Ack! I'm way behind!

Where the heck does time go??? Oh wait. We have a newborn now that takes all our time!

Little Miss Sophie is now ONE MONTH OLD! At her weight check on the 17th she was 6lbs 8oz. We were given the green light to keep doing what we're doing and not return until her 2 month check-up. Well.....apparently Little Miss S decided she wanted to see her pediatrician again. Off and on for a couple of weeks, Sophie has had a few crying spells. To us, it seemed like it was related to her having a BM. Last week, her fussiness was continuing to get worse and as we kept track of when they were occurring, we noticed it was always after her nursing. With her fussiness she also wasn't sleeping well. Friday, it became so bad that we had an hour of hard, inconsolable crying. She sounded like she was in pain. Nothing we did would help and she just seemed miserable. After a call to the pediatrician, he wanted to see us Monday. In hopes of making her a little less miserable and possibly determine if there was something in my breastmilk she was having issues with (this after I had eliminated all possible gas-producing foods from my diet for 3 days), we switched to formula Friday night while I continued to pump to keep my supply up. She did really, really well on the formula. Until Monday. Monday she began spitting up and having her painful crying episodes again.

At her appointment she was diagnosed with possible reflux. Our first order of business was to try added rice formula and stop nursing. Immediately after her first feeding with the new formula, she cried and cried and cried. For two and a half hours. Poor thing was so miserable. We switched back to regular formula overnight. That seemed to help but she's still having issues. Today has brought quite a bit of spitting up and more fussiness after feedings. After another call to the pediatrician, Sophie will be starting on Zantac tonight. We're to use the regular formula so we can figure out what's working. If neither the Zantac nor the rice formula (which we tried yesterday) works, we'll need to return to the pediatrician to see if there are other issues with her stomach.

In other milestones, Sophie loves to stare at people's faces. She'll try to mimick any faces you make at her - it's very funny. She can hold her head up by herself for a couple of minutes at a time. She LOVES to stare at the ceiling fans and loves, loves, LOVES her Gloworm and Soothe & Glow Seahorse. She's now up to 6lbs 15oz (as of Monday, her one month birthday). Bathtime is becoming much more tolerable for her. When we first started baths in the tub, she'd cry the whole time. Now, she only cries if she gets cold. Yay for progress!

And now for the best part....a few pictures from the past couple of weeks!

Enjoying the ceiling fan

I'm such a mean Mommy putting a picture up of her throwing a fit. I find it rather humorous.

Storytime with Daddy.

Two-week check-up

Here are the stats for Sophie's two-week check-up:

Weight: 5lbs 14oz (yay! gained 7oz in 5 days!!)
Length: 19.8 inches
Head circumference: 34cm

She's doing great, despite her peeling dry skin.

Two Weeks Old!

Sophie is two weeks old today!

**Note: This post was started last Saturday when she was two weeks old. Yeah, life got a wee bit busy and I'm just now getting back to it now that she's nearly 3 weeks old.**

She is becoming much more alert during the day and stays awake for an hour or so at a time a few times a day. Nights are still pretty rough with her waking every three to four hours for feedings meaning I get only two to three hours of sleep at a time - if she's not fussy in between.

We've had a few diaper blow-outs, one of which resulted in poo all over her leg and foot (and Mommy's hand when she didn't realize where the poo had gone). I laugh at the facial expressions she makes on a daily basis, especially when feeding. She has a tendency to get ahead of herself and dives for the boob at feeding time.

We had two weight checks this past week. On Monday, we returned for the first weight check since her first appointment. Sadly, there was no change. Our pediatrician suspected that since my milk didn't come in until last Friday that she had actually lost more then began gaining to end up back at 5lbs 4oz. We returned on Thursday to be sure this was the case and check that she was gaining. At Thursday's appointment she was up 3 ounces in 3 days to 5lbs 7oz. Yay!

1 Week Old!

Sophie is 1 week old!

This week has brought lots of adjustments for life with a newborn. Y and I are learning to live on little sleep. My life is measured in two-hour increments with breastfeeding. Speaking of breastfeeding, things are going much better now. I purchased a nipple shield which has been a huge help in getting Sophie to latch on. My milk finally came in by the end of the week so she's been eating well. I'm pumping when I can to help increase my supply and have some milk on hand for Y to do a few feedings.

We have hit a bit of a bump in the road. Sophie had a pediatrician appointment on Wednesday where we learned she had lost 6 ounces since birth, down to 5lbs 4oz. Since she was so small at birth, we now have to go in for weekly weight checks to be sure she's gaining as she should be. If she's not, we'll need to start looking at supplementing the breast milk. Other than the weight issue, she's healthy and doing quite well.

Things we've learned and milestones Sophie's made in the past week:
-Sophie has mastered projectile poop
-She does not like having clothing pulled over her head
-It can be 2am, you're awake, feeding, and exhausted but when you see that smile it's all worth it (even if the smile is due to gas)
-She grew a half inch in length to 19 inches and a half centimeter in head circumference to 33cm
-She loves anything that vibrates
-Belly aches result in lots of leg pumping and very loud crying
-Just like her Momma, she loves having her head and feet rubbed

I don't think it's possible to be more in love with someone as I am with her.

Introducing: Sophie Grace

The Little Miss decided to make her appearance 11 days early.

Saturday morning at 1:40am my water broke. At home. In my sleep. I had been having a few contractions that day but nothing real regular. After gathering the needed supplies and packed bags, we headed to the hospital. We arrived around 2:50am. I hadn't really had too many contractions (or so I thought) between home and the hospital. Triage confirmed my membranes did indeed rupture, checked my cervix and monitored contractions until labor & delivery was ready for me. At 3am, I was a tight 3cm dilated and 80% effaced. Around 4am, I was wheeled to L&D where they hooked me up to the monitors and got all the paperwork and questions out of the way. By 5am I was started on Pitocin. Due to my membranes rupturing, we had to move labor along so as not to risk infection. At 7am I asked for an epidural. About 30 minutes prior, I began having severe back labor. If it hadn't been for the back labor, I would have been able to hold off a bit longer. I was checked at 7 and was still 3cm and 80% effaced. The epidural kicked in around 7:30 or so. Pure bliss. About 15 minutes later, my left arm felt extremely cold, was freezing to the touch and felt weak and heavy. The nurse called my anesthesiologist and he told them to turn down my dosage. This seemed to help but the weakness in my arm continued. By 9am, I was checked again. I was at 5cm. I began getting some feeling back in my legs at this point. Around 10am, I was checked again. 10cm!!!!! Sometime between 9 and 10am, Sophie began having some problems with the contractions. She was still okay but I was asked to lie on my left side and given oxygen.

Shortly after 10am, I was asked to do a few practice pushes. The L&D nurse helped me hold one foot while Y held the other. By 10:20 or so, I was ready to start pushing for real. The epidural had mostly worn off at this point and I could feel most everything. (OUCH!!!) Each push went well and at 10:59am on Saturday, 11/22, Sophie Grace was born. Y cut the cord and not long after, the placenta was delivered. The post-delivery was VERY painful. I tore in two or three places - one 1st degree tear and two second degree tears. Because the epidural had worn off, I could feel the stitching. They eventually gave me a local but it still hurt like heck.

Sophie was 5lbs 10oz and 18.5 inches long. Her head measured 32.5cm and chest was 29cm. She has a head full of black hair and, currently, has dark blue eyes. Sophie quickly breastfed and did well the first two days. Now that we're home, however, things aren't going quite so well.

38 Week (and 2 days) update

And a trip to Labor & Delivery. 12 Days to go!

Here's what's happening with development this week:
The Little Miss has really plumped up. Babies vary in weight at this point and could weigh anywhere between 6.25 and 7.5 pounds. The Little Miss is now over 19.5 inches long, about the length of a leek. She has a firm grasp which we'll soon be able to test when we hold her hand for the first time. Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

We may not be able to tell what color eyes she'll have right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. The reasoning for this change is because a child's irises may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue.

Appointment Update, including the Labor & Delivery visit

First, let me start off by saying everything's fine, BUT....

This week's appointment brought a bit of adventure. First some key measurements: I was down a pound and a half from last week's visit. My belly was measuring at 34 cm - about where it's been for a couple of visits now. The Little Miss' heart rate was great and I was still 3cm dilated. We don't, however, know how effaced I was because....I was having a bit of a blood pressure issue.

One of the first things the nurse does when I come into the office is take my blood pressure. Normally, there are no issues so I was a surprised when the nurse said my pressure was a bit elevated and she wanted me to lie on my side for a while before she returned for a recheck. The first reading came in at 126/86 - not terrible but not real great either. The second check came in at 133/88. While I was told to stay on my side, another nurse came in a few minutes later to check me a third time just in case my nurse was having an issue. Nope. Third reading was even higher at 138/100. Oh boy.

My OB came in a few minutes later where she was quite concerned with the high blood pressure readings. My urine sample showed I was dumping protein into my urine - those results came in at +1 protein. While my Dr. was doing the internal exam she was unsure whether or not The Little Miss was actually head down. So, she decided to send me to Labor & Delivery for monitoring and some labs. While I was there, she also wanted them to do a sonogram to make sure that The Little Miss was head down and there was still plenty of amniotic fluid surrounding her. If my blood pressure didn't go down or any of the labs came back with adverse results, I would be admitted and induced.

We got to the hospital around 1pm. They took two vials of blood, another urine sample, attached me to the heart rate and contraction monitors, and took my blood pressure every 15-20 minutes. My first BP reading was a little high at 126/84 but each consecutive reading went down. My last reading was around 111/69. I was having contractions while attached to the monitors but nothing that warranted the start of labor. All lab work came back completely normal, in fact, I had no protein in my urine. The sonogram went great. The Little Miss IS head down and my amniotic level was at 12. Anything between 6 and 22 is normal.

So that's that. We're back in the waiting game and stumped as to why my BP had been high. I return next Tuesday for another check-up if I haven't delivered by then.

Wordless Wednesday: Wishes

Still here.

Still pregnant. Still uncomfortable.

16 days to go as of today. I'm completely done with work. I managed to finish my last contract last Thursday. I ran some errands last week and got the few last minute supplies we needed for the hospital. The thank you notes I needed to write (up to this point) are done and all of the baby laundry and supplies are clean. We've also stocked up on groceries for a few weeks.

Currently, the things remaining on my to-do list mainly revolve around Christmas and December birthdays. The family shopping is complete, all I need to do is wrap and mail out the gifts. I still need to do the shopping for Y but seeing as neither of us has started any shopping for the other, I think we'll both understand if things are a bit late. I did, however, make a deal with Y. If I haven't given birth by the weekend, we're getting out all the Christmas stuff and putting up the tree and decorations. We normally wait until after Thanksgiving but I don't think we can wait that long this year...especially since Christmas will be at our house.

Contractions are continuing but they aren't coming at regular intervals yet. They are becoming longer - about a minute or so in length. It seemed things were moving quickly last week but from Thursday on there hasn't been much activity. I have my 38-week appointment on Thursday so I'm sure I'll update more then.

37 Weeks! Just 21 days to go!

The Little Miss is full-term this week! If she were to arrive now, her lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, despite my due date being 3 weeks away.

The Little Miss now weighs 6 1/3 pounds and is a bit over 19 inches long head to heel, similar in length to a stalk of Swiss Chard. Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. We shouldn't be surprised if The Little Miss' hair isn't the same color as ours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Appointment update:
I had my 37-week appointment on Tuesday (36 weeks, 6 days technically). All the stats were normal but the Little Miss could arrive any day now! I was 3cm dilated and 75% effaced. I've also started losing my mucus plug. My OB commented that it seemed the Little Miss had dropped a bit more since my last appointment. I'm a wee bit nervous about her arrival being SO close. Granted, she could decide to stay put for a few more weeks, too.

I have the hospital bag and diaper bag packed - as much as they can be anyway. I have the "It's hospital time! Do we have...." list in hopes that when it's time we won't forget important things. Our contact list is all ready and the dogs are set to spend time with their boarder since the hospital is a ways from our house.

Now, to just finish the one last contract for work and we'll be golden.

36 Week Belly Pics

36 Week Update

36 Weeks and 1 day: 27 days to go!!

Here's what's happening with the Little Miss this week:

She is still packing on the pounds - at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds, comparable to a crenshaw melon. She is more than 18 1/2 inches long. The Little Miss is shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. She will swallow both of these substances along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture called meconium. The meconium will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

Remember, these measurements are an "average" of most pregnancies. Since I'm in the small to normal range, the Little Miss may weigh a little less than the predicted current weight of 6 pounds.

At the end of this week, the Little Miss will be considered full-term. Full-term is 37-42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term. Since she's head down and won't be moving, my OB will not have to perform an maneuver called an external cephalic version which is where she would try to coax the Little Miss into a head down position by manipulating her from the outside of my belly.

Appointment update:

Today brought my now-weekly OB appointment for 36 weeks. Really nothing too new to report. Since my Braxton Hicks contractions had tapered off this past week, she didn't do an internal exam. My Group B Strep test results came back as a negative so I don't have to worry about receiving antibiotics during labor. Blood pressure was good and I was up 1 pound for a total of 19 gained overall. The Little Miss' head is completely occupying my pelvis which, some days, results in a very uncomfortable Mom. My belly is measuring at 34cm but with her head firmly in my pelvic area that's about where I should be measuring from previous meaurements.

I return Tuesday for my 37-week appointment where I will be given an internal so we'll know if I've progressed any more since my 35-week check!

Wordless Wednesday: Sunset

35 Week Belly Pics!

I have no idea where time disappeared to this week! We took belly pics on Thursday and I haven't had time to upload them until today. Crazy! Please ignore the completely unfocused first photo. Y was taking the pictures and I have no idea what happened. I didn't catch that it was out of focus until I downloaded the pictures today. Either way, you get the idea.

In other news, I'm excited to say we've completed 90% of our family December birthday (5 of them!) and Christmas shopping! I have a few clothing items to get for my niece and find out what Y's grandmothers need. Of course, Y and I have no idea what we're doing for each other but currently we're not too worried about that. We also found a Baby's 1st Christmas ornament and I've started packing the hospital bag.

The in-laws were over this weekend to help with a few things. FIL and Y installed the ceiling fan in the nursery and did a few other repairs that required two people and ladders. MIL was a huge help and cleaned our clear shower doors, ridding them of the calcium build-up. The house is really in pretty good shape if we can just continue to keep things picked up and stay on top of the basics of laundry, vacuuming, and dusting.

I have been incredibly physically exhausted these past few days. We rented a movie Saturday night and I couldn't stay awake during the movie! I'm just glad we weren't in a theater, paying the big bucks for me to have a nap. I have my 36 week appointment on Thursday so I'll update more then!

35 Weeks (and 1 day!)

34 Days to go!

Here's what's happening with the Little Miss this week:

She's running out of room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (about the weight of a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in the womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. (She may not be doing somersaults, but she's definitely stretching, pushing and wiggling a lot!). Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete - she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Appointment update:
Today brought my 35-week OB appointment. My blood pressure was great, as usual. I'd gained 4 pounds for a total of 18 pounds gained so far. I was a little sad I'd gained 4 pounds since the last appointment but my OB did remind me I hadn't gained any weight the previous appointment so I was still on target for the pound-a-week goal.

I had my Group B Strep (GBS) test today. We'll know the results at next week's appointment. Basically, Group B Strep is harmless to me but can harm the baby if she's exposed during birth. If I do test positive, I'll be given antibiotics during labor. Today was also my first internal exam/cervix check. Surprisingly, I'm already making some progress. I'm 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. (!!!)

I'm still measuring a little small, but it's absolutely nothing to worry about at this point. I'm technically in the "small to normal range".

While I know I can remain at 1, 2, or even 3 cms for several weeks with no progress, the fact that I was already making SOME progress was quite the wake-up call that birth is not that far away. Of course, my mind immediately started running through all the things we need to make sure we have complete.

We need to:
-install the car seat
-start packing the hospital bag
-start packing the dogs' bag since they'll be staying with one of their most favorite people (our boarder) while we're at the hospital.
-double-checking that we have all necessary supplies for those first couple of weeks
-buy a few nursing supplies (pjs, bras, a couple of easy-access tops, etc)
-get the December birthday and Christmas shopping completed

I'm sure there's more that needs to be done but those were the major tasks that popped into my mind today. I'll update with 35 week belly pics soon!

Wordless Wednesday: Duncan, AKA Snaggletooth

Obsessions

One would think, with 5 weeks to go, I'd be obsessing about my upcoming labor and delivery. No, not me. Labor and delivery are on my mind, sure, but it's not what I'm obsessing over.

My obsessions?
- figuring out the logistics of traveling with the Little Miss next March. Yes, I said March...5 months away!
- determining all December birthday and Christmas purchases for our family
- finding the perfect stocking for the Little Miss
- finding a Baby's 1st Christmas ornament
- designing the perfect birth announcement

And the biggest obsession of all....
- Money. Will we have enough? Can Y stay on top of the bills since that's usually my task? Will I be able to concentrate working at home with the Little Miss....enough that I can have the income I had pre-Little Miss?

Moms or moms-to-be, what are your obsessions?

34 Weeks! (and 2 days)

40 days to go!!!!!

Here's what's happening with the Little Miss this week:

She now weighs near 5 pounds, or about the size of your average cantaloupe. She is also about 18 inches long. Her fat layers, which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born, are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. Any nerves concerning preterm labor can be allayed as babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Things are still fairly uneventful. I've had a couple of strong contractions when I've been out running errands and haven't had enough water. I've also had more issues breathing. There was one night this week it woke me from sleep. It took me 2 or 3 hours before I felt like I could catch my breath and go back to sleep. I'd tried sitting up, lying on my side and just about every position imaginable. Nothing seemed to help that night. I had the same issue again last night as I was initially trying to fall asleep but it only lasted a few minutes and I was able to get comfortable enough to sleep.

Work is keeping me busy as I try to wind up my projects before taking my leave in just a few WEEKS! I just simply cannot fathom that our daughter's arrival is mere weeks away. It seems like time has absolutely flown since the second trimester. I have our contact list and calling tree all set for the Little Miss' arrival and I'm beginning to think about what I need to take with us to the hospital to start prepping the hospital bag. The car seat will be installed soon and we'll be double-checking our list of necessities for our daughter's arrival.

Infertility Awareness Week

This week is Infertility Awareness Week. Some of you may be asking why I'm posting about this when I'm happily pregnant with our daughter. I AM an infertile. I will ALWAYS be an infertile.

This time last year I was struggling with the fact it had been just over a year since we had started trying for a baby. I was in the midst of a Clomid cycle...ahh, the Clomid Crazies! It was our third cycle on Clomid. We had returned from a vacation to Disney World in September where I was surrounded by happy families and questioned why WE didn't have children on the day I found out yet another cycle had failed. I'd reached the point I knew we needed outside intervention beyond my OB.

While mine is currently a success story, I still find myself becoming upset with couples who abuse the infertility clinics. Those who, after three months of trying, run to be tested only to find they are a perfectly healthy couple. That was time a Dr. spent that could have been spent with a couple who truly needed his or her services. I still hurt for friends and aquantances that are infertile and are still struggling to conceive. It still stings when I hear someone announce a "whoops" pregnancy or hear "It was our first month trying!". Are these couples any less deserving than those of us who have dealt with infertility? Absolutely not. But it doesn't make our struggles any easier to bear.

If you are currently struggling with infertility, know someone who is, or just want to know more about infertility check out this link to learn more: RESOLVE

Uneventful

That would be my latest OB appointment...uneventful. It's fantastic things are uneventful because goodness knows that, at times, this hasn't been the smoothest of pregnancies.

I had no weight gain since my last appointment so I'm holding steady at up 14 pounds total. My blood pressure has continued to remain excellent and her heart rate is great as usual. The only thing amiss is my belly measurement and even that isn't anything to worry about at this point. I'm measuring a little small for 33 weeks, but am growing at a normal pace from previous appointments. Up until 31 weeks, I'd been measuring right on target. At 31 weeks, I began measuring just 1cm behind the "normal" measurement. All this really means is that our baby girl is a little small. If the measurements continue at the rate they have been there isn't anything to worry about. If I begin to start measuring even smaller than the "normal" measurement then I may be given a sonogram for a growth check. I return October 30th for my last two week appointment. From there on out I'll be seen weekly!

All in all things are going great. Now if we can just get to her settle down at night so Momma can get some sleep, life will be perfect!

33 Weeks! (and Belly Pics)

49 Days to go! Eek!

Here's what's happening with the Little Miss this week:

She weighs a bit over 4 pounds this week or about the weight of a pineapple. She has also passed the 17 inch mark from head to heel. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies born vaginally are born with a cone-head like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

In other developments, well, not much new is happening with me. The Little Miss keeps pushing herself up into my ribs and diaphragm so there are days I have some real issues breathing. Thankfully, I've only had one REALLY bad day so far. I've had a couple of days that I'm sure can be declared as full-fledged nesting. One day last week I completed about 15 tasks on a to-do list including rearranging the linen closet, bathroom cabinets, kitchen cabinets and the office. With the nursery pretty well complete, we're mainly down to making sure we have all the necessary supplies for that first week or two home. We've managed to figure out about 70% of our December Birthdays and Christmas shopping, too. That really relieves a lot of stress knowing that major task is mostly under control.

I'm still feeling pretty good. I'm definitely more tired now than even just a few weeks ago. If I can manage a decent night's sleep, I find I have a fair amount of energy. If I don't, I can almost guarantee I can't get through the day without a nap or two. Some days that makes it really difficult to make it through the work day.

I have my 33 week OB appointment on Thursday so I'll have more to update then.

Breathing? Who Needs to Do That??

Apparently the Little Miss thinks I don't need to breathe!

Today has been an exceptionally hard day for my lungs. I don't know if she has positioned herself just right or what but breathing has been really difficult today. I've been unable to catch my breath all day and it's even worse after a meal. I do know she's taken to pushing herself up into my ribs and seemingly on my diaphragm, too. It's days like today I'm extremely glad I'm not in front of a classroom teaching. My students wouldn't have had much lecturing out of me on a day like today!

Sunday, it felt like she was completely sideways in my uterus with her foot pushing into my ribs on my right side. I could definitely feel the outline of her foot - it was so odd to be able to identify the body part. I'm getting so excited to meet her and see those feet for myself!

Moms, do you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share for those times when it feels like you just can't catch your breath?? Or is this just one of those things I'll have to deal with until she's out?

32 Week belly pictures

32 Weeks, 2 Days:

32 Weeks! (and 1 day)

Nothing much new to report this week. Nights are becoming more and more sleepless. Thankfully I can manage a nap during the day...even if it's only 30 minutes.

Here's what's happening with the Little Miss this week:
She now weighs between 3.75 and 4.5 pounds or about the size of a large jicama. She's also about 16.7 inches long now and taking up a lot of space in my uterus. I'm gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to the baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth. Her skin is also turning from red to pink.

I'll update more after my appointment next week. 32 week belly weeks coming soon!

31 Weeks (and 2 days)! 61 days to go!

Plus nursery and belly pictures!

The Little Miss is now over 16 inches long and weighs approximately as much as four navel oranges at 3.3 pounds. She's now heading into a growth spurt. The Little Miss can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so I may have trouble sleeping because her kicks and somersaults keep me up (yes! and wake me from sleep, too!). All this moving is a sign the baby is active and healthy.

I had my 31 week OB appointment this week. Things were uneventful. It had been three weeks since my last appointment and I was up just 3 pounds. I'm right on track for weight gain at 14 pounds over all. My blood pressure was normal and my belly is measuring right around 30 cm. Considering "normal" measurement for 31 weeks is 31 cm I'm not too far off. Other than a lot of fatigue, I've been feeling pretty good.

The Nursery!
The nursery is now about 95% complete. We need to add a few more decor items to the walls and purchase and install a ceiling fan.

I love going into the nursery now. I'll sit in the glider, rocking and imagining what life is going to be like in the next couple of months. I find the room very calming and warm.

Be patient, there are a lot of nursery photos. I'll try to post them in sections here and hope you can bear with me through all the photos!

Overall Look:






Above the bookcase, on the right, we're wanting to add some pictures of animals that we've taken over the years. It's just a matter of picking out which ones we want to use and getting them printed out.







The Changing Area:







The wall here is really high and will definitely need something else on it. It looks quite bare for now!


The Closet:













The Bookcase:






This was my bargain find at Big Lots! I'd been searching high and low for a bookcase and ran across this one at Big Lots. I love it!


The Crib and Bedding:














This bedding is custom made by my Mom. I designed the look of all the pieces and purchased the material and she did all the hard work sewing everything. I absolutely love how it turned out.


We're so excited to have the nursery pretty well complete...it just means we're that much closer to having our daughter home and sleeping in that crib! We couldn't have done it without the help of my Mom. She's been a savior these past few weeks. From sewing to helping us get the supplies we need to helping organize everything....we couldn't have gotten this far without her!

Belly Pics and Nursery Update

This has been a very busy few weeks! We had our preparation for birth classes this weekend. I can't say I was thrilled with the class but we at least got a tour out of it.

Last week was one whirlwind of finishing up the nursery. I still need to get the final updated pictures now that the bedding is done. In the past week and a half we've:

• completed painting
• arranged the furniture
• laundered all baby items
• organized the closet and dresser
• bought a bookcase and put the books on it
• painted the nightstand
• sewn the bedding & put it on the crib
• sewn and put up curtains

Still to be completed:

• decide on wall decor and put up
• create a mobile
• buy whatever supplies are still needed
• buy storage boxes or canvas crates for bookcase

I have to give Y and my Mom credit. Y's worked hard on the painting, putting together furniture, and moving all those heavy items I can't lift. My Mom has done an amazing job on the bedding and has been a big help in just helping me get things organized and completed. Thanks, Mom & Y!!!

Last, and certainly not least, my 30 week belly pictures. This was after 6 hours spent in a birthing class. I was tired and a wee bit uncomfortable so ignore any odd looks on my face!