39 Weeks!

Update: So I went to the doctor on Wednesday and was hooked up to a machine that monitored his heart rate and such for a while. Dr Patel and I talked a little and he said that he wanted to avoid inducing as much as possible, especially since I don't want any pain meds and induction is more painful, and said that if he hasn't come by my due date though that I will FOR SURE be induced on the 17th. He said that the placenta just is getting old and not doing it's job as well so Jude shouldn't stay in there past my due date. He checked to see if I was dilated... and I wasn't! That was depressing. So now I'm just a sitting duck, waiting for this baby to hopefully decide he wants out before the 17th. I have another appointment on Monday so maybe I will be dilated a little more then. I was hoping to have him in time for Mother's Day but it isn't looking like he is coming anytime soon so I doubt that will happen. I asked him if there was anything that I could do to make Jude come out sooner and his was response was this - "The truth is, castor oil just makes you poop. Sex is man's answer for everything but it just doesn't work, and walking only helps once you are already having contractions." So the answer was no. He said I was doing everything I was supposed to and that Jude is just being stubborn. So on the downside, the odds of me being induced are high (and that scares me!) but on the plus side, I will have my baby boy next week for sure!

How far along? 39 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: 30 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yep! Not much longer hopefully!

Stretch marks? still none on my stomach

Sleep: Lately I've had a hard time getting to sleep. I'll stay up long past Ben who is snoring next to me and play either solitaire or cubes on my phone until the wee hours of the morning. When I do finally sleep, I'm waking up constantly to pee and then Ben wakes me up again when he leaves for work. Then I end up sleeping until noon or one sometimes. It's very weird but I guess I should try and sleep as much as I can until next Thursday.

Best moment this week: Knowing there is an end point to waiting and getting the house pretty clean! 

Miss Anything? going out with my friends (actually, having friends! ha), being able to walk easily, not having heartburn allllll the time, not being hungry all the time, not breaking out so much and being able to fit into most of my wardrobe!

Movement: I've read that by this point, his movements should be much smaller but I guess since he is so small himself, that isn't true for Jude. He likes to flip and kick me all the time and he gets the hiccups ALL the time now.

Food cravings: Chocolate pop-tarts and marshmallows! Mmmm!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Spicy foods, Mexican, a lot of meat. Pizza sauce gives me heartburn.

Gender: He is still a boy and was at our last ultrasound too.

Symptoms: Heartburn like WHOA, pulled groin muscle (ouch!), hungry all the time, moody, nesting, OCD, some contractions at the beginning of the week (none since), my hair has become more and more greasy which is weird... I used to wash it every other day because it's so thick and now I have to wash every day otherwise it looks gross and breaking out
Labor Signs: had some contractions Sunday and Monday after walking Corona but nothing became of them unfortunately. 

What I'm most scared about for labor: So many things! I'm scared I'll be induced, have to have a C section, that with either of those I'll have to have an epidural since the pain will be worse than regular childbirth, getting an episiotomy, etc

Belly Button in or out? in but weird looking 

Happy or Moody most of the time: moody but I'm sure if I go into labor on my own I'll be in pain but happy!

What I'm going to miss most about being pregnant: Feeling Jude moving on the inside! Also being able to protect him more easily.

Looking forward to: Meeting Jude in less than a week!!!

The Nursery... REVEALED!

So I know I've posted a couple pictures here and there of previews of the nursery.. and now (minus needing to be vacuumed) it is FINALLY clean and everything is in its place! The only thing that still needs to be done is to actually put pictures in the frames but I am still waiting on the CD from Alison for our maternity pictures (should be here tomorrow!) and I want to put pictures of Jude up as well so for now they are empty! But very soon they shall be filled! 


I wanted a travel-themed nursery for sure but I also love to read and am very big on the whole being creative and doing what you love and believing in yourself so I combined all of these aspects and this is what happened. I think it turned out really great. I made a lot of the frames and the "Keep Calm & Travel On" picture and Jessica made me the Jude nameplate so kudos to Jess! 


If you'd like to know where anything came from to buy yourself, just leave me a comment and I'd be happy to let you know! Enjoy :)

Crib & Glider -- "Oh the Places You'll Go" bedding and clock, Aviator bear in glider, Jude nameplate Jess made and Dumbledore quote!

"Oh the Places you'll Go" Sheets, rail pad, and sheets (and blanket hanging on end)! -- Yes, I know nothing can actually be in the crib but he won't be using it for a while since I have a sleeper for him next to my bed so for now, it will house stuffed animals! 

Another angle with the eiffel tower growth chart and infant to toddler rocker Anne gave me.

Up close of the Dumbledore quote and nameplate!

Another angle

Up close of the eiffel tower growth chart!

Crib, bookshelf, windows w/ curtains, rocker and step stool w/ storage

Up close of the bookshelf with picture frames

Dresser, Bookshelf and closet -- The closet is gross and really needs to be painted but that's hard to do when your pregnant so for now it will just have to have peeled paint :(

Blurry picture of everything stuffed in the little closet... couldn't even open the doors completely because the step stool is in the way but you get the picture! He has clothes from newborn to about 18-24 months already! :)

Close up of the top of the dresser! Found this globe at a yard sale for a dollar! Frame, Globe, Slumber Buddies frog (he lights up stars & moons on the ceiling and plays music!), "love" blocks and the corsage from my first baby shower with a quote from Harry Potter above it all!

More of the room-- Crib, Glider, old TV stand I spray painted and made into a little storage thing, mirror & shelves and the changing table -- Corona had to be part of the picture :)

Glider, storage, shelves, ultrasound picture frame, hamper, diapers galore, changing table, "Oh the Places You'll Go" picture frames and Dr. Suess quote :)

Lamp, Picture frame & Jude blocks I made, Frog cool mist humidifier, "Keep Calm & Take a Nap", "Reach for the Sky!" toy story quote plaque, "If you can dream it, you can do it" Walt Disney plaque, green chalkboard piggy bank, and classic Peter Pan book!

Had to do a close up of the glider and aviator bear because it is just sooooo comfy!

Another angle with the door open -- Changing table, diaper pail and the door has a chalkboard elephant on it and a little pouch  to keep chalk in. 

With the door closed there are photos going behind it :)

Close up of hamper, diapers, changing table with loads of diapers/wipes/storage on it and the diaper pail!

Dr. Suess quote and "Oh the Places You'll Go" frames :)

with the door open leading to the hallway. There is a J above the door!

Chalkboard Elephant, some ribbon from a present and the pouch with chalk in it on the door :)













So there it is folks! Hope you like it :)

38 Weeks!

BIG NEWS: 

I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and the doctor asked if I had an ultrasound lately and I said no so they scheduled one for me for Wednesday. Looking back, she did seem a little too  reassuring when she kept saying they just want to check his size, that's all. Maybe she could tell? Anyway, when I had the ultrasound done, the tech told me that he weighed 6lbs 3oz which was within normal but definitely on the lower side for me being pretty much 38 weeks. She even showed me where that was on a line graph thing. But she didn't seem worried so I thought it wasn't a big deal. So I go to the room to wait for the doctor and I swear I waited like twenty minutes (and at this point, you have to be half naked every time so it's a little uncomfortable to just be sitting on that table thing in the nude) and when the doctor came in, he seemed worried. He showed me a piece of paper with a bunch of numbers that I had no idea what any of it meant but he said that the reason he took so long to come in was because he was speaking with one of the other doctors about those numbers. He said that Jude's weight is only 21% in the normal range. He said that it's not HORRIBLE but definitely didn't make him happy. He said if he was in the 10% range that I'd no question been induced right away. He checked to see if I was dilated but I was still at one centimeter but I was starting to thin out. He said that I have to go back next wednesday and they are going to hook me up to a fetal monitor for a while and check some things and see if I'm dilated. If I've dilated any more or if they find anything on the monitor, they will induce me next Thursday for sure. Basically, Jude isn't growing enough/properly inside of me and he needs to be out to grow better. He is hoping that I go into labor on my own though. He said that they definitely won't let me go late so as of now, I know the longest I'll be able to go before they induce me is the 17th (my due date) but the odds that I go that long are slim. I asked the doctor if there was a reason Jude isn't growing normal, like if I did something... he said that it's normally when women smoke like two packs a day. But he also said it's the positioning of something and the baby doesn't get enough oxygen or something like that... not sure the technical mumbo jumbo. But it still makes me a little sad that even though I tried really hard to eat better and enough, I still have a baby the size of someone who smokes while pregnant! What can a girl do though? :(

So right now, I am praying that I don't have to be induced because of MANY reasons (I wanted a natural birth but pitocin stresses out the baby and makes labor more painful so it might be harder to go without pain meds- and on top of that, if I get an epidural it slows down labor which means a snowball effect of needing more pitocin, then needing more epidural because the pain gets worse, over and over until the baby eventually is under so much stress they end up doing a C section. Not cool either way! Of course this doesn't always happen but believe me, I've done my research and if you don't believe me - watch Ricki Lake's documentary "The Business of being Born" - you learn A LOT!). 

So basically, if any of you have any tips to help me go into labor in the next few days, I'd love to hear them! I know nothing works for sure but hey, I'll try anything not to be induced! :)

How far along? 38 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: About 30-31 lbs as of yesterday 

Maternity clothes? only a little longer!

Stretch marks? still none on my stomach

Sleep: Tuesday night I had THREE separate dreams where Jude was born.. I think it's a sign he wants out!

Best moment this week: getting most of the house clean and buying some of the stuff we didn't get off our registries with gift cards :)

Miss Anything? Being able to walk normally and get in a good position sitting or lying down

Movement: A lot of movement still but it's starting to hurt! But he also gets hiccups which is adorable.

Food cravings: Fruit still and chocolate

Anything making you queasy or sick: eggs, mexican, meat

Gender: Boy!

Symptoms: The heartburn is still god awful and I had to sleep sitting up again the other night... Round ligament pain underneath my belly and groin area is awful... 
Labor Signs: None!

Belly Button in or out? in but getting pretty flat

Happy or Moody most of the time: depends on the day. Who knew nesting could make a pregnant girl so happy?

Looking forward to: meeting Jude sooner than planned!

Top 10 Pregnancy Must Haves!

As my time being pregnant draws to a close, I wanted to post about all the great things that I've come to use all the time being pregnant (or a lot throughout certain stages) for all the newly pregnant women out there. I hope these things help you as much as they've helped me! 

1. Boppy Pregnancy Pillow:


This is an absolute MUST HAVE! I got it in my second trimester and loved loved loved it! It is great for just snuggling and wrapping your legs around and as your belly grows it gives you great support there as well. It has definitely helped a lot in my third trimester where it is very hard to find comfy positions to sleep in. 

2. Tums:


I can't even begin to tell you how much of a best friend Tums has been to me these past nine months. If you are lucky enough not to get heartburn, I loathe you. For the rest of us unlucky pregnant women, it is pure hell. I think it may have been the worst side effect EVER. And it's not just your average heartburn... this heartburn is the kind that as your pregnancy progresses, makes you sleep sitting up, makes you literally swallow stomach acid and makes you thankful the Gods created yummy tums that taste just like candy. I know it says only eat 8 in a 24 hour period on the container, but think of all those extras as extra calcium for your little bambino. (and if your heartburn gets as bad as mine did, your doc can prescribe you another type of med you can take WITH tums for a heartburn double whammy killer)

3. Refillable Water Bottle:


The picture is the one that I actually have that I bought at Walmart for about $15 bucks but any refillable water bottle will do. I carry it with me EVERYWHERE I go because being pregnant makes you THIRSTY and your doctor will make you drink a gazillion glasses of water a day so you might as well refill a water bottle and save the environment on all that plastic from disposable ones. :)

4. Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks:


While I don't actually think it's done anything for stretch marks and I don't use it as much as many, it DOES really help for the itching that happens when your belly is growing a lot during the second and third trimesters. Nothing actually can help with stretch marks (sorry, ladies!) since that is a hereditary thing and happens further underneath the skin where lotion doesn't get to. But at least with this your tummy won't feel like it's been dunked in itching powder!

5. Whole Fruit Fruit Bars:


Whomever invented these lovely fruit bars needs a trophy. Not only are these GOOD FOR YOU, but they are delicious! I went through a fruit phase (it started with strawberries then on to melons) and loved the strawberry flavor and dark cherry flavors. YUM! It was especially great because strawberries weren't in season when I wanted them all the time and I could grab a fruit bar before heading out the door for a quick snack. 

6. Yoga Pants:


While maternity pants are great, you just can't beat a nice pair of yoga pants. They don't have to even be maternity yoga pants if you can put the band under your belly. The best thing you can possibly be while pregnant is COMFORTABLE! And let me tell you, I would wear yoga pants every day if they were socially acceptable everywhere. A lot of the times though you can pull them off at work for black work pants.. at least I did. (and even my coworkers, too)

7. Skinny belts:


I love skinny belts for the pure fact that I can put one on above my bump and you can actually tell I'm pregnant and not one big blob of fat. I feel frumpy if I'm not wearing one above my bump. It helps remind me that I have a figure underneath all the weight I've gained from pregnancy and not to mention there are so many CUTE skinny belts out there. 

8. Non-underwire bras:


While this picture isn't the exact one I have, any non-underwire bra will do. If you're like me, you will try to wear bras with underwire for as long as possible because you are amazed with finally having large boobs and want them to at least look good. But if you're holding the baby high like I am, you will find in your second trimester that his feet or other body parts have taken refuge in your rib cage which means that underwire is SUPER uncomfortable. I promise you, the minute you switch to no underwire, you (and your boobs) will breathe a sigh of relief. AHHHH, feels good.

9. Babycenter App:


This App is AWESOME and I used it pretty much every day. It reminds you of to-do's you may have forgotten about, has great articles and has a weekly update for you that tells you whats developing with the baby and compares it to a fruit/veggie in size. Babycenter.com and thebump.com have both been my go-to sites for baby info!

10. Oh Baby, The Places You'll Go Book:


This little (it is a smalllll book in size) book is ADORABLE and great to read to your belly- in fact, it was written to be read to your little bambino! The story is based off of the Dr. Suess Oh the Places you'll Go but this one is about meeting all the wonderful Dr. Suess characters and momma meeting baby! I've read it to Jude a few times and every time he starts kicking me so I know he likes it! I've even read that if you read Dr. Suess to them in the womb, they recognize it in some way outside of the womb. The power of reading is one I love! :)






There ya go future mommies! Hope you find something in this list that helps you like it has helped me! If I think of anything else I will be sure to add it to the list! 

37 Weeks = Full Term!

How far along? 37 weeks! I'm fullllll term :) (this was supposed to be posted on thursday! I'm always late!)

Total weight gain/loss: I swear it fluctuates each day... on Monday it was 34 lbs and then Tuesday is was back down to 28 lbs... 

Maternity clothes? God I miss my regular clothes!

Stretch marks? still none on my stomach

Sleep: They are so crazy when I remember them.

Best moment this week: Both baby showers & taking Maternity pics with AE Photography. Check out Alison's facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/AlisonEastPhotography

Miss Anything? Work! I went to the doctor on Monday for my check up and was fine and then late (around 2am) Monday night I was having trouble breathing and some contractions and ended up passing out. When I got up that morning I had a horrible headache and called the doctor (I swear they put us on hold for like an hour and kept passing us off back and forth to different people before they finally said to come in) and went in. They said my blood pressure was higher than normal and that I had to have bloodwork and then take a jug home and pee in it for 24hrs and bring it back the next day. He ALSO took me out of work because of my blood pressure and the contractions. Luckily the test was normal so I don't have toxemia :) But I do miss working because I have hardly any interaction with anyone other than Ben now...

Movement: He seems pretty uncomfortable with how much he adjusts.

Food cravings: Not many anymore other than mint chocolate chip ice cream! mmmm!

Anything making you queasy or sick: eggs, mexican, meat

Gender: Boy :) 

Symptoms: The heartburn has reached an all-time high. I swear I had to sleep upright the other night because I literally was having the acid come back up my throat and swallowing it. I eat tums like they are candy. The swelling has gone down tremendously since I stopped working which is good. I find myself having mood swings between really excited to really sad. I also am ALWAYS hungry no matter how often I eat.
Labor Signs: Just some contractions Monday night but none since :) I do have really bad round ligament pain that's really low under my belly/groin area so I know he definitely getting lower.

Belly Button in or out? in! 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Moody... but I am happy to meet my little man soon :)

Looking forward to: meeting Jude in the next few weeks!!

Work Baby Shower Pics:

Ben's Church Baby Shower Pics:

A PREVIEW of Maternity Pics by AE Photography:

More maternity pics to come :)