Baby Watch

We're 39 weeks and 2 days today, and Rhys has given no indications of being ready to make his arrival. We had a doctor-ordered ultrasound today, and he's estimated to weigh around 7.5lbs and is in the 50% range with all of his measurements. We're staying busy and getting our rest while we can. I'll update the blog if things change, but hopefully we'll have a baby in the next two weeks.

The Countdown Has Begun

As of today, we're 37 weeks and 4 days along, and we've officially reached the "full term" mark. Of course, Rhys has given NO indications that he's remotely ready to leave his personal slow cooker, so we'll continue to be patient and wait for him to pick a birthday.

The SC summertime heat has been wreaking havoc on my ankles and hands, but the swelling has been fairly managable as long as I drink lots of water, stay inside as much as possible, and keep my feet elevated as much as possible. My blood pressure continues to be excellent and was 110/70 at my appointment on Monday. I also continue to be very fortunate with my weight gain, and as of Monday, I've gained a total of 2lbs for the entire pregnancy.

I am finding that I am tired a lot more often these days, and it's not uncommon for me to be in bed before 8:30 every night. I'm also up several times during the night for potty breaks, so I'm pretty sure my days of uninterrupted sleep are over. I'm planning on beginning to work from home 2 or 3 days a week from now until Rhys arrives so I can hopefully stay more rested and also get more work done before I begin maternity leave. I'm so fortunate that I work for a company that affords me that flexibility and that my boss is understanding and willing to work with me so that I can work right up until the baby gets here.

The pictures below are from the baby shower that the Women's Group at the church I grew up in hosted for us in early June. As you can see, we received a TON of wonderful things for Rhys. We have another doctor appointment on Monday (since we're now on weekly visits), and I'll do my best to post afterwards.

Sorry for being a slacker!

I apologize for not updating the blog more often. There honestly hasn't been anything terribly exciting going on, but here goes....

We'll be 35 weeks on Saturday, and from what I read and hear, we've had about the most uneventful pregnancy in the world. At my last appointment on Monday I had actually lost 2.5 lbs, so that means I've only gained .5 lbs during the entire pregnancy. Judging my the size of my tummy, that hardly seems possible, but I think the baby's eaten my brain and butt since both of those things seem to have disappeared. My blood pressure has been excellent (110/68 on Monday), and that's also surprising since work's been so ridiculously hectic lately. I'm measuring right on track, too, so baby appears to be growing well.

Jon and I have been attending maternity education classes, and so far, we've made it through our childbirth/Lamaze class and a breastfeeding class. We had to take the one-day Lamaze class, so it was a super-busy day. I'm glad we'd done a lot of reading and research on our own because we'd have been totally overwhelmed with information otherwise. I'm pretty determined that I want our birth to be as natural as possible....and yes, that means I don't think I want an epidural. Note I said that I don't "think" I do. I obviously have never given birth and have no real clue what to expect, but I strongly dislike the idea of being confined to the bed with an IV and being unable to move or walk for possible several hours after Rhys is born. So in preparation for the more natural birth I think I want, I have been practicing hypnosis for childbirth over the past several weeks. If the word hypnosis freaks you out, just think of it more as deep, focused relaxation. I'm not really sure how effective this will end up being when the time comes, but I really think this has helped me stay relaxed and calm (and kept my BP down) through the pregnancy.

The breastfeeding class was pretty informative, and kudos to Jon for actually sticking it out and going with me. As he so eloquently pointed out several times before class, his nipples are non-functioning; therefore, a breastfeeding class is not going to do him any good. But he's incredibly supportive of our decision to breastfeed, and the class did address a few ways for him to be more involved. Our next class is a baby care class on Monday night, and I can't wait to see Jon change a diaper and attempt to swaddle a baby doll. I'm sure the reality of Rhys' impending arrival will start to sink in more once we realize just how often we'll be doing these things in the next few months. After that, our final class will be a tour of the maternity floor at McLeod on June 15th. I've already had the (mis)fortune of getting acquainted with the triage area of labor & delivery earlier in the pregnancy after a fall, but we'll get to tour an actual room, meet some of the staff, ask some questions, and pre-register for the big event.

Our big baby shower is this Sunday at the church I grew up in. I call it the "big" shower because the guest list was almost as long as the guest list for our wedding. I guess that's the blessing of growing up in a small, close-knit community. I'm fortunate that my "family" is way bigger than those I'm related to by blood, and I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the neighbors and family friends that I haven't seen in a while. My car's been cleaned out in anticipation of all of the gifts we'll be coming home with, and I'm stocked up on thank you notes and stamps. We'll be spending the next couple of weeks washing baby stuff and packing our bags (Mom, can you come help?!), and then we'll be sitting on "go" for our "little dude" to make his arrival.

I'll do my best to post pictures from the shower next week, and if you're lucky, a "belly picture" might make its way into the mix. Our next doctor appointment is on the 15th, so I'll definitely update after that!

Nursery Pictures - After

Nursery Pictures - Before

3D Ultrasound Pictures!

We had our 3D ultrasound done today, and we got some pretty good pictures. Jon and I both think he mostly looks like Jon, but we'll see!

28 Weeks

Jon just reminded me that I'd said I'd post my blood glucose test results two weeks ago. I apologize for not doing that sooner.

The good news is that I passed the test, so I won't have to do the three hour test. The mixed news is that my fundal height measured about 4cm larger than it should have on my last appointment. The doctor didn't seem too concerned, but they'll continue to monitor my measurements to see if they continued to be greater than "normal." If I keep measuring big, we'll have another ultrasound done to see if Rhys is growing larger than he should be or to see if my fluid levels are elevated. Pretty much anything could have caused me to measure big (from a full bladder, being bloated due to crappy food while I was traveling, etc). I still haven't gained any weight, so I'm pretty satisfied with that.

We'll be having our 3D/4D ultrasound done on Thursday while Jon's home, so keep your fingers crossed that Rhys will cooperate and we'll be able to get some good pictures of him. If we do get good pictures, I'll post some next weekend. We'll also be working on the nursery this weekend since Jon will be here to assemble the crib. I'll do my best to post before and after pictures next weekend also. We've got 12 weeks (or hopefully a couple less!) to go!!!

25 Weeks and 5 days

Time is flying...we'll be 26 weeks on Saturday.  This week has been a roller coaster, to say the least.  I had hoped my week in Ohio would be a relaxing one and help me catch up on some work projects and spend some quality time with Jon, but so much for my plans!  

Jon woke up in extreme pain on Sunday morning.  He rated the pain as a 7 on a scale of 10, so for me, that would be like saying my pain was a 15!  So off we go to the ER, depending on the navigation system in the car to get us to the nearest one.  When we arrived at Riverside Methodist, Jon was taken straight to triage (seems like we picked the one slow time for the ER), and his blood pressure was sky high due to anxiety and pain.  That turned out to be a good thing as it meant he was taken straight back to see a doctor.  Three hours after our arrival (and two of those spent drinking contrast fluid for a CT scan), we had a diagnosis of appendicitis.  Jon went in for surgery around 1:30 that afternoon, and by 2:45, the surgeon was having a sit-down with me telling me how well everything went.  Jon was out of recovery and in his room by 4.  Those were the longest 2 and a half hours of my life, and nothing makes you appreciate home and family like being stuck hundreds of miles away from both in a situation like this.  

Jon has recovered quickly from his appendectomy.  We were fortunate that he didn't ignore the pain and that the issue was diagnosed quickly.  Otherwise, he (we) would have been in for a much more difficult surgery and recovery.  As it worked out, he and I got to spend a couple more "full" days together, even if one of those was spent hanging out in the hospital.  He's back at work today and seems to be back to 90 if not 100%.

On the baby front, Rhys finally cooperated and kicked at the right moment for his daddy to feel it.  He's been increasingly active in the past week, and a lot of his movements are strong enough to be felt from the outside.  However, true to both of his parents' stubborn natures, up until Tuesday night, Rhys absolutely refused to move if Jon's hand was on my belly.  He did finally cooperate during his kickboxing session on Tuesday night, and Jon and I were both ecstatic that Jon could actually feel those kicks and punches.  I have an appointment with my OB on Monday for the usual weight and measurement check, and I'll also be doing my glucose challenge test.  I sincerely hope I pass it, and I really, really, really do not want to have to take the three-hour glucose tolerance test.  I'll post again after I get Monday's results.  Have a great week!

24 Weeks

We're 24 weeks and 1 day as of today, and everything continues to go well. We had a little scare on Thursday afternoon. I was walking through the lobby at work, and I slipped and fell on the tile floor. The plants in the lobby has just been waxed, and some of the wax had gotten onto the floor. I twisted my right ankle pretty well, and I landed hard on my left side. I thought I was fine afterwards, but I called the doctor just to make sure he didn't want me to come in. To my surprise, he had me go straight to triage on the labor and delivery floor at the hospital. So I spent the next two and a half hours hooked up to a fetal heart monitor and contraction monitor. It was extremely reassuring to hear Rhys's heartbeat, and the monitor didn't pick up any contractions, so we were sent home to rest. Other than being sore for a few days, there don't seem to be any lasting effects.

There was a high-end children's clothing consignment sale in Conway over the weekend, and I managed to snag quite a few nice pieces at a fantastic price. A Whale of a Sale, the group putting on the sale, usually does several HUGE consignment sales in Wilmington, NC each year, but this was the first one held in Conway. Mom and I are already making plans to hit the fall sale (usually in September) to stock up on some more good deals.

The dogs have been delivered to Mom and Dad's to hang out in the country for the next two weeks. That's going to be a huge help to our budget since Jon and I won't have to spring for kennel expenses while I'm visiting him in OH. I guess that will be Rhys's first plane ride, so hopefully it'll agree with him! He's turning out to be quite an active guy....especially in the afternoon and at night. I'm not sure if he's playing soccer or practicing kung fu, but he's developing quite a kick and punch. He also starting to get strong enough that you can feel the action from the outside, so hopefully he'll be cooperative while we're in OH and give his daddy a good kick. Sixteen weeks to go!!!

22 Weeks

We are 22 weeks and 2 days today, and we had another doctor appointment for the usual stuff.  My BP continues to be excellent (114/78 today), and I still haven't gained any weight (something both my doctors and I are excited about).  I'll go back in 4 more weeks for my initial blood glucose test.  Fingers crossed that I pass the short test and don't have to go back for the full 3 hour glucose tolerance test.  I have had a couple of instances of low blood sugar lately (and the fun of the shakiness and light-headedness that comes with that), so I've decided to start periodically monitoring my blood sugar just to make sure everything's ok. 

Also exciting today was our Level 2 or anatomy ultrasound.  Rhys measured in the 49th percentile, so we're as normal as normal can be.  I've attached a couple of pictures below from the u/s, and as evidenced by the "hand" cursor in the first one, there's no doubt we're having a boy.  In the second one, the head is on the right, and he has both arms up by his face like he's boxing.

It stinks not having Jonathan here, but thanks to Skype, we can still keep in touch and actually see each other.  I'll be heading up to OH March 26th-April 5th with my doctor's blessing, but that'll be the end of my long-distance traveling until after baby arrives.  

I also finished buying nursery bedding today after finding changing pad covers that actually match the crib bedding.  Thanks to Babies 'R Us, we are coordinated to the gills of the fishies on the bumpers!  I'm hoping we'll be able to start setting the nursery up when Jon's home in April, and I'll post pictures afterwards.

21 Weeks

We're officially at the 21 week mark. This also marks the second week of Jon's 3 month Ohio assignment. It's definitely been different being home alone so much, but Jon's been able to dodge most of my mood swings by being gone! The new carpet for the nursery will hopefully be installed next week, so we'll be able to start putting the crib together and decorating soon. I love the crib bedding we bought, and it has fish on it, so Jon can't complain too much! I've also finally developed a baby bump. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever start looking pregnant instead of looking like I'd eaten too many donuts, and I've finally hit that point. I've also been able to feel Rhys move a few times, and that's really exciting. Our next doctor's appointment is March 9th, and we'll also be having a detailed or "Level 2" ultrasound done to check grow and anatomical development. The picture below is from our 16 week ultrasound, in case you haven't seen it.

Hi

Welcome to our blog about our bun in the oven. I got this idea from a co-worker of mine, and I think it's a great way to keep all of our family and friends far and wide up-to-date on what's going on during this exciting time of our lives.