38 weeks

Ok peeps. No changes here. I still haven't heard back from the OB's office. I guess the docs aren't too concerned. The baby has been moving like crazy today and my belly has been a lumpy, lop-sided ball of fury! Sleep has been eluding me more and more.....I can't fall asleep until the wee hours and then I am up every hour like clock work to pee. I am slowly realizing that I have a strong desire for the baby to be on the outside! I am still waddling through the halls and stairwells of the hospital for work but my student has all but taken over day-to-day operations for patient treatment. I am slowing down.

The Impending Boy is supposed to have really plumped up. As we found out yesterday per the u/s, he currently weighs 7 lbs. His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. So bring on the ending......begin the waiting game!

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. --Joseph Campbell

No news....is good news?

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have no real news. My u/s was done by a tech and I am supposed to get a call from one of the docs.....at some point. The baby is supposed to weigh 7 lbs per the u/s and his head is measuring normally which means that he probably doesn't have anything scary like hydrocephalus (apparently excess amniotic fluid can be a sign of a fetal abnormality...or of nothing at all....or of gestational diabetes which has been ruled out already). I do have extra amniotic fluid but "not excessive" per the tech. Baby boys feet and scrotum looked giant (LOL) and I have pics to prove it! I guess I will wait to hear from a doc to see if they are still concerned about needing to induce me. I figured that they must not have been urgently concerned or I would have had to have met w/ an OB. Feeling pretty optimistic. Worse case scenario I may have to be induced so they can control when my membranes rupture ("water breaks") to prevent cord prolapse (cord delivery before baby), placenta abruption (placenta detaching too early depriving baby of oxygen), or baby floating into a breech position secondary to extra 'gush' of fluid....all of those scenarios would result in a c-section and are the risks w/ extra amniotic fluid. I am much less worried since that I have had a couple days to stew on things and now that I have seen our baby boy on u/s again. I'll keep everyone 'in the know' if I find out anything. Meanwhile, I will be 38 weeks pg tomorrow! Wow!

New Developments....

You'll be happy to know that I made it to Walgreen's and got cold medicine (check), and to Honda to have my tire patched AGAIN because of a screw this time (check), and to get a pedicure w/ Christmas red polish (check), and to the OB's office for my weekly appt (check). I asked a slew of questions w/ my Nancy Drew flip-up notepad in hand. I told Dr. R that our biggest worry was that there had been some debate as to whether the Impending Boy was in fact head down at this point. She confirmed that he IS head down (yeah....and the crowd goes wild). HOWEVER, he is apparently giant. I didn't ask her specifically how big but she is having me come back in 2 days for an u/s to confirm both his size and the amount of fluid in my uterus/abdomen. She is not as concerned that there is too little fluid, on the contrary she thinks that not all of my giant belly is baby but that some of it is fluid....I am retaining fluid all over! I am sporting cankles and swollen arms and hands. Where as last time I lost 3 or 4 lbs, this time I gained that and then some and she doesn't think it was just the holiday over-indulgence!

So that's where we stand! It sounds like they might move my due date closer and she did say something about determining the need for an inducement! Argh! I don't want to be induced! I feel like if I get induced then I will definitely need an epi. I will hold judgement for now but hope things look more normally sized on Wednesday! I am still not dilated but I am starting to efface (meaning my cervix is starting to thin) and baby boy's head is an station -1. The internal exam was definitely more uncomfortable this time than the previous 2 visits so I believe he is heading farther south. I guess that lit a fire under my bottom so I stopped and bought 3 nursing tanks on the way back from the OB. Brad and I will install the car seat tonight (just in case-LOL). :) I am excited and petrified all at once! It looks like our baby boy will definitely be here before Christmas if my docs have anything to do w/ it! :)

Welcome December, thanks for the head cold...

So December is here signaling all things good; Christmas; snow; cookies; hot chocolate; my unborn-but-soon-to-be-born child. Yesterday however I started to feel extra tired (I know, I know who can tell what extra tired is when you are 37 weeks pregnant). I started to get a twinge of a sinus headache. I napped excessively to compensate, to no avail. I'm sure I sawed some serious logs last night to Brad's dismay, breathing alone was not noiseless. And now today I have mucus to spare, a sore throat, and a big fat head ache. Woo hoo. At least it is snowing outside (ish). Ok so I saw like 10 flakes and I'm optimistic. :) I have yet to accomplish any of today's missions.... take car BACK to Honda bc one of my tires keeps losing air and nearly going flat, get pedicure (and come on who has to force themselves to do that but I was too tired to do it yesterday...my fear is that I will continue to put it off and will then go into labor w/ neglected feet for all to see), and head to the OB this afternoon for my weekly appt. I am also grumpy. Brad can attest to this. I will be adding "stop at Walgreens for pregnancy-friendly cold medicine" to my mission list for today. Ok so the self-pity is out there now. I feel better to have vented (mostly). I am now leaving the house to check off my to do list for the day. At least there's Christmas music in the car..... gotta love Christmas music!

Weeks 36 and 37...bizarre dreams abound..

Still playing catch up here.....During week 36, our baby boy was supposed to weigh around 6 lbs according to my readings.....HOWEVER, my OB estimated that at 36 weeks our little one was actually around 6 1/2 lbs! The doc told me all my aching is normal, which I assumed, and that while I was not dilated, the baby was heading south as planned. What he didn't tell me, and I later found out at my 37 week check up, is that there was some question at my 36 week exam whether baby boy is head down or not. Apparently even if they tell you that your baby is at "station -2" that refers only to "the presenting part"...and that presenting part can be the head, butt, or feet. Not sure what the Impending Boy's "presenting part" is just yet. I am guessing that if there is still debate about this in the coming weeks then we may have to have an u/s to verify the part in question. LOL.

Week 37 means the Impending Boy is officially full-term! If he were born today, his lungs and everything else should be ready for the outside world! What a relief! It seems that my pregnancy is now in fast forward! Where has the time gone? I am anxious to hold him in the outside world but will surely miss rubbing the swell of my giant belly and feeling him kick and roll on the inside. *sniff* After reading my pregnancy book last night, I had a flood of bizarre dreams involving delivery....namely a self-performed c-section (in which my mom and I took turns being the one w/ the gaping abdominal wound) which went off w/o a hitch until it came time to delivery the placenta and I realized that I truly have no idea how that goes down during a c-section....and after I glued my abdomen closed I realized that I had left the scalpel in the incision and could feel it through my skin. Mental note to self, DO NOT read pregnancy books before hitting the hay. (P.S. Our version was not nearly as sophisticated as this depiction).

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I am guessing all would agree that my dreams are a manifestation of my anxiousness about labor and delivery. Fully acknowledged! :) Especially since my OB's office is estimating that the Impending Boy is going to be in the 8 1/2 lb range by the time I deliver! Yowzer! My MIL's last, teary words as she departed this weekend to return to Memphis were "Take the drugs!". She said she didn't want me to suffer too much if I have a giant baby! Very sweet of her I thought. I am still hoping for an unmedicated labor and delivery. I am not going to rule out the need for some form of medicated pain relief. I'll discuss that at Monday's OB visit. In the meantime, I plan to pop out for a pre-delivery pedicure today and save some of that worry for later. I've been listening to some relaxation and delivery visualization CD's and brushing up on my yoga-based breathing strategies. We shall see if any of that comes in handy during L & D. It's nice to know that medications are available and I won't beat myself up if I can't make it through L & D w/o them. My only hope and prayer is that our baby boy gets here safe and sound!

“Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.”
--Samuel Butler

35 weeks

Exhaustion should be the theme of week 35. :) I have given up sleeping. I'm achy. I have the hips of an 80 y.o. woman. I am currently sitting at the island in my kitchen feeding the dog left-over waffles from dinner...yep I had waffles for dinner. Brad wanted some sort of Mexican-themed dinner but since I had heartburn this morning after eating a blueberry Eggo waffle and apple sauce, I thought Mexican was perhaps not a wise move. So he went out for tacos for himself and a gallon of milk for me. Here is a cute pic of him instead of me from this evening.

In other news, I went to the OB on Wednesday and the doc said I'm doing just fine. My cervix is soft but not dilated. I was swabbed for strep....no news is good news and since I haven't heard back from the office I assume that culture was negative. According to my readings, baby boy is pushing 5 1/4 pounds and 18 inches long. He is running out of room to move around but still kicking me like it's his job. His kidney's are fully developed and his liver is processing waste now... the coming is month is primarily for weight gain and complete lung development.

Meanwhile back at the uterus, I am supposed to be having frequent urination (check), heartburn (check), and "gastrointestinal distress" (check...LOL). Plus I am enjoying a general achy/crampy pelvic area, which the OB confirmed was normal, and edema in my ankles and feet despite my, less than religious, wearing of the sexy compression stockings (insert cat call and wolf whistle). This weekend we are supposed to attend a first time parents class/orientation for our pediatrician's office and head to Hodgenville, KY (2.5 hours away and birthplace of Abe Lincoln) to join in a Thanksgiving celebration w/ my extended family @ my g-ma's nursing home. This is my last trip over 1 hour until after baby boy arrives.....per OB advice. Monday it's back to the OB office for my now weekly visit. The OB mentioned that most first babies arrive around 1 week late. Prepare yourselves for a Christmas baby folks. I do love Christmas......

P.S. I received 3 surprise gifts from some of the nurses, social workers, and recreational therapists that I work w/ after one of my morning meetings!! Baby boy added to his stylish wardrobe w/ some 3 months and up clothes (yeah! he won't be naked after he outgrows his newborn stuff!!), not to mention a beautiful picture frame, wipes, baby wash, lotion, and socks! Thanks again to all! :)

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 ~