Status Update

First I want to say thank you for all of the posts, emails, and phone calls I received regarding the breastfeeding. I feel like I was able to pull something from each of them, which was really nice. Unfortunately it is still a struggle. Believe me, I feel like I've tried all of the suggestions-letting him nurse as often as he wants in a 24 hour period without supplementing, eating more, drinking more water, etc. I met with one of the lactation consultants and we came to the conclusion that I just have a low milk supply--I've also found out that this is very common among women who struggle with infertility! Chalk it up to just one more thing that my body has a hard time doing:) One of the lactation consultants wanted to put me on a prescription medication to try and help to boost my production. I went ahead and filled it, but then after reading up on it and some of the possible side-effects I began to wonder if I should take it or not. Then we met with the pediatrician and when we mentioned it to him, he looked it up on his iPhone and told us that they didn't really recommend it because it was seen to pass through breast milk--so I decided to forgo that route! One of the other struggles with it is that Owen is just a bit of a lazy eater....which doesn't help the situation. I struggle to keep him awake--believe me, I've tried all of the suggestions on that end as well--which makes it really hard for him to get full. Over the Christmas holiday when Tony was home, I did a lot of pumping and he did a lot of bottle feeding, which helped to keep him awake and get his nourishment--believe me he was a much happier camper when that happened! Now, for the past few days since Tony has gone back to work, I've been nursing and then giving him a 1 oz bottle of formula, which has also seemed to make him happier--probably because he is full. He also generally gets a formula bottle before he goes to bed at night, which seems to stick with him a little longer and helps him and us get some good sleep. Then when he wakes up, I again nurse and supplement him with some formula before putting him back down. I'm not sure how long we will continue down this road, but for now it is working and he is getting full and doing some growing! Right now I take it a week at a time and know that he is still getting some of the good stuff from mom:)

Speaking of growing, at his pediatrician appt last week, he was up to 8lbs and was 21 1/2 inches--so he definitely gained some weight, but it might have been masked by the fact that he got longer! Still hard to imagine that he may not be back to the weight he was when I was carrying him around in my belly! We go again next week, so we will see how his weight is doing then.

Oh-and he went on his first trip to Hooter's with daddy, Grandpa Arms, Uncle Bill, Uncle Chip and Nick on Monday! He apparently was the star of the day--even got a picture with a couple of the girls, a bib, and an autographed menu commemorating his first trip! Daddy said he let him try the hot wings to get him started out on the right path.....hmm, maybe that is why his belly was a little upset:)

Happy Holidays!

It was our very first Christmas as a family--very exciting for us! We had a wonderful couple of days celebrating the holiday with our family. Owen went many places and met many new people! We tried to keep him safe and healthy and didn't let him get passed around too much--hopefully our family will forgive us by our next get together:) I've added a couple of pics--one of us in front of our tree at home and then a few more of Owen's first photo shoot. Some of you who received our Christmas Card/Birth Announcement got to see one of his pictures, there were a few to choose from, so I added them here. They are compliments of one of Tony's friends who does some photography on the side--he does a great job! (he also took some pregnancy photos that I never got a chance to post--maybe one day!) I will update on how everything else is going soon--time seems to slip by much more quickly with a baby in the house! Hope everyone had a great holiday--we sure did!

Hospital Picture

Of course we had Owen's picture taken before we left the hospital. I thought that we would get an email saying when it was up.....but I kept waiting and no email. So I finally went to the website and it was there! It is crazy to see how he looks--fat chubby cheeks--he lost those once he came home and we had the feeding crisis--makes me sad to see them gone:(

Anyways, if you want to take a peek at him, the website is http://our365.com

Breastfeeding = Nature's Way?

So I think I mentioned in my last post that I might talk about Breastfeeding....Nature's Way? If it is supposed to be so natural why is it so difficult for some people....especially me?!?!?! We had a very rough first night home-I'm not sure that anyone got any sleep. We were getting pretty desperate--Owen was VERY upset and we could tell that he was hungry. Even after nursing his little mouth was dry--it was very sad! We had an appt with the lactation consultant at the hospital at 11:30 but we were calling her at 8AM! When we were getting no response from her (she didn't come in until 10:00), we called Dr. B's office to see if the lactation consultant there was in. She was and Aunt Jill told us to come right over! We stopped to pick up some formula just in case he was going to need a bottle to help him over his hump. The lactation consultant was very supportive and helpful, telling me that I did have some milk and helping us to get him fed a little. I felt a little better after meeting with her and we were all able to come home and take a nap afterwards so that was nice too:)

Well, needless to say the lactation consultant from the hospital kept calling because we ended up needing to cancel our appt with her so we could get some rest--I was feeling pretty rough after everything. We finally decided to go and see her later in the afternoon. Well, they weighed him and he had lost more than 10% of his birthweight, so that was not a good thing. While we were there I didn't have any milk that was transferring to my little guy while trying to feed him. She told us that we really needed to supplement him with some formula to try and get his weight back up. I told Tony after we left that I knew it wasn't good when the lactation consultant walked in with formula! So for feedings after that, Tony sat at my side with a little syringe and shot formula in while he nursed. When we met with her on Friday he had gained back 5 ounces, which was really good so she told us we could cut back a little on the supplementing. Well, when I met with her on Monday he had only maintained his weight, which she didn't seem too worried about, but I thought he should have done a little better over the weekend. She thinks my milk supply is still not 100%. I meet with her again tomorrow so we will see how his weight is doing.

So, where to from here? For me it is EXTREMELY frustrating that this is yet another thing that is seeming to not go right! I've feel bad that I cannot provide for him like I am supposed to be able to. Since Tony went back to work on Monday, I've been doing the syringe supplementing myself. I love the time that we are able to spend together while he is nursing, but if he is not getting what he needs then what is the point in continuing? I've tried to just nurse and not supplement, but it is abundantly clear that he is not as satisfied as when I supplement. I know some breastmilk is better than none, but oh how things would be easier to just whip up a bottle and feed him that way. So I feel that we are at a crossroads......everyone says that the first 2 weeks of breastfeeding are the most difficult.....I figure we will continue to try for a while but I'm not sure how much longer it will be going. Oh--and Tony has been wonderful throughout this whole ordeal--up with every feeding to supplement until I told him to just stay in bed:) and telling me that no matter what happens with this feeding thing.....everyone will end up just fine:) Thanks again honey--not sure I would still be sane throughout this past week or so without you!

Introducing.....

Owen Anthony! Born December 5, 2009 at 5:19PM. He weighed in at 8 pounds 9 ounces and was 20 inches long. We finally got to come home yesterday, so I've finally had a few minutes to get on and post some pictures for everyone to see:

We think he is perfect.....everything that we ever hoped, wished and dreamed for! Delivery on the other hand was not so perfect. It took over 35 hours for him to be born. We started the day on Friday with Pitocin but it wasn't doing the trick. We then moved on to stronger drugs--got 3 different doses of it--finally things were moving, although still slowly. My water did break on its own and then I did go for the epidural--after more than 24 hours of contractions I wasn't sure how much longer I could go on. Finally around 3:15 I began pushing--pushed for over 2 hours but he wasn't budging past a certain point. The doctor decided that a forceps delivery would be my only option before a C-section, so we proceeded forward. When Owen finally made his entrance into the world, the doctor declared him a football player-large and mommy a petite, so we weren't matching well in that department. He was born perfect with no other issues during the process-unfortunately for me, a forceps delivery was not pleasant and then my placenta then decided that it was not going come out. To leave all the gory details out, the doctor worked on me for over an hour after he was born. When it was all said and done I had lost a significant amount of blood and was not doing the greatest. I was/am also extremely bloated due to all of the fluids that they pumped me full of during the induction--I still don't think that I look like myself! We had several people waiting to meet him, but because of my complications we had to turn them all away and they had to come back on Sunday. It took me a long time to recover and I actually ended up needing a blood transfusion to help push me back up in order to be discharged--which was finally yesterday. So we are now home and trying to find our way around!--what a job that has been. Breastfeeding will probably be the topic of my next entry!

Lasts and Firsts

Well we had our appt with the OB yesterday......still no dilating or effacing, but we are moving forward with the induction tomorrow. We have to be at the hospital at 6AM for the process to start. She again warned that it could be a long day, but she hoped that she would be wrong. She is going to start me with Pitocin and see how I progress during the day. If I can start making progress then she will break my water and we will move on from there. If I go all day with little to no progress, then they will shut the meds off, let me eat and sleep and start with some new and stronger meds on Saturday. Lets just say that I hope we make some progress tomorrow! She also stated that she is starting conservatively because she doesn't want to put any extra stress on me or the baby during the process--He's too precious to take any chances (her words!!). Hopefully things go well and we end up with a baby sometime tomorrow--and hopefully not by C-section, but I know we will have to take things as they come......

So since we got official confirmation, Tony and I have been talking about things in lasts and firsts. Like today was my last breakfast, last day of work, last loads of laundry, last bill paying session, etc. before becoming a mom. Today was Tony's last day of work, last time he'll take the garbage out, etc before becoming a dad. Some of our lasts are a little more profound....we had our last date out for dinner with only saying there would be 2, today is the last day that I will have him always with me, feeling his little movements on the inside:) and today is the last day that our family will only consist of only 2 people (not forgetting about the animals!!). Then we start to think about the firsts that are coming.....the first time we see him, touch him and hear him. There will be the first time we hold him and kiss him--things that we have waited for so long to do are just literally around the corner! I never thought this day would come and I'm so happy that we are going to be able to share in it together. I can't wait to start this new chapter in our lives--the first chapter of our family story--I just know that it will be amazing!

Final Look and Thoughts

I had my last appointment with the perinatologist today. I asked Tony to accompany me so that we could both hear the same things and see the same things--always nice to have a back-up:) The tech did the sono and she was able to get a few decent pictures of him--she tried hard since it was our last appointment:) I've posted one at the bottom of this post for everyone to see....will be interesting to see how accurate the 3D sono pics are! She also again did a quick weight estimate (unofficially since it hadn't been 3 weeks since my last one) and she was estimating him at 7lbs 7ozs......now take that with a grain of salt since she told us it could be +/- a pound! The doctor told me to take my last dose of Baby Aspirin on Wednesday morning and my last dose of Lovenox on Wednesday night in preparation for induction on Friday. I will double check all of that with Dr. B on Wednesday afternoon at my hopefully last appointment with her before we meet again in the hospital for delivery:) The doctor said that I had done wonderfully and he was happy with how everything had turned out....he asked for a picture once he's born.

As "D" day is fast approaching, I've begun to really reflect on how we made it to this point. Being pregnant and having our baby has been a long time dream for me. Honestly, the pregnancy has been very enjoyable for me. I really can't complain--never really had morning sickness or any of the other nasty side-effects that pregnancy can sometimes bring. I had a little bit of a back issue, but all in all things have gone well with everything considered. I've also determined that I will miss having him "with" me at all times. He has been my constant companion for the last 37 weeks! It is hard for me to remember what my life--and my body--was like before he joined me in my belly! I love being able to feel him moving around throughout the day. On one hand I can't wait to meet and hold him and on the other it has been a joy to have him growing inside of me all of these weeks. I couldn't have asked for a better experience!

Enjoy the picture!--of course he has his hand covering up 1/2 his face...what else is new!

Burnin', Burnin', Burnin'

Wow has the heartburn really been kicking in these past few days! Tums have definitely become one of my best friends lately....especially in the middle of the night! Even the 2nd pillow propping me up does not seem to be doing the trick anymore! I hardly ever get heartburn, so this is definitely a change for me:) If the old wives tale holds true, it should mean that this baby is going to be born with hair......and I'm pretty sure that it is going to be true. The last couple of sonos that we have had, both the tech and the doctor have pointed out hair on the back of his head! The question now is, how much and what color?

37 Weeks

Congratulations-Your baby is full-term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still 3 weeks away.

Your baby weights 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel. Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your babies hair is not the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blondes or red-heads, or fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Thankful

I didn't get a chance to get on yesterday and post, but I wanted to make sure that I did today. It is amazing how far we have come in this process and how we were never sure that we would get to this point. I am SO thankful for all of our supportive friends and family who have been with us since the beginning. You were a part of our failures and heartaches, as well as a part of our celebration and soon to be even bigger celebration that looms on the horizon.

I am especially thankful for my wonderful husband....without him I'm not sure that I would still be sane! He was such a rock for me to hold onto while going through all of our failures, always reminding me that we would get there or even if we didn't we would still have each other. He has been a wonderful support since making it to our dream of becoming pregnant.....doing so many things that I can't even begin to list them in a post. I can't wait to see his face as we both realize our dream of becoming parents in just a few short days!

Happy Thanksgiving!

36 Week Belly Pic

Well, here I am in all my glory:) I've been feeling pretty large and in charge lately! I've had a few comments from people that they think that I have dropped. I'll have to go back and compare from my last set of pictures to see if I agree. Overall I am still feeling well. I do have a swollen right ankle at the moment.....had to skip out on a party this evening so I could stay home with my feet up.....guess I better get back to the chair:)

36 Weeks

Your baby is still packing on the pounds-at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his 9-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term (Full-term is 37-42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are considered pre-term and babies born after 42 are post-term). Most likely he's in a head down position. But if he isn't, your practitioner may consider scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax the baby into a head down position by manipulating him from the outside of your belly.

Updates

It has been a while since I have been able to get on and update. It is crazy how busy things get towards the end of the pregnancy!

Peri Appt: He was measured again on Monday at my appt. with the perinatologist. The US tech did it this time and he came out at 5lbs 13ozs-which put him in the 58%tile this time. I asked the doctor when he came in if I should be worried because he had seemed to slow down in his growth-he said no that he was still a good weight. He also attributed it to the difference in who performed the US and it was in a different room on a different machine. He said that he was still measuring in a good range, so there were no worries. He also joked that I was becoming a short timer:) Only 2 more appts left there--hard to believe that!

OB Appt: Had another NST and check today at the OB office. He passed his NST with flying colors. Had to get my group B strep tests today--not the most pleasant experience! She also decided to go ahead and do an internal check of things. So far I am still "closed up tight" and she said that is fine with her. She doesn't like to see any effacing and dilating until closer to 37 weeks, so we shall see next week:) I go on Wednesday next week because of the holiday. She stated on the way out that things are just going perfect with this pregnancy--all of my trouble came with getting pregnant, but no problems with staying that way:)

Other stuff: My mom came over on Monday and helped me go through items in the nursery. We began sorting through what we needed and didn't need and then we started washing things. Never knew a little guy could require so much stuff that needed to be washed:) Seemed like the loads weren't that big when we put them in, but with all of the tiny little clothes in there--it was a lot of folding when it came out:) We also made a list of things that were still essential to get before our little guy arrives. Tony and I spent last night going to a few stores and making some returns and trying to get some of those items off of our list of essentials. We plan to spend Saturday doing the rest of the returns and purchasing of items--then we really will be ready for him! We've also finished up most of the Christmas shopping-only a few items left to buy--so that is a relief as well. Finally we did pack the diaper bag for the hospital trip--can't wait to open it and dress him to bring him home! My bag is up this weekend--have a few more items to purchase (of course) and then it will be ready to pack!

Think that is all of the updates for now!

Shower #3

I had shower #3 over the weekend and it was another wonderful event! It was given by Tony's Aunt Mindy, Aunt Jill, & Alyssa (cousin). There was also help from from Sherry and Carrie-more cousins:) It was a great time with many wonderful friends and family there. There was excellent food as well--that is always nice when you're growing a baby! Alyssa made the cutest monkey blanket and diaper cake--full of newborn diapers:) that were on the head table. The centerpieces consisted of toys and books that are already in his basket and awaiting his arrival. The best part was--when they played a game and someone won a prize--I got one too and I didn't even have to win:)

It was nice to see some people that I hadn't been able to connect with in a while--even had a few college roommates stop by beforehand so we had some time to chit-chat and catch up with each other. We were again showered with wonderful gifts from everyone. This little guy is going to be dressed to the "T" with all of the great clothes he received--we were also thankful to get some bigger sized items as well:) Tony was very excited to get some more sports apparel from all of his favorite teams (Bills, U of Michigan, and The Cubs)--and the baby even got his first baseball glove--another one of Tony's favorites! He got lots of new toys and books too. We keep saying all we need now is for him to get here!! and really that is all we are waiting for:) Overall it was a wonderful time and we are so thankful for our wonderful friends and family!

Tony wanted me to add an extra paragraph at the end to thank everyone for all of their help and support during the pregnancy. From helping to get the basement finished, carpets cleaned, walls painted, baby showers, and overall emotional support we definitely could not be where we are without you! We will never be able to put into words how much we appreciate each and every one of you and everything that you have done for us and for this little guy whose arrival is fast approaching! We can't wait for him to get here so everyone can finally meet this miracle baby that we have been waiting for!

35 Weeks

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete-he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Pediatrician-Check!

Tony and I met with our potential pediatrician on Monday afternoon. She was very nice and now she is not just our potential pediatrician:) She just moved to a new office, which is decorated very cute and kid-friendly. She has 2 large purple couches in her waiting room, along with a little play area and TV with the Disney channel dialed in. There were large murals painted on the walls as well. Her staff seemed really nice as we checked in also.

The doctor came and got us from the waiting room and then gave us a tour of the office. Each of the rooms is decorated with a theme and all have an area within the room of things that the kids can touch and play with while they wait. They have a "sick" side and a "well" side, so that is nice that you don't have to mix with germs when going in for a check-up. She also didn't want the kids to be afraid of the doctor, so once they are older (1 year and up) they go to a "procedure" room in order to get shots, blood draws, etc. That way kids don't get scared just waiting in the exam room-thought that was really cool as well:)

After the tour, we went into one of the "well" rooms and sat down with her and asked our questions and she took a lot of time to answer them. We didn't feel rushed at all, which was nice to see when dealing with a doctor--often times they are in and out of rooms to get on with different patients, so it was nice to feel like we had her undivided attention. She also said that she would be fine on working with me and the immunization schedule, so that was a huge plus as well. She also grew up in the area, so we think that she is planning on sticking around for a while and isn't just passing through town and then moving onto bigger and better things. We left feeling pretty confident in our choice of her as our pediatrician. So that is one thing checked off our list of things to do before he arrives! Did I mention that is just a little over 3 weeks away!

34 Week Belly Pic

Well-here it is:) There is definitely a big baby in there! Tony thought I looked pretty big when he took the picture tonight:) My shirts are getting to the point where they begin to ride up and not meet the top of my pants, so I am constantly checking to make sure the bottom of my belly isn't hanging out! Not sure what I am going to do about that with 4 more weeks of growth to go....:)

34 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers-which he'll need to help regulate his body temperature once he's born-are filling him out, making him more rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about pre-term labor, you'll be happy to know that 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.

From 1 to 5

1-that is the number of pillows I used to sleep with. Slowly as the pregnancy has progressed, that number has slowly increased to 5! Who knew it could take so many pillows to feel comfortable when you slept, but apparently that is what I am requiring these days. So lets run them down:
1-The regular old pillow that everyone probably sleeps on--the only one that was used when I went to bed at night before getting pregnant:)
2. This pillow entered when my belly started getting a little bigger. It is a wedge pillow that I stick under my belly when I lay on my side to help from it hanging over and making it a little more comfortable when sleeping on that side.
3. This pillow entered about the same time as the wedge-belly pillow, but this one goes between my knees. I guess the more pregnant you get, the more your hips widen. This can leave your hips a little achy at night, so the pillow between the knees helps to lessen that.

Now--I was at 3 pillows for a long while and was sleeping pretty good. Then a couple of weeks ago I had a terrible couple of nights sleeping on the weekend. Was up several times and actually ended up in the living room on the couch just so I wouldn't wake Tony up. So there needed to be a reassessment of the pillow situation--thus ending up with pillows 4 and 5:)

4. I was having some heartburn, so I added another pillow under the regular old head pillow to help prop me up a little more and reduce the acid back-up. This helped with the heartburn, but I still was just not totally comfortable.......
5. This pillow was just a little add on try--it is one of those soft squishy pillows, and I basically just hug it. Who would of thought that this little addition would be the final ticket to comfortability, but it was.

So, there it is....from 1 pillow to 5 pillows--all to aid in the act of sleeping, who would of thought it! I do have to say that Tony has been great with all of the additions to the bed at night--cause when I need to flip, it is often times an ordeal:)

Shower #2

This afternoon I had my second shower. Two of my co-workers, Emily and Cathy, put it together. I know they were worried because it turned out a little smaller than they had hoped, but I had a wonderful time. I felt like I actually got to sit and converse with the people who attended instead of doing "fly-bys" like I did at my first shower. It was very relaxed and I didn't feel rushed to get through anything so everyone could get home:)

We got several more very cute outfits that I can't wait to see our little man in. It was also nice to receive some larger size clothing--with the way this little one seems to be growing he won't be in anything "little" for very long:) We also got some more toys to add to his basket that we have been filling since the first shower. Tony is always excited when I get home and he has a chance to look through everything. He joked with my mom that she could leave her present at the house since he never gets to open anything.....she told him nice try, but he could see it when we got home:)

Overall it was a wonderful time-hopefully I will have some pictures to post soon--but I still haven't gotten ones up from the first shower!!--but I promise to try and get them up. Thanks again Emily and Cathy for a great time!!:)

33 Weeks

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and has passed the 17 inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a cone-head like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Peri Appt Update

Thought I would get on and give everyone an update from my peri appt this morning. It was a measurement day, so Tony decided that he would come in the hopes of getting some good pics and being able to see the little guy in action since it had been a while. Well, lets just say that he got to see the little guy in action, but no good pics--but because the Dr. didn't even try the 3D:( It just happened that the Dr. did the sono today and not the tech, so it was all business!

Needless to say, this little guy has not been affected by my APA syndrome and is growing just fine! They estimated his weight today at 4lbs 11ozs, which now puts him in the 72%tile! So no problems with the placenta getting him his nutrients! I commented that Dr. B wanted to induce me at 38 weeks and he said that sounded perfectly fine and he would note that in his report so that everyone is on the same page. So it looks more and more like we will be heading to the hospital on Dec 4th for an induction.....a little over 5 weeks and this little guy will be entering the world! We've waited so long for this day......hopefully time moves quickly, but not too quickly where we can't get everything else done that we want to before he arrives:)

32 Week Belly Pic

It is hard to believe that I am 8 months pregnant! The baby is definitely getting bigger and running out of space in there:) It sounds like 6 weeks from today we may be meeting this little guy! When I think of it that way-Wow, there is not a lot of time left. It's not official yet......but I do believe we are written in "the book" at the office:) As long as everything keeps going well, I see no reason why he won't be here (or almost here depending on how long he decides to take!!) 6 weeks from today! We can't wait!

Had a little scare during my NST yesterday. Apparently he decided to take a nap during the test, which is not a good thing to do. The heart rate has to have so many accelerations during the test and since he was sleeping he was pretty much on an even keel. So the doctor had to, for lack of a better word, "buzz" him. She put a probe up to my belly that vibrated and made a loud noise. It really shocked me--and definitely him--when she did it. I wasn't quite sure what to think when she did it, but after a minute I realized that my "motherly" instinct was kicking in because it really bothered me! It definitely scared him--thought he might jump out of my belly--so I didn't like that. I mean, who wants someone to come and shake them and make a loud noise when they are sleeping! The worst part was that she had to do it a 2nd time! Aunt Jill happened to be in the hall when it happened again and she went and got me some cold water and a sugar cookie to try and wake him up--she didn't like it either! Finally after the second "buzz" and the snack he passed with flying colors. I just hope he never has to have that done again!

32 Weeks

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Shower #1

Sorry it has been a while since the last post--it has been busy around here! The time seems to be slipping by and then I barely have time to post:)

I had my first baby shower on Saturday. It was really a wonderful experience and at times I couldn't believe that I was actually there for me--not anyone else:) Like I have said in earlier posts, I never found myself not wanting to go to other people's showers, but I think I just assumed at times that I would never be at one for myself. So needless to say it was a wonderful time-I did forget my camera though, so I will have to rely on family to get some pics from the big day! My cousin was the main driving force behind getting it set up, but she had some help from my great aunts as well. My mom and Tony's mom had a little hand in it as well:) It was a pretty large shower (my mom's side and Tony's mom's side never had infertility issues!!) so we ended up getting lots of wonderful gifts for this little guy to use when he finally comes home. I think Tony was amazed as it was all brought in and left in the living room! We spent a couple of days going through the bags and getting everything organized-only need to take a few duplicates back, so that is always a good thing as well. My mom came over Monday night and helped me get a little more organized while my dad cleaned our carpets (yes, my dad cleans carpets--he even vacuums-in fact at one point my mom didn't even know how to turn on her own vacuum!!). I still have a couple of more showers, so more good times to look forward to:)

It is getting more exciting by the day! With the showers and the house finally getting close to being "baby ready," it is seeming more and more real. The baby will get measured again on Monday at my appointment with the Perinatologist. I'm expecting him to post some more big numbers--he is moving constantly and I think he is having a hard time getting comfortable. He has been having body parts (well mostly his butt up by my ribs!!) sticking out all over on my belly. Tony got to feel a big shift last night as he was telling the little guy good night--didn't think he was believing how it looked and felt when he did it! I will post another picture on Friday--hard to believe that I will be 32 weeks!

31 Weeks

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Diappearing Act!

Well, I have to say that it has almost happened.....my belly button is about no more. It has been slowly disappearing as this baby of ours pushes my belly out:) Last night while I was in the shower I was "feeling" to see if there was any indentation left...I would have to say that it was close to none. Then when I got out of the shower, Tony happened to mention the same thing! Funny how we were both thinking it at the same time:) It still hasn't "popped" out yet, but I do hear that it can happen from time to time. Not sure how I feel about that! But I know most of us when we were little kids (or heck maybe even now as big kids) have always wondered what the inside of our belly-buttons really looked like......I have to say that I now know that answer and it really isn't anything special!

Also disappearing.....my energy! I've realized the past few nights after work I have great expectations of what I would like to get finished, but I just want to sit down and not do much of anything! Tony tells me that it is fine and that there isn't anything that HAS to be done, but there are definitely things that I think need to be done:) Oh well, what can you do? I'm going to keep trying to get things done, but maybe I just need to have less expectations for what can happen in one night:)

Hopefully nothing else decides to disappear!

Nursery Pics

Finally--here are the pics of the nursery. It isn't totally finished (we still have some things to hang on the wall and there is no mattress in the crib yet) but wanted you all to see the before and afters, up to this point at least:)

Here are a few pictures of the room with all of the

sports stuff and the stripes that were expensive to cover!

Notice the jersey on the wall--where Tasker gets his name:)

Tasker and Dad get ready to tackle the first box!

Hard at work putting the crib together!

The finished room, well so far:)

The rocking chair was given to us by Tony's Aunts and Dad. It used to be his

grandma's--still has the worn places on the arms where she used to rest her hands.

We were very excited to receive this gift and think it goes great with the furniture!

We are pretty pleased with how everything looks. It just makes us even more excited to bring this little guy home--now he has a place that is just for him:)

To H1N1 or Not?

So of course I have to be pregnant when this new strain of the flu is going around. As I stated in an earlier post, I've already gotten my seasonal flu shot but now is the question of whether or not to get the H1N1 shot. There is at least one school that I consult with who already has a confirmed case of it and I'm pretty sure another one will be announcing soon.....but is it really necessary? It has been an internal struggle for me lately. I mean I'm healthy so I should be able to recover, right? Well according to the articles even the most healthy person can be severely affected by this strain of the flu.....

Anyone who knows about my profession might question whether or not I believe in vaccines as a whole (for those of you who don't know I work with children with Autism). I have always been a believer that vaccines themselves are not the cause of Autism....However I do believe that we give WAY to many vaccinations at one time to our small children. This little guy will get his vaccinations, but will most likely get them on a graduated schedule. We will not be doing 6 shots at one time! That is just too many for a little body to process at one time in my opinion. Hopefully the pediatrician we plan on using will be supportive (I'm setting up an appointment with her soon!!) or else we will be needing to search for a new one.

So now to whether or not to get this new H1N1 shot. I've heard/read that it is manufactured by the same company who does the seasonal flu shot, so in theory it should be just as safe as that one. Pregnant woman have been getting it for years, so why am I so hesitant to get this new one. Well for one thing it does have Thimerosal in it (the preservative that many parents believe lead to their child's Autism--mercury based). I did read last night that there have been single-dose syringes manufactured for pregnant women and children that do not contain the Thimerosal. If this is the case, I might consider getting it--but that would depend on whether or not my OB ordered the single-dose shots or the larger vials that yield several shots. Also, there is not a lot of data, or how about NO data since it is so new, to show that there are not adverse affects from the shot on the unborn child. However, I know that they want pregnant women to get it so that possibly the child could be protected once it is born since they can't get the shot themselves.

I just don't want to do anything that might possibly harm this precious little baby growing inside me.....so does that mean get the shot or not get the shot? I'm not sure yet.......

30 Week Belly Pic

Well, here is the 30 week belly picture. As Dr. B. said at my appointment yesterday, I am now 3/4 of the way done! Well, probably even a little more than that with the induction a few weeks early:) Hard to believe that tomorrow we will be in the single digits for weeks left and under 70 days!

30 Weeks

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Update

Things have been so busy I haven't had time to get on and update. It seems like we have things to do every night and I end up running out of time to add a post. So here is an update on things:

• Things in the basement are going great! It ended up taking 2 more coats of red before the wall finally was finished--thanks to my dad that is finished:) Aunt Jill came over last Wednesday and painted the floor with that epoxy stuff. We decided to hold on to a little of our money and wait on the carpet. One can didn't get the room quite covered and we didn't have the rest of the basement cleaned up enough yet for her to continue....so Tony and I spent Saturday downstairs together getting things cleaned up. Who knew drywall dust could get everywhere! We wiped things off and vacuumed others and moved them into the finished portion. I even vacuumed the walls--I know Tony thought I was falling off my rocker! Aunt Jill is coming back tomorrow night to hopefully get the rest of the floor finished! Yea--the end is near:) I will post pics soon!
• We ended up having to get a new water heater! Fortunately it was still under warranty so we were able to return it. Tony's dad came over Monday morning to wait for the plumber to get it all installed. Now we get to deal with getting it all reimbursed from the water heater company--can't wait to do that!
• The nursery is all painted--thanks to the grandmas--and Tony put together the furniture this weekend and we got it all in the room. We love to just go and stand to see how it all looks...imagining putting our little boy in there soon. I took pics of him putting the furniture together--did a good job, but didn't believe me that the crib would be impossible to put together in the living room and then transfer it when it was finished to the nursery. Luckily he "checked" and realized I was right and we avoided a catastrophe:) Again--will post pics soon!
• Had my first non-stress test (NST) at the OB on Thursday. Things went well with that. I also had my one hour glucose screening. I talked with Dr. B about when she would induce barring that everything continued to go well--she said around 38 weeks. I also asked if she was planning on taking a vacation because I really wanted her to be the one to deliver. She said they were contemplating one....I told her that I would rather she be there:) She looked at my due date and with being induced earlier than that, thought she would probably be around:)
• Peri appt yesterday went well. My mom came with me for the measurements. They estimated his weight at 3lbs 5 oz, which continues to put him in the 63%. The tech tried to get some 3d pics, but he again was being difficult and hiding! So no good pics this time:) I think the one from last week will hold us off for a while anyways!
• Got a call from Dr. B's office today. On the message they said they needed me to call back so they could review my test results.......I immediately think that I failed my glucose screening and think the worst! Well when I called, the nurse told me that my iron was low and they needed to put me on a iron supplement. I told her that I thought I failed my glucose screening and she laughed and said that actually came back good:) So now I get to take an iron supplement. Guess it had been a while since something new had been added, so bring it on!

So I think that is all for now:) Things continue to be busy though, so I'm sure there will be more to update soon. I'll also put up pics of the nursery and basement:)

29 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your 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 your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Our Latest Look......

Here is the best 3D pic from my trip to the Peri yesterday. He was still laid up next to my placenta, but you can get a good view of his face and one hand. We think he is looking pretty cute:) Just wanted to share with everyone!

Painting, Painting, Painting

Well, there has been a lot going on here these past 5 or 6 days and it mostly has to do with painting! We had our first official painting party last Wednesday. Tony's Aunts and Uncles came over for dinner (my contribution for the evening) and then got to work priming our newly finished drywall in the basement. I was pleasantly surprised that they got all the priming done in one evening! and Tony even helped as well!! (he doesn't really think of himself as a painter!!) I felt bad that I couldn't really help, but did make dinner and a couple of Menard's runs for more supplies:)

Then they all came back on Saturday for a round of painting--I got lunch:)--and then they stayed again for the 2nd coat and got it almost all finished. One of our walls is going to be brick red, so it is requiring one more coat of paint--here's to hoping a 3rd will get it covered:) It looks amazing downstairs and Tony and I are so grateful for all of the help and the time they have put in to helping us get it all finished--including even before the painting was able to begin!!


So tonight is our 3rd painting party. The grandma's are painting in the nursery right now as I type. We are doing two walls blue and two walls light brown. I think they are working on the blue walls tonight and may be coming back tomorrow to work on the brown ones....haven't asked yet:) My dad and Tony were going to look at the hot water heater (it has decided not to light on its own anymore--only 2 years old!!) but unfortunately my dad is not sure about it either. So that means a service call from a professional.....gotta love home-ownership!! So, they are finishing up the 3rd coat of red and the touch-ups downstairs. Tony is also hanging our other lights since the ceiling is all done being painted. It is all getting closer to getting finished and we are growing even more excited as that day draws near....that means nursery furniture building soon!

We have been taking pictures throughout the building and painting process and I will post some before and afters soon.

28 Week Belly Picture

Well, here is my 28 week belly picture. Big brother Tasker again had to join in. Even though I know that I am getting bigger--my shirts seem to be getting shorter and my pants fall down easier due to the belly--it is hard for me to tell. So tonight, I pulled up my last 3 pics and put them side by side.....I think I grew as much in 2 weeks as I did between 4 weeks earlier. Crazy in my mind:) and scary to think that he will be growing even more in these last few weeks--not sure where he will go!

28 Weeks

Welcome to the 3rd Trimester........
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

3rd Peri Appt and Misc......

Today was our 3rd appointment with the Perinatologist. He wasn't there, so the US tech did the sono. Tony was a little worried that we wouldn't get a 3D shot, so he asked for one:) She tried at the very end, but he was being a little stinker and hiding in the way far back of my uterus and then even turned his face into the placenta so you couldn't see him! It was like he knew we were looking and he wanted no part of it. We did get a good profile shot that I will go ahead and post, but most of the 3D ones are not that great. We also got to see him yawning which was really cute! All in all, the appt was basically a "well-baby" check-up and he scored 8/8 on their bio-physical scale, so all is good:)

I had some other miscellaneous things that I had wanted to post about but hadn't gotten around to it, so I thought I would add it in here since there wasn't much to report from the appointment.

• Well, I thought that I would be able to quit therapy.....but no such luck. When I called the OB office, the doctor wanted me to continue with it some more and even prescribed me a muscle relaxer to take. I wasn't really sure that I wanted to take more medicine, especially something like a muscle relaxer, but I have taken it a few times and it seems to help. I can't really take it during the day since it makes me really sleepy....we'll see how much longer until I ask to quit again:)


• The basement is ready to be painted! We had the drywall finisher here last week and he got it all done and it looks great! We are having our first painting party on Wednesday night to start down there with the priming part....it is getting a lot closer to being done:)


• We also had the drywall finisher look at the soon-to-be-nursery. I had painted red and blue stripes on the wall to accent the sports memorabilia......well painting stripes may not have been the best idea. They had to be painted on pretty thick to cover, so needless to say it would have been difficult to get covered again without permanent lines. So the drywall finisher came back tonight and fixed the walls for us.....so in a couple of days it will be ready to start getting painted---yea!!


• Lastly, I got to feel the first round of hiccups this morning. I had just woke up and rolled over and he started, what I thought at least, was kicking. But it was very rhythmic, so after a few times I finally figured out it was the hiccups. I grabbed Tony's hand and had him feel, so we both got to experience it--very cool!
• Oh wait--one more.....we are less than 90 days away from meeting this little guy! Good thing we are finally getting around to painting his new room!!!

So that is about it for now. We have our last baby class tomorrow night....hard to believe that 4 weeks has gone by! I'll post the good profile picture below for you to see:)

27 Weeks

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Childbirth Class #3

So last night was our third childbirth class. It was supposed to start with a tour of the OB floor, but when we arrived there was a "situation" going on, so we went downstairs first. We all guessed that there was a slight emergency going on and they needed the floor clear of any extra people:) So we headed downstairs to begin the class. When we got downstairs the instructors had 9 different stations set up which were different positions or options to use during labor. At each station there was a card describing the "option" and then they told us when a contraction was starting (60 second ones) and then we were to practice the option with our partner until it was over. There were often times a few different ways to use each position, so you could try the two you thought might work best. It was actually very informative--found some things that did not feel comfortable when I wasn't already in excruciating pain--so we have some ideas of things that might work for us. After going through each of the stations, they called the floor and we were able to go back upstairs for our tour.

It was very neat to see the floor. We got to look in all of the empty rooms, starting with the rooms where you go after delivery. They have 3 large LDR (labor and delivery rooms) on the floor as well. This is where you start and end labor, as well as have your "sacred hour." We got to look in two of them (1 was in use). We were all very impressed with their size and especially the labor tubs--although I am sad because I will probably not be able to use the tub since I will most likely be induced and have to be constantly monitored throughout labor. Then we all sat in one of the rooms on chairs to go over a "mock delivery situation." Tony happened to be the closest "partner" next to the bed, so he was asked to be the volunteer patient. He was pretty sure that the instructor was sad she asked him when it was all said and done. She then went through all the ins and outs of labor, showed all the monitoring equipment, IV's, protocols for what happens when they have to start pitocin, getting an epidural (she finally had to convince Tony to go for the epidural--he kept saying he was all woman and could handle it!!), etc. They didn't go through the actual "pushing phase" but all the other aspects were covered. Again very informative and at times I felt like I was the only one asking questions....oh well, wanted to make sure I got the most out of the class:) We then watched a movie--Tony got to stay in bed--about having a C-section even when it's not planned. Finally they took us back to the C-section room (got all dressed up in booties, gowns, and hats) so we could see it--just in case one of us had to have one. She said inevitably, one couple from each class always ends up having to have one for some reason or another.....hope that one couple isn't us:)

I have to say that I really enjoyed this class and Tony was a wonderful sport through all of the "mock positions" and especially with being the patient in labor:) I now have a TON of questions for Dr. B at our next appt--just about the possibilities of things and how does she decide on certain things, like when to break the bag of water, how long is too long in labor before moving towards a c-section, etc, etc. Aunt Jill--you might want to warn her:) Hopefully she doesn't get annoyed or think it is too early to start discussing all of this, but I even dreamed about it all last night and have been thinking about it today during my "down times." I'm sure it is normal, or at least I hope it is:)

Goodbye SIRM.....for now at least

Today has been a little bittersweet. I had my last intralipid infusion today at SIRM. I am "officially" done with them. No more "milk bag" infusions that take up my lunchtime. I'm not sure what I will do with myself when I don't have to go there every 4 weeks anymore. I'm sure that I will find myself busy enough with my weekly perinatologist and OB appointments which are soon approaching, but I wouldn't be where I am now without their help. They were there through 5 started cycles, 2 of which ended up cancelled, 2 of which ended with an undesired outcome and finally the last one which gave us this precious little miracle. I got a little emotional as I said goodbye. I hugged most of the nurses and staff and even got to say goodbye to Dr. Schultz, who I really believe is the most important part of our fifth and final successful cycle. Everyone there is truly excited for you when you reach your goal and suffer with you until you make it there, so I feel like I am leaving a part of my new family behind as I "move on." They all made me promise to bring the baby in once he is born so they can meet the fruits of their labors. Plus, they are supposed to be getting a grand new office that is mirrored after Dr. Sher's office in Las Vegas--so I will definitely be checking in on that since they get to move around the first of the year:) The other good thing was that I paid my balance in full (at least what is left after what insurance is supposed to pay for this last infusion) so that was a good feeling as well:) We still have 2 (I think) cycles covered by insurance should we want to try for another baby, but I can't even fathom that right now--lets get through this one first:) So I could be seeing them again in the future....

Oh--then I went back to work and broke part of a crown off on a tootsie-roll pop! Now it is off to the dentist on my lunch hour tomorrow to have that checked! I finish with one, only to start with another......

2nd Peri Appt

Sorry this post is so late, but those of you who know us realize that we are HUGE Buffalo Bills fans, so we were a little busy tonight. While we were not expecting a win from the start, I do have to say that there may have been a little hope coursing through the house that we might actually be able to thwart Tom Brady and his band of merry men....that is until 1:56 left in the game.....but I digress.....

This morning we had our 2nd Perinatologist appointment. It was pretty quick overall. The nurse took us back almost immediately and went over history. She then talked about beginning to track Fetal Movement Counts and gave me a sheet on how to do it. She then had to page the doctor because he was not in his office. The Peri actually did the sono this time and not the US tech. He was "all business" as the nurse stated after he left:) He checked his heart, fluid, movements, and sizes--also confirmed again that he is definitely a "he". He was head down, right up against my placenta, so not a good day for a 3D--we really didn't even get a good picture to post. The good news is that everything looked good. I couldn't really see everything until a quick view at the end (the doc had the screen turned away--probably because what he sees isn't always good for some patients), but Tony was able to watch. His head measured right on, but his thigh bone measured a full week and a day ahead! Sounds like he might be a long boy at birth! They estimated his weight at 2lbs 3ozs, which put him in the 63%tile--so maybe a little chunky at birth too, if we keep up this pace. The doctor was very pleased and said everything looked good, which we always like to hear:) I do start seeing him every week, so I made my next appt for next Monday AM. The doc will be out of the office, so I will see the US tech....and maybe get another 3D pic to post:)

26 Week Belly Pic

Here is my 26 week belly picture. My mom says that I should start adding them every 2 weeks since I seem to be changing so much more quickly......I'll think about it:) The baby is definitely growing and has been very active lately! He even likes to kick Tony in the nose when he talks to him---very cute:)

26 Weeks

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Good Day!

Today has been a pretty good day....let me start off by saying, has anyone noticed the baby ticker? We are under 100 days!!! That is very exciting for us! So that starts out the good day! Other than that....the other good news is that Tony had someone come (there were supposed to be 2 people but 1 didn't show up) to give an estimate on finishing the drywall in the basement. He was very impressed by the guy--first for showing up on time--and then for the price he gave and the best part--he can start on Sunday! Yea!! Finally an end is in sight for the basement!

So this means that soon we can move stuff out of the soon to be nursery and have our painting party! That also means that I can clean the carpets soon--I swear the house is starting to smell like dog (Tony thinks I am crazy and everyone else tells me that the house smells fine--but this pregnancy smeller is quite astute!!)--so this all makes me very happy! So it has been a good day! Thought I would share!

On a side note, I did go and receive my flu shot today. Tony was worried that if I waited until my next appt on 10/1 that it would be too late since I work in the schools. There are already bugs going around anyways, so we both feel better that I am "protected" now.

Childbirth Classes

So we have been so busy that I have not been able to post about our childbirth classes. We are taking them (a 4-week series) on Tuesday nights at our local hospital. We just had our 2nd class tonight and so far I/we have found them to be very helpful and informative. I'll give you a little rundown of how the first two classes have gone.

Class #1 was basically just an overview of the birthing process and all of the different terms we would hear. We got a nice little book that we are to bring back each week that is referenced during the class. We also got a ton of handouts that reference a lot of different things that could happen during the process as well. The class was pretty informative overall. There were 6 or 7 other couples total in the class. We went around in the beginning and introduced ourselves to everyone. Told our names, due date, what we were having, and 1 surprising thing about pregnancy. I said the most surprising thing was how my body was changing and Tony said that it was how I had lost my sense of balance. Later he admitted that he chose the balance comment because he thought it sounded better than telling everyone that I got dumb:) I told him thanks! We also watched a video of someone giving birth. Tony was quite impressed because she gave birth on all 4's--I told him I wasn't sure I wanted my butt up in the air:) He has told everyone about that "style" of birthing:) We ended the class with a relaxation exercise. One thing we were really happy about was when they described how our hospital handles the whole birthing process, including encouraging breast-feeding right away after birth. They really focus on natural aspects and have what they call the "sacred hour." This is the first hour or so after birth and it is just for the new family (mom, dad, and baby) to be present in the room to promote bonding through skin-to-skin contact and breast-feeding. We were really happy with that!

Class #2: We were already missing a couple as they had given birth already (not sure how they expected to make it through when they were already 36 1/2 weeks pregnant!!) Another couple also wasn't there, but we weren't too sure they enjoyed the class--or each other! We watched some more videos-this time of someone having a totally natural, pain med-free birth, and then later another video on all of the "medical interventions" that could happen or you could choose during the process. I was a little scared at one point that I wasn't sure I would be able to do it (I'd like to go a-natural) but Tony said he would help me through it. I'm sure he'll be the best coach ever:) We did a few games, talked about the "road map" of labor and how long it can take! Oh yeah, one of the things my coach can do for me during the last stages of labor--give me a firm bear-hug! The teachers didn't think it was listed in the book, but of course Tony found it and had to mention it. I told him I wasn't sure I would be wanting that in the late stages of labor--unless he helped to squeeze the baby out!! We again ended class with a relaxation exercise. Tony says that is the only part of the class that he doesn't like-thinks it is dumb:)

Overall the classes have been good. Next week we get to tour the hospital and talk more in dept about the labor process. I'm excited to see where this little guy will be making his entrance into the world.

Registering Complete!

Tony and I spent today going around and getting our baby registry's complete. After walking through several stores since we found out that we were pregnant, we had narrowed down our choices to two stores. We ended up registering at Target and Baby Depot. We tried to remember to register for everything that we thought that we might need throughout the first year or so of life of our little baby boy. Of course he got to use the gun (the only reason he enjoyed himself at times!!) and we just walked through the aisles one at a time looking at all of the possibilities. I was sure that somewhere along the way I received an email with all of the registry essentials, but do you think I could remember where it was when we were getting ready to leave this morning? Sure couldn't, so we did the best we could without it:)

Registering is often times a little difficult. You don't want to seem too greedy, asking for everything little and big thing under the sun, but you also want to make sure that you have enough items listed in a wide variety of prices for the upcoming shower(s). I know that some people will buy things not listed on the registry and that is fine with me. Perhaps I have forgotten something that they found they could not live without--more power to them because they have been through it before:) They also say not to register for clothes because of course by the time some people will go through the stores, those items may no longer be there and all the "experts" say that most people can't resist buying a little outfit at times.

So hopefully we did a good job:) Both stores have a wide-variety of items and prices listed. We are now more excited than ever for this little one to arrive! We are in the home-stretch with the basement (might even get to call to have some estimates for the drywall finishing this week!!) and are looking forward to setting up the nursery soon. It's hard to believe that we are almost less than a 100 days until the "official" due date.

Oh yeah--I will have to get online tonight and update one of our registry's.....when I was looking over the printed version on our way home, there was an 8-person family tent listed! Tony swears he didn't scan it.....and honestly I don't know when he would have-we were never even close to that area of the store! Oh the wonders of technology:)

25 Weeks

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

1st Official Freak Out!

So, I had my first official freak out of the pregnancy! I didn't even really tell anyone about it, well except Tony of course and my mom:) So the baby had been moving a ton over the last few weeks. It seemed like anytime I sat still, he was movin' and groovin'. Well, over the weekend I didn't really feel him. There was a random kick here and there, but nothing really substantial like it had been. So of course Tony noticed because usually in the morning when we are waking up or at night when we are laying in bed, he gets to feel him.....but nothing over the weekend! So we both got a little worried about it and I tried to stay calm. Well at about 2AM this morning when I got up to pee, my worrying got the worst of me. I tried to go back to sleep, but just kept thinking that maybe something was wrong. It was almost to the point of my waking Tony up and telling him to take me to the hospital for an ultrasound! Luckily I was able to go back to sleep and this morning I about cried when I felt him moving around! Tony felt better too, but we were both a little nervous for our appt this afternoon. Of course now as I type this I can feel him moving around---seriously mom, there is nothing to worry about!

Speaking of appt......everything was fine. His heart rate was 154 and my belly (which was measured for the first time) measured perfectly. We did have a lot of questions for Dr. R. (the other doctor in the practice) and he very patiently answered all of them. He talked about my back and told me to keep exercising with PT (but didn't really sound like he cared if I quit), but said that it is all due to how my body is reacting to keeping my center of gravity with all of the extra weight. He said that nightly back-rubs were a must and that I could even do some light weight-bearing exercises with my "home-trainer!" I asked about the flu vaccines and he said that they both would be a must, but it would depend on when the H1N1 actually hit the market-especially with my due date-on whether I would get it or not. I've also been having a little more burning, bleeding, and stinging with my Lovenox injections, so he suggested rotating between each side of my tummy and the tops of my thighs. There is also foot and mouth disease going around one of the schools I consult with, but he said it was fine for me to go there but to just practice good hand-washing skills while I was there. I also asked about the lack of movement and he said that babies will do that from time to time. He said that starting with my next appt. we would start tracking kick counts, so that would give us a better idea of how active he was. When all was said and done and he assured us that we didn't sound paranoid (believe me, we asked!!) we felt better about everything!

So my next appt with the OB will be in 4 weeks or so. I have to have the 1 hour glucose test done to check for gestational diabetes (Aunt Jill has already given me pointers on what is and what isn't good to eat before that test!!), get to have my first Non-stress Test (NST) and a regular check-up with the doctor. The NST was recommended by the perinatologist, so we just made it a party of an appt.! Since I will be seeing the Peri on Monday's, Dr. R. suggested we come to that office on Thursdays so we could space it out in the end when I am going weekly to both places! So, let the appt's begin!

Oh and we start our 4 weeks of childbirth classes tomorrow night!

24 Weeks

Sorry it is a day late....

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Therapy

So I had my first physical therapy appt this afternoon. Needless to say, nothing really much happened. I filled out some paperwork and they checked out my insurance coverage. The therapist then watched me walk and did some different stretches with me. He also went over some strength training exercises to help strengthen my lower back. He then checked on my back, feeling around on the muscles to see where it was tight. He ended the session with some electric stimulation on my back with ice--it felt nice:) At times he was a little perplexed on how to accommodate me because I couldn't really lay on my stomach--although he did ask if I still could! Didn't he see the huge bump in front--who would think it would be comfortable to lay on that thing! Of course when I told Tony that, he wondered if I had gotten his card to see what initials he had after his name:) He wanted to know his qualifications because he's not sure he gave me anything pertinent to do that would help my back. The good news is that they want me to come 3 times a week--isn't that great! I only scheduled through next week because I want to see how the next session goes since I am thinking he didn't really do much of a therapy session--just an evaluation. I did do my exercises tonight, so I will give it the old college try! We'll see how it goes.....I'll keep you posted:)

Time for a Change...and More Appts!

So I decided to change the colors and page set-up of my blog. It was time:) I decided to go with more blue instead of the pink to honor our boy! The pink was getting a little hard on my eyes:)

Overall things have continued to go well. We had a good weekend, not too busy but definitely had some things to do:) I got caught up on laundry and Tony helped a friend move. Unfortunately things with my back have not gotten any better, in fact maybe a little worse. Now it feels like I have pulled the muscle that runs under my "chest area" along my ribs on my right side. So, I called the doctor's office today to see if I could be cleared to do some light weight-bearing exercises to see if I could help to strengthen the muscle that has been giving me so much trouble. The nurse thought that sounded like a good idea, but wanted to check with the doctors to make sure there wasn't anything else that I should or could be doing. Well, it turns out that they want me to go to Physical Therapy! I was a little surprised at that, but I guess I understand that they want to make sure that I don't end up hurting myself more with something I might do at home. (Although I have a pretty good trainer of my own here at home, if I do say so myself!!-love you honey!) So, I had to call the insurance company and see where I could go and then call the office back so they could set something up for me. They should call tomorrow to let me know when my appt will be. So, add that to my list of ever growing appts:) Although, I'm really not complaining--waited too long for this baby to do that!

Oh--and our bedding and all of our furniture arrived! So much for 3 weeks! Now we just have find someplace to put it all while we are still finishing the basement....kind of a hard task to do with all of the HUGE boxes!