39 weeks

Tomorrow is 39 weeks- can't believe it!! A lot has happened in the past week, I'll try to be brief...

1) We've moved into our house. There are still a lot of boxes, but the main stuff is unpacked. Nursery will be done tonight and I'll post photos soon. If the baby came tomorrow the house would be good enough, so we are happy!
2) We've met 3 of our neighbors and all are super friendly and willing to help us once baby arrives. One even offered to watch Duncan for us while we are at hospital- how nice is that!
3) We have officially sold our Carlsbad house! yay, yay, yay! This process has been a huge headache for us (I'm not going to get into details b/c it just makes me frustrated) and it is now done! Mike and I did a little dance in the parking lot when we got the news that all was final!
4) Had my 39 week Dr's appt today. Baby is still head down and I'm still 0% effaced and only 1cm dilated. I have had a lot more swelling in my hands, feet/ankles, but the doctor thinks it is because of being active during the move. My blood pressure and weight are still good, so she is not worried at all. We discussed the baby's size again and she thinks he is going to be bigger than average size. Right now she thinks he is 8+ lbs, so we shall see. We also discussed the possibility of him being late. If I make it to my last appt, then they will schedule an induction for ~41weeks. I'm not excited about the prospect of an induction, so we'll wait until the next appt to talk about it again. Maybe we can postpone it a little longer...we'll see...

So, I think that is all for now. I'll post photos soon!

38 weeks

Tomorrow I'll be 38weeks!

Today I had my weekly appt and all still looks good. Baby is still head down and I am still 0% effaced and 1cm dialated, so nothing has changed. My blood pressure is a little higher than it has been in the past, but the doctor said she is not concerned. I assume that it is due to the move this week and am going to try to take it as easy as possible. I bet my blood pressure will be back down at the next appt.

Other news of note:
--The painters finished late yesterday evening. We are happy with the job they did, but we felt we had to hang out at the house so they would keep working. Made us feel like we were back in Carlsbad. However, it was fun playing with Duncan in the backyard.
--Mike is almost finished painting the nursery. We had not completely decided on a color for the nursery when we talked with the painters so he has been working on it. We decided to go with a a grey/blue color, but it has dried more blue than grey. So, we are testing a new color tonight in hopes that it will be more what we want. If not, we will deal with it.
--The carpet/floor cleaners came today and finished by lunch. The carpets and floors look much better. Unfortunately, they were not able to get out all the stains, but I think it will be ok. The carpet is 17yrs old and will probably be replaced at some point. It looks soo much better!!
--We have slowly been taking over items from the apt to the house and the movers come on Wednesday. Will be in and settled before we know it- yay!
--We have picked a pediatrician. She seems great and hopefully will be!

I think that is all for now. Will keep you all posted on our progress.

37 weeks

Here is a photo of me from this weekend- can you believe how big my belly is?!? I can't and I live with it every day!
We had a wonderful time this weekend- Denver is a great city and it was fun to explore it a little more. I would go back to the restaurants we went to again in a hearbeat! If anyone needs recommendations, I'll be happy to make them.

Today I am 37 weeks. Yesterday was the 1st of my one week appts. They tested my cervix, and will at every appt to see how I'm doing. I can say this was NOT fun! I am 0% effaced and 1cm dilated. This doesn't mean anything, it is more for comparison purposes than anything else. The doctor said the important thing with this appt was to determine the baby's position. He is head down, as he should be at this point. She also said that he feels like an average sized baby. Of course, this isn't accurate but it made me feel good to know that he is a good size and is healthy. What more could I ask for!

35 & 36 weeks

So, I am a bit behind with my posts. A lot has been going on in the past couple of weeks.

Update on me and baby:

We are doing well! My weight and blood pressure are still good, which makes us all happy. He continues to grow and move and my belly continues to expand with him. I am starting to have more aches and pains and am looking forward to not being pregnant. However, he needs to stay in as long as possible b/c our house isn't ready for him quite yet (more on that below). My next appt is this coming Monday and this starts my weekly appts. Can't believe my due date is only 4 weeks away! Seems like yesterday that we were thinking about starting a family.

Prepping for baby:

We are almost done with all of our prenatal classes. Tomorrow is our infant CPR class and is the last one. yay! All the classes were super helpful and I'm very glad that we took time to do them. It is amazing how much it helps to have others to talk to about what you are going through.

I have finally finished washing all the clothes, blankets, sheets, etc that we have recieved. I didn't realize how much we had accumulated until undertaking this task. We have a lot of stuff! Thank you everyone!

I have also started packing my bag for the hospital. It isn't finished yet, but I think I have everything that I will need. I just need to put it all in a bag.

House for baby:

Our house in Carlsbad is under contract and we should be free of it the week of April 12th. yay! The buyers have been a bit of a pain, but as long as they follow through I will be happy. In addition, we are in the process of buying a house here. We close on it April 8th and should be moved in by the 15th. Between closing and moving we are having painters and floor/carpet cleaners come in so that the house is fresh and ready for us. We actually just got great news from the movers- they will not only bring in the boxes/furniture, they will unpack for us. How great is that! That will help so much! So, hopefully, we'll be moved in and settled (with the nursery set up) before baby arrives. Keep your fingers crossed that baby cooperates and doesn't come early!

Date night for us:

We've continued to have date nights/days to get out and explore. It has really helped us learn the area and is just fun! Tomorrow is our ultimate date night. Our last hoorah before bably comes... we are dropping Duncan off at a kennel and heading into Denver for a night out on the town. 1st- Museum of Nature and Science for their Body World exhibit. Not super romantic, but I've wanted to see this exhibit since it first came out many years ago. 2nd- dinner at a fabulous sounding Tapas restaurant called the Ninth Door. 3rd- Improv comedy at the Improv Theatre. 4th- Sunday (Easter) brunch at Le Central (affordable french). Normally I wouldn't pick a french place, but the Easter brunch sounds amazing. Since I'm all about the food, I couldn't resist. Oh, all this was started b/c I got a great deal on the Hyatt Regency downtown. So, getting hotel for 1/2 price allows us to play and eat our way through Denver for a night.

Last but not least:

Photos of me and the belly- one of me standing is me at 35weeks, one of me sitting is me at almost 36weeks opening presents from my Aunt Pat and Kathy. The sitting photo(s) is not very flattering, but it is still good to see.

Hope all are well!!

34 weeks

Today I am 34 weeks along...the belly is now big enough to prop up bowls and small plates! Sounds silly, but it is fun to do. Well, until Peanut decides he wants to kick the bowl off. Got to eat cereal fast if you're going to prop- ha!

Today is also our class that covers how to care for your baby in the first weeks. I am really looking forward to this class! Hopefully, it will be helpful.

Other goings on this week- we've got our 3rd birthing class, our 34weeks Drs appt, and Mike has his Daddy boot camp class. Should be a fun and busy week!

33 weeks

Wow- so I'm now 33 weeks along. Can't believe it! Peanut is now 4+ pounds and growing! We want him to stay put as long as possible, but we are ready to meet him and see his little face and count his fingers and toes.

We had our 2nd birthing class last night. It was all about pain medication and mediation. So, we now know exactly what an epidural looks like and how it all works and other techniques to help with the pain. Some of those sound good, others are a little hokey, but I figure knowing it all is better than not. Plus, we saw how the birthing beds can transform to fit your needs. These are not just your ordinary hospital beds, they can transform and contort themselves to fit your needs. Want to squat- go for it, hands and knees- no problem, sit- you got it. Of course your movement is limited with an epidural, but at least you have options until that point.

Next week is our 3rd class and the 1st weeks post birth class...fun!

32 weeks

Well, a lot has been going on since the last post.
We have continued to get settled and are still having fun exploring the area. I have gone out 1day/week with our realtor to look at houses and even though nothing has really grabbed my attention I have discovered a few floor plans that I like more than others. Finally,a step in the right direction!
Our house in Carlsbad still has not sold, but we have a couple that is really interested in it. Unfortunately, they have been interested for the past few weeks and haven't pulled the trigger and made an offer. Hopefully, someone else will come along soon!
Now, on to baby stuff...I am feeling good. Awkward, a little heartburn, a little tired, but good! We went to Babies R Us last weekend and bought our crib and a few other items. I feel much better knowing that we will have a place for baby to sleep when he arrives. We might not have a house, but at least we'll have a crib! :)
In addition, our baby classes started this week. Tuesday night, we had a tour of the hospital facilities and pre-registration. The facilities are so nice and welcoming. I think we will be happy with the hospital. Wednesday night, was the 1st in a 4 part series of birthing classes. It was a bit hokey, but it got us all talking and laughing. There are ~8couples in the class and all are due within a few weeks of each other. At the end of the class we watched a birthing video. It wasn't just a video of a woman screaming and birthing a baby- thank goodness-it was better than I had expected and even Mike didn't mind watching it. I think these classes will be helpful. If nothing else, it provides us with social time with other parents-to be, which is nice.
This morning was my 32 week appt with another doctor in this practice. She was a nice woman and a good doctor, but I like the other doctor a little better. Like the other doctor, she said that I was measuring about a week ahead of schedule. Mike mentioned our theory that maybe that meant that the baby would be a bit early or on time. She laughed and said "that may happen, but it may also mean that you just have a big baby"......great.... :) So, I'm sending a message to God and Peanut- please, please, no 10lb baby! Healthy, yes! 10finger, 10toes, and all other parts in the proper places, wonderful! 7-9lbs, perfect! Please please not 10lbs- I don't know if I can handle that!
Well, that is it for now.
One last note- Duncan is doing well! He is currently dreaming and chasing after bunnies next to me!

1st Doctors Appt

We had our first doctors appt at the new place. It went really well and I think we will be very happy with this practice. My next 3 appts are every 2 wks and then every week until the baby arrives. Dr. Schoen said that I'm measuring a little further along, but not enough to change anything. We already knew this, but it is nice to have that validated. She also told us that since all is going so well we won't have another ultrasound. I'm happy all is going so well, but would love to see the baby one more time! In addition, we got a list of all the classes offered at the hospital. There was quite a list and we have already registered for most of them. Surprise, surprise- ha!

In addition to the appt, we have been driving around and getting to know our neighborhood (Lakewood). We really like this area and are hoping that when the time is right we'll find a house here. Near our apt is a great dog park and we took Duncan there yesterday. He had a great time! Only 1 other dog there, but he had a blast playing fetch in the snow. Yes, it has snowed for the past 2 days! It is supposed to snow some more today. It is so pretty!

All for now- we are hoping to do a little more exploring today and maybe head into Denver.

Hello Colorado! and 30 weeks!

Today is our 1st full day in our new "temporary" apartment- woohoo! Last night we got the cars unloaded and finished organizing the kitchen. Today we've allowed ourselves to have a lazy morning (watching the Olympics) and are now going to tackle the bedrooms and bathrooms. The apt is really nice and we have a great view of the mountains! I have posted one picture of our view on fbook, but will post more on here later. We still don't have our main computer up and running yet. The area is covered with melting snow and it all looks so pretty. Duncan loves the snow and actually found a huge pile of snow to walk and rub his belly in. It was funny to watch until I realized I was going to have to dry him off- ha!

Today is also 30 wks for me and Peanut! This means only ~10 wks to go! This is exciting, but also nerve wracking! Are we ready, have I registered for everything, will we have a house by then, are we really ready, what about labor and delivery, wait, are we ready?!? :)
New developments for Me... a little bit of hearburn- mainly if I eat too much or too quickly. I've also discovered that spicy food gives it to me too. Unfortunately, spicy food is really good to me right now. I think Tums and I will be becoming close friends soon! The funny developement is that my belly button is starting to pop out. Slowly but surely it has been making its transition and I don't think it will be long before "the turkey is done". hee hee!

I have my 1st appt with my new doctor this Thursday and will let you know how that goes!

Love to all and go Team USA!

Goodbye NM, Hello CO!

Woke up Saturday morning to a beautiful morning- also our last morning in Carlsbad, NM. We spent breakfast looking out onto our backyard and talking about our favorite memories of the past 4.5 yrs. Mike's proposal, bringing home Duncan and him being afraid of the hardwood floors, the many parties with friends, positive pregnancy tests on the bathroom counter. Yes, we've had our complaints about C'bad, but overall we had a great life there!
After a great visit with the Vugrins in ABQ saturday night, we are now in Colorado Springs, CO just chillin in our hotel room. In a little bit we will start our drive to Denver and should be in our apartment this afternoon! We are so ready!
Duncan has handled the move very well. Yes, he was freaked for a few days. Hell, I was freaked and I knew what was going on- ha! He'll be happy to be in the apt too.
Peanut has handled the move well too. I am feeling good and he keeps moving so I'm happy!

Next post from the new apt in Denver!

Moving

The movers came yesterday afternoon to start staging the house and start packing. They were so fast and efficient that they had the entire upstairs and garage packed in a couple of hours. They are here again today. The living room is packed, the kitchen is almost done, and they are prepping the dining room. Crazy!

Results

My glucose test came back normal-yay! To celebrate I'm having a cookie-hee hee!

I am currently at home with the movers. They asked to come early to stage the house so that is what they are doing. They are also packing the upstairs. Very exciting!

We will be in our new (temporary housing) Monday at 3:30ish.

Glucose test

Well, the glucose test is over and now I have to just wait for results. That is the only problem with getting tests done on a Friday. So, the test went better than I thought. I had an option of orange syrup or orange soda and chose the soda. It was refrigerated so it really did taste like an orange soda. I did get pretty jittery afterwards, but that only lasted about 30mins or so. The rest of the day I felt a little off, but it wasn't too bad. Cross your fingers that the results are all good!

Movers come in 4 days, we'll be in Denver in 1 week!

Third Trimester

Finally, I can now post on baby stuff!

This week I am 28 weeks which marks the beginning of the 3rd trimester. Wow! I can't believe it! Seems like yesterday I was crying b/c I got a positive pregnancy test, now, I'm crying at dog food commercials b/c I just can't help myself! ha!

The belly is very big and it is hard for me to imagine that it will continue to get bigger. I saw something that said that most pregnant women gain about 11 lbs in the 3rd trimester and I just don't know about that. I'm happy to gain the weight, but I just can't imagine myself any bigger. I'm sure at 40wks I'll look back at my 28wk photos and go "Man, I was so small". I'm actually looking forward to that b/c that will mean the baby is almost here!

So, I have noticed a few changes because of the big belly. 1) it is harder to move around, just feeling even more awkward. 2) it is easy to get out of breath- apparently this is b/c your lungs are cramped b/c of baby and humongo uterus 3) I'm getting full faster again b/c of crowding by the huge uterus. Some might say, great!, but what this means is that I'm eating less in a given sitting so I'm having more meals. I feel like I'm eating all the time. Luckily, I have not had any major indigestion, which accompanies the crowding. I've had a mild case of heartburn, but it wasn't bad. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Other things are getting bigger too- 1) the boobs 2) the feet 3) the baby (of course)....1) the boobs are now up another cup size. So, I'm now a D!! This amazes me even more than the big belly. When I bought the size D bra, I took it in the dressing room and thought "there's no way this is going to fit, it is so big" However, not only did it fit, but it was super comfy so I bought a few. 2) the feet are a little bigger as well. I've read that this can happen and luckily it is not a huge change so far, but some shoes are a little tight. This could also be do to some minor swelling, but I think my feet are just changing. 3) this is the most fun part...the baby is getting bigger too! Shocking, right?!? He is stretching out and tickling my ribs, especially my right ribs. He is also pressing harder and holding it so that I can actually feel his little hand or foot pressing out. This is a new thing and has been so fun for me. In addition to his stretches, he just moves more and stronger so all of his little movements are more pronounced.

Tomorrow is my 28 week appt, which includes the Glucose test. I'm not looking forward to it, but think it will all go fine. Let's just hope I can pretend I'm back in college doing a shot when I have to chug the sugary nasty stuff! Wish me luck!

Fort Worth

This past weekend I went to Fort Worth, TX. The original plan was that this enabled me to meet up with Mom for a fun visit and see family (Aunt, Uncle, Cousins, and Grandad). Little did I know when we planned this trip that I'd be able to see my friend, Jennifer as well. It was a fabulous trip and I had a great time with everyone!! Most of the time was spent chilling, but on Saturday we did go to the CSI exhibit at the science museum and to the stock show. Fun fun! Below are some more pictures from the weekend

Our Move

So, now that I've updated you about Denver, I need to update you about our move.
- Our house is on the market and by tomorrow we will have had 6 viewers. No one has made an offer yet, but we are still very hopeful!
- We will be in temporary housing for a month or 2 that Mike's company will cover. So, they are putting us in a luxury, fully furnished, 2 bedroom apt (1 garage space) that is near his office. It is very nice and we are excited about living there for a little while. It will help make the transition much easier. Oh, I need to add that it is on the 1st floor so it will make taking Duncan out much easier.
- Movers come 1 week from today to pack up all of our stuff and then will either load that afternoon or the following day. We plan to stay in C'bad until Saturday or Sunday b/c we can't move into the apt until Monday the 15th. Kay and Eric- if you are reading this, we need to chat so we can arrange to see y'all in ABQ on our way up to Denver.
- One last note- Sandia has decided to let me work remotely. So, I'll have a little time off for the move and then will have to get back to work from the apt. They are also going to let me work remotely after the baby is born. We shall see how that goes!

Denver Part 2

So, I have been really slack and haven't posted anything about our trip to Denver. I'm so sorry!

We had a great time and are now even more excited about our move. Our 1st 2 days there were spent exploring the western burbs of Denver to get to know those areas and see if we could handle living in those areas. The answer- YES! There are some beautiful neighborhoods out there and even though we'll have to go up a little on our price, we know we will be able to find something that we can comfortably afford and live. We also met with doctors at this time and I was able to identify a practice that will be perfect for me. The practice is comprised of 4 female physicians who all have children and support my idea of a good birth- no C-section unless we have to, no inductions unless we have to, and drugs! ha! Plus, I will be able to meet with all of them prior to the birth so I'll have a relationship with whoever delivers our baby. Our last day in Denver was spent exploring on our own so we drove up into the mountains (gorgeous), drove around western burbs, and drove into Boulder (also gorgeous).
All in all we had a great time and are even more excited about our move. Which happens in a ~ 1 week- yikes!

Denver

Tomorrow we head up to Denver for a long weekend. It will be filled with house hunting, yummy food, doctor interviews, etc. I'm really looking forward to it!!

Have a good weekend!

Photo update

Yay! I finally got the computer and camera to interact!! Now I can start posting pictures. First, let me give you all an update. Actually, there isn't much baby news to share. Peanut is moving a lot which always makes me smile. I have had some Braxton Hicks contractions, but the doctor said that there is nothing to worry about, so I'm not worried. I am continuing to feel a bit awkward (harder to bend over) and have notice a bit more swelling in my ankles, but am really feeling good.

We have been working hard to get the house on the market this week. We are really close to being done with all the little things. Next will be keeping the house clean and polished for viewings-yuck! Nesting hasn't kicked in yet, but I have definitely noticed a slight lack of tolerance for the untidy, which will probably be a good thing in the long run. We'll see...

OK- now for the pictures. Some of these are not very attractive, but they are good belly shots. I am hoping to post a few from the surprise baby shower on my next post. This is me at ~18wks and was taken in our hotel room over Thanksgiving. It is really funny to look back at this photo b/c I was so proud of my little baby bump at this point and compared to the bump now- there isn't much of one in the photo. This sweater (which I don't wear anymore) you will see in another photo and you will be surprised about the difference.


This is meet at ~20wks. At this point I'm still able to wear the sweater, but am now wearing mainly maternity jeans. 2 wks makes a world of difference! This is me at 22wks and is not my favorite picture! This is from the Vicksburg, MS battlefield after 2 days of driving to GA for Xmas. However, it is good to show b/c it is me in the grey sweater again and in non-maternity jeans. The jeans were so uncomfortable that they were completely unzipped and it was the last time I wore them. I'm pretty sure it was the last time I wore the sweater too, but it was becoming way to short. So, compare the baby bump from 4 wks ago to the one in this picture, big difference!This is NYE at the Country Club in Dublin with my parents. Can't really see the baby bump, but we had a great night full of dancing!! So much fun!!

These are 2 photos of me from last night (25.5 wks). We were getting ready to go out to eat with friends and I was so happy that it was warm enough to wear a dress (Thanks- Marylea). I was also very happy to get a pretty picture of myself. As you can see, the belly has grown and is much more round!

Hope you all enjoy the photos- I'll have more up soon. Next weekend we will be in Denver for our house hunting trip so hopefully we'll get some good photos there.

Post Christmas update

Hi all!
Well, I am currently working with Kodak to figure out why I can not download any photos from my camera to my computer. I should have some photos up by the end of the week- hopefully...

Christmas was great! We had a wonderful time in GA. Peanut got lots of love from everyone and grew quite a bit. As my parents affectionately put it, I looked like I swallowed 1/2 a basketball! In addition to Peanut's growth, his movements have become bigger and stronger. I saw my tummy move for the 1st time while in GA and have enjoyed that ever since. Especially when it distracts me during meetings at the office.

In addition to going to GA, we did get to visit Marylea, Greg, and Siena in SC at ML's Dad's house. Little did I know that a surprise was waiting for me when we arrived. Brooke, Melissa, Robyn and her daughter were there and threw me a surprise shower! It was so great! I, of course, cried when I saw them b/c it made me so happy. Thank you Marylea for organizing that fun event!

Last week was my 24 wk appt and all is going well. I didn't gain as much weight over the break as I thought and my tummy is measuring right on target. Next appt is the glucose test- yuck! I'm not really looking forward to that. After the appt we decided to go see the movie "The Blind Side", which was really good. Any pregnant women reading this- take a box of tissues!! I cried throughout the entire thing and this wasn't just a few tears here and there kind of thing, this was a shoulders moving having trouble breathing sort of thing. It was so good and sweet and I just couldn't help myself!!! By the end of the movie it was my shoulders moving from crying and Mike's shoulders moving from laughing b/c I was sobbing again. Luckily, I can laugh at my emotional craziness too. :)

Hope you all have a good week and I'll post more soon!