33 weeks

How far along? 33 weeks!
Total weight gain:two pounds since my appt two weeks ago.

Maternity clothes? Yes. I LOVE all the color that's out this season (rows and rows of colored pants in stores!) so I'm missing "normal" clothes, haha

Stretch marks? yes, and they are multiplying

Sleep? I am sleeping better! Sometimes I still can't fall asleep until 3am, but then I sleep late the next day (Oh! Good morning, 10am) and that day flies by, so that's okay too. I'm still using the bathroom five times a night, but I fall back to sleep easily and sleep in long chunks of time. Also, my body isn't super achey when I do wake up. Besides some intense Braxton-Hicks contractions, I've hit a sweet spot with my sleeping patterns. :)

Best moment this week? Watching Drew be happy and precious during the sonogram. Getting a sneak peek makes me feel like I'm already starting to learn him, and that makes me so very happy!

Miss Anything? sure, a few things (probably several), but I'm actually enjoying being pregnant and soaking up these last few special weeks. =)

Movement? Yep! Not quite as much as last week, but I definitely still feel him wiggling and occasionally kicking and punching. Sometimes when I'm lying on my side, I can feel him banging on the insides of my ribs. It's almost like being hit on the funny bone...such a strange sensation!

Food cravings: haven't really craved much, but I guess I've been wanting chocolate more than usual

Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!

Gender: BOY!

Labor Signs: not yet

Symptoms: BH contractions, get tired easily

Wedding rings on or off? Off. But I've been getting lots of compliments on my fake ring. haha!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Mostly happy! :)

Looking forward to: our last roadtrip as a family of three! We are going to Austin this weekend to see our families. It's our last chance to get to leave town, since the doctors like you to be within an hour of the hospital for the last month of pregnancy.

33wks Sono and Doc appt

Tuesday I had a doctor appointment and my last scheduled 4-D sonogram. (I suppose I could have another sono, but it would be because the doctor ordered it, not just for leisure.) Both the sonogram and the appointment went very very well, and I left a super giddy girl. I've been so lucky that Zac got to go to most of my appointments with me. He didn't want to miss any of the early ones, plus his old boss encouraged him to go. Then most of my pregnancy was over the summer and he was off work, so naturally he attended all of those. So I think yesterday was only the second or third appointment I went to alone. (Mom accompanied me once, and Ramsi once.) I didn't mind being alone, but during the sono, I was wishing someone else was with me to see how incredibly cute Drew is. :) 

Erin, my sonographer kept saying how "content" he looked. He was a happy camper, just living the life. His body had turned, so his head is now down low, in the "correct birthing position." Of course this doesn't matter much, since I'm having cesarean, but it might have been why we got such great pictures. :) He had a full tummy and bladder (I love seeing those black circles on the screen...I think it's so cool to see that he's already doing stuff he'll need to be doing on the 'outside.') She measured his skull and femur and he's currently 4 pounds and 8 ounces. She pulled up a little chart and he's in the 30th percentile, so not too big or too small, just average. He's projected to weigh in the high sixes, or a low seven pounds at birth. His heart rate was 146. Now for the fun stuff: he still LOVES having his hands near his face. In the 20 minutes I got to watch him, he rubbed his eyes, sucked on his fist, held onto his nose and chin, and just played a lot with his hands near his face. Precious! He opened and closed his eyes a lot, and that was really neat to see. We saw a huge smile once, and I felt a hot tear roll down my cheek. It might sound weird, but it's almost a little painful to watch these sonograms, because he feels so close, yet SO far away! :) I can't wait to hold him and meet him and kiss him and learn him! I do already know he likes to suck! His bottom jaw and lips were constantly moving and sucking, whether there was a fist nearby or not. I think he will like a pacifier...if he's not already addicted to his thumb. He sucked his thumb a lot too.

Hand rubbing eyes

"he looks so content"

more hands in the face..."hey mom, I found my chin!"

profile shot of him sucking away

After the sono was my appointment, which was also great. I saw one of my doctor's partners for the first time, and REALLY liked him a lot. (He's actually the doctor I originally wanted, who has an amazing reputation in Dallas, but he had a loooong wait time to get in with him, and I was already pregnant when I was ready to be seen, so I chose my doc instead...who also had good ratings and has been wonderful.) When Dr. Harris walked in, he gave me the biggest smile and said it was SO NICE to FINALLY meet me. I was a little confused, and then he said he opened my file to look over it, and couldn't put it down because I had a 'very interesting background,' obviously referring to my medical history. :) He asked if we were planning a c-section and when I told him yes, he smiled and said "that's the way to go." In fact, he had just (in the past month) performed a second c-section on a woman with a j-pouch (that's what I have!) and it went great. He warned me that the small bowel is slow to wake up after surgery, so when I start eating, do so slowly, to avoid nausea. I hadn't thought about it yet, but it makes perfect sense, so I was so glad he gave me this little heads up. :) I really really liked this doctor a lot! He kept telling me how healthy I look, and how my physical appearance didn't match my medical history, and how everything is on target, and I've done a great job of nourishing my baby, and all these other nice encouraging words. He seemed truly honored to meet little-old-me, and made me feel so special. I love my doctor so much, but I totally wouldn't be bummed if this guy ended up doing my delivery. :) Sidenote- He went to UT and loves Austin and the longhorns! :) Actually, I've interacted with 3 of the 4 doctors in the practice and been impressed by all of them. And I'm a girl who knows how to judge a doctor, haha! The 4th doctor (whom I haven't met) is one of my friends' OB, whom she adores, so I know I'd probably like him too! I am so pleased with the practice I chose! :) If anyone out there reading this is looking for a doctor in Dallas, let me know!
Also-I did't have any protein in my urine and my BP was 108/60, so no signs of preeclampsia! Yay!

Sidekicks

This morning I made pancakes for the second Saturday in a row. After eating and doing dishes, Molly and I got back in bed (where I'm blogging from my iPhone right now). Molly has started this new thing where she waits for me to lay on my side, then curls up in a ball right by my tummy. Drew kicks and kicks her. I truly don't believe it's coincidental, because the kicks are all in the same exact place (when they're usually all over), and they're right on Molly. Maybe it's because he can feel her warmth, or maybe she lies there because she can feel his. I don't know the science behind it, but I think they're already bonding, and I love it. The first time it happened I thought Molly would move when he started kicking, but she leaned in and pushed her weight more against me! :) I know it's probably not a conscious decision by either of them to hang out with the other, but they are communicating. And for some reason, they already have a special connection. Makes me one happy Mama! I wish I could get a neonatologist or veterinarian to explain to me what's going on, but whatever the cause, it's pretty darn cute!

Friday letters, (my pregnancy must-haves edition)

Here is my first Friday Letters, which also doubles as my recent must-haves...

Dear Clinique Long Last Glosswear-
Thanks for being the perfect amount of color and shine. I love how you stay on my lips for hours, unlike any other gloss I use. I also appreciate that you are SPF 15...pregnant women are sensitive to the sun, ya know.

Dear Sonic Limeade with extra lime, you are the perfect afternoon pick me up. The cold, the citrus, the caffeine-free carbonation...perfect summertime treat for me!

Dear Thermos, you are my number one favorite item in the world these days! We are best friends, and I never go anywhere without you. I love your double stainless-steel walls and vacuum insulation that keeps my water super cold! I love how I can go shopping and leave my ice water in the car, and come out two hours later, to a scorching hot car, but STILL have ice in my drink! You are the best and everyone deserves to have one. Especially in Texas, in the summer, and especially if you don't want to use a million plastic water bottles all day long, and worry about ingesting carcinogens. ;) Thermos, you make me a happy girl. Thank you.

 

Dear Vicks humidifier- You are kind of loud, and I like to sleep in silence (no fans or white noise or TV for this girl), but you help me breathe, so that makes me like you. I was so stopped up my first trimester, and now I am again. Thank you for making it easier to breathe, and thank you for not having a filter that I have to change out. Also, no offense, but I've registered for this humidifier for Drew's room. It's much prettier, don't you think?

wacky worries

A friend suggested that I write down all of the crazy thoughts and worries I have, for I might never have them again. (hopefully!) I feel like some of them are typical "expectant mom" worries or fears, but some are just ridiculous, and I can laugh about some of them when I'm not in the middle of stressing about them. :) So here are my deepest darkest thoughts....

-I don't want things to change for Molly. Sometimes I get really sad that she's not going to be an only child anymore. I don't want her to be sad, or feel slighted, or have any negative feelings whatsoever. I'm her mom...it's my job to protect her from ever hurting, and now we are the ones doing it to her. She's been an only child for almost ten years (can you believe she'll be ten in December?) and it's going to be strange for her to have to share our attention. I'm sure she will adjust fine, and I know she is amazing with kids. I guess I just feel guilty that we are rocking her world so incredibly. I love that little dog with everything in me, and I'd be a wreck if we broke her sweet loving heart.

-I want to be in control. (I know! That's shocking, right!?) The glorious thing about a c-section is getting to know exactly when I will have him and be completely prepared, but I still feel like I could be surprised and go into labor unprepared, and ohmygosh what if there is dirty laundry at my house? I don't want to come home from the hospital to that. I realize I need to release this "the house must be perfect and spotless when we leave for the hospital" dream, because even if we go the planned cesarean route, I'm sure the house will not ever be spotless and ready for baby.

-How much do we carry in to the hospital when we walk in? Do we leave stuff in the car and then go back and get it when I get my own room? (I planned on asking this at c-section class on Monday, so I could check it off the "I wonder..." list, but I forgot. I'll ask my doctor.)

-The ride home from Dallas is going to be so uncomfortable! When I was in high school and had abdominal surgery, the five minute ride home from the hospital is one of my worst memories. I felt like I was going to open up and spill my insides all over the car. Gross, sorry, but it's a very vivid memory I have. I'm pretty sure I made my mom drive ten miles an hour, and I still felt like I was on a roller coaster! I'm already dreading the 30 minute drive home with my fresh incision.

-Where is everything going to go? Our house feels like it is getting smaller and smaller and smaller.With all of this baby stuff (which I love) I feel like there's not room for my stuff. It was also hard that we converted "MY pink room" which had the most amount of crafts and keepsakes and memories, (and okay, junk), so a lot of that had to go, or move elsewhere. There's only so much storage in a home, and when you empty the room that's used as storage, all of a sudden you have to find new places (closets, other bedrooms, garage, etc) for all that stuff.

-What if something goes wrong with the camera and we don't get any pictures in the operating room? What if Zac passes out in the operating room? What if I get super anxious (not like that's out of character for me lately) and they have to put me completely under during the c-section? What if I forget the baby book at home and don't get those precious first footprints in there? (I know I could technically do them at home, but the professionals are the best, and for some reason, it's important to me that they do the baby book hand and footprints.) What if, what if, what if...that's my brain lately.

Progress

Things are starting to take shape around here. I've washed bottles and put them in the kitchen cabinets. It took some creative rearranging, since our kitchen is so tiny, but there they are. I smile every time I open that cabinet, because I forget they're in there, then see them, and remember what's to come. Our hall linen closet now has a special section of baby towels and washcloths, and all the baby blue looks like heaven. The pack-n-play is set up in the corner of the living room, and I look at it sometimes while watching tv or playing on the laptop, to think about how it won't be long before there's a beautiful little boy sleeping in that little space.

Yes, progress is being made.

But last night I got in bed at ten, only to have a million panicked thoughts cross my mind Your camera isn't charged! What if you go into labor tonight or tomorrow and your camera's dead? Get up and charge it, you'll regret it if you don't!...oh my gosh, you don't have any gowns or nursing stuff...Etc. My brain was relentless, and it seemed that every thought was the BIGGEST. DEAL. EVER! I got out of bed at 11 because I couldn't take it anymore, and obviously I wouldn't be falling asleep anytime soon. So I plugged in my camera, and got online. I looked at gowns and robes and nursing bras and tanks. I looked at gliders and ottomans for the millionth time. I walked around Drew's room to see if there was anything I could think to do. I packed the diaper bag. I read some literature the hospital gave us on Monday night. When I finally decided to try to go back to bed, I noticed the clock said it was 3am. Oops! But at least I slept late (10am, which helps the day fly by faster) and woke up feeling like I'd accomplished a little.

Today I went and pulled the trigger (so to speak), and finally purchased the glider and ottoman. I got an amazing deal and was on the biggest high when I left the store. Like a million pounds had been lifted off my chest! The perfect chair has been one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to Babies-R-Us and sat in the different gliders, picturing myself plopping down in the middle of the night with a warm fussy baby in my arms. "Which chair is MY chair?" The crib and dresser were easy decisions compared to the perfect nursery chair. I think it's because I wanted it to look nice, but it needed to fit me right too. I also didn't want it to squeak or moan, as I've read so many do. I finally settled on the one I wanted, and smiled the biggest smile as they loaded it into my car. When we got it home, it turns out it looks HUGE in the tiny room, but it's so cozy, I don't even mind right now. I'll figure out logistics later. I think I'll be spending a lot of time in this chair, even before Mr. Drew makes his arrival! :) I'm sitting in it right now!

Like I said, I felt so amazing after finally getting the glider and ottoman, that I couldn't stop. I went to Target to look for gowns/bras. I know some people prefer to just wear the hospital gowns, but having spent lots of time in those rough ugly things, I knew I'd personally feel better being in something that's mine. :) Since I'm having c-section, I know I won't want anything on my belly (no pajama pants for me), so gowns are the way to go! I got a soft solid black gown at Target, and couldn't pass up a nursing top on sale for $12. On my way out of the parking lot, I saw Motherhood Maternity and made an impromptu decision to look there as well. I got another gown there (so soft and stretchy!) and the world's most comfortable nursing bra. I left the store on top of the world. Mentally checking items off of my freak-out-in-the-middle-of-the-night list. Phew. Feels good.

Yes, I should be able to sleep tonight. Let's hope! :)

32 weeks!

How far along? 32 weeks!
Total weight gain:Not sure...maybe same as last week?

Maternity clothes? Why is this question even on here?

Stretch marks? Yessirree

Sleep? I am sleeping better, but I laughed out loud when I read my newest email from What To Expect. Check it out here. (Subtitle? "Third-trimester insomnia strikes more than 75 percent of pregnant women—very tired pregnant women.")

Best moment this week? 

Miss Anything? I still miss lying on my back to sleep. I also miss curling up in a ball on my side. I like to sleep tight and cuddled up, and it's hard to lift my knees very high.

Movement? YES! He is squirming and repositioning himself SO much! I'll lift my shirt up and Zac can see my misshapen belly, because he will be completely off to one side of me. Within the hour, he might have moved to the other side. I still feel kicks, but a lot of the feeling is when he's moving his entire body. I think he wants to be a gymnast, with all those somersaults! :) Also, my tummy is SO hard all the time now.

Food cravings: haven't really craved much lately, but I have not been liking salty foods (Chinese, the thought of fast food, etc) much at all. Except today I had some movie popcorn that was pretty delish! :)

Anything making you queasy or sick: nope! A little reflux, but nothing major.

Gender: BOY!

Labor Signs: not yet

Symptoms: BH contractions, a little blurred vision and high blood pressure, moodiness (is that a pregnancy "symptom?" I'm going to go ahead and say yes. Thank you for putting up with me Zac.)

Wedding rings on or off? Off. Sometimes I wear the fake, some days it bothers me more than satisfies me, so I just leave it off.

Happy or Moody most of the time: This week I've been equally happy (on the tour and at c-section class, shopping, laughing with Zac) and moody. Haven't had the blues lately, just easily irritated. I think part of it is the heat and trouble sleeping, but I will hold myself accountable for being cranky, no matter the reason. :)

Looking forward to: a date with Zac this weekend (thanks for the movie passes Stacy!) and my doctor appointment/sonogram next Tuesday, the 28th.

Hospital tour and C-section class

Wow...my brain is on overload. We just got home from the hospital, and I feel like I have A.D.D., I'm thinking about so many things at once! (warning, this post might be all over the place) We learned a lot and being there and hearing how things will be certainly brought it to life, which created more thoughts and questions and ideas. :) I'm so excited though. The class was definitely worth the time and money...very interesting! The tour was helpful too, so we could find out (and be able to tell our friends and families) where to park and which building we will be in, etc.
For my own records, I don't want to forget anything about tonight, so here is a (somewhat detailed) account of the evening...
-Firstly, I learned that Baylor is very accommodating and open minded to all types of births. I know that many hospitals want the woman lying down to give birth, but Baylor encourages moms to walk around, use birthing balls or birthing bars (which they have/provide), the bed converts to a birthing chair, they even do water births! There is a tub in every room so the mom can be as comfy as possible during labor, and they even have stereo systems that you can plug your ipod or iphone into, to play whatever music you want. I thought all of that was pretty cool. Of course, with a cesarean, I don't get to have these types of options, but that's okay!

-So I went over some of the c-section procedures in this post, but I learned some more tonight. I will check in and be sent to a labor and delivery room for about an hour before the c-section. This is where I will get my gown and sign paperwork, etc. I will walk to the operating room and they will do my spinal tap, while Zac stays in the L&D room and put on sterile scrubs. When he gets to the OR, they will begin the c-section. After the surgery (takes about an hour), I will be taken to recovery, where I will stay for two hours. Zac and Drew will go with me, then we will be allowed to have one other guest (so two total) at a time. After those two hours, we will be moved to a postpartum room.
-Cameras are allowed in the OR, which was a huge relief to me. I was afraid they might forbid it, for liability reasons or something. In fact, our tour guide gave the dads a pep talk about taking lots of pics while the NICU team (present for all cesarean births) checks out the baby. Zac will put his first diaper on him, then bring him to me. They will probably unstrap one of my arms, but it will likely have a blood pressure cuff still on it, so while I can touch him, I won't plan on actually holding him until I'm in recovery.
-In recovery, they strongly encourage "kangaroo care," which is skin-to-skin contact. I always loved the idea of having a naked baby (wearing diaper and hat only) on my bare skin just after he is born, and hearing all the amazing advantages it offers, I'm so glad we are in a place that automatically does this. It started in NICU's for struggling babies, to raise their survival rate, but Baylor has every mom do it because of the awesome benefits. (calms baby, normalizes their temperature (even better than a warming bed), stabilizes heart rate and respiratory rate, allows baby to smell mom and some babies even move (by themselves!!!) to the breast to nurse...crazy huh!?) Still interested in kangaroo care? Watch this.
-Our hospital waits to bathe the newborn, in order to keep the vernix (white "cheesy" layer) on the baby longer. This helps regulate their temp and also smells like mom (sounds weird!) so it helps them connect with the mom better. They ask the dad to do the first bath, which will be seven-eight hours after delivery, giving the baby time to get used to their new world. :) Zac will do this in our postpartum room.
-I did learn that I'll have to be on a clear liquid diet the entire day of the c-section, which I'm not pumped about. Wait, Champagne is clear liquid, right!? (kidding!)
-Zac and I agreed that our favorite part of the evening was when an anesthesiologist came and spoke to the class. He was SO interesting and I could've listened to him for hours! He was formerly an oral surgeon, then went back to school again to become an anesthesiologist. He was just one of those people that you can tell is so smart and has so many great stories. He started out explaining the history of anesthesia (which was super intriguing to me), then explained what he does and answered questions. Zac was shocked to see the needle used, and it's probably a good thing that he won't be in the room when they put that in me. :)
-our instructor was so sweet and helpful and although we got material that the hospital provided, she even brought her own "packing list" and ideas and tips for us. So much to think about! :) I am even more excited now. I like knowing what to expect, so tonight helped answer a few questions in my mind. -oh, and did I mention it's the best hospital in the metroplex? :) That's not just my opinion, that's according to national ratings and all that! Also, it has a level III NICU, so babies come from all over the state to be cared for here. That makes me feel good, that IF there is a problem, we are already at the best place to be!

Some Saturday....

Yesterday started out the perfect Saturday. I  woke up with pancakes on my mind, so I made pancakes and homemade syrup and then Zac and I did some work around the house. We ate lunch and then laid down for a long nap. When I got up, I FaceTime'd with my Aunt Nancy and Granny. We talked for quite a while, and towards the end of the chat I noticed that my vision got blurry. I figured it was staring at the computer for so long, and didn't think much of it. We had dinner plans with Chris and Stacy, so I jumped in the shower. While I was in the shower, I had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. My heart felt like it was having to work hard...seemed like it was racing. I contemplated cancelling our dinner plans, then decided 'well at least if something is wrong, we will already be in Dallas!?' My vision was still blurry as I got ready, but it seemed to be a little better, so I thought it would go away.
After being at the restaurant for about 20 minutes, my vision got so blurred I could not even read the menu. I went to the restroom and felt so disoriented because I could make out tables and shapes, but couldn't see faces or clothes patterns or anything like that. I took my contacts out and put my glasses on (to see if that would help), but it didn't make a difference. Shortly later, I felt my heart going crazy again. I saw a Walgreens across the street and decided to go check my blood pressure after dinner. They didn't have one of those machines that you sit down in, but the pharmacist took it for me. My blood pressure is usually about 100/60. Even being pregnant, it's stayed around 110/65. Last night my BP was 151/90. The pharmacist went and got a different cuff, just to be sure, and took it again. Same result. He said we should probably call our doctor and let him know. We said bye to Chris and Stacy and called the doctor. One of my doctor's partner's was on call for the weekend and he was so kind. He wanted me to go to Baylor (our hospital) for observation. Luckily, we were just blocks away. Anyways, when we got there they took me to a labor and delivery room. This was not shocking to me, but Zac said it all became very real and surreal when we walked into that room, with the little baby warmer and hospital bed and all. I had to put on a gown and hospital bracelet, but didn't feel scared. I knew that Drew would not be coming today, at worst I thought they might keep me overnight for observation. Fortunately, I was there just about an hour. I did not have any protein in my urine (a sign on preeclampsia), which was a big relief. They put a BP cuff on me that went off every five minutes. My bp had gone down and stayed around 125/65 the whole time I was there. My vision was getting better and we were so tired, so when the nurse asked if we wanted to head home, we said yes! She gave us some paperwork and a lengthy explanation of what to look for in the future, and sent us on our way. The doctor called me after we left the hospital to ask if I had any questions, and reiterated that if I start feeling this way again, to call the office. I was very impressed with how thoughtful and attentive he was. I'm so glad that all of the doctors (there are 4) in my OB's practice are so amazing!
Today on the way home from church, the doctor called again! He wanted to know how I felt and again said that if I started getting headaches, blurred vision, swelling, weight gain, feel my heart racing, or any other unusual activity, I should go to a local fire station to get my blood pressure checked. If it is above 150, I am to call the office. If it's during office hours, I will go there for observation, but if it's evening or weekend, I will head back to Baylor to be checked out. Once a woman has high blood pressure once during pregnancy, she's more likely to have it again.
We were tired last night, but relieved that it was just a "scare." It did make us want to be more prepared though, just in case. We will spend this week doing some more work around the house and getting things in order. I hope and pray that he doesn't come too early, but for some reason, I have a strong feeling that his birthday will be before October 8th. Who knows. I'm just putting my faith and trust in the Lord that He will take care of my and my little one. :)

31 weeks

How far along? 31 weeks!
Total weight gain: Went to the doctor, and I've gained 3 pounds since my 28 week appointment, three weeks ago. That makes it 26 pounds so far. My goal was to gain between 25-30 pounds, so I'm pleased with my weight gain (as pleased as one can be with gaining weight, lol!), but I know with 8 more weeks to go, I'll probably (okay, definitely) pass the 30 pound mark, and I'm totally okay with that. Most of the weight is going to Drew anyways at this point. :)

Maternity clothes? yes! Although I just discovered that Zac's solid shirts from the Gap are the softest things ever, so I've been taking over some of those when I'm around the house. :)

Stretch marks? yes, and they are multiplying. Luckily they are still hidden.

Sleep: It's been awful. :( And not only can I not sleep, but I also get super anxious and worried at night and my mind starts spinning and I think things like "why are you trying to sleep!? You have so much to do!" My doctor was very compassionate, as I sniffled through my "I'm so tired of not sleeping and being so uncomfortable" and it made me appreciate him being my doctor even more! :) He also advised I take a tylenol and benadryl before I go to bed to help me sleep. (Yes, this is safe! I double checked with the pharmacist!) It's strange because for the first hour after I take it, I feel hyper, but the past two nights I have slept much harder, so that's good. I'll just start taking it an hour before I get in bed, instead of right before. 

Best moment this week: hmm...maybe making King Ranch Casserole and home made chocolate chip cookies for dinner last night. It felt good to cook, and even better when Zac did all the dishes. :)

Miss Anything? I miss shopping for, and wearing, "normal" clothes! I went shopping with mom when I was in Austin and looking around at all the cute styles (colored pants! bright dresses! etc) made me really miss dressing "cute." 

Movement: Yes! It has slowed down a little, but he still has his very active times. Last night Zac got to feel his little baby reflexes (hiccups).

Food cravings:home made chocolate chip cookies...and I made some Monday night! Hooray!

Anything making you queasy or sick: yes, the drainage going down the back of my throat, in the middle of the night.

Gender: BOY!

Labor Signs: nope!

Symptoms: reflux is back, and difficulty breathing. (made me feel so good when even the sonographer was shocked at how high (and how low!) he was and said "wow...he is WAY up there!" She was having to mash on my ribs to get pics of him!

Wedding rings on or off? off, but I'm still sporting a fake :)

Happy or Moody most of the time: a bit emotional.

Looking forward to: the c-section class and hospital tour next Monday night!

Sono and Doc appointment

Today I had an appointment with my OB, as well as a follow up sonogram (since Mr. Drew was not too cooperative at my 4-D sono, two weeks ago). Drew was even MORE shy this time than last, and the sweet lady told me she would do ANOTHER sono when I return in two weeks. Isn't that nice? I love getting to see him every two weeks! :) She used his femur to measure his weight again. Last time he was 2 pounds, 12 ounces. Zac and I had a bet going on his weight for today. He thought it would be 3 pounds, and I guessed 3 pounds, 4 ounces. Today he was 3 pounds, 12 ounces! We were both way off, but I was closer! :) He gained a pound in two weeks, but he's still on track (however they predict this) to weigh about 7 pounds and 6 ounces at birth. He is in the 31st percentile right now, so very average.
He still had lots of hair, and precious kissable lips. He really LOVES having his hands in his face. He opened his mouth several times, and even sucked on his fist at one point. Last sonogram, he kept his hands balled into fists the whole time, but today he spread his palms, like he was literally blocking his face from us. The sonographer said she didn't think that Drew likes sonograms. I concur!
His position has changed, although he's still super breached. His hiney is now down low, near my pelvis. His face is in my left ribcage, and he's in a pike position, so his feet are in my right ribcage. (Side note: Liz said "maybe he'll be a diver!" Haha, we all still have the Olympics on our minds!)

My appointment with Dr. H was different than most I've had. I got kind of emotional and even teared up a bit. I haven't been sleeping well AT ALL, and I think the hormones mixed with sleep deprivation, mixed with being a little sick (sinus infection) and a lot uncomfortable, just caught up with me. He was so kind and gentle and reassuring that what I was feeling was very normal. I told him I felt like eight weeks felt like an eternity to wait, but at the same time I was worried that he'd come early. Again he told me this was normal, and encouraged me that my body was made for this, and I can do it. I admitted that I get very anxious and filled with worry at night, and he told me that this is what moms do. :) He said he can help with other symptoms, but can't do much for me in the worrying category. It's silly too...I don't worry about Drew being sick or anything like that, I worry about going into labor when I'm not expecting it, and having dirty clothes piled up, or not being finished with his nursery. I can be logical and talk myself out of this craziness during the day, but at night it just takes over and seems so overwhelming. Weird! It was so cathartic to just let it all out. I mean, I wasn't bawling or anything, but I was definitely sniffling and talking through tears. I apologized at one point and he smiled and said "please don't say sorry! If I was uncomfortable with emotional women, I should pick a different field." That made me feel better. (phew...I'm not a freak!)
I have been watching cesareans online, so I had lots of questions to ask about that. We are taking a c-section class and hospital tour next Monday (Aug. 20th), but there were answers I wanted from my specific doctor. He had already scheduled Drew's birth for Monday, October 8th. We are first on the wait list for a 7:30am spot, but he booked a noon O.R. just in case the early morning one was not available. We both want the earlier time. I've had enough surgeries to know the earlier the better, but he explained that "the longer we wait, the longer you have to go without eating, and I don't want you to be weak and tired before we even start the surgery!" I probably won't be able to sleep much the night before...just a guess! :)
We will be in the operating room for about an hour. He said that it typically only takes about five minutes to get the baby out, but a solid 45 to close me back up. He explained that he will show me Drew, then nurses will take him and check his lungs (which will have more fluid since he didn't get squeezed out of a birth canal) and clean him and put him in a warmer, then they'll hand him to Zac. When they do that, Zac will get to bring him over to me and we will get to hold him while they finish closing me up. When that is done, they will put me on a different bed to move me to recovery, and Drew will get to ride with me. That is where I'll be able to nurse him, if desired.
I asked him if he would do the incision vertically or horizontally (bikini cut), and he originally said horizontally. He then looked at my "midline scar" from my colectomy, and decided it'd be better to just trace along that and open the same scar. He explained that my bowels could've healed in a way that he would not be able to easily access my uterus with a bikini cut. It's the safest bet to open the scar I already have. It will be a little harder to heal from, but it's better than them trying the bikini and it not working, and cutting that AND the vertical scar too. I totally agree! He also said that since my scar has stretched out, he will be able to actually close it up in a way that makes the scar smaller and much less visible. I've never minded my scars, but that sounds fine to me!
I liked everything I learned about the actual delivery itself, and can't wait to take the c-section class next Monday! I felt so much better by the end of the appointment. Dr. H hugged me on the way out. He has never done that, but I think he saw that I needed a hug. :) I'm glad I chose him as my doctor for this very special special occasion!
I return for an appointment (and sono) in two weeks (8/28), but I will see one of his partners for the first time. Then two weeks later (9/11), I will see him again. I guess it really is getting close!

Ahoy, Baby!

This weekend my sister Liz, sister-in-law Tatem, and dear friend Breck hosted a beautiful nautical themed shower for me. It was tasty, beautiful, fun, and well-attended. There was excitement in the air, and I had to keep telling myself to pause and take mental notes and mental pictures, just to soak it all in. Like a wedding, it can be almost overwhelming to think that everyone is there for you, and you're the center of attention. But it's the best kind of overwhelming...a high that's not easily reproduced. How did I get so lucky to have such amazing friends and family? Drew already has a whole village of people who love him, just because they love his mom and dad. What an amazing feeling for me to know my boy is so supported. The crowd was made up of new friends, college friends, high school friends, family, childhood friends, and friends of my mom's. It was neat to see all of these ladies who are so important to me in the same room. Girls I grew up going to church with, a friend whom I met just a year ago, but share a deep bond with, because we've been through the same surgery, friends from high school, and past jobs. Reflecting later that night, I realized how truly blessed I am that my mom has such an amazing network of friends, women who are second moms to me. I grew up with their kids as my own friends, and now Drew will be raised around their children! Three generations of deep, devoted, friendship. It's not common, and it's not taken for granted. I'm so grateful for all of these people in my life!!! And while I may not see them as often as I wish, they are there through it all, and make sure to show up at the right times...whether I'm 16 in the hospital, 21 and marrying the love of my life, or 29 and finally having a baby. The amount of love and support was palpable, and I'll never forget those precious hours. Thank you to my awesome hostesses for all of their work, putting effort into even the littlest details, and their neverending thoughtfulness. Here are some pictures from the pinterest worthy event...

the invite...

the hostesses...

cards that guests completed..."wishes for baby Drew"

I truly enjoyed reading these, laughing and crying at my friend's hopes for my son.

 the cupcakes...yummy and cute!

  the napkins/utencils had rafia and life savers decorating them...such a cute touch!

 Zac came at the end to say hello and help load the car.

It was such a wonderful day, and words can't express how much I loved it. Thanks again to all of my family and friends who have made me feel so special throughout this very special time in my life! :) How many girls get three AMAZING baby showers? And, I still have one more to come! WOW!

30 weeks

How far along? 30 weeks!
Total weight gain: I haven't weighed since last week. I'm eating all my favorite things in Austin though, so pretty sure I'll be up a few pounds next time I do step on the scale :)

Maternity clothes? yep! Except I just asked my dad for a few of his XL t-shirts because none of my t-shirts fit anymore, and let's face it, I'm a t-shirt kind of gal.

Stretch marks? uh-huh

Sleep: I've been sleeping better this week in Austin...maybe it's the new mattress, or maybe the fact that my mom is a shopaholic and we've been painting the town all day long! :)

Best moment this week: Easily, it was my "Ahoy, Baby" shower! (post and pics to come). Although I also loved getting to spend time with my nieces and nephews on both sides.

Miss Anything? I miss sleeping on my back. It's my favorite posish to sleep in, and I can't do it even for a few minutes without getting out of breath and all my limbs tingling. I guess that's why they tell you not to? :)

Movement: Yes, so much. It's a different type of movement (as I mentioned last week), but it's still there and I'm feeling him all day and night. He especially loves when I drink really cold ice water!

Food cravings:home made chocolate chip cookies...still!

Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!

Gender: BOY!

Labor Signs: nope!

Symptoms: swelling in my feet and ankles, and Braxton Hicks contractions. My entire abdomen gets so tight...such a strange sensation. I wouldn't say it's painful, but certainly uncomfortable. Honestly, in these moments, I'm grateful to be having a cesarean, and find comfort in knowing I don't (ahem, shouldn't) have to experience labor. Does that make me a wimp?

Wedding rings on or off? off, but I'm sporting a fake :)

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy girl :)

Looking forward to: going home to Midlo and sorting through all the amazing gifts that we were given at the shower. I can't wait to start doing laundry and putting his tiny clothes into drawers and his closet.

Supernose

My sense of smell is insane. I totally take it for granted, without even realizing how powerful it is, until someone looks at me like I've said something weird, then I realize I'm not normal. For example, tonight my mom and I were in the living room watching Olympics. She heard my dad in the kitchen and called out "I want some ice cream too!" I looked at her confused and said "he's not making ice cream. He's making an Emergen-C!" (vitamin C drink) She asked why I thought that, and I told her I could smell it. She didn't believe me, so I called out and asked what he was making. Sure enough...I was right! Fast forward an hour and he's going to bed. I had lit a candle in the back bedroom earlier in the evening. I looked at mom and said "Pops just blew out my candle...I can smell that stinky smell that comes after you blow out a candle." Again, I was right. Weird huh?
Oh yeah, and yesterday I went swimming in Eli's pool, which is on the tenth floor of his building. I told him I smelled soap or a car wash or something and he wasn't sure what I meant. A few minutes later, I looked up and saw window washers working away on the top floor of his building. His building is like 55 floors, whic means I could smell their stuff from 40+ floors away. Crazy! Too bad I can't fight crime with this sniffer!

Peek a boo, I see you, Drew!

Tuesday we had our big 4-D sonogram! Unfortunately Drew was very camera shy and uncooperative, but the silver lining is that we got to watch him for over 30 minutes, and the sonographer is going to give us another session (free) when I go back to the doctor in two weeks. :) Yay! She really liked us a lot and burned a DVD of the sonogram and put all of our images on a flash drive for us, in addition to the ones that she printed. Drew had his hands in front of his face almost the whole time, so we didn't get many great pics, but here are a few of them...

He was 2.12 pounds, and we were told he has a lot of hair. He loves his hands, and keeps them near his face at most times. He even balled up and had his knees in his face for awhile. He pursed his lips like he was sucking or blowing kissing, and occasionally made a big smile. At one point she started rapidly pressing on his face with the sono wand (to try to get him to move his hands), and he made an awful grimace. We all laughed and she stopped trying to make him move his hands. :) He was breech (head was on my lower right side, his bottom up near my chest, and feet down low), and measured right at 29 weeks. We saw his cute little hands and feet and Zac counted that yes, he indeed has four fingers and a thumb (at least on one hand, haha!) We are told he looks perfect and healthy, and she guessed he would be around seven and a half pounds.

29 weeks

How far along? 29 weeks
Total weight gain: yesterday at the doctor, I weighed the same as last week

Maternity clothes? duh

Stretch marks? yep, still there.

Sleep: waking up in the middle of the night (usually between 3 and 4) and can't fall back asleep. I guess my body is preparing me for the future? :)

Best moment this week: relaxing in a friend's pool, buying a new car, and best of all, getting to see Drew's precious face at my 4-D sonogram

Miss Anything? yes, painting my toenails! Usually in the summers I change my toenail polish once or twice a week, but it's been months since I painted them because I can't really reach them.

Movement: Lots! But it has changed from strong sudden kicks, to a movement that's more like a slow push. I'll feel him gently pressing on a certain area, then the pressing gets harder, like he's stretching or doing wall push-ups.

Food cravings:home made chocolate chip cookies

Anything making you queasy or sick: at the car dealership, the finance lady had a Red Bull, and the odor made me want to vomit on her desk.

Gender: still a BOY!

Labor Signs: nope!

Symptoms: swelling in my feet and ankles (to the point I could leave a finger print in my skin)

Wedding rings on or off? off =(

Happy or Moody most of the time: Mostly happy, but a little moody. :)

Looking forward to: learning my new car, and my AUSTIN BABY SHOWER!!! :) I can't wait to see what it's like (food, decor, etc), and even better, to see family and friends whom I haven't seen in ages! Woohoo!