I had my 14th prenatal appointment today. I am STILL 1cm dilated and 0% effaced. Can you believe that? My cervix just does not want to start ripening to let this little one out! My weight is up another pound and I have officially gained 40 pounds now this pregnancy! My blood pressure reading was 110/75. I had a nonstress test done today to track the baby's heartrate and body movements and it took an hour of being hooked up to the machine before they were satisfied with the baby's movements. I have a biophysical ultrasound scheduled for this Friday which will run all sorts of tests including the amniotic fluid level, the growth of the baby, the breathing, etc. If we do not deliver over the weekend, I have my next and final prenatal appointment set up for Tuesday afternoon with an induction that will be scheduled for that Wednesday. Maybe we'll have ourselves a little firecracker baby and suprise everyone this weekend!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
40 Weeks
Saturday, June 19, 2010
39 Weeks
Well, I'm still updating my blog, so as you can see, no baby yet. We have one more week until our due date (this is our last weekend before then!). Recently, I found out that June 26 (our due date) is the actual date in June in which the full moon occurs! We shall see if it will have any effect whatsoever on my pregnancy.
My 12th prenatal appointment was Monday (it was supposed to be Wednesday, but last week they called and had it moved). When I arrived with my mom, they said the doctor is busy with a delivery and it will be about an hour wait. So, I took my mom to give her a tour of where I would be delivering so she knows where to go when it does happen. When we got back to the office 15 minutes later, they just had me see the nurse practitioner instead. Typically, I'm only supposed to see the OB after 36 weeks, but since I wasn't having anything going on yet, I figured it would be o.k. I gained 2 pounds just since Wednesday!!! I'm now up a total of 38 pounds! My blood pressure reading was 108/72. My uterus measured at 37 1/2 and the baby's heart rate was averaging around 152. Everything seems to be going well thus far.
Our baby's waiting to greet the world! He/she continues to build a layer of fat to help control his/her body temperature after birth. It's likely the baby already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of the skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
On Thursday, we went to visit Eileen and her baby. Even though the baby seems small since it's a newborn, I couldn't help but imagine that I have someone in me about that size and I'm going to be ejecting it soon...ouch! Alana is soooo adorable though! I'm looking forward to our baby's play dates with Alana. Eileen looks fantastic too for giving birth just 3 weeks ago!
Friday night, I drove up to Baltimore to visit Briana. We first went to get our toes painted and then tried to go eat at Lemongrass in Baltimore, but apparently, it was closed. I wonder if it closed for good?? There was no notice on the door. But it worked out for the better, because we went and tried a new restaurant called the Blue Hill Tavern. And let me just say, that place is AMAZING!!!! We tried the cheese plate, a couple bowls of soup, their yummy breads, and a crab cake meal. Oh, and of course, we had to try their dessert since we were so impressed with everything else. Wanna know what we had?? It was called the Candy Bar and it had chocolate genache, caramel, peanut butter, ice cream, pretzels, and some marshmallow cream.... OH MY GOSH, was it amazing!!! They have their own pastry chef - it's no wonder it was as good as it was!! I couldn't believe how much I can still eat this late in pregnancy!! I was nice and saved Craig one of my crab cakes for him to try and he had it for lunch today as a crab cake sandwich. And he admitted too, that it was phenomenal. So, if you get the chance to try out this restaurant, please do. The waitstaff and management were super nice and attentive. They went on to say it is a kid friendly place and I should come back and bring the baby. Oh, how I want to go back!
Tonight, Craig and I tried to go to the movies and watch The Karate Kid. They were sold out for the showing we wanted, so we decided to buy tickets to the next show in an hour and then eat at DuClaw to pass time. After we ate, we made it over to the movie theater and even though we were 20 minutes early, there was a line that apparently started an hour ago to get into the theater. It was a sold out showing and a bunch of little kids. So by the time we made it in, the only 2 seats that were available together were up front. So, we proceeded to Guest Services and claimed I wasn't feeling well and they gave us a voucher. We just didn't finish the sentence... I wasn't feeling well about sitting up front with so many little kids behind us acting up when we are trying to enjoy a moment without a kid while we have the opportunity. There won't be many opportunities like that happening soon, will it? So we decided to watch a Blockbuster movie tonight instead....Sherlock Holmes.
Below is a picture of me at 39 weeks, a picture of Eileen and Alana, and pictures of Briana and I. Poor Alana was fussing at the time - hence her red face. I am done doing anymore bare belly shots. The stretch marks are not fun to look at and the belly is not really growing too much more between now and delivery anyway. I had to add the two Baileys at the end (both our cat and dog). They are anxiously awaiting the baby too. We are trying to kick the cat's habit of trying to sleep in the crib or the bassinett. We tried placing foil in the bassinett, but he would move it aside and then curl up under the hood. So then, we placed a doll in the bassinett and we haven't seen him in there since, but he still likes to jump in the crib at times when we aren't watching.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
38 Weeks
Just TWO more weeks!!! The wait is almost over! So far, I can't complain too much. I get my occassional pelvic pain which is the most intense when I first wake up in the morning or when I get up from sitting for a long time. I can still sleep through the night and only get up once (usually around 5AM) to go to the bathroom... although I did get up twice this week at 1:30AM in addition to my 5AM bathroom call. I am starting to get hot very easily and I still get short of breath when just going up one flight of stairs. My stretch marks probably first appeared maybe 3 weeks ago and they are spreading rapidly. But soon, I will have my own body back. I have a feeling that this baby is worth every mark.
Lately, you will catch Craig and I sitting across from each other in the family room while quietly reading a book... mine of course is a baby book and his has to do with politics which he has become so involved in the last year or so. Today's problems are definitely going to affect the future of our baby. There is so much that needs to be changed in our country for the sake of the future generations. But we are definitely enjoying the peace while we can.
Our baby has really plumped up weighing approxiamately 6.8 pounds and measures over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). The baby has a firm grasp, which we'll soon be able to test when we hold his/her hand for the first time! The organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
We may not be able to tell right away what color our baby's eyes will be. If he/she is born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he/she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time they are 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after they are born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
Tuesday, we met with our financial advisor for our yearly consult. We have wanted to do a will all along, especially with a baby on the way, but haven't begun looking around yet. So they referred us to the people they work with. We plan to attend one of their seminars next Saturday and get the ball rolling!
Tuesday night, we went to dinner again at my parents and got to see my brother, Chris. He has been gone for over a month for work, so it was really nice to know he made it home safe. We got to show him both nurseries (the one at my parents house and the one at ours). I gave him a "Father's Day" gift early since I may never get it to him. I bought him a pepper mill that is a miniature baseball bat with a baseball engraved on it along with the saying Uncle Chris #1 Godfather. It will be great for all his pregame parties at his house or just to have displayed.
Wednesday, I had my 11th prenatal appointment. My blood pressure reading was 118/79. My weight was up 2 pounds from last week and thus have gained a total of 36 pounds so far. I did get weighed in the afternoon, so that should allow me to have that extra pound! The baby's heartrate was in the 140s. I think this was the quickest appointment I had yet during this pregnancy! I think I was in and out within 20 minutes if not less. June is a busy month for their office with deliveries and they are constantly changing my appointments.
Thursday, I went to lunch with Gina and chowed down on some good Chinese food. She drives a Mazda3 5 door which is inbetween a hatchback and a minivan. I told Craig we should get one by the time we want our 2nd kid. It's much cooler than a minivan, but also much more accommodating than our sedan.
Craig's friend Ryan is in town from Canada from Friday through Sunday morning, so Craig took off of work Friday and went golfing before meeting up with Ryan. Then they hung out all day and night and witnessed one of the worst teams in history - the Baltimore Orioles. Today, Craig went golfing with Ryan and they plan on hanging out the rest of the day as well while I get a lot done around the house. They'll get to go to another Oriole game today as well. I am taking the evening to spend time with Briana, whom I haven't seen in forever now.
Below is a picture of my belly at 38 weeks along with some pictures of our nursery. The nursery will be even more complete when we know the gender of our baby. As you can tell, some of the walls are pretty bare right now.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
37 Weeks
Our due date is just 3 weeks away!!! D-Day is going to be here before we know it! I've been so fortunate to have such a great pregnancy thus far. No waddling yet, but it can still happen since the baby hasn't technically "dropped" just yet.
Our baby is now considered "full term," even though our due date is three weeks away. Full term is anywhere between 37 and 42 weeks. If I go into labor now, the baby's lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. Some babies need a bit more time, though.
Our baby weighs approxiamately 6 1/3 pounds and probably measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. Our baby's hair may not be the same color as ours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
Tuesday night, Craig and I attended a private Spa Mama class which is geared towards natural child birth. It emphasizes on touch, visualization, breathing, positioning and encouragement. All of which I really need if I am to do this without an epidural or any medications! Craig was such a great support coach during the class. But true labor will be the real test!
I had my 11th prenatal appointment on Wednesday and checked out great. I am up one pound from last week which puts me at 34 pounds above my prepregancy weight. My blood pressure was 109/71. My uterus measured 37cm which is right on track where it should be and the baby's heartbeat was in the 140s.
My mom and I spent some time together out shopping. I got plenty of walking in that day! That night Craig and I went over to my parents house so he can help renovate their office/den. They are painting the walls and then having hardwood installed. I think it's going to look fantastic!
Sunday, Craig's parents and John came down so we can show them the dry run on how to get to the hospital when it's time, which garage to park in, and where the maternity ward is. Then we went to the Annapolis mall where I definitely got plenty more walking in.
The nursery is ready, the pack n play's bassinett is all set up and ready in our bedroom, the carseat is ready. All in all, I feel we are just waiting for our little one to arrive now. I think all I REALLY need to do, is pack my hospital bag. We just need to hold off until after this coming weekend since Craig has a guy's weekend planned and has friends coming into town.
Below is a picture of my belly at 37 weeks.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
36 Weeks
One more week and I will be considered full term! Also, we have entered the month of June in which we are due! I no longer have to work in the office before my delivery. I am working from home full time now. After my maternity leave is up, I plan on working from home full time as well for another couple months. My OB appointments are weekly now and Craig and I are winding down with our final list of things to do.
At my appointment on Thursday, I weighed in 4 pounds up from two weeks ago which brings me up to 33 pounds over my prepregnancy weight. My blood pressure read 116/73 and the baby's heartbeat was checked at 156. I had a simple sonogram today to see if the baby is head down and sure enough, it is positioned the way we want with a little fluid to cushion its precious little head. The nurse couldn't get a good face shot because his/her arm was shadowing the face. I had my GBS test where they test me for Group B Strep. Apparently about 20% of pregnant people test positive for this and if not treated at the time of delivery with antibiotics, it could be extremely harmful to the baby. I should find out the results at my next appointment.
It's not just mommy, but our baby is still packing on the pounds as well — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She/he now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. Most of the downy covering of hair that covered the body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected the skin during the nine-month amniotic bath is now being shed. Our baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium. This will be the contents of his/her first bowel movement.
The season finale of LOST has come and gone. This has been the greatest TV show ever if you ask Craig and I, but it still left us with some questions at the end. We are so sad there will be no more LOST. It has been with us since the beginning of our relationship. Sadly, all of our TV shows are over for this season. This included Grey's Anatomy, V, Flash Forward, Cougar Town, Modern Family, and LOST. Craig had several others he kept up with, but I couldn't handle fitting anymore into my schedule!! I don't know how he does it!
On Wednesday, my work said "farewell" to me since they won't see me until a few months after delivery. They threw me a baby shower at work which was really nice. We got some more goodies in a basket for the baby and the nursery as well as a pack of diapers and a couple gift cards. They were all so thoughtful and generous. We had Papa John's pizza and Costco cake (gotta love the Costco cakes!!!), just what a pregnant woman loves! I made my yummy Banana Chocolate Chip cookies to bring in and share with everyone. It was the least I could do to show my appreciation. They were so good, one of my co-workers admitted to stealing the remaining cookies off of my desk so that I went home with an empty container! Luckily, I made sure to save half the batch at home for Craig and his work! Those cookies are the best!
On Saturday, my parents came over to visit. We had steaks on the grill that were really yummy!! Then, later that evening, Craig and I went to Karen and Mark's house (Craig works with Karen) to watch the UFC fighting match. We both aren't really into it, but it was good company since several others were there and Karen's awesome food she prepared for the event could not be missed!
Eileen had her baby this past Saturday, May 29!!! She had a baby girl and named her Alana Christine Wells - she is soooo cute!!! All 7Ibs 7oz and 19in of her!!! I can't wait to meet her. Eileen was 39 weeks and 2 days at the time of delivery. Now, the waiting game continues, to determine what we will be having.
Yesterday, we went to Frederick for a Memorial Day BBQ. Our niece and nephew are growing so fast! I actually was able to get in the pool and wear my maternity bathing suit I bought awhile back thinking I was going to use it in Florida, but ended up canceling my trip. Pictures were taken at the BBQ and pool, but unfortunately, not with our camera, so I cannot post any pics at this time.
Below is a picture of my belly at 36 weeks. I have to admit I never took a 35 week belly picture, so the pictures I posted last week will have to do.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
35 Weeks
Only 5 more weeks! The weeks seem to be flying by! I can't believe how close we actually are! Here are a few indicators letting us know this baby is not far in sight.
1. All of our TV shows are airing their season finale.
2. I only have 2 more days left to work in the office
3. A lot of my maternity tops are starting to get a little short at the bottom and my belly tries to peak out
4. My To-Do Lists are getting shorter
5. My back is starting to ache
6. I'm starting to get stretch marks
7. My appointments are every week now starting this Thursday
8. We've completed our birthing class
Thursday night, I attended a breastfeeding class with Andrea who is one week ahead of me in her pregnancy. I originally did not care to take a class on breastfeeding, thinking this should come naturally and I'll have lactation consultants at the hospital on hand 24 hours a day. I actually learned so much though and hope it comes by as naturally as the videos made it seem. If it were one thing I would take away from the class, it would be remembering to let the baby be in control and not me.
Friday night, Craig and I joined my parents and some of their friends at Toby's Dinner Theatre to watch Hairspray. There won't be many nights like that, because when Craig and I are out, my parents will be watching the baby. So, I'm glad we got a chance to do that.
Saturday night, I had Afghan food for my first time at Helmand's in Baltimore. My friend Remy had a welcome back dinner party since she was gone since the end of October. It was so nice to finally see her back!!! The food was fantastic!!
We attending our birthing class on Saturday and Sunday. Would you believe that there were about 10 couples there and 5 of them are having a boy and the other 5, including us, were not finding out the sex? Our instructor was even amazed at the number not finding out. But to top it off, there wasn't a couple that was expecting a girl. I'm glad Craig didn't feel the weekend was a waste of his time. He actually found it to be quite interesting. And he even gave me a wonderful "rolling pin" massage!!! I'm definitely packing one of those for the hospital! After we completed our weekend of birth classes, we met up with Mike and Eileen for lunch.
Below are pictures from after our lunch on Sunday. My 35th week "belly pic" is not included and I will have to include at a later time. I just need to get this blog posted before I hit my 36th week's post!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
34 Weeks
We are just a little over a month away - 6 more weeks! Only 3 more weeks until I'm considered full term. Other than it getting more and more difficult to roll out of bed or off the couch and some pelvic pain here and there, I've had a pretty smooth sailing pregnancy! I have definitely been blessed in that regard!
On Thursday, I had my 8th prenatal appointment. I weighed in exactly the same as I did two weeks ago. I'm still up 29 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm hoping not to go over 35 pounds. My blood pressure read 116/72. My uterus measured at 33cm - right on track, and the baby's heartrate was right around 150bpm. The nurse wants me to start doing kick counts and chart how long it takes for the baby to make 10 movements within an hour. I am supposed to do this at the same time of day every day when the baby is most active... which is usually in the evening shortly after dinner. If I don't feel any movement within a two hour window, I'm asked to call the office.
Our baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. The fat layers — which will help regulate the baby's body temperature once he/she is born — are filling the baby out, making him/her rounder. The skin is also smoother than ever. The central nervous system is maturing and the lungs are continuing to mature as well. Babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.
Friday night, I was rushing to beat Craig to Victoria's house because Craig's work was surprising him with his very own baby shower and I needed to be there before him. He thought he was going over there for a cookout and to play poker with some of Jason's friends from work (Jason is Victoria's husband). He even went to the ATM to withdraw some money! Everyone had a fantastic time. Craig got some really good gifts including a Glenn Beck onesie! He loved it! I regret that I didn't get a picture of the two of us that night, but at least I have some of him. We even played a few diaper games; one in which he had to taste the baby food! Needless to say, he did not care for the Green beans or Peas! But he did think the prunes were quite tastey!
Sunday, I met up with my friend Jenny for lunch at Atlanta Bread Company. It's always nice to hang out with friends! Poor Craig slaved all weekend on the yard and opening up our pool for the season. I love the fact that our pool is back!!!! Now if only we can get some pool steps so I can get in and out...
Below are a couple pictures of Craig's shower as well as a picture of my belly at 34 Weeks.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
33 Weeks
(This post is QUITE late...I should have posted this a few days ago!! My 34 week post should come this weekend sometime)
Only 7 more weeks left! It doesn't feel that long ago that we were only 7 weeks pregnant still waiting for our 1st prenatal appointment. Time sure does know how to fly! We received our furniture on Saturday and the baby's room finally feels like a nursery! It's strange having a crib in our house! I'm sure the pets still don't quite understand.
This week our baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. The baby is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and the skeleton is hardening. The bones in the skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for the baby to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his/her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.
So, this past Monday, Craig and I were put to the test. Victoria and Jason enjoyed an evening out while Craig and I watched their 15 month old son. Our first test was when each of us would be able to eat. After playing with Sam for awhile, I drew the bath water while Craig continued playing. Then while I gave Sam a bath, Craig ate. Then once I had Sam all dried off and changed, Craig gave him a nighttime snack and played some more while I ate. Then we both went upstairs to read some books to him - Craig does so well at that by acting out the characters and having Sam interact with the books! Sam seemed so content and happy... until it was time to go to sleep... He cried and he screamed. Either he didn't want to say goodbye to Craig since they were having so much fun bonding, or he really didn't want to go to sleep until he knew his parents were coming back. Craig and I tried everything from rubbing his back to distracting him with a stuffed animal to rocking him and so on. I left the room a bit to see if Craig can work his magic and sure enough about 10 minutes later, he got Sam settled into a sleep. And that was that. We then had the rest of the evening to sit together on the couch. Craig watched TV or surfed the internet while I sat there and read my preparation books for our own baby. Craig and I thought we passed the test and figured we would make great parents, but couldn't imagine doing this day in and day out! It's a little late for us to get out of it now!
Awhile back, for Christmas, Craig bought a DSLR camera for me and I really want to learn to use it before the baby comes. I've really only used it as a Point and Shoot camera. My friend Marcy and I arranged to have private lessons since she wanted to learn more about her camera as well. On Thurday, we had our first class. It seemed to go really well and the woman instructing us seemed extremely knowledgable and nice to work with, but when I got home, I was still confused on so much of what I tried to soak in. So, I brushed up on the internet and read up some more about some cool features. Hopefully, this weekend I will get a chance to get some practice in. I know I already want a new lens for the camera though aside from the one that came with the camera. DSLRs are quite expensive by themselves, but even more so when you want to add all those accessories!
For Mother's Day, I went to church with my parents and my dad took us out to brunch at Bill Bateman's where the "moms" got complimentary Mimosa's. I had to give mine up to my dad and order plain orange juice. Craig went golfing in the morning and when I came back home in the afternoon, I went to the nursery to sit in our new glider we have in our nursery. Craig brought in my Mother's Day gift which totally surprised me. He splurged on one of the new iPads!!! I immediately thought how wonderful it would be to use this while either breastfeeding or entertaining the kid. But of course, Craig and I can play a game of scrabble and not have to worry about setup and pickup. My parents came over for dinner. Craig made ribeye steaks and corn on the cobb for dinner and my mom brought over her homemade potato salad. I made the dessert - Tastefully Simple's Berry Buckle Cake - which everyone LOVED!! The entire meal was fantastic! I would have to say, my 1st Mother's Day was fantastic!
Below is a picture of my belly at 33 weeks.
Monday, May 3, 2010
32 Weeks
Just 8 more weeks until we are expected to meet our first born. That's less than 2 months! So far, we seem ready. I am practically done washing all the clothes and bedding and Craig and I organized the baby's closet. We are just waiting on the furniture to arrive now, which is scheduled to be delivered the day before Mother's Day. By Mother's Day the room should be all set up with the exception of wall hangings. We only have a few more items to buy, but if the baby were born now, we have all the necessities to get by, thanks to all of our friends and family and their generous shower gifts to help us prepare for this newcomer!
My 7th prenatal appointment happened on Thursday. My weight is up a total of 29 pounds since I got pregnant - yes, that is a 6 pound gain from just 2 weeks ago, but I have to say my eating habits have not been the best either. Plus, my morning appointment got moved to the afternoon, so it threw my weight off a little (or should i say it threw some weight on?). The doctor didn't seem concerned this time around although she did comment that it was not good. My blood pressure measured 115/69 and the baby's heartbeat was in the 130s. The doctor checked my cervix and said everything is fine and I'm definitely not dilating yet, so that's good. My mom attended my appointment and was able to meet my OB whom my mom has gone to years ago. I usually go to my appointments on my own; Craig just goes to the ultrasound appointments, which I don't blame him since the appointments are boring otherwise, so it was nice to pass the time waiting with my mom this time around.
By now, our baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in my uterus. I'm gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to my baby. In fact, the baby will gain a third to half of their birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he/she fattens up for survival outside the womb. He/she now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). The baby's skin is becoming soft and smooth as he/she plumps up in preparation for birth. To accommodate me and our baby's growing needs, my blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since I got pregnant.
Saturday, my parents, my brother Chris, and Craig attended Lindsay's wedding - a family friend. The wedding reception took place in DC, just a few blocks from the White House. You can see a couple pictures below, but beware, I think I look A LOT bigger in that dress than what I feel!
Sunday, was Andrea's baby shower (the girl due a week before me) which was held at my parents' house. It was mainly the choir at my parents' church that hosted it, so it wasn't her main shower, but it was a big success.
Below is a picture of me at 32 weeks as well as pictures from Lindsay's wedding day.
Monday, April 26, 2010
31 Weeks
In just two short months, our lives will be changed forever! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by! We are so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family. I hope they are just as ready as we are for this little joy to enter our lives. We can't wait! Well, maybe Craig can wait a little bit longer so he can improve his golf game! By the way, Happy 35th anniversary mom and dad!!! It is through your dedication, love, and support that has molded such a strong family tie and I only hope that Craig and I will be just as successful!
This week, our baby measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. He/she can turn their head from side to side, and the arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath the skin. The baby is moving a lot more now, and pretty soon, I may have trouble sleeping because of the baby's kicks and somersaults that will keep me up at night. All this moving is a sign that our baby is active and healthy.
Saturday night was my friend Jenny's birthday party. She had quite a few people there and of course lots of good food! It was also nice to see Sarah, Juan, and Pam again. Come December, I plan to go make homemade icewine at Sarah's house in Pennsylvania with Jenny and Pam. I can't wait to have a glass (or bottle of that!!). Even though I will be breastfeeding, there is a such thing as "pump and dump", right?
Yesterday was my baby shower!!! It was so nice to see all the friends and family that came to welcome the new addition to our family! It was a memorable "birthday party" for our little one. Although we are not finding out the sex, we received so many cute and adorable gender neutral items and gear! Everyone who hosted the party did such a fantastic job on everything! It was so much more than I expected!! We feel so blessed and loved! I'm going to be busy now in the next couple weeks doing a lot of laundry and organizing! But somehow I am not going to mind it! I wonder why? I can't wait until our baby furniture arrives so we can finally make the nursery complete!
Last night, I woke up at 2AM to use the restroom which has been pretty routine throughout my pregnancy to have to pee sometime in the middle of the night. However, this time, I could not fall back asleep for the life of me. By 4:30AM, I was still wide awake and the birds have been chirping nonstop since the rain stopped earlier in the night. I started to get hungry now, I went downstairs to have a light snack (some cottage cheese and pineapple). I went back to bed and still could not fall asleep. I think I finally drifted off around 6AM and by 7AM, the alarm went off for Craig. I continued to lay in bed but still not falling back asleep. I finally concluded that my time was up on trying to sleep and decided to get out of bed around 8AM.... I hope this is not going to continue. It was quite annoying!
Below is a picture of me at 31 weeks. Baby shower pictures will follow in a separate post since I do not have those available just yet and could not wait any longer to post this already "overdue" update.
Monday, April 19, 2010
30 Weeks
We have made it to the final 10 weeks now! That means we are 3/4 of the way there! I am now on bi-weekly appointments with my doctor. So far everything is still going well. We are patiently waiting for our nursery furniture to arrive which should be arriving anytime within the next month.
I had my 6th prenatal visit on Thursday. Everything checked out fine. My blood pressure came back at 115/73. My weight gain was 2 pounds in the last 3 weeks which puts me at a total of 23 pounds for the pregnancy so far. The length of my uterus measures 30cm and the baby's heartbeat is in the 140s. My next visit is in two weeks.
Our baby is estimated to be about 15.7 inches long now, and weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds the baby, but that volume will decrease as the baby gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. The baby's eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he/she's born, the eyes will be closed for a good part of the day. When the baby does open them, he/she will respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means the baby can only make out objects a few inches from their face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.). Hopefully, the baby will inherit Craig's vision!
Saturday, Craig and I attended Ella's 2nd birthday party. Ella is Gina and Dave's daughter. She is so adorable! According to Gina, she was so excited to see me (which she calls me Aunt Sandy) when they were heading over to my parent's house to drop off baby furniture earlier in the week. Of course, she played the typical shy 2 year old until she warmed up again to me and Craig. She is such a doll! Later that night, Craig and I went to see the movie, The Clash of the Titans and now Craig gets the idea that he is a demi-God (half man and half God)...fantastic!
I had brunch with Victoria yesterday at the Wild Orchid in Annapolis which is a fantastic place to eat. We then headed to Eileen's baby shower. The baby shower definitely got me warmed up for my own shower! Seeing all that cute baby stuff was so exciting! Eileen is now 33 weeks.
Last night, Craig and I enjoyed sushi at Red Parrot (don't worry, mine was not the raw fish!). It's been awhile since we ate there, and we are trying to get in as much couple time together as we can before this little one arrives and takes over!
Below are pictures of Victoria, Eileen and I at the baby shower as well as a picture of me at 30 weeks.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
29 Weeks
Two and a half more months! This little one has definitely showed me some acrobatic moves this week! He/she moves a lot more frequent now and stays awake for longer intervals than I noticed before. When the baby does a complete roll, it feels like my stomach is being turned inside out. It is such a strange feeling, but it took my breath away when it happened the first time this week! I can feel a hard ball whenever the baby has a part of its body up against my abdomen; perhaps it is a bum? He/she favors kicking/punching my right side it seems and the kicks/punches are getting stronger lately.
Our baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. The muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and the head is growing bigger to make room for his/her developing brain. To meet his/her increasing nutritional demands, I will need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because the bones are soaking up lots of calcium, I have to be sure to drink my milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in our baby's hardening skeleton each day.
I manage to still get out and walk, but I do notice that I have to walk slower and that my feet start to feel the added weight a lot more now. I have had a couple dayas where my feet have gotten fluid filled and become swollen, but luckily it hasn't been everyday. Getting out of bed or off the couch are becoming a little more difficult. I can't get up as fast anymore. But all in all, I still feel fantastic! I haven't noticed any waddling yet, but I'll let you know when Craig starts making comments!
We reached 90 degrees this week (about 30 degrees above average) which caused the inside temperature to soar to 86 degrees. We had the windows open to try to let the breeze in, but it didn't prevent the temperature from soaring. We finally decided to turn on the air later in the evening. It's definitely been a hot start to spring this year! We even tied the record temperature from 1928!
Yesterday (Saturday), I had an elective 3-D/4-D ultrasound taken. My parents, Craig's parents, John, and of course Craig all attended the show. As I laid on the bed, the others got to sit on couches and chairs in the same room. We got to see our baby on a 100" projection screen on the wall which was really cool!! The baby was said to be breech (which means the head is not down toward my cervix) and the heartbeat was measured at 126 beats/min. Unfortunately, the baby would not move one of its hands from its face, so we only got to see half the face in all the shots. The place said I can come back up until my 35th week if my doctor notices that my baby gets into the head down position. They should be able to get better shots then. They won't charge anything extra for doing so. So that's nice to know. We got to keep a video along with several pictures of the event.
After the ultrasound, my parents had to hit the road since they were heading down to North Carolina to visit friends. Craig, his parents, John, and I all went to Home Depot where we ended up buying a glider for our front porch. We've gone two years without porch furniture, so it will be nice to have something out there finally. Then we went out to dinner at McCormick's and Schmidt's for dinner (I felt bad my parents coudn't come since they were the ones who gave Craig and I the gift certificate for our 1st anniversary this past year). We then checked out the Crate and Barrel store next door since we all haven't been in there before and I wanted to complete a set of bowls from our wedding registry. That store is amazing! I wanted to buy everything!!
Later Saturday evening, I headed out the door to attend Juan's welcome home party since he was deployed for several months. I got to meet up with Jenny, Sarah, and Kate which was really nice. It was hosted at Joe and Rebecca's house (I met Joe through Jenny and Sarah). Pam (who I got to know from our past ski trips in the Poconos) was there, as well as Dave (whom I've known through the group as well) was there with his wife and two kids (age 2 and 2 months - so adorable!!). It makes me realize I'm so ready for this baby to enter our lives!!
Below is a sample of what we got to see of our little one during the ultrasound, some pictures from Saturday, along with a picture of my belly at 29 weeks!
The cat and dog managed to get in the picture!
