breech

We excitedly went to the doctor today, knowing we'd be seeing our little guy again today for the first time in 8 weeks.  I didn't expect a whole lot at the ultrasound though...as I've talked to other moms, they warned me that the bigger he gets, the less we can see.  Even a good profile shot was hard for the tech to get today!  On top of him moving during the ultrasound, he just doesn't fit within the realms of the monitor anymore.  We were able to see his head and legs (hands and feet weren't real clear since we was on the move as usual), and got good shots of his ribs and spine while she monitored his heart.  You could see his chest rise and fall as he was "breathing" (of course he doesn't need to breathe yet, but its a good sign that his body is practicing...means his lungs are maturing).  Here's his beautiful little face...

profile pic

face shot 

Unfortunately today, we also found out that he's breech.  At this point in the game, you really want baby to be head down.  It feels like such a stubborn issue to worry about right now.  We've overcome all these odds and surpassed so many obstacles to get where we are today.  I was so sure he was head down too!  That means all the body parts I've been poking were totally not what I thought!  There is still plenty of time for him to flip though.  My doctor was very subjective and careful with her words today.  She basically said that he could still flip, but she was hesitant to give me great odds as my torso is so short (he has very little room left to move).  However, with five and half weeks until my due date we've got time on our side and my amniotic fluid levels were really good, which helps him move around more.  They can possibly attempt to move the baby, but she sounded like we would most likely let nature take its course and see what he does.  She said attempting to move the baby puts a lot of strain on him and on your uterus (and I hear its quite painful!), and in some cases, the baby moves right back.  Worse case if he doesn't flip, I will have a c-section.  She didn't want to talk specifics on that front just yet.  I've heard plenty of stories of late flipping babies that weren't engaged in the birth canal until the last week or two, or even days before delivery.  Only time will tell...

We have another appointment in 2 weeks (May 24) and will have another ultrasound at that time to check his position.  I will be 36wks then and we will start pelvic exams as well to see if I have dilated or effaced at all.  At that point I will start weekly appointments until he decides to make his appearance!  So for now,  we're just praying for him to do some serious acrobatics!

Belly shots...

34w0d...left side

 right side

front

This past weekend was super busy for us, but amazingly fun...we had our first baby shower!  It was a co-ed shower at my friend Jen's house.  I was quite surprised at the number of guys that showed up for the shower...with gifts and all (thank goodness for gift cards, girlfriends and wives to help pick out baby things)!  We had such a good time getting all of our friends and family together.  Huge thanks to my shower hostesses (Jen, Nicole and Alaina) for all of their hard work and making it happen!  Here's some pics from the shower...

baby cousins!  13wk and 34wk bellies

 me with my hostesses...Alaina, Nicole and Jen

 the camo cake (almost didn't see it...)...by the way, it was incredibly delicious!

 diaper cake!

 mommy and daddy to be

 how big is my belly?

 fwoggie!

 look at these tiny Wranglers!

 girls dig me...awesome

 Ty's first cooler...lol

 Jen, Alaina and me

 special thanks to Justin for helping us open our gifts!

 shower loot stashed in our bedroom...we are sooooo blessed!

pushing 34 weeks!

I am blogging behind again.  Life has been surprisingly busy the past few weeks, just when I thought things would start slowing down!  Maybe its me that is slowing down...  I am 33 weeks 6 days officially.  We went to the doctor a week ago and things still look so far so good!  Good blood pressure, no protein in my urine and my weight check was just so-so I guess you could say.  In two weeks since my previous appointment, I had gained 2lbs.  According to all of my baby books and emails pouring in daily, baby boy is gaining roughly half a pound a week and momma is expected to gain about a pound a week at this point.  So, 2 weeks between appointments, 2lbs gained...I was okay with it.  Of course I received a comment saying that my overall weight gain was alright, but the past couple of visits have been a little high.  Grrrrr.  Its almost comical, if you see me in person and wonder how I'm getting in trouble for weight gain, but I'm way too hormonal to laugh about it.  I still let it hurt my feelings.  Truth be told, I have gained 21 pounds since I got pregnant.  If I gain the average pound a week and actually make it to my due date, I will be around 28lbs...based on my pre-pregnancy BMI, it would be healthy for me to gain 25-35lbs.  So I figure I'm right on target.

Speaking of actually making it to my due date...I am feeling more and more convinced that's not going to happen.  Of course I know he'll come when he's good and ready, but that's just my instinctual feeling.  I have gone from looking like I swallowed a basketball to a beach ball in just a couple week's time.  Check it out...

31wks at the deer lease...last trip without the little guy!

 32 weeks...8 months pregnant!

 33 weeks...that bulge is not my hip...those are long gone...that is baby hanging over the right side of my body!

Do you think he's dropped a little too?  A friend that hadn't seen me in a couple of weeks mentioned it and it does look so a little bit.  Some women know when the baby drops because they suddenly feel like they can breathe again.  I've never had a big issue with that since I've carried him so low from the beginning.  He is always nestled in my right side.  So much so, that at times you can see his little butt poke abnormally far out and you can feel his whole back.  He can push his butt up into my rib cage now, as well as his little piggies.  Think he's running out of room?!?

At the last appointment, I was 32w5d and my belly was measuring about 35wks.  At the appointment before that I asked the doctor if he still seemed big and she said yes, but it was consistent growth each week.  If he continued to show that trend we would do another ultrasound to estimate his size.  Well sure enough, he measured big last week, so we are scheduled for an ultrasound on Tuesday next week.  So excited to see little man again!  He's going to look like he's stuck in a pickle jar!  I don't know if they will technically adjust my due date, but I guess it will give them something to work with.  If he does in fact continue to measure 2-3wks ahead, that puts him full-term size at about 38wks...which is only 4 weeks away!  That made things seem very real.

And I have soooo much to do!  His room is done...hallelujah!  More importantly, I LOVE how it came out.  Its my favorite room in the house.

a view from the door of the nursery

 crib, glider (I know it doesn't match, but it was FREE) and bookshelf

 dresser/changing table and chest...all we need is a changing pad cover!

 chest...complete with Scentsy buddy and burner...and deer horns of course!

 window treatment with his name...sorry its so dark

 bookshelf...another deer horn well out of reach from baby!

 clothes hamper...the sign on the wall says gone huntin'

 Ty's hat rack...a gift from Rupert, Melissa and the kids...isn't it awesome?!?

I've been buying stuff to get my bags ready for the hospital a little at a time.  I don't have them packed yet, but I at least have a list made so worse case, we can pack quickly.  I also have Ty's diaper bag list made...just need a diaper bag!  I set up the bassinet in our bedroom last week.  Its the Johnson family bassinet...which is Cooter's mom's family.  All of the kids, grandkids and great grandkids have slept in it.  It feels really special to be able to continue the tradition with our baby.

We have our first shower this weekend and I am SO super excited!  As ready as things look around the house, we are still missing lots of important stuff, but I really don't want to go out and buy things until after my last shower May 21.  I'll be 36wks at that shower and quite closer to my due date!

Officially, only 6 weeks to go!

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!

Happy 31st Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

My parents are celebrating 31 years of marriage today.  That in itself is quite an accomplishment.  I am honored to have spent approximately 97.6% of their marriage with them (I did the math...).  My parents have set a wonderful example to myself and Jeremy to follow as we entered into marriages of our own.  Still to this day, I know we both find inspiration in them, as they continue to prove that love can stand the test of time.  Its not easy...marriage is work, but I have watched them work, and know its worth every step of the way.  My parents have taught me so much...I have learned how to share and show respect as a child, learned to work hard and persevere as a teenager and young adult, and learned how to love unconditionally.  Best of all, I get to take in everything my parents gave me, as I become a parent myself.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

third trimester!

First up...baby update! I am 29w2d now and have officially entered the third trimester since the last post! Feels like I was stuck in the first trimester forever...as I was terrifyingly scared daily. The second trimester still started off a little rough. Nausea stuck around until about 14wks for me. I never liked the term "morning sickness" since it is most definitely not limited to morning, but I was never sick...just didn't feel good or have any kind of energy whatsoever. Then I was a good 16-18wks before I got over the exhaustion. My time as a human incubator since then has been wonderful! Everything I read said to enjoy it while I could...so I'm trying to make the best of it!

28 weeks

28 weeks from the front...its looks way bigger from the front. No, it doesn't hurt...my sides stretching hurt worse than the front. My belly button is totally flat and about 30% of it has started poking outward! Pregnancy is weird...

Our appointments are slightly off of my weekly timeline now. We had our 28 week appointment at 28w5d. For the past month or so, we are consistently a week ahead...and baby boy is about 2 weeks ahead of that! At 26w5d we had an ultrasound and glucose test to rule out gestational diabetes (totally routine, but we had ours 2wks early due to my big belly). Although little man measured almost 2 weeks big, I passed my test (YAY!!!), so we'll just keep an eye on Ty's growth over the next few weeks. At my last appointment, everything was perfect! I received my rhogam shot (given because I have an rh- blood type)...and won't need another one until after birth, and only if Tyler is a positive blood type. Blood pressure was good 117/78, weight was good (super yay...I had only gained about a pound in the last 2 weeks), no protein in my urine. T-man sits SO low in my hips that I had to lay all the way back to find his heartbeat. He was showing off for the nurse too...kicking and moving all around. We got to hear his swishy little heart longer this time because he kept kicking the wand and disrupting her counts. Healthy, active boy though...his heart rate was in the 140's! The doctor measured my belly, but didn't say anything about size to me this time, so I'm guessing based on past week's measurements, I was within a normal range. Back in 2 weeks (next Thursday, April 14).

We are starting to be able to pick out body parts as they poke me about. Most particularly, his hands and feet. He stretches his foot straight up and makes a knot right around my belly button. Cooter plays with him and rubs his foot...Ty moves it down, then will push it right back up...like he's saying, "do it again, Dad!" As you'll see in the pics to follow...he is ALL on my right side. Over the weekend, his foot reached my left side. Its so awesome to know he's growing! I get punches and elbows in my right side and down by my bladder. He's got to be laying at an angle. He's head down though, no doubt about that! The belly has grown a lot in the last couple of weeks...scroll down to compare even 2 weeks ago!

29 weeks...left side (nothing but fluid)

29 weeks...right side (ALL baby...see him hanging over my hip?!?)

Things have been a rather uneventful the past couple of weeks...which is okay by me! I'm getting bigger, little man is packing a more powerful punch, and I still haven't been hit by cravings. Is that weird? You hear about pregnancy cravings all the time, but I have yet to be in the mood for something in particular so badly that I'd consider it a craving. I always want fruit, more specifically smoothies (since I was early pregnant, they settled my upset tummy and ever since then, its like the perfect, but pricey treat). And chocolate...I love chocolate and could eat it at any hour, but I've always been that way, so I'm not limiting that to a pregnancy craving either. I am most definitely hungry more often (thank goodness for a recent speedy shift in my metabolism), but I still stand with the pantry or refrigerator door open and just stare...nothing looks good. I'm actually ready for some cravings. I just hope they are healthy...hahaha yeah right!

Cooter has been traveling a lot lately for work, so that leaves me with a lot of time on my hands. Somehow at the end of the day I am still wondering where the time went though. I get into the weirdest messes now. Nesting much?!? Keeping my house clean is of great importance to me right now...and if you know me, you know that I'm usually happy to clean once a week and having things picked up in the meantime is fine by me. Oh no, not now though. I need to dust, vacuum, sweep, swiffer, etc. every single day if possible. Some people probably do that already and think I'm disgusting for not doing so...oh well. I used to be happy with doing our laundry once a week, but I've decided recently, I like keeping up with it twice a week now. Maybe because I'm outgrowing most of my clothes, so I need to do it more often?!? I have cleaned out cabinets, the pantry, closets, and my office is clean for the first time since who knows when. And it just happens to be spring cleaning season...which I have never voluntarily participated in. New experiences every day!

So in the last couple of weeks, I turned my focus to the yard. The house cleaning can wait...besides, I'm like a machine now and can have the house spotless in no time. I move very slowly in the yard as I pull weeds, plant flowers and attempt to scoot from place to place. Its way more work to get up and down. So I was able to get all of the dead stuff leftover from the freezes out of the yard, pulled weeds and random grass from the beds and planted new flowers in the front and back yards (Alaina helped me in the back). Cooter spread more dirt and mulch for 2 days and we were done. I'm quite happy with the results. From what I hear, this insanity is only temporary and I will soon crash and burn. Good to know...

Before I got started on the yard, Grace took a moment to stop and smell the daisies!

Here's some of the evidence of our hard work!

Here's one of my flower pots I made. I love making these! I have 3 on the front porch now!

What will be the next project I get myself into?!?...

Laila loves to lay with me, especially on my belly! She does this all the time. Ty kicks her while she lays here. Not so comfy for me, but its sweet nonetheless.

My parents came over to visit on Sunday and delivered my first big baby gift...my jogging stroller! I was totally surprised! Of course its a Jeep Liberty, like my mom's car...complete with a steering wheel for baby and iPod hook-ups for me! Thanks Mom & Dad!!!

We only have a little over 10 weeks to go!!!