Maternity Photos

So a few weeks back we had maternity photos taken by a friend I went to school with since elementary, and he is now a photojournalist and photographer for events.  I'm very pleased with the results.  He took a bunch, but here are some of my favorites!

I love this one!

 I see you!

 Listen to me!

 Also love how this one came out.

 And this is my favorite one of all!

So what'd you think?  Believe it or not, I had to be told to stick out my belly for these...I kept trying to suck it in!  Doesn't go far, but still!  Camera means suck in the gut!

Home Stretch...so I am told

Hello lovely Bleeps!  Here we are, 5 weeks to go.  The nursery is done.  The taxes are done.  But apparently I am not done!

Today I had my last bi-weekly visit with Dr. OB.  By that I mean that I saw her two weeks ago and I saw her today, but from now on, I'll see her every week.  Today's appointment was a bit different.  Usually, they check my weight, blood pressure, size of my belly, baby's heartbeat, and answer my questions.  This morning they did all of that, but also checked my cervix!  Holy cow, that means we are really close.  No fear, I'm not dilated at all - which she didn't expect me to be apparently.  But she has to check.  And Reese is still breech.  We talked about what the future could hold.
   a) If Baby Girl is still breech a week before my due date, they will schedule a c-section.  
   b) Dr. OB doesn't turn babies in the belly (called an External Version) because she figures if baby is like that, there is a reason (could be baby knows my pelvis isn't big enough, or a variety of other things).  And if the placenta tears we've escalated into an emergency situation.
   c) If Baby Reese turns herself (that's what I am hoping for), and still hasn't shown up by a week past our due date, they will induce me. 

So, we continue to talk to her.  And I read the other day to put an ice pack or bag of peas on the top of my belly (or where I want her to move from) and because she wants to be nice and cozy, she'll move away from the coldness.  Have been doing that all morning and I can 1) tell she doesn't like it and 2) tell that she has moved from having her head under my ribs to further down.  So we'll continue with the ice pack and hope she gets the picture.  I know there is nothing wrong with a C-section and I'm not averse to it.  It's just not OUR ideal way.  But we'll do whatever it takes to get this baby out!

Dr. OB also got on me about sodium again.  I'm getting a little annoyed with this.  I keep hearing her say that I'm retaining water and that's bad.  But then I hear from all my mommy friends that EVERYONE did that when they were pregnant.  So I don't know why I am so special...plus my blood pressure is fantastic they always tell me at the doc's.  I'm doing what I can to not eat salt, but it's not easy!  Everything has salt in it - except fruit and veggies.  But then I am told I need protein and milk.  So...ugh!  What to do?  I'm doing my best!  Oy!

Okay, enough rant. 

We have our last childbirth class tonight...which one of J's friends told him was only for hippies...um, guess he and the wife never went huh?  And these are the same people that sleep in the living room with their 3 year old because he won't sleep in his bed.  At three!  Don't think we'll take advice from them!  Sorry, that was kind of a rant too. 

I'm really in a good mood today...seriously!  I am!

I guess that's really it.  Talk soon folks!

The Nursery

Hello Bleeps...what a weekend!  Yesterday I was kinda lazy as J was at his last camping trip before we have our newest addition, but today I've been a busy girl. 

I did venture out yesterday to find some last pieces of the nursery...shelves to hang on the walls, a clock, and some things I hadn't anticipated.  Anyway, after a bit of a late start this morning, I needed to be finished.  So here's pics of the finished nursery...I'm pretty impressed with myself.  J helped with putting the furniture together months ago, but the decor is all me.  Whew...I'm tired.

The room has incredibly high ceilings and was already a pale blue, so we opted to just leave it and have a theme of the sky.  I kinda see the clock as the sun.

 The crib and decals on the wall of her name.

 Window sham, frames to be filled up once she joins us, a bookshelf my grandfather made when I was a kid, a child's table and chairs my grandfather made years ago, and of course a rocking recliner.

 Changing table and another dresser (both are full by the way) and blocks from my shower with her name.

 This is what it looks like from the doorway.

Piggy bank - complete with cash in it - and my favorite onesie that says "Miss April" from my cousin.

The crib - with lots of fun stuff in it, that will be taken out before she goes in it!

Yes, I'm tired!  So before I get late again, here's the 35 week post...can you believe that?  We have 5 weeks left?!  Holy geez!

Week 35 of Pregnancy 

A rapidly growing brain makes your baby's head weigh more and that means more pressure on Mommy's bladder.

Your Baby in Week 35 of Pregnancy

Your baby is standing tall (so to speak) this week at about 20 inches and continues her steady weight gain (she’s about 5.5 pounds). While she won't get much longer, she will continue to pack on the pounds — including large amounts of baby fat — right up 'til delivery day. Something else that's moving at a mind-boggling pace these day: fetal brain development! There’s a lot going on inside that tiny head, which is, by the way, still soft to allow an easier exit through the birth canal.

Your Body in Week 35 of Pregnancy

Now that your baby is head-down (Reese isn't quite yet) in preparation for delivery, chances are your bladder is feeling the squeeze, causing you to leak a little every time you sneeze (or cough or laugh) or making you feel like you have an urgent need to pee all the time. Whatever you do, don’t cut back on fluids! One way to improve your body's holding power instead: Do lots and lots of those pelvic-floor exercises called Kegels. They can help strengthen your pelvic muscles (important now and postpartum).

Week 35 Pregnancy Tip: Finding a Doula
What's a doula? The literal translation is "woman's servant" (and that's just what you need — isn't it? Along with a chef…and a massage therapist…and a chauffeur…). But back to reality — and to your pregnancy — a doula can do double duty when you need her the most. First, there's the birth doula, a companion who's professionally trained to provide support — and a hand to hold — during labor. The other is a postpartum one. (Go to week 42 to read more about postpartum doulas.) A birth doula knows all about breathing and relaxation techniques for labor, as well as the best positions to bring relief for all that pain. Some laboring women actually find they need less pain medication — or none at all — when a doula is present (though a good birth doula will explore all pain-relief options with you and help you choose what's right for your situation). But her most-important role may be the emotional comfort she provides during a potentially frightening time, and that might be just what the doctor — or midwife — ordered. To find a doula, consult an agency, check the Resource Directory, or ask other moms for recommendations.

I've gone back and forth about having a doula.  The lady who does our childbirth classes is a prenatal doula and we've already discussed our meeting with our postnatal doulas.  I may still change my mind.  But for now, I'm counting on J and MBM to get me through labor, with some visitations by my Mom and J's Mom.  Once the pushing starts, I'm thinking just J and maybe MBM.  We'll see how it all goes.

I've gotta go chill for a bit...I'm really tired all of the sudden.  Have a great week Bleeps!

Continuing....

About 3 hours after all my doc appointments on the 28th, Mom and I headed to Phoenix (about 2 hours away) to see 9 clients over 3 days.  Talk about crazy days!  Of course, everyone happily accepted the pregnant lady into their arms.  Got to see J's parents (they are clients too) and BFF in Phx and her Mom for a nice lunch (my how I love these ladies!).  All in all, a great trip but very tiring...and by day 3 my feet were again tired of the shoes I had which were closed in and not very giving, even though they were flats.  I begged on the third day if we could stop and look for some sandal type shoes in a gap between appointments.  Mom obliged and we were lucky to find a Famous Footwear that actually had some sale shoes that didn't look awful.  Even got some for $5 that I love...however, they are 1.5 sizes bigger than I usually wear!  Say what?!  Oh well, again, whatever it takes right?!  Let's just say I don't see any hikes in my near future.  I was so grateful for the new footwear though.

Had a lovely manicure and pedicure the day after returning home from Phoenix (we're talking about March 3rd now), again with cankles.  But at least now one part of my feet is pretty....my toes!

The next day, I was determined to get through our taxes knowing that IVF was giving us some pretty hefty medical deductions and wanting to get them done before Ms. Reese made her debut.  Got those done with just enough time to get ready for our maternity photos!  

I'd taken extra time with my hair that morning, so about 3 pm, J and I started getting ready for these photos which we had to leave for about 4 pm.  We didn't want to match clothes, but we wanted to compliment each other.  I was in a white shirt and he in a black with somewhat of a pattern on it.  A guy that I went to elementary school through college with had agreed to take the photos, he's a photojournalist now and great photographer. As our last few photo sessions have been in parks, we opted for something different and ended up in Downtown Tucson, warehouses and stuff.  No pics to share just yet, but I can't wait to see them.  He did a lot with natural light and back-lighting.  And yes, of course we'll share when they come in.

The following day, I had deemed "Nursery Decorating Day."  So while J was out scouting for camp sites for his annual camping trip with a bunch of his friends (his last for a while), I put more things away in the nursery and put the decals up.  Still not quite done, need a shelf for the letters that spell out her name, and then to finish up the decals, but getting closer for sure.  I really liked how it came out, but it sure did take a lot out of me!

I have wonderful friends and they keep giving me stuff, which is now bursting out of the nursery.  I know a lot of it won't be in there, like the swing, stroller, etc. after Reese joins us, so for now it has residence in the garage in the boxes.  J's job after his camping trip is to put all that stuff together.  We've still got to get the carseats in the cars, the stroller unpacked, and 3 or 4 other things put together.  Plus find a baby monitor!  That is my next challenge.

We had our 2nd to last Lamaze class on Tuesday, and our homework is to work on our birth plan, if we want one, which we do.  I mentioned it to my doc and she was quick to say, "some of these things you can't plan out," which I completely understand.  However, I think it's good to give her our wishes so she has an idea of what we want.  Our last class is next week.  We also did a baby CPR class with my parents this week, and that was great.  Now I feel comfortable that all of us know how to do CPR and the heimlich maneuver if necessary.  I learned these things years ago when I was babysitting a lot, but boy have they changed.  Also saw the heimlich maneuver have to be used on a patron at MY TABLE who was choking on his steak (when I was a waitress).  I would have done it but he was a huge man and I couldn't get my arms around him.  My boss did it and saved his life!  So, very good to know!

Whew, I think I am finally caught up...well, at least until Sunday when I'll be 35 weeks and due for another update.  And with any luck the nursery will be done by then...although, don't hold me to that!  Anyway, have a wonderful weekend folks and I'll try not to be so late anymore...but don't hold me to that either!

Much love....