Raise Money for Charity

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I found a new internet search thingy. It works just like Google and I have gotten decent results with it. Only with each search you do, it donates money to the charity of your choice.

The site is www.goodsearch.com and you can type in the name of a charity to see if they are registered. If so, the money will get donated toward them. You can also register a new charity and start raising money for that one.

I am using the searches to raise money for a children’s home where I interned in college. It’s Show Me Christian Youth Home, in La Monte, Mo. I would love it if you helped me support them! Or raise money for the cause of your choice- at least we are supporting more than just Google and advertisements by using this one

Doctor Stuff and New Belly Pics

Filed Under Belly Pictures, Pregnancy, Sleep | 3 Comments

Most recent picture- taken today at 37 weeks, 5 days

Wow… I thought I was going to take a “short” maybe one hour nap and just wasted the past three hours of a perfectly good afternoon! I guess that’s the point of not working, though- I can rest when I need to.

This morning my doctor had me come in to my appointment earlier because I called her with a concern about swelling. Until now it has just been my feet and hands, but this morning I noticed it was also in my legs and my face. Yuck. They checked my urine and blood pressure, and everything was normal. So it really is just horrible water retention. I don’t feel like my feet even look human. My toes look like they’re going to pop off. The doctor said I should be drinking as much water as possible and put my feet up when I can. Which I’ve already done. Other than that, she said the only thing that will help is having the baby.

Dr K did an internal exam this week and man, did it hurt a lot more than the one last week! I don’t know if it’s just because of her hand size or what, but it was pretty bad. She was apologizing while she did it because I think my face was showing everything. Plus, last time I was probably more calm and relaxed because Jonathon was in there holding my hand. This time I was alone and my mom was out in the waiting room. She drove me to my appointment after being concerned about the swelling.

The results: Now at 75% and 3 cm! Yay! Of course that doesn’t really mean anything for sure, but she said she hoped that next time she saw me would be in the hospital and not at her office She also mentioned that I was “doing well” for a first baby and I’m ahead of where most women are at this point in the pregnancy. So was my mom when she was pregnant with me (her only baby) and she delivered two weeks early, with five hours from the first contraction until I came out! So maybe these will be my last belly pictures before she comes out… but I don’t want to get my hopes up too much!

Swelling

Filed Under Doctor Stuff, Pregnancy, Symptoms | 4 Comments

Just a quick update- I have my 37 week dr appt today- was supposed to be at noon but I am freakishly swollen, including my face, so doctor told me to come in sooner and just get checked. On my way out the door!

EDITED:

I am fine. No protein in urine, blood pressure is normal, etc etc. Just horrible water retention, apparently. Things are fine and in fact I have progressed even more. Details later- and I will post my 37 week pictures- but I am going to take a nap first.

Keeping Busy and Feeling Better

Filed Under Clothes, Friends | 1 Comment

I am in a much better mood today. Some days suck lately, and some are great. I have determined that the biggest difference is when I have stuff to keep me busy.

Today I met a friend for lunch at Bread Company (aka Panera, for you non-St. Louisans) and we had a nice time. I feel like I am trying to get together with everyone “one last time” before the baby comes. After that I went to the mall and did some shopping. Picked up a bachelorette party gift for a friend, so that was fun to shop for. (If you are reading this, you know who you are, and I need to get your gift to you soon since I can’t make it to the big night out).

Went to Janie and Jack and exchanged a 0-3 month swimming suit for one for next summer. It was really cute but I just can’t see her swimming when she’s a month old. It even has ruffles on the back
And we already had another one for later this summer with a matching sun hat. I think she will have to get pictures taken in that. Went to Baby Gap and bought her a jean skirt and pink shirt. Much cuter in real life, and the stitching on the skirt is actually pink, but here are the pics from their website:

So that was good entertainment for my afternoon… then I got home and had a fun package waiting for me at my front door! If you remember Henry, the little boy I used to take care of, it was from his family. Some cute girly clothes from Gymboree (and NOT all newborn sizes!!) and shoes and a hairbow, and a cloth book. It is so fun to see how much people love Bailey already and how excited everyone is about her birth

Tonight I am meeting with the other bridesmaids from the wedding I’m in this July. We are going to start planning the shower, which will be in late May at my house. We’re doing an outdoor/barbecue-theme kind of shower so it should be fun and different. Don’t want to say too much about it here in case Renee reads this!

Anyway, the fact that I am having such a good day today makes me realize that I need to keep busier- not like crazy busy, but just have things to do. When I sit on the couch too long I drive myself crazy. Thank God I never was on bedrest. I would be nuts by now. I really admire the women who have been through that.

Seriously

Filed Under Pregnancy, Symptoms | Leave a Comment

I am very tired of being pregnant. I want to meet my baby. I love having her in me, but I would like to have her out of me a lot more at this point.

My main complaints:

-back pain
-swollen ankles and feet
-rib pain (drop, Bailey, drop!)
-hands get tingly
-can’t get comfortable sleeping

The Finished Product

Filed Under Nursery, Pregnancy | 2 Comments

Here is our nursery! Yes, it is finally finished. Now all we need is Bailey to go in it. Come out, please!

Full Moon April 2

Filed Under Birth, Pregnancy, Random | 1 Comment

The next full moon in our area is on April 2nd, according to this website.

U.S. Naval Observatory
Astronomical Applications Department

Sun and Moon Data for One Day

The following information is provided for St. Louis

Monday
2 April 2007 Universal Time – 5h

SUN
Begin civil twilight 06:18
Sunrise 06:45
Sun transit 13:04
Sunset 19:25
End civil twilight 19:52

MOON
Moonrise 18:43 on preceding day
Moon transit 00:42
Moonset 06:33
Moonrise 19:42
Moonset 06:54 on following day

Full Moon on 2 April 2007 at 12:15 (Universal Time – 5h).

Maybe you’re not thrilled by this information- or maybe you are wondering why the heck I even care. Well, I’m not into astronomy or moon phases or any of that stuff at all. I couldn’t care less about weather stuff, either. BUT: I have heard from multiple people, including maternity floor hospital staff, that tons more babies are born during a full moon.

So I think I am mentally changing my due date to April 2nd or 3rd. Just for fun.

36 Weeks, 5 Days- Pictures and Dr Appt

Filed Under Belly Pictures, Pregnancy, Symptoms | 5 Comments

My belly, taken a few days ago by Jonathon.

Wow… I feel really round…

So today we had our “36 Week” appointment, although I am technically almost 37 weeks now, which my doctor considers full term. Nothing but good news today. First I did the routine pee-in-a-cup and blood pressure stuff. My blood pressure was 130/76 which is a little higher than normal for me, but I was pretty nervous today between the upcoming internal exam and also having a different doctor. He measured my uterus, which always means nothing to me, and checked the baby’s heartbeat which he said was just fine.

He also showed me where Bailey’s body parts are this time. He said she hasn’t “fully dropped” or whatever but that she’s on her way, and definitely head down. Her spine is on my left side and the pokey things over to my right are her feet. Her butt is the big hard thing above my belly button, which I kind of guessed. He said she will probably stay head down now but that the side she’s facing could definitely change.

Sidenote: Why am I saying “he?” My regular doctor is out of the office this week (I’m not really sure why because I think she’s in town, but both Dr. K and the other female doctor in the practice are gone for something right now. So I had to see the male Dr. K instead, who was a little older and a little quirky but very nice.

Anyway, the exciting news is that I am already dilated 2 cm and 65% effaced. Please don’t ask me what that means for sure, because I know it has something to do with thinning of the cervix, but if it’s already open a little bit I’m not sure how it can still be thinning. Anyway, it was good news. Jonathon also asked if my mucus plug had come out yet. For some reason he has been pretty interested in this. I guess he’s just a boy and he likes gross body stuff. The doctor said he didn’t really believe in a “plug” but more like it could come out a little at a time, but that if I had one to begin with it was definitely gone now.

In the doctor’s exact words, “Will you deliver this weekend? I doubt it, but I wouldn’t fall off my stool if it happened. Will you ever see your due date pregnant? No.” He said that his best “guess” would be maybe next week or even more likely the week after. Which means at 37 or 38 weeks, and I would be very, very happy.

I have been feeling okay for the most part. Just some cramping that feels like my period is going to start, but apparently that’s my cervix doing what it’s supposed to do, so I really can’t complain too much. Sometimes when I walk it feels like Bailey’s head is banging against my bladder or my pelvic bones or something. Last night I had the joy of waking up about every 30-40 minutes. I guess I’m getting ready to be up all the time with a newborn

Consumed

Filed Under Pregnancy, Thoughts | 1 Comment

I can’t think about anything right now except for Bailey. How she’s doing, how I feel, what she will look like, getting things ready…

I found a quote today that kind of sums up how I feel already.

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”

Jonathon’s Baby Shower

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The other day at work, Jonathon’s boss and another woman threw a baby shower for him. I knew about it ahead of time, but it was a complete surprise for him! Everyone at his work just loves him and really made it a nice time for him. We were overwhelmed by the generosity and thoughtfulness of his coworkers. We were given a carseat (the next step up), quite a few things from our registries, of course a ton of clothes, and some gift cards. Thank you so much to everyone there!

They managed to get a picture of Jonathon as he entered the room- the shower was actually held in the technology office (not his office) and he thought he was coming down to discuss something with his boss.

Picture of the office before the shower started- they did a cute job decorating and making it look less like a boring technology office!

One of the departments made us a really cute diaper cake- I have seen these before but it was fun actually getting one I think I am going to do this for the next baby shower I go to.

Opening gifts

Jonathon with Bev and Kathy, the two ladies who planned the shower for him (one is his boss, the other works in the business office and is also coincidentally the sister of our hairdresser).

36 Weeks- almost full term!

Filed Under Pregnancy, Week by Week | Leave a Comment

According to www.babycenter.com:

How your baby’s growing: Your baby is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is a little less than 19 inches long. She’s shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected her skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in her bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become her first bowel movement. Jonathon thought she was already pooping in me. I had to explain it to him today.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term; a baby born before 37 weeks is pre-term and after 42 is post-term.) Most likely she’s in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery, but if she isn’t in the next week, your provider may suggest scheduling an “external cephalic version,” which is a fancy way of saying she’ll try to coax your baby into a head-down position manually, by manipulating her from the outside of your belly. Dr. K is pretty sure she is already head down, but we’ll know for sure on Thursday at my… drumroll…. first internal exam!!! Well, first one since about twelve weeks when I had to get a pap smear

How your life’s changing:
While your baby continues to grow and crowd your internal organs, you may find that you’re not as hungry as you were a few weeks ago. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to drop down lower in your pelvis. This dropping — called lightening or engagement — is more likely to happen before labor if this is your first baby. When it does, though, you may feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, making walking increasingly uncomfortable. Some women say it feels as though they’re carrying a bowling ball between their legs, or as if the baby is going to fall out. (Don’t worry, she won’t!)

You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are a little more frequent now. Be sure to review with your practitioner exactly when and where to call her when you think your labor has started. As a general rule, you should call when you start having regular contractions coming every five minutes for about an hour. Of course, you’ll want to call right away if you’re not yet 37 weeks and have signs of preterm labor. You should also call without delay if your water breaks (or if you even think you’re leaking amniotic fluid), if you notice a decrease in your baby’s activity, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, severe headaches, abdominal pain, or changes in your vision. Yes, I’ve been having a lot more contractions lately. Painful ones, too. My doctor didn’t seem concerned at my last visit, but we’ll get to see on Thursday whether all this pain has caused any changes in my body yet.

Hospital Packing List

Filed Under Birth, Pregnancy | 8 Comments

Edited with updates to my packing list- by the way the bag is packed now and here’s what we have:

Me
comfortable cotton pants
nursing-type shirt and extra shirts
2 nursing bras
maternity clothes to wear home
socks
old undies
slippers
lotion
chapstick
saline/nasal wash (I’ve heard this is good since the hospital is so dry)
extra contacts and solution- I don’t wear glasses but I have been told I can keep contacts in during L&D at this hospital
flip flops
ponytail holders and jaws clippies
nail file
deoderant/shampoo/conditioner/toothbrush/toothpaste
hairbrush
makeup
cell phone charger and phone list to call people
Baby Whisperer book to read
Sudoku puzzle book and pencils- just in case I am in labor for hours and hours
breast pads
maxi pads
notebook and pens
pillow
my Care Bear fleece blanket

Labor
massager
rice socks
cd and/or dvds
extra chapstick
lollipops

Jonathon
change of clothes (we only live 20 mins from the hospital so most likely he will go back home at some point during my stay)
pajama pants
video camera/charger/extension cord (NOT videoing the birth, FYI)
digital camera/charger
possibly laptop- does anyone know if my particular hospital has wi-fi?
toothbrush/paste/deoderant
change for vending machines

Bailey
2 onesies
outfit for pictures- including hat and bow depending on her head situation
2 blanket options for picture background
going home outfit
socks
pacifier

WHAT ARE WE FORGETTING???

Blackout Dates

Filed Under Birth, Pregnancy, Random | 1 Comment

I had a realization- Bailey cannot be born on certain days. I thought my MIL’s birthday was on Wednesday the 14th, but it’s actually on Monday the 19th. So she can’t be born on Monday. I really don’t want them to share a birthday. I want Bailey to have her OWN birthday! (If you have read my previous posts about in-laws you will understand that there is also a greater issue here).

The other day she can’t be born is TOMORROW! Not on St. Patrick’s Day. Yes, I realize Bailey is a good Irish name, and in fact our last name is Irish too… but then her whole life people will be like, “Oh, a St. Patty’s Day birthday! Blah blah blah…” I’d like to pass on the holiday birthdays.

If we can make it past these two dates, then we just have to watch out for April Fool’s Day. Although that wouldn’t really be a big deal at all. It might be kind of fun. And Easter, that would be cool too but it changes every year anyway.

So, Bailey, if you are listening: You cannot come out tomorrow or Monday.

Thank you.

These Three Things

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1. I am officially done working until late August! Yay! Today I went to the mall and got a nursing bra from Motherhoood- then went to Wal-mart and returned a few things that we had gotten duplicates of, and used the store credit to order my new contact lenses. Which are not cheap, thanks to my newly discovered astigmatism. At least I’ll finally be able to see. Darn Clarkson Eyecare for never diagnosing that before.

2. Today is the 15th. My due date is April 14th. That means we have less than a month until “D-day.”

3. I like to look at the ticker at the top of my blog to see how many days I have left. Today I was extremely shocked to notice that the little baby has now moved to the last square/month! This is it- we are nearing the end. It seems like not so long ago that she was the little shrimp thing two from the left.

Baby Shower 3/10

Filed Under Pregnancy, Showers | 3 Comments

Here are some pictures (finally!) from my baby shower last Saturday. It was at my friend Jen’s house, given by her, another friend named Jen, and Laura. They did a great job putting everything together. It was so cute and the atmosphere was very fun and relaxed. I think there were about 14-15 people there, so a good turnout. I appreciate all the work everyone did with planning, and Jonathon and I are so thankful for all the gifts! We got lots of clothes, a bathtub, and some other big items including our Pack n Play.

Me with the hostess, Jen