Two Month Check-Up

Colbie went to her two month check-up last Thursday. She is now 10 lbs, 8.5 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long. She is getting so big! She is growing perfectly. She also had to get two shots. She was definitely not a fan. She did the whole open mouth, no sound, not breathing cry that just breaks my heart. I tried to tell her that it was for her own good but she just didn't understand. As a treat for her being so good, I ate some extra cookies that she got to taste a few hours later. :D

Here's my sweet girl at two months old!

Colbie Goes to the Park

We took Colbie on her first trip to the park on a chilly Saturday afternoon. We went to Mitchell Memorial on a whim one day. We took along Alex and were just going to take a little walk.





We came across a playground and decided to play! We took her down the slide and on the swings. She had so much fun playing with her daddy! (She just doesn't realize it yet.)

Videos of Colbie

Smiley Baby

Colbiehas really grown up a lot in these last 8 weeks. She is really starting to get a personality and we just love watching it constantly develop. My favorite is when she looks at me and just smiles without any prompting. It is so cute. Some days though she really makes me and her daddy work for a smile!

Colbie Goes to the Pumpkin Patch

We took Colbie to a pumpkin patch on a Saturday in October. I knew that it would be more for our enjoyment than hers, but I still wanted to go. We decided to go to Burger Farms in Newtown because it had a pumpkin patch, hayride, and other fun activities. We also found a coupon for one free admission ($2) in the Reach Magazine. Of course we forgot the coupon so we had to pay for both of us anyway. Luckily, they let Colbie in for free.

We drove out there old school because my parents had borrowed our Garmin for the week while they were in Arizona. We got the directions online. Naturally, they weren't the best directions so we had to turn around once or twice but we eventually got there. Right away we realized that apparently pumpkin festivals are for much older kids. They had a bunch of rides and games and even miniature pony rides.

We walked around for a bit and looked at the animals they had there. We also went through pumpkinland which sounds cooler than it actually was. I really wanted to get a pumpkin or two so we hopped on the hayride and rode it to the pumpkin patch.

We picked out a big pumpkin for the family and then we let Colbie pick out her own pumpkin. It was a tough decision but she finally settled on one that was almost as big as her!

Here is mommy and Colbie on the hayride back. It was such a fun day!

Colbie's First Halloween

We originally bought a lamb costume from Wal-Mart for Colbie's first Halloween. Since she's only 7 weeks old, I didn't think I would be able to make something for her and I thought it would just be easiest to buy an infant costume. The costume was super cute but a little big. On Wednesday before Halloween, I decided that I really didn't want her to be a lamb afterall. It isn't very original and while it was cute, I thought I could do better. Plus, I really don't like store bought costumes. I started to think that it would be cute to put her in a costume related to her name. I started thinking through some ideas and came up with the following:

-cheese
-cheeseburger
-Macaroni & Cheese (Ben & I could be Macaroni...)
-cheeseball

I started to get a little crazier and thought it would be funny to put a fake knife on her and have her go as "Cut the Cheese", but Ben was against dressing our daughter like a fart. (Maybe next year!) I also came up with putting her in a pumpkin costume and having her go as "Colbie Jack-O-Lantern".

Ultimately, we decided on a cheeseball. I decided to go to Michael's and Hobby Lobby to try to come up with a cheeseball costume. I went to Hobby Lobby and found a pattern for an infant pumpkin costume that I thought could also work for a cheeseball. Of course, they did not have the actual pattern in the store. I called my mom and she came up to help me. We figured out the basics of how the costume was constructed and bought some orange fleece fabric. We took it back to her house because I don't have a sewing machine yet and we cut out the pieces and sewed them together. It took us a couple of tries to get it turned the right way to add stuffing, but we eventually figured it out. We added elastic to both ends so that we could fit it on Colbie. We decided to just leave the elastic long and tie it off after it was on her because it's really hard to fit elastic on a 7 week old and we just figured this would be easier.

I took the costume home to show Ben. We were both really happy with it. We still hadn't tried it on her, but we got up on Halloween and put her in it. It was hilarious. She looked so cute, it was just this giant puff all around her.

Ben loves cheeseballs and he eats this giant tub from Sam's just about every two weeks. We decided to make it look more like a cheeseball and less like a pumpkin, we would take the label off the cheeseball tub and put it on the costume. Ben used a hair dryer to get the label off and I sewed it on the costume. We added orange socks and an orange hat and we had ourselves a little cheeseball for Halloween. I was so proud that I was able to make her first Halloween costume and I really look forward to making all the rest of them!

We decided to pass out candy this year. We had never done it before because we live on a small street and didn't think we would get too many trick or treaters. I guess we were right because we only got 5. I think I was more excited about having trick or treaters than they were to come to our house. Oh well, it was still fun. Here we are waiting for someone to come. (Colbie is all bundled because it was a little chilly...)

One Month Check-Up

We went to the doctor on Tuesday for Colbie's one month check-up. She is growing perfectly! She is now 9 lbs, 6 oz and 21 1/4 inches long. That means she's gained a pound and a half since birth and grew an inch and a quarter. She is right in the correct growth percentile. The doctor checked her eyes, ears, nose, and throat and said everything looks great for that. The nurse asked us a bunch of development questions like "Does she recognize you?" "Can she follow an object around the room?" and "Has she started to smile?" all of which were yes answers which means she is developing right on schedule. She had to get a shot which both she and I hated. Luckily, daddy was there. We go back in a month to see how much she has grown since then!

I also went to the doctor Thursday for my 6 week check-up. My NP said that my scar is healing nicely and everything looks great. She cleared me for work, exercise, etc. I guess I don't have an excuse anymore!

Colbie at 1 month old:

Colbie's Birth Story

We went to our regularly scheduled appointment on Tuesday, September 7th, the day before her due date. They were concerned that my blood pressure was slightly elevated. My NP was also concerned when she checked me because she thought my pelvic opening seemed too narrow. I was 2 cm dilated and 75% effaced but my pelvis was still very narrow. She decided that we should come back that Friday to have an ultrasound and also to meet with the doctor that would deliver me if we decided to induce. She set up a tentative induction date on Saturday for 2:00 am. Ben and I decided that we would do the ultrasound, but we would only decide to be induced if the baby was in danger or the amniotic fluid was too low. My NP wanted the doctor to check my pelvis and give his assessment since he actually delivers babies. We scheduled our ultrasound and appointment for the early afternoon on Friday. Ben had to rearrange his work schedule but he was able to get off so he could come too.

On Friday, we went in to get the ultrasound done. It wasn't nearly as fun as the 20 week ultrasound. She was so big that we really couldn't see all of her on the screen at the same time. We also weren't as excited because at this point, we were excited about actually having the baby and not just getting to see her on the ultrasound screen. The tech said that she looked healthy and that she was about 8 lbs 4 oz. She also said the amniotic fluid looked slightly low but not dangerously. She said they like the fluid to be around 8 and mine was 7. She said she would give this information to the doctor and if everything else was okay we could probably be induced if we wanted. She made it sound like a good thing which made me laugh because most women would probably jump at the chance to be induced but I wanted to wait until she came on her own... even if that meant waiting a week.

We went into the doctor and he checked me. I was 3 cm dilated. He then checked my pelvis and agreed with my NP. He was very concerned that it was too narrow. He said that he worried that if I tried for a vaginal delivery, she would either not drop at all for me to push or she would only drop part of the way and then possibly get stuck in the birth canal. He said this posed a great danger for both me and her and recommended that we schedule a c-section for the following day. I had had my heart set on a natural birth so I was really upset by this news. The doctor left the room so Ben and I could discuss our options. It was so hard because we had this huge decision to make and only 5 minutes to make it. The doctor came back but we still hadn't talked about everything we needed to so he left again. He came back the second time and we told him that we would go ahead and schedule the c-section. We both decided that we couldn't do anything that could potentially harm our daughter even if that meant giving up my ideal birth plan. The doctor told us that he would call the hospital and set up a time for a c-section the following day and would call us with the details.

We made a trip to the fire station to make sure our car seat was installed correctly and then we went to Nick & Tom's for dinner. After that we decided to go to Tummy Treats for some dessert. It was after 5:00 and we still hadn't heard from anyone about what time our c-section would be the next day. I finally called them but the receptionist said there weren't any details in my file so she would have to call around and call me back. Shortly after hanging up with her, the doctor called me to make sure I knew the details. He told me that they had scheduled the c-section for 2:00 pm on Saturday. He told me to arrive at 12:30 so they could get everything ready for me. He also told us that even though it was scheduled for 2:00, we could go in earlier if everything was ready or we could even get pushed back if there were any emergency c-sections.

Ben decided to sleep on the air mattress that night to see if it would help his back at all and to give me more room in the bed. We both went to bed but I couldn't fall asleep. I was very anxious and still a little upset that I would need a c-section. I was also having cramps and I started to worry that I would go into active labor before we got to the hospital. We hadn't discussed this scenario with my doctor and I didn't know what he would want us to do. I kept getting the feeling that I had to go to the bathroom so I kept getting up. My cramps felt better when I sat on the toilet so I spent a lot of time there. I also knew that I needed to get sleep so I would have energy for when the baby came. I was worrying that I was in labor because I couldn't sleep very well with the cramps and I was very close to waking Ben up a couple of times. I slept very fitfully for the first four or five hours, waking up about every hour to sit on the toilet. Finally, around 6:00 I was able to fall asleep for a few hours straight. When I woke up I decided that I must not have been having contractions because I was able to sleep for 3-4 hours without waking up. I figured I was having anxiety and that was the cause of my stomach pains.

I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight. I got up and showered, put on my last maternity shirt and got the bags all ready to go. We had had the bags packed for a few weeks but had to change them at the last minute since our birth plan had changed. I suddenly didn't need any pain coping mechanisms or activities to do while I was in labor. We got the car packed and set off to the hospital. This is me just leaving the house and on our way.

We got to Good Sam Hospital at 12:15 and made our way to the maternity ward. We got all checked in and they told us to wait in the waiting room until our prep area was ready. I had noticed that my cramps had come back and decided that they probably were contractions but they seemed irregular so I didn't think it was too worrisome. While in the waiting room, we decided to start timing them to see if they were regular and to see how far apart they were in case we needed to tell the doctor. We realized that they actually were very regular and coming every 8 minutes. I was glad that we didn't realize this until we were at the hospital because I probably would have freaked out at home.

They took us to the prep room and two nurses came in to take my blood pressure and to draw blood and give me an IV. One nurse was taking my blood pressure while the other was sticking me. That coupled with my contractions and my anxiety over having a c-section caused my blood pressure reading to come out dangerously high. They put me on my side and told me they would come back after I had relaxed for a little bit. I continued to have contractions but they really weren't too bad. The nurses came back and retook my blood pressure. It was still slightly elevated but not as big of a concern. Here I am ready to go!

The nurses told me that they were still prepping the OR and that the anesthesiologist would come by to ask me some questions. They kept me on my side and Ben sat in the chair next to me just waiting. While I was lying there, I heard this strange pop from inside me followed by an intense contraction. I had no idea what had happened. I was actually really concerned because I didn't know what was going on. Then, I felt the gush of liquid and realized that my water had just broken. I just started laughing. I thought it was hilarious that I scheduled a c-section only to go into labor and have my water break while in the hospital that day. I was actually very happy that I was having contractions because I thought I would never get to experience any part of labor. We called the nurse to let her know that my water had broken. She came over, lifted up the blankets and my hospital gown and said "Yep, your water definitely broke". Then she left. She did not get me a new gown, she did not offer to clean up anything, she just left me there, soaking wet. I thought that was incredibly strange.

The contractions started to get more intense after my water broke. The anesthesiologist came by to ask the questions right when I was having a very painful contraction. It was pretty funny because I had my back to him when he was asking me things and I wasn't answering because I was trying to concentrate on my breathing. Ben finally told him that I was in the middle of a contraction and probably couldn't answer the questions. He seemed really surprised that I was having contractions. He was finally able to ask the questions. They told me the room was just about ready for me. I wanted to go to the bathroom one last time. I stood up and felt a million times better. I now know why the don't recommend laboring in the bed. It was so much easier for me to deal with the contractions while walking around.

They wheeled me into the OR. Ben had to get into his scrubs and he wasn't allowed in the room until they had everything ready and they had given me the epidural. The anesthesiologist came in to give me the epidural. I really wasn't looking forward to this part of it. My nurse stood in front of me and held my hands while the epidural went in. It completely numbed me from my chest down. I HATED it. I just felt like I needed to move my legs and I couldn't. I was very uncomfortable. They put a temperature gauge on my forehead and oxygen in my nose. Ben was finally allowed in the room. The doctor came in, they put up the sheets all around and they got started. I was most nervous about feeling anything during the procedure. I really did not like the thought of being cut open and they say that you don't feel any pain but that you can feel tugging and pulling. I was afraid I would freak out if I felt any tugging because then I would know that they were cutting me open. I didn't feel a thing and I was super relieved about it.

The anesthesiologist stayed at my head the entire time. He was great because he walked us through everything that was going on. He asked Ben if he wanted to watch the baby coming out. At first, Ben adamantly said no because he (and I) thought that meant actually seeing her being pulled out of my open abdomen. The anesthesiologist explained that you wouldn't be able to see anything except the baby and that Ben would regret it if he didn't watch, so he agreed. He had the video camera with him so he got her birth on tape as well.

The experience was very unreal. One second, the room was relatively quiet, and the very next, there was a baby screaming and nurses rushing around tending to her. She was born at 2:55 pm. They showed her to me and Ben briefly and then took her away to clean her up. They got her all cleaned up and weighed and measured her. She was 7 lbs, 14 oz and 20 inches long. They performed the APGAR tests. She scored an 8 and then a 9. She was absolutely perfect. The nurses handed her to Ben and he brought her over to show her to me. She was so beautiful. Her first picture:

They finally got me all stitched up and ready to be wheeled to the recovery room. They put her in my arms while they wheeled me to the room. That was the first time I got to hold her. We got to the room and I tried breastfeeding right away. She was sleepy and unsure about feeding, so it was unsuccessful at first. Ben and I each called our moms and texted our siblings. We decided to wait until our parents got up to the hospital to announce her name.

We stayed in the recovery room for 2 hours. They wanted to make sure the surgery had gone well and there weren't any complications. After those first two hours, they took me to my post partum room. They put her under heat lamps to get her body temperature up to normal. We tried breastfeeding again and were more successful this time. We called our parents and told them to come up. Once they got here, we had all 4 of them come in together to meet our daughter. We also announced that we had named her Colbie Lynn.

I was very weak after the surgery. I hadn't been allowed to eat all day and it was after 7:00. They allowed me to have some apple juice but told me that I probably wouldn't have solid foods until breakfast the next day. I drank the juice but I kept having waves of nausea. While our parents were there, I barely even moved. After they left, I ended up getting sick but then felt a million times better.

We decided to send her to the nursery during the night. I hadn't even gotten out of bed yet and I knew I wouldn't be able to get out of bed, get her and get back into bed to feed her. I was also very weak and I knew I needed to get some sleep to feel better. The nurse took her to the nursery with the promise that she would be back in 3 hours so I could feed her. Ben stayed in the room with me. They had this super uncomfortable chair that turned into an even more uncomfortable bed. Around 4:00, they brought Colbie in to eat again. After she ate, the nurse wanted me to get out of bed and move to the chair for a little bit. I moved to the chair and she had me pump for about 15 minutes. After this, Ben decided to go home for a little while. He wanted to let Alex (our dog) out and we both decided it would be better if he was able to get some good sleep in our bed.

Ben came back around noon and our day consisted of feedings every few hours, Ben changing his first diaper ever and visitors coming and going. Each of our siblings came up to visit that day. I slowly regained my strength and the breastfeeding got easier. They originally told us that we would be able to go home on Tuesday. Ben decided to go home on Sunday night for the entire night because it was pointless for him to stay with me. Early Monday morning, an OB from my physician's office stopped in to check on me. She told me that I could go home that day if I wanted as long as Colbie had been cleared by the pediatrician. When Ben got back to the hospital I told him that I could probably go home that day if I wanted and we both decided that that's what we wanted to do. The pediatrician cleared Colbie. Our nurse said that we just had to wait for the lactation consultant but that we could leave after that. The lactation consultant was supposed to come by on Sunday but I guess she was behind. We waited for her to come for 4 hours. We were getting incredibly impatient because we just needed her to talk to us and then we could go. She finally showed, gave me a booklet, talked to us for about 10 minutes and left. I was very disappointed. I thought she would watch me feed Colbie and give me some tips and make sure I was actually doing everything right. We could have left the hospital without even seeing her and been okay. Since she took so long, we left the hospital right at the time when I was due for my next dose of pain medication. The doctor had already cleared me and written me a prescription so I couldn't get any more from the hospital. I had to ride home without any medicine in me and then I had to wait for Ben to go to the store and get my prescription filled. The ride home was awful. Every single time we hit a bump I was nearly in tears. We got home and Alex and Colbie met for the first time. Alex had no idea what she was but she was very gentle. It was nice to finally settle into life as a new family.

Colbie Lynn

I know I've been absent for the last few weeks but I think I have a pretty good excuse. My beautiful daughter, Colbie Lynn was born on September 11, 2010. She is absolutely perfect. I'll post my birth story soon.

Weekly Update: 40 Weeks

How far along: 40 weeks. Hopefully this is my last update.
How Am I Feeling?: I am still very itchy and it's super annoying. Other than that and the fact that it's hard to move around and sleep, I'm still feeling pretty well. No big complaints.
Mood: So super excited. A little nervous.

Clothes: I don't even look in the mirror anymore.

Sleep: It's hard to sleep. I wake up at least 3 times a night to pee and it's really hard to get comfortable. I wake Ben up every time I try to roll over.
Cravings: none

Gender: girl
Movements: She's still rolling around in there.
Belly Button: still out
Labor Signs: who knows.
Best Moment This Week: ???? I don't even remember leaving my house this week.
What I Miss: a good night's sleep

What I am Looking Forward To: having this baby and being a mom.
Milestones This Week: Reaching our due date. And hopefully not lasting much longer than that.
How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is still the size of a watermelon.
Your Baby: 40 Weeks
Congratulations! Your baby is full term and ready to be born at any time. This is the last week of pregnancy - or is it? If your baby doesn't come this week, don't worry. It's normal for due dates to be off a little and before you know it, your little one will be here. Babies come on their own time. You won't actually be past due until you hit around 42 or 43 weeks (depending on your caregiver's guidelines). Just try to relax and take it easy. Your baby is about 20 inches long and may weigh as much as 7 or 8 pounds.

Weekly Update: 39 Weeks

How far along: 39 Weeks. Could be any day now...

How Am I Feeling?: Itchy. I think I have some kind of a heat rash in between my fingers, on my hands, my legs, and my feet. It is terrible. My stomach also itches like crazy. Yesterday I did nothing but lie on the couch and constantly rub lotion on my stomach and hands. Not so fun. I also get uncomfortable easily. Other than that, I'm still feeling good. I guess if this is the worst that's happened in 39 weeks, I'm pretty lucky.

Mood: A little defeated after my doctor's appointment but still super excited. She'll come when she's ready.

Clothes: I just wear what's comfortable and what can pass as fitting me.

Sleep: Not so great. I still have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Lately, I seem to wake up scratching my stomach which is bad because it makes it itch even worse. I may have to start wearing gloves to bed.

Cravings: anything that's not in my refrigerator.

Gender: girl

Movements: She's still very active. I'm pretty sure she hates it when I put lotion on though. She always curls up in a ball when I'm doing that which definitely makes my stomach a little odd shaped.

Belly Button: I guess I'm used to it by now. I may freak out after she's born because I'll have an innie again.

Labor Signs: just some mild cramping. so basically nothing. oh, and no progress.

Best Moment This Week: Just loving my Reds this week. I love when they're winning because then Ben will actually watch the games with me.

What I Miss: Not itching all over. Seriously.

What I am Looking Forward To: I know it sounds weird, but I'm looking forward to going into labor.

Milestones This Week: none

How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is still the size of a watermelon.

Your Baby: 39 Weeks
The lanugo (that soft covering of hair) is mostly gone now and your baby will continue to gain weight, even up to the last week or two of pregnancy. He doesn't have much room to move in the uterus so movements may begin to slow. At this point, all the organ systems are developed and in place. Your baby is still building a layer of fat to help control body temperature after birth. The last part of development is the maturing of lungs. Your baby is ready to greet the world. He is approximately 20 inches and weighs a little over 7 pounds.

Doctor's Appointment 12.0

I went to the doctor once again yesterday. The short version is that I lost 3 lbs and I've made absolutely no progress. We go back on Tuesday. Hopefully with some kind of progress.

Doctor's Appointment 11.0

I forgot to post about my last doctor's appointment. It was very uneventful. We went on Tuesday and as usual, my weight and blood pressure look great. I gained one pound last week so I am up a total of 21 pounds. Right on target.

I didn't have an internal this week so I have no idea if I've made any progress. We will find that out on Tuesday. She measured the baby and estimated that she will be "a 7 pounder" at birth. I'm very happy with that.

She also noticed that I have a little problem with swelling. She said to just take it easy and to really monitor it. She said that swelling in my feet is super normal and minor swelling in my face and hands is also normal but to be careful that my face and hands don't swell too much. Trust me, I've been watching it. I tend to put my feet up right away if I feel like they are starting to swell too much. Part of the reason is that I hate the way my cankles look, especially if there will be other people seeing them.

We also met with our Pediatrician this week. He came recommended by our NP and we are both really pleased with him. He is super nice and loves to talk which I think is a good sign. I don't know how to explain it but I just got a really really good vibe from him. He said to call him anytime and not to worry about bothering him because he loves his job. I think he'll be just perfect.

Weekly Update: 38 Weeks

How far along: 38 Weeks

How Am I Feeling?: A little uncomfortable. Definitely ready for her.

Mood: So excited. I can't believe I'm due in 2 weeks!

Clothes: I usually wear shorts and a tank top unless I'm going somewhere. Most days I don't really leave the house which is good for my wardrobe.

Sleep: Ugh. It's awful. I can't ever sleep through the night and sometimes I have a really hard time falling asleep. I usually stay up pretty late and then sleep in a little later in the morning.
Cravings: none anymore.
Gender: girl
Movements: She loves to bounce on my bladder. That's a ton of fun.
Belly Button: Yeah, it's going to stay out. I think it's sticking out even more.

Labor Signs: none. We'll find out if I've made any progress at my doctor's appointment on Tuesday.
Best Moment This Week: Finishing up a lot of the shopping for baby.

What I Miss: My stomach not itching. It has been itching like crazy lately.

What I am Looking Forward To: Being a mom.

Milestones This Week: We met with the Pediatrician today. We both really really like him.

How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is still the size of a watermelon.

Your Baby: 38 Weeks
Your baby could be gaining as much as one full ounce of weight per day now. While he continues to urinate and practice breathing, your baby is also storing meconium (your baby's first bowel movement) in his intestines. His lungs are continuing to mature and his grasp has become even firmer than before. Your baby is approximately 20 inches long and weighs about 6 1/2 to 7 pounds. Almost all babies born now will live with little medical intervention.

Childbirth Classes: Final Week

I think I may have skipped some updates on the childbirth classes. That's probably because they were all about the same. We would learn about the birthing process and then she would teach us different breathing and massage techniques to cope with the pain. I enjoyed all of them. I felt like I got a lot of really good information and I actually feel prepared to give birth. I especially liked it when we got to practice the massage techniques and I would just lie there while Ben rubbed my back. That was nice. :)

This final class was our breastfeeding class. We had a different instructor. I liked her enough I guess. The class was incredibly informative though. We went over the correct breastfeeding techniques as well as some troubleshooting if things aren't going quite right. She also gave us a bunch of different numbers to call for support if I need it. I feel very confident that I will be able to breastfeed which makes me extremely happy and relaxes me a lot.

All in all, I would highly recommend the Non-Medicated Childbirth class through Tri-Health to anyone. I feel so much more confident and I actually feel prepared for the birth of our baby. Now we'll just have to see how confident I am about actually raising this child!

Weekly Update: 37 Weeks

How far along: 37 weeks. That means baby is full term!

How Am I Feeling?: I've been feeling pretty good. Starting to get uncomfortable though.

Mood: Extremely happy and excited. I just can't wait!

Clothes: I just keep re-wearing the same things. I don't really care anymore.
Sleep: Still having trouble sleeping. Luckily I don't have to get up at any time in the morning so if I have a bad night (like last night), I can just sleep a little longer in the morning and be okay.

Cravings: none anymore.

Gender: girl

Movements: She's active but she's running out of room. I can feel her wiggling around trying to get comfortable. She seems to do that a lot. I don't mind but sometimes it really does hurt!

Belly Button: I'm hoping it will go back in. No such luck so far though.

Best Moment This Week: At my doctor's appointment when I found out that I'm about 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced.
What I Miss: At my friend's wedding on Saturday, they had little glasses of wine sitting out for people to drink. I REALLY REALLY wanted one.

What I am Looking Forward To: Baby coming....

Milestones This Week: Baby is full term! Yay! Also, we had our breastfeeding class on Tuesday which means we're now finished with classes. That means we are 100% prepared for everything, right???

How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is still the size of a watermelon. I don't feel like my stomach is big enough to be housing a watermelon though!

Your Baby: 37 Weeks
Your baby is continuing to grow and gain weight during these last few weeks. Also, he is practicing breathing movements in preparation for the outside world. Your baby will also turn his head toward light and sound just as a newborn would. Around this time your baby's head should be down. If not he is in a breech position (the baby's bottom or legs come into the pelvis first). By the end of this week, your pregnancy will have come full term. Your baby can be born any day now. Your baby is anywhere from 19 to 20 inches long and weighs approximately 6.5 pounds.

Doctor's Appointment 10.0

I had another doctor's appointment yesterday. Everything went well. I am up a total of 20 lbs for the pregnancy. Hopefully I won't gain another 20 in the next three weeks. My blood pressure looks good too. The NP measured me and said that I'm measuring perfectly and the baby is right where she should be. She even said she's dropped since the last time! (Although it doesn't really feel like it to me since I'm still having a hard time breathing.)

I had my first internal exam and Group B Strep test. I was kinda dreading both. I was surprised because neither was as bad as I expected. She told me that I'm about 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. I wasn't really surprised by being dilated 1 cm because it seems like everyone I have talked to has been dilated a centimeter when they go to the doctor. I think maybe they tell everyone that so they have some hope that their baby will be here soon. I was surprised that I am 50% effaced though. I really was expecting her to say that I wasn't effaced at all.

We go back next week for another appointment. She said she doesn't check me again though unless I've been having contractions or a lot of pressure. We also have an appointment with a pediatrician next Thursday. He came highly recommended by my NP so I hope we like him!

Weekly Update: 36 Weeks

How far along: 36 Weeks. Just 4 more to go. That's less than a month. Oh geez.

How Am I Feeling?: My hips still bother me a lot and I've really had to be careful about staying on my feet so that I don't swell as much. It's definitely gotten better though.

Mood: So excited. Feeling more ready every day.

Clothes: I just hope I'll have enough clothes that are big enough to fit me for the next 4 weeks. My wardrobe is slowly dwindling.

Sleep: It still hasn't been too great. I don't ever sleep through the night and the pain in my hips is worst when I'm trying to sleep since my only option is to sleep on my side. Not to mention how incredibly difficult it is to roll from one side to the other with this big belly.

Cravings: none anymore.
Gender: girl
Movements: Still very active.

Belly Button: I hate it. It's sticking out. It's totally noticeable.

Best Moment This Week: I finally got to see Emily! Also, I went to the Reds game with my parents, Emily, Johnny, & Bill yesterday. We were absolutely sweating through all of our clothes. I was soaked. Then, the rain came. It was an incredible feeling. Everyone else ran for cover and my family just stood there in the pouring rain. It was so awesome. Too bad we lost.

What I Miss: A full night of sleep.

What I am Looking Forward To: My baby shower on Sunday. Also, my doctor's appointment on Tuesday when I'll get my first internal and they'll be able to tell me if I'm at all close to having a baby!

Milestones This Week: We finished the birthing portion of our childbirthing classes. Next week will be breastfeeding and then we're done!
How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is still the size of a honeydew.

Your Baby: 36 Weeks
Your baby continues to put on weight by about 1/2 pound each week. It's no wonder the womb is becoming very cramped. Your baby is gaining weight quickly because layers of fat pile on and help in both body temperature regulation and developing his immunity in preparation for life in the outside world. You may find you are carrying your baby much lower now (or soon will be) as the baby drops into the birth canal, readying himself for birth. Your baby is about 19 inches long and weighs from 5.5 to 6.0 pounds. The vast majority of babies born now will live with little need for intensive medical treatment.

Here are some belly pics. These are from last week in the airport. The whole family:

A close up of my bump.

Weekly Update: 35 Weeks

How far along: 35 Weeks. I'm at 35/35 which means I have 35 weeks down and only 35 days to go. Crazy. I can't believe I'll have a baby next month.

How Am I Feeling?: Not as good this week. Maybe I'm overworking myself. Yes, I know I'm unemployed. I've still been really busy though. My legs are super restless every night and I still have hip pain. Last night, I'm pretty sure the baby's foot was lodged in my ribcage which was actually very painful.

Mood: Excited.

Clothes: I don't fit it some of my maternity clothes anymore. I'm hoping what I have will last me the rest of the time. Don't make fun if I wear the same shirt every day.

Sleep: Terrible. I can't sleep through the night. It's not just that I get up a couple times each night to go to the bathroom and then go back to sleep. It's that I wake up and I can't go back to sleep for an hour or more.

Cravings: none right now

Gender: girl

Movements: She is moving quite a bit. And by moving, I mean every time she moves, I can see and feel my entire stomach shifting. It's the weirdest/coolest thing ever.

Belly Button: Ugh. It's sticking out and you can totally tell in some shirts I wear and depending on how many layers I have on.

Best Moment This Week: My sister is finally coming home and she'll finally get to see me and my bump!

What I Miss: Sleeping without pain. Being able to roll over without making a huge production over it.

What I am Looking Forward To: Seeing my sister at noon today.

Milestones This Week: none

How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is still the size of a honeydew.

Your Baby: 35 Weeks
Your baby is getting plump. The fat deposits are now beginning to offer form and fullness to your baby's legs and arms. Your baby is taking up most of the room in your uterus, so there is a lot less room to move around. Also, your baby's lungs are now completely developed and producing what is called surfactant, a substance that helps in the exchange of oxygen in the lungs. Your baby is now approximately 18 inches long and weighs about five pounds. If you were to have your premature baby now, you'd be happy to know that there is a 99 percent chance of the baby surviving.

Doctor's Appointment 9.0

At my doctor's appointment on Tuesday, it was the usual drill. I peed in a cup, they weighed me, took my blood pressure and the NP measured me and listened to the baby's heart beat. It was not my first internal exam so not only did that stupid nurse lady tell me that I have cankles, she also lied to me. I guess my first exam will be in two weeks.

I have gained a total of 18.8 lbs which is really good. The NP was very impressed saying that I am looking great and I haven't gained much at all. She said it's all the baby and that I shouldn't have much trouble losing the weight after the baby is born. That's awesome.

The baby's heart rate looked great and I am once again measuring perfectly. I go back in two weeks for my first internal exam and then my appointments start every week. We're really getting into the home stretch now!

Childbirth Classes: Week 4

Well we've been learning more about labor and delivery and different breathing techniques to cope. We watched a video on Tuesday with a series of live births. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I think the classes are very beneficial and I would recommend them to anyone. Our instructor is very informative and I feel more each week for giving birth.

Next week we will learn different massage techniques that our coaches can use during labor. I have a feeling I'll be making Ben practice these a lot. :D

Weekly Update: 34 Weeks

How far along: 34 Weeks.

How Am I Feeling?: Aside from the occassional hip pain and heartburn, I've been feeling pretty good.

Mood: So excited and so ready to meet our baby! (Well, after 40 weeks anyway)

Clothes: Still in my most comfortable maternity clothes. I am currently favoring shorts with a cotton type shirt of some kind. I'm hoping my wardrobe will last another 6 weeks.

Sleep: I wake up a few times each night and ironically, I wake up just before Ben every morning. I don't sleep very well during the night, but since I have no schedule, if I need to sleep a little later in the morning, then I do!
Cravings: none right now

Gender: girl

Movements: She's been quiet this week. When she does move, she just pokes me with one body part or another. Sometimes it hurts!

Belly Button: It's sticking out a little bit...

Best Moment This Week: Not having to work. :D

What I Miss: I miss shopping for regular clothes. I saw some really cute and really cheap clothes at Target the other day that I would never be able to fit into. It made me sad!
What I am Looking Forward To: Getting the house all ready for baby. I've been slowly working on it every day.
Milestones This Week: none

How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is still the size of a honeydew.

Your Baby: 34 Weeks
Your baby can - and does - respond just as a newborn would by opening his eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. Your baby can also grasp firmly and his little fingernails may need to be trimmed shortly after birth. This month also offers more time for your baby to build antibodies and for his skin to continue to thicken. Your baby is approximately 18 inches long and weighs about 4.5 pounds. It's wonderful to know that if your baby was born now, it has a 95 percent chance of full and normal survival with medical intervention.

Weekly Update: 33 Weeks

How far along: 33 Weeks.

How Am I Feeling?: My hip has really been bothering me lately. It doesn't matter which side I lay on, it hurts no matter what. I've even had some trouble walking all week because it hurts. Other than that though, I'm still feeling pretty great.

Mood: Even more excited.

Clothes: I was really happy on Tuesday because I bought some new things. We had our birthing class on Tuesday and we usually stretch and sit on the floor etc. Last week, I had a hard time breathing while sitting on the floor so I really wanted some comfortable pants to wear other than sweat pants (which don't fit me too well anymore.) I am also outgrowing some of my maternity shirts and since I don't need to wear nice shirts to work anymore, I was looking for some comfy cotton shirts that would be long enough to cover my belly. We went to Target with the intention of buying dog food and looking at clothes for me. We walked in, bought dog food and a few other items and then we left. I didn't realize until we were in the car that we hadn't looked at any clothes. We had to go back in because our class was that night and I needed something to wear. I was able to find some comfy cotton capris that aren't maternity. The maternity tanks/tees that I was looking at were way too much for what I wanted to spend. We walked through the non maternity clothes and found some cotton tees on sale. They were long enough to fit me! I was so excited. I just bought one but I might go back for some more. We also went to Kohl's where I found a couple of maternity shirts on clearance. I looked through their cheap tanks/tees but they were all too short. :( I guess I'll have to stick with Target.

Sleep: I've been sleeping slightly better this week than I was last week. I bet I'll be sleeping wonderfully next week!

Cravings: none right now

Gender: girl

Movements: She's all over the place! I don't know how other people can't see my stomach contorting all day. I would think people would comment, but I guess no one is staring at my tummy as much as I do!

Belly Button: The top part of it is sticking out and you can see it through some of my shirts when I'm wearing my under belly pants. :( Get ready for the band-aids.

Best Moment This Week: ????

What I Miss: nothing!

What I am Looking Forward To: next week will probably be awesome. I wonder if I can convince Ben to call in sick next week. :D

Milestones This Week: none

How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is the size of a honeydew.

Your Baby - 32 Weeks Pregnant

By now, you have all the amniotic fluid you are going to have and the amount will remain consistent until delivery. Your baby's brain continues to grow, and increase the size of his head. Your baby continues to develop fat deposits under the skin, changing the color of his skin from red to pink. If you're having a boy his testicles have moved from their location near the kidneys through the groin to the scrotum. If you are having a girl, her clitoris is relatively prominent. Your baby is approximately 17.5 inches long and weighs a little over four pounds now.

Okay, so I guess our baby is measuring a little big right now. My NP said she was about 5 lbs. I always like to hold a ruler up to my stomach to see just how long she is compared to my tummy. I always come to the same conclusion: There is no way she can fit! I know she's all curled up in a ball and even though she's 17.5 inches long, that doesn't mean she's laying all stretched out, but still. No wonder she kicks me all the time. How would you like to stay curled in a ball for months at a time? Not so comfortable!

I haven't posted a belly pic in a long time. I took some last night because sister Melissa really wanted to see one. (You can see some of our baby stuff in the background!)

Childbirth Classes: Week 3

We had our third class on Tuesday night. It went very well. We watched a video on the different stages of labor and saw a small part of an actual birth. She taught us different breathing techniques and taught our coaches what to do to make us relax. That is definitely my favorite part of the class. We get to sit on birthing balls and we make every part of our bodies relax and then use different breathing techniques while our coaches rub our arms, backs, legs, etc. It is so wonderful. She has us go through a "contraction" where she tells us when the contraction starts and we take a deep breath and then breathe slowly for about 45 seconds. She tells us about when the contraction would be peaking and then when it's over and we take another deep breath. Obviously, we don't have the pain associated with a contraction, but it's nice to feel the timing and about how long 45 seconds is and what it feels like to do relaxing breathing during that time.

We talked about some of our expectations for the labor and birth and some fears we may have. Ben and I discussed different options for him including actually watching the birth and cutting the cord. I was surprised that he was so open about them. I didn't think he would actually want to do either. He also said that another man in the group was talking about catching the baby. I think it would be really neat if he would be able to do that.

I really learned a lot this week. It was most interesting because not only did I learn a lot about labor and delivery, I also learned some things that Ben is thinking and some of his expectations. I feel more prepared every week.

Doctor's Appointment 8.0

I did not have a very pleasant experience at my appointment yesterday. The nurse took me back to be weighed and to pee in a cup. As I'm stepping on the scale she says "Oh, it looks like we've got some cankles here. We're going to start calling you Puff the Magic Dragon." Now, I don't think that's ever an appropriate thing to say to anyone, but especially a pregnant woman. The worst part is that I didn't even think I was that swollen. Sure, my rings are starting to get a little tight and maybe I can feel my fingers start to swell when it's hot and I'm walking 15 minutes to my car but I really thought I was doing okay. She caught me way off guard and I really almost started crying in the doctor's office. Random stranger comments are starting to get to me a little this week. What happened to saying things like "Wow. You look great!"? Now that is something every pregnant woman wants to hear.

After I was able to drag my fat ankles onto the scale, she weighed me. I am up 18 lbs total, which is right where I should be, thankyouverymuchstupidnurselady. I peed in a cup and everything was fantastic with that. My blood pressure was also normal. (I really thought it would be through the roof since I was so angry.)

My NP came in the room to measure me and listen to the baby's heartbeat. She said I look great and the heartbeat was at 146 which is perfect. I asked her if she could tell how big our baby was right then and she said that if I delivered right now, I would probably have a 5 lb baby. She also said that that means nothing for the actual weight of the baby at birth.

As we were leaving the room, the NP said that I was looking great and even commented that my ankles still looked good. (Haha! Take that!)

We made our next appointment for two weeks away where I will get my first internal exam. Woo hoo. I'm not particularly looking forward to it but it means we're that much closer to having this baby. The NP even gave me phone numbers to call if I go into labor. Yikes.

Weekly Update: 32 Weeks

How far along: 32 Weeks. Only 8 more to go!

How Am I Feeling?: I've been feeling pretty good lately. No complaints here!

Mood: Excited.

Clothes: Always Maternity.

Sleep: I haven't slept very well in a couple weeks.

Cravings: On Tuesday I wanted Panera and last night I wanted Steak n Shake. I didn't get either. Those were both cravings I had in first tri so I wonder if some of that is starting to come back.

Gender: girl

Movements: She moves all the time. It's more poking at/jabbing at me than flipping around though. I can always feel her sticking out somewhere.

Belly Button: It pokes out when I cough. My belly also gets really pointy when I cough which is very weird.

Best Moment This Week: finally starting real childbirth classes. And my shower was on Sunday! I'll post pictures soon!!!

What I Miss: I don't miss anything.

What I am Looking Forward To: Next Friday....

Milestones This Week: none

How Big is Baby?: According to The Bump, the baby is the size of a squash for one more week.

Your Baby - 32 Weeks Pregnant
Your baby sleeps approximately 90 to 95 percent of the day now. His skin has become thicker and he continues to become more of a pinkish color. Your baby's movements will peak this week. From now on they will change in quantity and quality. Most of the wrinkles are disappearing from your baby's face, and there may be a lot of hair on his head. The weight gain has been fairly incredible recently. Your baby is now almost 4 pounds and is 17 inches long.

Childbirth Classes: Week 2

We had our second day of childbirth classes on Tuesday. It was so much better than the first day. We met our childbirth instructor and I really like her. She talks a lot and tends to ramble but I don't actually mind. Maybe it's because she's talking about things that I actually want to learn about as opposed to my professors that were just boring.

Our instructor is very very pro-natural birth. She believes that every woman can and should give birth without medication. This is good for me since I am planning on a natural birth and since she is very knowledgeable about the subject, I should learn a lot. She also said that she teaches other classes that are not focused on a non-medicated birth but that she always tries to convert people to do it naturally. I'm glad she's my instructor since I have planned to do it naturally on my own but I would be upset if she was my instructor in a different class and I had to listen to her talking about how beneficial it is when I've decided to get an epidural.

We basically just went through the different stages of labor. We learned what each stage means, what to expect during that stage, and how long and powerful the contractions would be during each stage. I had already known some of the information, but it's always easier to hear someone explain it to you.

We also learned how to tell the difference between real labor and false labor. I was really glad we went over this because I have a little fear that I'm going to think I'm in labor and I'll make Ben take off work and drive up to the hospital only to have them send me home. Luckily, I now have some resources to make sure I am actually in labor.

We watched a part of a video about the early stages of labor. I think the video goes through each stage of labor and the actually birth so I guess we're going to see a video of a birth in a couple weeks. This is fine with me but I'm not sure Ben is too excited about it.

Finally, we went through some breathing exercises. We just did some cleansing breathes and relaxation techniques. I'm not sure if they will actually work when I'm in labor because it seemed to be basic breathing. I'm hoping she shows us more techniques down the road.

There was also a woman in the room who is training to be a doula. I guess as her final steps toward getting certified, she has to sit in on a birthing class and attend 3 births. I had entertained the idea of having a doula in the room with us but I wasn't sure we would want to pay the money for it. I'm thinking about talking to this woman next week about maybe attending my labor/birth because I think if it's for training it doesn't cost anything. I'll have to double check that though.

Overall, I thought it was a productive class and I can't wait for next week!

I'm Turning Into My Mom

and it's not really a bad thing!

Since this new blessing (?) that will allow me to stay home with our baby has come along, I've been thinking a lot about cloth diapering. It is definitely a money saver. Ben and I discussed this earlier in the pregnancy and ultimately opted to just use disposables. We figured they would just be more convenient. We wouldn't have to worry about washing the diapers and we wouldn't have to make sure the grandparents or anyone else knows how to use the cloth. Also, Ben wasn't too keen on the idea. He asked me how you're supposed to get the poop off the diaper before throwing it in the washing machine and I told him you just dunk it in the toilet a few times. This really freaked him out. Disposables were fine with me because I wasn't sure I would be up to keeping up with the cloth diapers.

Now, however, we are planning to use cloth diapers when I am home with the baby and switch to disposables if we are going anywhere or if someone else will be watching the baby. We think this will work for us. They even have different tools now to get the poop off without having to dunk the diaper. They have hand sprayers that attach to your toilet to use or scraping tools.

I have looked into a few different brands and we have decided to go with g diapers. They seem relatively easy to use. They use the diaper covers with washable inserts. This way, we won't have to fold a bunch of cloths when trying to change the diaper. They also have flushable disposable inserts to use instead of the cloth ones. This might be advantageous if we decide to use cloth diapers most of the time. The diaper covers don't even need to be disposed of and washed every time you change the diaper. As an added bonus, the diaper covers come in a bunch of really cute colors! They even have one with a ruffle butt!!!

I have added a bunch of diaper covers and cloth diaper liners to our Amazon Registry. Go check it out! (and then buy us some! :D just kidding. kinda...)

So, in addition to now using cloth diapers, I plan to breastfeed, make my own baby food, shop secondhand, and make some clothing for my children just like my mom did. (Maybe I'll even make my own laundry soap.) Oh, I am so crunchy. (or maybe just frugal!)