35 Weeks

Derek and I went to my 35 weeks appointment today, and everything seemed to be alright.


We waited for a while, and then I finally went back for my usual urine sample. The nurse asked me if I was having contractions, and I said yes. She weighed me - I lost a pound, so I'm now at +32 lbs - and my blood pressure was fine. Since I had contractions, I was hooked up to the ol' cardiotocograph. Derek was in the room with me while I sat there. He seemed to think it was hilarious to make me laugh by busting out stupid dance moves to Stella's heartbeat. He also decided to snap a quick picture of me in the process:

Luckily, I only had 1 for real contraction while I was there. Stella was sleeping for most of the monitoring process, so she had no movement and her heart rate was relatively stable. They like to see a lot of variability in the baby's heart rate, so Dr. Helmken gave her a vigorous shake. She woke up, and they monitored about 20 minutes of good heart rate variation. 

Then, my cervix was checked, and I am not dilated. I told Dr. Helmken that I don't like the Procardia, and she said that's common. Apparently, it drops your blood pressure, so that's probably why it made me feel like shit. She said as long as I'm resting, then I'm good. She said she'd like to see me make it through these next two weeks, and she said, "If you make it to 37 weeks, then you can start being active again and exercise."

Now, this was just shortly after Derek and I were taking bets on when Stella will arrive. I said I think she'll come on Maggie's birthday - March 18. He said April 5. I told him then he was crazy since Dr. Helmken just told us last week that I'm not making it to April. Derek thinks it's a mental thing, and he's always trying to psych me up to last until my due date. 

In other, related news, I went to work today, and that was good. Derek dropped me off and picked me up. I took the elevator - even though I felt like a total weenis - and I limited the number of trips I made down our long hallway toward the bathroom and kitchen. My office really is being amazing about it, and they're even going to just send students to my desk rather than having me greet them up front. I was really happy about that. 

On the way home, I had another for real contraction. I'm having those annoying-ass Braxton-Hicks contractions all the time, but the for real ones totally arrest my attention. Either way, we're at 35 weeks now, and we don't have much longer to go. I mostly want to make it through this week, for my work shower and then our Baptism class on Saturday. You're welcome to place your own bet on when she'll come. I'm sticking with March 18. :) 

I officially HATE Procardia

After the crazy events of Thursday, I spent yesterday at home, laying in bed. Today, I'm not doing much better. Just walking around causes contractions, and when I do walk, I walk very, very slowly. Every six hours, I take Procardia, and I cannot even tell you how much I hate that stuff.


While the contractions are uncomfortable, the Procardia just makes me sick - BLECK. 


On the outside of the bottle, it says, "Do not take this medication while consuming grapefruit or grapefruit products." Okay, red flag there  - wtf is that about? Also, it warns that it makes you dizzy. About the best thing I can compare it to is being lightly drunk, and it causes HORRIBLE headaches. I mean, nearly migraine quality. It also seems to make me slightly nauseous. To boot: I was laying in bed last night, watching television with Derek and all of a sudden, I had a crazy nosebleed. Apparently, this stuff loosens up your blood vessels or something. I just can't stand it... 


I'm not sleeping very well, and I'm often up a lot at night. I think it might be that my body isn't "at ease," or maybe it's just that I'm so buzzed off this Procardia stuff that my head is all wacky. Either way, I miss sleeping well.


Today, Derek is doing a bunch of chores, and I'm pretty much sitting on my butt, not doing anything. It's so frustrating to feel this helpless. I started crying this morning because I hate not doing anything. I'm an active person, and I've always prided myself on being capable of doing just about anything Derek can do. Normally, I'd be doing just as much hard work as him. Now, I'm just a helpless vegetable with my giant belly, moaning and groaning just to make it to the bathroom. 


Strangely, I can tell that Stella is moving much less than she was. It's like everything happened really quickly. She went from jazzercising on my rib cage to wiggling around every so often. I especially notice that when I'm having contractions, she doesn't do anything. As long as the contractions are away, she is at least wiggling and letting me know she's alright. 


In an effort to be better prepared, I went ahead and packed our hospital bag, and I got out our car seat and base. We're going to install those this weekend. I don't want to go into labor and not be ready to go. 


I'm still planning to go to work on Monday, and I'm so thankful that my boss has limited the number of students I'm seeing. Typically, we try to have about 12 or so appointments a day, and she cut mine to half of that. She also told me that I don't have to worry about teaching FYE anymore this quarter. We only have 2 classes left, so my co-teacher, Ally, is going to pick up the rest. I feel bad, but I know Ally will be fine without me. She's a pro. 


I honestly keep worrying that I won't make it to next weekend. When I told Derek that, he said, "You better make it past next weekend." I know he means well, but it's really hard. I feel like I'm failing or like I've screwed this up somehow. I tried to stay really active, but that was more so I wouldn't gain too much weight. I swear, I was trying to do what's right. I didn't want to cause a bunch of chaos. :(


Anyway, I'm hoping I'll at least make it past my work shower on Friday and our baptism class on Saturday. I guess I'll go back to being a vegetable now. *Sad Charlie Brown music* :( 

Contractions?!

I know... at 34 weeks? Contractions?! Are you serious? I guess it's best if I start from the beginning.


Yesterday was a pretty standard day. Derek and I went to work, and I felt fine. I saw some students, walked to work, did my thing - right? On the way home, I was driving, and all of a sudden, I had some terrible pains. Then, I immediately realized that I was having contractions, back to back. Derek asked if I was okay, and I said I thought so but wasn't sure. I thought they were just the ol' Braxton-Hicks contractions. When we made it home, I came into our bedroom, fully clothed, and laid on our bed for about 30 minutes, crying because I was in pain. Now, what do I mean by pain: horrible menstrual-type cramps and what feels like a bowling ball is trying to squeeze its way out of me. I was also having some heinous back pain.


It finally lightened up, at least to the point that I could eat dinner. I laid around, and we watched a movie since that's not physically taxing - Get Low is an awesome movie by the way. Love Bill Murray. Anyway, I went to bed, and when I got up, I didn't feel very well but well enough to go to work. As I was walking into work, it hit me again, and then, as I was walking up the stairs to our office, it just became too much. I decided to call the doctor. 


I called, and even though they said their business hours are 830-5 and it was 845, no one answered. I called my mom to be sure I wasn't being a putz, and she told me to call right away. I figured a woman who has had two children would know what to do. I called back at 9, and I spoke to a nurse. She said come in immediately. 


I called Derek, but he had our car, off doing something work-related somewhere else on campus. He said he'd hurry and get the car back, and I waited until about 930 for him to show up. He wanted to come with me, but I figured they'd tell me I'm dehydrated again or maybe I'm constipated (gross, I know) and I told him not to worry about it. I even told my boss, Megan, that I'd probably be back in the afternoon.


When I got to the doctor's office, they took me back and checked me as usual. Then, the nurse came in and was like, "You brought someone with you, right?" I was like, "Uh, no." She was like, "Oh my gosh. You need to bring someone with you from now on." I was like, "Well, my husband wanted to come but I told him not to worry about it." I was definitely getting scolded. 


Dr. Helmken came in and verified that I am not dilated - phew - but HOW FREAKING PAINFUL WAS THAT. I cannot even tell you. I literally started crying. I think it was so bad because of the already insanely intense pressure I felt. She hooked me up to the fancy contraction machine again, and lo and behold, I was having some crazy contractions. 


I then had an ultrasound - and here's the best news - Stella is now head down! Yes, finally! Big sigh of relief... They estimate her weight at 6lbs 3oz right now, and my cervical length is on the short side. Dr. Helmken said it's not horrible but not great either. I called Derek after Dr. Helmken told me I'd be spending the afternoon in labor and delivery, and his boss, Michele, drove him to the hospital. I was so relieved once he was there. 


Dr. Helmken said that if I hadn't come in that I very well may have gone into labor, for real. She sent me over to labor and delivery where they hooked me up again and gave me Procardia and an IV. We were there for about 2 hours, and finally, they sent me home because I only had a couple contractions while there. I now have to take Procardia every six hours until 36 weeks. Oh, and just for explanation's sake: Procardia is a medication that stops contractions. 


I was told not to return to work tomorrow, and unless I can keep my moving around to a minimum, I shouldn't go back to work at all. Here's our game plan: I'm going to go back to work on Monday, but Derek is going to drop me off and pick me up every day. I'm planning to talk to my supervisor about how we can make sure I'm not overdoing it in the office, too. My office is AMAZING about helping out with stuff like this, so I know they'll have some good ideas for me. 


So here we are! Dr. Helmken said she sincerely doubts I will make it to April, and the ultrasound tech was saying I'll probably have a baby in a couple weeks. Personally, I think she'll be born on either St. Pat's or Ides of March, or maybe even Maggie's birthday - March 18. I'd like to see her make it to the end of the month, but with the way I felt, we'll see. I know Derek really wants her to make it into April, and so would I. I think I'm just a little more realistic about it. 


I know I'm always saying that I wish this was over already, but in all honesty, I want Stella to stay in until she's term. I don't want her to get here too soon and have problems. I want her to be healthy, and if that means having hip pain, back pain, and feeling enormous for a little longer, then that's what I'll do. 


I'll keep everyone updated. For now, I'm going to rest on our bed and watch bad daytime television. 

Stella's Godparents

I posted yesterday about generally how everything has been going lately, and I guess I'll start with that same theme. This morning, I laid in bed until 12:30, and most of that was spent sleeping. My feet have been swollen all day, and I'm having some crazy bad back pain. After I got up, Derek and I went to Home Depot to get some supplies for gardening, but I spent most of the time sitting in a chair outside, watching Derek dig holes for our shrubs and palms.  Even though I'm pretty useless anymore, our back yard looks pretty awesome right now :D 


Anyway, I need to get to the real point of this posting. We had been planning to talk to the couple we wanted to be Stella's godparents for a while. We've been friends with Emily and Marcus Seiser for about five years now, after we arrived at Fort Stewart. Emily was definitely my closest friend there, both of us complaining about being Army wives, being stuck in crappy Fort Stewart, and generally amusing ourselves gossiping about annoying (and bizarre) neighbors in the oh-so-wonderful Marne Homes area of the post. If you ever lived in Marne Homes, you know what I'm talking about... 


Marcus and Derek, I think, are long lost soul mates, and their performance of "Regulators" will live in infamy. Either way, we couldn't have asked for better friends, and I'm so thankful that we've been able to support each other through military woes. We finally got the chance to talk to them last night, and they were very happy to accept the title. Of course, it immediately turned to jokes about the Godfather movies, but that's to be expected. Here we all are (both of the guys actually not deployed, and Emily and I looking ever-so-happy) after Derek got back from his deployment in February 2009:

We knew they'd be perfect, and we're also so happy that Marcus has just a couple weeks of Army duty left. I remember how insanely relieved we were! We can't wait for them to come back for Stella's baptism this late spring/early summer. Yay! :D 

Busy, busy, busy...

Lately, Derek and I have been so busy. It seems like every single weekend has already been covered by some chore or some baby-related to-do. 


We did have something on our schedule for this weekend, but it was actually more fun than a real chore. We did our maternity photos today with Liza, and I know she did a great job. I think she could tell how uncomfortable I was - because I'm just so awkward - but she helped me get used to the idea. Derek was a champ :) We even got some shots of us with our pups! I should have the actual photos in about a week or so, and once Liza is finished editing them, I'll share them on here. 

We can also mark off a few more things on our to-do list. Namely, we recently ordered Stella's baptism gown. Phew - those things can be expensive! We got a really good deal on ours, so I'm very happy. I think it's absolutely adorable. 

We ordered it from One Small Child, and I'm really pleased with the quality. It came wrapped in a plastic protective cover, so that's why I didn't share an actual photo of it. 

We also went ahead and ordered our extra car seat base since we didn't want to risk not having it. It was on our registry, but most people like to buy cute fun things. Plus, I found it for super cheap on Amazon, so we went for it.

I managed to pick up a few items for our hospital bag last night while we were out, but I still have a few things to get together. I'd like to have that ready to go for my 36 weeks appt, just in case. 

Overall, I feel okay... okay, I don't. My feet stay swollen, and I'm now at the point that I wear running shoes to work every day. My hands are so swollen that I can't wear my wedding jewelry anymore, and it finally hit me: I'm pretty sure I found a couple stretch marks on my belly last night. I started crying, and Derek was tired and basically told me to quit being dramatic. Still, no girl ever wants stretch marks! I hope I can work them off or something... I feel pretty tired a lot, and I have a lot of back pain. 

Stella moves A LOT. She goes CRAZY anymore, and the other night, I was laying on the couch and Derek looked over and you could tell it was a hand that was pushing out. It was crazy to look at. I felt like I had an alien or something inside me. I had never seen her do that before. I wish I had a picture of it... 

Well, I need to start getting ready. We're having dinner with our friends Emily and Marcus tonight and then heading to a concert in Savannah. It will be so much fun! :) I should also use this opportunity to say congratulations to Lindsay and Neil since they finally had their baby girl, Lila, on Wednesday! :) 

Very glad that's over...

Holy crap... well, the breastfeeding class was okay. It's over, anyway. I think the information was good and I feel a little more prepared. HOWEVER, the situation and instruction were less than desirable.


The instructor, Holly, spent the entire time just talking really quickly and running through things. Meanwhile, I'm trying to get comfortable in these HORRIBLE chairs and it's easily 90 degrees in the room. I had to come home and take a shower because I was sweating so badly. Derek was definitely miserable, and most of the other dads were borderline asleep. 


When I asked a question about storage, she acted like I was an idiot for asking anything, or at least that's how I felt. She just gave me this weird look and was like, "Uh..." I felt retarded! Either way, that's over. I figure I'll have to figure it out in the hospital. Some positive points about the class:


1) She confirmed that the Medela pump is the best - YES!
2) We saw animations of how to properly latch
3) We learned that in the first hour after Stella's birth, it's best for her to just lay on my chest until she's ready to latch
4) We learned that pumping and a bottle shouldn't be used until about 4 weeks, but a bottle should be introduced around 4-6 weeks so she doesn't reject it later at daycare


Overall, I think it was good, but I really wish she had a better personality and the room hadn't been sweltering. 


I had said that was our last class, but I was mistaken. I was checking out our Church's website, and I called and arranged our baptism class. It's scheduled for March 12, and it's only 2 hours long. We wanted to get the class in before she gets here since it may be difficult to attend after she arrives. We also want to be sure we get her baptized soon, and we're currently thinking maybe May, but most likely, June or July. 


Anyway, I need to get to bed! I have to go to the dentist at 7am in the morning because today I was chewing gum, and all of a sudden, SNAP! my tooth cracks. It was a molar, so you can't see how hideous it is, but it is uncomfortable. I was wondering if it happened because of pregnancy - like I'm low on calcium or something. Not cool. :( 


Either way, I'm tired and my tooth sucks, so goodnight, everyone. 

Dr. Appt Update

Today marked my 33 weeks appointment, and our mothers left this morning. First, I'll start with the appointment.


It was pretty standard. Everything checked out normally, and I'm up by 3 lbs from last time. I had hoped that I had only gained 2, so now, I need to start watching it. I mean, I guess for eating at the Lady and Sons on Saturday, 3 lbs isn't that bad. Best fried chicken ever. 


I'm measuring normally, and Stella's heart rate was at 144. My blood pressure was 120/70 - very good. My feet were a little swollen, but the nurse practitioner wasn't concerned since I had been at work all morning before. I do have one update: normally, I'd be going in for my Strep B test next time, but since I tested positive for it twice back in September, I don't have to have the test. I'm positive for it, so they'll just treat me once I go into labor. I was a little freaked out by this, but she said it's completely normal and it happens to a lot of people. 


I go back in 2 weeks on the 7th, and I'll see Dr. Helmken then. I also scheduled my next appointment after that on the 14th since I'll be going in weekly. They'll do my 36 weeks ultrasound then, and here's the kicker: I'm supposed to see Dr. Helmken from now on, but she'll be "on vacation" then. I told Derek that I will bet money that I'll go into labor that week. I figure it's the week of St. Patrick's Day (Savannah's biggest and most rowdy holiday) paired with my doctor being on vacation means that I'll end up with some doctor I don't know and have difficulty navigating through Savannah to just get to the hospital, or, in other words, a typical Ratcliff catastrophe - haha. Weew - that's a mouthful, but you get my point. I'm convinced it'll be the perfect storm for a chaotic labor. 


Anyway, on the 14th, I'm scheduled to see Beverly (the nurse practitioner) again in Dr. Helmken's place. Overall, I feel okay. Some new symptoms have appeared (just today!): my hands are starting to tingle and burn. I even felt like my wrists locked up and were useless for a few minutes. In addition to the new hand-tingle-problem, my hips have been horribly painful, and my lower back hurts SO bad. My feet still swell a lot, and I definitely waddle these days. I can feel myself waddling as I make the long trek down the hall to the restroom every 20 minutes at work. I am sleeping okay right now, so I do have that going for me. 


Stella moves a lot right now, but sadly, it seems that she's still not head down. Her head is near my belly button where it has been for a little while now. I wish she'd just get with it and go head down! She has three weeks to get it together - otherwise, they'll schedule me for a flipping. I read that's not very comfortable, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I'd prefer to avoid the whole C-section thing since the recovery takes a while longer, and I want to get back to running ASAP. 


And speaking of which, I'm going to start exercising much more regularly now, regardless of the pain/cramping/issues. I think I need to start really getting myself ready for labor, and I think walking every morning is a good way to do that. I also want to make sure I don't get too far up in the weight range. I'm now at +28 lbs, and I don't want to go crossing that 35 lb mark, making it much harder to get back to running and my pre-pregnancy size. If you can't tell, I really, really, really miss running :( 


Now, regarding the visit from our moms: It went great! I was really excited to see all of the clothes and supplies we got at our shower, and, of course, to see our moms :). We went shopping on Sunday at the Carter's outlet in Hilton Head, and Stella got some super cute outfits. We went ahead and purchased her coming home outfit - so cute! - and some other cute little items. My mom bought her some super cute shoes and socks, and my mother-in-law got her a really cute dress and outfit. I can tell they're both really excited for her to get here, and they're both predicting a March baby, not an April one. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on their parts :) 


We took our moms to the Lady and Sons (as has already been mentioned) and to downtown Savannah. We also took them to the infamous Squat-N-Gobble in Bluffton (it was on Jay Leno for having one of the worst restaurant names in America). We spent a lot of time preparing the nursery. We washed ALL of Stella's clothes and diapers and organized her drawers. It was really nice to see them both, and I hope they had a good time. I'm really looking forward to them visiting when Miss Stella makes her appearance. I know the help will be priceless.


This morning, Derek said the cutest thing. He said, "I think we really got some cute stuff for Stella this weekend." Now, he and I were running around Carter's looking at different options for her coming home outfit, and it was SO cute to see him making suggestions and saying things were cute. He found this adorable little romper-type-thing (not sure what you call them) that had a crab on the butt. I thought it was too appropriate :) It's just so cute to see him getting excited about her arrival :) 


Tomorrow, we have our Basic Breastfeeding class, and it's our last class - finally! We have our maternity photos this weekend with my dear friend Liza. She and I worked out the details, and we're going to do some in our house, some at Hilton Head beach, and some at Forsyth Park in Savannah. I figure we should take advantage of living in such a beautiful area. I'm really excited about it, and I know Liza will do a great job. :) 


Oh, and my office has arranged a baby shower for me - ya'll are too sweet! :) - on March 11. I'm looking forward to that as well, and I think it will be fun to have lunch with my office and SCAD friends at J. Christopher's! I really appreciate everything they're doing for me, and I'm so glad I work with such a caring and sweet group of people :) 


Oh, and how about that new fruit - a honeydew! I believe it. I feel like I'm smuggling a bowling ball these days. Anyway, I need to get to grading. I was offered another class - yay! - starting March 8. This place is keeping me busy! 

Still not head down...

According to our handy dandy baby development tracker, Stella should be head down right now. Nope. Still the same. I think she's making an effort - her kicks get higher and higher, but her head is still in the same place it was before. I know Dr. Helmken said not to worry, but I'm starting to worry. Just flip already! 

Anyway, Derek and I have been crazy busy trying to get the nursery together. We finally found a suitable storage unit/bookcase that we're happy with. We also found a good floor lamp that matches - we can finally see in there! 

Everything has been going pretty well, though. I'm absolutely enormous. As far as symptoms go, I'm having a lot of lower back pain and just achy-ness in general. By Friday, my feet are usually so swollen that I can barely walk. I'm also having some of the worst pregnancy acne of the entire pregnancy. It has to be hormones. I'm washing my face with the right kind of cleanser, and I'm using the medicine that Dr. Helmken gave me. It just doesn't clear up. It really sucks. I've never felt so hideous. I've also noticed that I'm more emotional than usual, much like I was when I was around 12 weeks pregnant. I just started crying the other day, completely random. Derek and I were laying in bed, watching television, and all of a sudden, I just burst into tears. 

Derek was like, "What's wrong?! What did I do? Are you okay?" And, I just couldn't even explain it. I just sat there sobbing like a moron. I'm also having some major kicks and movements. Stella has to be huge right now. I think she's probably around the 4-4.5 lb range, and she's moving like crazy. She kicks me so hard sometimes, it startles me. I'll jump and be like, "AH!" Derek will be like, "WHAT?!" and I'm like, "Oh, it was just a foot." I swear, I think she's just in there busting a move all the time. She's also so responsive now. Derek will poke at her, and she'll poke back. It's too cute. 

I've been guzzling water, and I'm trying to get around 90 or so oz. a day right now. It helps, but it doesn't totally eliminate the cramps that I feel from activity. And speaking of which, I was so excited to hear that I could exercise from Dr. Helmken, but I haven't had the energy to get out and do anything. When I have to walk to teach FYE at work, I just end up cramping terribly and feeling miserable all day. I haven't even tried hitting the gym because of it. I'm so scared that I'm getting "fat" as opposed to being pregnant. 

And speaking of that, Derek and I had plans to go out together for a Valentine's Day date this weekend. Well, around 2 yesterday, I just laid on our bed and took a nap. I woke up, and Derek was sleeping there, too. He woke up just after I did, and I looked at him and said I didn't think I had the energy to go anywhere. We decided to stay in and order Chinese food :) I figure we'll go on a date next year when I have more energy - I'll just start planning for a sitter now, haha. 

Well, I need to go finish getting our house together for our moms to visit. They're leaving early Friday morning, and they should arrive after we get home from work. We're both excited to see them :) And, happy birthday to my mother-in-law, Kathi! :) 

A very long appointment

Well, it wasn't long content-wise, but it was definitely long wait-wise.


I arrived at the doctor's office around 3pm. My appointment was scheduled for 3:15, and I'm always roughly 10-15 minutes early in case I need to hit the restroom and get comfortable. Well, I waited in the main office until about 3:30. I was called back, did my urine sample, and all the usuals. Well, I waited in another area for about 10 minutes, and then finally was taken back to my room. Not so bad at this point, right? Only about 20 minutes behind. The nurse checked my weight and blood pressure and said the doctor would be right in.


I waited in the exam room for well over half an hour. It was after 4:15 by the time Dr. Helmken even came in. At one point, I started nodding off because I was so insanely bored. That's what I mean by "long" appointment. I had every intention of going back to work, if possible, but damn, that really crashed those dreams.


Either way, Dr. Helmken said my weight is great - it weighed me 2 lbs heavier than last time, but I'm blaming it on having just eaten ;). My blood pressure is good, and my fundal height is perfectly normal. She said that I was right to come and get checked out for the cramping. She asked if the water is helping, and I told her that it seems to be. She said that if I feel any more cramping even though I'm chugging water, I should come back. 


Then, she started checking on Stella. Her heart rate was 150, and Dr. Helmken thinks her feet are over on my right side now and her head is near my belly button. Dr. Helmken was grabbing my stomach - like never before - and man-handling Stella. It kinda hurt and kinda scared me. I know she knows what she's doing but that was crazy. 


She told me not to worry about the whole not being head down stuff. She said it's actually very normal for babies to remain head up right now because her head is her biggest body part and it gives her more room to move around if she stays head up. She said I may or may not feel her flip in the next couple weeks. At 4:30 am this morning, she was making some of the craziest movements I've ever felt. I was sleeping really close to Derek, and I think she woke him up. She was shaking my entire stomach, and I had high hopes that she was doing her flip then. I guess not. She still has time, though. 


I go back on the 21st at 3:45 and I'll see a nurse practitioner. I'll be seeing Beverly - the mega hyper nurse crazy lady. She will literally read her notes aloud to you. It's kinda weird, but she's very thorough. 


Overall, things are going well. My feet were swollen - just a little - from walking around so much today. Dr. Helmken says I can get back to exercising - yay! - as long as there is no cramping. I plan to hit the fitness center in the morning :D I think I'll just keep it to walking for now, just to be on the safe side. If I get any larger, I may just be doing good to walk. I'm barely able to get out of our bed at night to go to the restroom. Which can I just say how annoying that is anymore?! All this water and this giant belly - I'm going to the restroom like 3 times a night! 


Anyway, our swing came today (thanks, Mom) and my other collage from Maple Shade Kids. I think next I'll order some of the things we didn't get at our shower and probably some more clothes. We still need a bouncer and I really want this co-sleeper that I found at Wal-Mart. I also need to get those basic essential items like wipes and all that. 


Derek and I recently purchased a new digital camera. In case you didn't notice, we've been using our phones to take pictures, and we decided that we need to be civilized and have a good digital camera for when Stella is born and after. We ordered a Canon Powershot - not too expensive but will do the job well. I want to be sure Derek has everything he needs on his packing list! :) 


It's crazy to think that I'm going every two weeks, and I'll be back in their office on the 21st. Then, I guess I'll be going in around the 7th or so, and then every week after that. Not much longer to go! 

Prepared? Childbirth

Here we are at 31 weeks. It seems like forever to go still and I'm feeling more enormous every day. Only a handful of Derek's shirts fit me, and I had been able to sneak in the occasional non-maternity shirt/dress here and there, but not anymore. I'm as big as a walrus.

We had our "Prepared Childbirth" class yesterday. It was all day long, and I think it was a really good chance for us to learn about labor and delivery, and well, a little about each other. 

We learned about different sorts of interventions, medications, breathing, and labor positions. Now, I'm going to say this and I am absolutely 100% sincere: I have absolutely no intention of getting an epidural. I had been saying it for months, but after watching exactly what an epidural is and getting to hold a "dummy" epidural - no, thank you. I know everyone says that the pain is so bad that I'll want one and blah blah blah - no. No, I won't. All I have to do is think back to that f^%*ing catheter sticking out of my back and I will have no problem enduring whatever is thrown at me.

Now, I'm not one of those people who plans to hire a doula and water births and all that hokey stuff. I'm just not interested in getting anything shoved into my back unnecessarily. I had been saying for a while that I wanted to do a natural child birth for a lot of reasons. I think it's better for me since I'll really be able to feel the need to push. Epidurals don't harm the baby in any way, so that's got nothing to do with it. I don't really want to lose control of the lower half of my body.

Now, I'm sure everyone will think I'm a religious fanatic for saying this, but one of reasons lies in Genesis 3:16 - "To the woman he said, 'I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children..."' Now, I realize that if you get a headache, you're going to take a Tylenol - right? But for some reason, in my most recent reading of this I felt this sense of obligation to accept whatever it is that God has in store for me and to see if I could actually do it. Almost like a duty - does that make sense?

Now, I'm also not going to be one of those people who avoid C-sections at all costs. I think that we do have modern science for a reason (almost seems contradictory to my last claim, but it will make sense here in a second, I promise). I think that if there's anything we can do to protect Stella and myself, then we should do that. Ultimately, my position is this: I want to try and do this on my own if possible since I think that's the most natural thing a woman can do - labor is not a medical procedure but rather a very natural thing that our bodies have been doing for as long as humans have existed. I do think, though, that if a medical procedure (C-section) is needed to intervene to protect us both, then I should accept that - just like taking my Tylenol when I get a headache - get it? 

Okay, now that I've weirded you out and I'm sure you think I'm a borderline religious fanatic, I can continue discussing the rest of the class. :)

We took a tour of the labor and delivery rooms and the mother-baby units. That was great because now I feel like I can actually visualize our future adventure and get a feeling for what it's going to be like. 

I think my favorite part of yesterday was when the instructor was explaining contractions and what to check for when your water breaks, Derek starts taking notes. I don't think anyone else in the class was taking notes (I definitely wasn't) and he starts drawing a chart of how to track the contractions. It made me feel a lot better about signing up for the class and dragging him there (note: he didn't have any opposition, but I do feel like I'm always suckering him into doing baby things). It also makes me feel better about being able to identify when I'm actually in labor since I have such a prepared "support person." 

My other favorite part was listening to this guy in our class ask questions. He was a total idiot! Now, I realize he was from another country and English wasn't his native language. I think he may have been from India. Well, among his notable questions were: regarding skin-to-skin contact - "Can't they wipe the baby off before they lay it on my wife?"; "If she's in labor, can't I just call the ambulance?"; "When will my wife's breasts be normal again?"; and the best one was when asked what is the best way to tell if your wife is in labor - "More complaining." There were hundreds more, but he seemed 1) totally clueless and 2) completely freaked out by babies and labor. Derek and I spent the car ride home joking about what a nut he was. 

Anyway, it was a good class, and I'm glad we did it. One more class to go: Breastfeeding Basics on Feb 22. I'm really looking forward to that since I want to be sure I know how to breastfeed properly, and I have my fancy new breast pump - thank you, Kathi! :)

Now, I've been feeling better because of all the rest I've been getting. I only worked a half day on Friday, and I swear, I think I slept about 10-11 hours that day. I came home from work and slept until Derek got home, and then I went to bed around 9 and slept until morning. I noticed yesterday that my ankles actually looked like MY ANKLES again! Like, my prepregnancy ankles! I was so happy. 

I've been drinking a ton of water to fight the dehydration, and I'm just resting a lot. I feel really lazy and fat (for not working out) but I know I want to wait and talk to Dr. Helmken tomorrow about everything. 

Another thing that concerns me lately is that I was the only person in our birthing class (out of 10 couples) whose baby wasn't already head down. The nurse said it wasn't a big deal until we get further along and she still has time to flip, but my coworker Maria (we share the same due date) already has a head down baby. Stella went from being transverse to breech (or footling). I'm just scared she won't flip or won't have room (because I have a wacky uterus). Only time will tell, I guess. Everyone says not to worry about it, so I won't worry about it until it's a problem. 

Anyway, I should also say thank you to my mom and mother in law for having my hometown baby shower today - Thank you! :) And thank you to everyone who is participating or planning to ship a gift to us. We really appreciate it. 

I should also say Congratulations! to my friend Jessica who delivered her twin boys on Feb. 2. I'm also thinking of Neil and Lindsay in Ohio right now - I know you're both eagerly awaiting the arrival of Lila! I hope she comes soon! :) 

(and Lindsay: I'm so jealous! I wish I was as close as you are!!) 9 more weeks to go!

Unexpected Dr. Visit

Well, I said I wouldn't post again until my doctor's appointment on Monday, but I unexpectedly went in to the doctor today.


Sigh. I woke up yesterday with some terrible cramping - very sharp cramps. I decided that it was probably how I slept or maybe just more stretching pain. Well, the cramping continued and it got worse. By last night, I was miserable, and I went to bed around 8 or so after we ate dinner. I woke up this morning and walked to work, and it was still there. It was so hard for me to make it up the stairs to work. I decided I need to call and speak with a nurse.


When I called, they decided they wanted me to come in immediately. I arrived at the doctor's office around 9:15, and I wasn't seen by anyone until nearly 10am. They decided to do a fetal fibronectin and I was hooked up to a cardiotocography machine. Big word, eh? Basically, it monitors Stella's heart rate and checks for contractions. I had to push a button every time I felt her move - which was a lot.


They came in and checked me, and Stella's heart rate was great - she was always in the 130-160 range. I noticed that her heart rate would bounce really high when she'd start moving a lot. It was interesting to see. I had no contractions, just small irritation here and there. All very good.


Then, I got to get another ultrasound! I was so excited, but when I went in, it just to check to see that my cervix is closed and it is. Since my cervix is closed, they didn't have to follow through with testing for the fetal fibronectin - phew! The worst part was when they took the sample - not comfortable at all! :( Regardless, they didn't have to send it off since everything else was fine. 


They checked my urine - and BINGO! - therein lies the problem. I am terribly dehydrated. All that hype over needing to drink some water... oh well! I'm just glad it's not anything terribly serious and we're definitely sure that our baby girl is very healthy and doing well. No fear of preterm labor. I was ordered to rest for the remainder of the day, and the nurse practitioner wanted me to stay home tomorrow. I was like, "Uhm, I need to save my leave. Thanks." She said she understood, but I guess we'll see how I feel in the morning. If I wake up with more cramping and feeling yucky, then I'll stay home. I know I need to do what's best for Stella and me. 


I think I have been running around a lot. Lately, it seems like I've had tons of students wanting to see me and I had an event that I ran last week, and Derek and I worked on our office this past weekend. I also went to the gym this week, so I think I've been trying to do too much. I'm sitting on our bed now with a bottle of water, wearing some pajamas. It's a very good feeling :) 


Oh, I was also ordered to wear the maternity band more. I was pretty bummed about that since it's not the most comfortable thing in the world. I guess because I'm so small and have nowhere to put Stella, I need help carting her around. I was also told not to exercise and just rest for the weekend. Speaking of my own size, I weighed in, and I'm currently at +23 lbs. I figure that's not that bad. Even if I gain a lb a week from now until 40 weeks, I'll still be well under the 35lb mark. I did gain more than my last weigh in, but I've been shoveling away the beef in order to keep my iron up. It all evens out, I guess. Either way, I was happy. 


Here's the kicker that I've been saving for the end - while this morning was a total pain in my ass, I did get to see Stella again! Technically, the ultrasound tech was only supposed to measure my cervix length, but she said, "I know how it goes. Being this close to an ultrasound machine and not seeing your baby would be torture!" I couldn't have agreed more! 


She took two quick pictures - one in 3D and one in 2D. The 2D one is actually better because of the way Stella is now positioned.

So, this is a shot of her face in 2D. I think you can tell she's a bit bigger than the last ultrasound! 

And, here's our girl with her hand up by her face. She kept turning and hiding! 

Stella's position is now feet down, probably something like this, but only with her back facing out:

Only her feet are kind of together, like how you imagine a frog's:

So, her head is laying on my rib cage, on my right side. Her SHOULDER! is what's laying into my belly near my belly button, and her feet have been repeatedly stomping the bottom of my cervix. When I think of her in this position, it makes me realize just how big she is. 

Anyway, I need to get back to resting and drinking water. We have our "Prepared Childbirth" class on Saturday, all day. I'm sure I'll have some funny stories from that to share :) Oh, and I'm still visiting for my regular check up on Monday. I'll see my doctor then, not just a nurse practitioner. 

More baby orders

I feel like I'm blogging a lot these days. I guess because Derek is spending a lot of time on homework and assignments and I'm between my grading in PHI 103. I decided to take a couple more pictures to demonstrate the sheer size of my belly these days.

This is me just after work today. As you can see, I look like I have a torpedo belly or maybe I'm smuggling a soccer ball. I thought I should add another picture just because of how awful and tired I looked yesterday. I'll be honest, it was probably that I didn't take my iron over the weekend (yes, I know) and I hadn't had a lot of water from being so busy. 

Today, I managed to get down 100 fl oz, or 4 helpings of my stay-at-work water bottle. I think drinking more water helps with the tiredness and with the Braxton-Hicks contractions. I didn't have any today, and I really feel pretty good. I had been considering visiting the gym if I wake up feeling this well. 

Here's another shot: 

Here, you can see my tummy a little better without the sweater. I thought, too, that wearing something tighter would help demonstrate my girth. :)

Enough about me - this is Stella's blog. I ordered her a few things today - namely some gDiapers. My former coworker and friend Jessica (who is now in the hospital, nearly ready to deliver her twins) sent me a coupon for Diapers.com. I ordered Stella two in this color and one in this color . I also ordered some of the biodegradable inserts. I figure they'll come in handy at first when she's going through a lot of diapers and we aren't ready for doing laundry 2-3 times a day.  

I also ordered some things for myself today. I always feel bad about doing that, but I know I need some clothes to make it through these final weeks. I ordered this dress:

I really liked it and I ordered another pair of black pants and a shirt for work. I thought maybe the dress could be a good option for our maternity photos since we're currently planning to take half of the pictures at Hilton Head beach and the other half at our house. I'm really excited about doing it, and I know Liza will do a great job. Let's just hope I don't get any more puffy or swollen looking over the next 3 weeks!

Anyway, I figured I needed to balance a really negative post with a much more positive one today. I slept well last night and I feel really good today. Stella has been really active, and earlier, we were watching a movie and we both got distracted for a minute because she was kicking like crazy. It's so funny to watch Derek with his hand on my tummy. He'll poke and she'll kick back. He thinks it's "scary" how she can kick back. Of course, he means like startling, and his face always lights up and gets this goofy look on it. :) 

Enough! I'll post again on Monday after my appointment! :)

30 weeks

In some ways, it seems like I shouldn't already be at 30 weeks, and in others, it seems like I should already be full-term by now. I think it depends on how I feel that particular day. Today, I did NOT feel so spunky.


Yesterday, we spent nearly the entire day painting our office. Back in October, we painted Stella's room, and I felt well enough to paint quite a bit and really help. Yesterday, I spent most of the time sitting on the floor, painting along the molding. I even stopped a couple times to take short rests. I'm feeling pretty darn huge these days, and I think I'm starting to look absurdly pregnant. Here's my latest belly shot - please forgive the pajama look. I couldn't stand wear real clothes any longer this evening:

Yes, I know. I look tired. I look bloated and puffy, and I feel exhausted. It's not good to feel this way. We have maternity photos at the end of the month on the 26th, and I'm scared I'll hate them because of how revoltingly large I am.


Okay, okay. Enough complaining. It's hard to not complain, though, and yes, I feel like a terrible person for just wishing this was over already. Today, I was looking at ModCloth, and I kept remembering the wonderful feeling of having a waist and being able to run and just looking generally better than I do right now. Okay, I said enough complaining. :(


On to more positive things: Stella has been quite active lately. She moves so much, and it's shocking what she can actually do now. She's very strong. I added a new ticker (in case you didn't notice) to the top of our blog since the fruit/veggie thing is no longer amusing. Okay, a squash. Then, we've got a cantaloupe and then a watermelon. Not a lot to expect from that in the coming weeks. I figured the updates on her development might be more interesting. :)


I definitely believe that she's strong enough to grip a finger because some days it feels like she's trying to bust out of my belly. She'll kick really hard or just starting moving like crazy. Her movements really wake me up now, and on Sunday, I woke up at 4:30 am. I managed to wake Derek up with all of my shifting, and I looked at him and said, "Are you awake?" He said, "Uh... kinda." I said, "Well, your daughter is keeping me awake." We laid there for about another thirty minutes before he got up and made me chocolate chip pancakes and started getting ready for the early Mass. I have a wonderful husband :)


Lately, I've been having a few Braxton-Hicks contractions. At first, I was a little confused by them, but now, I'm just like, "Eh, another one of those." When we were picking out paint at Home Depot on Saturday, I just started having one right there. I was like, "Welp - okay." They're more annoying than anything. They happen at work a lot. I've been having more stretching-type cramps. Go ahead - say it: "How could you possibly get any larger?" Well, I'm not sure, but I guess we'll see. I'm sleeping okay, save the occasional wake up calls from Stella's feet. 


I check in with the doctor on Monday, and I'll be in there a lot more often now. I don't think I can say this enough: she can come as early as possible. I am so ready to be on the road to getting this weight off - I can't wait to finally run again! - and just to have her here. I've spent a good amount of time complaining in this blog post, but I can't say enough just how excited I am to finally meet our little girl and to finally see what she looks like. I just sit and look at her stuff in her room and imagine what it will really be like. I can't wait :) 


So to end on a positive note: I am so ready to for this to be over not only because I'm uncomfortable but also so I can get to the real business of getting to know Stella and just loving her and being the best mom I can possibly be. And, I cannot wait to finally see Derek with her. I think he's going to be an amazing dad. :) Is that the mushiest thing I've said in this blog to date? Probably. I've been getting really emotional lately. :) 

Gettin' the baby deals!

We've recently made quite a few purchases for Stella, so I thought I'd share them.


Here's the first recent purchase:

If you remember, I bought another one of these for the nursery a couple months ago. I liked it so much, I thought I'd add another one to make it like a set. I wanted to get some more pink in Stella's room, and I really loved this one. It's from an Etsy store called Maple Shade Kids, and the woman who makes everything uses all-natural products and a tree is planted in honor of every purchase. I totally recommend it! 

On to more practical things :) 

I just got a sweet deal on a high chair. I had been planning to put this purchase off, but when I saw I could get one for the low, low price of fifty bucks, I went for it. Most of the ones I've looked at are around 80-120 dollars, and my co-worker recommended one that's $230 - you know, those crazy Stokke ones? Here's the one we ordered:

It's not pink and fabulous like most of Stella's things, but this will fit in nicely near our bar between our great room and the kitchen. We usually eat dinner there anyway, and it will be perfect. The best part of it is that if we want to attach it to our dining room chairs like this: 

We can. It'll be nice to have both features in a single high chair. It also becomes a booster seat for when she's older. Very happy with it! 


Now, I need to give mad props to my Mom and Mother-in-Law. My Mother-in-Law is purchasing our breast pump - thank you, Kathi! - as our baby shower gift. I'm so thankful for that! My Mom has offered to purchase a swing for Stella, and I'm also very, very thankful for that. I had one in mind, and Mom told me to go ahead and order it. Here's the one I picked:

I think it's absolutely adorable, and it lights up! I love it! 

I'm so thankful for both of them doing everything they've done. They're both hosting our Portsmouth baby shower next weekend, and I think it's so sweet that they're doing this for us. Then, they're going to drive down with everything on February 18th. I'm very excited for both of them to visit, and I'm so thankful. Derek and I didn't expect family to buy anything for us, save a few clothing items, so this is a huge treat. I've already had several inquiries about "good gift ideas" from our families, and that's also very sweet - we love you all so much! 

I need to get to errands! Derek and I have a lot to do this weekend! :) I'll post again soon, and I need to take another belly picture. I swear, I look like I'm about to pop!