History in the making....week 34

Note the exhausted, unkempt look I have. LOL.
And yes I plan to live in this sweater coat for the remainder of my pregnancy.
It hides a multitude of sins......

This has been a history changing week. Even those who loath the policies of the president elect can't deny the significance of his election. I am hopeful about the world my child will be born into, despite the raging wars and crap economy. Plus baby boy got to vote in-utero. Enough about that, God knows everyone deserves some respite from politics.....

Our baby boy now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. You'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine.

Meanwhile back at the uterus, by this week, fatigue has set in again but not with the same coma-like intensity of my first trimester. Given the physical duress my body is under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning while trying to get comfortable I guess it is to be expected. Supposedly now is the time to slow down and save up my energy for labor day (and beyond) but full-time employment sort of puts a damper on that theory. Fortunately, I do have a student right now (for whom I will be doing a mid-term review tomorrow) who is my loyal grunt (I mean that fondly....doubly so if you're reading this Whitney) so don't pity me too much because I have been taking it very easy . I did find it humorous to read that if I've been sitting or lying down for a long time I'm not supposed to jump up too quickly because blood can pool in my feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in blood pressure that can make me feel dizzy....I assure you that I am unlikely to do any jumping in the next 6 weeks unless the chair I'm in catches on fire. I am still cruising the halls and stairwells of the hospital and taking the 1/2 mile walk to the parking lot but poor Henry hasn't enjoyed one of our double laps around the 1 mile lake trail in more than a week. My speed walker pace has slowed and I find it difficult to get up and down from our way-too-soft couch.

Lastly, I have lists for my lists by now. I am planning for everything imaginable all at once. I have a list of pre-baby things, a list of pre-Thanksgiving things, and a Christmas shopping list. I dream of sleeping in but when it comes right down to it I know that my general discomfort would prevent any such aspirations. So for now, seeing the impending boy in just 6 short weeks is my big motivator. I plan to take full advantage of Brad's unimpaired mobility and get all those lists checked off. You'll all be happy to know that the impending boy has an immediate place to sleep when he gets home as I borrowed a bassinet from my friend Jenn W (who has a 1 month old baby boy herself...Patrick). Here is a pic of Patrick..... (baby Republican and lamentor of the election results)....

Here are a couple of pics of the bassinet Patrick's mom, Jenn W let me borrow....

In other news, my niece Lilly turned 5.....

Brad and I carved some awesome pumpkins...of course he had to out do me.....

And we attended a Halloween party.....which, btw, that is water on my shirt from bobbing for apples NOT booze.


So that's a week in the life of a very pregnant chick. This weekend we plan to check a few things off the pre- lists and receive a visit from our friends Mike and Jennifer who can hopefully be roped into some baby and/or Christmas shopping and curtain hanging. :) Next Wednesday afternoon is my OB appt which includes a pelvic exam (woohoo...not). In the meantime, the impending boy is kicking me furiously and I am too tired to stay awake so more blogging and sock matching will have to wait for another time. Good night all!

33 weeks

We are chugging along! Holy Cow 33 weeks!!! My head is swirling w/ all there is left to get in place (or those things I think are necessary now that I will inevitably laugh at myself for later). BTW, still no crib or baby room furniture (uh-hmm...Chad and Danielle--bro and SIL-- are supposed to be handing the crib off but as a back up I am headed to Shelbyville on Monday to borrow a bassinet from a friend).

I had an OB appt on Tuesday which was virtually uneventful. I lost 3 lbs thanks to decreasing my sodium and wearing very attractive compression stockings to combat cankles. The doc also reported that Baby Boy is still head down and growing on par. According to my readings, the Impending Boy is supposed to be just over 4 lbs and 17 inches long, about the size of a pineapple. He's supposed to be rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal (ouch). (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance...double ouch!)

Meanwhile back at the uterus, I am now officially waddling unless I make a conscious effort to do otherwise and I have had edema in my hands and feet off and on. I am now sporting a plain silver band instead of my engagement ring and wedding band and, as previously mentioned, I am now the not-so-proud owner of an attractive pair of compression stockings for my lower legs and feet. My BP is still low/normal (at last OB appt it was 110/62) so fortunately the edema is not likely a symptom of pre-eclampsia or toxemia. I have only had 2 or 3 false/BH contractions since last week so everything is on the up and up. I accomplished washing the majority of the baby clothes and linens that we have acquired or been gifted (thanks again everyone!!!) but still have many household "honey do" projects I would like to see done before the baby gets here. We shall see how much will get finished considering my somewhat limited physical abilities as of lately. Poor Brad will have to do the dirty work I suspect. :)

On a completely unrelated note, we had our annual pumpkin carving party w/ some family and friends this past Saturday and here are some resulting pics....

BTW, I am carving a Dracula Mickey Mouse pumpkin...scary!


Brad didn't actually carve a pumpkin but instead acted as seating for
Kaylee (left) and Lilly's (right) viewing of Aladdin.


This is the chaos that was the pumpkin carving portion of the evening.


Henry was a little overwhelmed by the whole thing and tried to lay low to avoid
scoldings for walking through pumpkin guts and licking people in the face.

This week has actually dragged on because of all the special projects I've had going on at work! Thank goodness I have a student who is nearly able to fly solo so that the next month and a half it is still possible for me to manage the physical demands of patient treatment! Next week marks the start of my decreased work schedule and it couldn't start soon enough for me! I will be off on Mondays for the rest of my pregnancy. Hopefully this will allow me to get some much needed extra rest and to accomplish all the crazy last minute things I need to do. I am sure the remaining 7 weeks will be gone in a flash. Fortunately, I will have a wonderful baby boy in my arms at the finish line. I think it's time to start a birthday poll.....

8 months/32 weeks!

Henry checking out the nursery...I bet he keeps wondering
why he's not allowed to hang out in this room.

Brad's handy work! :) He and his dad (future 'Poppy' to the impending boy) finished the chair rail a couple of weekends ago. And Brad put up the blinds this past Sunday.

Wow! My pregnancy is flying by! I can't believe our baby boy is practically here! To celebrate hitting the 8 months pg mark today, I decided to have Braxton Hicks contractions off and on last night! Woo-hoo! No worries though. I called the OB office this morning and they told me to drink 2-3 glasses of water and lie down on my left side for 2 hours and call them back w/ an update. I haven't had any since 8 am and so I am out of bed but still at home. Now I am supposed to drink a glass of water every hour and call the OB's office if the BH contractions come back 4 or more in an hour. So I think this was a little reality check for Brad and I about how little time we have left before baby gets here....and how much there is to do! LOL! At least I accomplished 1 thing today....we picked a pediatrician's group! We are waiting to hear back from them but they did say they are taking new patients so I think we're 'in'.

At 32 weeks, the impending boy is continuing to fatten up and grow 'real' hair and nails. He is also supposed to be taking up lots of room in the 'ol uterus so amniotic fluid volume is decreasing. Meanwhile back at the uterus, I am supposed to be having heartburn and shortness of breath because my uterus is pushing up against my diaphragm as well as sleeplessness related to back pain. I've had some of all that but last night's events took the cake. I had had some one off BH contractions a few times at work but never more than one in one day and especially not 5 or 6 in a night. Fortunately they weren't painful just weird to have my belly turn rock hard every so often. So the excitement is building.....

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities.

Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.

--Gloria Steinem

29, 30, and 31 weeks......

This is the promised catch-up post! We went to Findlay Market in Cincinnati this morning! We toured all the booths, sampling as we went and had a yummy brunch involving a divine Belgian waffle and a savory filled crepe! We bought homegrown tomatoes and asparagus, Parmesan cheese from Argentina, and chicken chorizo! Plus it was 2 1/2 hours of free entertainment. Here are some pics from this morning w/ a good friend from work and her family that accompanied us to the market. It was a perfect fall day...cool and sunny. Heavenly!

This is Brad making silly faces while we sat outside at the market enjoying the weather, people watching, and listening to a little live bluegrass music.
Here is Alana (my friend Jen Gale's dtr) and I in a self-portrait thanks to my freakishly long arms! LOL! :) Isn't she a doll!

This is Zach (Jen G's son) enjoying his photo op.

Overall, the market didn't disappoint! I would love to hit it on a Saturday when there are more booths open! I have big plans to return for some homemade adouille sausage for our Cathey family Thanksgiving weekend when there is talk of jambalaya after we tire of leftover turkey. I'll be sure to share the recipe if I am permitted by my BIL, Dale, who originally shared it w/ me!

On to the pregnancy update!! I have been a major slacker and busy lady so here is a recap of weeks 29, 30, and 31 weeks! In week 29, the impending boy was around 15 inches long and his melon was growing to accommodate is continually developing brain. He was sucking up nutrients, namely calcium to help harden his skeleton and kicking me like crazy. In week 30, baby boy was around 16 inches long. His eye sight was continuing to develop although it will still be very limited for sometime after his birth. Because baby boy has been increasingly active, I have had more and more trouble sleeping (although I can't blame his kung-fu for all my sleeplessness as I have been enjoying achy hips and knees and tingly arms and hands in the wee hours as well). During week 30, I was also supposed to expect increased clumsiness (but honestly who could tell considering my baseline clumsiness!!) and mood swings (Brad was quick to nod in agreement when I mentioned this one to him....that was really not in his best interest! LOL.). Also, Brad and I took our baby care basics class on Oct 2nd and got some practical advice and hands on practice w/ diapering, swaddling, and soothing. I'll report back in a few months on the effectiveness of that class!

Finally, here in week 31, the impending boy is supposed to be heading into a growth spurt! He is supposed to be plumping up and moving like crazy. I can definitely attest to the increase in movement! Previously, I could feel him randomly during the day and at night while I was resting, however now I feel him constantly! He is extremely active and even showed off for the doc at my OB appt this week! I have now seen all 7 of the OB's in our group and can honestly say that I am only impressed by 3 of them. This weeks doc, Dr. R, was amongst the favorites. She could palpate baby boys head-down position and was pleased to feel his strong kicks on the north end of my abdomen during the Doppler. I showed her my cankles, to which she jokingly told me the only solution for that was delivery but advised me to watch my sodium intake (hmm.. soup nearly daily at lunch is probably not a good thing, huh?) and gave me a prescription for an attractive pair of compression stockings since I am on my feet the better part of work days. My BP was nice and low so no worries there.

We are continuing the pre-baby home improvement/nesting (apparently that never ends). We bought blinds for the nursery last night and, after Brad finishes adding top soil to the flower beds, we should be installing them today! Next weekend, my family and a few friends from Louisville are scheduled to descend upon our home for our annual pumpkin carving party and my older bro , Chad, and SIL are supposed to be bringing us our crib! It is a hand-me-down from my youngest niece, Lilly, and we still need to find a matching dresser or changing table in order to fully organize the impending boys room! It is maple and since I have been looking for furniture in that tone/finish, I have come to realize it is pretty unique! Ugh! Babies R' Us only has 1 dresser in that finish! I am going to try out 2 children's consignment stores in search of a match but may end up w/ a white one instead. I have decided on simple white, lined curtains to add light-control beyond the blinds as well as insulation since baby boy will arrive at the start of winter!

So everyone is now up to speed and I vow to be more punctual w/ my updates in the future! I have hit the point in my pregnancy where I see the OB every 2 weeks instead of every month! I am a little shocked by the speed at which my pregnancy is flying by and can't believe the impending boy will be here so soon! In the meantime, here is a pic of me from today...and yes the belly is full and round!

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Third Trimester: 7 months/28 weeks

I am officially in my third trimester! Wow! Unbelievable! The Impending Boy is kicking and moving like crazy!
By this week, our baby boy is supposed to weigh around two and a quarter pounds and measure 14-15 inches from the top of his head to his heels.....I fear he may exceed those text book expectations. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. He should be able to see the light that filters in through my belly. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.


Meanwhile back at the uterus, I'm in the home stretch!
I had my glucose tolerance test and complete blood count labs done last week and since the OB said "No news is good news" and I haven't heard back from them I assume I am in the clear on those things (woo hoo for no anemia or gestational diabetes!). Since my blood type is O+, I don't have to worry about getting the injections of Rh immunoglobulin. And I have just about kicked my lingering cough and cold! Life is good! :) We are continuing to work on the nursery and have half the chair rail up awaiting wood putty and touch up paint....more on that later. Brad and I are 99% sure we will be enrolling the Impending Boy in the childcare center that has recently been completed IN our neighborhood---how convenient is that!!??!!?? (I will be returning to work 3 days/week after a 10 week maternity leave). I visited the center, "Abby's", during it's open house on Wednesday night and then met Brad there this afternoon to tour it again. I may tour some other centers next week. After that I will start the search for a pediatrician! The 'Boy' is needy already! LOL! :)

Well, I have a feeling the next few months will fly by! I initiated Christmas shopping this evening and plan to have it all completed by mid-November. We have weekend plans throughout October and November so we will have to complete home improvement projects and baby prep on week day evenings. You can't imagine the mental and literal "to do" lists I have! I plan to spend December, before baby's arrival, relaxing a bit if I can help it!

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
~ Melody Beattie ~

Nursery in progress.....

Brad and I painted the walls in the nursery today! I did pretty darn well considering my coughing and congestion (and of course swollen belly!). Brad let me shower and nap while he cleaned up and took care of dinner! What a good husband! :)

As you can see, we still need to put up the chair rail (actually we still need to buy it, paint it, and put it up!). And then we will be ready for light blocking shades and curtains (and the CRIB).

We are undecided on the wall decor at this time, however I have my eye on several prints from the http://www.etsy.com/ website! My new favorite site to browse. Great handmade stuff! People should expect Christmas gifts from there this year.....shh!

The only part we did not paint was the closet! My SIL, Natalie, told me not to forget to paint the closet a few months back but honestly all the baby stuff is in there so maybe she can paint it for me on Thanksgiving when she comes to visit! LOL! (Just Kidding!!).

So the nursery is still a work in progress but it is coming along nicely. I will keep you all up to date and post pics when we make changes! :) I can't wait for the impending boy to get here and enjoy his adorable room!

Feathering the nest....

Nest feathering continues. We have been in our house for nearly 3 yrs. During that time, our large and lovely kitchen has been bare. We have a giant island but no barstools to sit at it. We have a nice breakfast nook w/ a bay window but no table (we do have a beautiful dining room table but w/ a carpeted dining room I fear feeding our impending child in there will get messy). So I ordered barstools for the island to start (see pic on left). I plan to order a casual black dining set for the breakfast nook next. If we can get all our pictures and curtains hung, I may be satisfied w/ our 'nest'.. at least for the time being. Of course we still have to paint the baby's room.....and repaint the living room.....and...

"Nesting Instinct

Around the fifth month of pregnancy, the "nesting" instinct can set in. This is an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world.

Females of the animal kingdom are all equipped with this same need. It is a primal instinct. Just as you see birds making their nests, mothers-to-be do exactly the same thing. The act of nesting puts you in control and gives a sense of accomplishment toward birth. You may become a homebody and want to retreat into the comfort of home and familiar company, like a brooding hen."
http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/nesting_instinct.htm

Baby Bedding......

As planned and previously mentioned in the post from earlier today, Brad and I went shopping for baby bedding. To my surprise, we were successful! We hit BRU and Target and Target won out! Here are some pictures of our loot.....

This is the quilt (above)...totally unnecessary because you aren't supposed to put it in the crib w/ the baby but very cute none the less and of course part of the package deal that is a crib set.

This is the bumper pad (above). One of the reasons we like this set is because the bumper pad is not completely covered in cartoon characters, the 3 you see in this shot are the total sum of them.

Since the bedding has been purchased, I fore see painting in our near future. Brad really has his heart set on green and blue w/ white chair rail (I am am not joking...do not laugh...he really has an opinion on this subject and I am happy for his interest...in fact he didn't care about the bedding so much as long as it fit his blue and green criteria). A couple of years ago when my BFF, Jennifer, was pregnant w/ Nate, Brad and I helped paint their nursery that way and Brad has always said that he would like to paint our future nursery the same way (you're welcome for the 'imitation is the best form of flattery', excellent taste compliment Jenn). So Lowe's here we come! :)

Shopping is a woman thing.
It's a contact sport like football.
Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds,
the danger of being trampled to death,
and the ecstasy of the purchase.
-- Erma Bombeck

5 months: 20 weeks

2o weeks! Our baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium aka poo.

Meanwhile back at the uterus, I've hit the halfway mark in my pregnancy! The top of my uterus is about level with my belly button. I should expect to gain another pound or so each week from now on. And I'm supposed to make sure that I'm getting enough iron to keep up with my expanding blood volume, as well as for growing baby boy and my placenta.

We had our first childbirth education class this morning. It was save-a-baby CPR. Very helpful I think. And very different from the health care provider CPR class I take every year. We will be taking a whole series of these first time parent classes over the next several months (Lamaze, infant care basics, breast feeding, etc.). What's more, I am starting to shift into planning mode and am beginning to worry about holiday shopping and all the events of the last quarter of the year during which time I will be verging on enormous. We are expecting a very exciting end to the year!