My Favorite Room in the House...

The only things missing are wall hangings and, most importantly, the new resident! :)

D-Day Minus 2

We're two days away from the "official" due date, and I can finally say that I am READY! Our most recent appointment was on Wednesday, and I was about 1 1/2 cm dilated and about 60% effaced, so we're continuing to see progress. Baby's heartbeat was in the 130's. We also had a sonogram to check fluid levels, and everything looked "great" according to the u/s tech. The baby has dropped down, so I'm experiencing more discomfort and difficulty sitting for long periods of time, so it's wonderful to be on leave and able to lay down whenever I need to!

We go back to the doctor on Monday afternoon (if I don't go into labor before then) for another check, and we may start talking about inducing. I'm still not sure how I feel about that, but I'm warming up to the idea the farther along we go. I'm just so ready to meet this baby!

Progress!

As of last Monday, I'm officially on maternity leave! I was SO ready. I haven't been sleeping well, so it was getting difficult to keep up mentally and physically all day at work. Mom came in to Dallas last Sunday afternoon, and we spent Monday and Tuesday cleaning the house (well, mostly Mom cleaned the house!), doing the baby's laundry, organizing the nursery, and running errands. It was a relief to get so much done before the baby arrives. Thanks, Mom!

On Wednesday I had an appointment with Dr. Woodbridge, and everything still continues to look good. Baby's heartrate was in the 130's, and I was about 1 cm dilated, so we're making progress! She thinks I'll deliver close to the 4/6 due date, but you never know. I'm having minor contractions more frequently and am having a harder time getting comfortable, but I'm not too anxious at this point.

I spent the rest of the week marking things off of my list and trying to get some rest. Robert's birthday was yesterday, and we spent most of the day looking for a bookcase for the nursery and working on our taxes. This typically would not be a fun way to celebrate your birthday, but we were surprised by the nice refund we're going to receive, so we were very happy to have that done. For his birthday, he wanted to go to the Reata in Fort Worth for dinner, so we enjoyed a great meal of chicken fried steak for me, steak for him, and dessert tacos for both. It was definitely worth the trip!

Here are the most recent belly shots, taken last Wednesday - getting closer!

Goodbye, Tree!

A couple of weeks ago my parents came in town, and my dad and Robert took down the tree in front of our house. When I first bought the house, I was really excited about the big, full tree in the front yard. What I didn't realize at the time was that the leaning tree was dropping every year. A neighbor told us how much the lean had increased every year for the past few years, so Dad put in some braces to curb it. That worked really well for a few years, but lately it had started to look pretty sick, and the webworms were attacking it every summer, so it never looked very good. Robert and I want to get the yard in shape this year, so we decided it was time for the tree to go!

Robert and Dad got most of it by themselves and were planning to do the entire thing when a man with a tree service stopped by and made them an offer to finish the job. Robert talked him down to a reasonable amount just to take out the stump, which was going to be the most difficult part. I married such a good bargainer! Hopefully in a few months I'll have some pictures of a nice new yard.

Here's a picture of the tree when I bought the house:

Hard at work:

36 1/2 Weeks

I'm now having weekly appointments with Dr. Woodbridge - another indicator that our baby will be here soon! Everything continues to look great. The baby has been head down since at least 32 weeks (our last sonogram) and is staying in position. Heartbeat is strong, and she tells me that my weight gain is good - although I'm starting to feel huge! The fact that over the past week or so my legs and feet have started to swell and I can only fit into a couple of pairs of my shoes does not help, but she reminded me that to go this far before the swelling began - and that it's primarily in my legs/feet - is really good!

Dr. Woodbridge and I discussed a labor plan today. Before attending our childbirth class I was certain that I would want an epidural, but some of the things we learned in class have led me to want to give it a try without drugs. I like the idea of being able to get up and walk, rock, take a shower, etc. during labor, and that's not possible with an epi. Also, we learned that it can slow down labor and can make the baby drowsy, and I'd like for the baby to be as alert as possible at birth. I know it's a safe procedure, and if I end up having a long labor or the pain is too much to bear, I'm not opposed to meds, but I'm curious to see what my body can do and see how I handle it. The doctor was very supportive of attempting an unmedicated birth, so our plan is to just see how it goes - if it gets to be too much, I can always get the drugs. She thinks that the baby will be average to small in weight, which she said will obviously help! Also, if I do choose to have the epidural, her preference would be a "light" epidural where I would still feel pressure and could move my legs, and I was glad to hear that. Not that I'm excited about the pain, but the idea of being numb and not really feeling anything kind of weirds me out. I'm glad I have a doctor on the same page!

Robert and I found a pediatrician yesterday that we both really like. We know several people that see doctors in his practice and they all have had positive experiences, so it's nice to know that if something comes up and we can't get in to see him we'll still be in good hands. He met with us for almost half an hour to discuss office policy and his philosophy on a few things, and we liked all that he had to say and his answers to all of our questions. Another thing off our list!

I'm continuing to feel a lot of wiggles and stretches every day. I think that is what I will miss most about being pregnant. Our baby is not typically a morning person, but tends to really get going mid-afternoon. Baby really likes to get his or her feet right under my ribs which does inhibit breathing some, but I'm thankful even for that discomfort because every movement reminds me that our baby is continuing to grow and develop.

It's still a little surreal to think about that fact that Robert and I are so close to becoming parents. People are starting to ask if I'm nervous about labor , and my response is usually "I just haven't thought about it a whole lot." I definitely feel educated, but I just don't see the point on dwelling on it because it's going to happen, and there's no point in worrying about it. The anticipation of meeting our baby and finally knowing if it is a boy or girl and giving him or her a name does keep me more excited than scared. The whole pregnancy has flown by, particularly the last few weeks. Maternity leave begins on 3/24, so I only have 6 more days of work! I'm excited to have some time before the baby comes to finish the nursery, deep clean the house, and rest, but I won't be upset if I don't get the full two weeks. It doesn't sound like this baby will be making an appearance anytime soon, but you never know!

Here's a picture we took yesterday - can I really get that much bigger in the next few weeks? :)

Baby Shower

My friends Anne, Lindsay, and Courtney generously hosted a shower for Baby L on February 9. It was SO fun to celebrate Baby's upcoming arrival with good friends and family. The hostesses put together a fun game where we guessed the baby's sex based on old wives' tales. They are saying "Boy" - we should know in a month! Thank you, Friends, for the wonderful shower. We are so blessed - love you girls!

The yummy cakes!

The lovely invites, created by the talented Anne

Pictures of Robert and Me

With Mom

With Courtney (due mid-April) and Lindsay (due mid-August)

With Linz, Court, and Melissa

Teeny tiny diapers!

Karen (neighbor) and Shannon (my former boss at Brinker)

Robert's Grandmother Margaret and his sister Carol

Robert's Grandmother Billie and Carol

A real update is coming soon...

Sorry I'm so behind on updating the blog. I've been deep in busy season at work, and our weekends have been full with showers, hospital classes, working on the house, etc. I think things will slow down a little this weekend, and I can post pictures from the baby shower, doctor appointment updates, and some pictures of the growing belly! Only two more weeks until maternity leave starts - woo hoo!!!

Baby Update

I had my 32 week appointment last Thursday, and everything continues to look great! My doctor had me go in for an ultrasound to check Baby's measurements and for a weight estimate. They measured the head, belly, and femur, and everything was in the 40th - 50th percentiles. The doctor is estimating that Baby will be in the 7 pound range at full-term, so not too big or too small. This is one area where we are happy to be completely average! I'm still feeling really good, other than being more tired and having a little trouble sleeping - definitely minor stuff. Baby also continues to have a nice strong heartbeat - around 145. We are so blessed that everything has gone so smoothly!

Here are a few sonogram pictures. The first one is of Baby's face, straight on. The second one has labels! The third picture is a profile, and you can see both hands. I can't wait to see our little one in person and finally be able to hold him or her!!!

Bathroom Update

Almost done! They still need to install the shower door once it comes in, fix the texture in a couple of places, and finish a few small touch-up items, and we still need to decide on and install window treatments, but we're really close now. We're not sure about the wall color, but we've decided to live with it a little while - it will be easy to change ourselves if we decide we want something different. What a huge improvement!

30.5 Weeks

Things are still going really smoothly. My next appointment is on Thursday, and we're getting a last ultrasound to check Baby L's growth. It's been a long since since we've seen the little one, so we are really looking forward to a quick glimpse next week!

Bathroom Remodel Progress

When I first bought the house over five years ago, one of the things on my list was to re-do the second bathroom, but other things kept moving ahead of it on the list. The bathroom had been remodeled by a previous owner…who had very different tastes than us. Also, the shower had several cracked tiles, so I’d never even used it for fear of leaks.

With the baby coming and the subsequent influx of guests, Robert and I decided it was time to take action. We met with a few contractors over the holidays and found one that we liked. Work got underway about a week and a half ago, and we’re pleased with the progress so far. Check it out!

Before Pictures

So ugly...

Note the lovely yellow cultured faux marble countertop and shell-shaped sink.

Yucky shower

Day One

The window hidden behind the mirror...

Goodbye gross shower tiles!

Day Four

New Hardiboard in the shower

Plumbing is set and holes are made for sconces.

Damaged subfloor is replaced.

Day Five

Wiring is done for shower light fixtures and niche has been made.

New drywall and Hardiboard are in.

Day Six

Tiling has started!

Hopefully I'll have more updates to add soon!

28 Weeks

Officially third trimester! I'm definitely carrying this baby all in the front. :)

Nursery Progress

Robert and I had some serious cleaning out to do to make room for the baby. We decided to turn the guest room into the nursery and combine the office and guest room. December was busy sorting through things, cleaning out closets, and making trips to Goodwill - hope someone enjoys the couch!

Getting a crib was a bit of a saga - we initially ordered one online, and the one we got was damaged. After a second crib also arrived damaged, we got our money back and found one at a local store, Baby World. We love it, so everything worked out in the end! The bedding is from Pottery Barn Kids - they recently discontinued it, so I was happy to find all of the pieces we wanted during the post-Christmas sale. It was difficult finding something gender-neutral that we liked, but I'm really pleased with this set - and the price!

Mom came the weekend after Christmas, and she and I really enjoyed working together to paint the room. It's so cheery in there now - I love walking in and daydreaming about sitting in the glider rocking our baby.

Robert and I purchased a dresser from Ikea and ordered a glider which should be here in the next 6 weeks. We also still need to put up the curtains and start adding a few decorative touches - I can't wait to see everything come together!

My Growing Baby Belly

A few belly pictures as promised...I swear I don't wear red every day!

11/4/07 - 18 Weeks

11/18/07 - 20 Weeks

11/25/07 - 21 Weeks

12/2/07 - 22 Weeks

1/2/08 - 26 Weeks