The unexpected

Briana, my little sister, arrived in town on Saturday and it has been great having her here. We've been cleaning, nesting and working on my townhouse to sell. Okay so she has been cleaning etc...I have been giving direction for the most part. Ha!

Sadly she has not been witness to a brand new baby and neither have we, so today she and I went for what I think is my 6th ultrasound. (David is getting in as much work as possible since his company is no longer paying for vacation days). According to the ultrasound "little Ms. Peanut" is 9.1 pds give or take a pound. The doctor took her own measurements and she believes the baby is even larger, closer to 9.5 or more. Now at this point in the exam we are still talking natural birth, nervously, but I'm still thinking its doable. After the exam though, unexpectedly we're talking induction and/or c-section.

Seems my cervix has not changed at all in 3 weeks. No forward progress! The thought is the baby maybe too large to progress any further or I may be too small. We know the baby is in the right position and right at the cervix opening but the opening is closed tight as a drum, to be very frank.

Induction and c-section I was not prepared for, so after much talk with the doc she sent us home to think on it. I've consulted with my doula, sister, mom, a nurse, my father, other moms and my husband. I have concluded that with as much work as I have done around the house, walking and using the birthing ball, even at work, we should be further along than this. If I wait until next week to see if everything progresses naturally she'll be about half a pound bigger than she is now. If I get induced then I will need an epidural and I may deliver fine or I may not progress but so far and have to have an emergency C-section. More drugs on top of drugs, bad for baby and Momma. So then c-section, just cut me open and bring her out. I take on all the risk and the baby is at much less risk. So I make a date and she's born. That's not the delivery I was hoping for but so far it seem the most logical, I think. I think, I will sleep on it and consult the Man upstairs. More tomorrow.

The Waiting Game

Awh the wait. After much excitement about the possibility of having Ms. Peanut early we are a week out from my due date and nothing.

I had a doc appointment this morning and have had no change since last week. There is a bit of concern the baby maybe too large to move any further down. They have scheduled an ultrasound for next Tuesday, the day after my due date, to see the size of the baby and check the fluid. If the baby is over 9.5 pds then I maybe in for a C-section. Hopefully she isn't and she will just come on her own this week. :)

Regardless my sister, Briana will be here on Saturday and I can't wait to see her. Its been too long since I have had my family in town. Mom and my Aunt Terry are coming the week after. So I am going to focus on them coming this week and not worry about the little one and when she'll be here. Cause she will be here when she's good and ready.

Thank you for the continued prayers for Ms. Peanut. If she does come on her own lets pray she's not nearly 9 pds and if she doesn't lets pray the doc and nurse will make an informed and good decision.

The Final Countdown

Had a doc appointment on yesterday and all is progressing along, I had braxton hicks contractions all morning before the appointment. I am 70% effaced, cervix still closed but doc said she could feel her head was right there at the cervix! No kidding, I've been trying to walk around it. Waddle, waddle.

I was so very tired this morning but so up and nesting last night. Look out!

We're expecting a snow here late tonight and into tomorrow so maybe that will be our day! Although my dad is holding out for 1/10/10. Easier for him to remember...much like my niece who was born on 2/22/02. David is hoping for tomorrow so he can be back at work by Monday. HA! We will see! I'd love nothing better than to be inside somewhere warm than out and about in this cold. It was 11 degrees here this morning! BRRRRR!

Tick, Tock, swish, swash

The clock is running down on this pregnancy. Where did the time go?

I must say I am truly blessed! To have been pregnant for nearly 9 months and not have any trouble has been the greatest blessing for David and I. Not to say moving around hasn't become more difficult and sleeping...! That has become near impossible with Carpal Tunnel running through my hands... Oh well, couldn't get off scott free, I guess. Walking up and down stairs has caused me to become a mouth breather and putting on sock and shoes is becoming more like an Olympic sport. That's okay David has been getting good practice putting on socks and shoes for a girl now. Pull the tongue out before you tie that shoe. :)

I had an ultrasound last Tuesday and the baby looks to be 7.5 pds already. Lets hope the tech is right and not way off like they were with my sisters pregnancy...7.5 pds turned out to be 9.9 OPPPPSSSS!

The doc expects our baby girl to arrive this week or next. She doesn't see me going to full term since last week I was already effaced(lining of the cervix begins to decrease making way for cervix to open) From the ultrasound they can tell she has some hair on that pretty little head. It exciting to imagine but I have to admit I am a bit nervous. If babies grow like they say they do at this point we're in for a big girl. I am a bit more at ease since we now have a Doula. She seems wonderful and a blessing. Katie Horner is her name and she has been helping coach couples through deliveries for years. She will be in the delivery room with us, calming me down. :)

So I have another appointment tomorrow at 11am. Hopefully all goes well again! Thanks for the prayers!

30 Weeks down and hopefully 10 to go!

I am finally at 30 weeks and feeling great. Ms. Peanut says hello! (I guess that's what she says since my belly just lurched forward:)

I have been feeling pretty good for the most part. Except on the weekends after David and I finish working on his family's home. I'm exhausted and hurt in places I didn't know I had. GOODNESS!

We've been weekend warriors for the past few months, getting the place ready for us to move into. It's been a daunting task but this weekend we made some real progress with the help of our friends, Denise, Lisa and Terri.

With some help next weekend and David and Terri's husband Russ tiling soon we should be in there by Thanksgiving weekend. I will be so relieved once we are. I need to start nesting! :)

Speaking of, Ms. Peanut's room is almost set up. I just need to get her outfits washed and put away.

David and I will be attending our 3rd of 6 child birthing classes tonight. So far its been good. We saw the dreaded video last week...YIKES!

When you think about all the stuff women have to go through to have a child, not to mention what they put themselves through... its almost comical...
Soooo, I've been thinking about having natural child birth! I know, I know! SHHHHHHHH! I don't want to hear it from you who say "DON'T," unless you have gone that route.

A friend of mine's reaction was, "Natural! Are you nuts? Say it with me E-P-I-D-U-R-A-L!" Guuuuuurl, you are going to need it believe me you are going to want to "enjoy" this time. Believe me I have 2 kids."
At this, I had to laugh. What part of docs, nurses and your wonderful partner looking at you in your most compromised position EVER, enjoyment? Yes, the end result is, but come on! Nothing could make the process enjoyable, least of all a needle in my back and being so numb that you don't know you just...well, for those of you who have not had children...I'll let you do your own research.

Don't get me wrong I'm not ruling it out completely. If I get to a point where I feel like I need to revel in the process for comfort sake because the pain wall is way to high, fine. But its not my first choice. So with that I am now looking for Doulas to help us through the process. I'm excited and interested to see if I can do it.

Say a prayer for us if you will. This year has been a whirlwind so far and I am sure the next 10 weeks, not to mention, the next 18 years will be as well. :)

Til next time.

24 weeks followup ultrasound

We had our 24 weeks ultrasound today. This is a follow-up from the 20 week visit since they couldn't see the front of Ms. Peanut. Well we saw all of her today.And double checked it was a girl.



It was great! Her heartbeat was 150 bpm, all the levels and measurements look on target.



The nurse said she looks to already be practicing breathing which usually doesn't happen until the 3rd trimester.

Check out her yawn.


She so smart already!

I know its weird, she looks like a skeleton...uummm her first Halloween guess that will be her costume. In the next few weeks through the end of the pregnancy she'll start getting baby fat and have less translucent skin so we won't see those teeth...they will be under her gums and lips. :)



And she looks like she gonna have long legs like her Daddy. :) I have felt her kick but it hasn't been anything like what it looks like these little legs could do.



Next appointment is on Oct 26th, regular checkup & test for gestational diabetes. After that I will begin going every two weeks...let the roller coaster ride begin!

Becoming a family

So between the ultrasounds and the indigestion David and I became a family, as in a married couple!

Toward the end of 2008 David and I decide to make it official. The story is much longer than that but I won't bore you to tears. So we set a date of October 10, 2009 for our wonderful wedding. A wedding all little girls dream of...which we all know came to a screeching halt come May 1st. Read posts below if you haven't already.

We moved the wedding date up to June 20th, 2009. ...And we almost eloped cause we didn't know how not to invite people to the wedding nor did we know how to plan something in a month and some days. But when I decided I couldn't live with out my immediate family and close friends there, a few friends jumped in to help. Besides, Randy and Sheryl...okay Sheryl(David's sister, well not really his sister but they should have been) would have killed us if we didn't do the reception at their place. :)

So we did it, small, beautiful and yes a little girl's greatest dream! Terri Wakefield and Sheryl Allen were our heroes and we couldn't be more blessed to have them both and all who helped out in our lives! So here is a video of the blessed event. My apologies if you weren't invited but just think about it this way, it saved you a really bad sunburn, a Saturday, and buying a gift.

David and Melissa Fitzgerald's Wedding from Melissa Fitzgerald on Vimeo.