36 Weeks Update!

How far along?: 36 weeks, almost there!
How big is baby?: Sam is around 6-6 1/2 lbs this week! And he's gaining about an ounce a day now!
Food cravings?: I'm always thirsty lately, so water probably.
What I'm looking forward to: I'm looking forward to getting this show on the road! Being able to hold my sweet little Sam and see what he looks like finally.
Milestone: Only 4 weeks left!
Feelings this week?: I am anxious for this baby to come. I'm really starting to get uncomfortable and I'm having such a hard time breathing half the time that I am just ready to bring him into this world. I can't wait to see what he looks like and I'm REALLY hoping he got the dimples. (Though I don't know if those show up right away or after a while.) I'm ready to hold him in my arms, and see the look on AJ's face when he gets to hold his son for the first time. I'm nervous as hell about becoming a parent, but I'm so excited for this new phase in our lives to start! Only 28 more days till my due date. Here's hoping he decides to come a little early and not late like everyone is thinking!

...30 Days Left...

We officially have only one month to go until my due date, and I'm really hoping that it's not more than that. I'm getting anxious to get this show on the road, especially since a bunch of ladies on my Due Date Club have started having their babies. I'm a wee bit jealous since I have so much longer to go, lol.

Since we've only got a month left I've started getting things packed and ready to go.... at first I was thinking that I didn't need to get started on this yet, but the other day at work I was having erratic contractions for three hours straight, they ended up just being Braxton Hicks contractions and when I left work and laid down they ended up going away almost immediately. But still kind of freaked me out thinking that I was going into labor. Not to mention that the contractions I have been having have so far been painless but a few nights this last week they have started to hurt a little bit. I can tell you that I will be disapointed if I go to my appointment on Thursday and I haven't made any progress yet. I'm also going to get the paperwork started on Friday for my Maternity leave, I want to see if I've made any progress before I make any decisions, but I think that my last day of work will probably be July 27th, I would love to leave earlier, but I want to spend as much time home with Sam as possible, so I don't want to leave early.

All in all things are getting set into place for our little munchkin to make an appearance into the world soon!

Dr. Appointment

Thought I would also update about my appointment. Yesterday we went for my 35 week check up. Everything seems to be going okay right now but a few precautions I have to take, my blood pressure was a little higher than what is normal for me yesterday. It was 112/84. The second number was the worry one since I'm usually running in the 60-70's. I think this was most likely caused by the fact that I was running late to this appointment, but the Dr wants me to keep an eye on it, and if I have any liver pain or headaches with vision changes I'm supposed to stop whatever I'm doing and get somewhere to check my blood pressure. Hopefully this won't be an issue though.

They also ran the Group B Strep test yesterday too, no results on that I think till next week. And she also checked my cervix the first time yesterday... she says I'm still closed up tight and there's no dialation right now (BOO!) but it's still early so we'll see what happens next week. Oh and I'm onto weekly appointments now! So I go every week until the end. Which hopefully won't be in August like my dad thinks,  lol.

35 week update!

How far along?: 35 weeks, getting closer!

How big is baby?: Sam is around 5 1/2-6 lbs this week! And he's gaining about an ounce a day now, so about 1/2 a pount a week!
Food cravings?: Cereal and Ice Cream once again! LOL
What I'm looking forward to: I'm looking forward to spending the whole first six weeks of his life at home with him. I'm looking forward to AJ being able to spend as much time with us at home that first week as well. I'm ready for that!
Milestone: We are officially in the 30's, only 34 days to go, well as long as he decides to show up on time, lol.  
Feelings this week?: I am nesting lately. There are moments where I sit around, not wanting to do anything but be lazy and then I get these weird spurts of energy and things just have to be done. Like yesterday I weeded in the yard a little while AJ mowed the grass (our yard looks about 100% better now that the dogs have their own spot to play and run around in.) Then I came inside and I just had to straighten back up the living room and kitchen. This morning I am determined to clean the office out. Which includes tackling the junk filled closet, this should be fun! LOL.

How will I get all of this done!!!!

I just spent two hours--yes that's right two--cleaning my living room... Not even a big room to clean, I can't believe it took me so long! I guess it was because I was organizing drawers and getting rid of junk that has been taking up space in there too long... but if it took that long to clean an easy room I have no idea how I am going to tackle my office or kitchen... I still have 6 weeks to go but I feel like I gotta get this stuff at least mostly done now so I'm not scrambling trying to do it last minute. As I'm sitting here typing Sam is going nuts in my tummy... maybe since it's the first time I've sat down in two hours, but it's not helping me with the motivation aspect... I'd rather sit and watch my belly jump around then start on anything else...

34 weeks!

How far along?: 34 weeks

How big is baby?: Sam is around 5-5 1/2 lbs this week! Wow I just can't believe he's so big already!

Food cravings?: I made AJ go to McDonald's for Apple Pies for me last night, they didn't have any so he went to Wal*Mart instead, lol.

Belly button in or out?: I have very little belly button left, though I am accepting that it will not pop. Right now it's almost gone though, lol.

What I'm looking forward to: I'm looking forward to having him come home, I am not looking forward to the cleaning I need to do to prepare for that, lol.

Milestone: Counting down still. 42 days to go, we are almost in the thirties!
Feelings this week?: Today I am just sad. A woman on my due date club just lost her baby. She was 34 weeks along and his heart just stopped beating, they don't know why it happened and have no explanation for her. Hearing this kind of thing is so humbling. I just can't help but think about my own little boy and how much I love him.... I tell him every night before I go to sleep. This week I am praying for strength for her family, and a way to heal from this devastating loss.

Baby Shower!

Just thought I would post a quick update about the Baby Shower, it was a great day! I have to thank Sarah and Heather for putting all the effort into it, it was really appreciated. AJ and I got a lot of stuff to take home for Sam, it was awesome because we got a lot of home made stuff. We also got our three big items that we wanted, our play yard, stroller and high chair. Nana also got us a bassinette for the bedroom, we were going to use the play yard, but she had a pretty valid point about having a place to put the baby during the day so I don't have to take him up and down stairs for naps. We still need a few little things that we'll be getting over the next few weeks and when AJ and I went to the store we realized we needed a few other things, ha! Just small stuff, a boppy pillow, changing pad, diaper pail, and extra bases for the car seat. I also need to think about a breast pump, but I'm going to wait on that until I know if we'll be successful in breast feeding or not. All in all I had a great time and was happy that most everyone could be there. I missed a few people like my Grandma and my sister, but I was happy that most everyone was able to make it.

Well anyway, I am sooo exhausted, I'm going to go to bed now, I'll post pictures later!

33 Week Doctor's Appointment

We had our 33 week appointment today, it was a pretty simple appointment, went in and got weighed and had my BP measured. I gained a few pounds the last two weeks, (their scales are so different than mine at home, according to their scales I've gained 20 lbs.) My BP was 110/56 which the Dr said was amazing, they didn't find any protein or sugar in my urine and Sam's heart rate was 156 so still around the norm. I was also still measuring right on track 33 centimeters for 33 weeks, I was a little worried about the measurements going in, but everything is going smoothly right now. My next appointment is on June 23 and I get to have the Group B Strep test and (I'm assuming,) the first check of my cervix, then it's an appointment every week after that till he decides to come!

Other than that not much else going on, counting down till the Shower on Sunday (SO excited for that!) and then I made our list of things to do around the house to baby proof and get it all clean before Sam is born and let me tell you it is a LONG list. I gave us a month to get everything done so that we'll be ready a week or two before he's born. Still though it seems like so much and I am not having any of those nesting urges that everyone talks about. I could really use it too since I need to get started!

Update 33 Weeks

How far along?: 33 weeks
Total Weight Gain: 16 pounds!
How big is baby?: Sam is around 4 1/2-5 lbs this week! My little sweetie is getting soooo big!
Food cravings?: Right now I am still on an ice cream kick, it just always sounds good to me... but it has to be the right kind, I don't wnat it out of a gallon carton, I want like a soft serve cone from Dairy Queen... AJ makes fun of me for it.
Belly button in or out?: I have very little belly button left, though I am accepting that it will not pop. Right now it's almost gone though, lol.
What I'm looking forward to: Baby Shower! Which is only 3 days away!!!
Milestone: Counting down still. Only 49 days to go.....
Feelings this week?: I think I'm starting to swell, in my picture my face looks like it's swollen a little bit... I did just wake up a few hours ago, but still. I know my hands are swelling since my wedding ring is getting too tight.

I am really feeling like I have a big boy on my hands right now...(Or in my tummy.) He may not be that big, but it sure feels like it! I can always see him moving around now and I know he's running out of room very quickly... When I can feel his butt at the very top of my uterus, right under my boobs, and then I can feel his head in my crotch it just feels to me like he is long, especially since that doesn't even include legs!!!

I am also starting to feel like I live at the hospital, between all types of appointments and these classes, I am getting to know the building pretty well.. Which is a good thing considering I will want to know the layout when I'm there giving birth.

Other than that everything is going okay, I had some back pain a few days ago and it freaked me out since I hadn't felt anything like it before, but I called my Dr and they told me it didn't seem like labor since I wasn't contracting in my uterus, but to go lie down and drink lots of water. It went away after a few hours of that, but man it freaked me out! I am starting to think what caused it was one of two things, the pain started in my hip so I might have pinched a nerve there or something, or I think that Sam might be making his way down to my pelvis and dropping down in there... I'm not sure though, what do you think based on my picture? I think the other thing is that this kid must have his feet jammed up in my ribs considering all the rib pain I have been getting. I'm sure that will make my Mom happy since I did that to her the whole third trimester! Lol.

Update on Classes and our Pre-Admissions Appointment

Just thought I'd update a little on all the stuff that has happened in the last two days.

We had our Breastfeeding class on Tuesday. It was interesting and a lot of stuff to learn. AJ said he felt kind of stupid being there since they didn't have really anything for him, this was mostly for the Mom's. I don't think I'm going to make him come to the second half of the class since he really didn't need to be there. We learned all about the ways to hold the baby and how to get a good latch and how it takes a while for breastfeeding to actually get into a rythm, I think they said like four weeks usually. I'm excited to at least try breastfeeding, but I'm keeping an open mind in case it doesn't work out.

Yesterday we had the Baby care class... learned some stuff I didn't know and some stuff that I already did. They went over changing a diaper and swaddling a baby and how to clean the umbilical cord etc. They went over the circumcisions and how they do them and I definately do not want to have to watch that, AJ is a champ though and surprisingly said he would stay with Sam when they take care of that business. I love how involved AJ is getting in the whole thing, he is just as excited as me about it. He said that he's going to be with Sam for all the tests and stuff the nurses have to do... We can't wait for July to get here!

We also had our pre-admissions appointment yesterday, pretty straightforward, they went over all the stuff with us around the birth and hospital stay and everything else. They gave us an estimate of how much everything would cost with a no complications vaginal delivery. $1260!!! Yikes, expensive, but that's why I got this Flexible spending account.

I also called the Pediatrician, Dr. Luebbert. He's Sarah's pedi and he also went to school with my OBGYN (like 30 years ago!) and she highly reccomends him. So we got a great peer recommendation and an awesome client recommendation, so we decided it must be fate, lol. It was really pretty simple, I called and they basically told me to just put him down as the Sam's Dr when we get to the pre-admit stuff and that's all I have to do. When he's born they will call the practice and whatever Dr is on-call will come take a look at Sam. They are going to send me some info about the practice and everything though as well.

AJ and I also started talking about the delivery and what's going to happen after the birth, etc. We decided that that first hour immediately after the birth we don't want any visitors besides our Mom's who are going to be in the room for the delivery anyway. I wanted this mostly because they say that you should try breastfeeding as soon as possible after the birth while they are alert and I really don't want an audience for that, lol. AJ said that he just wants to enjoy that first time with his new family without a lot of interruptions and distractions. (He made me cry when he said that, lol.) Don't worry though, after we get moved to the post partum room (which is like approximately 1.5-2 hours after the birth,) we'll want everyone to visit!

32 weeks!

How far along?: 32 weeks!

Total Weight Gain: 15.5 pounds!!!!

How big is baby?:  Sam is around 4 lbs this week!
Food cravings?: Ice cream, I always always want Ice cream, lol.

Belly button in or out?: I have very little belly button left, though I am accepting that it will not pop. Right now it's almost gone though, lol.

What I'm looking forward to: Baby Shower! Which is only 1 week and 3 days away!!!
Milestone: We are officially in the 8th month of the pregnancy and we're taking out classes right now!

Feelings this week?: This week I'm feeling like the time is dragging, I don't know why but it just feels like this week took forever and a day to go by. Sometimes I think about how far along I am and all I can thinks is: "I'm only 32 weeks?!?!" It feels like we've got forever to go right now, even though it's only 2 months.

 

Well beyond that we had our first class yesterday, the Breastfeeding class. It was interesting, a lot to learn and a lot I already knew. I don't know why but after going to the class it makes everything seems more real.. I mean, we're going to have a baby in 8 weeks! I'm so excited and I'm not at all anxious about the birth, I'm only a little nervous about that first few moments after we bring him home, and the thought of: "Okay, we have a baby, now what?" But I know we will be fine. I'm honestly just so excited and I'm starting to feel like a kid before Christmas, lol.