37 Week Update (and a belly pic)

How far along? 37 weeks and 2 days

How big is baby? Maybe close to seven pounds?

Weight gain? Holding at 29!  .:does small premature victory dance:.

Stretch Marks? Just those same couple of small ones I've noticed the last couple of weeks.

Maternity clothes? Outgrowing a few things.  My belly is starting to stick way OUT.  See the pic below.

Sleep? Sigh.  Dear sweet sleep, I remember you old friend.  I did sleep better Monday night, and actually had a little energy on Tuesday.  A pleasant surprise. 

Cravings? Still fruit!  In addition to jello salad, a morning clementine (or 2), I've recently added Cherry pie and grapes to the routine.   And of course I had an old favorite one night this week...ROOT BEER FLOAT!

Nursery update? Nursery is DONE.  Planes are HUNG!  I am HAPPY!  Check out those links if you missed the posts.

Movement? Yes.  But it's different.  There will be longer periods of "quiet", and then his normal crazy active phases.  I spoke with the doctor about this today and he said that is normal.  For one, he is getting larger, and moving around may become more difficult.  For another...he has a more regular and peaceful sleeping pattern starting to form.   But the long quiet periods are not cool, Karson, not cool.  He's kicking like crazy as I type this though.  AND...we felt him have the hiccups for the first time Saturday night.  Too cute.

High point? Finally getting those airplanes hung!  A successful 37 week appt!

Low point?  Having a round of Braxton Hicks on Thursday afternoon and in the middle of the night Thursday...while home alone!  

What am I looking forward to? Um...having a baby soon? .:Yikes!:.

What do I miss? Having energy.  Not knowing what indigestion felt like.

Doctor Update:  My BP and weight gain, and Karson's heart rate were all good.  Today I had my first cervix check.  Visit this link if you don't know what these mean.
Dilation: 1-2 cm
Effacement: 50%
Station: -2

He said that was great progress for week 37.  In short, my body IS preparing which is a good sign.  He also pointed out that my cervix would be very "induceable", should Karson become stubborn and hold out past his due date.

What does all that mean?  Who knows!  Karson could come tomorrow, or he could hold out until past the due date.  These measurements can change in a hurry, or become stagnant.  In fact, I might have the exact same measurements next week.  But the good news is things are kicking in to motion on their own, and the stage is setting for Karson's arrival!


Here's me at 37 weeks on Monday evening.  I'll try to remember to wear that shirt for the photo from now on.  That might make it easier to compare and figure out when he's noticeably lower!  Karson looks like he's trying to escape via my belly button!

Just PLANE fun!

If you've been reading, you know that Justin and I picked out some model airplanes to assemble, paint, and hang from the ceiling in Karson's room.

What you may not know is how long we spent on these crazy things.  "Assembly required" is an understatement.  These little guys were complicated.  And painting them took lots and lots of coats, especially since we had to cover up the excessive amounts of glue it took to put them together.

Dee Dee (Mima) spotted them in Harbor Freight before we knew whether we were having a boy or a girl.  Being a bit superstitious I decided not  to buy them until we knew.  But not long after hearing "it's a boy", we started working on these.  Last night, our hard work finally paid off we as hung the little suckers from the ceiling.

The final verdict...totally worth it!  I will say they look a lot cooler in person than they do in these photos.  But nonetheless...here are the long awaited planes!



Getting ready to hang.




Up they go!




(Cords hidden) and a green and yellow guy hanging out in the upper right hand corner!




Can you spot four in this photo?




Our favorite plane!



Dear Karson - Your room is ready!

Dear Karson,

Your room is ready!  Your daddy and I are proud to present to you what we hope you will find to be a fun, loving, and welcoming environment. 

In it, you will see little bits and pieces of lots of family, friends, and other loved ones.  The crib and bedding were picked out with lots of thought and love by your daddy and me.  The rocker and ottoman where we will spend lots of time napping and reading came from Nana and Papaw.  The mattress from Grandma and Grandad.  The mobile and airplane night light from Mima and Mipa.  The crib light from Uncle Kevin and Aunt Auburn.  The coat/hat rack was made by Pop.  Your closet and drawers are also stuffed with clothes, diapers, wipes, bath supplies, blankets, and other items from your Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, other relatives, and friends of your mama and daddy from school, work, and church.  In short, there have been a lot of people who helped us celebrate and prepare for your arrival.  You are truly blessed and loved, and I pray that we help you feel that love instantly.





Your bed!  We hope you'll love the zooming airplanes!

   


The changing table.  A dresser that used to belong to my grandparents, and a propeller from a WWII target drone.

 




The "fun" corner!

  


A very special item made by Pop. 

 




Books we can't wait to read with you!

  


A warm comfy bed awaiting your arrival!

 



The photo wall.  We can't wait to replace these with pictures that have YOU in them!

 

Welcome home!

Love - Mama

36 week update

How far along?  36 weeks and 3 days.

How big is baby? Over six pounds! (We think...who knows!)

Weight gain? 29 as of the last Doc weigh in.  If Karson arrives immediately, I can say I gained less than 30!  If he takes his time...I may gain 40!  It seems I'm starting to swell a tad.  I've even decided not to put my rings back on until we're done.  Hopefully the swelling won't get worse.

Stretch Marks? I think I have a couple of small ones now.  Boo!

Maternity clothes? Nothing new to report here. Except that I look frumpy in everything.  And my plan to make both normal and maternity clothes fit in the closet has officially turned it in to a disaster zone.

Sleep? Getting much worse in a hurry.  There were a couple of crampy nights last week where I got less than four hours of sleep, and most of that came on a couch.  I now use five pillows. (What?)  I'm up at least once or twice for potty breaks, and I CONTINUE to wake up during the 4:00 am hour every night!  (What is that about?)

Cravings? Fruit!  I even made a jello fruit salad, which I don't normally have much interest in.  I bought Clementines and have been eating those at breakfast too. And I had a hankering for OJ, which of course gave me heartburn.  Also...Chinese!  Mac N Cheese!  Food in general...

Nursery update? Finishing touches are going on the airplanes now!  Everything else is done, and in fact I have the photos of the nursery uploaded and am just waiting on the right time to post.  I want ONE shot of the airplanes once we get them hung.  So I should have pics posted for you by this weekend. 

Movement? Still a busy guy, but there are fewer kicks and more rolls and pushes.   I can identify a hand on my lower left side pretty often.  Or is it a foot by his face?

High point? Getting the nursery finished, and walls decorated.

Low point? A crampy, sleepless 48 hours last week.

What am I looking forward to? Visitors this weekend!  Finally getting these airplanes hung!

What do I miss? Seeing my own feet.  Being able to put on shoes and socks without grunting.  Sleeping through the night.  Wearing contacts.  Pants with buttons.  High Heels.  Having the option to tan.  Eating spicy foods.  Mt Dew.  Ruh Roh...sounds like I'm wearing down!!!


No belly pic this week since my photographer is unavailable.  Also, I never seem to think of it until I'm in full lounge mode.  But since I'll be doing these updates weekly now, you won't have to wait very long for a 37 week pic!

Place Your Bets!!

Well, technically there are no bets, so that was a poor title.  BUT...I'd love to hear your guesses as to when Karson will arrive and how big he will be.

I weighed 8 and a half pounds, and arrived roughly four days past my due date at 3:30 in the afternoon.

My office has chimed in, and their collective guesses average out to:

February 16th
9:00 AM
8 lb 6 oz
21.36 inches long


My individual guess is as follows:
February 18th
4:00 AM
8 lb 12 oz
21.5 inches long


As for the date, I like that it's a Friday, and that he's definitely full term...and that helps us out with our family care/vacation plan for pre-day care.    And I chose the 4:00 AM hour because I always wake up during that hour.  And not necessarily for a potty break.  I've been doing that for several weeks now actually.  So I'm convinced that something will happen around 4:00 am.  Whether it's labor starting, water breaking, baby arriving...something!

Let us know what your guesses are!  For those who can't figure out how to post a comment, (which seems to be nearly everyone...) feel free to email me and I'll post it on here for you.

I love surprises!

And I love baby showers!  Put them together and you've got a surprise baby shower!  And a very happy me!

The gals at work surprised me with a pizza party/baby shower today during lunch.  How sweet is that!  A funny note - I thought we were just randomly having pizza so I brought a plate of brownies to my own shower!  (Have I mentioned how dumb pregnancy has made me lately?)

They made an awesome shower cake with lots of goodies including onesies, cloth diapers, burp cloths, socks, bath items, feeding supplies, toys and books.   Karson also received individual gifts including detergent (how useful!), a gorgeous hand made blanket, an awesome hand made quilted blanket, a hand made stained glass night light (seriously, I hang out with some crafty and talented people), and some cutie outfits!  What a lucky fella!

They decorated with transportation items that will go perfectly with his nursery.  I can't wait to get the new items in to his room. 

I also got some wise advice, including:
Forget what people say, hold him if you want to!
Boys pee often and unexpectedly, always keep him covered during diaper changes.
It's ok to let them cry.
Let him sleep in his own bed.
Read to him often.
Tell him you love him every day.
Label photos and write down things you think you'll remember. 
Enjoy every moment..it flies by!



Here are the pics from the day!  For those of you who haven't seen me in a couple of weeks, yes I have two chins, yes I walk around looking that tired, and no, I don't know why I make these facial expressions when I know there is a camera in the room.




My surprised face, along with my BYO brownies and bottled water.



Checking out the awesome diaper cake.



Amy's beautiful handiwork.  And I can't even make a sock!




Another beautiful handmade item from Terry.




No clue what I'm saying or doing here...



A better look at the diaper cake.

Thanks to all of my coworkers for a special day!  We continue to be amazed by the generosity and kindness of others.  Karson is a lucky lucky fella, and his mama and daddy feel pretty lucky too.

35/35

**If you haven't already done so, go here to view and then vote on your favorite maternity pictures.**



Today I am 35 weeks along and have only 35 days remaining until the due date!  WHAAA???

Pretty cool milestone if I do say so myself.  I'll hold off on a new quiz and pic until my next DR appt.  But here are some factoids about 35 weeks along Karson and his 35 week pregnant mama:

• 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 just putting on weight. (Hey, me too!)
• Speaking of weight, Karson is likely 6+ pounds!
• It's not uncommon for 35 week pregos to have contractions.  Although I haven't been having any.

If you recall, I have a goal of having everything "done" by January 16th, so I can relax and stay off my feet from that point forward.  Here's the checklist off the top of my head and how we're coming along:

DONE!
Assemble high chair
Assemble swing
Assemble and "stock" pack n play
Organize Karson's Christmas items and latest Baby gifts
Send out any remaining thank you notes
Hang comforter, Pop's coat rack, propeller, decals, and whatever else fits on the walls
Pack Karson's hospital bag
Wash one final load of Karson's stuff (including towels, washclothes, a few 0-3 outfits, etc)
Find a pediatrician
Send hospital directions to Nana and Mima
Complete Childbirth classes

Almost done:
Pack my hospital bag
Assemble and paint model airplanes
Get maternity pictures in frames
Make some kitchen cabinet space

Still to do:
Learn to knit (who was I kidding...)
Install car seat/mirror/shades etc
Take a breastfeeding class (next week)
Preregister
Clean house and prepare for Karson's grandparents to arrive on short notice, and perhaps amidst chaos
Relax and kick up my feet....(soon...soon)

So...I think we're in a good place.  Most of the "still to do" items are being reserved for the last few weeks for a reason.  And the most time consuming item on the "almost done" list (the airplanes) isn't actually crucial.

So does that mean that when we get all these things done we'll be READY? 

NO!

:-)  I'm not sure we'll ever be completely ready for the change that is about to hit our lives.  But we recognize that it will be a dramatic change, and we welcome it anyway.  Besides, ready or not, here he'll come!

The best laid plans...

**If you haven't already done so, go here to view and then vote on your favorite maternity pictures.**

Well...our weekend did not go quite how I had envisioned.

Our "quick" Saturday task of getting an airplane from Point A to Point B turned in to quite an endeavor.  Rather than spending three hours in a car, I spent about six, mostly "pacing" back and forth trying to figure out where the heck I should be headed.  Saturday's weather wasn't cooperating, so we had to abandon the task at a mid point, and drive the rest of the way home.  Two days, two blankets, and two hairdryers later, we eventually had cooperative weather, and defeated the 2 degree temps to safely start the plane back up on Sunday morning so the boys could get it the rest of the way home.  Success! 

Lessons learned:
Don't buy planes in January.
Don't say things like "this is going to be such a relaxing weekend".

The good news...we still got most of our goals accomplished.  Friday night Justin and I relaxed at the house, played rock band, and got to bed early.  (Yes, that was actually a goal of mine.)

Saturday, amidst the random driving around I took advantage of passing by a Target to buy some nursing tanks that no one else seems to carry.

Saturday night, we enjoyed a nice dinner out with Justin's coworkers. 

After all of the thawing and chaos ended on Sunday, we enjoyed a quiet but productive afternoon.  Karson's hospital bag is packed.  Mine is mostly packed.  And we hung most of the items on the nursery walls.  I need to get some pictures in the frames.  And we need to finish painting the model airplanes to hang from the ceiling.  Otherwise...his room is ready!

We have our last childbirth class tonight.  Unfortunately, Monday is also our small group night for church.  And tonight was going to be a baby shower theme!  Since we are unable to attend, they decided to postpone that...  :-)  But we should be available for small group again starting next week.   Uh oh, there I go planning again.  Now what...

Maternity Pics, and a chance to VOTE!

The long awaited maternity pics have arrived in full! I've selected a few of my favorites from each "pose" below. Now YOU get to determine which ones remain on the blog, and potentially make it in to a multi pic frame in Karson's room. Vote for your favorites via the poll on the right. You can vote more than once, (on different visits) or for more than one photo (in one visit)!  They are each labeled with a caption below them.  Yes, you'll see my belly.  No, I didn't plan on sharing those, but a couple of these touched me so much that I teared up.  Blame it on the hormones.  I hope you enjoy them too!

 
Christmas Card Photos:


Christmas 1

 

Christmas 2

 

Christmas 3

Outdoor Shots:

Outdoor 1



Outdoor 2

  White Shirt Set:


White 1

 

White 2



White 3

 

White 4

Belly and Fun Shots:



Fun 1

 

Fun 2

   

Fun 3



Fun 4



Fun 5



Fun 6



Fun 7


Now get to voting!!!

Doctor Update

We had a successful doctor appointment today!  He was pleased with my weight gain and lack of swelling.  My aches and pains all seem to be related to round ligament pain, and are just a normal sign of a growing uterus (and therefore baby!)  Karson's heart rate, activity, and assumed size are all great!

Speaking of his size...the doctor made a wild guess and said he may be near 6 pounds.  Obviously that's just a guess, but it seems safe to say that he's good sized!  Based on the average weight gain on baby center, that puts us on track for 8.5 to 9 pounds.  Which also happens to be in line with what I weighed.

We talked about the upcoming appointments, and here's the general rundown:

34 - Final blood work today
36 - Strep B test
37 - Start "invasive" appointments and continue on a weekly basis until Karson's arrival
38 - Same 'ol, plus a potential sonogram if his position or size merit one.
39 - Same 'ol
40 - Same 'ol
41 - Reach a whole new level of crankiness if Karson is still hiding....  ;-)

So I have one more two week break, then the activity really picks up from there!

34 week quiz and a belly pic

How far along? 34 weeks and 3 days!

How big is baby? Possibly as large as six pounds???  More on that in a different post.

Weight gain? I'm at 27 total now.  BUT...I managed to only gain two pounds during the two and a half week stretch that included our Christmas celebrations and traveling food.  So...I call that a win!

Stretch Marks? Still no...

Maternity clothes? I bought a little sweater/cardi/thing from Charlotte Russe. It is not maternity, but I've convinced myself it improves every outfit and may be seen wearing it every day for the rest of my life.

Sleep? It comes and goes.  Mostly goes.

Cravings? No.  But some favorite treats over break include: movie theater popcorn, dad's biscuits and gravy, red velvet dessert roll, root beer floats with the Rinkers...(seriously, 2 pounds is impressive the more I look back...)

Nursery update? Bookshelf arrived and is assembled and decorated!  We need to hang wall stuff, then we're done!  We've also assembled and "stocked" the pack n play, as well as the swing.  Justin is putting the high chair together as I type!  Pics coming soon!

Movement? Yep!

High point? Christmas with the families, and getting to meet our new niece!

Low point? Too much time in a car.

What am I looking forward to? A long series of weekends at home!

What do I miss? Weighing less than Justin...  :-(

Home Stretch

My daily baby update email gave me a warm fuzzy this morning...

"This day marks the end of eight months of pregnancy. You’re heading for the home stretch."

"HOME STRETCH"  = Yay!

Speaking of home stretch...while we were eager to visit with family over the Christmas holiday, and to meet our beautiful healthy new baby niece...we are now very glad to be home for a while. 34 week pregnant me doesn't want to go ANYWHERE for a WHILE now. So we are also in a home stretch in that we have no plans for a trip anywhere anytime soon.

"Stay at Home Stretch" = Double yay!

BUT, before we slide in to home there's plenty to be done.  We got off to a good start last night by doing 4 of our 6 loads of laundry, undecorating from Christmas, and putting away the suitcases and Christmas presents and goodies. 

Our January to do list is long, but I think it will primarily be a fun one!  Sure, adding insulation and pressure washing when we have a warm day may not be on Justin's list of top 10 fun things to do.  And there are some other unfun items for both of us as well.  But assembling the larger baby stuff (pack n play, swing, etc), installing the car seat, packing hospital bags, decorating Karson's walls, and putting final touches on our baby prep sure sound exciting to me!