4 32 wks

How Far Along am I: 32 Weeks

 

Size of baby: Baby Girl is the size of a squash

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained just shy of 30 lbs since conception

Maternity Clothes: yes please!

 Gender: It's a GIRL!

Movement: The last week she has shifted and now moves from left to right and sometimes hangs out in the middle. I have started feeling her kick me a little higher and even think she took a jab at my ribs the other day!

Sleep: Uh, not so good. starting to realize that whatever side she moves to suddenly becomes uncomfortable and I have to switch. My arm has been falling asleep more often. And last night I think she got the hiccups about 4am, so that kinda freaked me out and kept me up a bit.

What I miss: Bending over and sleeping on my tummy. And wine. I could have used a glass of wine last week after working for 14 + hrs.

Cravings: Lately its been SONIC. Loving me some burgers and tater tots. I've even opted for unsweetened tea instead of soda to help keep the sugar down. The pellet ice makes it all worth it!

Symptoms: This has been a pretty good week, with the exception of being more tired and feeling some tightness in my sides. I'm sure it's just growing pains and not contractions. My bump has grown so much in the past 2 weeks I know its getting snug in there for her. Some swelling in my feet after a long day at work.

Best Moment this week: Besides finding out last week that I passed my glucose test, I would have to say its been watching her move around in my tummy. Daddy was able to see her kick pretty easily the other da, so that's been exciting to watch his reaction. The nursery is almost complete, just waiting for the valance and decal and I'll be sharing her room with you.
We started Lamaze this week, so its getting serious folks...she will be arriving in just 8 wks!

3 The 3 hour glucose test...not my idea of fun

As you may recall, I failed the 1 hour glucose test with a score of 147. You needed to be under 140 to pass. So this meant that I had to go thru a 3 hour test. We decided to do this on Friday morning. So I took the whole day off work just in case I felt drained like I did with the 1 hour test.

I had to fast for 12 hours before the test, so my last food was ingested was about 7:15 Thursday night. Only water from there on until they took my fasting blood draw at 7:30.  I then had to drink a 100mg bottle of the tasty glucose drink.

Yeah, remember how I said the 1 hr drink wasn't bad and kinda tasted like melted popsiscles? Well this one was twice as strong, so it wasn't as pleasant. I now understand the coating people are talking about feeling on their teeth...it was like syrup. But I guzzled it down in the 5 minute window and the waiting began.

I felt fine during that first hour, maybe a slight "rush" about half way thru but nothing too noticeable. The tech called me back and I had my #2 blood draw done. Felt fine during and after that. So I went back to the waiting room to sit by hubby and actually kinda felt a little sleepy. About 15 minutes later, I started feeling a little light headed and like the room was starting to spin. I lifted my head up from his shoulder and started noticing that I felt a little warm. He looked over and asked if I was ok. I told him I was kinda feeling a little woozy. He got me a wet paper towel to hold to my face to cool me off. I took some deep breaths and the sounds of the room including my husband talking to me started fading out a little bit. I was like, I'm not feeling well at all,a little lightheaded like I'm gonna pass out.

Just then my mouth started salivating like I was going to puke. Then I got really warm and he said I was as pale as the walls. I said yeah, I don't feel right at all. So I asked him if he could walk me to the bathroom bcause I was thinking I was going to hurl. He slowly stood me up and walked me back their. I told him if I wasn't out in a few minutes to come check on me in case I passed out.

I shut the door and immediatly stripped off my shirt layer and just stood there with my tanktop on. I put a little more cold water on my face and kept spitting out the saliva that was building up in my mouth. It popped in my head, if I get sick...I'm gonna have to do this all over again. I felt bad enough having to make the baby go thru all this with me, if I was feeling this bad, I wonder how she was feeling? So I just  took some more deep breaths and applied more water to my face and pushed thru it.

I walked back to the waiting room, still in my lovely tank top mind you and kinda stood there for a minute before sitting down. Once I sat down, the warmness started coming back so I got another towel to try to cool myself down. I slowly started feeling better, but decided to keep the towel and tanktop combo going since it was working so well. I had about 10 minutes before my next draw when hubs snapped this picture. Britney Spears anyone?

 So I was nervous how I would do with the next blood draw (that would be #3 if anyone is counting) given the near pass out I had just encountered.  It actually went ok and I walked back to the waiting room to begin the next hour of waiting.  Started getting a little warm about 45 minutes thru that hour, but reapplied the cool compress and ended up feeling better pretty quick. Last and final blood draw #4 was up, and besides my vein feeling like a pin cushion, I was ok. Yeah, it left a mark....4 actually. This was when we got in the car....me thinks it will end up bruising, do you agree?

I quickly took a drink of water since I wasn't allowed any since I started the stupid test and was able to get some of the  sugar taste out of my mouth. I then had a spoonful of peanut butter to hold me over until we grabbed some lunch. The tech said I might want to try to eat something if I felt like it and I was like, ya think? I'm 8 months pregnant and haven't had food for 15 hours....hell yeah I'm going to eat something! So we got in the car and went directly to Burger King (my choice). The flame broiled goodness smelled so good, I had made a good choice.  So although I was ravenous by this time, I was actually only about to eat about half my sandwich and fries and had to take the other half home. Which I finished about 2 hours later after napping on the way home.  Gad that I took the whole day off, not my idea of how to spend a vacation day, but it was nice not to have to focus on numbers.

I am so thankful that my husband went with me and stayed the whole time. What if I had been alone when I started to feel like I was going to pass out and the tech was with another patient? Scary. I had told him he could leave to go grab some breakfast before my little episode, but he hadn't felt like it yet. And once I got lightheaded he wasn't leaving my side. What a great guy!

I had my bi-weekly checkup yesterday and the dr said that my sugar levels were fine, so yeah I passed!  He did want me to cut out sweets and added sugar as a preventative measure. He said my pancreas was keeping up fine now, but he didn't want to make it work overtime in the final home stretch. So although there is no diagnosis, I am cutting out ice cream and nutty bars and whatever other sweet treat I have been enjoying too many of lately. Its all good for the baby, so I don't mind sacrificing for a few months!

7 Our 3D/4D Ultrasound

I can't believe that the time had finally come...we were 30 wks and it was time to get our 3D/4D ultrasound and get a sneak peek at our little girl! My husband was with me, he hasn't missed any appointments during my pregnancy which I am so thankful for. And we invited my Grandma as she is so excited about this baby.
I am so lucky to have her want to be so involved in this whole experience with me!

They had suggested drinking a little OJ before our appointment to get her moving, as sometimes little ones can just sleep and be faced away and never be seen. So I drank about half a small bottle (you know convenient store size) and hoped for the best.  We got in, got propped up on the table, bared my tummy and got lubed up.  She first pulled up the 2D side view and we once again got to see the cute little nose and view we had seen a few times before. Then she switched it to the 4D view. Wowza....what a difference!

The first shot they got was a butt shot, so we got the quick confirmation that she indeed is a girl. The tech moved the wand around until she found her face curled up on my left side using my placenta for a pillow it seemed.

Hello little girl! So nice to see your cute little face!

Are you gonna move around for Momma? And boy did she hear my request! She was moving all over the place! She had her feet up by her head most of the time and would be kicking the umbilical cord to and fro. Her head is down, so that's a good thing, and confirmed why most of the movement seems to be lower, she is curled up most of the time. She even at one point kicked herself in the head, that girl has some muscles already! It was awesome to see her move around and even open her eyes from time to time.

She was kinda shy towards the beginning annd if it wasn't her feet up in her face, she had her hands on the side of her cheek.

She kept sucking on her fingers and playing with her cheeks.

Then decided just to put her whole fist in her mouth.

We did manage to get a little half grin out of her. I'm betting she's gonna have an ornery streak in her!

The tech ended up trying for a little longer than our allotted time to try to get her feet out of the way, so her cord would go down so we could get a clearer picture of her face, but she wasn't interested and eventually started almost getting fussy and had an "I'm getting annoyed" face. It was adorable, but then I felt bad for bothering her so we said we were good with seeing what we had.
Soon after that, she yawned and we knew it was time to head home. We both were beat!

What an amazing thing, we both were so happy we got to get a glimpse at the miracle that is happening inside of me! We think she will have my nose and chin, I'm thinking my husbands forehead and not sure about the chubby cheeks....those may have been from both of us!

She is beautiful and now when I feel her moving around, I can picture her in there and the expressions she must be having and it makes it seem even more real then it had before, it that is possible for being 8 months pregnant! I can't wait to meet her in 2 short months....and tell her how beautiful she is in person!

2 30 wks

How Far Along am I: 30 Weeks

 

Size of baby: Baby Girl is the size of a head of lettuce

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 25 lbs since conception

Maternity Clothes: Everything below the waist, a few larger shirts from before are still making an appearance

 Gender: It's a GIRL!

Movement: She has been moving lots mostly on my left side, i think she likes that side better for some reason

Sleep: This is getting more difficult. While the number of times I am getting up in the middle of the night has decreased, normally the final time I get up, which is about 4-5am, is proving hard to fall back asleep

What I miss: Bending over easily and sleeping on my tummy.

Cravings: This week hasn't really brought any cravings, I'm filling up so much quicker with meals, I have no room for dessert.I failed my 1 hour glucose test and had to retake my 3 hour test yesterday so maybe that's making me steer clear from the sugary treats too.

Symptoms: This week I have felt pretty good overall, had a few of what I am thinking were Braxton Hicks contractions earlier in the week in the afternoon at work.  Almost felt like someone made me uterus into a fist real quick and then let go..did that twice and then was done.Otherwise, heartburn has been at a minimal and no backaches this week! Yeah baby girl, thank you!

Best Moment this week: It would have to be going to our 4D ultrasound on Thursday afternoon (separate post to follow with some pics). It was amazing getting to see her close up and watch her move around. I still get tears in my eyes when we watch the DVD! Simply amazing. It was a surreal experience and now I can't quit picturing her when I feel her kick me now. And the US confirmed that day that she is indeed a girl, so yeah for team pink!

10 My Baby Shower

My cousins hosted a baby shower for me on Saturday and did a great job pulling everything together! I was so excited to see some old friends and I always love spending time with my family. We are a pretty close group.  Love coming from a large family!

Baby girl will be a third generation, the same as the adorable little piglets in this picture. Poor little Hudson...he's the only little boy so far. Boy is he is for it!

The theme....ladybugs of course! There was a ladybug cake with grass topped cupcakes surrounding her. Fresh fruit and veggies, little sandwiches and pasta salad and of course you can't forget the chocolate chip dip or chocolate fountain! Yum!

The place was all fixed up with balloons and  little ladybug accents, the only thing missing was the glider that Grandma had delivered to my house a few weeks ago. But they did have a "pink throne" for me to sit on, so that was totally acceptable!

Beside my throne, they had placed an empty chair with a single pink rose in memory of my mom. Even though she wasn't there to sit beside me on my special day, we all knew that she wasn't missing it at all. My cousin Desirae wrote an amazing poem and had it framed for me. She read it aloud and everyone had tears in their eyes and I had my ugly cry face on for a few seconds. It touched me that they thought of including that for me....and for our baby. I think it will be perfect in our little princesses room. (if you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can read it easier)

After a few games, the real fun began....opening presents! I was shocked at the number of things that people brought for us! What a blessing! And in all of it....there were no duplicates! Imagine that.....I was shocked. Everyone had great ideas, mostly from current moms who knew what I would be needing the most!

There were all sizes and colors of onsies. Some with ruffles and some with sleeves, some with zippers and some that were gowns.

Her little closet will look like a zoo! Monkeys and chicks and butterflies and frogs and whales...she will love them all!

There was a lot of pink, of course, but don't worry there are some fun colors thrown in there too!

Lots of flowers and ladybugs to make our spring/summer baby look adorable!

She got dresses and jumpers and pants of every size complete with ruffle butts!
She is going to be one stylish little girl!

And what little girl wouldn't be ready for summer without a bathing suit and some hairbands.
She also got a basket full of stuffed animals and rattles. She is gonna have fun with those!

She is following after her momma already with several pairs of shoes and some cute patterened socks. Do you see those zebra boots? Can't wait to get her in those this winter!

Thankfully we were given many practical items too besides clothes. Like an adorable diaper bag and a vaporizer for those stuffy nights. Lots of wipes and diapers in all sizes will make it much easier to be prepared for those late night changes!

There were binkies to calm her down when she is upset, and washclothes to help keep her clean, as well as a whole plethora of bathtime and healthcare essentials.
Can't wait to rub lotion on her tiny little toes!

Bedtime will be so relaxing with all her super sift blankets and swaddlers. We asked people to bring a book and to write a message inside for baby G. We wanted to start her library and I am going to start reading these to her as soon as her nursery is complete!
The things people wrote to her brought tears to my eyes...she is so loved already!

My Grandma, Aunts and Cousins went together and got us the Pack N Play and Stroller/Carseat system we wanted! Woohoo....so thankful for those!
That was a big relief off our list, can't leave the hospital without a carseat!

These are some of my favorite outfits. The love bug one has little pants as well as a little ruffle layered skirt! And the tank dresses on the right will be perfect for those hot summer days when we just are lounging around the house! Love them!

Some friends that couldn't be there even sent gifts ahead of time. Thanks Audrey, Stacy  and Lauren!

It was such an amazing day, I feel like I didn't have time to talk to everyone, but I guess that is normal when surrounded by over 30 women! I am so thankful and blessed to have an amazing group of friends and family that love us so much.

I am so grateful that my Grandma was there to do it all with me. We both miss my mom, but through this pregnancy I think we both have felt that she is watching me from above with a huge smile on her face. Proud of her baby girl and the little grandaughter growing inside her.

4 29 wks

How Far Along am I: 29 Weeks

 

Size of baby: Baby Girl is the size of a squash

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 25 lbs since conception

Maternity Clothes: All maternity except a few shirts. Last week with my low rise jeans, sad but its getting too uncomfortable!

 Gender: It's a GIRL!

Movement: I've been feeling her move daily, but its calmed down a bit,I think she is resting more and growing

Sleep: It's getting a little more uncomfortable to fall asleep but I'm sleeping better when I do if that makes any sense at all.

What I miss: Sleeping on my tummy definitely.  And being able to bend over easily. That is getting trickier to do.

Cravings: This week I've been pretty good with the ice cream, only had it once. Of course I was smart enough to avoid it the day before my glucose test.

Symptoms: Been feeling pretty good, besides the occasional heartburn at night, only real aches have come when I get up in the morning and that's in my lower tummy from being curled up I think. Little girl is treating her Momma well!

Best Moment this week: I would have to say feeling her first kick in my upper tummy, normally its been about belly button level, but this week she got one closer towards my chest. Still favoring the left side but I have felt some thumps to the middle lately, so she's on the move!

8 28 wks

How Far Along am I: 28 Weeks
(actually in this pic I'm 28wks and 3 days)

 

Size of baby: Baby Girl is the size of a eggplant

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 20 lbs since conception

Maternity Clothes: All of my pants are maternity pants but I can still wear some of my big regular sweaters. I am still in some low ride pants, but am finding my full belly panel ones much more comfortable as I continue to grow bigger. Got another pair of jeans this week...can't wait to wear those!

 Gender: It's a GIRL!

Movement: I've been feeling her move daily, seems like she is most active in the morning and right after dinner.

Sleep: It's getting a little more uncomfortable to fall asleep but I'm sleeping better when I do if that makes any sense at all.

What I miss: Sleeping on my tummy definitely.  Seems like I tend to roll on my stomach while I'm on my side and then I realize its starting to hurt and switch sides.

Cravings: Um this week I'd have to say peanut butter ice cream...yeah not the healthiest but its so dang good!

Symptoms: Been having some major charlie horses in my calves in the middle of the night, and a few aches and pains after sitting too long, but nothing really too much to complain about.

Best Moment this week: I would have to say it was seeing my stomach wiggle and jump the most I have seen yet while watching her move. Its awesome to see her getting stronger and stronger and not only feel her move and stretch but see my tummy react! Amazing!