Week 34 flew by without documentation because sadly I spent the entire week completely under the weather. It started on Sunday night...I went to bed with the beginnings of a sore throat. I woke up in the middle of the night with nausea, horrible heartburn, and a burning sore throat. I took a few tums and was able to get back to sleep for a little while, but come Monday morning, I was coughing and wheezing and short of breath.
On Tuesday I went to my OBGYN appointment in the morning and my OB got out her stethoscope and listened to my wheezing. She had me call my general practitioner to try and get in to see the doctor mid day. They had absolutely no appointments available and sent me to urgent care, saying with my wheezing, I couldn't wait until the following day to be seen. After an hour at urgent care, I was given two inhaler prescriptions, and had to rush back home to meet my Dad, who was graciously driving me to my afternoon hospital appointment, as the weather was supposed to start getting nasty (of course we never even ended up getting any snow, but it was super sweet of him to take me anyway!)
At the perinatal center on Tuesday afternoon, the doctor assured me that all the inhaler prescriptions were safe for me to take, and additionally put me on blood pressure meds, as my BP continues to escalate.
I spent the rest of the week coughing, wheezing, and generally having an impossible time breathing through my nose. The whole thing migrated up to my head by Thursday, and I was so miserable (and worried because my first baby shower was coming up on Saturday) that I called my OB and asked if I could get antibiotics. She had written me a prescription for a z-pak, so I ran up to CVS and got it filled. Worst CVS ever, because the wait was more than an hour...but I killed the time by taking my blood pressure. Which rang in at 167 over 107. I'm pretty sure I about gave the old man sitting next to the machine a heart attack when he saw my reading.
But after just two rounds of the antibiotic, I felt well enough to venture to my baby shower on Saturday. And per the usual, my girlfriends did not disappoint! What a beautiful shower it was! Set up in a private room at Clyde's restaurant in Alexandria, we had games, yummy appetizers, and LOADS of presents. Baby Boy is going to be so well dressed (and warm with all his blankets!). We felt so loved! I have several pictures to post, so I will get those up shortly.
Once I got home from the shower, my body decided that the few hours of activity I had was plenty, and I felt awful all over again. But once the weekend was over, I finally began feeling better.
Todd and I spent Monday (it was Martin Luther King day) shopping for new dining room furniture...and we found it! I'll have to post pics of it as well...it gets delivered next week and I can. not. wait!
Otherwise I've been spending this week washing up crib sheets, baby towels & wash cloths, and baby clothes. But I'll save the baby updates for the 35 week post on Friday...which I promise I won't miss this week!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
33 Weeks!
This week according to baby center, baby boy is 4 pounds and 17 inches long, and about the size of a pineapple. However, we already know that baby boy K is significantly bigger than just 4 pounds, so these updates are a bit obsolete now.
How far along: 33 weeks exactly today...but if we're going by how I'm measuring, we would be at 35 weeks (since I'm measuring 2 weeks ahead).
Maternity clothes: obviously. oh and I failed to mention in my last weekly update that none of my shoes fit very well anymore. I'm seriously hoping this is only temporary, because a)I miss being able to wear normal shoes comfortably, and b) Todd gave me a beautiful pair of black Tory Burch Reva flats for Christmas, and I can't even begin to try to cram my feet in to them. Sad :(. So for now, I can either wear my Uggs (thank goodness for them -- so comfy!), or my new balance tennis shoes that seem to be a bit wider/bigger than the rest of my shoes.
Sleep: Not too shabby. Especially because I confirmed with our childbirth class teacher last night that it was in fact ok to sleep on my right side. She said left side is best for blood flow, but that right side is also fine...just not too much laying on my back. This was exciting because I've been getting really uncomfortable only sleeping on my left side, so last night I alternated between left and right and definitely got more sleep.
Best Moment of the week: Well on Tuesday I went to the Perinatal Center for my weekly fetal non-stress test, and got to see baby boy again on the sonogram screen, where the doctor again confirmed that he has a full head of hair! And we had our first childbirth prep class last night, which was nice because a large chunk of the class was spent sitting on the floor in front of our "support partners" (the husbands/dads) as they rubbed our shoulders and backs and we practiced relaxation. It all seemed a little goofy because it's really hard to pretend you're relaxing yourself in labor, when you're not actually IN labor...but regardless Todd and I had a good time cracking each other up the whole time. At one point all the moms had to stand up facing the backs of our chairs and lean over them, as the dad's had to stand behind us with their hands on our hips, rubbing them and swaying us back & forth. I said "this seems a little private to be doing in public!" and Todd said "This is what got us in to this situation in the first place!"
Oh also, we had our carpets steam cleaned this week, which a huge highlight for me :) Love clean carpets!
Movement: He's still my little kicker. Todd hopes this will translate into him being a good kicker for his future career in football ;)
Food cravings: We're back to chocolate milk and regular milk. I could drink it all the time. Other than that, pretty much any food is delicious -- minus anything I didn't like pre-pregnancy (raisins, melon, yogurt, etc.)
Stretch marks: Still none that I can see. I have been rubbing my belly with cocoa butter, though.
Gender: Our little linebacker!
What I miss: Being able to go up the stairs without getting out of breath...and wearing my wedding rings. I LOVE my rings so much, but sadly my hands are just too puffy to put them on :(
What I'm looking forward to: Seeing how Todd handles the actual labor, and then also seeing Todd with our little guy for the first time. He is pretty uncomfortable about the whole labor deal, but is so excited to meet our baby boy, it's adorable.
Weekly wisdom: Remember that every woman and every pregnancy is different. While someone may want to offer you their advice on what works best for them, that doesn't mean it will work for you. Listen to your body and do what is best for you and your baby.
How far along: 33 weeks exactly today...but if we're going by how I'm measuring, we would be at 35 weeks (since I'm measuring 2 weeks ahead).
Maternity clothes: obviously. oh and I failed to mention in my last weekly update that none of my shoes fit very well anymore. I'm seriously hoping this is only temporary, because a)I miss being able to wear normal shoes comfortably, and b) Todd gave me a beautiful pair of black Tory Burch Reva flats for Christmas, and I can't even begin to try to cram my feet in to them. Sad :(. So for now, I can either wear my Uggs (thank goodness for them -- so comfy!), or my new balance tennis shoes that seem to be a bit wider/bigger than the rest of my shoes.
Sleep: Not too shabby. Especially because I confirmed with our childbirth class teacher last night that it was in fact ok to sleep on my right side. She said left side is best for blood flow, but that right side is also fine...just not too much laying on my back. This was exciting because I've been getting really uncomfortable only sleeping on my left side, so last night I alternated between left and right and definitely got more sleep.
Best Moment of the week: Well on Tuesday I went to the Perinatal Center for my weekly fetal non-stress test, and got to see baby boy again on the sonogram screen, where the doctor again confirmed that he has a full head of hair! And we had our first childbirth prep class last night, which was nice because a large chunk of the class was spent sitting on the floor in front of our "support partners" (the husbands/dads) as they rubbed our shoulders and backs and we practiced relaxation. It all seemed a little goofy because it's really hard to pretend you're relaxing yourself in labor, when you're not actually IN labor...but regardless Todd and I had a good time cracking each other up the whole time. At one point all the moms had to stand up facing the backs of our chairs and lean over them, as the dad's had to stand behind us with their hands on our hips, rubbing them and swaying us back & forth. I said "this seems a little private to be doing in public!" and Todd said "This is what got us in to this situation in the first place!"
Oh also, we had our carpets steam cleaned this week, which a huge highlight for me :) Love clean carpets!
Movement: He's still my little kicker. Todd hopes this will translate into him being a good kicker for his future career in football ;)
Food cravings: We're back to chocolate milk and regular milk. I could drink it all the time. Other than that, pretty much any food is delicious -- minus anything I didn't like pre-pregnancy (raisins, melon, yogurt, etc.)
Stretch marks: Still none that I can see. I have been rubbing my belly with cocoa butter, though.
Gender: Our little linebacker!
What I miss: Being able to go up the stairs without getting out of breath...and wearing my wedding rings. I LOVE my rings so much, but sadly my hands are just too puffy to put them on :(
What I'm looking forward to: Seeing how Todd handles the actual labor, and then also seeing Todd with our little guy for the first time. He is pretty uncomfortable about the whole labor deal, but is so excited to meet our baby boy, it's adorable.
Weekly wisdom: Remember that every woman and every pregnancy is different. While someone may want to offer you their advice on what works best for them, that doesn't mean it will work for you. Listen to your body and do what is best for you and your baby.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
More nursery pics!
The carpet cleaners are here working their magic on our upstairs carpets, but considering they would probably think me weird if I took their pictures, I'll just post some more nursery pics instead. Please bear with me on the quality of the pics...while my iPhone 4 does take nice pictures, the lighting in these pics isn't the best. Oh, and keep in mind that these are sort of a "rough draft" of the nursery, as I haven't actually washed the sheets/etc. yet to put on the bed, so we sort of just draped the bedding on the crib to see how it would look.
Window valance and Martha Stewart line Mahogany curtain rod with ball finials. Blinds to be installed this weekend.
The illustrious crib mobile that Whinnie has been pining for. She has finally stopped sitting outside the nursery crying...but I'm sure she'll start again the next time she notices the mobile.
View of the crib and dresser...tough to get the whole picture because it's hard to take a picture of the entire room using an iPhone.
And the dresser, which is a terrible picture for several reasons -- some of those being that 1) There is a ton of junk on top of the dresser, and 2) The lamp that is currently in there washed out the entire picture. We had to buy 40W bulbs for that teddy bear lamp you see on the end (which is NOT the light source in this picture).
Crib bedding -- Eddie Bauer "Teddy Bears"
Bumper, blanket, teddy bear
Finished crib with comforter draper over side -- which probably won't get used for a while since I've read it's best to not use a comforter with a newborn.
Window valance and Martha Stewart line Mahogany curtain rod with ball finials. Blinds to be installed this weekend.
The illustrious crib mobile that Whinnie has been pining for. She has finally stopped sitting outside the nursery crying...but I'm sure she'll start again the next time she notices the mobile.
View of the crib and dresser...tough to get the whole picture because it's hard to take a picture of the entire room using an iPhone.
And the dresser, which is a terrible picture for several reasons -- some of those being that 1) There is a ton of junk on top of the dresser, and 2) The lamp that is currently in there washed out the entire picture. We had to buy 40W bulbs for that teddy bear lamp you see on the end (which is NOT the light source in this picture).Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Just because it needs to be documented...
This is how Whinnie has spent the day. Sitting on the couch next to me, alternating between napping, and looking utterly depressed in her newest accessory. Poor girl has an injury on her right foot (we thought it was an allergy, but the Vet said it looks more like something hurt her, such as a bug bite, thorn, etc.), and to keep her from licking the wound, she has to wear this fancy Elizabethan collar. Needless to say, she hates it. But on the plus side, it's keeping her focus away from the nursery, where she would be sitting outside the door, crying, because she has a fascination with the crib and the teddy bear mobile.
Nursery Picture overload!
Be prepared for a little photo overload...in this post, and in the next few days as I plan to post even more pictures of the nursery, pictures of the adorable baby shower invites, and pictures of some of Baby K's Christmas loot. Enjoy!
Big sister hard at work taking a nap, as everyone else worked on the nursery.
All taped off and ready for paint!
Mommy-to-be wasn't allowed in the room unless wearing a surgical mask. (Mommy-to-be is also not 8 feet tall, as this picture would suggest.)
Gramma-to-be getting started on the paint!
Gramma-to-be, hard at work!
Big sister, Whinnie, taking a break from her nap to check out the paint job.
Almost finished!
Breaking a sweat!
Finished paint!
Tape removed...waiting for the chair rail.
Elvis-to-be (the name is a work in progress) and Daddy-to-be, getting ready to cut the chair rail. (Please note the daddy-to-be's high waisted pants. It was raining out, and he didn't want his pants dragging in the water. Little did he know that this would be posted on the blog.)
Cutting chair rail in the rain. Note the umbrella Todd is holding. (This picture was taken through the screen from the nursery, upstairs.)
Diligently working on cutting the correct angles. It was more of a headache than this picture might suggest...
Chair rail finally installed!!
The pictures don't do it justice. It's absolutely gorgeous!
A new day...time to put together the crib. Daddy-to-be checking out the directions.
Laying out all of the pieces...
Elvis-to-be attaching one side.
Both sides up.
Putting in the "box spring".
Attaching the front...
All done! Big sister checking out her baby brother's new digs! (Note: Gramma-to-be was NOT happy about Elvis putting Whinnie in the crib.)
Big sister hard at work taking a nap, as everyone else worked on the nursery.
All taped off and ready for paint!
Mommy-to-be wasn't allowed in the room unless wearing a surgical mask. (Mommy-to-be is also not 8 feet tall, as this picture would suggest.)
Gramma-to-be getting started on the paint!
Gramma-to-be, hard at work!
Big sister, Whinnie, taking a break from her nap to check out the paint job.
Almost finished!
Breaking a sweat!
Finished paint!
Tape removed...waiting for the chair rail.
Elvis-to-be (the name is a work in progress) and Daddy-to-be, getting ready to cut the chair rail. (Please note the daddy-to-be's high waisted pants. It was raining out, and he didn't want his pants dragging in the water. Little did he know that this would be posted on the blog.)
Cutting chair rail in the rain. Note the umbrella Todd is holding. (This picture was taken through the screen from the nursery, upstairs.)
Diligently working on cutting the correct angles. It was more of a headache than this picture might suggest...
Chair rail finally installed!!
The pictures don't do it justice. It's absolutely gorgeous!
A new day...time to put together the crib. Daddy-to-be checking out the directions.
Laying out all of the pieces...
Elvis-to-be attaching one side.
Both sides up.
Putting in the "box spring".
Attaching the front...
All done! Big sister checking out her baby brother's new digs! (Note: Gramma-to-be was NOT happy about Elvis putting Whinnie in the crib.) Monday, January 3, 2011
32 weeks!
According to baby center, this week baby is about the size of a large jicama. Perhaps this is why I stopped doing the weekly updates...because of the terrible vegetable comparisons they provide? Anyway, on to the update!
How far along: 32 weeks and 3 days!
Maternity Clothes: See how things haven't changed since my last weekly update? :) Yup -- still wearing all maternity clothes. I must say the best part of being out of work until the baby comes, is that I don't have to try and come up with nice office-worthy maternity outfits. Everything is getting tight, short, and restricting. I pretty much live each day in a pair of maternity leggings (with full belly panel), a long t-shirt (yes, I've moved on to borrowing Todd's white undershirts), and one of Todd's big hooded sweatshirts (because they are larger and longer...but even then, they are getting close to being too snug).
Sleep: It varies. One night I'll sleep great, the next night I'll have pregnancy insomnia and only sleep a few consecutive hours. Regardless, every night I get up to go to the bathroom a minimum of 3 times, and every time I waddle from the bed to the bathroom and back b/c my body is so stiff and sore. The snoogle is still my BFF. I thought I could do without it and tried to just use my wedge pillow under my belly one night, and when I got up in the morning my back was killing me.
Best Moment of the Week: By far, getting the nursery started! It looks fantastic!
Movement: All. The. Time. I love how wiggly he is :) And every time we go to the perinatal specialist, the nurses comment on how active he is (and what a good thing this is!).
Food cravings: I didn't think I had really had any particular food cravings, but I've realized that I seem to crave peanut butter & honey sandwiches. They are delicious! I also still love milk and could drink it all the time. Oh, and our sweet neighbor makes homemade Mexican food (she's from Mexico) and brings it over all the time. Last night she brought over shredded chicken tacos with a green tomatillo sauce, cheese, lettuce, avocado, and Mexican crema. It was SO yummy!
Stretch Marks: None that are visible yet. But my mom keeps reminding me that they tend to show up AFTER the baby is born, when your skin is trying to shrink back to normal size. And my dad keeps telling me about this stretch mark cream he saw on TV and how I better get some. I think everyone is counting on me having stretch marks!
Gender: Still our little boy! Or rather I should say BIG BOY! He's measuring a full 2 weeks ahead in size. According to baby center, this week he should be about 3.75 pounds. At my last sonogram (I get one weekly at the perinatal center), he was measuring 4.6 pounds. Oh, AND he has a lot of hair, according to the doctor! That is exciting...and explains my terrible heartburn. :)
What I miss: I recently said this for the first time...I miss my waist line. I always thought being pregnant was ideal because you never had to conceal a muffin top, love handles, or suck in. But now that the majority of my shirts are starting to get short, I miss my waist line. Of course I will probably continue to miss it even after baby boy is here, considering I'll have to do my part to whittle it back down to normal.
What I'm looking forward to: If we're being honest, I'm really looking forward to drinking the bottle of cakebread chardonnay that Todd bought me for Christmas. He said it was my "push present". And if possible, I want to bring it to the hospital for a little post birth celebration! (I am imagining this won't happen, of course). Also I'm really looking forward to getting the crib put together, the nursery completed, and getting in there and nesting! And as always, I'm excited to meet our little guy :)
Weekly wisdom: Don't sit down somewhere unless there are plenty of people around to help you get up. I've made this mistake quite a few times, but fortunately each time Todd, or my mom or dad have been close enough to come rescue me!
About 29 weeks...and looking verrry tired
Another about 29 weeks...spending the weekend at mom & dad's...resting and "urine collecting" :) haha
Christmas Day at mom & dad's...with my brother, Gramma & Grampa. 31 weeks. Hard to see the belly, but it's there!
This past weekend...32 weeks...working on the nursery. And by working, I mean after it was all done, I sat in the middle of the floor and looked at the curtain rod, and mom snapped this pic of me.
How far along: 32 weeks and 3 days!
Maternity Clothes: See how things haven't changed since my last weekly update? :) Yup -- still wearing all maternity clothes. I must say the best part of being out of work until the baby comes, is that I don't have to try and come up with nice office-worthy maternity outfits. Everything is getting tight, short, and restricting. I pretty much live each day in a pair of maternity leggings (with full belly panel), a long t-shirt (yes, I've moved on to borrowing Todd's white undershirts), and one of Todd's big hooded sweatshirts (because they are larger and longer...but even then, they are getting close to being too snug).
Sleep: It varies. One night I'll sleep great, the next night I'll have pregnancy insomnia and only sleep a few consecutive hours. Regardless, every night I get up to go to the bathroom a minimum of 3 times, and every time I waddle from the bed to the bathroom and back b/c my body is so stiff and sore. The snoogle is still my BFF. I thought I could do without it and tried to just use my wedge pillow under my belly one night, and when I got up in the morning my back was killing me.
Best Moment of the Week: By far, getting the nursery started! It looks fantastic!
Movement: All. The. Time. I love how wiggly he is :) And every time we go to the perinatal specialist, the nurses comment on how active he is (and what a good thing this is!).
Food cravings: I didn't think I had really had any particular food cravings, but I've realized that I seem to crave peanut butter & honey sandwiches. They are delicious! I also still love milk and could drink it all the time. Oh, and our sweet neighbor makes homemade Mexican food (she's from Mexico) and brings it over all the time. Last night she brought over shredded chicken tacos with a green tomatillo sauce, cheese, lettuce, avocado, and Mexican crema. It was SO yummy!
Stretch Marks: None that are visible yet. But my mom keeps reminding me that they tend to show up AFTER the baby is born, when your skin is trying to shrink back to normal size. And my dad keeps telling me about this stretch mark cream he saw on TV and how I better get some. I think everyone is counting on me having stretch marks!
Gender: Still our little boy! Or rather I should say BIG BOY! He's measuring a full 2 weeks ahead in size. According to baby center, this week he should be about 3.75 pounds. At my last sonogram (I get one weekly at the perinatal center), he was measuring 4.6 pounds. Oh, AND he has a lot of hair, according to the doctor! That is exciting...and explains my terrible heartburn. :)
What I miss: I recently said this for the first time...I miss my waist line. I always thought being pregnant was ideal because you never had to conceal a muffin top, love handles, or suck in. But now that the majority of my shirts are starting to get short, I miss my waist line. Of course I will probably continue to miss it even after baby boy is here, considering I'll have to do my part to whittle it back down to normal.
What I'm looking forward to: If we're being honest, I'm really looking forward to drinking the bottle of cakebread chardonnay that Todd bought me for Christmas. He said it was my "push present". And if possible, I want to bring it to the hospital for a little post birth celebration! (I am imagining this won't happen, of course). Also I'm really looking forward to getting the crib put together, the nursery completed, and getting in there and nesting! And as always, I'm excited to meet our little guy :)
Weekly wisdom: Don't sit down somewhere unless there are plenty of people around to help you get up. I've made this mistake quite a few times, but fortunately each time Todd, or my mom or dad have been close enough to come rescue me!
And now for a few pictures:
About 29 weeks...and looking verrry tired
Another about 29 weeks...spending the weekend at mom & dad's...resting and "urine collecting" :) haha
Christmas Day at mom & dad's...with my brother, Gramma & Grampa. 31 weeks. Hard to see the belly, but it's there!
This past weekend...32 weeks...working on the nursery. And by working, I mean after it was all done, I sat in the middle of the floor and looked at the curtain rod, and mom snapped this pic of me.
I'm a slacker
I realized I hadn't posted since December 16th and I feel like such a slacker! I haven't done a weekly "bumpdate" in, well, weeks, which makes me sad because I write this blog to keep track of moments, memories, milestones, etc. For Christmas, I had my blog turned in to a book and gave my mom Volume 1, which tracked from the very first blog I wrote (which was started to blog my way down the aisle), all the way up to our announcement that we are having a baby.
So my new years resolution is to start blogging more and get back to my weekly updates. I'm currently 32 weeks and 3 days. Can you believe that?! Technically less than 8 weeks until Baby Boy arrives. That is just crazy to me! This pregnancy has flown by.
Some big things to document include:
1) I was off work for most of December, trying to rest, lower my blood pressure, lower my protein levels in my urine, reduce my ankle/feet/hands/fingers/face/etc. swelling, and generally keep baby boy (and myself) as healthy as possible. This was pretty successful, and my blood pressure has reduced a bit (it's still too high), the protein levels in my urine have reduced to just traces, and well -- I still look like the stay-puffed marshmallow man, with pretty much no definition in my ankles, knees, wrists, fingers, or neck/face...but the specialist at the perinatal center says the resting is the best possible thing for me. The more I can be horizontal, the better.
2) I am still going to the hospital to the Perinatal Diagnostic Center every week for fetal monitoring/non-stress tests. I love the doctor I've seen the past few times -- he's an Italian man with a thick accent, and he takes his time explaining things to me and making me feel very comfortable with all that is going on. I've also started going to see my OBGYN every two weeks, as opposed to every 4.
3) I had a minor meltdown prior to Christmas about the anxiety I had over being away from work for most of December. It was a nice Saturday afternoon, Todd and I were sitting on the couch, I had been in a bit of a funk all morning and Todd was not giving in to my bad mood. I got up from the couch, made a sandwich, sat back down, and said to Todd "I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you made at me today". He said "I'm just choosing to not partake in your bad mood today". And I burst in to tears. I put my sandwich on the kitchen counter, and went upstairs to lay on the bed and sob. My anxieties were really not worth the huge meltdown, but with all of the hormones surging through my body, I couldn't help it! Todd and I talked things out and I felt a bit better. It was a struggle to continue to remind myself that I won't look back and wish I had been pushing myself and working, but instead that I will be glad that I rested and continued to grow our baby boy.
4) Christmas was amazing and we were completely spoiled with tons of gifts -- most of which will be extremely beneficial to our baby boy...including his entire bedding set (and all accessories) and his car seat!! I will have to take pictures of some of his new apparel (a tiny Michigan jersey, a Redskins warm up outfit, etc.) and post them.
5) I got the invitations to both of my baby showers, which I am so excited about! Shower number 1 is on the 15th, and it's just for me and baby boy at Clyde's! Yum!! Shower number 2 is on the 29th and it's a co-ed shower for Todd and I together. It's at my mom's house and hosted by my sister-in-law, and it's a circus theme!! I can't wait for both showers...I feel so loved and blessed and again, spoiled!! I will also post pictures of the invites.
6) I had a long conversation with my boss, and it was decided that since I am going to the doctors at least once a week, and both my OBGYN and Perinatal specialist agree that resting and laying down as much as possible is the most beneficial for me and the baby, my boss and I decided that it would be best to not return to the office until after the baby is born. I am not on official bed rest, but can tell that when I'm up moving about for an extended period of time (like an hour or more) I feel pretty awful and need to sit or lay down. So I'm working from home a little bit, staying supportive of Kate. Kate has been amazing keeping the office in order and getting things scheduled and set straight. Thank goodness for her! I truly do miss having her to talk to every day.
7) We finally broke ground on the nursery! Last week Todd cleared out everything from the nursery. On Saturday, my mom painted the bottom third of the room a beautiful dark blue (not quite navy, but close), and my Dad and Todd installed chair rail right above the paint. The room looks amazing and very classic. I'm so excited to get the crib, bedding, accessories, etc. in there. Todd and my Dad are going to put the crib together on Tuesday night, and then Mom & Dad are coming back this weekend so they can help me put the whole room together. I am so grateful for all of their help and hard work, and I can't wait to see the finished project!
I think that about brings things up to speed. I'm going to get back on top of posting weekly updates...especially considering we don't have many weeks left! And I just want to give a special thanks to everyone who has been supportive and encouraging. I really appreciate the love, comments, concern, and even being told to "go lay down!" all the time. :)
So my new years resolution is to start blogging more and get back to my weekly updates. I'm currently 32 weeks and 3 days. Can you believe that?! Technically less than 8 weeks until Baby Boy arrives. That is just crazy to me! This pregnancy has flown by.
Some big things to document include:
1) I was off work for most of December, trying to rest, lower my blood pressure, lower my protein levels in my urine, reduce my ankle/feet/hands/fingers/face/etc. swelling, and generally keep baby boy (and myself) as healthy as possible. This was pretty successful, and my blood pressure has reduced a bit (it's still too high), the protein levels in my urine have reduced to just traces, and well -- I still look like the stay-puffed marshmallow man, with pretty much no definition in my ankles, knees, wrists, fingers, or neck/face...but the specialist at the perinatal center says the resting is the best possible thing for me. The more I can be horizontal, the better.
2) I am still going to the hospital to the Perinatal Diagnostic Center every week for fetal monitoring/non-stress tests. I love the doctor I've seen the past few times -- he's an Italian man with a thick accent, and he takes his time explaining things to me and making me feel very comfortable with all that is going on. I've also started going to see my OBGYN every two weeks, as opposed to every 4.
3) I had a minor meltdown prior to Christmas about the anxiety I had over being away from work for most of December. It was a nice Saturday afternoon, Todd and I were sitting on the couch, I had been in a bit of a funk all morning and Todd was not giving in to my bad mood. I got up from the couch, made a sandwich, sat back down, and said to Todd "I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you made at me today". He said "I'm just choosing to not partake in your bad mood today". And I burst in to tears. I put my sandwich on the kitchen counter, and went upstairs to lay on the bed and sob. My anxieties were really not worth the huge meltdown, but with all of the hormones surging through my body, I couldn't help it! Todd and I talked things out and I felt a bit better. It was a struggle to continue to remind myself that I won't look back and wish I had been pushing myself and working, but instead that I will be glad that I rested and continued to grow our baby boy.
4) Christmas was amazing and we were completely spoiled with tons of gifts -- most of which will be extremely beneficial to our baby boy...including his entire bedding set (and all accessories) and his car seat!! I will have to take pictures of some of his new apparel (a tiny Michigan jersey, a Redskins warm up outfit, etc.) and post them.
5) I got the invitations to both of my baby showers, which I am so excited about! Shower number 1 is on the 15th, and it's just for me and baby boy at Clyde's! Yum!! Shower number 2 is on the 29th and it's a co-ed shower for Todd and I together. It's at my mom's house and hosted by my sister-in-law, and it's a circus theme!! I can't wait for both showers...I feel so loved and blessed and again, spoiled!! I will also post pictures of the invites.
6) I had a long conversation with my boss, and it was decided that since I am going to the doctors at least once a week, and both my OBGYN and Perinatal specialist agree that resting and laying down as much as possible is the most beneficial for me and the baby, my boss and I decided that it would be best to not return to the office until after the baby is born. I am not on official bed rest, but can tell that when I'm up moving about for an extended period of time (like an hour or more) I feel pretty awful and need to sit or lay down. So I'm working from home a little bit, staying supportive of Kate. Kate has been amazing keeping the office in order and getting things scheduled and set straight. Thank goodness for her! I truly do miss having her to talk to every day.
7) We finally broke ground on the nursery! Last week Todd cleared out everything from the nursery. On Saturday, my mom painted the bottom third of the room a beautiful dark blue (not quite navy, but close), and my Dad and Todd installed chair rail right above the paint. The room looks amazing and very classic. I'm so excited to get the crib, bedding, accessories, etc. in there. Todd and my Dad are going to put the crib together on Tuesday night, and then Mom & Dad are coming back this weekend so they can help me put the whole room together. I am so grateful for all of their help and hard work, and I can't wait to see the finished project!
I think that about brings things up to speed. I'm going to get back on top of posting weekly updates...especially considering we don't have many weeks left! And I just want to give a special thanks to everyone who has been supportive and encouraging. I really appreciate the love, comments, concern, and even being told to "go lay down!" all the time. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)