30 weeks and counting...

Maternity Photo Shoot Sneak Peak

More to come...

I had my 30 week appointment yesterday (at 30w5d).  Blood pressure is great, no swelling, weight was good (I'm officially up 18lbs), and no protein in my urine.  Baby boy was super active this morning, as he has been the past couple of weeks (more on that in a minute).  The nurse immediately found his heartbeat, but like last week, but couldn't get an accurate reading since he wouldn't sit still.  Think he's already ALL boy?!?!  Its kinda fun though because we got to hear the heart beating for several minutes.  Even with all that movement, heart rate was in the 130's, which is still good.  He wasn't so much kicking as he was rolling around.  That's his new thing.  I've been having a slight pain in my lower right abdominal area...it almost feels bruised form the inside, so I asked the doctor about it today and after feeling him out, she determined that its just from repeated movement in the same place.  Pretty much what I thought, but I just wanted to check!  Doctor measured my belly and as usual its a couple of weeks bigger than normal, but its been growing consistently over the last few weeks.  Nothing to worry about until I start having negative symptoms.  While she was measuring me, turns out I had a contraction (I had no stinking idea!).  She had the measuring tape spread out and let go of it and put both hands over my belly and said, "oh, you're having a contraction right now."  LOL, I had no idea!  I have been feeling a tightening in my belly periodically, nothing painful, so I figured those were braxton hicks contractions.  You can read about stuff all day, but until you experience it first hand, you have no idea what's going on.  For all you moms out there...I suppose I'll know for sure when I have a real contraction?!?  Honestly what I felt this morning, I feel all the time.  I thought it was little man stretching or moving around a lot.  She said when my whole belly gets hard for a short period of time that's a contraction.  Since he is mostly on my right side, she said when I feel that pressure, feel my left side and if its hard too then that's it.  I am supposed to start paying attention to their frequency.  Braxton Hicks are just like warm-up contractions for your uterus in preparation for the real deal.  Kinda freaky that we're already making plans for the big day!!!  She said its nothing to worry about unless I have 6 in an hour.  So I have to monitor myself and make sure they don't become more regular, especially at the end of the day.  That's also nature's way of telling your body to slow down a bit.

30 weeks

We got our hospital pre-registration turned in today, so when its time to go, we just show up huffing and puffing and all of the paperwork is done!  Insurance is covered, I've already paid my deductible, and signed consent forms today!  I got a pediatrician lined up for Ty a few days ago and turned that in to the hospital today too!  Talk about feeling like a grown-up...when you start finding a doctor for your own child!  We're actually using Cooter's pediatrician from when they lived in Spring years ago.  She has a practice with 6 doctors and a location not even 5 minutes away from here!  Just perfect!  We are also having Tyler's cord blood collected and stored, so I got that set up today as well.  Baby on the brain...big time!

Every time I blog, I feel like I talk about how active this little boy is...but if possible, he's even more so now.  What's neat is he's moving in different ways.  I already get that proud momma feeling like he's learned something new.  Surprisingly, as short waisted as I am, he has not reached the depth of my ribs more than a couple of times.  I also figured I would've become short of breath just short of showing, but he is so far down low (seriously, sometimes I feel like he might fall out!), and that's been my saving grace.  I think I get fewer kicks these days...either that or I'm so used to it that I don't notice as much until he gets a really good one in...and he does!  He knows how to kick me in ways that take my breath away...and I'm not talking aw so sweet take my breath away, I mean like he just got a penalty kick in a soccer game!  That's okay though, I love knowing he's getting strong.  =)  His new thing in the past couple of weeks is rolling around...at least that's what I've decided he's doing.  My entire belly will be shaking and shifting about, you'll see ripples in more than one place as he nuzzles into a new crevice.  It is a really freaky feeling to feel that much movement inside.  As we sat in the room waiting on the doctor yesterday, I was watching my belly move around.  Cooter could see it across the room.  He'd stretch a foot out (he LOVES to do that...at almost any given time, you can feel at least one foot sticking straight out), kick it out, and roll around.  Built in entertainment!  What's even more weird is watching a foot stick out, then watch it drag across your belly.  The other day you could see two lumps on top of my belly...he had both legs straight out and I had two little heels sticking up.  You can feel hands (or maybe they are elbows) way down low and on my side.  My favorite is when he gets done rolling around and settles this one certain way...it totally distorts my belly since he's all on the right, but you can feel his little butt sticking out just under my ribs.  Its such a cute little butt.  Can't wait to see some tiny wranglers on him!

I fall more and more in love every day!  As much as I want him here, I am already nostalgic of the belly. I know I'm going to miss it so much when its gone.  I've waited a long time to be pregnant.  There's just something about having him with you all the time, safe and sound.  But I also can't wait to hold him in my arms...and more so, to see Cooter as a dad.  He's going to be such a good daddy.  Look at him reading to the kids the other day...warms my heart!

As promised, here's the rest of my maternity pictures...well some of the favorites!  These were taken in my parent's backyard by Cooter and my dad!  Thanks for putting up with me guys!

Hope you enjoyed!  I will always treasure this time of my life, just me and Ty!