I am not a gymnast.

We went to the doctor today for our ultrasound. They say she is weighing about 7 pounds 9 ounces, which, while slower growth than she was having, is still putting her in the 85th percentile. That combined with how far down she is and the fact I have an anterior placenta is making my back feel a crazy kind of pain I can't describe! They said I'm about a finger tip dilated and 30% effaced.... while this is not huge, nor does it mean I'm going into labor soon, is still kind of exciting since last week I was neither of these things.  There is some talk of induction for various reasons, but I am too tired to go into that now. However, prayers that she will turn (she's "sunny side up" right now, facing my stomach instead of my back) on her own and that I will go into labor naturally would be appreciated.

All of my excitement keeps mounting..... but at the same time it is changing because it is now getting mixed with "Oh we are going to have a child in the next three weeks. 24/7 forever and ever and ever." That is pretty intense stuff.

I keep wanting to do so much and keep thinking about all that needs to be done.... instead I get so tired and do nothing. Or I eat. Or sleep. Kick in, already, you last burst of energy!!

In other news, Tim and I have been watching a ton of Olympic games the past few days. It is very relaxing and almost immediately puts us to sleep haha. I am blown away by these Olympic athletes and all of there skills and strength and flexibility..... I see them do almost inhuman things, whereas I'm like...

I'll keep you all posted as things move along! Keep praying for us....this stuff just got real.

Ouch

Just a quick update:

We went to the doctor earlier this week and everything looks good. Her heart rate was strong and my stomach is measuring on track. He did my first cervical check, but everything is unchanged. No dilation or anything. I'm not really surprised at all, but I did have a momentary "Oh maaaaan" moment---not because I want her to rush or anything, just because it would give reason for all my aches and pains (plus I'm just really excited to meet her).

We are going to the doctor again on Monday for another ultrasound to check on her growth. . . I'm hoping maybe she slowed down a little so that all their talk of "inductions" will go out the window.

Today I have been in crazy amounts of pain, at least where my lower back is concerned. Everyone at my temporary work commented on my walk waddle. Every time I shift the weight on or off my left leg, pain shoots through my lower back and into my leg. Not much to do about this except have a baby! And half the rooms at work today were not air conditioned..... that combined with sitting in a hard chair for about 7 hours caused my hands and feet to swell like crazy. So much so that my flip flops started to hurt. And it felt like my skin was being stretched to the breaking point---think when people used to give you "Indian sunburns".... like it was severely dry and kind of burn-y.

Tim and I just went to a nice dinner and now I plan to spend the rest of the night with my feet propped up and a heating pad on my back.

Tomorrow I will be 37 weeks. Full-term baby!!!!! Ahhh! Thank you, Lord. All that fear of pre-term birth will go out the window....hoooray!!!

Keep checking back... you never know when she might come!

Reasons and Things

Just a few errant thoughts that keep popping all around my head today. . . 

What I am looking forward to:

-Taking a big, deep breath when we finally realize it is time to go to the hospital

-Feeling so strong and accomplished after delivery is finished. What an

incredible feeling that must be!

-Staring at my daughter's face, about as close as I can get before everything gets too-close blurry

-Seeing Tim hold Lierre for the first time. And the second time. And all the times after that.

-Seeing Tim drive extremely carefully on the way home and fussing over Lierre as we bring her inside

-Smelling that sweet baby smell on the top of Lierre's head

-Loving Tim in a whole new way

-Having special late-night bonding time with Lierre. And 

reading to her, too.

-Holidays with our little family

-Life

What I am nervous about and/or not looking forward to:

-Uhm. Labor.

-Labor again, but worried that I will have to be induced at any point.

-Labor in the sense that I am worried I will be

 so overwhelmed by the pain that I will just become

bewildered and shut down.

-Tearing. 'Nuff said.

-Being overwhelmed by all the attention and people to follow

at the hospital and at home. I am very excited about it, 

but I hear that you can be very emotional for awhile after giving birth

and I worry I won't be able to just relax while others hold Lierre.

-Opening the door to our home and realizing she is ours forever to take care of.

**Please realize this is nerves, not the "not looking forward to" category. 

I am very excited, but holy cow this is a big deal haha.**

-How our dog will react to not being the baby anymore. And how to balance 

walking a dog and taking care of an infant in a non-exhausting way.

-Breastfeeding. Many aspects of this, but I'm sure you can 

imagine what might worry me or freak me out or whatever.

-Wipes. In general they make me want to barf.

The smell, the coldness.... everything.

My whole life I have felt this way.

Seriously considering alternatives...

-Not sleeping.

What I will miss about being pregnant:

-Knowing that Lierre is safe all the time (as safe as pregnancy can be).

-Hopping in the car and going.

-Not needing a babysitter.

-Feeling her move and having Lierre "all to myself."

-Endless daydreaming about her & reading about pregnancy online

Reasons why I am ready to not be pregnant anymore:

-Getting up without grunting, hurting, or needing help.

-Sleeping on my stomach.

-Walking our dog, Jack, at a reasonable pace.

-Bending over easily. Picking up stuff is a pain. People look at me lately

with pity in their eyes. Oh and bending over to shave my legs.

That has gotten quite tricky.

-COLD DELI SANDWICHES

WITH A COKE.

-TO HOLD LIERRE AND BE HER MOMMY.

-Having some semblance of a body-shape again.

-Cold deli sandwiches (yes, this needed to be written twice).

So much to celebrate! Pt 2

(The pictures were taking forever, so I broke the last post up into two!)

Some decorations at Lierre's baby shower

Sweet Party favors!! I have great, creative friends.

Some of the yummy spread! Nom, nom, nom.

I love sweet baby books.

Hair bows!! Let's hope Lierre has some hair!

This is where I cried because mom saved this blanket from when i was a baby.

Amazing friends. <3 Love you guys!

Tim: "That is..... so.... unsexy."

Thank you, everyone, for your love, support, and generosity.

Tim & I are so thankful.

So much to celebrate! Pt 1

My family has had a busy week & so much to celebrate! My brother, Evan married the love of his life, Ashley this past Saturday, July 14th. The wedding went off without a hitch and they both looked incredibly happy. They are still honeymooning in Jamaica, for which I am a liiiiiittle bit green with envy over!

Monday the 16th was Tim's and my 1 year wedding anniversary! I cannot believe that this first year is already over. There is so much I could say, but I will just say this---all those people who hate on marriage so much are crazy. No, not every day has been perfect, but this has been the best year of my life. I love Tim more every day and can't wait to see where the next years lead us.

Then this week on Thursday the 19th I had my baby shower! A HUGE thanks to everyone who helped put the shower together and all of you who came.  Tim and I were blown away by such an outpouring of love and generosity from our friends and family. Instead of talking too much, I will just include a few of my favorite pictures from these events!

With the groom on his big day!

2 days short of one year!

My nephew, Eli was one of the ring bearers (my other nephew Knox was, too).

First dance

Mother/Son dance

A side shot of "the belly" on my birthday, the 4th.

At the rehearsal dinner!

Chunky Monkey

Hello all.... just a quick update about our doctor's visit today. The ultrasound showed that her heart rate is good (although higher than her normal, which surprised Tim and me). The amount of amniotic fluid around her is pretty much the same as it was last time, which was a relief (they had been a little concerned that it was lowish). She is head down and has stayed that way since her last visit, which makes me think she truly is engaged and getting ready to go!


Then--the real reason for the visit--her weight: 
According to babycenter.com and other various websites, she should be weighing around 4 pounds and 3/4 ounces. Our chunky monkey is already weighing in around 6 pounds 2 ounces. That's kind of a big deal since we are only at 34 weeks & 4 days (That means there is roughly 6 weeks left and they can gain up to half a pound a week...).  Thus, they want us come back for yet another ultrasound at 37 weeks to see if she is just having a big growth spurt, or if she really is growing that quickly. Now, I know that there is supposed to be a error of margin, it can go a pound either way, but no matter what she is weighing more than most little babes. I cannot wait to squeeze the stuffing out of this little girl. 

I've fallen and I can't get up!

Is it bad that one of those commercials with the people who say "I've fallen and I can't get up!" spurred me to write a blog post? I just couldn't help it. I used to make fun of them (well, haven't we all?), but lately I can empathize so much more. The last few weeks especially I feel like a turtle on my back whenever I lay down, or even sit down. Tim has had to help push/pull me up more than once. To roll over "easily" in bed, sometimes I get up completely and then get back into bed facing the other way. Wooooof. This 100+ heat has been killing me and completely zapping my energy. I can't tell if I have been extra sleepy, or lugging all this extra weight makes me want to nap and sit around so much.

Tim and I get to see Lierre on another ultrasound this Wednesday afternoon to check her weight. I think I may be the most excited ever to see her. . . I think knowing that I will see her within a month(ish) in person, face to smooshy face makes it all the more real and I hope the ultrasound tech will take her time and let me absorb her face for the last time until she is born. Please keep us in your thoughts on Wednesday that Lierre will be healthy and that everything will be on track!

Lierre has been streeeetching and pushing so hard. It can be so rough sometimes it takes my breath away. Sometimes I think I know what body part is pushing on me, but normally I don't know at all. I think, however, that I may have just felt an actual foot. Pretty sure it was a foot! How sweet.

I may or may not have started packing Lierre's diaper bag already!

The switch plate Tim specially ordered.

Today while trying to nap during the storm, Jack wedged himself between me and the back of the couch.

Can I just point out that the latest they will let me go "over" is two weeks? That means at MOST there are only 54 days until I will be holding my daughter!!! OR if she comes on her due date or before, at most there are only 40 days until she is here! 


I can't even believe it.

This weekend my brother Evan will marry his fiance Ashley! HOORAY!! I am so unbelievably excited for them and can't wait to celebrate. Then two days after that will be our one year anniversary! What!!! Also my baby shower is next Thursday! So much to be excited and thankful for. 

Another Year

Last year at this time I was preparing for our wedding. This year I am preparing for a daughter. And my brother's wedding. What a big year! Tomorrow is my 24th birthday.... if my 24th year is anywhere as great as my 23rd was, I will be blessed beyond belief!! Happy birthday, America! Happy birthday, me! Haha.

We went to the doctor this morning and Lierre's heart rate was good. I am currently fighting off a sinus infection (which I think is brought on by a cold picked up at helping at VBS last week), so I got some antibiotics for that. The doctor wants us to have an ultrasound next week to check in little one's growth, since she was measuring so large last time when we had our little scare. I will keep you all posted on that one!

I am 33 weeks, as of this past Saturday. Not a whole lot of exciting news growth to announce, other than she is just packing on more weight and losing the "alien" look each day. In my own life, it seems maybe nesting has kicked in, along with some third trimester fatigue (although the 100+ weather this week has not helped, I think we are all tired). Want some proof of the nesting? Here are some pictures of our bedroom closet..... I had to call in recruits (mom) to help me work on it, but I needed that closet cleaned and organized without any more time passing. I told my mom I could feel my blood pressure slowly start to rise when I would look at it. Thank goodness Tim was at work and didn't see the whole process haha.

BEFORE

AFTER

It looks neater in person, promise.

Not too bad, I think. It really does look more organized in person, but it is hard to squeeze into a closet and take decent picture with a phone. I feel much more relaxed when I walk into our bedroom now. Thanks for your help, mom!!

In other news (kinda), I finally found my cameras and their respective chargers while working on the closet!! Here are some pictures from Lierre's room. Everything is pretty much done except we need to add her curtains/valance and a really pretty, hand painted light switch plate with Lierre's name on it that Tim ordered. 

Taking these were tricky, too.... when I opened the blinds the room was so bright the pictures looked washed out.... when I closed them the room looks kind of dull in the pictures! Anyways, enjoy!

When you open the door

For the life of me, I can't figure out how to turn this pic. Help??

Across from the crib... they have some sparkle to it.

The white part going across the bar is actually the valance

Taken from the opposite corner

We are going to spend the next few days and weeks enjoying my birthday, my brother's wedding and all the festivities that go with it, our anniversary (yay), a baby shower, and before you know it a baby in August! Phew!