38 Week Bumpdate

Here I am at 38 weeks and 6 days pregnant and BEYOND getting impatient.

It's not because I feel huge and uncomfy.  Actually, even though I am getting a little cramped and uncomfortable, I'm more just wanting to meet our daughter.  Our little love!  I want to hold her, I want to grab her hand, and I want to shower her with sweet kisses.  Tomorrow, I'm officially one week away from my due date, and being so close makes the anticipation heighten.

Highlights from this week's doctor's appointment:

• I'm now 4 cm. dilated, but still 50% effaced.
• Head's still down and engaged in my pelvis, I'm at -2 station, still.
• Her heartbeat was 150 bmp.  Last week it was 136.  I forgot to type that in my last post.
• I'm measuring right on track.

Overall, the doctor was very happy with my progress.  She said that usually when a woman hits 4 cm. in dilation, real deal labor can kick start any time now, but just as a precaution to make sure she didn't get my hopes up, she said that I could be this dilated for 3 more weeks if my body wanted to do that to me.  Torture.  She said one thing that she offers around 39 weeks is what they call stripping of the membranes a.k.a. a membrane sweep.  It's a natural way of inducing and getting labor going, but only by a 50% chance. What she'll do is take a finger and literally sweep it back and forth, separating the bag of water from the cervix.  This is supposed to release the prostaglandins hormone which gets contractions going. She told me to think about it and if I'd like to have it done.  Well, this upcoming Tuesday, I'm going to say, "STRIP AWAY!!!"  There's no hurt to it.  It doesn't put me or the baby in danger and HEY!, 50% is 50%.  Better than 0!

This week, I've been on Spring Break from work, therefore, WE GOT THE NURSERY FINISHED!!!!!!  Finally!!!  As promised, here are pictures of Brynlee's nursery.

The whole view of her nursery

Another whole view.  WHITE SHAG RUG from Target.

Mirror I picked up at Marshall's for $80! 

View of the changing/dresser area.  WHITE DRESSER is from Amazon.

Close up view above the dresser.  I'm putting blush colored candles in the candle holders of the sconce.  I made those square art decor.  They were mirrors from IKEA that I had gotten about 7 years ago.  I painted them an antique white/cream, hot glued lace and crystals, and then replaced the mirror squares with a square of scrapbook paper.

View of her crib.  WHITE CRIB is from Target.  The rest of her bedding is in Austin where it was made.  Got the RUFFLED BED SKIRT as a gift from my mother-in-law from Pottery Barn Kids.

Close up view of the "blinged out" LOVE sign.  Got it at Hobby Lobby on clearance.  LOVED that it had the crystals in it that I wanted to incorporate into her room.  LOVE for my little LOVE!

Here's a picture of Brynlee's crib bumper.  If you remember from many posts ago, THIS WAS MY INSPIRATION, but I was not about to go and spend $400 on just a crib bumper.  My mother-in-law found someone to make this for me.  So, EXTREMELY grateful that she took the time to do this for me!  Love you, Nancy!!!

Little rocking corner.  BEIGE AND WHITE GLIDER is from Target .

 

Another view of the glider.  I got her SHABBY CHIC RUFFLED DRAPERY PANEL from Target .

Close up view of what's on the glider.  Had to get a blinged out and sparkly pillow, of course!!!  I just bought this pillow slipcover from Hobby Lobby and covered one of my old 20x20 decorative pillows I had.

And my favorite piece in her room.... A CHANDELIER given to me as a gift.  It was purchased from Hobby Lobby.

And to finish it off....side-by-side baby pictures of me next to Brynlee's 29 week ultrasound picture.  Can't wait to see how much of me and Tyson she looks like!!!

Whew!  I worked so hard on that nursery, coming up with every, little detail.  So glad it's finished.

Overall, I'm still feeling fine, but just getting impatient like I said before.  I can't believe we are ONE WEEK away from her due date.  Now, this IS an estimated due date, and only 5% of women actually go in to labor on their due date.  She could very well go past the 24th, being that I'm not actually considered overdue until 42 weeks.  I'm crossing my fingers that she'll be here some time next week.  This Wednesday, the 20th, is my birthday.  Tyson is banking on her being born on my birthday.  I'm saying she'll be one day late and be here the 25th.  All I know is that I HOPE she's early and NOT late.  Until then, I'm going to sit back and be patient as possible.  It's not like she'll be in my tummy forever! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How far along? Posting this at 38 weeks and 6 days!

Total weight gain/loss:  I have actually LOST weight!!!!  I lost 2 lbs. in one week, so now I'm down to only 23 lbs. gained from my pre-pregnancy weight.
 

Maternity clothes?  No more buying of the maternity wear!  She'll be here sooner than we know it!

Stretch marks?  Okay.  So, I still have the same stretch marks I've acquired on the tummy.  I can't tell of any new ones, except for a few on my hips.  But, GUESS WHAT I'VE DEVELOPED?!?!?!  Freakin' PUPPPS!  They stand for Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy, and THEY. ARE. AWFUL!!!  It's a very, very, VERY intense itchy rash that develops on the stretch marks, and it's HIDEOUS looking along with just making me down right miserable.  Apparently, it's rare and only about 1 in 160-240 women get it.  Of course I had to be part of that rare percentage!  This pregnancy couldn't have gone COMPLETELY flawless! *insert sarcasm*  They don't know what causes it.  They think there's a link to the overstretching of the skin and hormones.  Usually, it occurs in first time pregnancies.  There's nothing we can do to get rid of it, except deliver this baby.  Doctor says to take Benedryl and rub Hydrocortisone cream (which are both a complete joke) and "hang in there, I'm so close!"  I just want to itch my skin off!!!  It only goes away once I deliver.  That's the only cure.  Luckily, it doesn't harm me or the baby, AND I developed this about a couple of weeks close to my due date. Some women get it earlier, in which, I feel EXTREMELY sorry for them that they'll suffer weeks on end with this.  So, this is one OTHER reason I'm getting impatient to deliver.  Until then, I'm trying to keep a smiling, positive attitude.

Sleep: Sleeping fine for the most part, but the itchiness of the PUPPPS wakes me up once in a while.  Wahhh!!!...I want to cry...

Best moment this week: Finding out that I am now 4 cm. dilated.  From what I understand, the hard part of dilation is out of the way.  I sure hope so.  Oh!  And getting the nursery finished....YAYYYYY!!!!!

Have you told family and friends: That I'm pregnant, yes... MANY weeks ago.  Now, I can't wait to tell family and friends of Brynlee's arrival!

Miss Anything?  Definitely booze.  I could use a really stiff drink.

Symptoms: Back pain, waddling/shufflling, achiness in the belly, frequent bathroom trips, random pelvic pains, sometimes sharp lightening shock pains "down there", fatigue (where's this so called burst of energy?!?), no appetite, and false labor pains.

Movement: This week, she was SO active, bumping around all over the place.  I've been reading that the baby shouldn't move around as much as they did in the earlier weeks due to lack of room.  So much for that!  I think this is the most active she's ever been!  Tyson and I were sitting side by side last night, watching a movie.  She was moving and kicking Tyson's arm, and he had no idea what it was at first until he lifted the blanket off my tummy and watched it move.  This made me get a good chuckle.  
They also say that when you're about to go into labor, the baby slows down in movement.  Well, Brynlee, slow your roll, girlfriend because you're not giving me hope that I'll be going into labor any time soon with all of your shoving and wiggling.

Food cravings: Chick-fil-A lemonade and fruit smoothies.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Actually, all of her moving has made my tummy feel all up in knots. Although, I HAVE been getting this random ickiness feeling in my tummy.  Don't know what it's from.  I've read that it could be from a drop in progesterone, meaning, labor is imminent.  CROSSING MY FINGERS!!!  Ugh.  But, I've got to remain patient.

Have you started to show yet: Been told I look like I'm about ready to POP by every stranger I come into contact with.  However, I'm not one of those women who get offended by that.  I embrace it and am like, "AMEN SISTA!  You BET I'm about ready to POP!" :)

 

Gender prediction: No more predicting....I'm going to be a mommy to a little girl!!!  Something I've always wanted.  And then I'll probably back track when she hits her pre-teen/teenage years.

Labor Signs: Stronger Braxton Hicks for sure.  Starting to freak out and hope I will be able to tell the difference between real labor VS false.  I've been told, "OH!  You will KNOW!"  We'll just see!

Belly Button in or out?  Out with just a teensy tinsey bit still in.

Wedding rings on or off? No swelling, so still on.  

Happy or Moody most of the time: Overall, happy.  Moody will start to hit probably this upcoming week because I will be back to work, uncomfortable from being on my feet, and on my last leg of pregnancy.

Looking forward to: At this point, meeting Ms. Brynlee Taylor.

37 Week Bumpdate

Well, HELLO THERE big belly!  Oh, and say hello to my little fur child, Precious.  She totally photo bombed the picture.  Here's me at 37 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  Let's see how much more baby I can fit in here in the next 2 weeks!                                                                                                              

Two more weeks....TWO MORE WEEKS!!!!  I can't believe it.  I'm so ready to meet this little baby girl, it's not even funny.  I've been reflecting a lot and already feel like my life has changed even though she's not quite here, yet.  I'm officially on Spring Break vacation from work, and I remember that this time last year, Tyson and I were prepping and packing for our Ft. Lauderdale trip.  We were so excited about it!  Now, we're prepping for baby and packing for the hospital.  Still excited, but it's a totally different excitement.  This time last year, I would have NEVER guessed I'd be about two weeks out from giving birth to our first born, our daughter.  It's crazy to think about it like that.  I feel like it all started with Ft. Lauderdale.  Tyson had gone to Ft. Lauderdale with his dad the year BEFORE we went and came back talking about having a little one.   His dad showed him the grave sites of his grandparents and great grandparents, and it got Tyson thinking.  He had never gotten a chance to meet his grandparents and he had wished he did.  He came back telling me how much he wanted our child to know, spend time, and remember his/her grandparents, especially his parents.  Overall, I just think about the mindset I was in this time last year, and one thing is for sure........... A baby wasn't on my mind.  Shopping for a bikini was.  HA!!!!!!!  NOT anymore!

So, as you all know, I'm now on to weekly appointments with the OBGYN.  On Tuesday, at 37 weeks and 2 days, I had a GREAT follow up.  Here are the highlights:

1)  The first words said to me by the nurse when I entered the  room was, "Well, you're officially full term now, so if you go into labor, we will not stop you.  CRAZY!!!

2)  I am now 3 cm. dilated and still 50% effaced.  Yay for progression!  She's currently still at -1 station, meaning she's engaged in my pelvis but not LOW, low yet.

3)  I asked the doctor if she could predict Brynlee's current weight for me and she's predicting she's currently between 6.5 to 7 lbs. right now.  She felt all over my belly to get an idea.  While feeling on my belly, she goes, "WOW!!!  You are literally ALL baby!"  So this gigantic ball looking thing protruding from my tummy is nothing but baby girl!

After finding out our little girl's estimated current weight, I told my doctor that my husband has lost the bet.   I told her that Tyson was predicting that she'd be 6 lbs. 11 oz. at birth.  The doctor laughed and went, "Oh, no.  She definitely will be bigger than 6 lbs. 11oz!"  Oh, and just so you all know, when the doctor told me that she's feeling like she's almost 7 lbs. now, my eyes got huge and my heart sank to my stomach.  All I keep praying for is that Brynlee doesn't make it to the 8 lb. range.  Lord help me.

Brynlee's nursery is coming along quite nicely.  Since it's both Tyson and my Spring Break, hanging things on the wall is now at the top of the list........at least for me!!!  Time to get the finishing touches complete!  This could very well be the week I finally take pictures of the room, so you could get nursery pictures in next week's blog!  YAY!  Not only is the nursery almost complete, but I got more things organized for baby, and the hospital bag is officially packed and ready to go!  Even though I have gotten a lot completed, I still feel sort of panicked, like I feel like I'm forgetting something.  I'm such a perfectionist that I want everything organized, completed, and PERFECTED before little, miss thang arrives.

Well, that's my week!  My 37th week of pregnancy.  I can't believe it's coming to an end.  It makes me feel happy, but kind of sad at the same time.  It's quite an amazing feeling to know I'm growing a little LIFE!  Ugh.  I just can't wait to see her sweet face, kiss her little lips, hold her tiny hand, and hold her little body close to mine...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How far along? Posting this at 37 weeks and 5 days!

Total weight gain/loss:  I have not gained any more weight, so I'm still stuck at 25 lbs. gained.  FIIIIIINE with me!
 

Maternity clothes?  Nothing, and I think this is the last of the buying of the maternity clothes.  I seriously only bought maybe 5 maternity tops and 3 pairs of maternity pants this WHOLE pregnancy.  I made do with what I had in my pre-pregnancy closet.

Stretch marks?  The striations are starting to creep up.  PRAYING PRAYING PRAYING they don't go past my belly button.  My belly has been itching like CRAZY, though.  Lotions and oils aren't doing anything because I think the itching is coming deep within the dermal layer where no lotion will touch.  I also feel like my skin is ripping apart at times, and that's no exaggeration.  There have been a few days this week where all of these feelings have been driving me INSANE!!!  Please, skin!  Hold up for me for just a couple more weeks.....please....

Sleep: Sleeping fine, but it's getting interrupted by urgent pee trips.  Also, I've been waking up randomly and sometimes feeling VERY wide awake and thinking I should start getting up.  But, then I look at the clock, see that it's about 3 in the morning, and think, "Nah...  I'll have PLENTY of opportunities when Brynlee is born to have my 3 o'clock wake up calls."  Ughhhhh......

Best moment this week: Finding out that I progressed from 1 cm last week to 3 cm.!  I couldn't believe it. And here I was, thinking that I'd efface faster.  Psh!!!!

Have you told family and friends: That would be terrible if no one knew at this point.

Miss Anything?  Being able to bend over and take on and off my shoes and pants without falling over, being able to bend over and dry off my legs when I get out of the shower, being able to bend over and pick things up off the floor.  Do you see a pattern here.....  I want to be able to bend over, again.

Symptoms: Back pain, waddling/shufflling, achiness in the belly, frequent and URGENT bathroom trips, sometimes sharp lightening shock pains to the "coota-cata" (she's sitting in my pelvis folks!), fatigue, and Braxton Hicks are starting to get a little meaner on me.  Still waiting on this "so-called" burst of energy where I go into nesting mode.  I'm thinking it's not going to happen.  I just feel worn out ALL the time!

Movement: She's still squirming about.  Not much kicking.  No room!  I'll feel either a knee or foot poke out once in a while.  It's fun to touch it with my finger tips.  I'll also get a little booty sticking up a little, and I'll pat and rub her little tushy while talking to her.

Food cravings: Sweets, still.

Anything making you queasy or sick: For the past couple of days, every time I would lie on my right side at a certain angle, it would make me feel like I had an upset tummy.

Have you started to show yet: I've got a full on belly!

Gender prediction: No more predicting....It's a girl!

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks, and they have become a little more uncomfortable.  Last Saturday, I thought I was probably going to go into labor.  They were stronger than I'm used to and were coming on and off more frequently than I'm used to.  But, it only lasted for 4 hours, and then it subsided.  That was probably my body helping me dilate to 3 cm.

Belly Button in or out?  Still hanging on for dear life!  Still an inny and outty.

Wedding rings on or off? No swelling, so still on.  

Happy or Moody most of the time: Overall, happy and SO ANXIOUS!!!!

Looking forward to: Hanging everything up on the nursery walls and enjoying my Spring Break!  I like how I have an entire week off from work towards the end of my pregnancy.  I NEED this!  Goodness gracious, I need this..                                          

36 Week Bumpdate

    Gosh!!!  I was looking through side pregnant pictures of me back at 32 weeks, and Brynlee has DEFINITELY grown!!!  I look at my 32 week photo and think, "And I thought I was uncomfortable THEN???"  The top picture is me at 36 weeks and 5 days pregnant, while the bottom one is from yesterday, 36 weeks and 4 days.

Me at work.

     This week, the average baby at 36 weeks is almost 6 lbs. and is about 18 1/2 inches in length.  At this stage in the game, the baby is continuing to pack on more fat, as well as shedding her laguno and vernix caseosa.  Laguno is that soft, downy hair that kept our baby warm until she got some fat built up, while the vernix caseosa is a waxy coating on the baby's skin that protects it.  Come Sunday, when I'm officially 37 weeks, Brynlee will be considered FULL TERM!  Crazy to think that by Sunday we will have 3 weeks left.

     On Tuesday, at my 36 week appointment, I got to have a little more excitement.  Instead of just the normal blood pressure, weigh in, etc., I got to finally get "checked" for the first time.  I'll admit, it was a bit uncomfortable with my doctor all shoving her hand up there, but I guess from this point on, I've got to get used to it.  According to the doc, I'm already 1 cm. dilated and 50% effaced.  Just for those that don't know, you're ripe and ready to push when you're 10 cm. and 100% effaced.  Dilation is the widening of your cervix and effacement is the softening of it.  More of the dilation comes on with real deal labor and contractions.  I don't really care how fast I dilate.  I know that's a slow go. I just want to continue progressing in the effacement department.  The doctor said that my dilation and effacement is good news in the sense that my body is doing what it's supposed to do, but this doesn't necessarily mean that she's coming any time soon.  I'm one of those women who does their constant research, so I already knew this meant nothing really in the sense of how soon she'll be here.  She could be here tomorrow, OR she could be here past her due date.  Babies come on their own time. I also learned that Brynlee IS in the head down position and is engaged in my pelvis.  Hallelujah to THAT!  Her heartbeat was a STRONG 142 beats per minute this time, and when I say strong, I mean STRONG.  These last few appointments have been the strongest I've ever heard her heartbeat.......my little love.

     Over the last few days, I think she's dropped some.  I've noticed my breathing isn't AS labored anymore, and when I drive in the car, I don't feel her ALL in my ribs like I used to.  I get the occasional booty bump into the right side of my ribs.  At least the way I'm feeling things, I think I'm feeling her little butt because I feel a creepy, crawly, walk-y feeling on my left.  I'm assuming those are her knees and feet.  I also feel like there's more of a gap between my rib cage and belly.  When she squirms around, I can feel her a little more in my pelvis.  Today, one of our 4th grade student teachers commented on how it looks like my belly has gone a little lower.  I can confidently say that I think she has dropped a little.  PLEASE let this NOT be something I'm imagining.  I want her to do this.  Drop baby!...DROP!!!  I have my next prenatal appointment on Tuesday, and one of the questions I'm asking is if my doctor noticed she dropped some so I can have some confirmation.

     Yesterday, at work, I had another, great baby shower for Miss Brynlee and got some great stuff!  I'm so very thankful to work with a great group of faculty and staff!  They definitely hooked me up!  Here's just a snapshot of my baby shower at work.  Click the link below to see more pictures of the event.  I apologize for the quality of the photos.  Tyson and I are missing our camera, and I didn't want to bring to school his really expensive digital, so I settled for the camera on my iPhone.

Me and the 4th Grade Team

Opening Gifts!

*CLICK HERE FOR BRYNLEE'S 2ND BABY SHOWER PICTURES*

     Now, I have more washing and organizing to do, which is okey dokey for me!  Brynlee's nursery is still coming along, slowly but surely.  Really all I need to do at this point is get stuff hung on the walls.  Her bedding is still in the works and can come later.  She won't be sleeping in her crib for the first few months.  We finally got the missing hardware for the glider, so now that's all put together and ready to go.  This weekend is the "packing of the hospital bag" weekend for me.  I'm slowly going to start getting that all ready to go.  Now that I got more gift cards to Babies-R-Us, I'll  be able to purchase any little necessities I'm still missing and will need right away!

    Well, that's pretty much it for this week!  Now on to the survey!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How far along? Posting this at 36 weeks and 5 days!

Total weight gain/loss:  I gained two more pounds, so I'm now up 25 lbs. from pre-pregnancy weight.

Maternity clothes?  I finally bought a nursing bra for the hospital as well as some gowns.  They aren't really maternity nursing gowns, but they will serve their purpose for after Brynlee is born and I can be comfy and nurse.

Stretch marks?  Oh this was lovely....  The nurse noticed my new stretch marks that I've formed close to my bikini area.  She goes, "Oh, so you're just now officially starting to get stretch marks, huh?!"  YEAH, thanks for NOTICING!  At this point, genetics took over.  I've creamed and moisturized up as well as watched my weight.

Sleep: Sleeping fine.  I sleep like I got hit by a truck!  I'm OUT!

Best moment this week: Getting "checked" by the doctor and finding out more interesting information, and, feeling little, miss Brynlee's squirms.  I'm starting to love her more and more each day knowing there's a fully blown BABY in my belly.

Have you told family and friends: That would be terrible if no one knew at this point.

Miss Anything?  Already I'm missing my pretty tummy I used to have before I got pregnant.  I kind of want of want to cry now...

Symptoms: Ooooohhhh tailbone pain, tailbone pain, tailbone pain.  Oh!  And I'm peeing a lot.  Kind of happens when there's a baby's head on your bladder.  Shortness of breath has subsided a little and heartburn and indigestion hasn't made their return.  Well....I take that back.  Sometimes I'll feel a mild feeling in my throat, but it quickly comes and goes away and it's so mild that it doesn't affect me.

Movement: Squirming about and trying to stretch!  Still trying to figure out her sleep and wake patterns.  Over the last couple of days, she's been a little more active during the day and calm during the night.  Although, when I get up to pee around 2:30 and then sometimes again at 3 or 4 something in the morning, I'll feel her squirm about a little once I go and come back to bed.  Today, she seemed to be active all day, and now it's 7:20 at night, and she's not budging one bit.

Food cravings: Still sweets....and CHOCOLATE.  I'm not even a big chocolate eater!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week.

Have you started to show yet: I'll even admit that I'm starting to look like I'm about ready to pop.

Gender prediction: No more predicting....It's a girl!

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks and some uncomfortable ones for sure!

Belly Button in or out?  Still slightly in and out, but most definitely out.  If you look at my bottom bump picture up at the beginning of this post, you'll see my belly button popping out. :)

Wedding rings on or off? Still on!  YAY!  

Happy or Moody most of the time: Overall, happy and ANXIOUS!!!  I want to meet her!

Looking forward to: Getting things hung up in Brynlee's nursery, my next appointment on Tuesday to see if I've made any more progress, and getting my hospital bag packed.