A Few Random Pictures

Here I am, 37 weeks pregnant. My sweet friend, Erin, got married that day and I was her matron of honor. I will post more about her wedding later, when I have more pictures.

Here is our crib- finally! We got the nursery furniture last Friday- 8/24. Nothing like last minute! I'll post more pictures of the nursery later- after I take some :-)

Here is our Sugar baby! Her new favorite toy is a pacifier. She snitched it from the baby’s room (I think she is a bit jealous of all the baby stuff) and I’ll admit it is quite hilarious watching her carry it around and fetching it when thrown. She loves it. We may never buy another dog toy again!

Baby Appointments

I have had four baby appointments since I last blogged. I am so glad I am updating before Calum gets here!

On July 31^st, I had a typical baby check-up. My blood pressure was good, like usual (don’t get me wrong- I know how blessed I am to have had good blood pressure throughout this pregnancy). His heart rate was 168bpm- high as always! He was measuring big but, in true Dr. Bolton form, she didn’t share any specific numbers with me. I had gained quite a few pounds in those two weeks- mainly fluid. This is around the time I first really started swelling- especially in my feet. We had been moving in those past days, so my feet weren’t their happiest. I had another two week wait before my weekly appointments would begin.

On August 13^th I had a surprising appointment- but in a good way. I went in. My blood pressure looked great and I had gained only two pounds! Yea! Finally it seemed I got it right! Only two pounds in two weeks! Believe me- if you had to listen to my doctor’s lectures about weight gain you would have been ecstatic about this too! That wasn’t even the surprising part though.

Calum’s heart rate was 134bpm. This was a shocker! That is the lowest heart rate I have ever had for him. I thought this meant his heart rate was slowing down, as most babies’ do near the end of pregnancy. Nah! Just a fluke. This wasn’t the surprising part either!

Dr. Bolton, came in, measured my tummy and then told me I was going to get an ultrasound! This was the surprising part. I hadn’t seen my baby boy in four months. I was very excited- but felt horrible that Damon wasn’t there with me.

Calum had been measuring two weeks ahead. So, at that point- 36 weeks- he was measuring 38 weeks. My doctor was concerned and wanted to know why he was measuring so large. She wanted to do the ultrasound to check on fluid levels and to measure him more accurately. After measuring his head, abdomen, and legs multiple times each, she came to the same conclusion as the measuring tape- he was measuring consistently at 38 weeks. She said he looked great and healthy- just a big healthy.

He was moving his mouth during the ultrasound and sticking his tongue out. Cutie-pie! I also saw him practicing his breathing- with his tummy going in and out with each “breath”.

After the ultrasound she mentioned that she was not likely to let me go to 40 weeks and that she might even induce me. This got me very excited as I was ready to meet my little man after seeing him on the ultrasound. Although she didn’t point it out herself, I was nosey and saw that the ultrasound predicted my due date to be August 29^th. Well, I guess that didn’t happen!

My next appointment, on the 20^th was the first time she checked me for progress. No progress, and he had slowed down his growing. He didn’t gain a week in a week’s time. His heart rate was back up to 153bpm too. She didn’t mention anything more about inducing.

This week I went back on Tuesday (8/28). I had made minimal progress (but something at least)- nothing much to speak of- and he still hadn’t grown his usual amount. So, no induction after all. I may even go the full 40 weeks, but hopefully not past that! Calum’s heart rate was 152bpm- my little wiggle worm! My blood pressure was good too. I have gained every week- I’ll spare you all the numbers… for my own sake.

My next scheduled appointment is Tuesday, September 4^th.

How I have been feeling:

It has been so long since I have updated that I guess I need to update all my pregnancy symptoms. I guess the biggest complaint I have had- which makes my entire pregnancy amount to a very blessed, easy one- is my feet! My feet got really swollen for the first time during the days we moved and got settled into our new house. After that they didn’t really swell for a couple weeks. Then, around 36 weeks they really started swelling on a daily basis. They swell daily now (horrible swelling) and I have been wearing compression stockings when I can to help. My ankles feel bruised and my feet are just plain unhappy. But- like I said- if that is the biggest complaint I have had, then I have had a breezy pregnancy.

Luckily, my blood pressure has remained at fabulous levels. My weight gain could be less, but I feel like it is pretty much all tummy, so that isn’t so bad. I am ready to have my body back though. I literally feel like I am occupying someone else’s body because it is now so difficult to maneuver. When people say you feel uncomfortable at the end of pregnancy, they are right. I do have aches and pains, but overall I just don’t feel like me anymore.

I have battled a head cold this past week. It is still hanging on for dear life. I am stubborn and won’t take anything for it, so I have just been waiting it out. It is waiting me out too! I just hope it clears up before hospital time. I would like to be able to breathe properly during that time and I don’t really feel like sharing my cold with my little guy.

So, I guess my next baby update will either be baby pictures and a story, or it will be an update from my next baby appointment. Hmmm…. I wonder which it will be!

Baby Showers!

I have had three baby showers since I last updated this blog!

On July 21^st I had my second baby shower! My aunt, Brenda, and her daughters hosted this shower for us and it was so sweet and thoughtful. We received wonderful gifts- many things we still really needed.

On August 11^th, Damon’s work family gave us a huge shower! He is clearly well-loved by his DCH co-workers. I knew some of the people there, but I didn’t know everyone. It was so nice to meet many of the people Damon works with. They gave us everything from clothes and books to a Nap Nanny, necessity items, and gift cards, to name just a few. Their thoughtfulness and generosity was tremendous!

Here is a picture of the cake from that shower:

On August 17^th, my work family, at Buhl Elementary, gave me a shower. I got a couple individual gifts, but as a whole, my school came together and gave us a huge Visa gift card. This was fabulous because it helped us purchase many of the things we still needed for Calum, such as bottles, a crib mattress, etc.

I must admit in awe that after four amazing showers, I hardly had any duplicate items to return! Last week, my mom and I went shopping and purchased all the items Damon and I still needed for Calum. I used our gift cards and after two days of shopping I only spent about $35 dollars out of pocket for many hundreds of dollars worth of products. Damon, Calum, and I have been so incredibly blessed by our family and friends. We are so appreciative.

Moved In!

Talk about a poor blogger. That would be me! I have really fallen behind on my posts. Better catch up before Calum gets here!

Where to begin…?

Damon and I are now moved into our new home! We closed on the house July 27^th and moved in the next day. Damon, his brother, his mom, my mom, and even our nephew, Tanner, helped move. I was pretty much useless, but I did my best! Damon worked hard all day and then got up and went to work the next. He doesn’t know how to do anything half way.

For the first couple days it felt like I was in a vacation home- like we had rented this house for a week or something, just to get away. People laugh when I say that, but going from 1,000 sq. ft. to almost 2,400 sq. ft. is a huge difference. Not to mention we had 7 foot ceilings in our first home and this one has vaulted ceilings in two rooms and anywhere from 9-11ft. ceilings everywhere else, with an open floorplan. When you combine all that it makes our home feel all the larger.

We also have a fabulous master bathroom that makes getting ready a tad more enjoyable- although in the early morning hours, getting ready is never a fun venture. But seriously, that bathroom is a huge adjustment. We had a pedestal sink for the past five years, and a bathroom just big enough for one person. Now, we have more cabinet space than I can currently fill (I’m sure that won’t last) and a fabulous ceramic tiled shower and whirlpool tub.

Other fabulous perks of this new home are our large kitchen pantry, our large laundry room, and our dishwasher. I love having all my food in one spot, instead of in cabinets with our dishes. The laundry room is unreal! You may think I am crazy, but when you have had your laundry room on your back porch for years- hot or cold outside- you really appreciate an indoor space for washing clothes. Also, although washing dishes by hand isn’t the worst, or completely unheard of, I really do love my new dishwasher.

We really are beyond blessed in our new home!

We spent the first couple of weeks working on getting settled in. We would work until around 7 and then sit down and watch the Olympics. I loved the Olympics! I had never really watched them in the past (at least not diligently), but this time it was our nightly ritual to sit down together and watch the prime time airings. I miss it now that it is over. There is nothing worthwhile on TV! There never really is.

So, we made it into our new home before our family expanded. God always has a plan for his timing. His timing is always perfect- never late, never early. Thank goodness I don’t actually know what is best for me or get things I want when I want them. His plan is always better.

We look forward to seeing friends and family when Calum gets here- whether at the hospital or at home. But- I will tell you now- our home is very empty. It is going to take a long time to furnish this house. So, if you don’t like the less-is-more approach to décor, don’t even bother coming over. J