Monday, and I've been back every day. I feel so much better, both physically and mentally!
I haven't posted anything over the Christmas break, but we had a nice time. We had Christmas here, at my mom's, and at Granny's, and then went to Dallas to see Clay's sister and her family after New Year's Day. We all had a great time ice skating, eating, and just catching up. I have pictures of all of the kids to put on here as soon as I find that crazy cord.
So, that's my update for now! I have an OB appointment next week, and we will get our big ultrasound. I'm excited about seeing the baby again! I will update on that (with pictures!) as soon as we get home.
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