5lbs 8oz....Already!

Growth ultrasound picture taken today. Yes, I know the picture is crooked. I'm lazy. I don't feel like editing it. This was the only decent picture that we got out of 10. I liked this one because she was sucking her thumb!

That's right, my kid is big. Not out of control big, but big. 5lbs 8oz at 34 weeks, 3 days. She will be gaining about an ounce a day from here on out and I have 42 days left until my estimated due date. If you do the math, that's a little over 8lbs if I go to the full 40 weeks. Again, not a monster but scary enough for me...especially when the ultrasound tech said, "Wow, she has a nice size head!". Wow. Thanks. My birth canal thanks you too.

All good news today though. Still no markers for Down's Syndrome (see post from December about that scare, in case you missed it), all her organs look great, heartbeat is great, fluid is perfect...like I said, all good news! There is apparently no threat of preterm labor either, according to the ultrasound, so these annoying contractions are just part of pregnancy for me. My doctor suggested on Friday, at my follow up appointment from the preterm labor scare, that I still take it easy since the contractions are clearly related to my activity level. No problem. I don't feel like doing much these days anyway!

Here's how I'm looking these days....

As far as how I'm feeling...well...hmmm...

Positives:

• I love to feel Lily move.
• I'm getting really close to meeting Lily, which is so exciting to me, obviously.
• I don't have any stretch marks yet.
• I am not on bedrest.

Negatives:

• I'm swollen.
• I'm huge (for my normal self).
  
• I'm crabby.
• My hips hurt.
• I can't sleep well.
• I'm tired.
• My feet hurt.
• I'm hungry all.of.the.time...but get nauseated after most meals.
• I pee every 20 minutes.
• Nothing fits me.
• I'm crabby.
• I'm crabby.
• I want to kill anyone that says anything about my weight.

Yep, this part of pregnancy is not the prettiest. All of my mommy friends warned me about this stage and here it is. I can see why some women do not want to work up until their due date. It's enough work just growing the kid and carrying it around at this point! Honestly, I know I have very little to complain about...but I do it anyway.

Here is some nursery pictures. We're considering it done now. I love it! Dustin did an amazing job on the painting and embellishments. He copied her bedding for the lady bugs and butterflies.

And here is another homemade gift from my friend Erin. She made these adorable frames for all of her current pregnant friends. Too cute.

Check out my friend Nicolasa's new blog:
http://naivehappiness.blogspot.com
She decided to do an uplifting blog with just pictures of happy things, submitted by whoever. Book mark it. It will make you smile, for sure.

Happy 60th Dad!

60???

I cannot believe my father is 60! That seems impossible to me. He does not look a day over 45 and probably never will in my eyes.

This is going to be a good year for you, I just know it! The house is sold, you're healthy, you're going to be a grandpa...and you're going to quit smoking! Ok, so I added the last one but I can hope!

You've always been my hero and just because you're old won't change that =) You're an amazing dad and will be an amazing grandpa to Lily. Thanks for all you do!

Happy Birthday! I love you!

A "tour" of Labor & Delivery??

Yesterday was quite an interesting day. One that I would rather not repeat but I'm glad I listened to my instincts...

Going back a little, Dustin and I were signed up to take a "Prepared Delivery" class, beginning this coming week. (This is supposedly the new term for Lamaze classes, with a tour of labor and delivery, etc). After thinking a lot about it and talking to Dustin, we decided to cancel the class. The bottom line, I just don't want to know. I have always been the type of person that is better off just doing things, rather than knowing everything there is to know about it first.

For example, if I buy something that has to be assembled, I will not read the instructions, I will try my best to figure it out. There is just too much information in those damn instruction booklets...kind of like how I felt these labor classes might be, too much information to freak us out.

That all being said, I had to register for my epidural, something this hospital requires. I cannot have an epidural without being preregistered. We decided to do the tour of labor and delivery with the epidural registration, which was just an hour of literally touring the unit where Lily will be born. Very simple, informative and not too in depth. We did this yesterday at 10:30am.

After the tour, I had some medical questions about some symptoms I had been experiencing for a couple of days. I had been experiencing some pressure and pelvic bone pain, almost to the point where walking was difficult. I assumed it was the baby "dropping" but it just felt weird to me. Although I had just had a doctor's appointment on Thursday, (which was also a bit stressful. I'll get to that in a minute), these symptoms seemed to pop up Friday and Saturday.

There wasn't really anyone available to ask during or after the tour so I just gave my doctor's emergency line a call. I really wasn't at all worried. Like I said, I expected him to say that the baby had dropped and that was it but I wanted to be sure.

Nope. He said, "At 33 weeks, we are not expecting symptoms like this yet. Go to triage in labor & delivery". Ummmm, ooook??!!

Very calmly, I turned the car around and went back to the hospital. I called Dustin to tell him, since he was on his way to work at that point. I also called my mom to give her the head's up. I really don't know what all of this meant, but I really wasn't afraid of anything.

To try to shorten this, I spent 5 hours on a stretcher in labor and delivery for preterm contractions, mostly caused by what I now know is a bladder infection (very common in pregnancy). I did not have any typical symptoms of a bladder infection at all, so I was pretty surprised.

They had to give me two shots and a pill to stop the contractions and an IV drip of antibiotics to shock my system. Thankfully, the baby is safe and sound. No dilation, no effacement, thank God. It's just a good thing I didn't ignore this because it could have actually caused me to go into full blown labor or a kidney infection which could be very bad for the baby.

Mom ended up leaving work to come and sit with me, which I needed. Dustin really couldn't get out of work and I was not liking being alone. We definitely figured out that I SUCK as a patient. I am way too much like my dad and have no tolerance for sitting around, unable to function. The shots themselves were horrible. They made my heart race and I was shaking really bad. Poor little Lily's heart rate also increased, of course. I know it could have been a lot worse but I'm going to go ahead and feel sorry for myself...it sucked.

I have a follow up appointment this Thursday to check on how everything is after all of that. I'm supposed to "modify my activity" until then, which is fine with me. I'm tired.

At my 32 week appointment last week, I was actually measuring 35 weeks! Nothing to worry about, but my doctor ordered an ultrasound to see how big the baby is. Measuring that far ahead either means a.) she is a big baby or b.) I'm retaining fluid. Either way, she may come a little earlier than expected! The stressful part of the appointment was when the doctor couldn't find the baby's heart beat! Turned out that the doppler monitor wasn't working and she was just fine. Needless to say though, I had a really hard time focusing after that scare.

Christ on a bicycle, pregnancy is so stressful. I guess it won't get any less stressful once she's here so I better get used to this, huh?

Who makes gifts anymore??

My friends do!
One of the best surprises that we received at out shower were the homemade gifts. Being that I do not seem to do ANYTHING domestic, craftiness intrigues and impresses me. I wanted to share pictures of the beautiful homemade gifts that Lily received...

From my friend Jess, she made Lily a reversible patchwork quilt (and yes Jess, I stole your pictures!):

and she even embroidered her name on it!

Then, my friends Kelly and Anne crocheted gifts (I hope it's crocheting. I told you, I'm not crafty). Kelly on the left with a sweet little sweater and Anne on the right with an awesome blankie:

My friend Jody's mother-in-law also made our gorgeous cake, from scratch!

I am just in love with these gifts and I cannot wait to tell Lily that yes, people DO actually make gifts. I love it. All of our shower gifts were amazing, of course, but I had to share these especially.

Dustin and I took a "Baby Basics" class last Saturday, which taught us how to bathe, diaper, swaddle, along with other good tips. It was informative and fun, for the most part. The teacher was energetic and very knowledgeable. The only thing that really bothered me was her persistence on breastfeeding. I get it. Breastfeeding is the best, most healthy way...but some women chose not to or cannot breastfeed! I felt like judgment was being placed and that annoyed me. It's a very personal decision, is all I'm saying.

As for me, I'm big and fat =) I'm feeling good, at a little over 32 weeks. I started taking iron supplements a couple weeks ago for pregnancy anemia, which seem to help a little with boosting my energy. I was actually glad that I was anemic because I could not figure out why I was SO tired alllll of the time. At least there is a reason, aside from just being pregnant. Otherwise, I feel pretty good and I am still in denial that I will have a child in less than two months!

Baby Shower Weekend: Random Thought Style

Our couples baby shower was this past Saturday and it was AMAZING. A HUGE thank you to my mom and my good friend Tiffany for throwing the shower for us; to my aunt Dorothy, my aunt Chris, and Teresa for the food; and to my sister-in-law for the gorgeous calla lilies! It was all so perfect.

Since I am a bit sleep deprived and cannot put paragraphs together, here are my thoughts on the weekend:

• Everyone was way too generous.
• Lily is going to be the best dressed baby around.
• Bumbos must really be a great invention because we got three of them.
• Baby showers really CAN be fun...or do I just think that because it was ours?
• We can fit 65 people in our back yard.
• Homemade raspberry cupcakes are so delicious (thanks Tiff).
• Opening baby gifts is so much fun.
• Our house is now way too small. I don't know where to put everything!
• The weather was perfect for the beach during the day and then the BBQ shower in the evening.
• Getting into a bathing suit at 7.5 months pregnant is interesting.
• Lily's nursery was a hit. It's official that Dustin is very, very talented.
• I have a lot to learn about some of the gifts we received.
• I have no idea what else I need to bring this baby home.
• Dancing is acceptable at baby showers, as long as there is alcohol involved.
• I'm am so appreciative of all of my friends and family. We are truly blessed and Lily is one lucky girl already.
• All of the girls that came from all over the country for the shower were amazing. I love my FIFs.

I know there is more that I want to tell but as I said, I'm so tired!

Here are a few pictures:

The AMAZING invitations that my best friend Jaime did for us. They were perfect!

Me, mom and Dad:


Me, Ryleigh and Annie:


Me and Tammie:


The look:


The old married hags:


and of course, lilies:


Don't ask where the pictures of me and Dustin are. I don't think any exist, which makes me a little sad! Truth be told, I didn't get nearly enough pictures, as usual. It was an amazing time though.

There was one very special person missing: Mamau Nichols. It seems unbelievable as I type this but Dustin's grandma passed away two days before our shower. She wanted more than anything to be there. She had not been well for a little while and God needed her. She was an amazing woman and we will miss her terribly.

Thanks again everyone! We are so lucky to have such amazing people in our lives!

Fun with videos!

We got a new video camera a few months ago, in preparation of Lily's arrival. We haven't taken any videos that are too exciting but because I'm amused by little things, I will share a few short ones.
(By the way, the videos take a little while to load and buffer so please be patient if they stop while viewing)

The nursery progression-
Phase one...



Phase two...




And most recently...




I am in love with her nursery. It's coming along SO cute and there isn't a lot left to be done! I cannot believe she will be sleeping in there in just two months!

I am going into my 30th week now. I'm feeling good still, just incredibly tired which I found out is partially to blame on anemia. I had my 28 week blood test and glucose test done and the glucose was fine but my blood test showed that I am anemic. I guess this is common in pregnancy. Iron pills it is. I just would prefer a little more energy but if that's all I have to complain about, so be it!
Belly update from 29 weeks 4 days:

Bragging.

Even though it's been a couple of weeks since Valentine's Day, I needed to take a minute to brag about my husband. Better late than never.
We're not huge Valentine's Day people. We always do something but it usually doesn't involve spending much money, if any. We don't like to buy into the commercial end of the "holiday". This year, my sweet husband surprised me with a dozen roses, a picnic at the beach park, a pedicure and a massage (for both of us). Ok, so he spent a little bit of money but I'm not complaining!
It was all a complete surprise because I thought he had to work. When I found out, by accident (he was trying to make it a surprise that he was not working), that he didn't, I thought that was my gift, a day with him before I had to fly to San Diego the next day. Instead, while I was in the shower, he left the house and just left me a note, with the dozen roses, instructing me to go down to the beach park. He had the picnic set up by the waterway, which was delicious and beautiful.
I thought THAT was my gift, which was more than enough.
He then gave me a card with the next part of the day, which was the pedicure and the couples massage at a spa in Sarasota. It was the perfect day.
I'm not sure what I did to deserve this man. I question that often. He is so amazing and takes such good care of me in a lot of ways. I hope Lily is just like him.

Dustin has recently been working on this:

It isn't finished yet. He needs to add a couple of embellishments (butterflies and lady bugs) and then I'm going to hang them separately over her changing table with green ribbon. Yes, he has a couple of unfinished projects in her room but I am working on accepting the fact that his art work needs to be done in his own time =).

Belly update:

I started taking the pictures a little further away from the camera because the naked belly is starting to look pretty creepy!
I'm going into my 28th week now, which means the FINAL trimester. For those of you that don't understand pregnancy weeks, that essentially means that I am going to be a mom in 9-12 weeks! That sounds impossible to me!
I'm feeling good. The fatigue is starting to come back quite a bit but I was warned about that happening. Breathing can sometimes be a challenge because everything is getting squished in my body right now but it's definitely nothing to complain about.
I had my last doctor's appointment this past Wednesday and everything went well. I'm still measuring a week ahead of time, which really means very little, unfortunately! I only gained 3lbs between appointments this time, which was the least weight gain yet (phew!!). I guess a little exercise and some cutting back on Chick-fil-a DOES actually work =)

My aunt and uncle from Chicago have been in town for almost a month, which has been so great having them around. When they're here, it makes me miss having a bunch of family near by, which has been years since that was the case. I think pregnancy has really made me appreciate family and friends so much more. I just want to always be around all the supportive people I have in my life right now.

Speaking of friends, the baby shower countdown is on! 3 weeks from tomorrow and 13 FIFs to look forward to! I cannot believe it! We're so excited!