One more day...

Until full term!!  I could just cry!  I can't believe we made it this far.  I'm so grateful.

Today is my first day back at work after being on bed rest.  And it's hard.  I'm sore and tired, but knowing that my baby girl will be full term tomorrow makes me feel like I can do anything.  I pray that she remains healthy and safe in there until delivery.

Wow.. one more day...

India Arie - Beautiful

36 week appointment update

All went well!  I only gained one pound (woo-hoo!!).  My cervix hasn't dilated any further, my blood pressure was 120/80, and Bunny's heart rate was 140 bpm.

Also, I decided to go back to work.  It was totally my choice, because they said that if Bunny was born now, chances are she'd be perfectly fine, but financially it was a better decision for me.  My husband thinks that I'm going to go in to work on Monday, and then go into labor on Tuesday. LOL!  It would be too funny if that happened.  My goal is to be able to spend as much time with Bunny after she's born, which further encouraged me to bite the bullet and go back to work.

I feel pretty good, no more restrictions, and a lot less worrying about Bunny.  When I go back to work on Monday, I'll be one day away from full term.  Which is awesome!!!  I feel so much more relaxed about everything.  And now I'm just focused on meeting my baby girl, who is currently smashing my bladder with her head.

I have another appointment on Thursday, I'm hoping that by then things start progressing.  Isn't that funny?  I was trying so hard to keep her in, and now I want her out!  LOL!

Midwife appointment today

I'm curious to see what she says, I may be sent back to work or I may be taken off until Bunny is born.  I don't really have a preference.  But I do have to admit that I did get really comfortable over my two week bedrest.  I've also noticed that the BH have picked up, especially when I'm up (making a sandwich, going to the restroom, etc.).

I also wonder if I've dilated anymore since I was at the hospital.  Bunny will be full term in 5 days, so I'm really starting to relax more and not be so concerned if she decides to make her debut sooner than later.  But it would be funny to me if she stayed put.  We'll see!

I'll be updating as soon as I return.  Hopefully we'll have good news!

Maternity Photos

We recently had our maternity photos taken at Ernest Sisson Photography.  They turned out great!  Unfortunately, we weren't able to do the outdoors session because I was put on bedrest.  But he agreed to do our newborn photos instead.  So excited!

I own the rights to these photos, so please don't steal them!  LOL (But seriously...)  Enjoy!

36 weeks pregnant! Woo-hoo!!!

How far along? 36 weeks baby!  Only one week until full term.  Hang in there Bunny!!!

Total weight gain/loss: No weight gain this week.  Surprisingly....  So, still at 25 lbs.

Sleep: Great, if I sleep sitting up.  If I sleep laying down, not so great...  But we're at the tail end of this pregnancy so I don't expect to be sleeping like a baby.

Food cravings: Whatever I see on TV.  Currently, Krispy Kreme donuts.  I haven't had any yet, but they were on a Food Network TV show and now I HAVE to have some.  Hopefully I'll be able to indulge tomorrow.

Best moment this week: Finally packing my hospital bag, and NOT being in labor.  I put the bare minimum in my bag, I'll let the hospital supply the rest.

Movement: Yup, she still pokes her elbows and knees out all the time.  She's running out of room for sure now, and is starting to wiggle even more often.

Labor Signs: Losing mucous plug, Braxton Hicks, dilated 1-2 centimeters, pain in my groin, etc


Gender: ALL girl!  (Although I have been having dreams that Bunny is a boy, but I'm going to trust the multiple ultrasound technicians that told me that Bunny is a girl...  They'd better be right!  My house is full of pink stuff, LOL!)

Stretchies: Same ones, the ones on my sides that I thought went away are getting darker, but I've been oiling them up every day.  Hopefully they fade quickly.

Belly Button in or out? More out than in.  It totally blends with the rest of my belly although the top slightly pokes out.

What I miss: Being able to breathe, but I know soon enough I'll be able to breathe just fine.

What I am looking forward to: My midwife appointment and next week, when we're FULL TERM!!!

Symptoms: The usual pregnancy discomforts, Braxton Hicks, mild swelling, frequent urination, irritability, etc.

Milestones: Like I've said before, every day is a milestone.

Weekly wisdom: Pregnancy goes way quicker than you'd think.  I went and read some posts I wrote when I was like 11 weeks pregnant and I wanted it to be over so quickly.  It really flew by!  It seems ages away, yet like it was just yesterday.

Emotions: I'm super clingy towards my husband lately.  I think it's just reality setting in that soon it's not going to be just us two anymore.  Not that I'm not happy, it's just a change.  A welcomed change, but still a change nonetheless.  We're getting SO close!!!

Whoa Nelly!!

Less than 30 days until my due date!!

I can't believe how close we're getting!  I seriously think Bunny is going to come sooner, the BH are still here and I'm steadily losing pieces of my mucous plug (sorry if TMI).

36 week post coming tomorrow, I'm so glad we made it to this point!

Hospital Bag and Labor & Delivery

Carlene and Georgina are going to kill me when they see this post! LOL!

We were all gathered over my older sisters house for a friends & family dinner yesterday afternoon.  Carlene and Georgina came with their HANDSOME little boys and we had a ball watching them run around.  Georgina has a 9 month old DOLL BABY named Nathan that I just couldn't get enough of.  And he's a chunker!  She kept telling me not to pick him up because "I don't want to read on your blog tomorrow that he put you into labor!!"  Famous last words....

After they left I noticed that my Braxton Hicks contractions were getting stronger and closer together.  It was to the point that I felt uncomfortable and grumpy during them.  So DH and I decided to casually sneak out of my sisters house and head to the hospital.  The ride there was painful.  I was worried, and hurting, and just kind of freaked out.  We were silent in the car.  Once we made it there, the attendant ran out with a wheelchair and wheeled me inside the Emergency Room.  My husband parked the car, even though they had valet.  He was just in a rush and didn't read the sign.  He came in and the attendant pretty much ran us to Labor & Delivery.  We checked in and they whisked us back in Triage and had me get situated to be put on the monitors and have an internal exam.  That's when I started to think, "Oh shoot!  I don't have my hospital bag, or Bunny's bag, OR the car seat!  I really hope she doesn't come tonight!"  Well, after that trip to L&D, I now know that I don't need ANY of the crap I was going to bring with me in my hospital bag.  They gave me everything I could possible need.  Non-slip socks, a comfy hospital gown/nursing gown, undies, etc.

Anyways, Bunny looked great on the monitor, she was moving all around just as happy as can be.  But it did show that I was contracting, and frequently.  The midwife on duty came in and checked me and noticed that I was about 1-2 centimeters dilated, but she didn't think I was in active labor.  They decided to have me drink tons of water and monitor me for a few hours.  I noticed that my stomach was just plain hurting while I was there.  It wasn't BH's it was just pain.  Then I realized that I hadn't gone, er... number 2.... in like 5 days!!  My husband looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Why didn't you tell me that?  You ate all that food and haven't gone to the bathroom?!?"  It never really crossed my mind, to be honest.  At that time, the nurse came in to remove the monitors so that I could rest before they came back to check me again.  I decided to go attempt to use the restroom.  What better place to try than at the hospital, huh?

Success!  I felt so much better after that (sorry if TMI), the BH contractions had eased up, and I felt more like myself again.  I even fell asleep for about an hour while waiting on the midwife to return.  She checked me and I was the same, which was great!  No progress meant no active labor.  They put the fetal monitors back on me just to make sure Bunny was okay, and then I was free to get dressed and be discharged.  The nurse gave me a pad because I was spotting a little from the internal exam.  I thought people were kidding when they said that hospital pads are the size of mattresses. Umm, no!  They are serious!  It barely fit into my underwear and made me waddle even more.  So I now know not to bother bringing undies to the hospital.  It's not even worth it.  I'll use their mesh ones.

All in all, I was dehydrated and a little backed up, which was irritating my uterus.  Bunny can still bake for a little while longer.  I feel relieved.  Oh, and Georgina, Nathan did NOT put me into labor!  LOL!!

I'm exhausted today, we didn't get discharged until 3AM, and didn't get home and in the bed until 4AM.  Needless to say, I'm ready to pass out.  Hopefully that'll be our last trip to L&D before 37 weeks, because they wouldn't have even attempted to stop my labor last night.

35/35 and only TWO weeks left until full term!!!!

How far along? 35 weeks, with 35 days left until my due date!  AND, only two weeks left until full term.

Total weight gain/loss: 25 lbs.  I packed on the pounds since my last appointment, but my midwife seemed okay with it.  Me, not so much...

Sleep: Pretty bad.  I keep having shooting pains "down there", and then Bunny loves to try to escape through my belly button, which hurts.  But I'll take all that and more to keep her safe.

Food cravings: Anything that my husband mentions.  And especially Blue Moon ice cream.  I'm still loving Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Best moment this week: Resting!  I was so concerned when I was told to stop working that I didn't think about how much it might benefit me.  I feel much more relaxed, and Hubby and I are able to spend more time together, which is great!  Also, just making it another week in this pregnancy.

Movement: All the time.  I read somewhere that movement was supposed to slow down, but that is NOT the case.  This little girl is always on the go!

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks, short/soft cervix,and  lightening bolts in my "lady gardens".

Gender: A tiny little princess.

Stretchies: No new ones.

Belly Button in or out? More out than in.

What I miss: Absolutely nothing.  I feel more grateful than ever these days.  Well, I wouldn't mind being able to get off the couch without help.

What I am looking forward to: FULL TERM!!!!!!!!!!!!

Symptoms: The usual pregnancy discomforts, Braxton Hicks, mild swelling, frequent urination, irritability, etc.

Milestones: Making it another week.

Weekly wisdom: Try not to worry about things that you don't have control over.  I learned that lesson first hand.  LOL!

Emotions: I'm still trying to get in control of those.  I'm trying to get through one thing at a time.

34 week belly pictures (kind of graphic)

(Just a note of caution, one of the pictures in this post may be a bit graphic for some.)

Week 34 has been pretty eventful so far, and with it being over soon I thought I'd add a few pictures.

I think I mentioned in a recent post that Bunny has really been stretching out in my belly.  At times it downright freaks me out!  I was able to capture it in a picture this morning.  I'm laying on my left side, the blue is my body pillow, the gray is sweatpants I have on, and the blue and white stripe is the comforter that I was under.

Regular belly while laying down.

Belly with Bunny stretching out.  Kinda creepy, huh?

I'm really surprised that I moved fast enough to take a picture.  I woke up to her feeling like she was going to burst right out of my belly button.  I immediately grabbed my cell phone and the next thing I knew, she was poking out again. 

The dark line running down my belly is called the Linea Negra.  It's due to hormones and (hopefully) goes away after birth.  The same hormones that caused the Linea Negra also made my belly button dark.  I wish I knew what body part she is poking out.  She tends to usually do it when I'm laying down.

And now on to the regular 34 week belly photos:

I feel HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!

The 'waddle' is in full effect, and the Braxton Hicks continue.  Not as frequently as before, so hopefully that's a good sign.  I'll be 35 weeks on Tuesday, and then only two more weeks until full term.  Not having to worry about going to work has really helped.  I feel more relaxed.  Totally worth it!

I hope I didn't freak anyone out too badly.  Let me know if the picture of her sticking out offends you, and I'll remove it.