8/9/10 Has Come and Gone

Well, my due date has come and gone and we are trying to stay patient for peanut's arrival. We were hoping our baby would have the coolest birth date ever (8/9/10), but at least they will always have the coolest due date ever :) At this point, we are hoping I go into labor by the end of the weekend, because our midwife, Meg, is going on vacation as of Monday. We've been working with her throughout our pregnancy and would really like her to be there for the delivery. We've met with all of the ob/gyns in the practice and they are all nice, so I'm not concerned about having one of them at the delivery instead; I'd just prefer to have Meg there instead.

We had an ultrasound yesterday to check the baby's growth and it looks like the growth slowed only a little, but it's still in the normal range. The estimates for weight went from the 78th percentile to the 80th percentile, and now to the 70th percentile. The technician said that the estimate for weight (give or take a pound) is 8.5 lbs at this point. In addition, we were told that all of the amniotic fluid levels look good, the heartbeat is in normal range (147 beats/min.), and the baby is in the proper head-down position for birth. These are all great things to hear and be happy about, and we're glad that the baby's doing well in there.

That said, here's to hoping the baby decides it's time to be born this week. If he or she doesn't, I'll be posting an update on Monday after our doctor's appointment!

Watermelon

Yesterday Jason and I went to the grocery store together to do a little shopping. While in the produce aisle, we came across these small "personal watermelons" and I said to Jason that that they probably weighed as much as a baby. We decided to weigh a couple of different ones and compared an 8 pound one to a 5.5 pound one. Jason and I were both floored with how heavy the 8 pound watermelon felt in our hands. I think it gave us both something to think about, especially if our baby is as big as they say it'll probably be. I think it also gave Jason even more appreciation than he already has for how tiring carrying around this extra weight is becoming!

The Nursery

On Monday evening, Jason and I got home from a day out and we happily surprised that our paintings and things had been hung on our walls. The story behind that is that we have plaster walls and last time we tried to hang things, we ended up with a big mess and lots of holes! For about a year, we had been meaning to put in a work order to have the maintenance people come and hang some things and finally got around to it with the baby on the way. What that means is that the nursery is officially done! In case the pictures don't really show it, the walls are a light sage green. We're really happy with how it all came together and are now just patiently awaiting "peanut's" arrival.









Oh, and this last picture is of a special gift Jason got for his 30th birthday from our best friend Lauren. It's on the wall right outside the baby's room.

37 Weeks Down, 3 Weeks To Go

There honestly isn't too much to report, but I thought it would be nice to write an update nonetheless. Here's the latest picture I took (at 36.5 weeks) with the camera on our computer.



I think it's a really flattering picture of me and my growing belly. That said, I'll be happy when I get my body back and don't have to pee every 45 minutes or get kicked in the ribs (*smile*).

Jason and I have been getting ready for the baby little by little these last few weeks and are feeling really good. We've installed the car seat, completed the nursery (with the exception of hanging things on the walls), packed our bags and loaded them in the car, and a whole host of other odds and ends. Pretty much, we're as ready as I think we're going to be.

Last night, I had gotten a few pains and thought they might be Braxton-Hicks contractions, but I am doubting that now. I think the baby was just laying funny and nowadays, any pains trigger a thought that this could be it. Jason noticed that Emma was being really needy and wouldn't leave either of us alone. He asked me if I had been feeling anything and when I told him, "yeah I think so," he was smiling (but on the inside was a little like "whoa"). Needless to say, we're both on alert, but are trying to enjoy the last vestiges of our time as a family of two.

I've been feeling well on the whole, although I had some scary swollen feet and ankles for 3 or 4 days last week that were painful and a bit worrisome. I'm glad that my feet have returned and my ankles are at their "normal" pregnancy swelling rate. Other than that, my only other issue has been getting back to sleep after my 3-4am bathroom trip; most nights I can go back to sleep just fine, but I've had a few nights where I couldn't and was up for the day at that point. Two minor complaints aren't so bad. Jason and I are still going for walks on the rail trail (although they are only 2-2.5 miles now) and swimming laps at the Hotchkiss pool. I feel so much better when I exercise, so I hope to be able to keep it up until delivery day. So far, so good!

We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and everything checked out fine. Our midwife said things were really good overall: my blood pressure, urine, weight gain, baby's heartbeat, etc. I did test positive for Strep B, which just means I need to have two doses of antibiotic once I go into labor before the baby is delivered. I guess around 30% of pregnant women have it, so it's nothing to be too concerned about. We're just rolling with the punches.

Finally, we thought we might be having another ultrasound next week to check the baby's growth, but she said we'll wait until my due date (if the baby hasn't arrived) to do it. We've been spoiled with so many chances to see "peanut" that I guess I shouldn't be too disappointed. Before you know it, we'll get to meet "peanut" in person! We really can't wait!

34 Week Ultrasound Pictures!

Yesterday, Jason and I went for an ultrasound at 34 weeks. We were supposed to go at 36 weeks, but the baby had been doing this weird thing and so our midwife decided to bump it up. The best way I can describe it that it feels like the baby is vibrating quickly in my belly. Kind of like if you put your cell phone up to your stomach. Maybe even like the baby is getting the shivers or something in there. So we went for the ultrasound to make sure everything looked normal, and it did. The ultrasound technician even pointed out that the baby was practicing breathing (even though they don't breathe in there, since they are in fluid and get oxygen from the umbilical cord) which is a sign of fetal well-being. That was all Jason and I needed to hear.

While we were at it, the technician checked the growth again. The last time we had an ultrasound, the baby was about 4 lbs and I was 30.5 weeks along, which put the baby in the 78th percentile for weight. This time, the baby weighed in at 5 lbs. 14 oz. and I am 34 weeks along, which put the baby in the 80th percentile. So it just looks like we are going to have a bigger baby. The baby is gaining weight as it should be and is not jumping up in weight or anything; it's on the same trajectory as it was about a month ago, which is good. We were told we'll have another ultrasound to check growth again, probably around 37 or 38 weeks.

It was amazing seeing little peanut again. Here are two 3D pictures we got. The arm and hand were in front of his or her face, so these were the best we could get. So amazing!

Our Long Island Baby Shower and Nephew Zach's 1st Birthday!

This past weekend we had a big celebratory weekend in Long Island. My mom and sister threw me a lovely baby shower with our family and friends and we all had a great time.




It was held at my sister's house in Floral Park and was very cozy and intimate. We got many wonderful gifts: a handmade quilt and sweater set, cute little outfits, books, bottles, our bedding set, and much more! We now have just about everything we need for little peanut's arrival.












There were lots of little touches with me in mind, including calla lilies in the flower arrangements, yummy Long Island food favorites, my mom's homemade mini carrot cakes, and a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cake with the cutest message! The favors were adorable too (but I don't have a picture handy): my mom and sister made lime scented soy candles that were just beautiful and smelled amazing!










It was great to see family and friends and it was special for so many people to travel so far for the occasion.










Also, it was great to have some little ones around too. My cousin Susan's baby Ryan is 3 months old...





...as is our friend Amy's baby Juniper.





It was so fun to see Jason holding a little babe. Of course he's all smiles!



And last but not least, my cutie nephew Zach was walking all around. He turns 1 tomorrow on June 30th!








It was a great day and I felt very loved and supported by so many wonderful people. It doesn't get much better than that!



Then on Sunday, we stayed in Long Island for our nephew Zach's first birthday party. The little guy is now walking around on his own and is quite the explorer! It was a really nice gathering with close family and a few close friends.








Zachie got lots of nice presents...










...and had his first taste of chocolate and ice cream for the second time ever!

















It was a great weekend and we left Long Island very full from good food, friendship, and family love :)

Addendum to 30.5 week Ultrasound post

I had a doctor's appointment on Friday and found out an interesting little tidbit about the ultrasound we had the week before: Peanut's weight at around 4 lbs. puts him or her in the 78th percentile. Our midwife, Meg, told me we would definitely not be having a 6 lb baby, but probably more like an 8 or 9 pounder. Also, it is possible that this calculation of the baby's weight could be off. However, she said based on the baby's size at this point that we'll schedule a 36 week ultrasound so we can track the growth of the baby. I'm glad we'll get to see peanut one last time before he or she arrives. The pictures are better and better each time!

30.5 Week Ultrasound Pictures!

It seems today is a busy blogging day for me, since I've been a little lax lately with the updates. Jason and I have been looking forward to today's ultrasound since last week when we scheduled it and it was more amazing than we'd planned on it being. We got a couple of good pictures of the baby; one profile picture (those "bubbles" are the umbilical cord!) and one picture straight on of peanut's face.





The ultrasound technician did a bunch of measurements and gave us a ballpark range of the baby's growth. She estimated that the baby now weighs around 4 pounds! This got me a little alarmed, since the baby books I've been reading say the baby is approximately 3 pounds at 30 weeks. However, the ultrasound technician reassured me that 4 pounds was a normal weight and that it may even be off a little bit. Also, she said that since I was born at over 8 pounds and Jason was around 10 pounds, that we're genetically likely to have a "good-sized baby."

The last thing the technician was able to do is to take a 3D picture of the baby's face! It was so amazing to see this two dimensional snapshot change into a three dimensional image. She had to cut away some of the "noise" in the picture, which really made the features of the face stand out. The right side of the face is much clearer than the left. She tried several times to get another, but peanut kept putting his/her hands up, or turning away. We can't stop looking at the baby's beautiful features and we're more and more excited to meet this little cherub soon.

Putting Together the Stroller, Our Hotchkiss Baby Shower and Setting up the Crib

After driving 5 hours home from our weekend in Rochester, Jason just couldn't wait to put together the Stroller and Pack n' Play! I was able to get one good picture of him hard at work. He's so excited to be a papa and I feel lucky to have him as a partner in this incredible journey.



Then, last Tuesday some friends from Hotchkiss threw us a baby shower here on campus. It was held at Letty's house, and together with Liz and Elsie, they put on a wonderful event. There were probably around 30+ people there and everyone brought a sweet or savory dish to share. Good food, good friends, and many gifts to open. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share. We were given little outfits, bath items, and books, to name a few. The group gift that many people contributed to was a large gift card to Buy Buy Baby which will help us out tremendously. It was so nice to have everyone together to celebrate with us. We feel lucky to have the love and support of so many people in the community.

The next day, Jason's mom Kim came to visit and brought some of the baby's furniture we got in Rochester. My mom's big gift to us was the crib and we bought the dresser (which we'll use also as a changing table). Jason and his mom carried both pieces of furniture up to our third floor apartment (what troopers!) and shortly after, Jason was hard at work putting the crib together.



Unfortunately, we ran into a little snag, as one of the side rails did not have the correct screw holes drilled....or something like that. We called the company and a new side rail is on its way. We don't have a completed picture of the crib because of this snag, and also, we're waiting until we get the bedding to show off the nursery. We've also got lots and lots of organizing to do in that room, and all of our closets need some weeding out and revamping. I guess you'll just have to be in suspense just a little bit longer!