36 weeks

It's 6am and I decided that rather than lay in bed waiting to fall back asleep I'd get up. I've been up since 5, this sleeping thing is really getting on my nerves.

We're at 36 weeks now and next week Emma will be considered full term. I am super excited about that since I have been reading so many posts about babies in NICU - one that died this morning at 3:30. It's so very sad and I am so thankful to have carried Emma to term with no complications. I am truly blessed.

I had my last baby shower this past Saturday and have so many people to thank for their generosity. First, thanks to Nikki, Sammie and Barbara - the shower was beautiful and I can't find the words to thank you enough for taking the time and putting such a personal touch on my day. I love you all very much and want you know how much I appreciate you. I also want to thank all my friends and family for all the wonderful gifts. Emma is so lucky and Dave and I are blessed to have you all in our lives.

I definitely feel prepared after this weekend, well, as far as "things" go. Dave keeps asking about my bag and wants me to get packed so that's on my list for this week. It's just strange that it's time for that already... mentally I am not there yet and I really don't think I will be until she's here.

My friend Sammie took some maternity pictures of me this past weekend and I am so excited to share some of them with you. I have only a handful now but will have the rest in a few weeks to share. She did an amazing job and I am so lucky to have such talented friends. Dave even saw the pictures and asked "is that my wife?". I guess I haven't been too sexy lately!

Well, I know you're dying to see... so here are a few...

Here's the update for this week:

Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term.

We have another appointment on Thursday and if we're still in good shape Dave will be heading up to PA to visit with his granddad. I wish I could go but I'll be sending love up with Dave, Mr. Bill, Scott and Uncle John. Granddad has been bedridden for a few months now and I know he will be happy to see his sons and grandsons. I want to bring Emma up after she's born but not sure when, maybe early spring.

Well, since I'm motivated I best get some work done. Love to all...

almost 36 weeks

Monday I'll be 36 weeks pregnant and it's still so hard to believe. I know I have an expanding waist line and I feel her kicking and I can't sleep and I pee all the time and.... but still, I can't believe I am about to bring a child into this world. There are times I still feel like a kid and even at 31 it hasn't sunk in that I am considered old to be bearing children (well at least in my family!) Life is about to take a whole new direction and as much as I say I am ready I know in my heart that it's going to be really tough.

I've really started to think about what my parents went through when they had me and raised me. They were in the early (I mean early) 20s and I can't even imagine what it would have been like having to take care of yourself, your spouse and this tiny new person being so young. Not to mention my older brother. I guess I have my years to be thankful for, have a steady career, a loving husband of almost three years and a strong support group.

We went to the doctor yesterday for the first of my weekly appointments. She checked my cervix and said that I am nice and tight with no efacement or dialation. Her head is still pretty far up but the good news is that she's no longer breech. She thinks Emma will come late which to us means I will likely be induced. I'm okay with her coming late, it means more time for us to prepare both mentally and physically.

We finally finished the nursery this past weekend. We are still waiting on the glider but everything else is in order and ready to go. We got a rug from Home Depot and I am actually really happy with it. I wanted the Pottery Barn one but know this was a better financial decision and it's gorgeous. Her closet is packed to the brim with clothes and I have more coming next week, which I really am not sure where I'll put! She's a pretty lucky baby to have so many friends and family that have giver her clothes.

My last shower is this weekend and I am really excited to see all my friends in one place before Emma is born. I have a feeling I am going to get pretty emotional seeing as I sit here now thinking about how lucky I am to have some many wonderful people in my life and want to bawl. My childhood friend Nikki and my college roommate Sammie are both flying in from Indianapolis and New Orleans today -I can't wait to see them and get to hang out for a few days.

Here are some pics of the nursery:


Love to all....

34.5 weeks

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! We just got back last night from Dave's parents house where we spent four relaxing days with a little eating (well, a lot actually) and present opening thrown in. I was pampered and even though I rouged through a few bad sleepless nights I got to relax and enjoy the time away with family. Dave and I were very fortunate this year and got almost everything on our lists - thanks to all our families for your generosity!

I just have to share a drawing that my neice Beth Anne did for the family... it's so cute! Bill and Barbara have a white board in their kitchen that they often write messages on to welcome people. The girls love to draw on it and this year Beth Anne made a special one for the whole family... notice how her Aunt Amy is a bit different than the others... isn't that adorable!!!!



I finally got around to taking some pictures of Emma's nursery. I still have some work to do but it's almost done. Dave and I are going to buy our rug this week and I'm hoping the glider comes in soon. I'll also be hanging pictures and putting everything away (if I can find room!!!!).
I just love how it's coming together and how it feels so soothing in there. My goal was to create a space for Emma (and me!) to relax and I think I've done a pretty good job.

Here's the bed skirt...

And the curtains...
Here's a close up of the butterflies on the curtains...

And the changing table...


The color looks really washed out on screen, but it's a very pretty sage green with a gold undertone. I even found the baskets to put in the changing table (thanks mom!) and once we cut out a drawer bottom they should slide out fairly easily for one hand access to the diapers and wipes.

Dave got to feel her move around quite a bit last night - she was a very active girl all night. Her movements are more like rolls these days versus kicks and I still love watching my belly morph, as weird as it is.

I'm still feeling pretty good but having some major back issues. One day it's the left side, the next the right but most days it's just downright uncomfortable. Now that I am starting to really put weight on it's taking it's toll on me. My shoes are tighter, I'm swelling just a bit in the ankles and Dave even noticed I am waddling a bit more. Good times. :)

Here's the update for this week:
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!!

33 weeks

Wow, I just downloaded the pictures of me at 33 weeks and I am so much bigger than the last time I posted! I didn't realize it until I went back to compare! Check out the belly!


Dave was goofing off...


Our doctor's appointment this week went well. The heartbeat is still great and Dr. Ferrier predicts that Emma will be around 7 lbs. I'm pleasantly surprised that she thinks she'll be that small!

I'm feeling fairly good these days aside from the back aches and hard time sleeping. The heartburn is back but I've learned to rely on Tums so it's bearable. I'm not as hungry as I thought I'd be but I guess that's good since I'm not gaining tons of weight. It'll be easier to lose!

We're getting ready for Christmas here but we're not feeling in the spirit like we want. We decided to not get a tree this year since we waited so long and the holidays crept up on us. We'll be going to Dave's parents house so we figure we'll take it all in while we're there. The plan for me is to sleep, read, watch movies and catch up on some R & R while I can. Work has been really quite manageable but I still find myself tired often so it will be a nice break.

We've gotten most of our Christmas shopping done with just a few gifts left to buy. I always wait until the last few days and hope that someday I'll learn. I guess having a child will teach me to plan and prepare much better so maybe there's hope after all.

For New Years I think we're going to go to a friend's house in Ashburn. It's a trek out there but will be nice to see all our friends and not be in a smokey bar for a change. I'm not sure how long I'll last but I'm going to give it m all since it's my last year pre-momhood. My cousin Scott and his girlfriend Jen are also coming into town for a few days around New Years so we'll get to see each other. Jen is also pregnant so at least I won't be the only one not able to drink!

Cooper is doing better although we had another incident the other night where he got very lethargic and mopey. We changed his diet back to chicken and rice and he seemed to be doing better but now he won't eat his regular food. I think we're going to have to experiment with new food - we're guessing that's the cause for his digestive problems. For the time being we're supplementing his food with parmesan cheese. Wow he's spoiled!

If I don't post before Christmas I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and stays safe! We're sending love and wished your way!

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

Love to all!

32 weeks

Wow, just 8 weeks to go and it's still hard to believe. With the stress of the holidays and work these days I know it's going to fly by. Being an impatient person these past 7 or so months has been difficult, but I couldn't imagine Emma coming any sooner. I know parents can never be truly prepared but I'm sure another month would do me just fine. :)

Things are getting harder to do. Getting in and out of the car is challenging nowadays and long bouts on my feet are pretty hard on my back. Oh, and of course... sleeping. I can't ever seem to get comfortable and when I do finally find that perfect spot it seems I just lay there waiting to fall back asleep. I do feel pretty good in the mornings though so that's when I try to get everything done. Come lunch time all I want to do is veg out.

We started our Christmas shopping last night, finally. We didn't come home with much but got a nice dinner out of it and some time away from the house. Even at 3:45 in the afternoon stores were crowded. Why didn't I start this weeks and weeks ago? Never fails, even when you're pregnant I guess.

I have a massage, pedicure, manicure and makeup day at Liz Arden this Friday and I am sooo excited. Dave gave me this gift certificate for my birthday two years ago and I am just now getting around to using it. I feel horrible about it and am not quite sure why I waited so long but now that it's scheduled I am really looking forward to it.

I am on a listserv with some girls all due the same week as me with their first children and this morning I checked the post to see that one of the girls had her baby yesterday at 31 weeks. It's a really scary story and I just hope she and her daughter recover quickly. She went in for a scheduled appointment with her doctor only to find out the baby's heart rate was dropping. They rushed her in for an emergency c-section after 3 drops in the heart rate. I can't imagine what would have happened had she not been there for that appointment when she was. We have an appointment on Thursday and I am going to talk to my doctor about signs. It's scary to think what could be happening without me knowing.

Here's the update for this week:
By now, your 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. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your 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.

Everyone keeps asking so I'll let the world know, I've only gained 17 lbs. I'm REALLY happy about it and pray that the next 8 weeks are as steady. If all goes well I'm looking to gain only 25-30 lbs. total. Thanks Emma!!! I think the weight has mostly been in my belly and hips so I'll be spending a lot of time walking when she's born!

I'll post pics as soon... I think I've popped quite a bit since last time.

love to all!

Poor Coop

Last night was pretty rough. We came home from dinner and soon after Cooper started throwing up. He was acting like he had something caught in his throat and wouldn't stop hacking and dry heaving even after his stomach was empty. He wanted to go outside but all he did was eat grass, a sign he really wasn't feeling well. After a few hours he started calming down but still paced the living room and was acting very sad and sick. All he wanted to do was cuddle and be pet.

We decided since he was somewhat calm and only occasionally dry heaving that we'd wait until the morning to determine if we needed to go to the vet. At 2am Dave woke up to see Cooper sitting up staring at him. He hadn't been sleeping and was obviously very uncomfortable. We decided it would be best to go to the animal ER.

At 4 Dave came home with Coop - he had an x-ray that determined he doesn't have anything lodged in his throat, but is very very dehydrated and gassy. Something he ate must have made his pretty sick. He got a shot of fluids and some pain meds. $400 later he is home, but has to eat only bland foods like rice and chicken for four days and take medication to stop the heaving. Poor guy, he never seems to get a break, and neither does our wallet!!!

Pray for our little guy that he gets better and feels like himself soon. :(

9 weeks left!!!

I can hardly believe it, only 9 weeks to go! I think the panic is going to set in real soon. I just watched two episodes of A Baby Story and man I'm not sure I'm ready for this!

Things are starting to change very rabidly with me lately, as I growing bigger and bigger each day. I'm having a harder time getting up and down from the couch but surprisingly I am sleeping a whole lot better. Rolling over is a different story, but I'm not waking up as much. I get tired really easily but I take frequent breaks. The heartburn has subsided and the headaches are gone so I guess I'm patiently waiting for the next milestone... backaches maybe?

We started birthing classes last week at the hospital. We go three hours every week for three weeks. Most of what we've learned I know already, but it's nice for Dave to hear it. He's a really good sport and gets a gold medal for the massage part of the class. He hates it but he's doing a good job of hiding his true feelings :)

We spent all weekend working feverishly on the kitchen and cleaning the house. I even washed the wood floors on my hands and knees! The kitchen looks great and we are so happy we did it... now all we need to do it resand the floors and put in the new cabinets (once we get around to ordering them!!!) We also need to order the granite but can't do that until all the cabinets are in.

Here's Dave hard at work tearing down the bar...

We got it torn down on Saturday and Sunday we spend the day patching drywall and putting things back to normal. Cooper was a big help...


Here's what it looks like now:


Our plan is to paint the table legs and chairs black and get a new rug.. .but I'm sure that will come later. The best part, we ate dinner at the table today!

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

Happy Monday everyone!