Workout woes

OK, so the pictures from the last post are of me at 32 weeks, for the record. We accidentally left out that little detail. I have been pretty religious about continuing my workouts during this pregnancy, whether it was jogging in the beginning or walking like I do now. But I have to admit that it is starting to get really hard now. I took Josie (our lab) for a walk today and just about died trying to make it up the hill in our neighborhood. I was huffing and puffing and my muscles were aching like I had just run a couple miles! Maybe I'll stick to the nice, flat treadmill or change my route from now on :)
The latest update on the crib is that we received the second one last Wed and it was damaged too! But since the only thing that was scratched up was two of the posts, we decided to keep the crib and just order replacement parts from the manufacturer. The parts should get here sometime in the next couple of weeks. We're going to really appreciate that crib once we get it all put together!

Furniture Fiasco

Last Monday when we were out registering at Babies R Us, UPS delivered 2 of the 3 pieces of furniture we ordered for the nursery. The crib box was in bad shape and sure enough, when we opened it, 2 of the legs were really scratched up. Turns out it was going to be faster to return it to the store and order a new one online rather than have UPS pick it up again. So one of our church friends (Thank you Craig!) helped us get it to the store in his truck Tues night. So now we are back to waiting. Agghh-- How frustrating! But we did get the 3rd piece of furniture and got it all put together. It's finally starting to look like a baby's room! The new crib is supposed to come this week or next.
As far as an update on Avery, there's not much to tell. She probably weighs close to 4 lbs now and is almost 19 inches long. I went to the doctor last Thurs and everything was great. Now I have to start going every 2 weeks.
As for the rest of our world, it's mostly working, church or church activities, and market research for Scott's future practice. We're usually able to squeeze in a weekly trip to Braums for ice cream too. But then if you know us well, that's not anything unusual :)

10 week countdown

I am starting my 31st week of pregnancy now and Avery should be about 3.5 lbs and 18 inches long. After my doctor's appointment this thursday, I will start going every two weeks. Last week we started our birthing classes. A lot of the info we already knew, but we did learn a few things. I really enjoyed the part where we did breathing exercises becasue the husband had to massage the wife's back and legs while she breathed. Too bad we're only supposed to do breathing exercises for 2 more weeks!
We had a nice, relaxing weekend with a quick visit from Scott's Dad on Saturday. He went to see Scott at Dental Depot and then took us out to lunch and headed back to get Jan in Coppell. Scott and I both have the day off tomorrow, so we're looking forward to that. We are going to go register for baby stuff in the morning and then just enjoy the rest of the day together. We've really got to start taking advantage of these last few weeks of freedom and "alone-time", although it's sometimes difficult when you've been looking forward to having a baby for so long!

Beginning Week 30

Now that you've seen the updated pics, I've got the update on Avery for this week, which is week 30 of my pregnancy. According to my "Week by Week" book, she should weigh about 3 pounds now and be about 17 inches long (about 10.8 inches from head to bottom). Just like the book says, now that my uterus takes up most of my abdomen, I am starting the feel the discomfort of pregnancy-- thankfully just a little. But really, this pregnancy has been fairly uneventful and i have felt pretty good-- so i can't complain. Even Scott said that he thought I would feel much worse than i have. In one way it's hard to believe that I've still got 11 weeks to go, but in another way i can't believe that I will be a mommy soon! I am starting to really look forward to the moment when I see her for the first time and finally get to hold her in my arms.

Tests and more tests

Today we went to the doctor for a checkup and to do glucose testing and another ultrasound. The main purpose of the ultrasound was to check the placenta to see if it was still low. The sonographer said it has moved up out the way enough-- so no placenta previa--Yay! She did have touble getting a good look at Avery's feet however, and she was a little concerned that one foot might be turned in quite a bit and/or be a clubfoot. Dr. Rahhal gave us the option of going to a specialist to have another ultrasound, but I don't think we will since there isn't anything they can do about it before she's born anyway. I'm not too worried considering that my feet were turned in and I had casts on them as an infant-- they look and function normally now! Avery measured right on track this time at 27 1/2 weeks and they estimated her weight at 2.7 pounds. Everything else looks great and the glucose test wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

We are enjoying a relaxing day at home, although we probably should be putting away the Christmas decorations and cleaning house. I guess that will be on the agenda for tomorrow along with buying the nursery furniture, if we can squeeze it all in! Tonight we'll be watching OU in the Holiday Bowl. Go Sooners!

Week 26

This is the last week of my second trimester. Scott and I were talking last night about how it seems like it went by really fast. With the holidays fast approaching and all we have left to do, I have a feeling that these last 3 months are going to go by really fast too- at least until i get really uncomfortable! Avery now should weigh close to 2 pounds and is just over 9 inches from head to bottom. She is starting to put on some weight now and is filling out a little bit. No new big developments though-- she's just growing. Our next big project is to decide on and buy nursery furniture. Scott helped me narrow it down a little, but I am having trouble making a final decision. In some ways i wish there weren't so many choices -- it would make deciding a whole lot easier! Avery must know that i am talking about her because she is moving around like crazy and Scott just now saw my stomach move for the first time. Until next time . . .

Baby gets a name!

Some of you already know, but for those who don't, we have decided to name our daughter Avery Brynn. It's not after anyone, we just liked it! Over Thanksgiving we got to see her again on ultrasound at the Cooper Clinic (my Mom's work) and boy was she active! I feel her move a lot but I guess I don't feel everthing. My parents really enjoyed being there since they didn't get to have ultrasounds with me and Amy. We came home from Dallas with a carload of stuff for Avery-- a bassinet, clothes, blankets, etc that my grandparents and our parents gave us. It was like having a mini baby shower. I added to the load becasue I bought most of the nursery bedding and also a "going home" outfit for her. I bought the quilt and pillow sham on ebay, so I'm now waiting for that to arrive. I had a doctor's appointment this past Wed. and everything is going well. At my next appointment we will do another ultrasound to see if the placenta has risen up out of the way and I also have to do the glucose test- yuck! According to my book, Avery now weighs about 1.2 pounds and is about 8.5 inches from head to bottom. She is busy filling out and developing her organs and senses. We signed up for childbirth and baby care classes starting in January so it will be a busy winter! Check next week for a picture of my growing tummy and an update on Avery.

One pound wonder

Our little girl now weighs close to 1 pound and is about 8 inches long from head to bottom. Her body is getting plumper, but she is still wrinkled to allow for more growth. She is looking more like an infant at the time of birth. I am feeling good and just enjoying her kicks, punches, twists and turns. She seems to get stronger every day and my tummy now visibly moves more often when she moves. We are looking forward to the short work week and to spending time with family over the Thanksgiving holidays. We are really anxious to do the ultrasound Wednesday and to see her again on the screen. I'm sure we'll get a bunch more pictures to show off along with the ones we already have. We'll be looking forward to seeing everyone-- Happy Holidays!

Gulp

I am now nearing the end of my 21st week of pregnancy and the books say our daughter may be beginning to swallow amniotic fluid now. This allows her to practice swallowing and helps her digestive system to mature. My book says full term babies may swallow up to 17 oz. of amniotic fluid in 24 hours! She now weighs close to 10.5 oz and is just over 7 inches long. I feel her move quite a bit now, especially after I eat and in the late afternoon and evening. The other night when I was in the bathtub I actually saw my stomach move a little bit too! I didn't think that would happen until she got bigger. I was going to wait to write until Scott posted the new belly pic, but he is busy reading literature tonight to prepare for their weekly Friday seminar. He might post it later tonight or at least by this weekend. His prediction is that my belly button will pop out in the next 2 weeks, but I think it will be a little longer than that. It is just barely indented now though. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Thanksgiving and to having another ultrasound at the Cooper Clinic!

It's a Girl!!!!

By now all of you know that we had our ultrsound last week and found out that we are having a GIRL!!!! I have been a very bad blogger and have not written anything in almost a month! So much has happened since then so I'm going to try to catch you all up:

During my 16th week- around Oct. 14th or 15th-- I felt our daughter move for the first time! We had just eaten dinner and i was relaxing on the couch with my hand on my belly. Then bloop-- there it was! I was a little unsure at first if it was the baby I was feeling, but after a couple nights of the same sensation I knew it was her. Since then her movements have gotten stronger and I feel her a lot more often. Even Scott has been able to feel her kicks a few times.
During my fall break- Oct 20, 21- my parents came and they painted the nursery for us. It is a light yellow (watch for it in the background of future belly pics). I am trying to decide between 2 different sets of bedding at the moment, both from Pottery Barn Kids. Then we had the ultrasound last Thurs, and that was so much fun! The sonographer said everything looked normal with the baby and she was about 99% sure it was a girl. She measured about 5-6 days bigger than my due date, but since it's within a week they aren't going to change it. We are probably going to do another ultrasound at Thanksgiving at the Cooper Clinic, so I guess we'll be able to confirm the sex then. I also have to have another ultrasound around 28 weeks to make sure the placenta has moved up a little higher since it is low-lying right now. As far as her growth, she is between 5 1/2 and 61/2 inces long from head to bottom and weighs about 9 oz. now. She is putting on fat, growing hair, and her skin is covered in vernix, the white paste that protects her skin from the amniotic fluid.

Mostly I am just enjoying feeling her move and knowing that she is a girl. It makes it so much more special now that I know. I already find myself wondering what she'll be like and thinking of all the hopes and dreams I have for her. She is so precious to me already!

PS- Hopefully, we'll eventually figure out how to post the ultrasound pictures, but we'll definately have a new belly picture on here in the next week or two.

Gettin' Fat (No, not me . . . the baby!)

This week the baby is beginnning to develop a little fat. And when I say a little, I mean a little. By the end of the week, fat will make up about .018 ounce of the baby's total weight of 3.5 ounces. By the time it's born, fat will make up about 5 lbs of it's weight if it's a 7 lb baby! This week, he/she is about 41/2 to 5 inches long and the top of my uterus is just 2 inches or so below my bellybutton. I'm wearing some of my maternity clothes now, but I still have a few pre-pregnancy things that fit-- especially shirts. We will take a "belly picture" sometime this week and try to include it in our next blog. I started cleaning out closets this past weekend and we finally have a "taker" on some of our furniture in the office. Our goal is to get the room at least partially cleared out before we paint at the end of next week. It will soon be transforming into a nursery!

Ultrasound scheduled!

We went for our monthly check-up at the doctor last Thursday. We heard the heartbeat again- it was 150 beats per minute, which they said was really good. I also got my belly measured for the first time. The really exciting part was that we got to schedule our ultrasound for Oct. 27th. Hopefully the baby will cooperate and not be modest! We will be sure to email you all or post it on blogger as soon as we know!
This week (Week 16), our book said the attachment of the umbilical cord on the baby's body is moving up higher on it's tummy. Fingernails are now well developed and arms and legs are moving. Hopefully I'll be able to feel it in the next several weeks. The baby is 41/2 to 5 inches long and weighs 2 1/2 to 3 ounces. The top of my uterus is now just a few inches under my bellybutton.
The house is starting to look a little more like a baby is on the way now that we have a rocker, a pack and play, and some frames for the baby's room. We will be busy in the next few weeks trying to sell some furniture and clean out closets to make room for baby stuff!

Week 15

No groundbreaking news this week-- just plugging along as usual. Scott is in Denver at the AAP meeting until Wednesday, so it's just me, Josie and the baby :) It might be "just us girls", or Josie and I could have a male present among us-- we just don't know yet! My next doctor's appointment is this Thursday, and hopefully we'll get to schedule the ultrasound for the end of October. I'm starting to get a little anxious to find out what it is so we can decide on a name and pick out bedding and fun things like that! I do wish Scott were here to do our weekly Sunday "read about the baby". I might just have to read it to him over the phone tonight.

My book says that the baby is 4 to 4 1/2 inches long now, weighs 1.75 ounces, and is about the size of a softball. I can feel my uterus a little higher up in my abdomen now, and finding things to wear is becomming a challenge. I guess I'll have to break down and start wearing maternity clothes in the next few weeks. The book also says that the baby now has fine hair covering its body, it's eyes are continuing to move toward the front and it may be sucking it's thumb now (I like that part). The outer ear is developing more and the baby's bones are getting harder and ossifying now. It says the baby's bones would now be visible on an x-ray.

We purchased our first baby item this weekend-- a glider rocker. My parents found it at a consigment store in Dallas and went and picked it up for us on Saturday. I'm looking forward to my trip to Canton this weekend with my mom and sister so maybe I can find a few decorative items for my house and of course for the nursery. Let the shopping begin!

Shopping trip

My parents came in town to visit this weekend, partly for a late birthday visit. She cooked a birthday dinner for me complete with homemade apple pie. it was delicious! It was also just in time for my mom and I to go shopping together so i could get some maternity clothes. I have a few pairs of pants and several dresses/skirts that still fit (for now!) but I'm definately starting to outgrow many of my clothes! I got some cute pants that fit me now and will adjust as I get bigger, and then I also got some things that I won't need for a few more weeks. It was a lot of fun.
By now, the baby is 2 1/2 to 3 inches from head to bottom. At this point, all of the major structures and organs have at least begun to develop, so now they just continue growing and developing. In the coming week (week 13), the face will being looking more humanlike with eyes getting closer and ears moving to the correct spot. The intestines, which originally develop in a bulge outside the body, will move inside. By now the genatalia is developed enough that if the baby was examined outside the womb we could tell what sex it is. It will be at least another 6 weeks, however, before we get an ultrasound and find out.

Short report

Just a short entry to update how the baby is growing and develpoing this week. By the end of this week (week 11), the baby will be from 1.75 to 2.4 inches from head to bottom-- about the size of a large lime. The head is uncurling and extending and the neck is growing and developing. Fingernails appear this week. The baby is beginning to look more like a boy or girl,with sexual development complete in another 3 weeks-- although it will be about another 8-10 weeks before we have an ultrasound to find out the sex. No real sign of a belly yet, but some of my clothes are beginning to fit more snugly now-- especially by the end of the day. A few more weeks and a shopping trip may be in order!

Beating Strong

Scott and I just got back from the doctor's office. They did all of my bloodwork today and updated my medical history. At first the nurse said it was probably too early to hear the heartbeat, but when Dr. Rahhal came in he said he would try to find it for us. It took him just a second to find it, but then we heard it loud and clear! It was very fast of course, and he said it sounded really strong. It was so amazing! He also showed us how you can feel the top of my uterus now in my lower abdomen. I haven't gained any weight yet, but I'm sure it's not too far off! There's plenty of time for that later!

Back to Work!

Last Wednesday I started back to work and the first day of school was today. I won't be starting therapy for another week though. Right now I'm getting caught up on paperwork and finalizing my schedule. I am now 8 weeks pregnant and have been feeling pretty good- minus one day last week. I sure am tired though and wish I had time to take a daily afternoon nap. By the end of the week the baby will be about an inch long and will look a little more human. His/her arms and legs and toes and fingers are growing longer and the head is more erect. The eyelids will almost cover the eyes, the ears will be well-formed, and the baby can move his/her body and limbs. We are looking forward to our 2nd visit to the doctor next week.
Scott is finishing his last week of rotations in the ER. Yay!- back to regular schedule.

"Bean Baby"

I am 7 weeks pregnant today and our baby is continuing to change and develop rapidly. By the end of the week, it will be about a 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch from head to bottom, about the size of a pinto bean (our "bean baby"!). This week the baby's nose, ears, and eyelids will be forming. The aortic and pulmonary valves in the heart are present and distinct and the trunk of the body is getting longer and straightening out. The baby has elbows and the beginnings of fingers and toes. The arms and legs now extend forward instead of out to the side.

Growth Spurt

Today I am 6 weeks pregnant. Scott and I were reading last night in some of our books about what our baby will develop this week, so I thought I'd share in case you're interested. The baby will have a big growth spurt this week and more than double in size! The funny part is that it is still measured in millimeters. It goes from about 4 or 5 mm to 12 or 13 mm. Now those are measurements that Scott can relate to! This week the baby will begin to develop legs, hands, and feet (it already has arms). The cerebral hemispheres of the brain, the eyes and nostrils, and the intestines are developing. The baby already has a heart with left and right chambers, an appendix, a pancreas, and lungs with air passages. Isn't it amazing that something so small can already have all of those organs? I can definately tell now that my body is working hard to make this baby as I have started taking little naps in the afternoon and getting really tired by 9:00 every night. I don't know what I'll do when I go back to work! I have also had the pleasure of experiencing some queasiness the past few mornings, but I always feel better once I get something on my stomach.
In just a few short days we get to share our news with you all--we can't wait!

BIG NEWS!

Well, I guess if you are reading this, then you now know that Scott and I are expecting our first baby in March! Although you've probably heard the whole story by now, I'll include a shortened version just for the record. We have been trying since May and around the middle of July, I began to suspect that I might be pregnant. But we decided to wait until our anniversary on July 24 to take a pregnancy test, and it was positive!!! We were so excited and the big news made our anniversary even more special. We have been praying about this for a long time now and we are so grateful for this wonderful blessing from God!
I went to the doctor this morning and he confirmed the pregnancy and gave us a due date of March 26, 2006, which makes me about 5 1/2 weeks along right now. He said that everything looks fine so far, but of course we are praying daily that God will protect the baby and allow it to grow full-term. AS far as how I've been feeling, I've really been doing OK. No morning sickness so far, just a growing list of other small but sometimes annoying symptoms. I don't mind though, as they are a sign to me that my pregnancy is normal and right on track. We are just looking forward to telling everyone now and hoping that you will be surprised and excited!
We thought this would be a good way to share this experience with you all since we live a few hours away. When the time comes, we will try to scan in some "belly" pictures and pictures of the nursery, etc. along the way!