Another great doctor appointment! 37 weeks!

Yesterday Nic and I went to the doc. We're on weekly appointments now. Everything was spectacular as usual. We saw the missus instead of the mister. I think we'll be back to mister next week. She had us cracking up as usual. We were chatting about all the things that aren't talked about regarding pregnancy, delivery and post partum recovery. It was refreshing to see that she, even as an OB doctor, didn't know everything going into her pregnancy either. It was pretty comical.

We did the typical weigh in, blood pressure and fundle heights. Those stats coming a little lower. She also confirmed what I suspected last Wednesday. The boy did, in fact, drop! How exciting! She felt his head while I was laying down and said that he was most definitely engaged. All signs read go! Another big positive is that I am GBS NEGATIVE! From what I understand, this is a very common bacteria present in the birth canal. It's this bacteria that leads doctors to want baby OUT within 24 hours of the water breaking. Since I tested negative, we aren't too concerned about an infection and I wont need antibiotics during labor. Another nice thing is that I wont be in a rush to get to the hospital. The doc made it very clear that I can stay at home as long as I'm comfortable and if it happens late at night that I don't need to call until morning. Ahhh, what a relief. I really would like this labor to go smoothly and let my body lead the way. I'm very thankful that I have doctors that agree and all three of us feel that medical intervention should be a last resort. It's very comforting.

When we talked about the contractions I've had this last week and where I was feeling them, she gave me a few pointers and positions to try. Turns out, that's exactly what I did. :-D I was feeling it a lot in my back so I got on my hands and knees. A little hip swaying felt much better too. Both things she suggested. She also said that counter pressure would have been a big help too. I couldn't help but chuckle and give Nic a knowing look. The morning after the contractions (when I was telling Nic about them) I had told him that I would have loved to have him pushing on my back but I didn't want to wake him up. It was nice to hear her suggestions and was even more reassuring knowing that my body knew what it needed and I could, again, follow its lead.

So that's the gist of it. This is a belly picture that I took once we got home from the doctor. Getting big and more and more low everyday.


So, here are the stats...
How far along? 37 Weeks 3 Days
Total weight gain: 28 pounds!!! I had a 2 pound increase this week. It kinda washes with the 1 pound increase I had for the 2 week period last appointment. Yeah, that's it! Actually, I think it's because the boy dropped. Since I've had the extra room, my appetite has been out of control. I never feel full anymore. I made myself a 1.5 lb. steak last night and still went back for a giant bowl of cereal. Yeah, cereal has been another big craving lately. I just can't get enough! I told Nic that I could easily see how some women gain 60 pounds! If I felt like this the whole time, I would be a blimp!
Maternity clothes?: Ha! Barely. I rarely leave the house anymore. There's so much to do here and very few reasons to get me out in this winter weather. I have my favorite jeans, several sweaters and shirts to rotate through but at home I'm in tshirts and pj pants. :-D A girl has to stay comfy!
Sleep: What sleep? I kid, kinda. I'm good until about 3 or 4 AM. Then hips ache, arms/hands tingle, full bladder begs to be emptied and contractions kick in. I think the contraction have something to do with a full bladder and lack of fluids those hours that I'm sleeping. As soon as I relieve myself and quench the desert in my mouth, they go away. I do sleep with a liter of water on my nightstand but I don't wake up until the contractions are starting. I still don't know if that's good or bad. All I know is the end is near!
Best moment this week: Nic telling me about his Daddy bonding time with the boy while I was asleep. Such a sweet moment!
Movement: Yes but much less. Of course this isn't a concern to the doctor. He is clearly running out of space in there. I still feel him several times a day and much more in the evening and when I'm getting ready for bed. It wont be a concern unless I feel him less than 3 times in an hour. This boy far surpasses that!
Gender: Boy! Without a doubt!
Labor Signs: What signs don't I have?! I've lost the plug, have dropped, get regular contractions through the night, you name it, I've had it! The only thing I'm lacking at this point is actual labor!
Belly Button in or out? Out by about 1/4 of an inch. Barely anything.
What I miss: Oh many, many things! Belly sleeping, sleeping at all, sitting on the couch comfortably, sitting at all (I can't rotate my hips since he's dropped. I just perch on the edge of chairs) ribs that don't ache, peeing like a normal person, normal sized ankles, hands that don't tingle, feeling my finger tips, typing without a million type-o's, being able to walk upright without back aches, getting out of the house, being productive, having energy, hmmm....I should probably stop now.
What I am looking forward to: The opposite of everything listed above! ;-) Oh and having a precious little boy in my arms.
Weekly Wisdom: The end is hard no matter what! The outcome is worth it!
Milestones: Dropping! Woo-Hoo! Another step closer!
Fundle height: 37cm
Mama's waist size: 42 1/2 inches! Holy crap!!!! It's amazing what a woman's body can do. I look forward to seeing what happens post partum!

I sure hope I can hold out!

This little man is going to come whenever he is ready. I understand that. Though, with that being said, I really-really-really hope we can hold out until AFTER the holidays. I've said it before and I'll say it until he's born, I want his birthday as far from Christmas as possible. I think he'll be able to enjoy both more if that were possible. Separate holidays. Time to recover from one before fully diving into the next. Also the development advantages of cooking a little longer.

I think I've already had all of the warning signs indicating that my body is preparing for labor. The kind of signs that means it can happen within a few weeks, a few days or even a few hours. I've had everything except water breaking and regular contractions starting. Even the last one I say tentatively.

Two nights this week, I've been woken up by contractions. The first time I wasn't sure because I only had 2 but they were real. I recognized what they were once the second time happened. On Thursday night I had 3 hours of contractions that were 20-25 minutes apart. They were the most intense in the second and third hours but stopped just as Nic's alarm was starting to go off. Unfortunately, what I felt, leads me to believe that I will be among the mothers that have back labor. Ugh. I hope I'm wrong! I have been guzzling water and resting as much as I can (hard thing to do with so many holiday tasks to accomplish). So far, no more contractions since that night. Thank God!

I've also noticed that the little man has dropped. Yet another sign indicating that he is ready and waiting. Wednesday night I was getting ready for bed. As I like to do often, I took a peek at my belly in the mirror. (I love my big belly and love to see it grow.) I noticed that it looked drastically different. It's not like I let weeks go by without looking....I love looking....I look more than I probably should! But, there it was, not even 24 hours since I had seen it last and it's completely different. This is no small task either. I've carried low this entire pregnancy! I really wasn't sure if I was going to get that telltale dropped look because I really didn't think there was anywhere lower for him to go. And my ribs! Oh my Ribs! They feel so much better now! I've gained at least 4 inches between where his feet were firmly planted and where they now poke me. I'm sorry to disappoint but I just don't have a picture for proof. It will be coming soon though. I'm itching for another round of belly shots!

That brings me to the holidays. I think it's a bit too cold for me to do anymore belly shots outside. The last round was pretty chilly being bare belly in the 30's. Our most recent averages have been in the teens. I just might have to bring the last round or two indoors. It kinda messes with my theme of passing seasons but it is what it is. I have an idea or two floating through my head.

Thankfully, I was able to get holiday presents and cards out in the mail today. Should be enough time for everything to show up on Christmas eve. It's difficult shopping for family when they are so far away. I'm the type of person that likes to get someone something that they wouldn't buy for them self. I don't get obnoxious, cheesy, as seen on tv, crap. I listen throughout the year about things that interest them. Books they'd like to read. Games there think are cool. Pampering or splurtastic items. It doesn't have to be expensive to be splurtastic. It just needs to be something that someone might put off buying for them self. Without having those chit-chatty kind of conversations...I'm missing vital info! I'm hoping that I fished for clues enough that I managed to get everyone something they'll love.

Since I didn't have a belly picture to share, I will leave you with this. This picture was taken in my front yard after the first true snow we've had this winter. This is on the Barberry bush. Enjoy.

35/35

The Belly! Oy, is it getting bigger! We had a doctor appointment this past Tuesday. everything is going well. I'm growing right on track. Little man is healthy and all is good. We talked about many things. Contraceptives while this little man is still an infant, how big he was at the last ultrasound, what to expect for delivery, swelling, hand tingling...ya know, all the fun stuff.

Here are a couple pictures, then we'll get back to the chatty stuff.




Since I want to exclusively breast feed, it sort of limits my options on birth control. The only 2 choices I'd really consider would be the mini pill (progesterone only) or an IUD. Well, after a good amount of reading the other night. I don't really feel comfortable with an IUD until we're fairly confident that we're done expanding our family. It seems convenient to not have to remember a pill everyday and it can stay in place for up to 5 years but the risks are a little scary. Infection, uterine perforation/implantation, ectopic pregnancy, decreased fertility...not all that comforting considering we'd like to have more children (or a child). Not to mention that it could also eliminate menstrual cycles and take up to 8 months to regulate to the point of being able to conceive. When we're ready to start trying again, I wouldn't want to wait another 8 months and possibly then some to get pregnant again. The mini pill has it's own down falls but they aren't nearly as severe. The biggest one I would see is the timing and effectiveness. It needs to be taken everyday within a 3 hour period of the previous day. Even then, it's only 87-95% effective. Since we would like our kids to be close in age, I would rather a pleasant surprise of being a little closer than planned than having issues conceiving and having them further apart. Nic seems to agree. I realize that these choices aren't uniform for every family but we feel that it'll work for us.

This past doctor appointment was the first since we had the sizing ultrasound. I was finally able to chat with the doctor about his size and what to expect. It turns out that he's measuring in the 82nd percentile for growth. At our 18 week ultrasound he was in the 60th percentile. We can see this little guy is on a steep curve. The doc doesn't seem to be worried though. He says that we don't need to worry about complications until he hits the 95th percentile. He's also guessing that we'll have a baby that weighs mid to high 8's. Definitely do-able.

Even though this dude seems to be growing well the doc seems to think that he'll still be fashionably late. I haven't had any internal exams and wont unless we suspect any issues. The tardiness is just the docs guess based on the fact that I'm a first time mom. By all means, I would like his birthday to be as far from Christmas as possible, I really like his due date and I really don't want him getting any bigger than he needs to be! I'd love to avoid a c-section at all costs. :-) Doc told me that we will talk about induction at my January 12th appointment if I make it that long. I'd officially be 40 weeks 2 days then.

All else is just normal late term pregnancy stuff. I have minor swelling if I'm on my feet for long periods of time. It goes away after a short time sitting or elevating my feet. I have hand tingling that can be pretty uncomfortable. I guess it's a form of carpal tunnel or something. Mainly it's just nerve pressure. It's mostly in my hands but at times I can feel it in my armpits and it effects my arms as well. It's such a strange sensation to have the palms of my hands numb for most of the day. It gets a little frustrating when it wakes me up but that's not often. Only a little longer. I'm trying to enjoy as much of this experience as possible. I know I'm only going to be pregnant so many times and I would like to say that it was a wonderful experience.

Today is a big milestone. It's one of the biggies leading up to labor. It's officially my 35/35! Hmm....do some of you not know what that is? It means I am finally 35 weeks along with only 35 days to go! Whew! It makes me excited and nervous all at the same time. So many things are going to change. So many things are going to be surprises. So many things to think about. So many things still yet to do. He's running out of room and his movements have changed yet again. He doesn't kick me anymore. There aren't sudden pops and pokes. He stretches, rolls and moves. I can tell the difference between a butt and a foot. Knees and feet still feel pretty much the same. It's very obvious when he rolls over but I think that's because he mostly stays head down with his feet on my right. It's rare and short lived that he kicks his feet over to my left. I don't want to wish away this pregnancy because I really have enjoyed it but I'm getting to the point where I want an outside baby. :-) I know he needs to be in longer to be fully developed but I'm eager to cuddle and love on him. Just a little longer!

Another really cool thing happened this past week. Nic was able to hear his heartbeat. We've been able to hear it at every baby appointment and every ultrasound but this was different. On Tuesday the 1st, after our doctor appointment, Nic and I were snuggling on the couch. When I asked him if he could hear the heartbeat he got on his knees next to me and put his ear to my belly. At first he was listening a little high and couldn't hear it. When I told him to position himself over his back (my lower left side) he said he was able to hear it clear as a bell! He then put his head on my chest just to make sure he was hearing the baby and not my heartbeat. He said that it was very different and that mine was much slower. Then he went back to listening to his boy for a while. It's exciting to see Nic experience something in this pregnancy that I can't. For so much of it, it's been me experiencing things that he can't. As much as I would have loved to be apart of that listening experience, I'm glad he got that one all to himself. ;-)

The official updates:
How far along? 35 Weeks! 35 Days to go!
Total weight gain: 26 pounds!!! I'm doing great! I hear it's pretty common to lose a few pounds in the last week too but even if I don't and I keep gaining until the end, I'm happy. I think I've managed myself well and shouldn't have too many troubles getting the weight back off.
Maternity clothes? Yes, for some time now. I was nervous having so few at first but mix it up enough and a little goes a long way.
Sleep: Going pretty well. I still wake myself up when I need to roll over but I think it's just because it's not too easy to get this giant belly to move. Not too many potty breaks either. If I do get up before it's time to get up, it's right before Nic's alarm goes off. Figures. At least I get a little snuggle time in the AM and can groggily keep him company as he gets ready.
Best moment this week: Nic hearing the heartbeat with his ear on my belly. That was really neat!
Movement: Yup and it's changed yet again. The little guy is running out of space in there.
Gender: Boy! Without a doubt!
Labor Signs: None that I'm sure of. We're going to be skipping internal exams so I wont know if I'm dialating and effacing before the actual labor. I have been having a little bit of a crampy feeling in my lower belly (practically in my hip) but it's a constant discomfort not something that comes and goes. It doesn't usually last long. Maybe an hour or two. So far so good and little guy is staying put.
Belly Button in or out? Still pretty flat but out if anything.
What I miss: Belly sleeping, walking without getting tired, going up stairs without getting winded, emptying my bladder completely (the constant urge to pee is quite annoying!), being able to function as a normal person and sitting on the couch without rib and back pain. As soon as I get comfy, this little man desides to play footsies with my ribs which then radiates to my back. Ahh...soon I will miss being pregnant and these little nuances will feel like just that...little nuances.
What I am looking forward to: Having a cute and cuddly little man to hug and kiss!
Weekly Wisdom: I don't think it'll change. Patience, take it easy and everything will come together at the right time.
Milestones: 35/35!
Fundle height: 35cm
Mama's waist size: Going to fill this out as soon as I get my tape!

I'm looking forward to doing a belly cast. I would like to have a reminder of where this little guy came from and what mama went through during the process.

Updates and Pictures

What an interesting title for a post...not. I'm slacking. There has been a lot going on in the last week. It seems like that is my new normal so I should just get used to it. We have had a birth class, a doctors appointment and another ultrasound.

The birth class went well. It was a very long crash course but very informative. A lot of it I already knew from all the reading I've been doing. Most of it was new for Nic, or so he let on. Most importantly, it sparked conversation between us that, otherwise, wouldn't have been thought about until my actual labor. I found it most helpful to see the stages of labor and how to cope with them. They showed us many positions for comfort and assisting the process. Nic was shown how to make me feel comfortable and assist as a coach. I'm glad we went. We learned a lot. I wasn't too nervous about being in labor and giving birth but that class gave me even more of a calming feeling. I fell like I can do it and I can handle what's about to come.

The doctors appointment went really well. We're now seeing the doc every two weeks. This visit had been 3 weeks since the last. Somehow we got on an off week but now we're caught up. The stats are as follows:

How far along? 32 weeks 6 days. Only 7 weeks 1 day to go until we hit our due date. :-)
Total weight gain: 24 1/2!!! I'm pretty excited about that. It looks like I can very easily keep it in the normal range of 25-35.
Maternity clothes? Yes, for some time now. I even have my favorites.
Sleep: Is going well. Only a handful of early morning potty breaks. I purchased a snoogle body pillow since the last update. It's incredibly comfortable. It took a little getting used to because it's a little tough getting positioned into it with such limited moving abilities. BUT, it was well worth it! I sleep like a baby, I don't toss and turn anymore and I'm waking up much less. Even Nic noticed enough to comment. :-)
Best moment this week: I'm still getting the belly rubs which feel amazing. He's even nice enough to rub my hips and lower belly aches. Highlight of the week though was definately the 4D. It was just so neat to see little man acting like a real baby does. Yawns, eye rubs, blinking, finger sucking. I just love it all!
Movement: You better believe it! This kid is active! I rarely get a moment when he's not moving around.
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: Nothing worth worrying over. I have had Braxton Hicks. The doc confirmed that when I had one as he was measuring my fundle height.
Belly Button in or out? Out. It's mostly flat but slightly popping out if I'm doing anything other than laying down.
What I miss: Not much. I miss being a normal active woman. I'm the kind that says, I can do it myself. It's hard when Nic tells me I'm not allowed to bring in the firewood or I can't do something that seems simple to me. I feel a little useless. Mostly because I feel like I can do it, not harm the baby and he wont let me.
What I am looking forward to: Finishing this nursery! It's the only thing that's really weighing heavy on my mind.
Weekly Wisdom: We're never going to be 100% ready. We just need to take it as it comes.
Milestones: I'm not sure I've hit any in the last week. I think my next milestone will be hitting full term. It's coming up fast!
Fundle height: 32cm
Mama's waist size: 40 1/2 inches...WOW! It doesn't feel that big?!

The ultrasound that we had on Wednesday went very well too. That one was mainly just because. The doctor gave a reason of checking his size but it really wasn't necessary. I had fun checking him out again though. As it turns out, little man isn't so little. At our 18 week ultrasound he was measuring about a week ahead. This time he was measuring about 2 weeks ahead. Uh oh! The day of the ultrasound I was 32weeks 3 days. His head and belly both were measuring 33 weeks 3 days. The humerus bone (his upper arm) was measuring 35weeks 3days! This might be one tall dude! With those measurements, the belly measurement weighing in as one of the most important, this guy is weighing in at 5 pounds 3 ounces!!!! Holy crap?! I still have 7 weeks to cook this guy! I'm hoping that he doesn't top the scales at 9 pounds but I'll take a healthy baby no matter how much he weighs. The task at hand is a little daunting though. :-/ We even had the same sonographer that we had at the 18 week appointment. He was very nice and even gave us another 3D of the face. This face shot seems to have more detail. We were able to see the hair much easier. One of the eyes was covered by the umbilical cord though. I'm looking forward to seeing the doctor again on the 1st to see what he says about this little guy really being a big guy!

Here's some pictures. Enjoy!

All that wispy stuff on his forehead is hair! I guess the old wives tale isn't true. I have a baby with a full head of hair and not a single day of heartburn. :-) I think he's beautiful.


Look at those cheeks! OhMyGoodness! I love it! I can't wait to kiss them!

Where have I been?

Shoot it's been a busy week and then some! I've been wanting to BLOG for days...scratch that...weeks!!! So much has happened. Let me share a few things with you.

1) I finally started my career as a professional photographer. It's going to be a slow, long road but I've started the journey. I was asked to take some photos for a real estate project. They decided to buy 7 images! Woo-Hoo!!! That very same week, I signed up on google business. I listed kristiinasheree.com on the google maps as a photographer in Windsor, Vermont. Within 6 days I received a proposal for a wedding next summer. This one hasn't landed in contract yet but I'm on my way.

2) I am done with work. I have mixed feelings on this one. I'm excited to be done. I'm nervous to no longer have the income. I'm relieved I have more time to prepare. I feel the need to pull the purse strings a little tighter which pretty much limits how much I can prepare. I like that I'll be able to relax and enjoy the end of my pregnancy. I can't help but think the decrease in activity will make labor a little harder. So many things spinning around in there... It'll get better. It'll all come together. Even if the nursery isn't done when he gets here, I'll have a couple months before I'll need to use it on a regular basis. Now let if we/I have the time with a newborn.

3) We refinished our wood floors on the whole first floor. Zoinks! What was that? Yeah. The. Whole. First. Floor. What were we thinking? We are on a tight schedule here. The impending birth of our first child only countable weeks away. What were we thinking?! We have had to strip the kitchen floor of peel and stick tiles, plywood and laminate. After a heat gun, various tools, hand scraping and a whole of of sand paper, the kitchen was ready for finishing. We also found a patch in the oak with pieces of maple. Interesting... Thank goodness it's where we intend on putting in a few pantry cabinets. It shouldn't show. I must say. It looks fantastic! It's the original oak to the 1930 build. It looks brand spanking new but with character. The wood in the sun room is fir. That turned out to have a lot more red in it than I thought it would. Also very pretty. Wouldn't you know, we discovered a roof leak in the sun room within days of having the floors finished. Talk about freak out! But all is well, no marks on the floor. It looks so good, we're going to arrange the furniture differently and Nic's itching to do the upstairs too. (but it's been put on the to do list with a much lower priority) It's also lit a bit of a fire under his butt to do inside renovations this winter. He wants to work on refinishing the trim so that it all looks good together. Gotta love that man! I am glad we did it. We got one heck of a deal on it. Only minor inconveniences. I will be happy tonight when I have my kitchen back and the refrigerator is out of the basement. Yeah. The basement. That's where my stove is too. I've never wanted to cook so bad in my life. I'm so sick of take-out, restaurant food and whatever is ready made or microwaveable. Ugh.

4) I harvested carrots. They are too cool. I planted a row of short and sweet. I have so much carrots! I have gumball size that will be frozen for soups and stocks. I have some that will be used for muffins, breads, cookies and cakes. (The way carrots should be enjoyed!) I'm sure I'll use some for salads and dinners too but what fun is that?! I definitely plan on planting another row next year!

5) My checklist of updates:

How far along? 29 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain: 16 pounds so far but we'll see tomorrow at the next check up.
Maternity clothes? Yes, for some time now.
Sleep: Is going well. No midnight potty breaks. Not many aches (hips and ribs on occasion). He woke me up the other morning jumping around. It was the first time his movement disturbed my sleep. Still laughable. Ask me about it again in a couple weeks.
Best moment this week: The nightly belly rubs from Nic. He's been very helpful putting on the cocoa butter before bed and feeling his little man kick.
Movement: Tons and Tons! I've been feeling all kinds of rolls, jabs, kicks, hickups, you name it, I felt it. A lot in the ribs that don't hurt yet and several to the bladder. That is an interesting feeling! I think I can now start to feel body parts. I can tell head from butt from feet. Sometimes it feels like he's stretching his neck and moving his head from side to side. So cool!
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: None thankfully. I think I may have felt a few braxton hicks but nothing painful. My belly gets tight for a few moments then it's soft again. I can only guess, that's what it is.
Belly Button in or out? Out. It was mostly flat up until 2 nights ago. Then I noticed that it's ever so slightly an outie now. Hmm...I wonder how far out it will end up going?!
What I miss: Belly sleeping. I love love love sleeping on my belly. Sometimes I just can't get comfy on my side.
What I am looking forward to: Getting more of the nursery finished. I feel so behind.
Weekly Wisdom: Don't spaz. It'll all come together.
Milestones: Identifying body parts from the outside. So cool!


This is me at 28 weeks 1 day. It's flying by!