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! :)

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!

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:

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!

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!)

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.

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. :)

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!