35 WEEKS. 35 DAYS TO GO.....

Ok, now it's getting serious.
Gone are the days when we felt like the birth of our baby was so far away.
Gone are the days of doing "baby stuff" just for fun.
Gone are the days of talking about what all we need to do before the baby gets here.

It's GO TIME!

We are at 35 weeks, with only 35 days to go.... and who knows, she could come much sooner than her October 8 due date...35 days away.
Bobby and I have had a goal, and we are thisclose to meeting that goal. The goal is to have all possible baby stuff done 3 weeks before the due date. We have about 2 weeks to accomplish that goal, but I think we might actually reach that goal this weekend.
I could not be more excited about that possibility. That would leave us with 4 weeks rather than 3, to relax, veg on the sofa with feet up, nap, and enjoy the last quiet and uneventful days before Punkin's arrival turns our world upside down.

My Dad is coming into town for the Labor Day holiday weekend. He is going to help Bobby finish up some big projects on his Baby To Do List. My Mom, Sister, and I will be shopping for the final necessary items we still need before Punkin comes home. I am sure we'll do some organizing in the baby's room, as well as the kitchen....I have to find a place and make room for all those bottles and feeding supplies!

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35 Weeks -- and I'm really starting to feel it.
This is what they call the "uncomfortable stage" ...with good reason. I can't seem to get comfortable, anywhere. From the clothes I'm wearing to where I'm sitting, or laying.
- The clothing options are really getting numbered. I'm repeating clothing and wearing dresses more than I ever have in my life. I don't care. I refuse to buy more maternity clothes at this late stage. Besides, maternity (read: fat) clothes are NOT fun to shop for...never have been for me.
- My chair at work is not comfortable. I've actually tried out about 6 chairs at work and none of them are great. (Lots of chairs to pick from after the big layoff a few weeks ago.)
- I can't get comfortable on the sofa at home. The lazboy seems to be the best option at this point, but then I can't sit next to Bobby. (awww ;-)

When I do get my butt up and head for the bathroom (many times a day and night), I KNOW I'm "waddling" and I don't even care anymore.

Ok, I'll stop complaining now. I do realize that I only have a few remaining weeks of being pregnant, and this IS the EASY part.
Honestly, I feel like my pregnancy has been a pretty easy and mostly uneventful one, and I feel very fortunate for that. I'm still not at the point where I am ready to be done being pregnant, and for Punkin to be here....but I'm getting closer. Maybe after the final projects get done this weekend, and I have the 36 week appointment with the doctor next week.....maybe then I'll be ready.
~~~

Birthday Celebration Weekend

After an exhausting weekend, I was ready to get to work so I could rest!

How crazy is that!?!?

It was my "Birthday Celebration Weekend" so it was jam-packed full of fun!
Friday night I chilled out in the LaZBoy and wrote a bunch of Thank You notes. I took this night to take it easy before the craziness started early the next morning.
The insanity began at about 5:30am Saturday morning when I crawled out of bed. Not only did I have to do the normal morning routine, but I had to spend a little extra time and effort since I was prepping for a "photo shoot." Yes, it was the day Bobby & I picked to do our "maternity photos"....I don't really know what else to call them, but they weren't really "maternity" pictures. They were really pictures of us and the belly. We had a friend take the pictures, and we used a couple of our friends houses and a nearby park. Since the pictures were all going to be outdoors...in August....in Austin, we opted for an 8am start time to avoid the worst of the heat. After 3 "costume changes" and 3 location changes, we wrapped up about 10:30am.....just as it was getting a little too hot.
We got some really great pictures, and the sunlight was just right!
(Thanks to G & T for all their help on this!)

After the photo session Bobby and I headed downtown to hit up the big sale at REI. We bought our BOB jogging stroller and a couple of extra attachments. Since we waited specifically for this Labor Day Sale, we saved about 100 bucks! We then enjoyed at nice lunch in the shade on South Congress. If you have not yet had a Mighty Cone, do yourself a favor and do it! Yummy!

We had a Dog Training appointment at 2:30, so we loaded up Bobby's truck about 2:15. Didn't get out of the driveway before we realized we had a flat tire...a really flat tire. So we loaded up Holly in the Mama car and headed for the appointment.
When we got back home I had to get ready for that night's girls slumber party...which included packing a little bag, and taking a big nap. Bobby went outside to change his tire, but couldn't find the jack. Instead he found a tool box full of oil from a busted bottle. So he completely cleaned out the tool box and back end of the pickup while he waited for AAA.

After a nice long nap, I made a stop at the grocery store to stock up on junk food for the slumber party, then headed that way. We talked and laughed from the moment we got there until 2am!! It was a great night of girl bonding, and exactly what I needed!

Sunday morning we got up had a light breakfast and headed our separate ways. G & I went to my house to get ready for an afternoon of more food and Wicked fun.
Brunch was at 11 with my family and G & J. Thankfully I had allotted 2 hours for Brunch at Chez Zee...and it pretty much took up the entire 2 hours due to slow service. Good thing the food was outstanding!!!
We then headed to UT Bass Concert Hall to see WICKED! It was so AWESOME, and I was so glad we had paid a little more for the good seats at this show. I highly recommend seeing this anytime you get a chance! I am sure it is amazing to see on Broadway in NYC!

After dinner and a few loads of laundry, Bobby & I went to bed early.....exhausted.

Now I just have to rest up this week before another busy weekend with my Dad in town for the Holiday weekend.
~~~

VOTE NOW!

Bobby and I are debating the colors for our next big baby purchase: the Jogging Stroller.

So help us out and give me your vote! NAVY or CHOCOLATE/BLUE

Week 34: Childbirth Preparation Class

Bobby and I attended an all day Childbirth Preparation class last Saturday. There was an abundance of really good information that we previously had questions about, or had not even thought of. Upon leaving we both felt much more informed and on information overload. We were definitely glad we took the class!

Some of the highlights discussed:

• Signs of pre-term Labor (most of this is definitely "TMI"....so I won't go into detail about here....)

Contractions: anything with rhythm, doesn't have to hurt. More than 6 in 1 hour = Call Doctor.

• Baby Movement Changes
• 32-33 weeks: movements change from kicks and rolls to nudges and stretches

• What to do if water breaks
• Call Doctor, be prepared to report what time, what color, if you tested + or - for Group B Strep (at 36 week appointment)
• After water breaks take time to shower, put on dry clothes, get towels and trash bags on car seat.
  
• Will normally deliver within 18 hours of water breaking
• Not everyone's water breaks on it's own

• Pain Medication Options
• Demerol and other similar narcotics
• gets into bloodstream through IV
• makes Mom relax, takes the edge off the pain, sleepy
• can make Baby sleepy (NO THANKS!)
• Once Mom is 8cm dilated or more, No Drugs
• Epidural
  
• Anesthesia Numbing Medication
  
• Want active pattern of contractions, around 3cm dialated
• Doesn't hurt that bad. Just a "stick and burn" and pressure. Takes only a few minutes.
• Anesthesiologist performs procedure. Leaves a flexible tube in epidural space for slow medication release.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidural_anesthesia
• Possible Side Effects: Infection at site (rare), Bleeding (rare)
• Anesthesiologist can dose down or dose up the medication. Also, Mom holds the power to release more meds with the push of a button.
• With the medication Mom may not feel the contractions so the doctor and nurses tell her when to push.
  
• Mom can still move around until baby gets real low.
  
• These meds do not go into bloodstream, and do not get to baby directly.

• Length of Stay?
• Vaginal Delivery = 2 day stay
• C-section = 3-4 day stay

• Postpartum
• Once pregnant, the placenta increases Estrogen in the body.
• Mom births placenta, but ovaries stay asleep = lack of Estrogen 7-9 months
• Sex Drive = ZERO for awhile, then Sex Drive will just be "different" for awhile
• Estrogen also acts like Serotonin.
  
• Serotonin deficiency can lead to Postpartum Depression
  

***Interesting addition to our "To-Do" list that had not been mentioned during this pregnancy before....

Tdap Vaccine (Tetanus Diphtheria Adult Pertussis) A/K/A Whooping Cough Vaccine

If a baby catches the Whooping couch in the first 8 weeks of life, the baby can die.
Apparently a few years ago several babies in Texas died from the Whooping Cough. Shortly after there was a huge marketing campaign promoting family members of newborns to get this vaccine. (I am sure you all remember.)
So it is now highly recommended that anyone who will be around a newborn, for extended periods of time, during the baby's first 2 months should have this vaccine ahead of time.
Since I have not had it yet, I can ask the nurse to give me the Tdap Vaccine after I deliver the baby. Bobby has made an appointment with his doctor to get the shot, as well as my Mom, Sister, Brother-in-Law, and Mother-in-Law.
It is not suggested that friends just visiting the baby get the vaccine. However, it is highly recommended that those visitors wash hands and use hand sanitizers when around the baby.
(I hate being that person who pushes the hand sanitizers on people, but I guess I will for Punkin's first 2 months.)

Funny side note...
Bobby's Mom does not live in Texas...she lives in Illinois. When she called her doctor's office to make an appointment for this vaccine, the nurse asked her "Why?" She told the nurse it was because she would be staying with her new granddaughter for a week. The nurse told her she didn't need that vaccine, but put her on hold to confirm with the doctor. The doctor also said that vaccine was unnecessary. But my MIL scheduled the appointment anyway...since Bobby asked her to.
So apparently, this is really just a Texas thing. And it's not a cheap Texas thing...the Tdap Vaccine cost about $65.
~~~

Happy Early Birthday to Me!

I got my beautiful Diaper Bag!!! Wanna see a pic?


And yes, I've already started packing it!! ;-)
~~~

Girls! Girls! Girls!

YEA! I am so excited! Today one of my best friends K found out she is having a GIRL!!! Our little girls will just be 3 months apart....so they will HAVE to be best friends!
I was secretly REALLY HOPING she was going to tell me "It's A Girl!" but I didn't want to get my hopes up...so I kept saying "Boy". I am so glad that was WRONG!

Even the Happy Couple had it in their head that they were having a Boy....because that is what everyone kept telling them. So when they got the news this morning, she was immediately overjoyed with visions of pink dancing in her head, and his whole world was flipped upside down in an instant.
I know this has to be true because that is exactly what happened to Bobby & I a few months ago.

Since then it has totally sunk in for both of us and I can't even imagine preparing for a boy now. Girls are so much fun to shop for!!! Even Bobby is totally on board with having a little girl. He is already thinking of Daddy-Daughter days and fun things they can do together.

In fact, one of our favorite little girls stayed with us on Wednesday night for a few hours while her parents were busy. She and Bobby had a blast watching the Scooby Doo movie. She was standing on the couch and tumbling around with the pillows. Bobby got such a kick out of watching her laugh and giggle at Scooby Doo. I know he was seeing his future watching silly movies with his own little girl.
So Sweet!

It just so happens that K and I already had plans for a baby shopping excursion on Sunday. Well, now I know it's going to be an all-out PINK day!!! I am so excited!
Another good piece of news I found out today.... baby clothes and diapers are TAX-FREE this weekend!
http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxpubs/tx98_490/tx98_490.html
Sweet!

Happy Friday!!!
~~~

Week 33: Floating Baby says 50 Days To Go!!!

Wow! Between the overwhelming amount of new baby stuff I am trying to find a place for, and doing my first loads of baby laundry, it is all feeling very real lately.
We only have 7 weeks (at the most) before Punkin's arrival into our world, and the reality of it all has most definitely hit both Bobby and I in full force.

Maybe it was seeing the massive amount of baby stuff I brought home from the shower, or a combination of several events lately...but Bobby has really started getting serious about his Honey-Do-Before-Baby-Arrives List. He put the pack and play together and made a place for it in our room. He put the car seat in the car against my plea not to (so I wouldn't have to drive around with an empty car seat for the next 7 weeks). He said he'll feel better if its in and all I have to drive around with is the base...the car seat can stay at the house....for now. Next on Bobby's agenda is to get the hospital bags packed. I am normally the way-too-far-in-advance packer...but that is for VACATIONS! This time I was hoping to put off the packing for awhile longer (not really sure why). But Bobby has decided we are packing our bags as well as the baby bag soon...very soon.

My in-laws just made their travel arrangements for their visit about a month after Punkin's arrival. They don't get to visit very often so both Bobby & I are really excited about them coming to stay with us for a while.
My Dad just decided to come for a visit Labor Day weekend so he can help Bobby on some house projects we want to get done before Punkin arrives. I'm sure all that type of stuff will get put on the bottom of the priority list if we don't take care of it now.

I have been training people at work on the different aspects of my job. Basically letting go of all my projects, so they can start taking them over while I am here to help if they need it.

Bobby and I will be attending a Childbirth Preparation class this Saturday, and I just scheduled us for a Newborn Care Class mid-September.

And.............I'm ordering my Diaper Bag TODAY!!!!!

So the combination of all the baby related stuff going on in our lives right now is absolutely making us realize what a short window of time we have left.....
~~~