2 more days...

I can't even begin to tell you all of the different feelings I have right now. We're in adrenalin mode cleaning around the house, trying to get it clean for baby and guests and just so we won't have to do anything once she's here. I'm nervous, excited, emotional, jittery, etc... I, above all, am so very thankful to God that He's gotten me through this amazing journey with absolutely no difficulty (no serious difficulty, anyway...just what comes with being pregnant). The first 7 months were such a breeze, my growing tummy is all I had to go on (besides the sonograms and dr. stuff). Then feeling her move inside of me (pretty much every single day) was another showing of proof for me... Then SCHOOL started...and then I really felt pregnant. While the days would drag, it really went by fast for me. God's truly blessed us! I know He'll be holding my hand in the next couple of days, I just hope I don't forget to thank Him and ask for His aid in my delivery. I'll say it again, as I've said before, God has entrusted in us this amazing job of parenthood. He has given US the chance to raise a child in His name, in this uncertain world. I can not express how happy and humbled we are to raise this child in a Christian home. It's been an amazing journey!! I know that the REAL journey is ahead of us... the long and winding road of Parenting! Wow!!!

Just a few more days...

I went to the doctor yesterday, got a sonogram, she weighs 7 lbs 6 oz already and is 20 1/4 inches long. She's a big girl! Who knows what she'll weigh when we go in to induce?! We go in Tuesday night at 7:30, and they will start me on Cytotec. They will induce Wednesday morning. I'm super excited - if she cooperates on Wednesday, she will be born on her Mommy's birthday!!! YEA!! What a fun birthday present and HUGE gift from God the day before Thanksgiving. We are beside ourselves. We can not wait to see this beautiful little being that God has created and we've been blessed enough to help her grow inside of me.
I think I'll take ONE LAST PICTURE before I go to the hospital or maybe even at the hospital...we'll see.
We won't be delivered by my dr., but it will be a dr. in her office that I was going to go see for my appt. on Tuesday (if I weren't being induced). They're all super neat people, and I'm just glad it's a doctor I know, or that she knows and trusts.
We're going to be kind of busy the next few days getting her bag, and my bag, and Craig's bag packed... cleaning and picking up around the house and getting things in order for her to come home. Our sweet little kitty, Jaspurr, won't know what hit him, so we will be making sure that we introduce a blanket of her's before we introduce him to her. He's known for a while now that his mommy has been going through a lot of changes. Even my nephew, Ethan, was really receptive to me last night, and let me hold him and hug on him when he got hurt...babies just know a mommy when they see them. :)
Keep us in your prayers that everything goes smoothly and that this beautiful baby girl will be born safely.
Thank you to my faithful viewers/readers...you guys have helped me a ton through this process!!! Obviously I will continue with a brand new blog when the baby girl gets home. Yea!! Miss Sadie is on her way!!!

37 weeks...HOME STRETCH!!!!

So, I'm feeling anxious, antsy, overwhelmed, excited, and any other synonym that goes along with those... We went shopping this weekend with FREE MONEY! It was so much fun to come out with bags of stuff and know that we did not spend a dime of our own. We purchased a lot of things off of the registry that we need now...just to be prepared. We're both in the process of cleaning, organizing, getting ready for baby. We're packing our hospital bags and about to get Miss Sadie's bag packed, too. I have about a thousand thank you cards to write...not complaining...at least we have thank you's to send out. We've been truly blessed on the outpouring of everyone's gifts!!! Giving us things we forgot to register for, or things we just didn't think about, or just adorable outfits that we probably wouldn't have purchased ourselves. The room is really coming together. We got our shelves from the choir last week and our diaper changing table from Craig's aunts...they look great in the room!! He's been BUSTING HIS BEHIND getting things ready for Miss Sadie to come. I don't know how anyone could do this alone...I'm so thankful for him and all he's doing. He's really taking this 'daddy' thing in full stride...I just know he's going to be amazing! While we are so ready for her to be here, we're not quite as READY as we'd like to be (and you all say in one accord "You never will be...". I know that...but we want everything to be just perfect when she gets home.
Fun info below... anxiously awaiting our dr. appt. on Friday!!!!! I'll let you all know how that goes when we go! Love you all!

Your pregnancy: 37 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.) Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though her quarters are getting cozy, she should still be as active as before.While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.

Swollen!!!!!!!!

another view...

My TRANKS (tree trunk ankles)

Just adorable...

One of my 4th grade girls said, "Oh my gosh! I've never seen legs look like that before! They're so big, they look kind of like my grandma's legs!" One of those kids you really want to be truthful back for a moment, but I just smiled and said "I know, just a part of having a baby..."

Lacy didn't think they were very bad last time I took a picture...this better? :) Love you Lace!

Good Dr. Appt...

Dr. said that I get a sonogram next week. Originally she said no more unless there are complications. But she's worried that Miss Sadie might be too big before Thanksgiving and doesn't want me to go into labor over Thanksgiving week and have to use whatever on call doctors are just there... So, she said if Baby is 8 lbs. or bigger (good gracious, I hope not), then she'll take her the next Monday. If below 7 1/2 lbs. she'll hold off until after Thanksgiving week.

My blood pressure was a little elevated, nothing huge. But it explains my GIGANTOR ankles and feet. I weighed something I never thought I'd see in my lifetime, but she said I'm carrying like 2 gallons of extra water weight around. So I felt a little better.

I thought I lost my mucus plug yesterday in the shower, she said maybe just a little bit of it, but not all. And no big deal if it does. Some people lose theirs up to 6 weeks ahead of time.

My cervix is really soft, and feels like I'm ready to start dilating. :)

Just thought I'd update you!!!

36 weeks pic

36 weeks

Miss Sadie...36 weeks...bring on the baby!!!

No comments today, just read everything below on How Life is Changing...it's right on!! Pictures tomorrow...we'll see. :)

Your pregnancy: 36 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.

Dr. appointment

Went to the dr. yesterday. Everything looks good. She felt the cervix, said it's really soft and will probably start dilating soon. I asked her about a date, early or on time...she said, "When she feels like coming, she'll come." I'm having a lot of braxton hicks today... My feet were so unbelievably swollen last night, it was disgusting. I asked her abou that...she said my blood pressure is perfect, so I'm just retaining water. (Like a camel evidently). Whatever fungus was mentioned in the BabyCenter blog, I tested negative...yea! All's well... just a matter of time.

35 weeks....just getting by...

I'm swollen, I'm hurting, and I'm soooooooooo ready to have this sweet little girl in my arms and OUT of my belly!!! I'm going to the dr. once a week now. I have an appt. tomorrow, next Thursday the 13th, and Friday the 21st (my LAST day of work - wahoo!!!). Lots of things are getting harder to do... But I know that I'm going to have a beautiful baby in the next 3 to 5 weeks (I pray it's Thanksgiving week...). We're just getting things organized around here. I'm working in my classroom to get it organized, too and ready for my sub. I can't even walk to the bathroom without another teacher stopping to touch my belly and tell me they don't think I'm going to make it... :) I don't mind them touching my belly...I'm just ready to have a real baby to touch. Singing is getting SO hard...but she just loves it... the drums get her moving and she's gonna be either deaf or really rhythmic when she comes out. :)

Your pregnancy: 35 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few.From here on out, you'll start seeing your practitioner every week. Sometime between now and 37 weeks, she'll do a vaginal and rectal culture to check for bacteria called Group B streptococci (GBS). (Don't worry — the swab is the size of a regular cotton swab, and it won't hurt at all.) GBS is usually harmless in adults, but if you have it and pass it on to your baby during birth, it can cause serious complications, such as pneumonia, meningitis, or a blood infection. Because 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women have the bacteria and don't know it, it's vital to be screened. (The bacteria come and go on their own — that's why you weren't screened earlier in pregnancy.) If you're a GBS carrier, you'll get IV antibiotics during labor, which will greatly reduce your baby's risk of infection.This is also a good time to create a birth plan. Using our form will help you focus on specifics — like who'll be present, what pain management techniques you want to try, and where you want your baby to stay after you deliver. It will give you a starting point to discuss your preferences with your medical team. Childbirth is unpredictable, and chances are you won't follow your plan to the letter, but thinking about your choices ahead of time — and sharing your preferences with your caregiver — should take some of the anxiety out of the process.