Week 40

Here we are!
40 weeks, full term!

     Pretty crazy!
     Abigail's dad is so very anxious for her arrival!
     He was hoping it would be on her due date, Saturday, but no luck.

     Everyone else is hoping it will be on their birthday.... we'll see who wins out!

     G and I have all these plans for this coming week, which is part of the reason he's anxious for her arrival, so that we can still do all the things we want to do this weekend. Which pretty much boils down to a few weddings he's doing on Saturday (yes, a few, not just one), and the rehearsals on Friday. We are really excited about these weddings, and we really don't want to miss them. We've been praying that God brings Abby at the right time so that we can still be a part of all the other things we want to do! G has also been talking to Abby a lot lately coaxing her to come quickly! We really want to have our cake and eat it too... it's so much fun that way! So, we're hoping that she comes sometime this week, but not Friday or Saturday, but then she's free to come again on Sunday. Oh the big dreams we have!
     I guess it would be nice if she waited until I finished getting the hospital bag ready. I did a bit more this weekend with it, but it's still not complete. I don't think I'll ever feel like it's complete... I'll probably always feel like I'm missing something. But I know that I still need to get a change of clothes for G, and an outfit or two for Abby. And for the most part it will be done at that point.

     I did have a really fun time going out with the girls this week! My mom, MIL and SsIL and Sister's sister-in-law, all went out to dinner at Mama Roomba's (yum!), then back to mom's house for a little Zumba, of which I refused to participate, and then off for some ice cream! YUM!

My view of them Zumba-ing their hearts out while I elevate my gigantic feet!

Nursery Update:
     While I didn't get too much done this week regarding Abby's room (everyone's been asking); I was able to get my butt out there and start working on the dresser drawers. I used the wood putty to start filling in the giant holes. But, b/c the holes are so dang big, it's going to take a few times to get them completely filled. I am hoping that I am able to get out there today sometime to attack them again. Once the holes are completely filled, I'll be able to spray paint the primer on them, and then paint them. Then, I'll just need to drill holes for the new super cute pullies I bought for it. And then shove them into the dresser! The bottom drawer will probably take some extra time though. It's pretty much completely in shambles. We're planning on taking it apart and attaching the front of the drawer to the dresser using some hinges. Hope that works. Otherwise, we'll have to rebuild the drawer, what a pain.
     I also completed another hoop of her mobile! I'm really excited about that. Now all I have to do is figure out the best way to attach the two hoops to each other, then add extra string to hang it. Then hang it! I'm really excited with how it turned out. Although, part of me is thinking about cutting out a few more circles and adding those in. The circles are spaced out a little farther apart that I'd like... but it might be too much if I add more... I'm not sure what I want to do.

What the Doctor had to say:
     My nurse was out this week as well as my assigned doctor, whom I've seen one time; so I saw a new doctor. This puts me at meeting a total of 4 of the 10 doctors. I really liked this new doctor. He seemed to be patient and not at all worried about my progress, which is pretty slim. He said that for most first-timers, they usually don't begin to dilate until they actually go into labor. He did ask if I would like him to strip my membranes and I said very quickly "no thank you!" and he said, "ah, you've heard of that before have you?" I said, "Yes I have, and I would NOT like to do that. I'd prefer to just let her come when she comes." He seemed perfectly fine with this. He said there's no reason to rush anything.
     I gained 2 more pounds, putting me at 19 I think. He said I was measuring at 37, which is slightly more than what the nurse measured me at last time, but I'm pretty sure he was measuring a different spot, so it's just the difference between two people measuring you, no worries. He said her heartbeat sounded great. My urine and blood pressure are still looking good. He noticed my feet were VERY swollen, but he didn't seem worried at all. He said if it were coupled with other things such as high blood pressure, etc, then it would be something to worry about, but on it's own, it's not a problem. He said it's not really a hydration issue, but that I should just make sure to keep my feet up while at home (as I type this, I am feeling guilty that I am currently NOT putting my feet up). I told him I was not worried about the swelling, but that everyone else in my life seemed to be worried about it. He said, "well, they're wrong, you're right." ahahahh!
     He also examined me, worst part, but he was much more gentle than the nurse usually is, so I was able to relax this time and he was actually able to find my cervix! Happy day! He said my cervix is still posterior (he drew me a picture so I would understand, b/c when the nurse was explaining to me that she could feel the head, but couldn't find the cervix, I was seriously confused, considering the cervix is around the baby's head), and that I am dilated maybe a half cm. He did say that the due date is just a guess and could be off by a week or two, and that the effacement and dilation won't really tell us when the baby will come, so nothing to worry about. I continued to assure him that I am not worried about anything, she'll come when she comes. At the end of the appt. he said that he was very pleased with my whole attitude and positivity regarding everything. He also said I will be a very good mom! How cute!
     All in all, a great appt with the new doctor; I really liked him!

ME:

• I'm noticing that I'm getting skin tags on my body. Thankfully I read a few months ago that this is normal for pregnant women, so I'm not really concerned at all. I just think it's really weird.
• Feet are still really swollen. I figure it's just part of the last few weeks of pregnancy, and besides putting my feet up, there's not much to worry about. 
• Mild heartburn. Nothing too bad. I was even able to sleep for a bit last night before taking a Pepcid. I woke up in the middle of the night and decided to take one. But many weeks ago I tried doing that, and it kept me up all night until I took one. Progress.
• Many people are telling me that I look like I've dropped even more. I guess she's getting ready by dropping... but nothing else.
• Still no other pre-labor symptoms.... no braxton hicks, not many cramps this week, not much else.
• Ultimately, I'm feeling pretty good! I've been sleeping through the night still! Getting up once to pee. I have sufficient energy to last through the day. I've been getting some household things done like laundry, cleaning, dishes, etc. Just trying to make sure that no matter when she comes, things won't be disasterous when we bring her home. 

Progress:

Week 39

It's here: week 39, one more week to go before I'm considered full-term!

     Things have pretty much been the same for the last several weeks, months, pretty much the whole entire pregnancy has been smooth sailing, so most of these posts are ending up the same. But, that's okay; Abby can look back and see that she treated me well for 9 months, and I love her for it! G says that I just must be made to have babies! ahha! I guess so; and since we have 12 more to go after this, it's good to know that pregnancy is a breeze for me... at least this one has been!

     This week I have worked on a few more things for Abby. I would like to attribute it to Nesting, however, it really just had to do with the fact that we had people coming to stay this week, and I needed to clean the place up, and therefore things got done by default! I cleaned the whole house, not deep cleaned, but I was able to organize things, and find places for things that didn't have one. Just cleaned up clutter basically. And as I look around the house right now, now that our guests have all gone, the clutter is starting to build up already, yah! I touched up some of the stripes in Abby's room, which really excites me! It looks so much better; it's not perfect, but upon glancing it just looks so much cleaner. I vacuumed the whole house, threw bags and bags of garbage out, cleaned and swept floors, dusted a bit, did SO many dishes, got a section in our room cleared out and put the bassinet in it's place, and most fun: I finally began making her mobile, which I'm really excited about. I got half of it done, I just need to finish the other half, and I can put it up in the room. I will be posting a DIY with pictures of how I made it, coming soon!

What the Nurse had to say:
     Yesterday at my appt, I had another exam... which I was unaware would be occurring, therefore, I was none-so-pleased! I don't like them at all! They hurt something fierce! Anywho, my blood pressure and urine looked good. I didn't gain any weight, same as last week; so that's still a total weight gain of 17 pounds. My measurement went down from 37 to 35; meaning that Abby has dropped even more! Which explains the leg cramps I've been getting this week. Thankfully they're not really bad at all. However, upon the exam, she said that she still could not find the cervix (part of this having to do with the fact that I couldn't relax enough, and that maybe if I had been able to, she could have found it); so it's still firm and not dropped yet.
     She is going to be out of town next week, so my appt with be with a different doctor (which is fine with me: the more I get to meet the better since I have no clue which doctor will be on call when I go into delivery). Since next week I'll be considered full-term, my appt.s will continue to be with the doctors from that point on. Which means, that at the next week's appt, if I have still not progressed, they will schedule an induction for that Monday the 27th (41 weeks and 3 days). Although that's only 9 days past my due date, and my doctor originally told me they won't induce until day 11, which is Wednesday the 29th. I'm really really hoping that it won't come to that. Once they start the induction process (usually pitocin), it's pretty inevitable that you'll require an epidural, and then the whole snowball effect begins, of which I am desperately trying to avoid. Everything has gone so smoothly up until this point, I want it to continue that way! I'd really love to get the delivery experience I want; I know there's a chance I might not get it, I'm not delusional, but I'd rather have it ruined with an induction. I'd rather it be necessary to get intervention b/c something is really wrong, not just b/c the baby isn't coming out when they'd like it to.

Me:
     Again, this week has been pretty similar to all other weeks.

• I have had a few leg cramps this week. I did have a menstrual cramp this week, which I thought odd. Then upon reading one of my books, it mentioned that getting menstrual cramps could be a sign of pre-labor, so who knows! I have had a few other signs as well, but who really knows if they can be attributed to pre-labor, or some other things. I don't know, so I'm not putting too much thought into it, just found it interesting. 
• I'm still sleeping through the night just fine, getting up about once to go to the bathroom.
• My back hasn't been hurting at all, though people have been shocked to hear this upon asking. 
• The pain in my chest above my belly has sort of gone away this week, which has been lovely!
• My feet have taken a turn for swollen this week... a bit more than normal... need to start guzzling the water again. Although, my wedding ring is still fitting! Points!
• Not that this has anything to do with being pregnant, but I got a mosquito bite on my arm that I noticed yesterday, and it's driving me completely insane! I want to itch it like crazy!
• I'm pretty much hot, constantly! It never happens that I am hotter than G, but this week I've needed the fan on, and he finds it to be too cold, which is completely outrageous, usually it's the other way around.
• I still have to pee every half hour or so, which is why it flabbergasts me that I only get up once during the night to pee. 
• I still feel pretty great, have a goodly portion of energy at times, and feel really tired at others, pretty much to be expected at this stage I guess. 

Here's a picture of my Uncle John and I: he came to visit this week! 

Progress:

Sorry about the weird yellow-tint of the one picture, G held the camera at a different angle.

Starchless Dinners

G randomly decided early last week that he was going to go on a Live-it (NOT a diet)!
This is how it started:

     G called home asking if he should bring home dinner and said he was getting meat and veggies, and I responded with "I have some rice I could cook up with that" and he responded "I don't need any," and I proceeded to get a little worried.... you see, G is ALL about the meat and starch. I'd say he's a meat and potatoes kinda guy, but he actually doesn't care that much for baked potatoes... weird right? pretty much only mashed, although I do this really awesome roasty thing to fingerling potatoes that he digs.
     Anywho, point is, whenever we go to the store together, and I stop by the produce section saying I need fruit and veggies, he gets this cramped up look on his face and proceeds to tell me how pointless they are and why I shouldn't get them. So you can imagine my shock when he tells me that he's getting veggies for dinner, and DOESN'T need rice. I was slightly confused.
     When he got home, he explained he's changing it up and he's doing this new thing again. I'm so proud of him, it can be really hard to try to eat healthy when the other person in the house doesn't care to. But, this morning, when I suggested an apple with his lunch, he said, "ok." I love it! He, we both, want to create healthy lifestyles for when Abby comes, and the other future little runts that will be running around here. We want to promote an active lifestyle as well... which, we're still working on this step! ahahah! One step at a time guys!
   
     Therefore, I've been trying to come up with starchless dinners to make for us. (Let me just say, btw, that I am totally supporting my husband, however, I was very successful at losing weight when I included starches in my diet, so I'm not going to be following this plan. But I figure that I can support G by eating the same dinner with him, so for dinners, I'm going starchless as much as possible!) Anywho, others have been asking what I'm making for dinners for us. I'm trying to be creative and think of new things that I've never made before, and also figure out how to redo meals that we have always liked. So, if anyone has any starchless meal suggestions, pass 'em my way please!

Menu for last week:

Tuesday: Sauteed Sausage with bell peppers and onions

Wednesday: Broiled Hamburger patty (pre-made at our awesome butcher shop) with peas and corn

Thursday: Pork Tenderloin with sauteed squash

Friday: Sauteed Sausage with bell peppers and onions, topped with low-sugar spaghetti sauce

Saturday: Poor-man's Recreation of CPKs Thai Chicken Salad- Cabbage, chicken, carrots, jicama, avocado, scallions, and Light Asian Sesame dressing

Sunday: Baked Tuna stuffed Tomatoes with a slice of Provolone on top

Monday: Spaghetti sauce with ground beef and mushrooms

Tuesday: Spaghetti sauce leftovers

If you have any questions about any of these, just respond and I'll get you the recipe.
If you have any ideas and suggestions for new recipes as I try to make my new menu's, please respond as well! I can use all the help I can get.

Week 38

38 weeks... also put... 2 weeks to go... yikes!

Am I ready for all this?
I'm not so sure.
But, "no back-sies" as my good friend S would say!

TheBump says that Abby's head could be covered in an inch or so of hair...
hmmmm I had a full head of black hair when I was born... Grant was bald...
I wonder what Abby's beautiful head will look like; hair or no hair?!


Monday:

• I went and pampered myself on Monday, with my mom, MIL, and Sisters-in-law. We went and got pedicure's... it was so lovely! And we all went to the Bucks after for some yummy coffee and a great chat! I love spending time with them all together like that!
• I went on the hospital tour at San Joaquin with my mother. It was wonderful. I felt like such a little smarty-pants though; which made me feel great, but I'm sure irritated the other's to no end. Although my mom prefers to say that all those other people probably had all the same questions and were just afraid to ask, so they were probably thankful that I asked them; which could also be true. But based on the looks on other people's faces, many probably had no clue what I was talking about... which made me feel good. It made me realize that I HAVE learned a lot about the labor and delivery process that many other people don't take the time to do. It made me feel confident about my knowledge and encouraged that it will all be okay; that the things I have learned have definitely given me an up, and I feel really good. There were many questions I had b/c of the natural route I'm choosing to go, and I was really worried that I'd come into a lot of problems. But, upon asking the nurses' they all seemed really positive about some of my requests. I know I won't get everything I want, but they also seemed really positive about some things based on my particular case, and the fact that I have had a really smooth, problem-free pregnancy so far. So, while I may not get everything I desire at the time of delivery, at least it was not shot down right away, it might be an option, and that is enough!
• I went shopping for the items for my hospital bag this week. I had a lot of fun doing that. I'll have a post coming soon all about the hospital bag, and everyone can recommend items to me that I might have left out at that point.

What the Nurse had to say:
     Well, again, the Nurse didn't have much to say on Friday; that was officially my shortest appt to date. I was in and out within 30 minutes! I gained 2 more pounds, which puts me at 17 pounds of total weight gain. My blood pressure and urine were both good. My belly is measuring right on still; Abby's heartbeat is still great: about 149-150. And that was about it. I elected for no vaginal exam again... if I have a choice, the answer is NO! That business hurt last time she did an exam. And quite frankly, from everything I'm learning in my classes and books, there's not much that the exam will tell me. Yeah, it will tell me if I've begun dilating, how much effaced I am, if at all; but it won't tell me when I'll likely go into labor based on that information. Abby's going to come when she comes; people can be dilated at 3 for several weeks before going into labor. And every exam is just another risk of infection; no thank you.
     Lastly, she said that I did NOT have the look, still.... so she bets she'll be seeing me next week. Again, there's nothing scientific about it, but it's fun. People continue to be shocked when I tell them I only have 2 weeks left, b/c I look too energetic and happy still! hahaha! I guess I'm just content being pregnant! Everything has gone so smoothly so far, and been great!


Me:

• Heartburn still an issue, boo. Pepcid Complete chewable tablets are my best friend every night. I have to restrain myself throughout the day and not eat the whole bottle. 
• I am having this really irritating pain below my chest, high on my belly. I think it's just my bra pushing into my belly as it grows. It's super painful, and it's getting to the point where it's hurting even when I'm not wearing a bra. That will be one great thing about not being pregnant anymore, hopefully that pain will go away as my belly begins to slim down. 
• I haven't really gotten very many leg cramps this week, which is nice. Those aren't really too bad since they come and go within 5 seconds, there's not much time to feel the pain. 
• The swelling in my feet has been under control! They're still a bit on the puffy side, but they are not as bad as they were previously. G has been making fun of me with how much water I've been drinking. I was going down to Bako a lot last week, so I stopped and got the 44oz cup at the gas station full of ice water for my ride home. Upon returning home, I'd just refill it (I like drinking through the straw), and then refill it again. I just thought I was doing a great job drinking water... until G mentioned that I'm overdoing it.... so I added up the ounces.... yeah 132... wow! That IS a lot of water for one day! ahahaha. But it's so much easier to just sip on with the straw. So I've been drinking at least two of the 44 oz a day. Which is nice, b/c I always felt like I wasn't drinking enough water, so I would never drink my beloved milk... but now I can drink milk all night guilt free b/c I've had my water for the day!

Progress:

Week 37

Baby is now the size of a Watermelon... that just seems a bit impossible in my mind!
Good thing God doesn't rely on the ability of my mind to process things!

I sure don't feel like I'm carrying a Watermelon...
The doctor says I am carrying deep in my ribcage though, so maybe that's why.
And baby has definitely dropped some.
I can't really tell by just looking, but I can feel the effects of her dropping, ie. leg cramps, back pain.

Abby is approx 18.9 to 20.9 inches long and 6.2 to 9.2 pounds.
At my appt on Friday the nurse said that based on the fact that she's dropped and she's measuring to size, she's most likely high 6 to low 7 right now. But she should be gaining 1/2 an ounce a day, so who knows how big she'll get. The nurse said it's likely that she'll be around high 7 to low 8. Nothing is for sure, so who knows how big she'll actually be.

TheBump says that she's getting her first sticky poop ready, and she's practicing all those life skills she'll need like blinking, sucking, inhaling and exhaling, and gripping!


Me:

• Heartburn still sucks! It seems to have come back with a vengeance the last few weeks. It's awful! I have to really make sure that I do not overeat at any meal... which basically means... don't eat a normal sized meal, eat way less... which is really hard to do considering my love affair with food! 
• With this stupid weather acting up the way it is, my allergies have been going crazy. I typically take an allergy pill every night, but now I've been having to bump that up to twice a day now. It's thoroughly irritating! 
• My belly is continuing to stretch still, it's itchy quite often... so we're going through another little growth spurt. And b/c of this, it's increasingly clear that she is running out of room in there. Her movements have gone from kicks to more of really huge rolls and twists, it is the craziest thing to feel! I love it! I love to just watch my belly as she's doing her acrobatic twists and turns inside. 
• My back is finally beginning to feel the pain of lugging around this watermelon. It's not too bad, but every so often it just feels really sore. 
• I am getting leg cramps every so often, I'm assuming from her dropping and my hips trying to deal with the new pressure. 
• I'm having to pee like crazy, all the time. But I'm trying to chug that water to make sure that I'm not swelling too much, and just b/c it's what I should be doing, drinking a LOT of water. And, I want to avoid being hooked up to an IV so badly that I'm trying to make sure that I am super hydrated. (btw, I am aware of the risks of not being hooked up to an IV, therefore I am asking to have a hep-loc in case of emergency. The hep-loc is where they still hook you up, and your hand is all ready to go, they just don't actually hook it up to anything else. But in case of emergency, you're already set up and can easily be hooked up to whatever they need to hook you up to). I am very much into having as much mobility as possible, and being hooked up to an IV will just be an extra thing in the way. 
• I'm still not experiencing any braxton-hicks contractions, and everything is going as smooth as ever.

Dr. Appt.

• The nurse said that everything is looking great. I still did not gain any weight. In fact, I actually lost 3 ounces... I'm not really sure how that is possible considering the fact that at the women's retreat I stuffed my belly full of food and threw caution to the wind! O well, I'm not gunna argue! ahaha! 
• Abby is measuring right on schedule; still 37 like last week
• She's still in the correct position, head down. The nurse said she's as far down as she's going to get until I go into labor.
• She said my urine and blood pressure look great.
• I'm still a little anemic, and need to continue taking my iron pills.
• The BEST news of the week: the GBS test came back negative! The test is a Group B Step test; they are testing for bacteria that is found in about 25% of all pregnant women. It is non-symptomatic, meaning that we will never have symptoms and know we actually carry the bacteria. But, if the baby contracts the bacteria upon delivery, it can be very serious, and therefore all pregnant women are tested. If the test comes back positive, you are hooked up to antibiotics throughout labor and delivery. This of course would hinder my desire for mobility, so I have been praying and praying that this test would come back negative! 
• The nurse really didn't have much to say b/c everything looks so wonderful.
• The nurse said that I'm at Term now (37 weeks is term, and 40 weeks is full-term); But she said that I don't have that "look," and therefore I'll probably be seeing her next week for my next appt. haha. Not that she can predict, but it was cute. 

Progress:

Sorry for the blurriness- it was a combination of the camera phone and the rain

Week 36

4 weeks left.... yikes!
So much to do, and only 4 weeks left.
And that's not even a promise.
I could go before that... or... I could go after that.
But just knowing I could go in 3 weeks or 2 weeks really freaks me out.
I'm counting on that 4 weeks so that I can have some time to get things before Abby joins us.

     Grant and I have all these things we'd like to do that we are hoping will fit nice and neatly into baby Abby's arrival. Therefore, we pray to God that it all works out nicely and we can accomplish all that we want to.
     And then.... God laughs!
     And yet... I still pray!

What the Nurse had to say:
     Baby Abby is still the size of a Honeydew. TheBump says that her liver and kidneys are complete, and we're just waiting for her lungs to fully develop now. Baby is beginning to move down now, which was confirmed  at my Nurse's appt. on Friday morning before I left for the Ministers' Wives Retreat. She checked me and I was shocked to find out just how low Abby actually was. However, she couldn't find my cervix no matter how hard she tried, and said that nothing's happening yet (this was encouraging considering I was about to leave home for the weekend). I measured at 37 this time (33 at my last appt.), and didn't gain any weight! wahoo! (I cannot, however, say that the weight gain is still a zero after this weekend... they spoiled us rotten with food, and I loved every minute of it!).

     What was amazing was that I got to see Abby again during the Ultrasound to check for positioning. Her head is definitely down, and very low. When I saw her head, it looked so huge! What was once a tiny little bean of a body, is now a giant head filling the screen! It's incredible that these beings grow inside of us! Her head was wriggling all around. I got to see her heart beating again, and the nurse was very pleased with her heart rate.

     Fit Pregnancy tells me that the change in pressure of Abby moving lower can cause shooting pains in the groin and leg. This made me feel so much better when I read this, b/c of course halfway to Jenness this weekend, I get a cramp like pain in my thigh and I freak just a bit b/c I have no clue what it is. I got it a few more times this weekend, as I was walking the stairs, or just walking around, and again on the way home. It only lasted 2 or 3 seconds and wasn't agonizing pain, just foreign and confusing. Reading this bit of information from Fit Pregnancy really helped me quiet those concerns.

Ministers' Wives Retreat
     The Ministers' Wives Retreat was such a blessing this weekend. I am super thrilled that I went. I met so many new women that I am excited to continue friendships with. I met young women that are beginning their journey just like me, and I met older women that have been through this experience for the past 30 or more years that have so much knowledge I can glean. While the schedule was packed, I still felt like I had time to relax b/c it was such a calm and lovely time. They fed us like nobody's business! Holy cow! I can't even begin to describe the wonderfulness that I ate, I did not hold back!

     One thing that was very beneficial to me this weekend was going to a seminar about parenting in the pastor's home. It was exactly what I was looking for, and needed. I frantically wrote down as many notes as I could and probably didn't get it all. The leader spoke about being a mother and wife of a pastor and how to raise your children in such a way as to lead them into a true and honest relationship with the Lord. I cannot wait to begin implementing some of the wonderful ideas and suggestions she had.

     Here are some pictures of the weekend:

The very odd out-house I desperately used on the way up.
You can't even get the full effect from this pic. 

Me, Yvonne, Karen, MIL Carol, SIL Carolyn
Yvonne and Karen are friends of Carol's from when they all started going to the retreat 30 yrs ago.

Super cute Future Camper shirt

Me, Noemy, and Carolyn
Noemy is Jake Wheeler's wife, she was in the worship band
she can play the violin like nobody's business!

Me and the Family

Carmen Whittaker (Fermin's wife), and Chaundel Holladay
Chaundel was our wonderful speaker for the weekend,
and also happens to be Rick Warren's sister

Yvonne and Carol

Me, Janine, and Carolyn
New best friend! 

The other Preggo's this weekend:
Hannah (16 wks), Hayley (18 wks), Karla (19 wks), Me (36 wks)
I told them all they are my new best friends, whether they like it or not! 

     Because I was at the retreat this weekend, I completely forgot to take my traditional weekly photos. Instead, I just cropped some pictures that I was in and mashed them together for a collage this week. You get the idea though. The pictures aren't superb b/c my camera died and I didn't have time to charge it before I left, so everything was taken on my phone, and everyone was finding it difficult to get the stupid thing to cooperate correctly. Sad day.

     And for your viewing pleasure... the skit that Carol, Carolyn, and I did for Improv night. Hope it turns out alright. Again, it was filmed through my camera. Also, please excuse the gum chewing from the filmer... poor girl.

Week 34 and 35

     Things have been super crazy busy around here the last few weeks. I apologize in advance for the longer post, as the two weeks are combined.

     According to TheBump.com for Week 34, we are still at the size of a honeydew, and is 17.2 - 18.7 inches long and 4.2 - 5.8 pounds. She is beginning to recognize simple songs and tunes. I better start singing my lullaby to her now so she is accustomed and soothed by it once she comes. My lullaby to her is the same one my mom sang to me every night before bed, the lullaby from The Lady and the Tramp. I got the song and have already begun practicing. I actually fell asleep last night to it while trying to sing it and remember the words. That's a lullaby that works! I just hope I don't fall asleep myself while singing it to her... that would be no good! Also, TheBump says that she's urinating a pint a day now. No wonder I'm running to the potty every hour or less now. geez! It also says that my vision could be getting blurry now, and my eyes itchy, but I haven't had any of those symptoms yet.

     For Week 35, TheBump.com says, that baby is the same size as last week, and that most of the growing from now on will be in plumping up (she won't really grow much longer, but that she'll gain up to a pound or more of fat between now and birth). Also, her hearing is totally developed now, and responds best to high-pitched noises. She is now pretty much sitting on my bladder now, basically explaining why the bathroom visits have increased this last week. Yesterday, while subbing, I went to the bathroom in between one of the classes (which were all 35 minutes long b/c of the early out schedule, and right after class I had to desperately go again. I thought it be one of those fake outs, where you go, and you piddle nothing, and get frustrated that you even went through the whole routine of going to the restroom; but no, I had to really go again, full bladder... man this is no joke!)

What have I been up to:
     Last weekend my mother came up and helped me with a few things... which was a tremendous help! Just when I'm feeling overwhelmed and unsure about being able to get all this stuff done, she shows up with some energy and helps me get a lot accomplished! She brought up the rest of the things from the shower and helped me organize it all and put it away (it was lying on the bed, and we were able to get it all cleared off and put into baskets and into the closet so she had a place to sleep). Then she helped me paint the dresser! Happy day! It went so quickly with her help! We were thinking it would take a couple hours, or an hour at least, but together we got it done in 30 minutes or less. And Sunday afternoon, we went back for a second coat before she went home. It felt so good to get that done. One less thing to worry about. Now all I need to do is put a coat of sealant on it and it's good to go!

     The drawers for the dresser are still not done. I need to get some wood putty and fill in all the holes from the old nails, and then sand them down, prime 'em, and then paint 'em. Who knows when that will happen. But at least, there will be a dresser in her room to set the changing pad on. And b/c of some poor amateur woodwork done previously, G is having to take the bottom drawer apart completely, and we are going to attach it to the dresser with hinges, and just put some baskets or a long plastic bin in there that I can pull in and out. Eventually I'll be able to put the cute pullies I purchased on the drawers and the dresser will be complete.... one day... hopefully one day soon.... But I think I've finally come to terms with the fact that it will likely not be done by the time Abby arrives, which is fine. I can't do it all.

     We also took the tape off the stripes that G and I painted the previous week. It doesn't look too bad actually. There are a few spots that need a little touch up, which I am hoping to fix this coming week. Then I'll be able to begin hanging the collage of frames and put the dresser in place underneath it.

     While we were painting the dresser, I asked G to work on the crib. I was going to spray paint over the few scratches on the crib, but mom and G said that it probably wouldn't work and we'd end up having to do the whole thing instead of just spots b/c the finish of the spray paint is different from the crib. Whatever, it's just a few. I can't complain, it was freely given to us by a generous couple in our church. I'm so grateful to have a wonderful crib, I can take a few scratches that come along with it. So I asked that he begin setting it up instead, but I guess there some screws that went missing in the garage. Rather than spend a ridiculous time searching for the unfindable, we just ordered new parts. They finally came in today and G spent the afternoon of his day off putting it together for me while I lay down stripped of sweaty clothes with every fan possible pointed at me trying to cool off and rest; good man that husband!

     Man, that crib is ginormous. I guess I've never been in a nursery before and seen how huge the cribs actually are. They're huge! wow! Now we just need to get the twin bed out of the room, and I can position the crib exactly where I want it and put the sheet on. It's beginning to slowly come together!

Some things I've noticed the past two weeks:
     My feet are still swelling. I'm still trying to guzzle the water, and raise my feet at some point throughout the day, but they're pretty much swollen. The right foot more so than the left, which is weird. However, as several people have pointed out, my wedding ring is still fitting, knock on wood! It gets tight at times, but that was normal even before pregnancy. Being able to still wear my wedding ring is awesome! I remember a friend that was unable to wear hers for most of her pregnancy because of how much weight she gained and swelled. I remember it being frustrating for her not to be able to wear her ring. My belly is getting seriously itchy more and more. I should be putting more lotion on it, I know, but I just forget. I am underestimating how spacious my belly has become and am bumping into things all the time. Or finding that I can't bend over the counter to get to the sink like I used to.

Doctor's Update:
     I went to the doctor's yesterday for my checkup. I met with an actual doctor this time. Since the doctor I requested was on vacation for a super long period of time and I needed to get it, I just chose to see another doctor. This ended up working out great for me. The more I thought about it, I'm really glad it worked out this way. Having Kaiser means that I have no clue who will be on call whenever I go into labor. Any one of the doctors could be there. I think there are eight or nine. Therefore, the more I meet the merrier. I've met the doctor I originally chose once; he was nice. I also met with another doctor for an appt when my nurse had to take the day off unexpectedly, and he was able to fit me in; he was interesting. And then yesterday, I met with another doctor, this time a female; and I super super liked her! I sorta hope she's the one on call when I give birth. She was super easy to talk to and we got along well. She spent time talking to me and answering any questions I had, not that the others didn't do this, but I just really like her a lot.

     Anyway, she checked me out and said that she's really pleased with how everything looks! I gained another two pounds, I've lost track at what that puts me at now, blerg. It's over the amount they wanted me to gain, and I still have 5 weeks to go. But still, it's significantly lower than what I thought I was going to have to gain originally, which is good. My urine looks good; my belly is measuring at 33 inches, which she said is normal; Abby's kick counts are around 10-20 minutes still (honestly, I haven't been as up on it as I should be just b/c she's always kicking me); she's happy with my weight, etc etc. The only thing she mentioned was the anemia, but I told her that my nurse had me begin taking the iron pills last time, which was only two weeks ago, so she said it wasn't sufficient time to take another test to check it, but that I should continue taking it so as to make sure that.... something about a blood transfusion.

     I also asked her about attending the Pastor's Wives Retreat that I'm signed up for next weekend (I'll have 4 weeks left at that point). She said that as long as I don't begin contractions or anything else major happens, then she is fine with me going since everything looks so great. I just have to make sure that I get out and walk around every 90 minutes to ensure that a blood clot doesn't form... since ya know, that could be deadly and all! I'm really excited about going next weekend. I really hope that everything continues to progress well so that I can attend!

Progress:

Week 33

Baby is now the size of a Honeydew!
The Bump says that baby Abby's bones are growing stronger, and she will be able to keep her eyes open when awake. Abby's brain is developing rapidly and she could grow up to an inch this week alone!


7 more weeks to go now!
My cousin J says that these last two months go by really slowly... which for me, at this point, is good to hear.
The weeks have been rushing by and I've barely been able to take a breath it seems.
Hearing that things begin to seem very long at this point is welcome news!
Especially since I have SO many things to get done still.

• Due to certain circumstances, I've had to put off finishing up the strips in Abby's room. Therefore, who knows when I'll be able to get that finished. Hopefully I'll be able to get it done at least a week or more before Abby gets here so the smell is not still lingering when she does arrive home.
• I need to finish up the mobile that will go above her crib. I was able to get my fishing line finally, so I now have all the materials, and I just need to assemble it! Hopefully that will get done this week!
• The crib needs to be touched up. There are a few minor scratches on it, nothing big. My plan is to spray paint right over those few spots, and it should be good as new! That also needs to happen asap, which shouldn't be a big deal, b/c it shouldn't take longer than a few minutes to do.
• The dresser could not be giving me more problems at this point. I went to the store during Easter break to get all the materials and whip the dresser out! However, the lady at the store suggested I do a test run first before doing the whole dresser. This put me back a day, whatever. The trial run seemed to work so the next day I set out to sand the whole dresser and prime it. Which would have been great, except that I realized that there are huge holes in the drawers due to the old pullies that I took out; duh Meghan! I'll need to get some kind of wood putty to fill those in and then re-sand the drawers and prime them. Also I found that the bottom piece of wood of one of the drawers is so thin that it is not staying nailed together, and you can tell that previous owners found this problem, and tried to fix it by just sticking more nails into it. However, b/c the piece of wood is SO thin, it's not holding the nails, and therefore, the wood is falling off, leaving exposed nails all over the drawer! I just don't see this being a good idea in a child's room. G is in charge of taking all the old nails out and replacing the bottom slab of wood. At which point, I can then finish the dresser in it's entirety. Until then, I'm going to just finish up the frame of the dresser so there will be something for the changing pad to sit on. 

     On Saturday, my MIL, Sisters-in-law, and GMIL all went down to cousin J's family shower to shower her with love and gifts, and greet baby A! We had such a wonderful time. J gave me and sister S all sorts of wonderful advice and tips for when our children come. It was great. J's mother planned such a wonderful afternoon full of games, food, and plenty of time for talking and laughter. Also, I held baby A for a little while, and totally did NOT freak out! I really enjoyed my time with them.

Cousin J's shower!

Things I've noticed this week:
     The heartburn is more and more throughout the day. It's every night still, without fail. The second I lay down, the heartburn comes. But I've noticed that a very mild case of it likes to rear it's ugly head throughout the day as well. I've been pounding the water, and the swelling seems to be slightly better. The feet are still swollen, but it's not a ghastly sight anymore... well, it is, but just not as ghastly. I am having lovely side effects from the extra zinc the nurse is having me take. My back began aching this week. That can go away! My skin is still as dry as ever. And the peeling that is starting to occur this week from baby Hez' birthday party several weeks ago, mixed with the Hooligan race the same day, it not exactly helping the dry skin.

     I had another nurse appt. this Friday. I gained another 2 pounds, which puts me at a total of 13. My nurse is very please with this, even though she told me she wanted me to gain anywhere from 11-15, and at this rate I will exceed the 15. But still, I won't be gaining much more than that at least, which is why she's still pleased I guess. Abby's heart rate was 148ish, which is normal (120-160 is good). My nurse has been very pleased with my pregnancy so far. Next time I see her she will do the next ultrasound to determine Abby's position. She said that usually around week 36 is when they begin dropping and stop flip flopping. Can't wait to see where Abby is; hopefully all will be well.

Progress:

Week 32

32 weeks!
8 months!
Wow!

     This week was crazy hectic!
     My baby shower was on Saturday, and the week leading up to it was Spring Break, so I had plenty of time to get everything done... but does that ever happen?! no, of course not. Not living in Bakersfield when all you need to do is go to all the stores in Bako definitely has it's disadvantages. But thankfully, I was able to get everything done with the help of my lovely family and friends and it turned out great.

     We had a wonderful time at the shower, and I hope all those that came had a great time as well. So many people that I love were able to come! It was great to see people that I haven't seen in quite some time: friends from old jobs, from previous churches, from high school! I loved it! I wish I was able to spend more time with everyone individually, but I tried to make the rounds and visit everyone as much as possible! It was quite overwhelming to see so many people come out that love me, it was just heart warming. Thank you very much to all those that came to the shower, and to those that tried to come, but regrettably had emergencies to attend to.

     Sunday morning was quite hectic too: G preached the sunrise service out on the lake at 6:30, so we were up ridiculously early. Then we went home to change and finish getting ready, and we ran out for a quite bite to eat at the Cracked Egg, it was such a nice quiet time to sit down and chat together amidst a busy day! Then we ran to church and began preparing for the day. I had praise team practice at 9:15, choir practice at 9:45 and then church started at 10:45. So for that short 30 minute time span in between choir and church starting, I was running around with my head cut off trying to make last minute changes to the worship program, go to the bathroom, get the room set up for the potluck after church.
  
     The choir did amazing! I was so proud of them! Everyone was commenting about how wonderful they did! The singing portion of the worship service was also great, we tried to keep it really upbeat the whole time and have some fun, and it seemed like people were really getting into it and having a great time, we sang: Christ Arose, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, and The Old Rugged Cross. We showed some hilarious video about the story of Easter as told by two little sisters, and everyone was dying of laughter, and isn't that the way church should be? Filled with joy and laughter! Then G preached a wonderful message, and we had 10 decisions for the Lord! What could be better!?

     After church, we rushed over to the fellowship hall for the potluck; which was a success! It was my first time in charge of one of the potlucks, and I made a few changes, so we were unsure how it would turn out, but everyone's feedback has been really positive. And during the potluck, the sweet sweet ladies of the church surprised me with an impromptu baby shower! They, including G, were able to keep a secret from me for several weeks as they all pitched in to buy us the stroller that we wanted. How wonderful! It was SUPER overwhelming, I didn't know quite what to say, I think I turned beat red, and just sat there with an open mouth in shock! For someone that loves attention, I sure don't know how to handle it, and get quite nervous when that many people are giving me attention. I feel very awkward in those moments. Several ladies also gave me little dresses and bibs, and a few even made handmade quilts for Abby. It was just so wonderful, surprising, and thoughtful!

Things I've Noticed this Week:
     Well, so much for the swelling going away. It seems here to stay. My fat feet are having the worst time fitting into any shoe, I have to wear flip flops. Darn feet! My belly was quite itchy all week, that was loads of fun! It's getting more difficult to get out of bed, rolling over and trying to prop myself up it so frustrating. And then getting back into bed after racing to the bathroom is just as frustrating. I get so uncomfortable. I don't know exactly what it is, maybe my body is just achy, it might also be a little heartburn returning as I lie flat again. Whatever it is, I hate it. It's not welcome; please go away! Sleep is supposed to be a wonderful time, not an irritant. Speaking of sleep, I am still able to sleep well, which from what I hear from others, is quite unusual. I don't know exactly at what point sleep begins to be nonexistent for pregnant women, but I'm sure it's right around this time, if not soon. And thankfully, it hasn't hit me yet.


Progress:

  

Week 31

Week 31, wow!
The Bump says that my baby girl is going through brain and nerve development now, that her irises are beginning to react to light now, and that her five senses are in working order!

     I'm starting to get slightly freaked out now.
     The time has come where it's really getting closer now, and the reality is starting to sink in... we are taking a child home after this. At my doctor's appt on Thursday, the nurse said that my appt.s will all be 2 weeks apart now, instead of a month, then they'll be one week apart, and then, I'll be a mommy.... this freaked me out... my eyes got really big and I smiled really big, trying to overcompensate for the freak-out party my insides were having!
     This sting of reality is probably also due to the fact that G's cousin, J, just had her baby last Saturday. I've been looking at all of her precious pictures of baby A, he's so adorable! But he's so tiny, usually I don't end up seeing babies until they're several weeks old, and they've gained some weight and length. But I'm seeing him right after birth, and how teensy he is, wow! Seeing pictures and updates of them after returning home and settling back into normal life is really starting to trigger the reality in my mind of just how much our lives are about to change.
  

     This Thursday was my doctor's appt. It went well. The nurse told me that my stomach was measuring right on target, she found Abby's heartbeat right away and it sounded great, she said that Abby was one active girl based on the kick counts I've been tracking (always either 10 or 20 minutes). I gained 4 pounds this month, which puts my total at 11 pounds. The nurse seems to be okay with this (I know it's not much compared to others, but she said she wanted my total weight gain to be from 11-15 pounds). I have 4 more alloted pounds to gain within the next 9 weeks. Ha! I better stop giving in to the yummy food around me... like the delicious McNally burger and fries I had for lunch today at their burger shack! O dear was it good! Anyways, based on my 3rd trimester tests, I do NOT have gestational diabetes, but I am a little anemic, so she is having me take iron pills every day now.


     My shower is this weekend: I am so excited! Some fun things I ordered for it came in this week, and I can't wait to use them at the shower.... for those of you coming, here's a sneak peak!

Sweet Lulu

     The first picture is what I saw upon opening the box... not just plain peanuts for these folks, no way! Cutesy little crimped paper... adorable! I got some fun striped straws, fun goody bags for the dessert/candy table, and of course some cute cupcake papers for the delicious cupcakes to come! Can't wait!

  
This week:
     Well, things are starting to get a bit more uncomfortable now. Getting up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night is just down right frustrating! My body is not used to walking and bending after being straight and resting for so long. If I sit for too long and get up, the area underneath my belly is SO not happy about it! I've been trying to chug the water like crazy, and I think that the swelling in my foot has gone down slightly, I think they're still a little swollen, but it's not as noticeable as before. I still get heartburn pretty regularly every night, and sometimes throughout the day. It's pretty mild though, so it's nothing that is really upsetting. One thing that has been pretty noticeable now: when I have to pee... I HAVE to pee! If I wait too long b/c I'm out and about, or in the middle of subbing a class, the walk to the bathroom is pretty painful. I'm huffing and puffing my way there! I'm sure it's an attractive sight!


Progress:

Side note: Thank you husband for snapping the side shot while my mouth was in the midst of talking to you. It made for a very attractive picture!

ps. I'm wearing my $10 steal Jean Leggings from Old Navy that I got this week! Score! I refuse to call them Jeggings though... I'll stick with Jean Leggings, it makes me feel better about myself!

Week 27 and 28

     Some of you have pointed out to me that I failed to post for Week 27, you're right. I assure you that I feel awful! With our Bradley Classes being on Saturdays from 10-2, smack dab right in the middle of the day, it makes it difficult to post when I get home after the drive back up the canyon. And Sunday after church, we had a local community group come to use the church's mega screen for their children's double feature movie day. We inevitably stayed and watched the movies with them and helped out with the sound equipment. Needless to say, after being at church from 9 to 5, I was not in any particular mood to post, no take a picture for the post more importantly.

     Last week I had my check up at the doctor's, and by doctor I mean nurse, b/c I don't ever see my doctor. The appointment went well; we had a little laugh b/c baby girl was being so active that the nurse was having a hard time finding her heartbeat, all you could hear was baby girl swishing about actively! Finally she found her heartbeat, and said things look/sound great. She mentioned that all previous tests came back looking great. I gained 3 pounds this last month, putting me at 7 pounds (between my first two appointments, I lost 2 pounds, which is why it's not counting as more, as I gained 7 pounds alone my previous month). My nurse is very pleased with my progress, and even said, "You must be eating really healthy b/c you're doing great!" My response was to smile and not blurt out how I eat chocolate pretty much every day! ahahah! But I have been so cautious about my breakfasts and lunches the past few months, which I think is having a big impact.

     Looking at week 27: The Bump says that baby girl's nose is now unplugging and she is beginning to practice inhaling (she is inhaling amniotic fluid right now).

     Looking at week 28: I've made it to my third trimester now! Baby girl is still the size of an eggplant, but The Bump says that if born now, her lungs are developed enough, that with medical technology, she would likely survive. Baby girl is around 13.6-14.8 inches and 1.5-2.2  pounds. Amazing!

     Today is a big day: Not only have I begun the last trimester (only 3 more months to go before we get to meet our precious girl), BUT this morning, G also got to feel baby girl for the first time! She kicked me pretty hard this morning upon waking up, and I immediately moved his hand over my belly hoping she might kick that hard again (he hasn't been able to feel the small little kicks yet, so I've had to wait for some really serious kicking of hers), and he said... "I felt that!" Oh man, my heart leapt with joy! I have been waiting for weeks and weeks for this moment!

     Some things I've noticed the past few weeks: The heartburn is creeping back in every night, no matter what I eat, it's super frustrating! A few new stretch marks, which is fine, they match the collection. It's definitely time for a new bra, nothing to be excited about. I finally gave in and got some maternity pants last week; which have been GREAT! The BeBand lasted as long as I could make it, and it was a good friend to me, but when students at school are noticing the button and zipper line through the BeBand and shirt, it's time for some maternity clothes! My back has been hurting the past week, not sudden, intense pressure, just ongoing sore pain, which sucks. And if I sit and lean or hunch over, say the desk, I get a frustrating pain at the top of my abdomen, right under my bra, so I have to try leaning back and stretching out to make it go away.

     Progress:

My Fridge Has Become Full of Moldy Money

     I had my check up with the doctor last week week. I gained 7 pounds. That's right.... 7 pounds. Gah! (I will say that I typically go to the doctor's mid-day before lunch, but this time I went right after a very delicious stomach stuffing meal at Panda Express. They had way too many good looking options to choose from this time, that I could not say no to a two-item combo. So shoot me.). Now, I know I'm pregnant and that you gain weight while pregnant, however, I think that maybe 7 pounds in one month is a bit much. I was reading the suggested weight gain on Kaiser's website this afternoon, and it listed 1 pound per month throughout the first trimester, and 1 pound per week throughout the last trimester. And of course, if you're already overweight, cough cough ME, then you could/should gain even less.

     I have decided that one of the reasons associated with this slightly larger than desired weight gain, is the result of having dinner earlier than normal. The past several weeks, I have been making dinner earlier than our typical 8ish time. Eating dinner at 8 every night means that the idea of ice cream or dessert at 9 sounds appalling as I'm heading off to bed. However, eating dinner at 6ish each night makes dessert seem quite enticing around 8-9pm. So, while I wasn't having a huge bowl of ice cream each night, I was eating it most nights, or some other tasty treat, and that can definitely lead to some weight gain.

     Not to mention that during the day the past few weeks, I've been giving in to chocolate and chips more often. The exact freakin items that the monthly pregnancy pamphlet tells you to avoid. This could be related to the fact that I was long-term subbing this past month, January, and felt like the candy and chips were my reward for dealing with irritating and disrespectful students all day long.

     Now, I must mention, I am not really freaking about this, I'm just perturbed by it. Therefore, while at the store today, I ended up grabbing mostly healthy items. I got a LOT of fruit and vegetables. Now, this would seem like a real accomplishment for me, however, I typically go to the store and get these items with the intention of consuming them and losing 50 billion pounds as a result. The only problem is, several weeks later, as I'm trying to make room in the refrigerator for all the new fruits and vegetables I bought at the store, I end up finding all the old fruits and vegetables wilted and moldy, hidden away in the very back.

Week 21

Week 20

Week 21

Today I am 21 Weeks along!

My belly is actually starting to look really pregnant!

It's getting there slowly, but I can definitely tell a difference from even last week!

I'm still at that stage where I randomly rub my belly in public, just to confirm I'm pregnant to those who might be confused. However, I might just look like a really weird sorta chubby girl that rubs her belly in public. 

Baby is 10.5 inches and 12.7 ounces!

Amazing how quickly this baby is growing now!

Crazy to think how much farther I still have to go... gotta make it to a Watermelon!

I found my cantaloupe picture from this other blog, about this dad that posts about his wife's pregnancy. He took the most aDORable picture of her at week 20, enjoy!