Week 32!

Baby's Size:  By now, the baby weighs 3.75 pounds – pick up a large jicama - and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. I’m apparently gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to the baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

My Weight:  I’ll know after my appointment on Wednesday August 17^th how much I’ve continued to gain!

Maternity Clothes:  My shorts are starting to seem even tighter lately!  The full panel on the shorts doesn’t seem to be going over my whole bump anymore, but they’ll have to do because I’m not buying anymore clothes!

Movement:  Lots of movement!  It seems like she is throwing a party in there sometimes!

Sleep:  I miss uninterrupted sleep, but I think I better get use to it!  Maybe my body is just getting me ready for midnight feedings, crying, etc. 

What I miss: I actually miss eating chicken, BUT I don’t technically want any.  There are just so many more dinner options when you eat chicken.  I feel like figuring out a dinner menu each week is like pulling teeth!  I did receive my glucose test results and they were NORMAL!  No change in diet for me thankfully! 

Best Moment this week: Our 3D/4D appointment!  It was so amazing to be able to see little Baby C on a huge TV doing her thing!  My parents & sisters were able to make it to the appointment and we were also able to have a web link sent to Justin’s parents so they could watch with us as well!  We had J’s parents on speaker phone for the whole appointment and it was just a really wonderful thing to have everyone able to share with us.  Baby C needed some chocolate to warm up, but once that was in my system she was ready to roll.  We got to see her suck her fingers & toes, smile and open & close her eyes.  It’s just crazy to think that all of that is going on inside me!

Looking forward to:  The NC baby shower!  It’s in 2 weeks, but I am getting so anxious because I think Baby C might arrive early.  (Wishful thinking?)  The house is pretty much in order because I didn’t want to save things until last minute and then not get them done.  Obviously it is very important to have the entry way closet clean for when the baby comes home!! Yeah I know I have some issues!

Cravings:  Again, no cravings and no imagination…our dinner menus are sooo boring!!!

Symptoms:  I now have carpel tunnel. Carpal tunnel syndrome is pain, tingling, and other problems in the hands because of pressure on the median nerve in the wrists.  It’s such a lovely feeling!  It’s a huge pain because doing small tasks like straightening my hair seem impossible. A friend has let me borrow her wrist braces from when she was pregnant and had this issue as well.  I wear the braces at night and I look so sexy!

Pictures: One more week down!

B is so precious!

3D/4D Ultrasound Pics!

Here are some pictures from our 3D/4D Ultrasound!  She started off with her back to us, but after some apple juice and chocolate she decided to cooperate!

A happy girl!

Peace Out!

Flexing her muscles

Sleepy girl

Sucking her fingers & toes!

Week 31!

Baby's Size:  This week, the baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds – the equivalent of carrying around four navel oranges - and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. Also developing at an impressive clip: the baby's brain connections (she's got to make trillions of them!). She's now processing information, tracking light, and perceiving signals from all five senses. She's also putting in longer stretches of sleep, which is why I’m probably noticing more defined patterns of wakefulness (and movement) and rest (when she’s pretty still). At this point, we can still expect the baby to gain at least three to five pounds, possibly more, before we meet!

My Weight:  Well, I knew it’d happen, but all that pizza I ate while in NY helped me put on 4 lbs in just 2 short weeks!  At this point I have put on 20 additional pounds and it’s making me nervous when everything I am reading is saying that this week Baby C will have a growth spurt!  My next doctor’s appointment is scheduled for August 17^th, so the fun in rising numbers will continue!

Maternity Clothes:  I think I am done buying clothes…unless the weather takes a major turn and I need warm clothes.  As of right now, it is still sooo hot here in Raleigh, so I’m good with what I have.

Movement:  There is still a lot of movement going on.  Whenever I have a stomach ache, she seems to kick it up a notch in the movement department which doesn’t help me out at all!

Sleep:  I’m slowly becoming more and more uncomfortable when sleeping.  All the doctors, books, websites, etc. tell you to sleep on your side when pregnant.  Well, I usually don’t mind this side position, but lately it feels like my hips are being put into a clamp and the pressure hurts!  Plus my appendages fall asleep very frequently so I have to deal with that…ok enough complaining!

What I miss: I don’t think I miss anything this week…we will see what happens later in the week though because I will get my Glucose test results back.  If I have failed this second test, I will need to tweak my diet a bit, which I am guessing will mean cutting down on my favorite thing…CARBS!

Best Moment this week: There were a lot of best moments of the week.  Getting the house re-organized was one.  Let me just say that I am pretty sure I have the BEST HUSBAND EVER!  He knows me too well and he knew I’d have a nervous breakdown if we didn’t start the organization process sooner then later.  He knew it wouldn’t be a fun weekend, but he didn’t mention how ridiculous I was even once!  We ran errands, exchanged things, bought new things and got the house in pretty good order for the moment. 

The second thing was that we started our Baby Classes on Saturday which was fun to do together.  There were lots of other couples ranging in age, but Justin & I managed to be the most immature couple.  I got the giggles bad and he didn’t help the situation.  I think it is good that we can joke about some of this stuff though because a lot of it makes me nervous to begin with!

Last but not least, washing all the bedding and setting it up!  It looks sooo pretty!

Looking forward to:  The 3D/4D Ultrasound Saturday!!!  I will post pics ASAP of Baby C after our appointment.

Cravings:  No new cravings…I have no imagination at all!

Symptoms:  I still have the same problems if you want to call it that…my rib ache has seemed to disappear, but hands have been getting numb more & more.  It is just a really weird feeling!

Pictures: I don’t know, I am looking pretty large in this pic!

Brinkley & her new bed!





Week 30!

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

My Weight: I have an appointment on Friday August 5th, so we will see how much I have grown in only 2 short weeks.  I am not optimistic because we were in NY this past weekend and I ate massive amounts of yummy pizza!!!
Maternity Clothes: No new clothes…the only thing I am looking for now is a comfy hospital outfit because I can’t imagine I need any more maternity clothes at this point! 
Movement: Lots & Lots of movement!  I can’t wait to catch some of the movement on the Flip Cam we received as a shower gift!

Sleep: This past week has been kind of rough.  I am use to falling asleep quickly and staying asleep for long periods of time.  I have been struggling to stay asleep through the nights because of bathroom breaks or my mind thinking of a zillion things!  Also, when I try and move to a different position it feels like my body is going to break!  It just hurts to move once I have been in one position a little too long.    
What I miss: I’m not missing a whole lot this week….just the same old stuff.  Best Moment this week: The NY Baby Shower!!  I had such a great time at the shower and received soo many wonderful things for Baby C!  Justin’s mom, her friend Debbie & Nana did a phenomenal job with all the planning, decorating, ordering, etc.  It couldn’t have been a nicer day!  I am overwhelmed by all of the nice stuff we received…Baby C is clearly already spoiled!  Looking forward to:  This Saturday because we start Baby Classes!  Justin and I are thinking they aren’t going to be the most fun/informative classes, but we will go and see what they have to offer and at least spend some time together.  I’m also excited to do laundry…sounds weird, but I want to wash all of the baby clothes we received at the shower and put everything away.  I also can’t wait to get the bedding out and set that up!  It sounds like this weekend may be a little busy!
Cavings:  I still haven’t had any real cravings, but I did soak my mac & cheese with soy sauce this week.  It sounds weird, but it was really yummy!
Symptoms: Still the same symptoms…but nothing out of the ordinary for a pregnant woman.
Pictures: Below are a few pictures from the shower this weekend…Enjoy!

The BEAUTIFUL cake & Invitation



My sister Amanda & I...she was a HUGE help!

Adam, Gannon, Justin & I

Shelly, Amanda & I...both sisters were great little helpers, I think I'll keep them around!



Week 29!

Baby's Size:  The baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds – like a butternut squash - and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, I’ll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because her bones are soaking up lots of calcium, I have to be sure to drink my milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in the baby's hardening skeleton each day. 

 My Weight: This past Wednesday I had a checkup and was weighed.  I had gained 3.6 lbs since my June 29^th visit.  So 1 lb per week…doesn’t seem too horrible!
Maternity Clothes: I found a cute shirt at Kohl’s that I have wanted for awhile…it originally was $40 but I bought it on clearance for $14!  Movement: She seems to be working out in my tummy.  I would love to know what she is doing in there!  There are times when she is very quiet and other times where it is crazy.  Sleep: I seem to be heading to bed earlier and earlier each night.  I made it until 10:30 on Saturday night and that seemed crazy to me!  It might have been that nap that I took earlier in the day! 
What I miss: I’m not missing a whole lot this week….just the same old stuff. 
Best Moment this week: The best moment this week had to be when we heard that the cysts on the baby’s brain were completely gone!!  It was a huge relief to hear and made us so happy.  I hadn’t been thinking about the cysts, but when they told us they were gone a huge weight felt like it was lifted.
Looking forward to:  Heading to NY!  We are leaving for our trip on Thursday and have to head back Monday, but we’ve managed to plan quite a few things in that time period.  I can’t wait for the baby shower on Sunday that Justin’s mom and her best friend Debbie are throwing me!!
I also set a date for our 3D/4D ultrasound and can’t wait to see what that looks like!  The appointment isn’t until August 13^th, but time seems to be flying by!
Cravings:  NONE!  I really feel super boring because I don’t have any!  It’s probably for the best since it would just mean one more task for Justin!
Symptoms: I had a list of aches & pains for the doctor and all are normal regarding pregnancy.  Apparently if my appendix was going to rupture it would have happened already.  It is just a pain that will be there until after the baby is born.  Carpal Tunnel syndrome is normal for a pregnant woman and she thinks that is what may be causing my hands & fingers to go numb.  Awesome!  Leg cramps = normal.  The doctor said feeling like an 80 year old woman is completely normal!  Good times!Pictures: So at this point, you can probably tell that I have given up on wearing the same clothes every week.  I am just too lazy to change into them when it is picture time.  

Appointment Info!

We had a very long appointment scheduled for today.  First, I had to drink a nasty fruity drink so they could check my glucose levels.  Once the drink had been in my system for one hour, they drew blood to send off to the lab.  We should know in 2 -3 days if it comes back negative/positive. 
While the drink was settling in my belly, I had to watch a video regarding, "What to do when going into Labor".  It was a video that the doctors at my office put together to answer some basic questions one might have.  They touched briefly on many topics and I left the movie room feeling a little nervous!  It was a lot to take in and since I am getting closer & closer to the due date, it made my mind wander thinking about all different types of scenarios I could go through. 
Justin & I then went in for an ultrasound.  We thought we'd be getting lots more photos, but she left us with one measly photo!  I guess the point of the ultrasound was to see if my placenta had moved up...it did!  Before, it had been sitting low, but now it is where it is supposed to be. 

Hey Baby Girl!

 We then waited to visit with the doctor.  She came in and I had a few questions about my achy body.  My numb hands, pelvic pressure and achy rib all seem to be par for the course.  I was 99% sure my achy rib meant my appendix was going to burst, but she said because I had been experiencing the pain for so long, the odds were it wasn't going to happen.  Good to know, especially since we are driving to NY next week and I was tempted to map out all hospitals along our route.  It sounds foolish, but what are you gonna do!?
Originally we were supposed to head back to the Duke specialty doctor's office so they could checkup on the babies choroid plexus issue.  After chatting with our doctor, she decided they could check it for us right then and there.  We are pleased to say, the choroid plexus dots that were spotted in her brain are completely gone!! Yayy!!  So, although it was a loooong appointment, I felt really good when leaving the office.
Since I am now in my third trimester, I will start to see the doctor every 2 weeks.  It won't be anything fun, just a basic checkup of the babies heart, my blood pressure & weight, the size of my belly and maybe a few other things thrown in. 
We now just have to schedule our 3D/4D ultrasound to get LOTS of pics!

Week 28!

I’m in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week.  Also, if I’m like most women, I'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester – Ut Oh, watch out!

Baby's Size:  By this week, the baby weighs two and a quarter pounds – like a Chinese cabbage- and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

My Weight: I have an appointment on Wednesday where I will get the scary details!
Maternity Clothes: I found a dress I liked from Target and ordered it online because I couldn’t find it in my size in two different stores.
Movement: There is movement ALL the time.  I could sit and watch my stomach move for hours on end, but that doesn’t seem very productive! 

Sleep: Oh sleep; how I’ve missed you…my runs to the bathroom at night are getting more frequent which kind of suck, but what can you do!?  Getting up several times during the night wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t such a wack job.  I lie in bed and hear all kinds of noises and automatically think someone is breaking in.  Thankfully Justin is right next to me and we have an alarm system, but my mind still plays games with me!  I’ve started to ice my ribs right before bed and that seems to at least numb the pain a little so I can fall asleep. 

What I miss: I miss being “normal”.  Life now revolves around this pregnancy completely.  I feel like a bum and get tired so quickly when doing everyday tasks such as the laundry and sadly even putting the dishes away! 
Best Moment this week: When we received a gift from Justin’s parents…the nursery glider & ottoman!  It is the last piece of furniture we are going to cram into the nursery and I am so excited to see the final product! We are slowly but surely getting everything where we want it.

Looking forward to:  Seeing the baby on Wednesday!!  Justin wants to ask if we can implant a video chip in my belly so we can always see what she is doing, but I am guessing they won’t be doing that. 

Cravings:  Still no real cravings.  It’s kind of weird because I feel like I should have some, but I guess I am just boring!
Symptoms: Rib pain, back pain, leg cramps and now a numbing of my left hand.  I’m definitely going to bring up this rib pain yet again to the doctor because I am convinced it is my appendix about to rupture.  Justin asked that I just tell the doctors my symptoms and not to diagnose myself, BUT we will see!
Pictures: Here is a picture from early Sunday morning…when I say early I mean 9:30ish, but for a Sunday that is early for me!  I value my weekend sleep-ins because I know they will be disappearing in a few short months.

The new Glider almost fully assembled!