Things I'll remember

Oh it's week 39 for me and it's hard to get around these days but at least I know I'm near the end of my pregnancy. For the most part it hasn't been a bad pregnancy and I'm very thankful for that. I only really felt pregnant these last three months. It seemed like time has flown by since last July when we first found out we were expecting. I'm glad I kept a journal and a blog during this exciting time in my life. Somehow being pregnant made me feel "complete" as a woman. Also knowing that several of my friends were pregnant at the same time really made this a good experience.
I'll always remember the day we found out we were pregnant, the countless doctors appointments and the physical changes. I'll remember the day I noticed my tummy was growing and the maternity clothes shopping I did at the mall. I'll remember the day I felt the flutters and the priceless sonograms we saw that determined that our baby was going to be a girl. I'll remember the childbirth classes Jon and I took together and the books we read together. Oh and how can I forget the baby registries I set up? That was fun! Can't forget the baby furniture we bought and the many wonderful baby gifts we received (and are still receiving).
Yes, this has all been a great experience. I've read that some women miss being pregnant for various reasons. I think part of me will miss it a little especially the special treatment I have been getting. But I'm ready to start being a mother and building new memories.

38 weeks

Hello! Yesterday I had my weekly OB appointment. This time the doctor was late due to an emergency so Jon and I had to wait a little bit. I did gain some weight this week and my blood pressure was slightly elevated but overall I'm doing very well. The baby's heart rate was good. When the doctor finally showed up he gave me a pelvic exam to check my cervix. My cervix is still closed but starting to soften. So far he says that it could be anytime - meaning two days to two weeks! Oh the suspense! Jon and I are so ready to get things going.
This Saturday we will be taking an infant/child CPR course at the hospital so I'm looking forward to that. I think that's very important. Well, that's all for now. Still having difficulty sleeping and still waddling around. But I'm happy and excited about our little girl getting here soon!

Grandma Baby Shower

Hello everyone! Just wanted to say thank you to my mom for hosting a baby shower in Corpus Christi last Saturday for me even though I couldn't make it. It sounded like it was a lot of fun and I can't wait to see pictures! I wish we had the capability of video conferencing so I could see everyone and participate. Jon and I are so thankful for everyone's generosity, support and enthusiasm! We are definitely ready for our baby girl to get here.
It's so sweet to think our daughter will be calling our parents "grandma" and "grandpa". But the biggest change will be when she calls us "mom" and "dad". That's going to be awesome! I don't feel like a mom though because I still feel like a kid.
Well, baby girl's doing great so far - keeping me up with her kicks and squirming around. My next appointment is Thursday so I'll blog again soon.

37 weeks

Hi! This morning I had my OB appointment and everything's looking really good. My blood pressure is good, I'm not swelling, and I even lost a pound. I think the reason I lost weight was because I have been drinking lots of fluids since last week's appointment. The baby's heartbeat was good too. The doctor went over some things with us about what to do when my water breaks or if I start bleeding or start having contractions. Bottom line, he just wants me to come into labor and delivery to be checked out. He also said I have gained only 21 pounds and that's pretty good. Next week I'll have a pelvic exam to check for effacement and dialation. Fun!
Before Jon and I went into see the doctor we saw a couple that was in our childbirth class in December. So we got to visit with them and found out they are two weeks away from their due date. It was nice to compare notes on nurseries and other baby things. Randy and Kelly are really nice people and they are about our age. They are also expecting a girl. It'd be neat if we both went into labor at the same time.
After my appointment Jon and I had lunch at Mimi's Cafe. It seems we're always there but it's so close to the hospital we just can't pass it up! It's our tradition now I guess. Well that's all for now. Thanks for checking in!

Hard to move

Hi! Well, today I'm feeling much better than I was on Saturday and Sunday. It was very hard to move around because of the pressure and baby weight I was feeling. I did manage to get out Saturday for a short drive. Even that was an effort. Sunday my body just would not cooperate. We actually decided to go look at a few baby stores and thought we'd take the truck in case we got any furniture. Getting in and out of the truck was an olympic event for me! Jon felt bad but he was there to push me in and pull me out. After a few places we decided to get a changing table-dresser at Lone Star Baby in North Richland Hills. We brought it home and thank goodness it was already assembled! It's a really pretty cherry wood color. It doesn't exactly go with the crib color but that's ok with us. After putting the table in the nursery we went to lunch at Uncle Julio's in Grapevine. I was so incredibly hungry I ordered 3 enchiladas. We also had guacamole as an appetizer. The baby kept squirming and kicking while I ate. I keep forgetting that my stomach can only hold so much food since it's practically being squashed by the baby. Still, I managed to eat 2 1/2 enchiladas. Once we got home and got comfy I almost dozed off to sleep. What a long day for us!
This morning it was hard to get going but as soon as I gave myself a pep talk and started getting dressed I felt better. My body moved a lot better too. So I went to the library and read some magazines and walked around the stacks. Getting in and out of the car is a little easier for me. This afternoon I started putting things in the changing table-dresser and washing baby things. I can't believe baby girl will be here soon! We are ready to get things going!

Getting close

Hello! Yesterday I had my OB appointment and wouldn't you know it our doctor had a delivery upstairs so we had to wait awhile to be seen. I got a sonogram and it was difficult to determine what I was seeing because the baby is now about 6 pounds and taking up a lot of room in my uterus! The heartbeat was good and she moved around a little. When the doctor finally saw me he looked at the sono pictures and thought the amniotic fluid might be low. So he redid the sono and said everything was fine. If the fluid was low I would've stayed overnight in the hospital on an IV! My next appointment is next week. According to him I'm 36 weeks along and doing very well. I only gained 0.4 pounds since last time.
I have to admit both Jon and I were stunned when we found out the possibility of me staying in the hospital overnight. I'm getting closer to my due date so anything is possible. After we left the doctor's office we had dinner at my favorite place, Mimi's Cafe. I was so hungry and thirsty. I ate everything on my plate and drank lots of raspberry tea. I slept on and off all night and eventually had breakfast with Jon before he left for work this morning. I finally went back to sleep for a good 3 hours.
I think from now on when I have OB appointments, I'll be taking my hospital bag with me for "just in case".

What a pain!

Hello again! I'm 35 weeks prego and feeling the weight of it all...literally! The last few days I've been experiencing lots of pelvic discomfort or pain. This happens when I get up from sitting or lying down. Sometimes when I start walking I feel pressure and then after awhile it goes away for a bit. I called the nurse and found out it's normal. It's just so uncomfortable. The baby's pressing on my bladder all the time and now this. I'm not really complaining I'm just getting to the point where everything's becoming a real effort. Right now I'm sitting in the home office blogging and I feel fine. But as soon as I get up I'll have that soreness. Guess my body's telling me to go slow. Oh, and then this morning I had a leg cramp which hurt like heck! I almost had one on the other leg but thank goodness I didn't. Thursday's my next appointment with my OB so we'll see what he says about all this.
Oh, I have to tell you that I went back to visit my former colleagues at Everest College last Thursday. The president and everyone else said I was looking pretty good for being so far along. I got to see some of my students and that made me feel good. I'm so glad I decided to stop working in January. I don't think I could handle the classes and the chaos of the school right now.

Baby stuff, doughnuts and Asian food

Hello! Today I'm feeling pretty good. Yesterday I was a bit run down and I think it's because I forgot to take my prenatal vitamins. This morning I woke up ready to do something fun. So Jon and I took some comforters to the laundromat first thing this morning - how fun! LOL But then we went to Babies R Us on a small spending spree. We ordered a changing table/dresser combo, got a changing pad, pad covers, mattress covers, a bath tub and a baby monitor. We were the one of the first people in the store which made our shopping experience really nice. After that we came across a Krispy Kreme store and just had to get some doughnuts. I'd never been in a Krispy Kreme so it was kind of neat seeing the doughnuts being made. We got a dozen doughnuts for "later". Then it was off to Home Depot and finally lunch at Pei Wei. I think the baby really enjoyed the food because she was so active as I was eating. When we got home we dove right into our doughnuts and right now we're having a sugar crash.
I have to say that our nursery is coming along quite nicely. Once the changing table comes in we'll definitely have more storage for all the receiving blankets I've received so far plus the many bibs, socks and hats that are currently in bags. I've got to thank my brother and sister-in-law for the nice hand me downs of my niece's clothes. I can't wait to dress our baby up!!

Contractions?

Hi! I think I may have had a couple of Braxton-Hicks contractions early this morning. I woke up around 2AM feeling some cramps in my abdomen and lower back. I guess they were like the cramps you get when you're on your period. Anyway, I walked around the house and had some water and then looked up some info online about contractions. After awhile I went back to sleep and tried to relax. I didn't wake Jon because the cramps didn't come back and I actually slept. But as usual baby girl decided to have a party and started moving around and kicking. Sometimes I think she's my alarm clock. I'm 35 weeks along now and getting anxious for baby girl's birthday.

Baby Shower #2

The parents-to-be posing with our awesome cake.

Setting up for the baby shower.

Lourdes, me and Lia.

Hello! Saturday was our second baby shower but this time it was at our house. Lourdes and Lia did an awesome job planning and decorating for the shower. The food was really good too: bbq meatballs, pasta salad, veggie, cheese and fruit trays, chips and dips, stuffed mushrooms, cake, punch and soft drinks. It was a long day for me and Jon but we enjoyed it so much. My family came and so did Jon's folks. We had about 21 people at the shower. We played some games: how many ounces of M&Ms in the bottle, the sonogram game and advice for mom and dad. Ofcourse opening gifts was the highlight for me. We got so many cute and useful things for the baby. I ended up with 3 Winnie the Pooh diaper bags! Talk about duplicates. I also got some cute clothes and bibs. After the shower Jon and I visited with my family and then we had to sleep! I was so tired Sunday but I couldn't really nap. We met my family for lunch before they left and came back home to relax. When we pulled up to our house, our friends Danny and Kristi had been waiting for us. They thought the shower was Sunday! It was so good to see them and their new baby, Josh.

We are so blessed to have wonderful friends and family. We really appreciate their support and enthusiasm. It's getting closer to baby time!