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.....

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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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

6 months! (24 weeks)

My how time flies when when you are pregnant! I can't believe I am 6 months along. Baby Boy is growing like a weed. He is supposed to be at least a foot long by now and if he gained the 4 oz predicted by my pregnancy book in the last week then he is a whopping 1 lb 10 oz about now (the doctor said he weighed 1 lb 6 oz last week per our u/s)! Slow down baby you're going to be huge! His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon (unless he takes after me and then he will stay pasty white bordering on translucent indefinitely!).

Meanwhile back at the uterus, the dizziness has slowed down thanks to the anti-vertigo medication my GP, Dr. T, prescribed. Official diagnosis: labrythitis w/ vertigo. I only had to take the meds for 2 days and now I only need them if I get room spinning dizziness. Basically if I avoid quick head turning movements then I am golden. :) Pregnancy wise, my uterus is supposed to be the size of a soccer ball by now and my belly is definitely reflective of that....I have begun to get ridiculous comments like "Only 6 months??!! Are you having twins?!" and "You're all belly!" from my co-workers, patients, and their families. I assure you there's only one in there and I am tempted to start carrying a picture of a 9 months pregnant lady to assure everyone that I have a reasonably normal sized pg belly and that I will get a lot bigger! :)

The Cathey household has been all about nesting this week. I decided that I wanted to purge some of our misc. crap and generally clean and rearrange things. Papa Bear (aka Brad) is a little tired of my 'honey do' lists, although I have been doing some serious manual labor myself (and he had a reprieve 2 nights this week in the form of bowling to practice for next week's start to his company's corporate league). I have been sorting, donating to goodwill, and putting clothes that are hopeless for the remaining warm weather in containers in the basement for storage....our poor washer has been running non-stop.....if it is made of cloth (linens, throw rugs, jackets, dog beds, etc) then I washed it this week. I still have some closets to tackle and further organization to do but the house will easily be ready for baby if we are come December! :)

Behold!!! This is a BEFORE picture of the nursery! It was previously Brad's office and now holds only his desk and 2 PC's which will be moved out of there tomorrow when our friends Mike and Jennifer come up in the morning! I am so excited by the progress!

I am going to go look at nursery bedding tonight! I have been browsing online but haven't found anything I really like (everything is too busy and theme-y) except a set at Pottery Barn Kids that was really simple (polka-dots on one side, oxford stripe on the other side) that turned out to be $500 for a bumper pad and crib skirt!!!!!!!!! Wow! I better hit the pavement if we are going to find anything we like for a more reasonable price! I'll keep you updated. And I know, I know... I'll try to take and post a belly pic soon!

“Change is the essence of life.

Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”

Nesting begins.....

This weekend was a balance of a lot of work and a lot of rest. Saturday I rested a lot, did a little housework, and watched Brad continue to work on a two-tiered retaining wall/planter. Today on the other hand, I got a bee in my bonnet about sprucing up the house! Brad returned to Lowe's for more bricks and finished the lovely planter. I had him take a can of paint (that we bought off the reject shelf last year for $6) back to Lowe's to have it shaken and set about painting the powder room on the first floor! It is sort of a grey-ish periwinkle color. I realized I needed to have taken a before shot after I had already started the trim but you get the idea. It looks great! (And for any of you Nervous Nellies out there it was non-toxic, low odor paint, I had all the windows on the first floor open, the exhaust fan going in the bathroom and a giant fan pulling air/fumes out of the bathroom). The first set of pictures shows my handy work.

The next pic is of the laundry room which I decided needed to be painted too (again in a lovely shade of reject....this time chocolate). I have only completed about a third of the laundry room because I need to take down the shelving and Brad needs to move the washer and dryer out for me. So I will save some fun for tomorrow! Apparently, I am also advertising Tide.

The last pic is of the finished retaining wall/planter that Brad built! I am so proud of him and it looks awesome!!! I can't wait to get an ornamental tree to plant there this fall! That unruly holly bush is going to go though we don't know what will replace it. Weeding around it is a pain (literally). I would love to go for some hydrangea bushes but I don't know how they will fare in our mostly sunny west facing front yard. New construction=no mature trees=no shade. We are going to also plant some 'real trees', as Brad likes to say, this fall in the front and back yard.

So all this activity means nesting has begun. Since we are finding out the sex of the baby next Saturday (if the little monkey is cooperative), I think we both want to try to get some projects out of the way before the nursery task is upon us. I think I will be limited to the next 2 and a half months for climbing in chairs to paint walls and hang curtains (and as previously mentioned I am a control freak and need to have my hands in everything!). My mom is coming up next weekend to witness the unveiling of the genitals (LOL) and to teach me how to use my sewing machine. I have had it 2 years and it has only been out of the box once! I don't think I even remember how to load the bobbin or make the simple pillows that were my first and only project! My goal is bibs and a quilt. My mom is going to show me the ropes and then help me machine piece a quilt for the baby that I will later hand quilt (my mom is a very talented quilter!). In the mean time, I have to finish painting the laundry room and put my wreck of a house back in human-inhabitable form! But not tonight.....yawn!

A ship under sail and a big-bellied woman,
Are the handsomest two things that can be seen common.
~Benjamin Franklin