Baby Update....37 weeks

How far along? 37 weeks
Total weight gain: 12 pounds, still 10 pounds down from when I first got pregnant
Maternity clothes?: For sure.
Sleep: Broken throughout the night. Between getting up to pee almost every 4 hours, and now the heartburn, not sleeping through the night anymore.
Cravings: salad and orange juice
Best moment this week: Learning that the babes is head down. She is starting to get herself ready for her big entrance ;)
Movement: LOTS! Even with her but just below my diaphragm this girl is such a wiggle worm. Gender: Pink!!!
Labor Signs: Contractions on and off since 35 weeks. More so today than last week. I am currently 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Guess these contractions are doing their job.
Belly Button in or out? Still in, although every day it looks like it will pop out.
What I miss: The thing I miss the most this week...sleep
Weekly Wisdom: My body knows what it is doing, be strong and have faith that it knows what it is doing
Next Monday the sweet babes, gets measured again. Keep posted.

Today is the day...

No, not THAT day. Today is my baby shower. While I only know where it is, when it is and who was invited, I have NO idea who is coming, and that makes me excited! I know my mom planned it and will just be relieved to have it over but I am thankful that my sisters and niece and nephew will be there as well. It wouldn't be the same without them. 3 more weeks until THAT day. Just know that there will be pictures taken and then I will be able to share with you. Hope you have a happy Saturday! Whatever you are doing, have fun, be safe and stay warm. It's only 31 degrees here today!

Babes update

As you may or may not know, I go to the OB twice a week. Mondays, I get an Ultrasound, then a stress test, then finally I meet with the doctor. On Thursdays, I get an ultrasound and a stress test. So, today, being Monday...I was at the OB. The babes weighed in at 7 pounds 2 oz, and I was down 2 pounds. The did the second Hep B swab and that was it. Since Thursday is a holiday, I go back at 10:30 on Friday. Then it's repeat the final week. As of right now, they are not concerned about the babes. Her ETA is still 3 weeks away (I am 36 weeks tomorrow, but since I am on insulin, 39 weeks is the longest they will let her incubate). So, yeah, that day will come sooner than later. OMG! No contractions since last Wednesday...now...off to drink more water, elevate my feet, and attend our last Lamaze class. Happy Monday!

Lamaze

So, I just realized I didn't post about Lamaze class this past week. Well...I actually learned something. I learned how it doesn't matter what you say when you exhale (he, he, ha) it just matters that you make it a pattern so that you can focus on it. I also learned that my husband rubs backs really well, and I might have it do it more often. We were also taught positions that we can be in while in labor, and my favorite is sitting in front of the hubs leaning on him and breathing. I am not a fan of laboring on all 4s, nor did I really enjoy sitting on an exercise ball and "breathing" I mean I know that the exercise ball will help with gravity, but to me, just doesn't seem like the right thing to do. But, I don't really know what the right thing is...I have never been in this place before. All I know is that I want to try to labor sans medication, but no worries, I am the first one to say enough is enough and ask for it. Keeping the baby safe and healthy is the most important thing to me.

On another note, no more contractions since Wednesday. Maybe this little girl will wait until December to make her appearance after all. Her daddy already asked her to wait until Christmas...he wants to have off the week of Christmas. We know she won't wait that long, the doctor's won't let her...but...who knows...Only time will tell.

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week! Where did November go? Wait...where did this year go?! I still feel like the hubs and I just found out we were pregnant, and now..I only have 3.5 weeks left! Yikes! Have a great Saturday!

Practice

Today was the first of many "new" things. This is how the day progressed. I felt contractions all day. Well, not all day. Sporadically throughout the day, so I thought nothing of it. Continue to drink my water (2 liters a day) and continued working. That's when it started. I got in my car and began the drive home. I looked at the clock 4:19...and felt a contraction. Felt another one, looked at the clock 4:23. Continue to watch them on the entire drive home. For the next 20 minutes, I had 10 contractions. Texted my go to people, called my friend who recommended that I call the OB. But, I DON'T want to be one of those women. What if it was the real deal. However, I did call. The advice they gave me was...take 2 extra strength Tylenol, drink water and lay on my left side for a half hour. So, I did that. And the contractions stopped. I guess my sweet babe is not ready to come out yet, but man....my uterus is warming up for big day. I cannot wait!

35 Weeks

How far along? 35 weeks

Total weight gain: 12 pounds, still 10 pounds down from when I first got pregnant


Maternity clothes?: For sure.

Sleep: Broken throughout the night. Between getting up to pee almost every 4 hours, and now the heartburn, not sleeping through the night anymore.

Cravings: Fruit.....


Best moment this week: Learning that the babes is head down. She is starting to get herself ready for her big entrance ;)

Movement: LOTS! Even with her but just below my diaphragm this girl is such a wiggle worm.


Gender: Pink!!!


Labor Signs: Nope. No leaking, no bleeding, no contractions. Nothing

Belly Button in or out? Still in, although every day it looks like it will pop out.

What I miss: The thing I miss the most this week...sleep

Weekly Wisdom: My body knows what it is doing, and it is ok to labor without medications, or augmentation.

Next Monday the sweet babes, gets measured again. Keep posted.

Thoughtful Thursdays

So, for the next month, Wordless Wednesdays will be maternity pictures of me, in the meantime, I wanted to share another one this week. This is the picture that we will be framing and hanging in the sweet babe's nursery.

Maternity Photos

As you may know, I had a friend take maternity photos of me. As you may also know, that said photo session was horrible, frightening to say the least. So, I spoke with one of my other friends who is trying to start her own business and she offered to do photos for me as well. This friend did research. She scouted out the location, looked up ideas and even bought props. Needless to say, I believe these photos turned out great. Actually, looking at these photos, actually make me feel like I am pretty. Well...let's let them speak for themselves. I won't show my absolute favorites because well 1 is going to be made to hang up in the babe's room and the other is going to be used for my 'thank you cards." The rest, will be printed and placed into my baby photo album which will be on display at the shower. Please, enjoy the photos. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with my friend, let me know. Without further ado...

Can't wait to show you more photos! Once the shower is here, I will share with you my 2 favorite photos. I am so excited. Now...only 5 more weeks to go!

Christmas..

So, Christmas this year is all about the kids. We are spending most of the monies allocated per family to the kids. Some wonderful ideas keep running through this head of mine. Worse part, I HAVE to be finished by the end of Nov. Why? Because I only have about 5 weeks left until this sweet babes comes, and Christmas shopping with a newborn is not something I want to do this year. Anyway, one thing for sure...this kid is already spoiled. I can't justify spending money on me, but on her...no problemo! However, I think I am getting her one more thing and then she is finished. For her, the hubs and I picked out the perfect outfit for Christmas Eve mass with the family... we even have her outfit for when we go to my parent's house for Christmas dinner. I just have to decide now if I want her to wear her Christmas dinner outfit for Christmas mass when I go to the Church I go too. Or, is just one Christmas mass ok, and the Church will understand. Hmm...the decisions. I can't believe that there is only 19 days until Thanksgiving! Soon, we will be rearranging the living room to get ready to decorate for Christmas, and this year...we will be celebrating a lot of miracles this Christmas season.
Quick update...we found our pediatrician. We met with only one, but hubs and I LOVED him! He seemed so smart, and really his practice seems to be what we were looking for. Also, I go to the doctor's again twice this week (no big surprise) but now I have a better understanding of why it is so frequent. Also, Monday is week 2 of lamaze class and this week is our tour of the labor unit and then mother-baby unit. Then Thursday is our Baptism class. I thought it was better to get it done and over with now, rather than have to bring a newborn.
Oh, and did I mention how much I loved how dark it was at 0700 this am! I am soo looking forward to turning my clock back tonight!

I've got a feeling...

Well, actually it wasn't me that had a feeling...I felt a feeling. Yeah, something like that. Today while at the doctor's the sweet babe got the hiccups. It was the first time I think she ever had the hiccups, and it was absolutely adorable. Well, in a weird feeling kind of way. My stomach kept jumping up and down...and then every time she had the hiccups you could "hear" it on the heart beat monitor. It was awesome. Too bad hubs wasn't there, although it did last for about a half hour and every time she did hiccup, my stomach moved up and down. It's amazing what she does in there. Oh, yeah...I also wanted to share that today, during my ultrasound the babe was laying completely outstretch across my belly. OK, that is all I have to share today. Oh, and we started Christmas shopping today. And, we are almost finished. WOW!

33 weeks...

How far along? 33 weeks

Total weight gain: Not sure, I lost so much weight at the beginning, that I am not quite sure how much I have gained. I will ask Monday at my next appointment. Speaking of appointments does everyone go to the doctor's as often as me? I mean crap, I go twice a week every week from now until the little miss comes. Is that normal?


Maternity clothes?: For sure.
Sleep: Sleeping great, I still get up 2-3 times to pee, but I slept great!
Cravings: No true cravings....


Best moment this week: All of the moving she's doing. I have no clue what she's doing in there but holy cow! I wish I could see hher and see what she was doing. At the appointment on Monday, the bottom of her feet were pressed to the top of my belly...
Movement: LOTS!


Gender: Pink!!!


Labor Signs: Nope. Does everyone feel Braxton Hicks Contractions?


Belly Button in or out? Still in, and hoping it stays that way!
What I miss: eh same ol same ol..... mostly my other clothes.
Weekly Wisdom: None this week... sorry

As of last Monday, the sweet babe was 5 pounds 3 oz...

'Twas the night on Halloween

'Twas the night of Halloween , when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The curtains were hung by the window with care,

In hopes that the baby soon would be there;

The clothes were all laundered,

While visions of sweet babes is all that was wondered;

And Shel in her 'jams and Penguin in his shorts,

Had just settled down to watch some sports.

When in her belly there arose such a clatter,

O' how the baby's feet went pitter patter.

Shel laughed with excitement and giggled with glee,

And wondered if the babes was in there saying "whee."

With 32 weeks in there and only 7 more to go,

Ma waits for the moment when it is time to go

To the hospital with her hubs in tow.

We'll know in a moment it must be the time

To push and push until I just rhyme ,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called her by name;

Makayla Noele it's your birthday

Your mommy and daddy are excited this day!

Reflecting...

Last week, a good friend of mine from high school has volunteered her services to take maternity photos for me. Those of you that know me, know that 1- I hate photos of myself and 2- recently had photos done and hated the experience. However, I feel that this time it will be different. My friend researched ideas, and sent them all to me for approval, so now I know what to expect. I also gave her permission to use these pictures for her business portfolio and just for saying that she offered to do them for free! (Even better). So, hopefully soon I will be able to share some of those pictures with you as soon as I get them. In the meantime, I found these pictures from when I first go pregnant and thought I would share them. Trust me, I will show them again with the maternity pictures just so you can see how HUGE I am.

A work in progress...

So, our nursery for our sweet babes is a work in progress. We did however get the crib put together, the crib skirt is in place, the mattress on the bed, the sheets placed on the mattress. See, look...


All we need is the bumper pads, some final paint on the walls, some decorations, and of course the sweet babes. Stay tuned for more pictures as we continue to prepare for the babes arrival.

Breastfeeding...

Last week I attended the breastfeeding class that the hospital I will be delivering at offered. I had no idea what I was expecting, but being a nurse I thought I at least had an idea. Yes, there was definitely information shared that I already knew, but there was also information given that I didn't know. Like, I knew that colostrum is different from the "normal" milk, but I didn't know that the breast milk at 3 weeks was different than 6 months which is different than 1 year or even 2 years. Yes, 2 years. Of course they said that they recommend breastfeeding into 2 years of age. I say of course because if you ask any lactation consultant they will tell you to breastfeed for as long as possible. I also learned that even if I pump let's say now, I would still be able to breastfeed the baby in 10 minutes. Did you know that it is normal for a breastfed baby to want to feed every 20 minutes! Yes, 20 minutes. I also learned that they no longer take the baby out of the room after delivery, they let you get skin to skin with the baby as soon as he/she is delivered. They also don't take the baby out of the room unless you ask, I as of right now plan on having the baby in the room as much as possible. It was also expressed that pacifiers, and bottles shouldn't be introduced until at least 2 months of age, this way to avoid nipple confusion. I was a little floored by that because I really don't mind the idea of giving her a pacifier, but I guess I will wait and see how it all goes. I am hoping to breastfeed for as long as possible, even pumping when I go back to work. I am hoping for at least a year, maybe longer. I think they mentioned that once the child reaches 6 months old, the bottles of breast milk can be given with meals and supplemented with water and juice. Hmm...maybe that is something else I can consider. All I know is that I have a lot of learning to do, and a lot of growing up to d. Hopefully...it will all click once she is here. In the meantime, I will continue to look at the book they gave us, and try to find respectable Internet information. If anyone out there has information, it is greatly appreciated!

Saturday!

The weekend is here and what kinds of fun things are we doing? Well, the hubs is painting the nursery! Can't wait to get some pictures of it to put on here. We are trying a unique painting job, so hubs is worried it won't turn out well. I just can't wait until it is finished so that we can start putting the nursery together. While he is doing that, I am out of the apartment doing other things...like laundry. Not our laundry, but laundry for our unborn babes. I didn't even bring over everything that needs to be washed (I don't think so anyway) but, I already have 4 loads to do! 1 load is currently in the washer, 1 in the dryer, and the other 2 are separated by color waiting for their respective turns. Who would have thought that an unborn child has so much stuff to wash! Don't get me wrong, I love it...it is all hand me downs and stuff that we don't have to buy her, just a little overwhelmed with getting it all done. Actually, a little overwhelmed with everything these days...less than 60 days until our sweet baby girl will be here. WOW! That's amazing. Anyway, just wanted to stop by and let everyone know what we are doing today. Later tonight we are going to my uncle's surprise birthday party, and then I am DD for my cousin who is also celebrating her birthday. I didn't think it was cool for a pregnant person to be out at the bar celebrating with her. Tomorrow I am going to breakfast with my cousin, then one of my cousins who isn't really a cousin is having an open house for her new home. Which I think the hubs and I are going to go too if even only for an hour. Before that there is cake for my grandfather's sister, and Church. Why do the weekends only have to be 2 days? Why can't they be longer so that I can get more stuff done without feeling like I am cramming a lot into them. Until tomorrow when I post about the breastfeeding class...have a great windy Saturday!

Week 30

According to the Bump.com, I have 69 days to go! Well, less than that because being a gestational diabetic, I won't go to term. I think I just shat in my pants...
How far along? 30 weeks
Total weight gain or loss? Still under where I started by 6 pounds...down 2 pounds from my visit 3 weeks ago
Maternity clothes? Yes. My belly is too big to be covered by the shorter "normal" shirts, and well quite frankly maternity clothes and sweats are more comfortable
Stretch marks? ~ Yes, they are faint, but I am faithfully applying that cream that my sister J gave me.
Sleep?~I love my sleep!
Best moment this week? Hearing her heartbeat at the doctors
Movement? ~ Yes. Little miss loves it when I scrub in the OR. She seems to like that she can kick me and I can't rub her back.
Food cravings? ~None, haven't really had any at all so far this pregnancy. Hubs still has them, does that count?
Gender? ~ A precious little Daddy's little Girl
Labor signs? ~NO, and kinda starting to be really worried about how that all will feel
Belly button in or out? ~In....
Wedding rings on or off? ~On, although they seem to be a little big.
What I miss? ~Being able to eat whatever I want without worrying how it is going to affect the babes.
What I am looking forward too? ~Getting to meet her, although no rush, Christmas comes right after she does
Weekly wisdom? ~Stop trying to look to the end...enjoy the moment right now
Weekly milestone? ~Losing 2 pounds...
Tonight we have our breastfeeding class. Here's to an interesting night!

Aww moment

Yesterday, my good friend Liz asked me to watch her son Anthony because she had to work and because her parents went out of town. Without hesitation I said sure. Why, because I absolutely love this little kid, and because I knew my niece would be up and I love love how good she is with other little kids. Anyway, Anthony came up, and while he was a little fussy, when Shae was able to distract him, hand and hand they strolled around the yard. I wish I had a picture of it, but I have to get better with carrying my camera. To my credit, I had my camera, it was just inside while we were outside. Anyway, Anthony got a little bit more fussy and I decided that it was time to leave so that we could try to get him to sleep. Never the less, within moments, he was asleep.

When we got to our apartment, I waited for the Hubs to get there. I try not to lift heavy stuff, and I knew he would be mad if I picked up Anthony. Anyway, the hubs carried him into our apartment, and while I was changing him for bed, the hubs put together our pack-n-play. What great teamwork we have already. But wait, it gets better. Hubs was eager to hold him, and whenever he fussed he rubbed his back to calm him back down. That was my aww moment. I never doubted what kind of mother I would be, but I sometimes wondered what kind of dad he will be. See, his dad isn't close to him like I am with mine, so while I know he will be a loving father, how would he show it was sometimes wondered. Not anymore. Hubs will be the kind and gentle dad that he needs to be, yet he won't be afraid to be the stern and disciplinarian that he needs to be as well. I have to say this though...I know our precious little girl will have him wrapped around her finger, and I can't be any more excited!

Word on the street..

Officially, the baby is measuring a week ahead of her gestational age...
I have gained 1.5 pounds in 3 weeks, 8 pounds since June 23...
Still down 15 pounds since before I got pregnant..
Only 89 day until her due date...Babes will not be making it until her due date...will come at least a week early, earlier if she decides...
I go back for my next appointment in 3 weeks, then I will be going twice a week until I am 36 weeks... I can't believe that the end is near...
3 weeks is our breast feeding class....
6 weeks until our Lamaze classes start.....

I can officially now panic...the babes room is no where near ready !!!!

My Pregnancy week 27

According to the Bump.com, I have 91 days to go! Holy moly Batman!
How far along? ~ 27 weeks
Total weight gain or loss? ~ Currently sitting at 7 pounds lost which means 8 pounds gained. Will officially know tomorrow at the doctor's appointment.
Maternity clothes? ~ Yes and no. I wear sweat pants when not going to work(they are comfy) and since my mom gave me an awesome box of maternity clothes, I wear them. and I have always worn my shirts big. I am starting to wear some maternity tops, they just seem to be longer Also hoping to get some things this weekend, maybe from Kohl's or Baby Depot.
Stretch marks? ~ Yes, they are faint, but I am faithfully applying that cream that my sister J gave me.
Sleep?~ Is now a problem, although since the hubs (yes he is awesome) bought me a body pillow, sleep is getting better.
Best moment this week? ~Realizing that I am in the third trimester! WOW! Time flies!
Movement? ~ Yes. Little miss loves it when I scrub in the OR. She seems to like that she can kick me and I can't rub her back.
Food cravings? ~None, haven't really had any at all so far this pregnancy. Hubs still has them, does that count?
Gender? ~ A precious little Daddy's little Girl
Labor signs? ~NO...little Femia, please just keep growing. k thanks. Love, mom
Belly button in or out? ~In....
Wedding rings on or off? ~On, although they seem to be a little big.
What I miss? ~Being able to eat whatever I want without worrying how it is going to affect the babes.
What I am looking forward too? ~Getting to meet her, although no rush, Christmas comes right after she does
Weekly wisdom? ~Enjoy every moment, this pregnancy will sure to go by fast
Weekly milestone? ~Making it another week...and into another trimester
I believe I read that Femia is the size of an eggplant this week.
Next month err um in 2 weeks is our breast feeding class, stay tuned for that. That class is followed up by our 1 day a week for 4 weeks series on Lamaze. Goodness only knows what kind of blogging that will lead too.
Want to read about babes from earlier, click here.