Week 36

What an amazing week! It has been so exciting and exhausting! I had a wonderful baby shower on Saturday. (And then after the shower we actually got this beautiful rain! How appropriate!) I know I didn't need to get anything ready for it, but you know how it goes. I did a little too much and ended up with some awesome kankles! But it didn't stop at the kankles! It looked like I got kankles, and then rolled those kankles! It was amazing! I thought they would stay that way for the rest of the pregnancy but they have gone down. It's fun getting to experience that part of pregnancy- looking down and wondering whose body you're looking at!

So back to the baby shower- it was so wonderful! I had 3 Amazing hostesses: My lovely and talented sister, Andrea, Jimmy's amazing aunt, Ruth, and my sweet surrogate grandma, Velma.
They put together such a nice party with delicious food, a gorgeous table and fun games. I was overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness in coming all the way out to the house and for their generous, adorable gifts! Really, I couldn't get over it for the rest of the day! It was so sweet and more than I ever imagined! Jimmy and I are so grateful and humbled!

The next exciting thing is that when I woke up today I could not help but notice that the baby has dropped!! It is SUCH an interesting feeling! My belly feels and looks totally different! I know that there are no guarantees on the timing after the baby drops, but I like to think that it means something GREAT is about to happen!

Week 35

This last week we had an awesome birthing class with Nurse/Aunt Ruth. It was so helpful and I feel like we are a little bit more prepared for the birthing process. She taught us what to expect with the first signs of active labor and what to do to make it through contractions. It was nice being able to have a class with someone we know so well and can ask all our questions to. We learned that I may have had a few contractions already. I wasn't sure what they were but when I explained them to Ruth she said they could have been contractions. I have been woken up 3 different times by that tight feeling in my belly accompanied with pain. I usually can't stay in bed when they come, or at least it is easier to deal with when I get up. So I try to walk around and do the hip sway thing.
Nana Newton sent a package for the baby this week. She made this adorable blanket!Baby is going to love it, but in the mean time, Daddy is enjoying it! We can't wait to wrap her up in her blankets and rock her to sleep! She's going to be here SOOOO soon!! Yay!!

We have been researching strollers these past several weeks and had pretty much decided that we wanted a BOB. We went to REI last weekend to test drive them and the employee told us that the REI yard sale was only one week away. So on Saturday morning we got up at 5am and waited in line for the store to open at 10. It was one of those fun things that we got to do together for the baby. We were in the first group of people to be let in and Jimmy immediately saw a double BOB.Obviously we don't need a double right now but we got such a great deal on it so we decided to get it. We are SO happy that they had one there. You just never know what they're going to have at those yard sales but we got lucky! The BOB has so many great features especially for where we live. It has the large, all-terain wheels that will work well on our dirt/gravel roads out here.

The baby and belly are growing! My belly button is very close to popping all the way out! We can't wait to go to the doctor on Wednesday and see what updates we will get about this little girl!

Week 34

What a great week! We are getting SO excited for this little cutie-pie!
A new thing for this week is that I just realized I've been experiencing Braxton Hicks. I was talking to my sister on the phone and she helped me identify that crazy tight stomach feeling as Braxton Hicks. It's funny because I've been having them for weeks but I thought it was just the baby causing it. In fact, I mentioned it in week 32 or 33 as the baby pushing her back against my stomach. But it's definitely Braxton Hicks. How exciting! However, it can be a sign of dehydration so I've been trying to drink more water, just in case.
The other new thing that has started up is that pain you get in the ligaments in the upper thighs just under the baby belly. I asked Jimmy's aunt (she's a baby nurse) about it and she told me the name but I forgot. When the belly gets bigger it's more for the ligaments to handle so you get lovely pains when you walk, stand, move- anytime really. It just hits you out of nowhere and makes you want to curl in a ball on the ground. But it comes and goes quickly. No big deal. It helps to not be on your feet a lot.
This next update is somewhat related to the ligament issue. Our doctor, who is usually quite good with his words, referred to our sweet girl as "hefty" at our appointment on Wednesday. Needless to say, this is not a term that we will be using to refer to her later in her life. What girl wants to be called hefty? But chubby is cute for a baby! The other bit of info is that her head measurements are "generous"- another choice word from our doctor. What were my feelings as I left that appointment? Fear, anxiety, worry. I am so excited to see this little (hefty) girl, but now I'm a bit hesitant about her evacuation plan. But there's only one way out so I'm coming to grips with it. Of course there is always c-section. Anyway, we'll see. I'm just going to go with the flow. We have another appointment on the 22nd so we'll see what the doc has to say then.
Lately I've been feeling like Barbara Stiesand in Funny Girl- the part where she puts that pillow in her dress to sing, "His Love Makes Me Beautiful". I love that movie! I always die laughing at that part. She does the awkward dance so well with that huge pillow under her dress. That's pretty much how I'm starting to feel. Now if I could just sing like her we'd be set!I ask my looking glass, "What is it??!"

Week 33

I think Jimmy is gearing up for this little girl... it took hardly any coaxing at all to get him to wear pink to church! He looks so handsome!
It has been a great week! I have been sleeping almost 6 solid hours which hasn't happened for months! I usually wake up around 2 am, then 4 am, then 6 am- but this week I have sleep all the way till 5 am! I feel like superwoman!
For several weeks I have been noticing rhythmic movements in my belly. I could not figure out what's going on in there! I was starting to get a little worried. I thought maybe she was having a seizure or something! Then a couple days ago it dawned on me that it's the hiccups! She gets them every night around bed time and usually one other time during the day. Now that I know what they are I think it's cute. I do feel bad for her though. Hiccups are annoying to have!
We've been very productive in the evenings this past week. We continue to work on the rocker and also bought a cute little antique dresser from craigslist that we are redoing. I'm pretty positive it will be done this week. I did have a little crazy moment last night while trying to decide exactly what color everything should be. You just want everything to be just right for your first baby. Really the baby has no clue what's going on so it's all in my head. Anyway, before I bought the crib I really debated whether it should be black or white. I went with the black one but yesterday I had serious doubts about it. Jimmy almost started boxing it up for me but I told him to just wait and let me think about it. I'm sure as soon as I get the white one here I'll wish I had kept the black. I could go back and forth forever! After a good night's sleep my logic has kicked in and I realize that it doesn't matter if it's black, white, or lime green. All that matters is that she's coming and we get to be with her and take care of her! But we're having fun planning and working on everything together.