Have you had that baby yet?

Follow the link for the answer to this ever-present question in my life at the moment.

http://www.haveyouhadthatbabyyet.com/

..............
..........
.....
..........
.........
.............
..........
.............
...........
...........
.........
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.


If you followed the link correctly, then you now know that no, I have NOT had that baby yet. Thank you for asking. :P

Despite going for about a 2 mile walk Monday with Danny, and keeping myself moving around and doing lots of stuff, my increase in contraction-frequency hasn't done much to move me along any more than I was last week. We're still may 2.5 cm dialated, and just over 80% effaced. Our little boy is certainly cozy in there, and just getting bigger, if you can't tell from my giant protruding stomach.

On the plus side, I still don't look preggers from the back, so he's just jutting out further and further as time goes. Doctor doesn't think this little guy will be much bigger than 8 pounds. I just want him to get here soon.

The last week, I've had a lot of energy it seems like. Just yesterday, I made pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread with a friend.

Last weekend, I decided I couldn't finish my nap because I couldn't get raspberry white chocolate cheesecake off of my mind. So Danny and I went to the store, I found a good recipe, and we made a yummy cheesecake to share at Sunday dinner. It. Was. Awesome.

No joke.

I've been trying really hard to stay positive, but had a little bit of a melt-down after the appointment today. It's just disappointing to learn that all the contractions I've been feeling fairly consistently over the last week haven't helped my body do more than practice contracting....It's also a bummer when you add the worry of being induced into the picture.

We went ahead and scheduled an induction for next Thurs. morning, but the doctor is hopeful that things will kick into gear more this weekend and that I won't make it that long. I had my membranes stripped (it sucks, let me tell you), and now I'm just sewing lots of cute burp clothes for the baby, thinking about what I want to clean, I wishing that I knew what I was going to make for dinner...or maybe I just won't make dinner...

Anyways, the whole theory I had on Monday when we found out my missionary brother was being sent home for knee surgery didn't quite turn out as expected. I was thinking that maybe our baby just wanted to wait until his uncle arrived in the area to make his debut. But it's been 2 days since Cameron got back and still no baby.

So yes, I'm still pregnant. The good news is that I can't stay pregnant forever. Eventually, this little boy has to come out and greet us. Hopefully it will be soon, but at least we know it will be by next weekend.

Wish us luck and keep us in your prayers.

1 week to go...(fingers crossed people)

39 weeks today people!
The good news?

I only have a week left of this if I'm lucky and he comes on time or earlier.

The bad news?

I'm only 7 days from my due date and there is still no baby in my arms... :(

So here's the low-down:

Basically this last week has been terrifically difficult for me, because I knew I was drawing closer to the due date (and still am), but also because he's a heck of a lot bigger inside there and making me all that much more uncomfortable. It also didn't help that I was making sure the hospital bag was totally ready, and washing a few baby outfits....and wishing that I could put a baby in those outfits.... Oh, and seeing all these cute pictures of my friends' new babies...

yeah. I am so intensely baby hungry, it's eating me alive.

It's been terribly depressing. My solution, you ask?

The one.

The only.

ICE CREAM.

Albertson's made the mistake of advertising Blue Bell ice cream for $2.99 for a 1/2 gallon. So last week, I decided that I wanted ice cream. And that I wanted it to be in the freezer. Danny told me I really didn't want it in the freezer. My response was that I would only eat a little bit at a time (despite me telling him throughout the whole pregnancy that I did NOT want ice cream in the freezer because I wouldn't be able to only take spoonfuls every once in a while). He snorted kinda funny-like and said, "Yeah right!" We both laughed cuz we knew he was right.

And off we went to Albertson's.

The selection was amazing! I couldn't decide if I wanted my usual cookies and cream, or something with nuts in it, or more chocolatey....in the end, we got Danny's peanut butter and chocolate ice cream desire fulfilled, and I got one with bits and pieces of various nuts, chocolate bits, and caramel bits. Chocolate Peanut Butter and Moo-lennium Crunch. Then we went home and dished some up in our wonderful ice cream bowls, courtesy of Bro. Wold from the Tempe Institute.

It. Was. A-MAAAA-ZING.

My problem was that in the days that continued, I don't think we went a single night (and still haven't) without eating a little bit (like...3/4 to 1 c. each) of our yummy ice cream. I even had to go to replace it on Tuesday night before the grocery add was up. Unfortunately for me, I had to get a rain check on the peanut butter chocolate flavor...which means that the 4 half-gallons we've invested in so far will soon turn into a solid 6.

Huzzah!

(Part of me says I should just keep eating ice cream every day until the baby comes....and then stop after that lol).

But enough about ice cream. Even though it's awesome.

Today was my 39 week check up, and considering that this entire weekend, I had Braxton Hicks contractions ranging from 10-15 minutes apart from about 6:30 each night until I woke up the next day, I was going to be severely disappointed if I hadn't progressed any further than my 2-3 weeks of 1 cm and 50% effaced.

Lucky me, I have. :D

We are now a proud 2 cm dialated, and 80% effaced, and the baby's head is engaged. Better yet, I've been having contractions that seem like they are nearing 6-8 minutes apart for the last half hour. We'll see if they last long enough to keep going. I'll try not to get your hopes up.

I'm trying to think positive, but right now, it seems like ice cream and Danny are the two happiness factors in my life right now. I'm just so impatient to meet our little man and snuggle him and watch Danny love on him and just be able to SEE him.

Today I asked the doctor if she could guesstimate about how large she thinks he might be at the moment. She said based on how he feels, she doesn't think he's any bigger than 7.5 pounds right now. Woot! I hope he gets a little bigger, but at least now I have a rough estimate that says he isn't too likely to be 9 or 10 pounds! (Of course, he could be super dense in there...)

Overall, going into the 40th week of pregnancy is feeling pretty good. I'm still probably going to have ice cream tonight, to celebrate the fact that my body has made some progress, but I'll try not to be as mopey about how much I wish the baby was here already...

Signing off 'til next time!

37, 38...Any time now...

38 weeks today!

Most current craving...chocolate almondy ice cream. It's good. Thank you BYU creamery for having your yumminess in the Deseret Book Stores. 

Adventures of the last 2 weeks...

- First trip into Triage: Wednesday of last week, I woke up feeling particularly swollen and felt like it had happened literally over night. That day I spent as much time off my feet as I could, tried to drink plenty of water and eat food, etc. But by the end of the day, I was still feeling unusually swollen and on top of that, had been having intermittent headaches that Tylenol didn't seem to alleviate at all. Called into the doctor on call at the hospital and was told to come in to have my blood pressure checked and verify that baby was doing well. (I was describing symptoms of mild preeclampsia). So into the hospital we went. Danny was extremely calm during the whole thing. I on the other hand was feeling like a nervous wreck inside. I was anxious and worried, and slightly hopeful that if I did have signs of preeclampsia, that they would end up making a call to induce labor...but mostly worried and anxious, flustered--feeling quite like I wasn't exactly ready for this baby to be here yet, but thinking that if he was coming, or they said we needed to induce labor, then I'd have to be ready. It was kind of a roller coaster of emotions.

37 week picture from last week

Everything turned out fine of course. We got in by 8:30PM and were discharged around 10:30PM. Longest 2 hours of my life lol.

I just had the pleasure of sitting completely unclothed in a hospital gown with all the fun, itchy monitors strapped around my tummy. The baby kept moving around and making these load wooshing and thumping noises in the monitor, which was neat to hear. But overall, the tiny triage room was too hot and the bed was super uncomfortable and it made me realize just WHY labor and delivery classes tell you to stay at home as long as you can when you're actually in labor. Hospitals are just not that comfortable of environments! Now, the staff was great, and the wait wasn't obnoxiously long, but still: lesson learned--I don't want to be in triage any longer than I have to be.
I'm definitely glad Danny was super relaxed though. It would have made me really uptight if he had been super worried too. Let's just hope things don't completely swap when we're actually in labor...

- Officially a full centimeter dialated as of last Thursday, and 50% effaced (just a slight increase from 36 weeks). As of today, still about the same, though maybe a little bit more dialated and effaced (just not significant enough to put a number to it).

38 week picture from today--belly shots are fun!
(Plus then you don't have to see the awkward faces
I make when I take pics of myself...)

- This baby has DROPPED! I finally have some relief from the rib kicking and the constant ache through my rib cage! AND, even better--I can eat normal sized meals again instead of just the mini-snacks I've had to have for the last few weeks because I just didn't have room in my tummy for more. Tuesday night and last night, I actually ate ALL of my dinner (I didn't have to shove half my food onto Danny's plate cuz I was too full :P) He's still quite the little mover and seems to get hiccups 3 or 4 times every day (always right before bed as well). Today he had the hiccups while the doctor checked his heart rate. Funniest noise ever!

Like the awkward face in this one....

Overall, I'm feeling pretty darn good for 38 weeks pregnant. The last few days I've been SUPER tired, but that's what naps are for! :D  My doctor asked how I was feeling today and I told him that I'd like to say I felt extremely uncomfortable or something so he'd maybe take pity on my, but realistically, I feel great. I can still walk around quickly if I need to; I have plenty of energy to do the few things I feel I would like to do; I've got more of an appetite; pregnancy is feeling pretty nice.

Of course, I would LOVE it if our baby would arrive this weekend. Labor Day weekend would be extremely cliche` but nice all the same. I'm just going to have to be patient though...no matter how hard it feels some times.

*This weekend both mine and Danny's moms will be out of town...we'll have to see if they jinx things into happening. Muuuuahahahahaha! *

Progress... :D

Today I am 36 weeks. It's THAT much closer! 

At my doctor's appointment today, I had my first pelvic exam, and the doc checked for dilation and effacement. Lovely, let me tell you. 

The good news: 

- I'm 40% effaced and about 1 centimeter dilated

- Baby is head down and no longer causing me lower back pain (I just have the urge to pee every 2 minutes)

- Danny now has a #1 Daddy navy shirt that I made today along with an "Oh Boy!" shirt for me (thanks Ashley and Susan for helping me!) 

- Baby shower was super fun and I now feel pretty much ready for our baby to arrive

- I've started making the baby book using my project life kit (if you haven't heard of project life, you should check it out at beckyhiggins.com) 

- I've made dinner every night this week! Hurray!

- There are now 3 meals that would probably serve 6 (so 2-3 days of dinner for me and Danny) in the freezer and I'll be making at least 1-2 more each week before the baby comes

- The doctor told me today that he's fine with the baby coming anytime from this point on, based on measurements and his heartbeat and everything. 

- We got a carseat/stroller! Hurray! Now we just need to install the base in the car...my goal is that we'll do that this weekend and have it checked at the fire department.

The bad news...

- I was reminded that I don't like scary thunder. At all. Last night, when the thunder crashed down over our house, I was basically jolted rudely awake, only to lie awake on edge for a good hour, occasionally jumping more at the thunder that would rumble and crack. I was so startled I rolled (yes rolled) a good 2 feet on the bed to be closer to Danny. He woke up and then we were both up, but despite the loud thunder and rain, he fell back asleep. I couldn't. It wasn't fun. 

- other than that...there isn't any bad news. :)

Overall, I'm feeling great! I'm a little anxious about labor still, and I certainly don't get the best nights' sleep even on nights where the thunder is absent, but those things are out of my control. I'm grateful to have Danny to take care of me, and help with dinner. He's excited for tonight cuz I'm making fish and that's his favorite. :D

A little doseof the 5 week perspective

35 weeks today!

This baby boy is approximately 18 or more inches long, and weighs upwards of 5-5.5 or so pounds already, and he's just gonna get BIGGER! I decided that today I'm going to just write, instead of listing everything out.

Danny and I are getting more impatient (well, I'M getting more impatient) for this boy to make his official debut. I can hardly wait to be done with the uncomfortable part of pregnancy; the whole feeling like a whale thing and whatnot. My ribs ache and I don't sleep well. I watch the inevitable stretch marks with a helplessness you can't understand until you have them and they just keep appearing...I've gotten to the point that people who haven't seen me for a while ask me how much longer I have and I say 5 weeks and they reply, "Oh, I thought it was less than that." Hahaha! I wish! All in all, yesterday, I was having quite the dose of the pregnancy blues...

But then I get a dose of what I'm going to call the 5 week perspective, and I realize I'm extremely blessed.

I say this because I talked recently with a friend who is due about a month after me and I realize I do NOT wish he would come early. Because he could be too early, and have potential health problems. Or I could have the added trial of having been in the hospital 4-5 times in my 2nd/3rd trimester for preterm labor contractions, 2-3 times in the last 2 days alone. I could be 8-10 weeks away from my due date and be told by doctors that I wasn't going to be able to sustain the pregnancy more than a week or 2. If that. I could be on bedrest instead of moving about and keeping busy to help things go by faster.

Yes. I am very fortunate indeed.

I've been blessed to have been able to go through this entire pregnancy feeling, overall, quite fantastic. I've been able to do a lot this summer, between teaching swimming lessons, decorating the baby room, and general house cleaning.

I haven't had difficulty gaining weight, and I've been able to gain weight healthily. Until a week or so ago, I was feeling pretty itty bitty as far as pregnant tummies go, and by all accounts, I still am a pretty small pregnant gal.

I feel this baby move constantly, and he and I are both doing wonderfully well since last weeks' appointment.

I have a beautiful home to live in, and the luxury of a husband with a job sufficient that I won't have to return to work after the baby is born. I have wonderful family and friends who take care of me, and who help me in so many ways, and will continue to help me after the baby is born.

My life is pretty amazing, and it's extremely selfish of me to think I have such a hard time of it, when it could be so much harder. Yes pregnancy is difficult at times, and labor still scares the heck out of me. But I'm healthy, the baby is healthy, Danny is healthy, and our due date is just getting closer. Time to jump off my own pity-train and find someone else who needs help and support more than I do. Because I can still help others, and do things for them that they can't do for themselves.

The 6 week conundrum...

How far along? 34 weeks today. only 6 more to go. (crossing fingers)

Baby:  Our little guy is roughly the size of a cantaloupe, and he is active, and strong, and a very good kicker.

Stretch marks? Yes yes, and a few more now. Apparently he doesn't have enough room lol.

Weight gain? Depressing. I think I've hit the 33 mark, and I have 6 weeks left...he's only gonna get bigger. On the plus side, I don't feel like a whale quite yet.

Sleep: Not so much fun still. I wake up at least 3 times during the night, usually to pee, but sometimes just to wake up. My comfort level while I'm sleeping is minimal it seems.

Movement: Lots of it! He's one active little bugger. He's made my tummy jiggle with his little wriggles quite often. I like watching him move, I just wish it didn't hurt as much lol. 

Cravings: Chocolate is good, but mostly I'm just content to find something to eat that sounds appetizing. Food doesn't exactly have much room to fit anymore.

Symptoms: Lower back ache--probably sciatica. Today, the doc said he thinks the baby is currently sunny side up, which isn't ideal for delivery and definitely makes my life much more painful in the lower back region. Hoping he moves and twists around before he's due to come cuz I really don't want back labor.
                      

Wedding ring on or off? :( Off. I was getting too scared of it not coming off and now I can't get it back on without feeling like it'll just stay there. I have a fake one, but my ring size is officially a bit bigger. I'll survive, but I miss my wedding ring...

Happy or moody most of the time? I'm feeling a bit more moody right now, but I think it's just the back pain talking.

Looking forward to: Seeing him and officially deciding on a name. We have one, but we wanna see him first to decide it fits. Baby shower is in a week and a half, so I can finally go crazy getting the rest of the baby supplies (aka carseat, clothes, diapers, etc.)          

Things to Stress About: Learning to be a mom. It's tough to be pregnant and take care of friends babies. I can hardly fathom doing it with my own. It's kind of scary that Danny and I will be responsible for caring for a tiny little baby.

How is the Husband Doing? He's very patient and willing to help me when I need help. He's definitely excited to finally have our baby here. I am too--who wouldn't be after this long! I can hardly wait to see him hold the baby! Please someone, hit the fast forward button on our lives so we can get to the end faster! 

And now down to 8. :D

How far along? 32 weeks. 8 weeks to go! (The 10 week mark came at a time that our kitty cat died, so I wasn't really in any emotional shape to want to blog about much...)

Baby:  My guesstimate, based on where he was last time, is that he's close to 17 in. long now, and probably weighs more like 4 pounds something ounces. If not, then the pregnancy update says he's approximately 3.75 pounds, and the size of a jicama (whatever that is...lol). He's definitely bigger and stronger...my rib cage can attest to that.

Stretch marks? Yep, still there, and I'm sure they'll stay for a while. :P

Weight gain? closer to 25 or 28 pounds now. Doctor says I'm "normal to the point of boring" and that I'm gaining weight just where I need to be right now. So I guess that's good right? I figure he's supposed to gain about 1/2 a pound a week now, so bare minimum, I probably have to gain at LEAST 5 more pounds. No bigs. :D

Sleep: I'm plagued by what feels like a constantly full bladder. It's like I never get a break! Some days, I just come home from swim lessons and take a nap cuz the previous nights' rest wasn't nearly enough.

Movement: Much stronger now! I'm pretty sure I can feel feet and his head/bum every now and then. It's pretty fun! He's also taken to stretching out, so I feel him in two or three places at once. So excited to meet him!

Cravings: Dark chocolate covered almonds. Mmmmmm....so good.

Symptoms: Heartburn has taken some toll on me. My remedy has been taking tums (which make sure I don't have constant charlie horses), and eating a breakfast of oatmeal with a little of cinnamon and honey mixed in. I haven't had a problem with heartburn since. :D
                      

Wedding ring on or off? Still wearing it, but I'm not sure I can much longer. I can pull it off if I put my hand somewhere cold in the mornings, and it's not uncomfortable to wear...so maybe I can make it to delivery...we'll see. I certainly don't FEEL swollen in my hands. lol.

Happy or moody most of the time? Happy, definitely. :D I'm enjoying being pregnant, just wish I didn't have aches and pains around my back so much, but it comes with the job description I suppose.

Looking forward to: Baby shower, shopping for things for the baby, and seeing him! I'm rooting for a week early!              

Things to Stress About: Labor and delivery. Childbirth class is great, but it's still really an unknown for me. I just want to keep learning as much as I can about it so I feel like I have some inkling of what to expect.

How is the Husband Doing? Well, besides probably being scarred for life at childbirth class (we watched a brief segment in a video of a live birth, from doctors point of view--no worries, we survived, but I certainly don't want mirrors in the delivery room lol), he's doing great! We took maternity pictures together and I feel like we're both extremely excited for this little man to finally get here. These last few weeks haven't gone by fast enough, that's for sure! I love him so much and I feel super fortunate to have him as my husband! He takes really good care of me, and will be such a fantastic father! :D