A Good 4 & An Ice Cube Tray Dinner

Ladies and Gents, we are five days past our due date.  Little Sis was expected around July 16th and tomorrow is my official induction date.  My induction is scheduled for 2 pm and Brian and I are to arrive at 1:45 pm.  I inquired about the early afternoon induction time as opposed to the 7-8 pm induction time like we had with Kate.  My doctor informed me that she usually schedules first time Mommies at the later hours because she expects labor to take all night and then baby to come in the morning.  With me, she said that she fully expects our little lady to arrive before midnight tomorrow if we get induced at 2 pm.  It is so crazy to think that we are going to meet our newest little lady TOMORROW!  I get butterflies in my tummy just thinking about it!  I wonder if she can feel those?!

In lieu of our induction, however, my wonderful doctor wanted me to come in today for one last appointment to see how we were progressing.  We were in an entire week ago, so the nurses said that she wanted to see how we have progressed over the last week to determine how to proceed tomorrow.

This was a good idea for me.  I'm always very curious to see if we've made progress and I've been having very consistent, mild contractions since 6 am this morning.  By consistent I'm talking every 4-5 minutes and by mild I mean I can only feel them if I sit down and focus on them.  Surely we've made some progress, right?!

YES!  Our doctor said that we are a GOOD FOUR centimeters dilated!!!  And by a good four she means closer to five than four!  She honestly thinks that we will be going into labor tonight rather than making our induction date tomorrow afternoon, and she told me that based on my history of pretty quick labor to get to Labor and Delivery as fast as possible if my water breaks or if I have any contractions that are uncomfortable for 30-45 minutes.

As a matter of fact, she said to just get in the car and call the babysitter on the way which I still haven't entirely figured out.  Did she mean to leave Kate at home and call someone to take care of her while we are on our way to the hospital?  Or did she mean bring Kate with us and call someone while we are on our way to meet us at the hospital?  Yeah, nonetheless, we won't be worrying about that because Brian's Mom, Mary, aka Kate's Mimi, is going to come down tonight and stay with us.  Just in case we do go into labor tonight and need to jet quickly.

I am still 75% effaced and Little Sister is still at -2/-3 station but my doctor thinks that when it is go time we aren't going to have much time to think so the fact that we are almost five centimeters dilated is almost enough to say it's go time!

In lieu of our last night as a family of three, and since I my appetite has pretty much been null all day, I decided to make an extra special dinner for Kate - an ice cube tray dinner!.  I bought a pack of two ice cube trays from the dollar store to do something fun with and decided tonight was the night.

You can make it semi-healthy and fun too!

Kate loved this!

This is kind of her what in the world? face!

My little girl is going to be a big sister in less than 24 hours.  I can hardly believe it.

She looks so little yet so big.

So adorable!

Last Mommy and Me selfie as an only child!

Last, but certainly not least, is Little Sister's room.  I don't believe I shared the final outcome of it but it is 100% put together, painted, and ready for our little girl to sleep in it, play in it and be loved in it.

A view from the doorway!

I love how PINK it is!!

A view from the corner by the gray chair/closet door!

And, of course we put our hanging flowers to good use again!

A view to the hallway and hallway closet!

And the newest addition - a brand new canvas to adorn Little
Sister's walls.  And a reminder: The world is full of adventure...
...never stop dreaming.

We are so happy with the outcome!  We were able to use all of Kate's nursery items yet still make it look completely new and different from her old nursery.  I was hesitant, at first, and was kind of looking forward to a room decorating challenge, but with the lack of time that we've clearly had, this was the best for all of us and allowed us to re-use our creativity!

SO, in more or less than 24 hours, we are going to meet our newest little girl!!!  I am just bursting with excitement, anxiousness, nervousness, and love!  I cannot believe the day is here!

Pregnancy Update: The "Clearly I Was Wrong" Edition

Ok, for the majority of this pregnancy, I have sworn that Little Sis was going to be arriving early.  It is July 14th, our due date is July 16th.  We have two days.  And by "early" I wasn't thinking two days.  I was thinking more like a week.  And so I'm officially throwing in the towel and admitting I was wrong.  I don't think she's coming early anymore.  Granted we still have two days but I don't think she's coming early.  I give up on predicting delivery days.

Ok, now, before I get to my appointment stats I just have one thing to say: MY DOCTOR IS BACK!!!

Remember how I was so bummed a month-ish ago about how she herself had to go on medical leave and I swore that she wasn't going to be able to be there for me and I kinda needed her to walk by my side during this last month of our pregnancy?!  Well, she has returned!  She is doing well and I nearly jumped off of the table and hugged her when she came through the door today.  It was such a wonderful sight to see her and know that she is back!

The stand-in doctor was very, very nice and professional.  To be honest, it was really nice getting to know her and toward the end I starting feeling very comfortable with her too.  So regardless of the situation I was going to be in good hands!  The stand-in doctor, however, discussed with me last week of possibly inducing us on our due date or the day after.  This was a bit soon to me, so we left it at we would see how much we have progressed at our next appointment and talk about induction dates.

Well, since my regular doctor is back, she has the same protocol that she had with Kate.  Hello, Comfort!  Our induction is scheduled for six days past our due date - July 22rd - should Little Sis not decide to make her debut sooner.  It would be one week, but our doctor's schedule was full on July 23rd, so July 22nd it is.  This makes me way more comfortable!  Thinking we would be induced ON our due date or the day after just didn't make sense to me.  I'm very comfortable with giving my body and baby a little extra time to work it out itself.  Thank you, Dr. Gaiser!!  And welcome back!

In stat news, I am still down a few pounds.  I've lost a couple at the last two appointments and have held pretty steady at this one.  I am still 3 centimeters dilated, 75% effaced, baby is still at -2/-3 station and she is still head down.

I was placed on another non-stress test today because of a lower heart rate reading but, once again, all returned normal and my doctor explained that this just must be "my normal".  With both of my babies, toward the very end of my pregnancies, their heart rates started decreasing a bit, perhaps preparing for labor.  Good to know...for future reference!  Wink!

Non-stress testing...again.  And, no, I'm not
stressing either.

So, we are scheduled to be induced on July 22nd.  We are progressing well and our official due date is in two days.  I am officially handing over my birthday predictions to someone else and we are all getting VERY EXCITED to meet our sweet bundle!!!

It's going to be soon!!!

What's in a Name & Progress

Today is July 8th.  We are exactly eight days away from our due date.  We are pregnant with our second little girl.  And we have yet to decide on a name.

This whole naming business has been TRICKY this pregnancy.  With Kate, Brian and I had two names picked out for the duration of our pregnancy.  I mean, we looked around a teensy tiny bit after we decided on those two names, but for the most part our first little girl was either going to be Kate Madeline or Sophie Katherine.  And we both loved Kate Madeline over Sophie Katherine by a landslide.  So many people, however, told us that sometimes that name that you pick doesn't match the baby that comes out, so Sophie was our back up.  I mean, we loved Kate Madeline so much that it was, like, 97% Kate Madeline and 3% Sophie Katherine once we found out we were having a girl.  We didn't really discuss boy names that seriously.

This go round has been a bit different.  Since we are expecting a second little lady, we have run through the gamut of girl names, and none of them have stuck with us like Kate Madeline did.  This has made the whole baby naming bit a tad stressful.  I don't want to be in Labor and Delivery and still not have a name for our little lady.  We both have had top names (Brian's was Emily, mine was Thea), but neither one of us loved the other's top names, so we took them off of our lists entirely.

Surprisingly enough, before we found out we were expecting another little girl, we both loved the name Connor Patrick for a boy.  Whether or not that would have stuck, I don't know, but it kind of made me wonder if we were having a boy because we were both able to agree on a boy name we liked!

Today, at my appointment, we learned that we have indeed made more progress.  I am currently THREE centimeters dilated, still 75% effaced, and Little Sis is still at a -2/-3 station.  The fact that we haven't nailed down this whole name thing is still stressful.  Emerson Rose has been a top contender this pregnancy.  We both like the idea of calling her Emme/Emmy.  But there's something that hasn't stuck with me with this one.  Other ideas we've thrown out there are Alanna (pronounced Uh-Lay-Na), Hannah (love the alliteration with the double H with our last name!), Lily, Maya, Harper, Ashley, and Claire.  These are the names that continue to come up.  But still nothing solid.

We've asked Kate for her suggestions and she has said Anna, Elsa, Christoff, Sven or Olaf.  Or any combination of the Frozen characters.  I can see it now.  Hello.  Meet our daughters, Kate Madeline, and Olaf Sven.  Yeah, not happening, but thank you, Kate.

I know that our little lady's name will come to us when it's supposed to.  But the planner side of me wants to have this figured out now!  This is why we found out if we were having a boy or a girl.  Both Brian and I like to be as prepared as we can...

...Turns out our little love wants to keep us on our toes!  Somehow I see this happening for the rest of our lives with kiddos around!

In other news, while I was at the doctor today, I was placed on a non-stress test because it sounded like baby's heart rate was a tad low on the Doppler reading.  I had to do this when I was pregnant with Kate for the same reason - a lower heart rate reading on the Doppler.  Both times they were still within range but the doctor just wanted to be sure that everything was a-ok in the oven.

That's a soon-to-be mama of two look!

Non-Stress Test Machine!

The little arrows signify baby's movement.

And here's a little snippet of Little Sister's heartbeat!  Music to my ears!

In just a very short time we will have a name and deciding on said name will be a thing of the past.

We will also be holding our newest little lady in our arms.  This I cannot wait for.  She is going to be the most wonderfully perfect addition to our family!

Pregnancy Update: The "I Think She's Coming Early" Edition

Ok, deep breaths.  DEEP BREATHS, people.

I had another check-up today.  We are just over 2.5 weeks away from our due date and I've had lots of pressure and cramping over this past weekend.

My internal exam revealed that we are 2 centimeters dilated, 75% effaced, and Little Sis has moved to a -2/-3 station and she is still head down!!!

Did you hear that?!?!  We made some SERIOUS progress over the last week and I am shocked by these calculations!  Just to put this into a little perspective, when I was just over 1.5 weeks away from my due date with Kate, I was NOT dilated and NOT effaced.  We are just over 2.5 weeks away from July 16th and I AM dilated and I AM effaced.

This is why I think Little Sis may be joining us early.  Oh, and the fact that I am still running, chasing, tossing, playing and picking up her Big Sis as normal!

My current doctor informed me that most babies in subsequent pregnancies (the ones after your first) don't "drop" until labor.  Apparently your body just knows what to do when baby becomes engaged so it's not uncommon for the baby to hang at a higher station until labor.  For a quick station reference, doctors start counting stations from -4 to +4 once the baby starts engaging in your pelvic bone.  At -4, baby has just entered the birth canal.  At 0, many hear that the baby has "dropped".  At +4, the baby is crowning.

Not only are all systems a go again, but it appears that things are progressing rather quickly!

I'm excited and nervous.  I'm very hesitant about getting another epidural, based on getting the spinal headaches after the last time, but at the same time I'm very hesitant to say that I won't get one.  I'm hoping to be able to get to labor and be coherent enough to make a decision based on the situation we are in when we're in it.

That's my plan and I'm sticking to it!  Won't be long now, Little Sister!

We cannot WAIT to meet you!!!

One Month Away

Ladies and Gents, we are in the last month of our pregnancy!  I cannot believe how fast this pregnancy has flown by.  I mean, it has been crazy fast.

I has the first of my weekly appointments yesterday.  Again, with my new doctor.  I've gained another 5.5 pounds and seem right on target with belly size and week number.  My internal exam revealed that it does not appear that I am near labor - I am not dilated, I am no effaced, Little Sis is not engaged.

(She's not engaged in my pelvis.  She's fully engaged in the world around her.  I have noticed her having hiccups, which I never felt with Kate!  I have also felt her jump a couple times when there was a loud noise outside of the womb.  Both of these instances came from Kate dropping her bath tea pot into the empty bath tub.  Yes, LOUD!  This I also didn't experience with Kate.  I suppose that's what happens to all children beyond the first - it is much louder outside of the womb!)

I've been working with our new doctor.  I've been able to reevaluate the situation, acknowledge that there is nothing I can do but make the best of this situation and get comfortable with my new doc, so I've tried to take that approach.  I do feel like she is getting to know me better and I her, so that is good.

Other than that, not much news here!  I haven't been craving anything out of the ordinary.  I love watermelon, but that is always the case.  As a matter of fact, if I am ever asked that deserted island question, you know the one, "If you were on a deserted island and you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?".  Yeah, that one.  My answer is always watermelon.  So that's not really new.  And I've been feeling good.  I am starting to get really excited to meet our new baby.  It has taken me a while this pregnancy.  I've been tired and it's been tough keeping it all together working, raising a toddler, and making a baby, but I've managed and I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I will leave you with some bump pics that I've found on my phone from Kate and one that I took of my shiny, perfectly round belly that I am very proud of!  Warning: nudity ahead - raw and real.

This was 3 weeks ago, while I was making breakfast.

Even I think it's a cute little bump!

And this was just this past Friday!  That
perfectly round belly holds so much of my love.
I can't wait to meet her!
(Oh, and please excuse the fact that my
undergarments are not matching.
#anythingwilldo  at this point in the pregnancy!)

Really, Really Bummed

Let me tell you about my OB doctor, Dr. Gaiser.  She is AMAZING!  I have been nothing but happy with her and her practice.  She was there every step of the way through my pregnancy with Kate and was even there to deliver her.  She has been here every step of the way through this pregnancy so far.  I am completely comfortable with her, so I feel like I can ask her anything.  She also really listens to me when I am there with her.  It has never felt like I am "just a patient" and she is in a rush to see the next person.  She has always given me her undivided attention and whether or not she has the time, she has always made me feel like she has all day to talk to me.  I love this.  Sometimes when I'm going through the unknown, just having that person to reassure me that everything is ok makes me feel better.  This is who she is to me.  She has comforted me in the times that I have struggled being pregnant and reassured me that what I am going through or have gone through is normal.

Most of all, I feel like she knows me.  I feel like she has my best interest and she allows me to help make decisions on what is best for my body and my pregnancy.  She is a doctor that allows us to be in it together.  And, quite frankly, I feel like my baby and I are in perfectly good hands when I'm with her.  She is a wonderful doctor and I consider myself lucky to be a part of her practice.

Well, the other day I received a phone call from her practice.  They told me that my doctor, the one who I've grown to know and love over the last three plus years, has to go on medical leave herself...Um, excuse me?!  MY doctor?  Yes, my doctor, and she won't be back until July 14th so I needed to re-schedule all of my last appointments with a new doctor.  Reminder, we are due July 16th...

What the what?!  Seriously?  I may or may not have started crying after this phone call.  There is nothing I can do about this.  And, honestly, I just hope that my doctor is ok, not for me, but for her and her family because she is such a wonderful person.  But I can't help but feel really, really bummed that my last month and half of this pregnancy I will be with someone completely new.  Someone I will have to retell my story to.  Someone I will have to leave my trust in.  Someone I will have to rely on that I don't even know during the most critical time in my pregnancy.

Quite frankly, I just don't know if I have the energy to do this.

I had my first appointment today with this new doctor.  She was also very nice.  From what I understand, all of the doctors in the practice are pretty awesome.  But there's a part of me that just wants my doctor back.  I want that safety net.  I need that comfort zone.  I swear little sister is coming early, so in my head I'm not going to be seeing my doctor until all is said and done.  (I swear this because I already feel cramping in my lower abdomen and I didn't experience that at all this early with Kate.)

I tried my best to put on a happy face today.  I keep telling myself that this new doctor is more than capable and my baby and I are still in good hands.  I didn't gain much weight since the last appointment, , surprising based on the last few appointments, and our little lady's heartbeat is right on target.  We are measuring at 32 weeks and we are at 33 weeks.

I'm going to do my best to make the best of this situation.  There's no guarantee, after all, that my doctor would even be there for delivery anyway.  Everything happens for a reason and I trust that this is the same situation.

Ok, end rant.

Looky there.  At least I took a bump photo this week.
It only took me...33 weeks...

Eight More Weeks

We are 32 weeks pregnant which means in more or less than 8 short weeks we will be meeting our newest little lady!  We still are unsure of what name this little one has but we are getting her room together and trying to get situated so that we will be prepared as best as we can for her arrival!

All went very well at my appointment last week.  I put on another couple of pounds since the last check-up and our little bambino's heart beat is right on target.  I received a call shortly after my last appointment where I was test for gestational diabetes and was asked to start taking iron pills again.  I had to do this when I was pregnant with Kate, so no surprise here.  Perhaps I will be able to stay up a bit later now?!

Since we've yet to do official bump photos, I will leave you with this gem that I found on my phone from Kate.  Leave it to Kate to capture the details I am too tired to capture!

Week 32 bump!

And, yes, it's really real.  We are growing a baby over here and here's the bump to prove it!

Eyebrow Eczema

One of the many perks of being pregnant is your ever changing skin and hair.  As we've entered our third trimester, my newest pregnancy perk is something that I like to call "eyebrow eczema".  I have no clue where this came from, nor do I have any idea when it will go away, but right on my eyelids right below my eyebrows are red, itchy, dry patches of skin that have appeared out of nowhere.  I can only assume it is part of being pregnant!

I confirmed with my OB today that there is nothing to be worried about.  She said it may just be related to all the hormones going through your body while you are pregnant.  Nonetheless, she said to check with my normal practitioner to see what kind of remedies are out there.

In baby news, all is going very, very well.  We have a healthy, growing baby and Mama!  I gained another seven pounds this past month which, again, is a bit shocking, but perhaps that's how my body is doing it this pregnancy.  And at today's appointment I was tested for gestational diabetes with the wonderful glucola drink.  My doctor will call and update me with test results should anything be a bit wonky!

In other pregnancy related news, our appointments are now scheduled every two weeks!  Every two weeks!  How is this possible?!  We're are going to meet our newest little lady much sooner than later!!

UPDATE
A coworker of mine suggested using coconut oil on these dry patches and wouldn't you know, that oil cleared them up in about four days!!!  I was so impressed and I highly recommend coconut oil for everything now!

It's Game Time!!

Our video update:

 

I'm Late! I'm Late! For a Very Important Date!

No time to say hello, goodbye!  I'm late!  I'm late!  I'm late!

Well, that's not entirely true.  I actually have all the time in the world to say hello and goodbye right now because I have officially started leave.  Yep, that's right.  Friday was my last official day at work, so the vacation starts now!  (I am using that vacation term loosely...I am in no way anticipating maternity leave to feel like I'm relaxing by the pool in a tropical destination, especially since we are entering the Winter, in Ohio, and it's already cloudy and gray, not to mention all that comes with having a baby.  But I am going to continue to tell myself that it is vacation...)

We are officially late though.  Our little bambino has decided with the very abrupt end to our Indian summer, which pretty much ended on our due date, that she would rather stay warm and cozy in the womb that she has called home for the past 40 weeks than make the move sans-womb to the home that she will call home for the rest of her life...

We keep reminding her that it is warm, cozy, and a lot more spacious outside of the womb, but she has yet to be convinced.  I suppose she will be convinced in her own time.  There is no amount of talking or cajoling we can do.  She will make the decision herself when she is ready.

...She soooo has her Mama's personality.

Due Date

There is one day throughout your entire pregnancy that you can say, "We are due today."  For us that day is today, and we have told everyone who has asked that today is our day.  From family and friends, to coworkers, to strangers, they have all wished us luck and shared in our excitement.

We are ready whenever you are, Sweet Girl!

It's really hard to believe that our due date is really here. The last nine months have flown by and we are going to meet our daughter any day now. It is really an incredible thought. I don't feel scared, I don't feel anxious, I don't fear the unknown - I am just so excited!  Brian is very excited too.  He's a bit a whole lot more anxious than I am, but he is ready and waiting to meet his little girl.

Today is our due date!  Our bun is nearly done cooking, and we absolutely cannot wait to bring her into our world.

'Twas the Night Before

'Twas the night before D-day, when all through the womb

Just one creature was stirring, just one we presume.

The overnight bags were packed and set on the floor,

In hopes that our little girl we would soon adore!

So...we didn't go into labor last night.  Obviously.  But we did have contractions and are still having contractions, so we are confident that my body will let us know when it's time.

We have reached the night before our due date and while we know that a "due date" is only an estimated guess as to when your little one may (or may not) make his or her debut, it is still exciting to get to the day!

We don't have a ton of news to report but thought what better way to kick off the last night before we are officially overdue with some fun facts!

FUN FACTS ABOUT OUR PREGNANCY:

1. I have taken my prenatal vitamin with a couple sips of grape Gatorade since we found out we were expecting.  And I take it at night.  That is just how I do it.

2. Initially I thought that pre-natal vitamins were horse pills... Nine Ten months later and I am a pro at getting those things down!

3. I take my iron pill once in the morning and once in the afternoon with orange juice because your body absorbs more of the iron if the pill is taken with vitamin c.  (And I figured if I'm going to clog my digestive system even more that I might as well do it right the first time...)

4. Brian and I have walked throughout this entire pregnancy with the intention of walking in the Nationwide half marathon last Sunday.  We waited to sign up not knowing if we would be able to participate for multiple reasons, but when we got the go ahead from our doc last week we found out that it was sold out.  What charity event sells out?!  Apparently 400+ people were already turned away, so we went to BuyBuyBaby instead and bought some last minute baby items we still needed!

5. I have heard every story out there on every subject related to pregnancy, labor, natural ways to induce labor, and babies.  This, I was told, would happen.

6. I am still working and am planning on starting maternity leave on Monday, October 29th...unless a certain little someone should decide to make her debut sooner!

7. Jack knows something strange is going on.  We are trying our best to keep our cool, but he senses a change.

8. Bun could care less about having a little sister.

9. I can actually feel my skin stretching on my stomach.  It's a tingling, burning sensation, and it is really weird knowing that is what it is.

10. Last, but certainly not least, I would absolutely love a piece of pumpkin pie right now...and that's not usually my "go to" dessert!

Stay tuned for updates!  We will be sure to keep you posted!!

39 Weeks & 5 days

We can hardly believe that we are so close to meeting our little girl!  It is simply incredible and we both can't help but smile at the thought of us going into labor any day now!

We had our last scheduled appointment today.  We have not gained any more weight, our baby's heartbeat was a little low (more on that in a minute), and my tummy measured at a hefty 40 cm!  Our doctor said that our sweet baby must've gone through a little growth spurt this past week!  We are also 3 cm dilated as opposed to the 2 cm that we were last week.  We have not effaced anymore (we're still at 50%) and our baby is still at a -1 station.  It amazes me that your body just knows what to do when the time is near!

The heartbeat being on the low end was a little concerning to our doctor though, so she hooked us up to a non-stress test.  This is where there are two tight belts attached around your belly: one to measure the baby's heart rate and one to measure contractions.  I also had a little Jeopardy buzzer that I was to click every time I felt our little girl move.  I'll take "Labor & Delivery" for $800, Trebek!

We were hooked up to this machine for about 45 minutes listening to the sweet sounds of our baby's heartbeat...and apparently having very consistent contractions.  I didn't feel every contraction, but they were so consistent that our doctor said that she wouldn't be surprised if we went into active labor tonight.  This was very surprising to me because, like I said, I barely felt any of the contractions.  And even the ones that I did feel weren't anything that would warrant any sort of alarm in my opinion.  I suppose time will tell!

In the little viddie below the graph on the top of the print out measures our baby's heart beat in beats per minute and the graph on the bottom measures our contractions:

The results of this test showed that our sweet girl's heartbeat was fine and it was probably just a bad reading from the fetal doppler, so we were good to go home, continue contracting, continue dilating, and continue the waiting game!

We have nearly reached our due date!  It has been an incredible journey so far and we know it's only going to get a million times better when our baby girl arrives!

Rock-a-Bye Baby

Over 36 years ago, Brian's Mom purchased a little rocking chair for her very own first born - Brian Andrew.  (Yes, I said over 36 years ago!)  That chair was once green.  When Brian's tush grew out of it, it was painted yellow to match her kitchen where it became kitchen decor.  And then, it was passed down to Brian's Aunt who had two sons of her own.  Over the last 25+ years, Brian's Aunt kept that little rocker, brought it to her classroom where she taught many, many children over the years, and put it to good use!

Before: It stayed yellow with the patent
leather seat.

When Brian's Aunt Kathy found out that we were expecting, that rocking chair quickly found it's way home and back into Brian's world!

Over the next several months, Mary and Tom refinished the chair, had Brian and I pick out some fabric for the seat, and completely redid this beautiful little rocker to match perfectly for our little girl's bum room.

And tonight, they debuted their masterpiece:

After: Simply stunning!

This dynamic duo (Mary and Tom, that is) did a fantastic job refinishing the chair!  It looks absolutely wonderful in our sweet girl's room and it makes it that much more special that it was once Brian's.

How sweet and dainty is the seat fabric?!  We simply love it!

It's absolutely perfect for our little corner!

We cannot thank Mary, Tom, or Brian's Aunt Kathy for all the hard work and dedication that they put into making this 36 year old chair look like new!  We are positive that our little girl will cherish this rocking chair until she has a little girl of her own to pass it down to.  Thank you, Mary, Tom, and Aunt Kathy!!  Thank you!  Thank you!

Progress Report

We are so excited to report that we have made some progress since our last appointment!!!  We went to visit the doc again today and learned the following:

1. We did not gain any more poundage.

2. Our baby's heart rate was beating at 135-138 beats per minute.  Watch the little viddie below to hear the heartbeat!!  (WARNING: This video does contain some frontal belly nudity.  Linea nigra included.)

3. Our tum tum measured at 38.5 cm.

(And now for the good stuff!)  DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!!

4. WE ARE TWO CENTIMETERS DILATED!!

5. WE ARE 50% EFFACED!!  (Is it strange that I'm kind of taking this one with a grain of salt?!)

6. Our bambino is at -1 station!  (She's been hanging there, so I suppose this is old news.)

7. She is still head down!

How exciting is that?!  We were very pleased with our report today.  Especially since my body has decided it's nearly GO TIME and is preparing itself and finalizing all the minor plans to push our little one out into the world.

Our bun is nearly done cooking, and we are only 8 small centimeters and 5 short stations away from meeting her!

 

Week 38, going on Week 39!

♥

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

We had another doctor's appointment today.  We are plus one on the
L-B front, our tummy was measuring right at 37-38 cm, and our baby's heartbeat was a-whoosh whoosh-ing away on the fetal doppler.  Our doctor said that we are right on target.

Then she performed our internal exam.

Remember those four parameters that she was looking for??  Cervix effacement, dilation, station, and baby position?? 

Do you recall where we fell on the parameter scale the last time our doctor checked us??  For a quick refresher, she said that my cervix was 50% effaced, we were not dilated, our baby was hanging out at a
-1 station, and she was definitely head down.

And then we had our appointment today, and she told us that nothing had changed.  Nothing?

She said my cervix was still thick, we did not have any dilation, the baby was still at a -1 station, and still head down.

And that's when I asked about my cervix.

I explained that last week she mentioned we were 50% effaced, and I was just curious as to what the "thick" diagnosis was supposed to mean.  Well, Ladies and Gents, it means you are not effaced at all.  And according to the notes that our doc had written down at our appointment last week, I was not effaced at that last appointment either.

Ok, so we are still two weeks out.  Everybody and every body is different.  But I would be lying if I didn't say that I was a little disappointed to hear that a.) we hadn't made any noticeable physical progress toward labor - after all, I am an over achiever by nature, and b.) that we had kind of taken a step back since we learned that we actually weren't 50% effaced at all.  We are 0% effaced, and apparently that is what we were last week too.

Would it be really ridiculous if I sat on an exercise ball instead of a chair for the rest of my work days?!

I know that our baby and my body will let us know when the time is right.  We do still need to pack our hospital bags - maybe she knows that and wants us to be prepared??  That is awfully thoughtful, but I do hope that we have a better progress report next week.  After all, it is a progress, right?!  And that means a little closer each time, right?!

Here's to making more progress, adding another week of pregnancy under our belt, and taking one (or two) steps closer to our due date!

On a very side note, this Thursday is October 11th and officially the start of our 38th week.  If our little girl were born that day, her birthday would be 10/11/12!  I think that is such a neat birthday.  Obviously, the actual birth day of our little girl will be the neatest of them all, but 10/11/12 is still pretty cool!

Making Room for Baby

I know that we've shown you bits and pieces of our nursery set up.  And I know that the last time we talked about our nursery we were still working on some wall art.  Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, we have created our wall art, hung our wall art, sat and admired said wall art and said nursery, and are so ready to share the amazing-ness that we are oh-so-proud of!

When we first ventured out to come up with some ideas for our little girl's room we both knew that we wanted our little girl to feel like she was in a little girl's room, not feel like she was in a modern room that had to stay clean.  (Seriously.  Who are we kidding?  We are having a baby.  We know that rooms will no longer be "clean".)  Brian and I are both fans of more modern-type of art and furniture, so we knew that we would like to have a clean look to the room, but we also considered who exactly would be staying in such a room and so we also knew that we wanted it to be fun and colorful!  After many ideas on colors, schemes, and themes, we decided on three key colors: pink, orange, and green, and after we bought our bedding, we decided we'd run with the wild animals and incorporate them into our art too.

We are extremely happy with the outcome!  We do still have some minor areas that we plan to incorporate a few more photos/images/ art/etc, but we are waiting for our wee one to arrive to make sure she is part of those photos/images/art/or what have you! 

SO, without further ado, our little girl's nursery:

This is our toys/books/stuffed animals/piggy bank corner!

And right next to all the fun is the crib corner!

Jack is so done with us focusing on this room and not him...

The crib corner is right next to the sitting/feeding corner.

Which, clearly, butts up next to the dresser/changing area.

And the dresser/changing area is right next to the closet
and second book area.

Anyone recall this rendition of a 90's pop hit?!

What to put above the crib stumped us forever until we
found these four images that we loved and created them in
our colors!  Now it is definitely a fav of the room!

We ♥ the crib corner!

Brian and I both put a lot of time and thought and love into this sweet room for our sweet girl, and we hope that she enjoys it as much as we do.  We have our favorite bits of the room, but we imagine our very favorite part of the room has yet to arrive!

We are t-minus 2.5 weeks, and counting!

Our Little Bump

Brian and I both wanted to capture our little bump before we officially celebrated our little girl's debut.  Mainly to capture yet another amazing moment in our lives but also to be able to show our sweet baby what life was like before we met her outside of the womb.

Brian did his very best with the Big Dog camera that we have and after an early evening of shooting, we he captured some amazing moments.  Brian did a fantastic job!  I know his little girl is going to be so proud of him.  She is going to look up to him, admire his strength and preserverance, and strive to follow in his footsteps.  I have no doubt.  He is going to be an amazing Daddy.

I hope you enjoy our bump view as much as we enjoyed taking the photos:

♥ ♥ ♥ Click me for a lot of bump love! ♥ ♥ ♥

Your Daddy and I love you so much, Baby Girl!

All Systems Are Go!

We had the first of our weekly appointments today!  In addition to the normal schtuff: we gained two pounds, our tummy measured at 36 cm, and our little girl's heartbeat was beating steadily in low 140's, we also had an internal exam!

Our doctor assessed four important parameters of labor:

1. Our cervix effacement.

2. Our dilation.

3. Our station.

4. The position of our little bambino.

And it appears that all systems are go!

My cervix is 50% effaced which essentially means that it has thinned out.  We are shooting for 100% effacement, so we are half way there!

We are not currently dilated which is nothing to worry about.  When my body and our baby are ready, we will start to dilate.

Our baby is currently loungin' at a -1 station.  This one is a little tricky to explain.  The baby lives and grows higher up in the uterus for the majority of the nine months that you are expecting.  Then, the doctors start counting from -4 all the way to +4 as the baby starts to drop into your pelvic bone.  At -4, you will have a lot of pushin' to do.  At 0, you are sometimes told that your baby has dropped.  At +4, the baby is crowning.  So, again, we are in a good spot!

And we received the verification that our bambino is still head down.  She is such a cooperative little wee one! 

As my Dad put it, in guy terms, we’re fueled up, the oil’s been changed, the tires checked, and we're at the starting line waiting for the green light to signify GO time!

Yes, exactly!

Afternoon Tea

Today we celebrated our little girl with a beautiful, intimate gathering at The Worthington Inn.  Brian's Stepmom, Kathy, was kind enough to plan, organize, and arrange the quaint set up, and we all had a blast!  We played some games, we chowed down on food, we opened presents, we chatted, we received another amazing diaper cake, and we just had an overall great time!  Hanging with this bunch is always a great time!

The Worthington Inn was a perfect place for a traditional English afternoon tea.  We celebrated in the Cowles Room, which was plenty roomy for the eight of us.  (Yes, Wyatt included!)  And the decor was adorable!  :)  (I am so stuck in 'all things are so cute' mode!)  Fortunately, I did have my camera handy this time and two assistant photographers that were kind enough to document a lot of the very creative, very fun details of the afternoon together, so you can view some of the wonderful afternoon too:

I'm sure you'll see that tu-tu around a little waist soon!

One interesting little tidbit of information that I personally learned was there is yet another line of strong, independent women on Brian's side of the family.  Apparently, Brian's Great Grandma (his Dad's Grandma - who I am told that Brian called "Grandma City Bus" because she took the bus everywhere!), moved from Kenton, OH into the big city, Columbus, OH, all by her lonesome when she was a young woman.  She found her way around town, got a job in a quilting factory (of which she would take home fabric scraps and make quilts!), bought multiple houses in a very desirable area, and housed graduate students while they studied at Ohio State.  AND, she did this in an era where women did not do many things so courageous.  All of this and more make this woman that I have never even met so extremely inspiring!

I am excited to see where our little girl takes us, the paths she chooses, and the strength she'll find in herself.  There is no doubt that she will be another strong, independent woman!  It is definitely in her blood!

Thank you all for making the afternoon so wonderful and celebrating our little girl!  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the love and support during such an exciting time!