Update!

We had our weekly doctor's appointment this morning and all looks great!...... but still no progress. The baby's heartbeat was measuring at 152 bpm and the doctor, thankfully, could actually feel the baby's head from my internal exam this morning again (versus last week when there was no head to be found!). So, the head is down, but not "engaged," - no effacement, and no dilation.... looks like we will make it through Christmas without having the baby. I'm completely OK with this, too - Best case scenario for me has been to get through Christmas all along and and then any time after, I'll be ready for showtime whenever baby is! I asked the doctor today if he had any idea of an "end day" in sight for me to focus on as a "latest possible scenario" and he said that that depends on a lot of different things, but that he could safely say he wouldn't let me go any later past January 10 - so we have an end in sight! :) He said if I was effaced or dilated at all right now, he'd induce me this week (wow!), but without any kind of progress yet he said we'd cause more pain/harm than it's worth. So, he wanted to see us back on Monday (December 28th) now and we will just go from there. 11 days now 'til our due date... we're getting close! :)

38 weeks and counting....

Today, we're 38 weeks pregnant! Only 2 more weeks to go - WOW! I can't believe that we're at this point - the end seems so close now, yet still not close enough! Baby should be weighing in at about 6 3/4 lbs now and should be measuring around 21 inches long. It's so bizarre to me to be at this point just waiting on DAYS until our baby is ready to join us!

As our due date grows more and more near, reality is definitely sinking in. We have been physically 100% prepared and ready for baby to arrive for the last week or two -

* Nursery (see pictures below - finally!) is 100% ready (we just need more clothes once we know whether to buy pink or blue!)

* High chair is assembled and sitting by our table (though I know we won't need it for a while!)

* Car seat is installed, has been inspected, and is waiting for baby

* Babybook has been written in to get us started

* Strollers/swing and other toys are all assembled and ready to go

* Clothes/bibs/socks/onesies/blankets/bedding are all washed/folded/hung, and waiting for an owner -

We are physically ready for showtime! However, mentally I've suddenly been questioning whether we truly are ready. And, that's coming from me - someone that has been wanting her own child (unrealistically since I was about 5) and realistically for the last few years or so. And, now here it is... only DAYS away, and I'm just starting to accept the realness of it all! It's just so very surreal to be at this point and be expecting our child to come any day now! Our child - who will forever be a part of our lives, and will forever carry on our traditions and family name, and who we have loved since we first found out we were expecting - this child is soon to be here! I think during pregnancy, it's so easy to get wrapped up with counting down the weeks/stages of pregnancy, preparing for baby with doctor's appointments, baby showers, birthing classes, and infinite shopping trips to get everything you can possibly think of that might be necessary, and the task of organizing everything and putting all of this baby gear together and ready to use - that it completely distracts you (thank god!) from this outrageous miracle that is, all the while, happening inside you and waiting to meet you at the end of it all. What a fantastic "gift" to be given at the end of such an amazing journey?! I believe this realness suddenly set in as I realized that we have recently been spending our last days (ever!) as a family of 3 (myself, Andy, and Delaney). My mom arrives on Monday for Christmas and "baby time" with my brother arriving later in the week, and soon followed by Andy's mom joining us for "baby time," too. Our days of living our lives as we've known it to be, the way we've known it to be, are numbered! I started having thoughts that any one of these days ahead I could be spending it in labor at the hospital having our baby that we've been waiting so long for. So, with this thought in mind that I will soon have a little one that takes priority over ourselves to care for, I did everything that I needed to do for myself/us this week - including a day spent mostly on the couch yesterday watching TV and reading my infant/newborn book, with Delaney lounging by my side all while indulging in treats I love (a *decafe* peppermint mocha from Starbucks and a peanut butter/banana sandwich for lunch, followed by cookies later that night from our sweet nextdoor neighbors, being a few of those things!) :)

It was only a matter of time for these thoughts to set in - and I'm thankful they have, because I now can more holistically feel that we are, in fact, ready for baby..... though it appears we still have quite a wait ahead of us (based on how high the baby is still nestled in my belly and from the fact that I have had little to NO labor signs), but this is a wait that I am very comfortable with having, as I continue to enjoy the last few days of being pregnant and knowing that our baby is continuing to grow strong in my belly so that he/she can join us!

NURSERY PHOTOS!

Delaney is working on being "holistically" ready for baby physically and mentally as well, as she's been learning a new "game" where she needs to decide between "Delaney's toy" vs. "The baby's toy"......

She also has now become frightened (we're not surprised) of any of "The baby's toys," it seems. There is one little doggie toy that we have that you pull down and it vibrates upward as it barks..... Delaney no likey - she dodges for the nearest room exit whenever we come near her with it. And, after being introduced to that one.... she seems to be hesitant on most ALL of "The baby's toys" - guess this isn't such a bad thing though - maybe it'll keep her away from them all, but I'm not counting on it!

Something else I realized this week is how thankful I am to be having a baby at this time of year. For one thing, upcoming Christmas and the New Year has been a GREAT distraction for me during these last days that would otherwise, surely, seem to drag on like decades. If you know me, or have been keeping up with this blog, you know that I have always told myself that when I have children, I am going to do what I can to avoid having any of them have a birthday around the holidays - for obvious reasons.... it's just so hard to compete with! But, now here we are, coincidental as it is, with a due date one day after New Years day! Though it wasn't initially what I had hoped for a long time back (for the sake of our child), I'm now coming to realize that it might not be so bad afterall, especially considering that I have no intentions of this baby arriving any time BEFORE Christmas! The Christmas season has always been one of my favorite times of year, so why not wrap something so incredible and miraculous into it as having our first child!? I also realized that Christmas brings something to look forward to all December long, and for me, that is usually followed by a little feeling of sadness when the holidays are all over, visits with family and friends have ceased, and decorations need to come down as we start a new year ahead. DEPRESSING!! ... BUT... now, it doesn't have to be! For us AND baby, we will forever have a birthday to look forward to during that somewhat sad time of year where Christmas is coming to a close. How's that for optimistic!? :) Now, it's just a matter of learning exactly WHEN this birthday, that we're so anxious to celebrate, is going to actually be!

As we enter this holiday week ahead, here's wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas! With love, from our two little "sweets." :)

Update - Somewhat eventful, but still non-productive....

This morning we had our weekly prenatal visit to check on any progress. All started off fine and typical. The nurse usually finds the baby's heartbeat on my right side of the stomach, but today it wasn't there, and instead was found on the left side of my stomach. Regardless, it was there and measured 149 bpm. My blood pressure is still normal - so no worries there! Then the doctor came in to do my exam and after checking me internally, he prodded my stomach around feeling the baby and then said: "I'm gonna send you in for a quick scan because something seems a little odd in there....." - those are not exactly the words you want to hear when you're just about 38 weeks pregnant! He said over the last couple of weeks he could feel the baby's head down below, and now he didn't feel him/her at all. The doctor was concerned the baby may have become breech somehow, and I guess just flat out couldn't feel the head anywhere, so he wanted to know exactly how this little one was positioned in there. He assured me not to worry and to first see what exactly the scan revealed. So, off I went to the next room for an impromptu little peek at our son/daughter in there. The ultrasound was very quick, and the technician was all work and no play - she wouldn't even tell me how big the baby was measuring right now! Darn! At first I was peering at the screen trying to get a glimpse of him/her in there, and then realized that I still don't know the baby's gender, and maybe it wasn't a good idea to be setting myself up for a reveal right then. The tech said I wouldn't be able to see that right now anyway though, because of how far along/big the baby is - so I just let her continue to go about her business without bothering her anymore. Thankfully, baby's head is, in fact, down and his/her tush is up just under my ribs - so that's good. But, the technician said that the baby is just still way high up there and has not dropped at all yet. It appears that this baby plans to stay in there until we make him/her come out!! So, that was it, the end of the ultrasound exam - all is checking out absolutely "normal" - and now we wait 'til our next appointment on Tuesday.

I guess this baby and I are at least on the same page with wanting him/her to stay in there 'a cookin' as long as possible! I really do not anticipate him/her joining us any time soon, and as anxious as I am to have him/her here already, I'm still in no rush to make it happen. A friend told me that babies *choose* their birthdays - so, I'm guessing this little one has been hearing me all along when I keep saying: 'For his/her sake, I hope he/she is born as far away from Christmas as possible!' :) And, I can be thankful that if he/she is hearing me, it's good to know he/she is a good listener! ;)

37 weeks and counting....

We're 37 weeks pregnant and have officially made it to "full-term!" Thinking back about 10 months ago, I questioned whether we'd EVER be "here" and now here we are and loving every minute of it!! Though we're full term, we're still hoping for this bun to keep cooking a while longer. It's a relief to know that should we deliver now, all systems should be a "go." But, I would feel much more confident in a healthy, thriving baby if he/she could last another few weeks in there! Baby should weigh in at about 6.5 pounds now and is measuring anywhere from 19-21 inches in length. This morning I woke up (after being kicked in the ribs about 30 times, and nudged "low below" infinite times from little baby hiccups) and looked in the mirror to see my stomach profile in a rather oddly shaped ball. It almost had a square look to it from where (what I assume) the baby's tush was bulging out and I kept staring at the upper left side of my stomach because I could feel the baby's feet there so clearly - I thought for sure I'd be able to see an outline of a foot pop out of my stomach, but no such luck. Then slowly I could see the baby re-position him/herself putting my stomach back to a smooth sphere shape. The wait is starting to make me more and more anxious to know who exactly is IN there making all of these amazing movements!!

For being this far along, I think I'm still able to get around really well, and am not all THAT uncomfortable. I can still bend over and tie my shoes (not fun, but I can still do it!), I've continued to take Delaney on walks every day, if not twice - with no problems, cooking/cleaning (though still chore-like) are able to be accomplished, so I'd say I feel pretty good. Sleeping, however, is a different story. I never knew how difficult it would be to roll over from one side to the other during the night in bed when you're this pregnant. I often feel like "Violet" from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" when she swells into full blueberry mode - it sure would be nice to have some oompa-loompa's around to help roll me over!! I never know what kind of sleep lies ahead of me lately - some nights I sleep great! Other nights, not so much - I just lay there wide awake. I'm sure it all has to do with my discomfort mixed with my neverending thoughts about baby, and my giddiness when I start to feel him/her move around in there.

Lately, we've been finding ourselves forever caught up in wonder. Most of our nights, just before sleep, end with us discussing our thoughts of: when exactly will this baby be born, what will he/she look like, will we HAVE a "he or a she?", what will our labor be like, how will our life be after....? We've spent the last 37 weeks of life wondering these things, but as baby's arrival becomes closer and closer, we're just overflowing in these thoughts. Seems kind of fitting actually, considering the time of year we're in with the holidays and all. This season is always filled with wonder... especially when you're a kid - so it's been nice to rekindle those emotions so strongly again as we wait for baby's arrival.

This week we finished up little things here and there on our list of things to do before baby and we're 100% good to go now! The only thing we're waiting on now is our glider chair for the nursery and that's scheduled to arrive this week! (Check back for nursery pictures next weekend!)

I've found myself wandering back into the nursery more and more lately and I just look around making sure there's nothing else that needs to be done. And, while I'm in there, I so often will pull out the drawers and admire the teeny tiny clothes that await for their owner in there.

I never imagined how one tiny little baby t-shirt could make my heart melt so instantly! Those little newborn sized t-shirts/onesies and the newborn socks are the ones that get me every time - they're just so small! And, I can't wait to see just who exactly is going to be wearing those things SOON!

Three weeks left until our due date, and I'm running out of things to keep me busy now! So, here's my new list of things to do with life that doesn't yet include "baby"...

1) Give Delaney 150% of my attention

2) Focus on Christmas coming our way and visits from my mom and brother

3) Bake bread and freeze for good snacks after baby arrives! (Thanks, Erin!) :)

4) Take computer time... on MY time!

5) Organize my recipe book (a task that I've been meaning to do for the last 3 years)

6) Complete our new address book

7) Watch as many old episodes of LOST possible, to gear up for the final season this Spring (and continue introducing Andy to it!)

8) Sleep in as long as I can, each morning that I can

9) Bake cookies (I'll probably wait to do this with Mom!)

10) Sit and listen to silence

That should keep me busy during the weeks ahead - I think they're going to go by fast!

****

And, this has nothing to do with "baby" (at least not the one in my belly), but instead has everything to do with our first "baby" - Delaney.

Santa Paws sent her mail yesterday!! It was an edible Christmas card.... we took a video of her accepting/eating it, but it was taking hours to upload.... not sure why! In any event though, here's a picture - I'll try the video again later...

And, incase Santa is reading this right now, I agreed to include this in here, on behalf of Delaney...

She says:

"Dear Santa, my frisbee and 'chuck-it' toys are broken - can I please have a new one for Christmas? I've been a very good girl!"

"Plllleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaase!"

Update

We just got back from our weekly doctor's appointment and we are still "update free" - meaning there has still been no progress. I have a feeling this baby is going to arrive at 42 weeks and not 40!! So, so cruel! The doctor said the baby is head down, but the head still isn't engaged to the point where it's low enough to descend any time soon. And, there has been no dilation or effacement yet, so now we just wait. I guess this just gives us more and more time to enjoy these last few weeks being pregnant, but God, are we ever ready to have this baby with us! With a due date of January 2nd, I've been hoping that maybe, just maybe, we'll have a New Years Eve baby (which I think would be a really fun birthday to have if you're already having to share it with the holiday season anyway) - but I'm not going to hold my breath for such a dream now. I'm still hopeful, but not banking on it. I've had a friend tell me that she had no dilation or effacement at her OB appointment, only to deliver her baby 2 days later though - so there IS still hope!

We found out that there is no record on file of our baby's gender today. And, that makes me happy, because I've been fearing that my doctor/nurses have known all along and that someone is bound to slip within the next 3.5 weeks, but they showed us that the gender section is left blank. Sounds like everyone will be in on the surprise with us come delivery time! The baby's heartrate today was 139 bpm. It is truly all over the place from week to week. The baby even kicked the fetal monitor when the technician was getting the reading, and it startled the technician. There's definitely someone in there with a personality developing, that's for sure!

So now, we just wait, and wait, and wait some more..... our next appointment is next Thursday, December 17th. We'll see what that brings when we get there!

36 weeks and counting....

Today, we are 36 weeks pregnant! One more week in pregnancy "limbo" and we will then be considered full term! I cannot describe how truly great that sounds! The baby weighs about 6 pounds now and he/she has most likely reached their final length of being anywhere between 18-21 inches long. I continue to be in awe over the idea that something THAT size is crammed so tightly in a ball that it actually fits in my belly! By the end of this week, the baby will have run out of room to turn around in there, so we're hoping he/she is head down - and I'm pretty sure that's the case because I have been feeling pressure that comes and goes on my pelvis for the last couple of weeks. I also know that the baby has begun to drop, which is a good sign usually indicating that labor should begin in the next few weeks. I've realized that with my dropping and changing stomach, my hands cannot resist parking themselves right on top of my belly when I'm standing or sitting around. I'm assuming this is because there's a little more room there now making it the perfect resting place for things!

Right now the final stages of baby's development are upon us as his/her lungs will finish maturing this week. I am so thankful that we have made it to this point in pregnancy with no known complications - we really have been blessed, and I couldn't have asked for any better gift than that. Now, here's hoping my easy pregnancy yields an easy labor, too!

As these last few weeks before our little one arrives begin to wind down, we're also bringing our list of things to do to a close. I was surprised when I looked at that list today and realized that there's not much left to cross off! Guess we're right on schedule! This week I packed our hospital bags - so now they're just sitting there in our bedroom staring at me every time I walk past them. Tomorrow we plan to get the car seat installed and that's about the last baby gear item that needs attention. As excited as I am to have the car seat put in my car, I'm also anxious about it because I know that having that car seat installed in my backseat is going to be just as torturous to look at every time I get in my car as it is for me to see our hospital bags in our bedroom all the time! I keep looking at all of our baby things and other areas of the house and visualizing what it all will look like in just a few short weeks with a baby in the mix. It will be quite a drastic, but amazing change, I know, and something that we've been waiting a very long time for!

The holiday season is now upon us and I am thankful for the nice distraction from "all things baby." This past week we decorated the house and tree and that has kept me busy.

These are two ornaments that our super sweet next door neighbors gifted us (Thank you so much, Fray family!!) - we're not sure which one will be fit for baby yet, so they're both on the tree for now!

I had a lot of fun decorating our Christmas tree this year because it was the first time we've had a tree displaying both mine and Andy's childhood ornaments combined. So many fun memories were reignited from the ones I remember myself, and I used my imagination for the ones that were purposeful for each year of Andy's life, which was equally as enjoyable. Delaney also loves having the Christmas tree in the house. She likes laying right next to it and taking a little snooze. If we can't have some of the things that make Christmas, "Christmas," here like all of our family and friends up North and snow-filled traditions, I sure am thankful for having the friendly company of our decorations to make our home feel cozy!

As we continue to prepare for the holidays and baby at the same time, I can't help but think of the next year of holidays that lie ahead for us and how much more fulfilling they are sure to become in getting to share them for the first time with our son/daughter. I'm anxious to have our baby here now so that we can enjoy Christmas with him/her this year, but assuming that isn't going to happen, I'm also looking forward to next Christmas when he/she will be about a year old and will be able to then appreciate it that much more than now. And then, ...... I continue to have to pull myself back to reality and live in the now because I know the next year ahead is going to go by fast enough without me wishing it away. So, I will continue to just count our blessings and look forward to our little one joining us real soon! And, at the same time, I am making a conscious effort to use these last few weeks of the life we've known to the best of our ability in enjoying the simple things about how that life is now. For being 36 weeks pregnant, I truly am not all that uncomfortable, so I will continue to exercise my patience and appreciate every last kick/punch/nudge/bulge that I was once SO anxious to begin feeling from the baby inside and continue to be awestruck at the way my body will join with nature and put the finishing touches on this little miracle about to join us. With this "I'm going to focus on enjoying the remainder of my pregnancy" spirit in mind, I will now go heed my own advice, of enjoying being pregnant (and therefore less body conscious than I might otherwise be) by baking some cookies and snacking on them with a huge cup of hot cocoa. Mmmmmm. :) 'Tis the season!

(Before I leave to do that.... in the spirit of this festive Christmas post, I cannot resist sharing these couple of photos. In setting up our new computer tonight, we were looking at old photos and found these of our "first baby" some Christmases ago. She absolutely warms my heart!)

***

Some time later........

Mmmmm... the pregnant girl likes her hot cocoa! :)

Weekly appointment update & weekend photos!

This morning we reached a pregnancy milestone in going to our first of weekly prenatal appointments. Let the new countdown begin... 4 1/2 weeks to d-day (due day!) The appointment was uneventful, which is good at this point - having delivery signs at this stage in the game would still be a tad bit early for ideal if I can help it! The doctor did an internal exam and said he's pretty sure the baby is head down. My cervix is still hard and sealed and there is no dilation yet. The doctor said that by next week, he should be able to tell more definitely if the baby is head down for sure, and maybe we'll even see some softening of the my cervix, too. For those of you who believe the heartrate wives tale about the gender relating to a high or low bpm, the baby's heartrate was at 153 bpm today. It seems to have stayed in the 150's lately - but who knows if that means anything at all! I've been thinking "boy" for mostly this entire pregnancy, and now lately, I've changed my thought to "girl." Guess we'll know for sure in just one month! We go back for our next appointment on Tuesday 12/8, and they also allowed me to schedule my appointment after that for Thursday, 12/17. And, after that appointment and weekend to follow, my mom will be heading here for Christmas/showtime. It's insane how quickly all of this is approaching! And, I love it! After I finish decorating our tree and the house for Christmas, it's all about baby and finishing the few more things to do on our list. Good stuff to come!

In addition to an update, here are some photos from the weekend. My dad and Andy worked through a few more baby/nursery things.

The Daddy has become quite the pro in picture hanging over the past few months. He, luckily, hung these few in the nursery and succeeded in a perfect alignment all on the first try! What a guy! :) We think his good mathematical skills contribute to this new found talent.

My dad got a taste of how much baby toys have changed in 30 years by tackling the task of putting together the exersaucer:

And, this is a little picture of Delaney helping her Mama put the lights on the tree. And, by helping, I mean sleeping by the tree.

Lastly, here are some photos we took on the beach in efforts to showcase my baby belly! :)

The end!

35 weeks and counting....

Today, we're 35 weeks pregnant!

The countdown is getting closer and closer as I realize that 35 weeks pregnant means that there are only 35 more DAYS until baby is due to arrive! This sounds so very soon to me, and I know these next 5 weeks are going to go by FAST considering the holidays and being preoccupied by all of tasks we still have yet to do to finish preparing for baby. I read in one of my baby books today that most of the baby's physical development is now complete and over the next 5 weeks he/she won't grow much longer than the 19-21 inches that he/she already has reached, but will just plump up a little gaining about another pound or so before he/she is ready to join this world. It's insane to me that the baby is mostly done growing in length! Yet, it also makes sense because I feel as though this week I have totally maxed out the space in my stomach. Grow, baby, grow! :) I realize, of course, that this "bump" has been gradually growing all along, but for some reason this week I feel quite huge! And, I know it's not just in my head because my clothes are proof - for one, I'm realizing I've outgrown most of my maternity shirts (oops!) that once upon a time some 30 weeks ago used to amaze me how absurdly large they seemed, and also the amount of times I need to CHANGE my clothes in one day due to my stomach getting in the way of food spills when cooking/washing dishes/eating is rising rapidly. Today I have already worn not one, not two, but THREE different shirts for that very reason. What is yet to come!?

In addition to growing stats, I can feel the baby physically getting larger inside. He/she seems to rub up against my left hip bone alot, which is a little bit of an odd sensation to get used to, but continues to make me smile from feeling him/her, regardless! My stomach also seems to have started to drop the slightest bit. I'm not sure how noticeable this is to outsiders, but I can tell myself just from looking down - hopefully this means the baby is in position and preparing to descend in a few weeks! Tuesday we start our weekly prenatal appointments and I'm looking forward to being able to now have a weekly update giving me some indication on when exactly this little one might decide to join us! We've been stuck on the date of 1/2/10 for so long, but I'm realizing our child could have a completely different birthdate - sooner or later than that! Only time will tell!

I have quite a few photos to share this week, as we celebrated Thanksgiving with my Dad in town visiting, and also have done some other fun things to share!

My Dad ("Papa Lou") putting up the shelves in the nursery!

Baby dancing on Thanksgiving morning...... I think he/she was ready to eat some turkey!

Our little family on Thanksgiving

Dad and I, with my enormous belly - Thanksgiving

EVERYone gets to pose with the pregnant lady... Delaney and her Mama.

Dad and Andy giving Delaney her exercise running up and down the driveway - some people toss the football outside in their driveway on Thanksgiving day.... we watch the dog run. :)

Dad and I making our traditional stuffed artichokes!

Bon Appetite! Dinner is served.

I think Delaney's nervous that she's for dessert! :)

We continued my family's tradition of going out to get our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Though the tradition continued, this was a first for us.........a Christmas tree sale with a backdrop of palm trees. Yep, no longer in New York!

Andy and I at the Christmas tree lot.

Got our tree and all set to go!

The tree is up (but needs to be decorated), our lights outside our hung, and my multiple storage bins of decorations are now crowding our living room. And, as I sit home trying to start going through our decorations, Andy and my Dad are heading to Andy's company Christmas party. Here are my two men of my life all dressed up for the party.

Hopefully I'll get through all of this stuff within the next few days and have more pictures to share of our house decorated for the first time!

Before I wrap up this post, I took a few videos this week that I wanted to share with you as well!

This one is of the baby totally camped out on my left side of my stomach. The camera doesn't do justice to just how far out my stomach actually was popping, but I tried to get a good angle of the little bulge in my belly - I'm still trying to figure out which part of the baby this is.. my guess is it's his/her tush!

This is the baby waving goodbye to you, for now, from inside the belly!