Christmas 2012 and preeclampsia scare

Well, still no baby :-( I'm glad that my belly must be cozy but we are so anxious to have Andrew here in our arms!!

Here are some photos of our last Christmas without baby:

New Jenga game from my mom...

Cookies and the gingerbread house pre-decoration time

Christmas Eve dinner: homemade buns, cheesy potatoes, southern green beans, sparkling juice and ham-- plus homemade pumpkin pie for desert- yum!

The tree and gifts pre-stocking opening

Decorating the gingerbread house

Isn't it cute???

Christmas breakfast: cupcake quiche and egg nog french toast. SO good!!

Baby's first gift

First teething toy from Andrew's godparents!

Gifts from godparents and grandparents

Jesse's mom found this for baby!! So excited for him to be big enough to use it!!! :-D 

My gifts-- some cozy boots, popcorn, a cute frame from Jesse and BEDDING!! I have been longing for a matching bedding set for ages and now we have it! Love, love, love it and have been spending way too much time in it since lol

Jesse with his favorite gift: 3 season of Burn Notice which we have been watching marathon for 2 days now hehe

Xmas gore ;-P

Jesse wearing a gift from santa-- that sweater!! I love dressing this guy up lol

So, in other news, we went in for our 39 week appointment on Thursday the 27th... went through the regular routine but after a few tries, their bp machine wasn't working so she sent us to the room to wait. Awhile later a new nurse came in with a handheld machine but it still wasn't reading my blood pressure. Finally she got a hand-operated one and turns out my bp was too high for the others to read! So the doctor came in, measured and listened to baby's heartbeat and did the exam and then sent us straight to labor and delivery at the hospital for tests and monitoring. We were both kinda freaking out during the 20 or 30 minute drive but we tried to get it off our minds and prayed on the way there.

Upon arriving, we were registered and led up to a room at "The baby place". I changed and got into the bed while they set up the wireless heart monitors for me and baby. I also got hooked up to an automatic bp machine. It was a bit lower but still too high. I had to do yet another urine sample and they took about 5 vials of blood and set up an IV in case we would be staying overnight. This was one of the things that made me anxious about the hospital-- it wasn't pleasant, but not terrible. 

We were at the hospital for a few hours but my bp dropped down to it's normal level, all the labs came back normal, and apparently baby was doing just great the whole time which is a huge relief! So after having the IV taken out, getting set up for a 24 hr protein lab and getting discharge papers, we were free to go. 

I've never been a fan of doctors or hospitals so originally I was terrified of the birth process because of those two things. Well, we got to tour the birthing facility about a month ago and it calmed me down SO much. The hospital is brand new--just opened in October-- and it is so calming. Tan colored walls, wood floors and paneling everywhere, minimal monitoring equipment and the rooms are HUGE with a guest bed, recliner type chair and spa tub in the bathroom. Even though I was SO much calmer after touring (and trust me I am very happy everything ended up being ok with me and baby with the bp/ preeclampsia scare), it was nice in a way to have the experience at the hospital. Now the IV thing does not freak me out too much, I am much more comfortable with the environment and the staff there is all great. The last hurdle is just the birth part haha! We are trying to figure out what pain management option we want but IF we choose the epidural that'll be my next big stresser. I used to be the kid that watched needles go into my skin and loved it....ever since meeting Jesse, I have picked up on his aversion to needles. Which SUCKS. lol

Basically, I can't wait to get this show on the road. We are starting to feel as though baby will never be here, and with all his stuff having been up for over a month now, it's getting depressing not having him here in our arms! Today is his due date so here's to hoping SOMETHING happens soon! :)

TTFN! <3

39 weeks! Anytime now baby!!

"Coming down to the wire, your baby weighs around seven to eight pounds and measures 19 to 21 inches. Those measurements won't change much from now on, but his brain is still growing at an astonishing rate, a pace that will continue for the first three years of life. His pink skin has now turned whitish (even babies who'll eventually have darker skin appear whitish now — they haven't yet developed pigment). His head may have dropped into your pelvis by now, which makes your breathing easier but walking harder."
-whattoexpect.com

This picture pretty adequately shows just how uncomfortable I am on a regular basis lol

How far along? 39 Weeks

Maternity clothes? So far the past few days it's been one pre-pregnancy baby doll type dress and then long camis and maternity leggings when I go out. I'm soooo adventurous right lol

Sleep: Meh, it's okay. Lately I've been falling asleep around 9 or 10pm, waking up for the day sometime around 5 am and then there is usually a nap in there somewhere.

Best moment this week: Hearing that the process has begun (even though getting to find that out was particularly unpleasant lol)!!! It's a frustrating thing though because in my head I'm thinking "FINALLY! It's almost over" and then reality sets in knowing that it could still be several days if baby wants to be stubborn (which we already know he is a stubborn little guy). Now let me clarify, I've loved being pregnant and being blessed with this miracle and experience but I'm now just way too friggin impatient to have my body back and mainly to have baby in my arms!!! I literally feel like my arms ache sometimes not being able to hold him :-/

Miss Anything? So many things lol. I wonder if I will have phantom baby belly syndrome after Andrew is born-- is that a thing? Hmmmm

Movement: Well for the past few weeks it's been the same-- his head is down, bottom on the left (sometimes sticking out below my ribs) and his legs/ feet are on the right. So anytime he kicks or pushes it is in the EXACT same area. a small circle including my ribs which is starting to get pretty painful on occasional.

Food cravings: Sweets! I could eat forzen yogurt all friggin day long lol

Anything making you queasy or sick: Same old-- hamburger, pastrami, pepperoni....

Gender: Boy

Labor Signs: Not really. Now that we know the process has begun we are both much more in tune to what is happening but it still is just random cramping all over on and off all day. Waiting impatiently for regular contractions to start so we can get this show on the road!! You know, people have told me that by the end of pregnancy the birth no longer intimidates you because you are so ready to be done... I didn't know if that was gonna happen to me (and get this, I have been calm about the actual birth for months but as it got loser what did I stress out about? Getting an IV. Damn Jesse making me afraid of needles, sigh.), but it is SO true. Now I go through everyday just wishing something would happen so I know we are almost there. Once it starts I am going to be so relieved. I just want him to come now! Sooooo impatient lol

Symptoms: Pain in my side/ ribs when Andrew stretches or kicks, back aches like all the time, weird random moments of my legs tingling, lots of random cramping, heartburn, round ligament pain if I don't support my belly while laying on my side, sore hips....

Belly Button in or out? It is starting to be pretty regular for it to be poking out just a bit. The other night I was absentmindedly rubbing my bump and started noticing a weird lump (originally thought it was the scar tissue from my belly button piercing sine that sticks out a bit), and realized it was my belly button sticking out a bit in the middle-- I told Jesse and he goes "uh oh! UH OH!" as he felt it and then we both dissolved into a giggle fit for about 15 minutes lol

Wedding rings on or off? On. Still fits the same as always. Except when, like at my last appointment, they keep me shut into a hot room with no air circulation for 45 minutes. Then I can BARELY get them off or on. Sigh.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy but IMPATIENT

Looking forward to: Baby coming!!! I may just cry with relief when contractions start or my water breaks hahahaha!

38 Weeks

"Hey, your little one isn't so little anymore, weighing close to seven pounds and measuring 20 inches long.Fetal development is nearly complete as your baby tends to a few last-minute details like shedding the skin-protecting vernix and lanugo. He's also producing more surfactant, a substance that prevents the air sacs in his lungs from sticking to one another once he starts to breathe. Most of the changes this week are small but important: He’s continuing to add fat (so he can take advantage of all those photo ops by sporting a round, cute baby look!) and fine-tuning his brain and nervous system (so he can deal with all the stimulation that awaits him once he makes his entrance into the world)."
--whattoexpect.com

How far along? 38 Weeks

Maternity clothes? These days, it's whatever I manage to get on lol-- maternity leggings are a staple.

Sleep: Meh. This week I got three hours one night, Nine the next, three the next... I think it depends on baby/ my brain/ how exhausted I am. Usually taking a nap everyday though.

Best moment this week: Just being productive in general-- I feel like it has been ages since I've been productive lol

Miss Anything? So many things haha, but all well worth it :) Two months from baby's due date and all the things I miss can begin again! :)

Movement: INDEED! Lol, my new favorite thing is when he pushes his foot out and I can feel the whole bottom of his tiny foot, magical moments like that definitely make everything in the third trimester worth it :)

Food cravings: Don't know that I'm having much, though I'm always but for sweets (yuck lol). Otherwise I'm trying to eat something spicy everyday to help Andrew get the picture haha

Anything making you queasy or sick: Hamburger, pastrami and this just in...pepperoni. But only when ON the pizza. If I pick it off and eat it, it's fine.... WTF??

Gender: Boy!!

Labor Signs: Baby SEEMS to be moving around a bit less, and I'm definitely having lots of random cramping all over my stomach and pelvic area... plus an occasional bout of lower back aching... Bbay still hasn't dropped but have been reading that he might not until labor actually starts, so that makes me feel a bit more hopeful haha

Symptoms: Back aches, hip and leg pain, cramping, round ligament pain is back trying to hold up my little bowling ball (lol), fatigue, shortness of breath, having to pee allllll the time, and heartburn.

Belly Button in or out? Somehow it's still pretty flat though sometimes when I use my abs it pops out a bit haha

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy & EXCITED!!! I have been feeling anxious ever since talking to hubby about what to do if complications arise... When I really stop to think about it, I'm pretty calm about the actual birth and know that everything will be okay but there is that tiny part of my brain that is freaking out about the minute chance of something going wrong with baby. However, I think I've been so impatient about baby getting here that I'm just anticipating way too much which is leading to stress. So I am making a big effort to just go about my day not expecting or waiting for anything and it seems to be helping quite a bit! :)

Looking forward to: Andrew's arrival!!! I'm hardcore daydreaming/ dreaming about him being here, I absolutely cannot wait to hold him in my arms <3 !!!!!

So in other news, now that we are past full term, and only ELEVEN days from baby's due date (can you believe it?!?!?!?), we are getting the final preparations done... in other words, here are my two projects for the week (besides walking and eating spicy food to entice baby to head out lol):

1. Slow-cooker meals found here

2. Padscicles. Yup, they sound pretty amazing lol-- found here

TTFN!! <3