Monday, February 25, 2013
Baby Shower #3
Today my co-workers threw me a shower during lunch. Because we only have 1/2 and hour, it was a short but sweet event. I wish we had a longer time to sit and socialize. Here are a few pictures from the event and of the gifts Baby Alexandra got. I am very thankful to work with such a wonderful group of teachers! Alexandra certainly enjoyed the red velvet cupcake that mommy had and was quite an excited little girl for her non-stress test this afternoon! She would barely sit still and we had to keep moving the monitor!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Week 37
We are FULL TERM with just 21 days until Alexandra's estimated due date!
About Baby: At 37 weeks, Miss Alexandra should weigh more than 6 pounds. She gains 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce per day. She is ready for the outside world, although a little more "baking" time would be best.
How am I feeling? Okay. I have definitely felt more tired this week. The swelling in my feet and ankles is worse. Just putting on socks today gave me a thick indentation, so I decided to cut the elastic part off and it made a big difference. Then as the day wore on, it got warmer and now I can wear sandals! I went to the respiratory doctor for my cough and he thinks it may be caused by acid reflux. Now I am taking Zantac twice a day. It has only been a couple of days so it is too early to tell if it is working. I am convinced that within days of Alexandra's arrival, the cough will go away! I woke up Wednesday night with a horrible cramp in my left leg. Getting out of bed stopped the cramp, but almost 48 hours later my left calf muscle is still very tight and painful. I need a leg massage!
Movement: There is so little room for Alexandra that I mostly feel rolls and wiggles now. She is still liking to push her bottom as high up as she can, making it sometimes hard for me to breathe. She had the hiccups this afternoon and has them frequently. This is a good sign as she practices breathing!
Updates: I had an OB appointment on Wednesday. Now I will start going weekly. My total weight gain is just 16 pounds (of which 6 is her) so I am well under the recommended amount! In addition, I found out that I was negative for Group B Strep. Since I am allergic to many antibiotics, this is wonderful news. If I had been positive, I would have needed an IV of antibiotics during birth. I feel quite fortunate that I have not developed stretch marks like many other women do. My belly button is stretched quite thin, but has never popped out.
Food: I love oranges right now and eat two a day! They taste better than apples which used to be my fruit addiction. I also am very happy that strawberries are starting to come into season! I had mac and cheese for lunch and that tasted really good. I have started thinking about what I really want to eat once Alexandra arrives and have decided that I will be sending Dave to Von's to get me a rare roast beef sandwich. Deli meat is on the what-not-to-eat list so I have been avoiding it for the last 9 months.
Prepping for Baby: On Wednesday night, I attended a breastfeeding class. It was both informative and interesting. I do feel a little overwhelmed though by the recommended number of times they want baby to feed in the first few days of life! They also gave us a chance to practice positioning baby and swaddling. I will have to practice at home with a stuffed animal so that I feel more confidant when Alexandra arrives.
The birthing class finally went off as planned on Thursday. We watched some videos, learned about dilation and effacement and what birthing options there are. We will have one more class next week. There is another woman at the class who has the same due date as me!
My hospital bag is getting packed, but is not complete yet. I must do that this weekend! And then I need to start working on making some freezer meals for the first week or so that we are home.
This Coming Week: I have non stress tests Monday and Thursday, an OB appointment Thursday and birth class Thursday. Boy am I going to be tired for Friday, but the good news is that it will be my last day of work before maternity leave!!
This weeks bump photos! Dave was taking the pictures so quickly that he made me laugh!
About Baby: At 37 weeks, Miss Alexandra should weigh more than 6 pounds. She gains 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce per day. She is ready for the outside world, although a little more "baking" time would be best.
How am I feeling? Okay. I have definitely felt more tired this week. The swelling in my feet and ankles is worse. Just putting on socks today gave me a thick indentation, so I decided to cut the elastic part off and it made a big difference. Then as the day wore on, it got warmer and now I can wear sandals! I went to the respiratory doctor for my cough and he thinks it may be caused by acid reflux. Now I am taking Zantac twice a day. It has only been a couple of days so it is too early to tell if it is working. I am convinced that within days of Alexandra's arrival, the cough will go away! I woke up Wednesday night with a horrible cramp in my left leg. Getting out of bed stopped the cramp, but almost 48 hours later my left calf muscle is still very tight and painful. I need a leg massage!
Movement: There is so little room for Alexandra that I mostly feel rolls and wiggles now. She is still liking to push her bottom as high up as she can, making it sometimes hard for me to breathe. She had the hiccups this afternoon and has them frequently. This is a good sign as she practices breathing!
Updates: I had an OB appointment on Wednesday. Now I will start going weekly. My total weight gain is just 16 pounds (of which 6 is her) so I am well under the recommended amount! In addition, I found out that I was negative for Group B Strep. Since I am allergic to many antibiotics, this is wonderful news. If I had been positive, I would have needed an IV of antibiotics during birth. I feel quite fortunate that I have not developed stretch marks like many other women do. My belly button is stretched quite thin, but has never popped out.
Food: I love oranges right now and eat two a day! They taste better than apples which used to be my fruit addiction. I also am very happy that strawberries are starting to come into season! I had mac and cheese for lunch and that tasted really good. I have started thinking about what I really want to eat once Alexandra arrives and have decided that I will be sending Dave to Von's to get me a rare roast beef sandwich. Deli meat is on the what-not-to-eat list so I have been avoiding it for the last 9 months.
The birthing class finally went off as planned on Thursday. We watched some videos, learned about dilation and effacement and what birthing options there are. We will have one more class next week. There is another woman at the class who has the same due date as me!
My hospital bag is getting packed, but is not complete yet. I must do that this weekend! And then I need to start working on making some freezer meals for the first week or so that we are home.
This Coming Week: I have non stress tests Monday and Thursday, an OB appointment Thursday and birth class Thursday. Boy am I going to be tired for Friday, but the good news is that it will be my last day of work before maternity leave!!
This weeks bump photos! Dave was taking the pictures so quickly that he made me laugh!
Friday, February 15, 2013
Week 36
We now have exactly one month until Alexandra's estimated due date! When I look at my ticker which says 28 days to go, I get both excited and really nervous at the same time. I know that is the normal feeling of all first time parents!
About Baby: At 36 weeks, Alexandra is just one week away from being full term! Since we had an ultrasound yesterday, we know that she is weighing approximately 5 pounds, 11 ounces. Now I really hope she comes sooner than her due date (but not before March 4th) otherwise she might be 8 pounds! Eeek! She is pretty much ready for the outside world, we just want her to "bake" a little longer to develop her lungs more.
How am I feeling? The swelling in my feet and ankles is now constant. I can barely wear shoes. I have been reading that other ladies are buying compression socks and that might be the answer if the weather turns cold again. Today it is supposed to be almost 80, so I can wear my TEVA sandals that have velcro adjustable straps. I am still coughing. It think it is now week 6. It is definitely worse at night and I wake up with what feels like a pulled muscle on my right side. Although today it is constant and I am really annoyed. The numbness is also increasing. Besides night time and morning, I now notice numbness (especially in my thumbs) when driving, typing and writing.
Movement: I barely feel Alexandra at night once I go to bed and she never wakes me up, so that is a blessing. It seems that she dislikes the seat belt on the car, because every time I strap in, she starts poking me. The seat belt hits right about where her hands are located. I mostly feel her little butt wiggle. I know it is getting crowded in there so she is trying to get comfortable. Dave could feel her wiggle last night as we were waiting for dinner to arrive. He started tapping my tummy in the area and she responded with some movement! It was very cute!
Updates: We had our last full ultrasound yesterday on Valentine's Day and Alexandra looked great. Her heart rate was 126 bpm. It starts to get slower the closer to birth. During the ultrasound, she had her hands in her mouth and we could even see her tongue! When the technician mentioned that she seemed to be chewing on her hands, Dave responded that we need to get her a chew toy! Oh my silly husband! I will still have twice weekly non stress tests and start weekly OB exams this week.
Food: Not much new to report on the food front. I have started really enjoying oranges this week. The naval oranges from my local Vons are super juicy and yesterday I had two of them! I have also been eating a lot of quesadillas. Last weekend I made some Mexican food and was sure to take Mylanta first so I did not get heartburn from the taco seasoning. It worked!
Prepping for Baby: The birthing class got cancelled again this week! So now the instructor will cram 4 weeks of material into 2 weeks! Since last week, we have accomplished a lot. We went to Babies R Us and bought a few must haves off our registry that had not been purchased. One was a Chicco Key Fit 30 Travel System (stroller and car seat). Dave worked on putting it together on Sunday and there is a half put together stroller in my living room. However, he did accomplish the installation of the car seat in my SUV! Every time I see the car seat in the car (which is currently parked in the garage), I look at it and think - what??? We are that close? Oh my!! Here is said car seat:
And the nursery is completed and ready for Miss Alexandra. Photos were in a separate post on Wednesday if you have not yet seen them! We are waiting for the cradle pad to arrive and it is the last thing we absolutely must have before she can come home from the hospital!
The most crucial thing that I get done this weekend is to pack for the hospital. There are about 20 March moms who have already given birth and I do not want to be unprepared in case Alexandra decides she'd rather be a February Love Bug than a March Lucky Charm. My last day of work is going to be March 1st, so I really hope Alexandra decides she needs more "baking" and stays put until at least March 4th.
This Coming Week: I have an appointment with a respiratory doctor to see about this cough that is now in its 6th week. That is on Tuesday. Then Wednesday I have a breastfeeding class. Thursday is busy with both an OB appointment and our (hopefully) first birthing class! On Friday, my co-workers are throwing me a shower during our lunch time. That should be a lot of fun!
This weeks bump photos:
About Baby: At 36 weeks, Alexandra is just one week away from being full term! Since we had an ultrasound yesterday, we know that she is weighing approximately 5 pounds, 11 ounces. Now I really hope she comes sooner than her due date (but not before March 4th) otherwise she might be 8 pounds! Eeek! She is pretty much ready for the outside world, we just want her to "bake" a little longer to develop her lungs more.
How am I feeling? The swelling in my feet and ankles is now constant. I can barely wear shoes. I have been reading that other ladies are buying compression socks and that might be the answer if the weather turns cold again. Today it is supposed to be almost 80, so I can wear my TEVA sandals that have velcro adjustable straps. I am still coughing. It think it is now week 6. It is definitely worse at night and I wake up with what feels like a pulled muscle on my right side. Although today it is constant and I am really annoyed. The numbness is also increasing. Besides night time and morning, I now notice numbness (especially in my thumbs) when driving, typing and writing.
Movement: I barely feel Alexandra at night once I go to bed and she never wakes me up, so that is a blessing. It seems that she dislikes the seat belt on the car, because every time I strap in, she starts poking me. The seat belt hits right about where her hands are located. I mostly feel her little butt wiggle. I know it is getting crowded in there so she is trying to get comfortable. Dave could feel her wiggle last night as we were waiting for dinner to arrive. He started tapping my tummy in the area and she responded with some movement! It was very cute!
Updates: We had our last full ultrasound yesterday on Valentine's Day and Alexandra looked great. Her heart rate was 126 bpm. It starts to get slower the closer to birth. During the ultrasound, she had her hands in her mouth and we could even see her tongue! When the technician mentioned that she seemed to be chewing on her hands, Dave responded that we need to get her a chew toy! Oh my silly husband! I will still have twice weekly non stress tests and start weekly OB exams this week.
Food: Not much new to report on the food front. I have started really enjoying oranges this week. The naval oranges from my local Vons are super juicy and yesterday I had two of them! I have also been eating a lot of quesadillas. Last weekend I made some Mexican food and was sure to take Mylanta first so I did not get heartburn from the taco seasoning. It worked!
And the nursery is completed and ready for Miss Alexandra. Photos were in a separate post on Wednesday if you have not yet seen them! We are waiting for the cradle pad to arrive and it is the last thing we absolutely must have before she can come home from the hospital!
The most crucial thing that I get done this weekend is to pack for the hospital. There are about 20 March moms who have already given birth and I do not want to be unprepared in case Alexandra decides she'd rather be a February Love Bug than a March Lucky Charm. My last day of work is going to be March 1st, so I really hope Alexandra decides she needs more "baking" and stays put until at least March 4th.
This Coming Week: I have an appointment with a respiratory doctor to see about this cough that is now in its 6th week. That is on Tuesday. Then Wednesday I have a breastfeeding class. Thursday is busy with both an OB appointment and our (hopefully) first birthing class! On Friday, my co-workers are throwing me a shower during our lunch time. That should be a lot of fun!
This weeks bump photos:
Since I have the day off for President's Day and it is beautiful and warm outside, I used my tripod to take self portraits. For some reason, my camera has issues focusing on my face and most of the 30 or so photos I took were out of focus. These were the best three photos.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
The Finished Nursery
Thanks to my mom's help, we have finished decorating the nursery. Now all we need is Miss Alexandra sometime in the next 5 weeks! The theme is Hawaiian and it is bright and cheerful.
A view of the crib and changing table. We got a whole coordinating set as you can see that is by Sweet Jo Jo Designs. It is a girl's surf theme and fits perfectly with the Hawaiian motif of the nursery.
A view of the dresser and crib. Even the lamp shade has the Hawaiian theme! All of the furniture came from Target and we are very happy with how it turned out!
The photos above the dresser are all ones that I took during our travels to Hawaii. The top row of the bookcase is books for Alexandra and baby books for mommy and daddy. We will eventually make the whole bookcase books for Alexandra as we add to her library. Just yesterday I picked up 5 books at the 99 cent store. I am now on the hunt for inexpensive books, even slightly used is okay, to grow her library.
Here is what the saying over her crib is...a Winnie the Pooh quote that is just perfect! It looks so nice. It is a decal that I found on Amazon and was fairly easy to apply.
The glider is very comfortable. Dave would happily take it over to watch TV if there was actually a TV in the room. Thankfully there is not, but I told him he could use it to read to his daughter or cuddle with her! Right now the bookcase is just our books, but that will change eventually. The white basket is filled with toys that we have received from friends and family.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
A Year Ago
One year ago I found out that my first baby had stopped growing at just about 6 weeks. I wanted to do a special post today to remember that child, whom I call simply Sapphire, because s/he would have been born in September. Very few people talk openly about miscarriage, as if it is something taboo that should be hidden. I disagree. Angel babies should be remembered and celebrated, for they touched their parents lives, even if for only a few weeks.
The good that has come from my loss a year ago is two-fold. First, it makes me even more thankful for the miracle inside me. Second, it makes me more sensitive to the plight of other women who just want to be able to hold their own child in their arms.
I wanted to take today to remind my friends and family that infant loss affects 1 in 4 women. There is a website dedicated to sharing many of their stories and educating the public. It is called Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope. I hope you will join me in educating, rather than allowing infant loss to continue to be a hidden issue.
Thank you Sapphire for touching our lives, ever so briefly. We will always love you.
The good that has come from my loss a year ago is two-fold. First, it makes me even more thankful for the miracle inside me. Second, it makes me more sensitive to the plight of other women who just want to be able to hold their own child in their arms.
I wanted to take today to remind my friends and family that infant loss affects 1 in 4 women. There is a website dedicated to sharing many of their stories and educating the public. It is called Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope. I hope you will join me in educating, rather than allowing infant loss to continue to be a hidden issue.
Thank you Sapphire for touching our lives, ever so briefly. We will always love you.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Week 35
We have reached the milestone known as 35/35 - that means we have completed 35 weeks and have 35 days to go!
About Baby: At 35 weeks, the majority of Alexandra's growth is complete. All she is doing for the next five or so weeks is adding fat and increasing her brain power. She probably weighs about 5 pounds now and is between 18-20 inches long. She should not grow any longer, but will add on a little more weight.
How am I feeling? Tired and sore. The soreness is due to coughing. The tiredness is because I feel like I sleep an hour and a half at a time. My hands are still numbing up during the night despite now wearing two long braces. While it is better than before, I often feel pain in my thumb or elbow. And then when I wake up in the morning, it takes at least an hour for the numbness to stop. Imagine my challenges with getting ready for work! The swelling in my feet has been worse, but my doctor is not concerned because my blood pressure is normal. I have been noticing more tightening of my tummy which is Braxton Hicks contractions. These are practice contractions and are perfectly normal.
Movement: As she gets more and more crowded, Alexandra cannot make the big movements she once did. More often I feel what I would describe as twitches or shifting. She seems to like to scoot her little bottom up right under my ribs!
Updates: I had an OB appointment on Thursday and all was good. They gave me the Group B Strep test and hopefully I am negative. A woman carrying this needs antibiotics so that is is not passed on to the baby during delivery. I also got a referral to a pulmonary doctor because my cough is now in its 5th week! I tried to call today, but they had left work early.
Food: Not much in the way of food changes this week. I am still experiencing heartburn, so am making sure to take Mylanta and Tums when needed!
Prepping for Baby: There has been major progress in the nursery and I hope to have it finished this weekend. Most of the clothes and blankets have been washed and put away. The bedding is on the crib. The Hawaiian theme is really cute and is coming together nicely. I love the bright pink and orange bedding and accents. We still have a couple of things to put on the walls and other items that need to be put away, but we are getting close. Here are a few pictures:
Dave and I had the hospital tour on Wednesday and it was very informative. Each woman gets her own birthing suite complete with shower. Not only is it private, but very large. Once Alexandra is born, she will stay in my recovery room with me unless I need a shower, at which point she will be watched in the nursery. This is supposed to aid in bonding between mom and baby. The nurse we met was very nice and quite knowledgeable. We were supposed to have our first birth class this week, but it was cancelled as the teacher was ill.
My mom and I visited a day care near my work. It was recommended by a co-worker of mine. They only have 3 infants right now. It is a large day care but infants are kept in a separate room and we were both impressed with the cleanliness, friendliness of staff and overall feel. My struggle is with deciding whether she should be near me or near/at home since I commute 30 minutes to work. I also want to investigate the idea of a nanny who could come to our house. Thankfully I have some time before I will need either in August.
This Coming Week: I have a non stress test Monday, a growth scan ultrasound on Thursday and our birthing class on Thursday. It promises to be a full week. Dave and I are looking forward to this ultrasound to find out how big our little girl is and to get an estimate of how much she will weigh. This will probably be the last major ultrasound. I will continue to have my mini ones as part of the non stress tests right up until delivery.
This weeks bump photos:
About Baby: At 35 weeks, the majority of Alexandra's growth is complete. All she is doing for the next five or so weeks is adding fat and increasing her brain power. She probably weighs about 5 pounds now and is between 18-20 inches long. She should not grow any longer, but will add on a little more weight.
How am I feeling? Tired and sore. The soreness is due to coughing. The tiredness is because I feel like I sleep an hour and a half at a time. My hands are still numbing up during the night despite now wearing two long braces. While it is better than before, I often feel pain in my thumb or elbow. And then when I wake up in the morning, it takes at least an hour for the numbness to stop. Imagine my challenges with getting ready for work! The swelling in my feet has been worse, but my doctor is not concerned because my blood pressure is normal. I have been noticing more tightening of my tummy which is Braxton Hicks contractions. These are practice contractions and are perfectly normal.
Movement: As she gets more and more crowded, Alexandra cannot make the big movements she once did. More often I feel what I would describe as twitches or shifting. She seems to like to scoot her little bottom up right under my ribs!
Updates: I had an OB appointment on Thursday and all was good. They gave me the Group B Strep test and hopefully I am negative. A woman carrying this needs antibiotics so that is is not passed on to the baby during delivery. I also got a referral to a pulmonary doctor because my cough is now in its 5th week! I tried to call today, but they had left work early.
Food: Not much in the way of food changes this week. I am still experiencing heartburn, so am making sure to take Mylanta and Tums when needed!
Prepping for Baby: There has been major progress in the nursery and I hope to have it finished this weekend. Most of the clothes and blankets have been washed and put away. The bedding is on the crib. The Hawaiian theme is really cute and is coming together nicely. I love the bright pink and orange bedding and accents. We still have a couple of things to put on the walls and other items that need to be put away, but we are getting close. Here are a few pictures:
Hopefully, the nursery will be finished on Sunday and then I can post whole room photos!
Dave and I had the hospital tour on Wednesday and it was very informative. Each woman gets her own birthing suite complete with shower. Not only is it private, but very large. Once Alexandra is born, she will stay in my recovery room with me unless I need a shower, at which point she will be watched in the nursery. This is supposed to aid in bonding between mom and baby. The nurse we met was very nice and quite knowledgeable. We were supposed to have our first birth class this week, but it was cancelled as the teacher was ill.
My mom and I visited a day care near my work. It was recommended by a co-worker of mine. They only have 3 infants right now. It is a large day care but infants are kept in a separate room and we were both impressed with the cleanliness, friendliness of staff and overall feel. My struggle is with deciding whether she should be near me or near/at home since I commute 30 minutes to work. I also want to investigate the idea of a nanny who could come to our house. Thankfully I have some time before I will need either in August.
This Coming Week: I have a non stress test Monday, a growth scan ultrasound on Thursday and our birthing class on Thursday. It promises to be a full week. Dave and I are looking forward to this ultrasound to find out how big our little girl is and to get an estimate of how much she will weigh. This will probably be the last major ultrasound. I will continue to have my mini ones as part of the non stress tests right up until delivery.
This weeks bump photos:
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Baby Shower #2
Yesterday was the 2nd shower for me and Baby Alexandra. It was hosted by my good friends Ayliz and Cari. The theme was tropical! It was so nice to spend time with my friends, many of whom I had not seen in quite awhile. Alexandra got all kinds of goodies including the nursery bedding, a boppy pillow, clothes, toys, diapers, bath towels, books, a blanket, a car seat canopy, bowls/spoons, socks, a diaper caddy, a diaper bag and place mats to use at restaurants! We are very lucky to have such generous friends!
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