39 Weeks: The beginning of the end

39 weeks tomorrow, and only 10 days of the pregnancy remaining! I was all anxious and hoping I would deliver early, but being in the midst of today, and realizing that I only have 10 days left (unless I go later), and realizing those 10 days will fly has made me let go of those anxieties and try to enjoy these last precious days of feeling my little peanut inside my belly, and sleeping in. I think I’ll miss the sensations of him moving- a constant reassurance of his wellbeing. But I cannot wait to meet him!! I know I’m naïve to the changes that will happen in my life, but I intend to take it day-by-day and learn as much as I can.

Wednesday, I had a bloody show. If this is TMI for you, stop reading here, but it is basically lots of blood-tinged mucous that indicates that your cervix is dilating and effacing. It can signal that labor is days/weeks away. Again, like every other “sign”, it is hardly definitive. If nothing else, it’s a sign that we’re progressing in the right direction, and at this point, that’s all I can hope for! I actually had to go to the hospital yesterday. I had a bit of spotting, and the day before I heard that mysterious ‘pop’ once again. Afraid the two could be related I called the doctor, who told me to get it checked out. I was on the monitor for a while and the baby was not showing signs of stress. They were also monitoring my contractions; yes, I was having them. I’ve been having them all this time, and simply mistook the feeling for the baby stretching. In all actuality, that sensation comes from the uterus contracting around the baby, thus hugging him and making it feel like he was stretching. I saw Dr. Hamilton while I was in the hospital and she said that if I wanted her to, she could check me internally to see about progress. When I told her that I’d rather not endure the discomfort, if she doesn’t think it’s necessary, she said that was a good choice on my part, as her checking could encourage more bleeding. She said the bleeding could very well be a sign of my cervix dilating, and “who knows- labor could be this weekend!”. She said the situation is favorable, and the baby is the lowest she’s ever seen, so it’s definitely a possibility! I would like for her to be the one to deliver, and she is on call this weekend.On a different note, today is the last day of work! YAAAAAAY! I cannot WAIT—I’m pretty uncomfortable today, with pressure from the baby being low. I’m sitting here practically spread eagle so my belly has somewhere to go! Oh this is all so exciting! J

A sweet man just came into the office and left me with an encouraging blessing, “May God bless you and give you such an incredible birth that you will remember that God did it”.

38 weeks

This picture brings us to about 38 weeks. We went to a wedding for some good friends of ours. Keith was in the Bridal party. It was fun...except for the 'trying to find a dress' part. That was quite a process. I had actually borrowed a dress from a friend at work and when I actually went to try it on, I very closely resembled a sausage. It was more the pattern than the way it fit- black and grey with leaf-like print. *cringe*It looked much better on the hanger than it did on me. So I tried on like 3 others that I had, but none fit! I didn't realize that I had gotten so big almost overnight...or at least that's how it feels. So I resorted to the only thing that looked remotely slimming, even though it was made for summer, and it was freezing outside. I also wore heels. I have no idea what I was thinking- I didn't wear them for most of the night. All in all, it was fun.

I went to my appointment last week and they did not do an internal exam. They usually start those at 38 weeks (which would be this week) to monitor progress. The only reason they did an exam at the last one was because they were already "there" to give me a group b strep test. Being 1 cm dilated and 70% effaced the first time was definitely encouraging, so I'm hoping that the progress from last week as well as this week will come as a nice surprise! I've been trying to focus upon the little changes I notice, in my body, wondering if everything that I feel, which is remotely different, is a sign that the baby is coming. I've been having a lot more indigestion, unfortunately, waves of nausea here and there, and continuous swelling in my legs, feet, and ankles. I've been sleeping less...or peeing and changing positions more...can't decide which. And most importantly, I've been trying to enjoy sleeping in on the weekends, knowing it will end soon! This week is my last at THP, so that very thought is giving me renewed energy on this dreary Monday morning. I hope it holds me over all week!

Keith's 28th birthday is today! He thinks that the baby coming on his birthday would be the absolute best gift ever! I wouldn't mind going into labor tonight but hope that he doesn't actually come until tomorrow (if that's the case), because I have plans to take Keith out to dinner with 4 of our friends. It should be fun! Not crazy and over the top, but a budget-friendly way to celebrate. After all, who could resist the Cheesecake factory? Mmmmm-delicious! I also went on a cleaning frenzy last night. He mentioned how having the house clean makes him feel less stressed and more comfortable, so I thought that would be a nice birthday gift. He looked at me suspiciously after finding out that I cleaned out the fridge and wiped down the shelves and asked me if I was 'nesting' or if I was doing this for him. I told him it was definitely for him. I had a 2 hour nap that afternoon, and figured if I have the energy, I might as well take advantage of it!! One less thing to do next week when I'm off!

A good question came up this weekend, in talking with some friends about the holidays. They asked what we would do if the baby hadn't yet shown up by Christmas...and the answer is that I really don't know! My aunt is hosting Christmas at her house in Southampton (about 45 away from our house- 1 hour from the hospital). I don't know if it's wise to go there, and risk going into labor and having to rush to the hospital, or if we should stick close to home. Hopefully the baby will have come by then, and it won't even be an issue. But If he hasn't, i'm not sure what to do! If I just go into labor, it's no biggie and we would have plenty of time to get to the hospital. But if my water breaks, that's a different story. There's not as much time to get there. Maybe this will be another decision that is made for me.

My 38 week appointment is tomorrow. If I hear anything interesting, I will definitely let everyone know!

36 Week Appointment

I had my 36 week appointment last night. The results? *Drum roll*: 1 cm dilated and 70% effaced. Dilation means nothing without contractions, but I know effacement makes dilation easier. It doesn’t tell me when the baby will come, but I should dilate more easily when I do go into labor. So things are looking up! When she went to examine my cervix, she said “WOAH! His head is really low!!!” I guess that’s a good sign as well, hopefully meaning that I will be able to have a vaginal delivery without complications. J He’s being very well behaved! Regarding the popping noise, she still has no idea what it was but said that as long as he is still moving as much as he has before, he is fine. And he is DEFINITELY still moving as much as before, the little squirt! After I went to my appointment, the doctor sent me to the hospital to be monitored and tested for preeclampsia. Apparently my blood pressure was still a little high and when I told her about the dizziness and headache, and near passing out, she told me it’s prob. nothing, but it’s good to take precaution. They had me on the monitor, drew blood, and checked me blood pressure 3 times, and sure enough, everything was fine! All in all, it was good news!

I’m so excited for him to come! I don’t want to rush his delivery. The only time I’m anxious for him to come is when I’m sitting in my desk chair and very uncomfortable because of how cramped he is and how I can’t change positions to get comfortable. So I’ve decided to look at my last day of work as the light at the end of the tunnel rather than his due date. Once I’m able to be home, chances are it will be easier to get comfortable, and the rest of the pregnancy will be smooth sailing! 16 days until I’m finished at work, and I’ll only actually be working for 12 of them!

Week 37

Your little one is now about six pounds in weight and measures slightly more than 20 inches in length. Growth will slow down now, so your baby will be able to fit the narrow passageway to the outside and so he or she can store up the energy needed for delivery. (www.whattoexpect.com)

Well folks, it’s week 37 that we’re working on now! On Friday I will be full term!!!! How crazy is that? We’ve successfully made it through a great and relaxing Thanksgiving weekend. Paul and Julie and the kids were over (mom’s brother and his family, for those of you who don’t know) and Joanne, Bill, and the girls (dad’s sister and his family). It was fun to all be together. We did have one strange happening, over the weekend, however. Keith and I went home for the day to take a break, get stuff done at home, and relax. We planned to go back to mom's that night. Well, we were sitting on the couch watching a movie. The baby was kicking pretty hard (like normal) and I didn't think anything of it. But then after one of his kicks I heard a pop from inside my stomach!! It sounded like someone was cracking their knuckle. I looked at Keith and said 'did you hear that??' he said 'yeah what was it??' he thought I cracked my knee or something. But i hadn't moved. Just after that the baby's movement stopped and when he did move they were very small movements. So I freaked out (of course) and called the doc. Hamilton was the one to get back to me, and she said that movement changing was normal but the pop sound was not, so I should go in to the hosp to get checked out. At first I thought my water broke-- that seemed like the only possibility. But I wasn't leaking and there was no gush. So we went to the hospital and they put the baby on a heart monitor and me on a contraction monitor for 20 minutes. The nurse said everything looked normal, so she sent me home! But she couldn't tell me what the pop was- she had never heard of it before. I hope the baby is ok!! He's moving like normal and everything, but it was just all so weird. Fortunately my appointment on Tuesday is with Hamilton- the same doctor who called me back. You’d better believe I have some questions lined up!!
In nursery news….Drum roll please…it’s finished!!! Thanks to my wonderful husband, that is. We brought home a glider my mom re-covered the cushion for, and on Sunday, Keith put together the bookcase he was refinishing. It looks awesome! I did all the little finishing touches: put books and stuffed animals, a memory box, a piggy bank, and some baby books (the ones you actually record in) on the shelves. I also hung the quilt-square wall hangings near the glider and over the crib, and it looks SO CUTE! Keith hung the quilt over the changing table to add to the wall. It definitely looks like a nursery now! Every time I walk by it, I have to stop and peek inside. I’m so excited! I have every intention of putting pictures up, but have been really bad with it. I’ve just forgotten, time and again. I have pictures from one of my showers, but I look very…oompa loompa-like (only slightly taller)…so maybe I’ll take some neck-down pictures for the sake of belly recording. He is kicking and moving more than ever now! You always see those pictures of babies folded in half, in the womb. It is not so for little Collier. He has his head down, his feet stretched to one side, and his bottom on the other side. He likes to do this thing where he kicks off my stomach on the one side, causing his butt to bounce off the other, which makes his feet hit again after the butt bounce. Evidently this is fun because he did it for a good 15 minutes straight, last week. I think he thinks he still has tons of room to move around…no one has told him that he’s getting bigger and he really shouldn’t do these things. Sometimes he moves around so much and kicks so hard that even my tummy rubbing, which normally stops him, isn’t enough. But when daddy talks, he listens. Keith will come over (when I’m at the end of my rope) and talk to him, while putting his hands on whatever body parts are jutting out, and he calms right down! Once he is calm, Keith will move his hands, and the baby will start right back up. Sometimes we have to repeat the process 2 or 3 times to get him fully calm. Conversely, this method also works when I get a little nervous about how little he is moving. If I go through long, quiet periods, it can make me nervous, because he’s obviously an active little guy. So I ask Keith to come over and wake him up, for peace of mind. Keith just has to come over and talk to him a bit, and he wakes right up. It’s good to know that he knows daddy’s voice. We’re both getting really excited to meet him, and to be parents!Keith put together the stroller (RV), car seat, and pack-n-play over the past two weekends. We have spent a great deal of time trying to figure these contraptions out. There is nothing “pack” about the “pack n play” though…it’s harder to collapse than it looks. Keith and I were viewing it as something we could easily use every weekend if we wanted to up and go to mom and dad’s, but something tells me after one or two trips, that will be nixed from the option list and it will be reserved for longer trips only. It will be very handy to have downstairs for the first couple of weeks, however. Who knows- maybe we’ll get it down to a science and take it everywhere (?).

I picked out two outfits to bring to the hospital to bring the baby home in, yesterday. One was lighter, so we can use it if we’re allowed to put the ‘bundle me’ car seat blanket in (sometimes hospitals don’t let you put anything in but baby). The other one is heavy and fleecy with built in feet. We both kind of stood there for a minute trying to envision how much of the outfits he will take up. I’ve heard opinions across the board of what his size will be, but I can’t help but envision a little peanut (though average sized for a newborn) who doesn’t quite fit into everything just yet. Anyway, what else I packed…I’ll have to bring his new hat and mittens from the Ricard family, to keep him nice and toasty. I also plan to bring the baby book from Claude to fill in, in between contractions. J It will give me something fun to do. The weekend’s experience with the last minute hospital run pretty much ‘warned’ Keith and I that the baby could come at any time, now! I should make a list of items I want to bring, today, so that if I have to pack in a hurry, I can. Keith and I both think the baby will be coming earlier than his due date. Between how crowded he is in my short torso, and how active he is, he’s bound to trigger earlier labor. When it comes down to it, we will take him when he is ready to come. I am anxious to move past the “I’m an elephant” stage of life, and stop looking like a sausage in whatever I wear, but not so much so that I would want my baby’s health to be compromised in any way. I’ll wait as long as I have to.
A funny aside—my dad has taken to calling the baby Noah. He is convinced that’s what his name should be “because his bedroom is nautical”. So at family gatherings (ie: Thanksgiving) he refers to the baby as Noah in front of family, and as a result, everyone thinks his name will be Noah. Everyone ‘awww’s’ and comments on how cute it is. But when Keith and I tell them that we have not yet decided on a name, and Noah is simply dad’s whim, they all seem disappointed and some even suggest using Noah as a middle name if we haven’t found one already. Time will tell. I do intend to blog about what the names are that we have chosen (both of them) after the baby is born.

That’s about it for now…I’ll keep everyone posted!

Week 35

We are in the midst of week 35 now—34 weeks and 5 days to be exact. Everything is going just fine! I’m growing increasingly cramped as this little guy struggles to stay comfortable. The time is drawing near- that’s what I keep reminding myself. I’m sleeping less and less, and while I still love my pregnancy, I’m getting ready for the baby to come. I’m so uncomfortable at work, right now, that I’m getting frustrated…I can’t concentrate on anything except how nice it’s going to be to get out of this dumb chair and go home to take these maternity pants off! I think I need to buy a stress ball. Tonight.

On a different note, I’ve boycotted pictures, so you may not see one for a while (until the end gets closer) Or maybe I’ll take a couple pictures just of the baby (my belly). I still have to get through the Thanksgiving and possibly Christmas holidays! Aaaah! It seems virtually impossible! His room is mostly done! It’s so exciting! All the furniture came in, and all the clothes are washed and put into his drawers… my mom is going to re-cover a glider cushion for me, and then we will be using the glider. Keith is also re-staining a bookshelf for the room. It’s taking a while but hopefully we’ll be able to use it soon. It looks cute—it’s definitely a little boy’s room….I had my doctor’s appointment yesterday. Everything is looking good. The baby has turned head-down and remains that way. My blood pressure is a little high, but apparently not high enough to be worried about though. I hope that it stays that way! After my next appointment, which comes in 2 weeks, I have to start going weekly. Fun fun! I hope they start checking for dilation and effacement. It will be exciting to hear about that progress and how close or far I am. I’ve told many people at work that I’d love for it to be around the 20th! We could have the baby home for Christmas!

Anyway, that’s all the exciting things I have to say for now. I hope I can write more exciting news next time! Ok, I’m nodding off now…I either have to get up to walk around and pee or take my afternoon break to nap. Either way, I’m off!

Week 32!!!

My my my how time flies! I only have 2 months and a few days left! I can tell it's getting close though. Baby Collier is moving up a STORM and growing like crazy! Sometimes I feel like he's going to kick his way out! He's still laying crossways in my belly, so all the prayers we can get for him to turn head-down will be MUCH appreciated! My friend told me a 'trick' that's supposed to move them- a hands and knees position with my belly down. I'll give it a try tonight! Or maybe once a day! They can supposedly move more freely that way. The pregnancy is fine otherwise. I have been getting major swelling in my left foot only, so I intend to ask the doctor about it at my appointment on tuesday.

In other news, I had a baby shower last weekend, from Keith's family. It was great! It's so much fun to get little outfits and baby things and watch his room slowly come together, and dream of how the outfits will fit him. :) I can't wait to have him here! Keith can't wait either. I'll try to post pictures from the shower, if I can get my hands on some.
We recently finished up our labor and delivery class, too. As you can see, Keith wore the sympathy belly. He did quite well! :) Looking at the belly, he looks huge compared to me haha! It's scary to think I will soon be there. I already can't see my toes! The class has been extremely informative and has reaffirmed in my mind that I definitely want an epidural, and will be praying that I don't have to get a c-section. I have to take a nursing class and an anesthesia class in November. That should be fun.

School is moving right along, keeping our nights and weekends busy. That's prob. why it feels like this pregnancy is zooming by! Hopefully I will be able to enjoy the last bit! Hope everyone is doing well!

In the Midst of Week 30!!!

Wow, I'm way behind with my blogging! :) We are working on week 30 now! It's so hard to believe that in 11 weeks we will have a little baby boy living with us! A lot has been going on, but not much has changed. Two weeks ago we went to the Outer Banks with my sister in law and her family, and inlaws. It was very relaxing. Unfortunately we (baby Collier and I) had a cold or sinus infection or something during the whole vacation. You don't realize the effects medicine can have on your sickness until you're unable to take it! Keith caught the cold from me and had it for only 4 days, whereas I had it for 10 days. Anyway, we've all recovered. We came back from the Outer Banks a little bit early so that Keith could finish the nursery before classes started up again. He finished all the painting and it looks great! We have to clean some things out and vacuum and then I'd like to take and post pictures so everyone can see. This past weekend we ordered our furniture, too. I'm glad we finally did-- it's not going to be in for 8-10 weeks!!! It will show up RIGHT before the baby is born! That kindof stinks because I won't be able to get fully organized before he's here, but I guess it's better than if it were to come late!
In other news, I was in yet another car accident. It was nothing major-- just a small fender bender. More annoying than anything. I was stopped at a red light when a honda rear-ended me. I couldn't believe it! My 2nd accident in less than a year and again, not my fault! Thankfully he barely tapped me, so the damage is minimal, and the baby and I are physically just fine! After that happened, though, the fact that you can't trust other drivers was reaffirmed, in my mind, and I decided to put the Britax Marathon infant-toddler seat on my registry. I didn't want to at first, because it costs 260 dollars, but for my baby's safety, it's worth it. And you never know when an accident could occur, and how it can change your life. I experienced that in January, and I pray that Keith, the baby and I (not to mention the rest of the family) never have to deal with that again.
I had my monthly appointment 2 weeks ago, and everything is progressing normally! The next time I visit will be in two weeks (every appointment is every two weeks until 36 weeks). At 36 weeks, I will have visits weekly for the last 4 weeks of the pregnancy. I was asking the doctor about my due date, since with every ultrasound they said it could be a little different. She looked at the charts and said that the 'window', based on all my ultrasounds, for the baby to come is between December 18th and 24th. Ofcourse things like these are so unpredictable it could very well be much earlier or much later, but at least that gives me a better picture, and hopefully more accurate anticipation! I can't wait for him to get here! This Christmas is going to be a great one!
This is a picture from our anniversary dinner on the 9th of Oct. Keith surprised me and took me to a place in New Hope. :) It was sweet of him-- we had a good time.