38 week update

I turned 38 weeks yesterday. Yay! The days go by slowly but the weeks go by quickly. We had a doctor appointment yesterday (Josh has been coming to all of the appts- such an invested Dad already). Still 1cm dilated and 60% effaced with a very soft cervix. I wasn't disappointed that there wasn't any change because I know it doesn't mean much. Dr. Song said it could be any day now. I told her that I hadn't felt her move quite as much that day but I wasn't too concerned because I had felt movement throughout the day. I think Dr. Song had a case of CYA because she ordered a NST for me (Non-Stress Test). They hooked up two monitors to my belly and had me lay on a chair for about an hour. One monitor tracked the baby's heart rate and the other tracked contractions and movement. (For some reason) they were surprised to see that I had fairly strong contractions every 4-5 minutes that lasted 60-90 seconds. Braxton Hicks contractions normally only last about 20 seconds and come very sporadically (not in a consistent pattern). The good news is that Claire responded well to the contractions- her heart rate didn't dip at all. After having constant contractions the past 2+ months, I have become quite in tune with my body because I would say, "I think a contraction is starting" and then a few seconds later it would show up on the screen. Claire had good movement throughout the test so they weren't concerned. Based on the frequency and length of contractions, it should be any day now! Dr. Song also said that she thinks I am going to have a quick labor. With all of these contractions my body has gotten a lot of "practice" in and she thinks it will respond very well to labor. Her quick labor prediction is also based on the state of my cervix. I am all about quick labor- as long as it's not dangerously quick!

We are just so excited to meet Claire. I want her out NOW! :) And the reason I want her out is much more about being excited to finally meet her and be with her than it is about wanting to be done being pregnant. True, I have a terrible time sleeping and I'm uncomfortable, but I think I'm doing pretty well for being 38 weeks. We just want to be with our baby girl and begin our family. I was hoping she'd come last weekend so I took a super long walk on Saturday and made spicy pasta. No luck. Every night I go to bed I think, maybe tonight!

We are very, very sad to say we won't be attending Heather and Sean's wedding in Wisconsin on Saturday. It breaks our hearts that we can't be with them on the most important day of their life. We will definitely be there in spirit and be praying for them and thinking of them all day long. We love you guys. We hope you understand.

Full-term!!

I am full-term today! Yay!!! That is so exciting. Back when I was admitted to L&D at 31 weeks I set my goal at April 6th (I wanted to make it at least this far) and now here I am!

I had a doctor appt this morning. I am still 1 cm dilated but am now 60% effaced and the cervix is "very soft". My doctor said the effacement and softening is more indicative of impending labor than the dilation so we were happy with the progress! She said I could go any day but it's likely they'll see me at my appt next Monday.

We're feeling prepared, except for not having the car seat installed yet. About 10 times per day people ask me, "are you getting excited?" Ahh! We HAVE been excited! We aren't just getting excited now! True, it's exciting that it could happen any day (and somewhat nerve-wrecking for planners like me because I have no control!), but we've been so excited about this baby ever since we found out about her last August, so no, we're not getting excited. :)

Here is a 37 week picture. She has dropped so low that Josh and I actually think I look smaller than I did a couple weeks ago. Notice my new haircut too :)

Update

Oh goodness, so much has happened since my last update at 31 weeks when we were admitted to Labor and Delivery! The good news is that Claire has shown some patience and I'm (obviously!) still pregnant!

I had three beautiful baby showers. I am so grateful and appreciative of the hostesses that threw my showers. Angela, Pam, Sarah, Amy, Heather, Bethanie, Ashley, and a couple others at work. What great memories that I will always treasure!

Sarah and Erik got married March 14th and I was a very pregnant Matron of Honor! The wedding was gorgeous and so much fun! I luckily fit into my dress and was told I didn't look like Barney too much (it was purple)! I'll try to post pictures soon.

We took a little road trip with Jeff, Annie, Bethanie and Barry March 20-22 to visit Heather and Sean in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. They are getting married April 18th- very soon! It was so nice to see them. The girls had a fun day on Saturday shopping and going out for lunch and dinner and the guys had fun playing paintball and bar hopping until 2:30AM for Sean's bachelor party. That will be the last time Josh is at a bar until bar close for a long time!

Now we're in full-blown baby preparation mode! We have put the stroller and pack-n-play together, figured out how the car seat works (trickier than you'd think!), washed the baby's newborn and 0-3 month clothes, purchased her 'coming home' outfit, cleaned out the garage, bought some last minute supplies, and started packing the hospital bag (in the bag so far = chapstick and sweat pants, haha).

I had a doctor appt last Monday. I was 36 weeks exactly. My uterus is measuring right at 36cm (so on track). My cervix was 1 cm dilated and 40% effaced. Even though my mom wishes badly that this means something, it really doesn't. I could have the baby today or I could have her past my due date (but not past May 4th because they induce a week after the due date). But, all in all, we are very happy that my body is making progress and preparing for labor! The Doctor said I have a "compliant cervix" so she thinks it will "react well" during labor and delivery- whatever that means! My next appt is this coming Monday at 37 weeks. I'm pulling for 2 cm dilated! On Monday I will be considered full-term, which is very exciting, especially considering the scare we had at 31 weeks!

Overall, I'm feeling good for being 36/37 weeks pregnant. I really can't complain. My dizzy spells have decreased- Praise God! My sciatica hasn't worsened. I definitely do not look forward to going to sleep at night because I am very uncomfortable and don't sleep that much. It's a good thing we have a king size bed because I don't know how else Josh, Me, Sydney, and all of my pillows would fit. I use a large pillow for between my legs to elevate my hip and I use a large pillow underneath my belly so it doesn't hang and pull so hard on my back. I had a prenatal massage last Sunday and it was heavenly (thanks, Mom!!). I am tired a lot due to the lack of sleep and Claire pulling all of my energy out of me. But I am SO thankful and grateful to be this far! Back in August and September I honestly didn't think I would still be pregnant in April. Thanks be to God for this amazing gift!

Can't wait to meet our precious baby girl. We know exactly what position she is in (Doctor told us). She keeps pushing her little tush out at me- I can literally feel around it and tell that it is her bottom! I already love her personality. :) COME SOON CLAIRE- WE LOVE YOU!!!!

P.S. I just have to say that I think Josh is going to be the best Dad in the whole wide world. I feel so blessed to have him as my partner on this journey. He is so compassionate, loving, helpful, sensitive, interested, engaged.. I could go on and on. He thinks about our precious daughter all the time. He will take such good care of her (and me). Right now he's really focused on being a "good coach" for me during labor- I think he'll do great!

A letter to our baby

Precious Baby Claire,

You are due in 34 days! We can hardly believe it. While we are sooo very excited and anxious to meet you, please stay in my tummy for at least a few more weeks! You still have some important developing to do.

We have wanted you for so long. Last June your Daddy and I were shopping at Target in the lawn and garden section. We saw a cute tiny pink lawn chair that was toddler-sized. We thought it was so cute and it made us sad because we wanted to have a little toddler to buy it for. After that we went to the electronics section where Daddy bought a camera. As he was shopping, I looked at the nearby books. I noticed a book called You are a wish come true. It is about a Mama Bear that prayed and hoped and wished for so long for her Baby Bear. Finally her dream came true. I got tears in my eyes and knew I had to buy the book for you. It perfectly stated how we longed for you. When I got home, I wrote in the front cover. I will never forget hoping and praying and wishing for you that warm summer day.

A few weeks later, in mid-July, Daddy and I traveled to Savannah. We really enjoyed the time we spent with each other. We also thought about you and talked about you a lot. We wondered what you would look like and when we would be blessed with you. One night we strolled along the waterfront and shopped for a gift for you. We wanted to show you once you were older how much we loved you and cared about you, before we even knew you. This is the t-shirt that Mommy and Daddy bought just for you.

A few weeks after this trip, on August 11th, we received the most joyous news- we were pregnant with you! We were so happy, scared, excited, giddy, overwhelmed. We had already loved you for so long and now our dream was coming true!

I have loved every moment with you since we first learned about you on August 11th. We loved every time we got to see you on the ultrasound. We were so happy to have a doppler that we could use to hear your heartbeat anytime we wanted. We would lay in bed and just listen to your precious heart beating in my tummy. I loved feeling your first movements at 16 weeks and Daddy was so happy to feel you at 18 weeks. It is amazing to imagine the miracle that is happening during this incredible time. We prayed so hard for God to bless us with the perfect child- created especially for us. When we learned you are a little girl, we were overflowing with happiness. At that very moment I knew you would be a Daddy's girl!

You are so loved. Grandma J-Rae, Grandpa Leroy, Grandma Annie, and Grandpa Jeff cannot wait to meet you and love you to pieces. Aunt Heather, Uncle Sean, Aunt Bethanie, Uncle Barry, Uncle Chris, and Aunt Becky are so excited for you to arrive. Everyone asks about you, all the time. You will always know how precious you are and how thankful your entire family is for you.

We have so many dreams and plans for you. My biggest hope for you is that you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He has protected you every step of your journey, right from the begining when you were just a small cluster of cells. He will continue to protect and love you your entire life. He has big plans for you, little Claire. I can't wait to see His plans unfold in your life.

We love you, baby girl. We will meet you in just a few short weeks! We are so honored to be your parents. You are our dream come true.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

First visit to Labor and Delivery- CHECK!

Yup, although I was adament I would not go to Labor and Delivery until it was time for Claire to be born, we found ourselves there tonight. I have been having braxton hicks contractions very regularly. My doctor said to call if they were more frequent than every 10 minutes and they have been lately. After resisting for a few days I called this afternoon and my doctor said to head into L&D. Josh was more nervous than I was. I actually wasn't nervous at all; I was looking forward to some reassurance though. They put all these bands and instruments around my tummy that timed and measured the contractions. My fear was that the contractions would stop the minute I arrived there and then would start again as soon as I left. I didn't want to be known as the pregnant girl that cried wolf. Soon after they hooked me up the nurse said, "Did you feel that?" and I said, "nope!". Apparently I was having a lot more contactions than what I was even feeling. They were coming every 5 minutes (a.k.a. not a good sign).

After measuring my contractions for awhile and noticing they were not going away, they did an FFN test (fetal fibronectin). If positive, there's a liklihood (but not certainty) you will go into labor in the next two weeks. After an hour and 15 minute wait for the result, we learned it was negative (praise God!). Then they did a cervical check, which was also good. Then they did a urine test. I was given a prescription called Macrobid to treat a urinary tract infection. They have no idea if I even have one as it takes 3 days to create a culture and test it. But they want me to start on the medication just in case. If it's negative, they'll have me stop and if it's positive, I'll continue. I also have to go in to the doctor more frequently. At this point I'm supposed to go in every 2 weeks until I'm 36 weeks, which is when I'll go in weekly. My next appt is scheduled for a week from today but they want me to also go in this Thursday or Friday. Hopefully I won't have to go in 2x/week for the rest of the pregnancy because that will get old fast!

All in all, we're very happy with the results. I'm glad I wasn't too stubborn to go in because it's not normal to have contactions every 5 minutes at this point (although the doctor said it very well could continue like this for the remainder of the pregnancy). I am 31 weeks today! Yay! Just a couple more months to go! We hope she stays safe and sound for at least another 6 weeks. She was kicking away like crazy during the testing tonight.

I had my first baby shower yesterday and it was absolutely gorgeous! Pam, Sarah, Amy, and Angela did a fantastic job! I'll write a post on that with pictures soon. For now I'm going to avoid my homework and go watch 24.

Nursery!

My dear friend Laurie Ford has helped me decorate most of my house. I'm not exactly a natural when it comes to home decor so I always appreciate her help.

We spent five hours today shopping for nursery decor. We went to Chipotle for lunch and then Target in Burnsville, Pottery Barn Kids, Gap at Southdale, Target in Edina, and then Michaels in Burnsville. Once we got home we had fun putting it all together for about 1.5 hours. Then we had a great steak dinner with Josh and Andrew! All in all a great day. And I started it off even better- worshipping God at Hosanna (by myself)- and I cried AGAIN. I cry every time I am at church now. This is a new thing since I've been pregnant.

Anyways...here are some pictures!! The pictures do not do the room justice. It is so fricken' cute. I have one little wall left. I ordered something from Uppercase Living that will be going there. Let me know what you think!

Funny people

I have had a few funny comments lately.

• Someone that I do not work with at Target said to me, "Hi Whitney. It is so nice your face isn't swollen!!" and then walked away. Yes, it is nice indeed. :)
• "Do you think people ever wonder if you are a teenage mother?" Thanks PAM!!!!
• "Do you eat NO sugar?!?!"

The third comment came from a nurse after my gestational diabetes testing that I had last Wednesday. You have 5 minutes to drink this nasty orange sugary drink. I thought I was doing really well with managing the time until the nurse popped in and said "20 SECONDS!!!" and I had 1/3 left. Needless to say, I felt a bit quesy during the hour wait before I had my blood tested. While waiting I realized it probably wasn't the best idea to have a powdered sugar donut for breakfast right before my blood sugar test. During the hour of waiting I went to the front desk to schedule my next appt. As I stood there I started feeling dizzy so I leaned against the counter as I talked with the receptionist. This was not new- I feel that way all the time. While I waited I had a visit with Dr. Song. She measured my uterus which is right on track and I talked to her (once again) about my dizzy/lightheaded spells. We also talked about the sciatica. She said she can refer me to physical therapy if I want. I have been sleeping better lately because I am using two pillows between my legs. This has helped tremendously. I also have a prenatal massage on Feb 15th (Thanks Mom!!) so we'll see if that also helps. I like this Dr soooo much. I really hope we get lucky and she is the one who delivers our precious baby girl.

Once the hour was up, they took my blood. I asked the nurse how long until I get the results and she said it just takes a minute. When she walked back a couple minutes later she said, "Uhhh....do you feel okay??". I was like, great! That's just what you want to hear when you're waiting to learn if you have gestational diabetes or not. I told her that I was lightheaded but I'm that way like 50% of the time. She said, "Because your blood sugar level is extremely, extremely low". Good news- I don't have diabetes! Then she said, "Do you eat NO sugar?!?!". To this, I bursted out laughing. I told her I eat more sugar than I probably should (but I left out the minor detail of having a donut for breakfast...don't want to get a lecture and feel guilty the next time I have a donut...because it will happen again, sooner rather than later :)). This explains why I am lightheaded so often. There's not much they can do about it. She told me I needed to get something to eat immediately after leaving the office. Even though I was lightheaded, I felt a lot better than I often do, so I wonder what my blood sugar level looks like when I feel very dizzy! I am going to concentrate on trying to eat something (healthy) every 30 minutes or so. I have only gained 13 pounds so far (which is just fine with my Dr) so I don't have to worry about gaining too much weight from eating so frequently.

I am in Las Vegas right now for the Reverse Logistics Association conference. It's not quite the same being pregnant here, but it has been fun! It's my first time here. Tonight I am eating dinner at a steak house with Genco, the third party service provider that operates Target's return center that I manage, and then Ashley (my direct report) and I are going to a Cirque du Soleil show at 9:30. I hope I don't fall asleep during it! Last night Ashley and I ate dinner at New York, New York and then walked up and down the strip and checked out the hotels. I was back in my room at 9PM and asleep by about 9:05!

I get home tomorrow night. I can't wait to see my hubby. Miss him!!! This is my third time traveling in the past month and I am ready to be done for awhile.