OB appointment

Today I had a regular OB appointment and it went well. I gained 3 pounds since last time, my blood pressure's good and the baby's heartbeat is very good! My doctor is pleased with how things are going and just reminded me that I should continue to watch my weight gain. I'm measuring where I'm supposed to be so that's good. My doctor said the baby's head is down after feeling around my tummy. So those jabs I've been feeling in my lower abdomen are her fists! At the next appointment in March I'll have a Group B Strep test done. Babies can pick up an infection from the mother as they travel down the birth canal if she's a carrier. There are no symptoms for the mother for Group B Strep so unless you actually test for it, you won't know you're a carrier. At the next appointment I'll also have a sonogram so I can't wait to see the baby!

Breastfeeding Class

Hi! Last night I went to a breastfeeding class at Baylor Grapevine. There was a lactaction consultant/RN doing the class and it was great! I especially liked her stories about breastfeeding her kids. I had done some reading on breastfeeding but I was so confused about all the information out there. This class helped me understand that it's not as scary or difficult as some people make it out to be. I am for breastfeeding because of all the benefits to the baby and myself. But those pumps look kind of scary! It helped to see videos of how a baby latches on to the breast because all the drawings and diagrams in the world don't really let you see how the process really works. We all got a book plus some handouts to read at home. The hospital is "breastfeeding friendly" meaning they are supportive of moms who wish to breastfeed. The hospital also has a store with breastfeeding items including pumps, bras, and other helpful equipment. Jon is supportive of me breastfeeding our baby. That makes me feel really good.

34 weeks

Hello! Just thought I'd blog a little bit today about how I'm feeling. I'm noticing I can't eat as much as I used to because I'm getting full faster. I read that it's normal but I'll probably be eating more smaller meals from now on. Last night I was so hungry by the time I had dinner that I tried to eat a big meal and I felt awful up until midnight. At least I watched all of the Oscars on tv!
Some days I feel incredibly huge! I get a tight feeling at the top of my stomach and I wonder if that is a Braxton-Hicks contraction. It doesn't hurt, it's just a little uncomfortable. I'm also kind of out of breath. I can't make sudden moves like leaping out of a sitting position or I'll get winded or my heart starts to race. I have to get out of bed very carefully now.
I'm really excited about the countdown to seeing our baby girl. I put together the bassinet that will be in our room and I'm gathering baby supplies like diapers. I've been getting Huggies diapers because they have Winnie the Pooh on them. Some friends and family members recommend Pampers so I'll try them out too. I'm just not sold on cloth diapers although I do have a set of them.
Sometimes I do get a little anxious about being a parent. I think now that I've seen how my brother is handling it, I feel better about the responsibility.

Staying at Home

Well, I think it's finally hit me - I cannot stay at home (for very long)! I have to get out of the house for awhile everyday or I'll get massive cabin fever. I try to do some chores around the house, read, blog, email, scrapbook and rearrange stuff in the nursery but then I have to change my scenery. The last few nights I couldn't sleep very well so when I wake in the morning, I'm very tired. I am trying to sleep on my side as much as possible but then either the baby kicks me awake or when I switch sides, I have to go to the bathroom. Last night I think I made up for the lost sleep of the past few nights since I didn't get up as much. I actually feel rested and restless!
The baby is very active and Jon loves to feel her move. I talk to her and sing to her during the day. I've been craving pancakes, cupcakes, cookies and frosting. Luckily I have not had an overwhelming desire to actually make Jon go get those things for me but I've come close.
I'm sure once the baby is here I won't be bored but I might need a break!

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! Jon was super sweet to me today. We had lunch at Esparza's in Grapevine and walked around Main Street until I got tired. Then we went to see the movie "Shopoholic" which turned out to be pretty good but not as good as the books. The books are so much better! After that we went by Celebrity Cafe for some dessert. I got a piece of strawberry cake and Jon got a piece of chocolate cake. Sooooo good! I think the sugar made baby girl spin around a bit. While we were resting at home earlier, Jon was talking to the baby and he put his head on my stomach and the baby punched him - LOL! Well, not really but he sure felt it. Right now I'm trying not to stay in one position for too long. So I'm up walking around, sitting and laying on one side. That's all for today. I'm now 33 weeks pregnant and feeling pretty good!

7 month pictures

These photos were taken January 25. I definitely have the baby bump!

I think it's funny how I can't see my feet anymore!

OB appointment at 32 weeks

Hello! Today I had a regular OB appointment and I'm doing great. I gained one pound since last time and my blood pressure was good. Baby's heartbeat was good too. I just love hearing her heartbeat! My doctor and I talked about my birth plan. I wrote one up since our childbirth instructor said we should have one. However the doctor seemed to be a little superstitious saying that once it's in writing, it might be a ticket for a C-section! But he read what I wanted and agreed with everything I had written down. We talked about pain meds during labor and being induced if I'm a week overdue. Since I'm a first time mom, I really don't know what to expect even though I've taken a couple of classes and read so many books. Jon and I are wondering when we should go to the hospital once labor has started. We read about contractions and timing and the different phases and stages of labor. I'm hoping I won't panic but who knows? Right now things are good. I'm no longer suffering from that nasty cold and sinus pressure. It's just hard to sleep through the night without changing positions or having to go to the bathroom 5 or 6 times during the night. I'm good at "sleep walking" now. I'm 32 weeks going on 33. I can't believe how close we're getting to April!

Friends' Baby Shower

Hi! Yesterday we went to McKinney for Mark and Leslie's baby shower. It was held at Landon Winery which was a unique place for a baby shower. They did have free glasses of wine and sparkling cider and other nonalcoholic drinks. I especially loved the white chocolate covered strawberries and the cake. For some reason I can eat white chocolate but not milk or dark chocolate. We all wrote down advice for the new parents and got to decorate white burp cloths with fabric pens. Mark and Leslie got some neat things for the baby. One of the cutest things they got was a big inflatable yellow duckie filled with bath items. How cool was that! Their baby boy is due March 12. I think with all the people we know that are having babies we should put together a good sized playgroup!

Baby Care Class

Hi! I'm 32 weeks pregnant today. I can't believe it! I'm blogging right now because baby girl is really active and I can't fall asleep just yet.
Tonight Jon and I went to the Basics of Baby Care class at Baylor Grapevine. The nurse was so funny! We learned a lot about what happens in the first hour of the baby's life, diapering, soothing, and what to do when the baby gets sick. We each had a baby doll to practice swaddling and changing diapers. We got a DVD and a new workbook to read. The class was very good and helped us a lot. We met some really nice people and discovered that most of us are expecting girls. I found the information very helpful. I especially liked the personal stories the nurse had to tell about her kids. I know Jon and I want to do everything right but that's just unrealistic. Most of it will be trial and error. How did our parents raise us without taking these classes?

Baby Stuff

I was going through all the baby items I've received so far and here's the tally:

• clothing (onezies, outfits, etc. of various sizes) - 34
• socks - 26 pairs
• bibs - 6
• hats - 7
• mittens - 10
• blankets - 13
• burp cloths - 7
• hooded towels - 4
• wash cloths - 11
• swaddles - 6
• fitted crib sheets - 4
• pacifiers - 8

I did receive other items such as teething rings, books and stuffed animals but I didn't count them yet. It's amazing how much stuff we have already! This afternoon I put the Winnie the Pooh mobile on the crib. It's so cute!

More Shower Pictures

Baby Play Place.

Cute baby sleepers.

Everybody say "Awwww".

Pretty dress.

Picture frame.

Just thought I'd post a few more pictures from our shower. We had lots of fun and I had more fun sorting through all the gifts again at home.

Census Baby Shower

Hello! Yesterday Jon's coworkers threw us a fun baby shower at Tara Place in Farmers Branch (near Dallas). Betty and Meredith both planned and hosted the shower. I should explain why this was a Census shower. In 1998 I went to work for the US Census Bureau in Dallas and that's where I met Jon. Jon's back working for the Census Bureau again and so his coworkers and former coworkers came to the shower. There were plenty of snacks and drinks and a huge cake! About 23 people showed up and we got lots of nice gifts. At one point Jon was blindfolded and had to put a diaper on a baby doll. He was doing well but then the diaper fell off. Everyone was so kind and generous to us. One of the neat things we got was a pink baby play place where the baby can be on her back and play with lots of cute hanging things. We received lots of baby outfits and onezies too. It was a lot of fun meeting new people and seeing old friends. I'm posting a few pictures on this blog today and I'll post more tomorrow.