36.5 and 37.5 Week Updates

Okay so on Tuesday November 17th I was 36.5 weeks. Jared went with my to my doctor's appointment last week because we had our last and final "growth ultrasound". I have been getting fetal monitoring tests done for the past several weeks, so we started our appointment out with that. I had maybe one contraction while connected to the monitor and the baby's heart rate looked great! After our 30 minutes of fetal monitoring, we went in for our ultrasound. The baby was measuring at a week ahead of schedule and already weighs 6 pounds, 14 ounces. So he is doing quite well!!! The doctor came back and showed us he has a full head of hair (which I had no idea you could see on an ultrasound....it was crazy). At least now we know the wives tales of lots of hair and heartburn are true....because my heartburn has been BAD! Thank goodness for Costco sized bottles of TUMS!!!
After the ultrasound, we met with our doctor who checked my cervix and told me I had moved from 1 cm. dilated to 1.5 cm. dilated and was 75% effaced.
Everything continued to look great, and she sent us on our way....ready to see us next week.

On Tuesday November 24th (yesterday) I was 37.5 weeks. Once again I started out my doctor's appointment with fetal monitoring. Again, baby's heart rate was nice and strong and happy! Only one contraction on the monitor....so off I went to see the doctor. She brought in the ultrasound machine to check the baby's position (still head down, and facing up), and made sure he had plenty of amniotic fluid still...which he did!
Next, she checked my cervix, and to her surprise I was 3 cm. dilated and 80% effaced. After checking my cervix she did something to me called a membrane "sweep" or stripping of the membranes. Basically with her fingers in a circular motion, she uses this method to separate the bag of water from the side of the uterus near the cervix. Generally prostaglandin hormones are released after doing this procedure which generally helps push along labor. 1 in 6 women will go into labor within 24 hours of having this done. Often times, this method doesn't do anything at all, but because my baby is getting so big and my uterus is much smaller than average, the doctor's wanted to try to help labor along a little sooner. I was fully prepared for this little membrane sweep to be very painful, but it wasn't even slightly uncomfortable for me...the doctor said most patients cry and say it hurts...but apparently I am one tough cookie. ;-)

Anyway, nothing else to report for now, basically we just sit and wait!

Baby Room Update

Here are some photos of the baby room...still somewhat of a work in progress, but you get the idea!

Changing Table/Hope Chest/Window: Left side of the closet:

Right side of the closet:

Diaper Holder that Aunt Linda made:

Rocking Chair/Crib/Wall Art/Mobile: (Missing some wall art...soon to come):

Baby Shower Day

The long anticipated baby shower day was November 1, 2009. My sister Jessica put so much thought, time and work into the special shower day, it couldn't have been more perfect. There are some other very special people in my life who also helped to make my baby shower a perfect day.....you all know who you are...so thank you thank you thank you! I had so many fabulous friends and family attend, I felt like such a lucky preggo lady!

Here are a few photos, there are too many to post, but this gives you a good idea!

8 months....getting ready to leave for my shower:

Sitting on my baby shower throne: The adorable monkey cake:

The diaper cake Paige made me:

Halloween Visitors!!

On October 31, 2009 Jared and I had a few adorable little visitors:

Justine the cavewoman, Gavin the turtle and Oliver the Cowboy T-Rex: The back of Gavin the turtle: The front of Gavin the turtle:

Close up of Gavin the turtle: Oliver the Cowboy T-Rex:

Justine/Oliver and Gavin:

Dylan the Transformer and Thatcher the Gnome:

35 Weeks/3 Days

I had my weekly appointment this afternoon. It started out as it has the past few weeks with fetal monitoring, followed by a clinic visit.

I don't have much news to report, fetal monitoring went fine, babies heart rate continues to be strong and we are constantly told what a "happy" baby we have! Baby Mo had some pretty crazy hiccups while I was being monitored as well, so my belly was bouncing all over the place, it was pretty funny.

My clinic visit went well too, the baby still has plenty of amniotic fluid and all appeared to be well. I am still 1 cm. dilated which is good news. The baby has dropped and my cervix is thinning, all things going as they should as my body is preparing itself and the baby for delivery.

Overall very good news for today. My doctor still believes that we will deliver early by or around 38 weeks.

Not too much longer folks!!!