Thursday's the day.

So I worked Friday and Saturday night this weekend, and it went ok. Saturday night I really started to feel crummy, so I took my Blood Pressure and it was up at 145/95. I decided it would probably be best if I stayed home tonight (sunday night) and try and get some rest and make sure my Blood Pressures stay more normal.

So the plan for the week:

Monday and Tuesday--REST

Wednesday--Go to the clinic and get my BPs and Cervix checked

Thursday--INDUCTION!

OK, so if my cervix is still favorable and L&D is not too busy Dr. Lays plans to induce me on Thursday! I can't believe it! This little man will most likely be here this week! I am feeling so crazy just thinking about it. I am however quite excited. I continue to have swelling and a headache which just makes me feel miserable. My back feels like a thousand knives are stabbing it at any given time, and I continue to have annoying and uncomfortable braxton-hicks contractions. So, my body seems to pretty much want to be done being pregnant.

Things I want to accomplish this week:

1) paint my toes, shave my legs, and wax my eyebrows. I gotta look good for this little man :)

2) put up my uppercase living in the baby's room so it's all finished and ready to go

3) Finalize a name for this little bugger

4) Clean the house for all the company we will most likely be having this weekend

5) Relax and enjoy these last few days alone with Nate

Well Here's hoping that everything goes well and there aren't too many surprises along the way. Until next time...

K

It's Back to Work I go....

So my Dr. Appointment went well today. My BPs were down to 120s/70s. So much better than they were, and I only had +1 protein in my urine. I have also officially lost 5lbs since being on bedrest (all fluid from the swelling) So Dr. Lays gave me the OK to go back to work this weekend! I am excited. I miss my job so much. This last week has been one of the longest weeks ever! I will be glad to be back around my wonderful co-workers again tonight. Hopefully the night won't be too crazy :)

Other good news my cervix was also more dilated. Woot Woot. I am now one and a half cm dilated and 80% effaced. Glad to know these annoying contractions are actually doing something. The plan is to meet again with Dr. Lays next Friday, and talk about possible induction at that point since I will be over 39 weeks.

I cant believe how fast the time has gone. It feels like yesterday Nate and I found out we were going to be parents, and now we are less than 2 weeks away from this little man arriving! I have a feeling that the next 2 weeks are going to be a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation.

more rest for me

So I had my follow-up appointment with Dr. Howick today after being on bedrest for the last five days. My Blood Pressure was about the same as it was last time, but I only had a trace amount of protein in my urine, So that was much better. Oh, and my labs came back ok. My protein/creatine ratio was 0.2 last week. Anything higher than that and they would be concerned. So, for now it is still just kind of borderline. The ultrasound with baby came back great. His fluid levels were perfect and he is growing like a champ. They estimated his size at 38+ weeks and at about 7lbs 4oz (give or take a pound) So the plan is to keep resting until friday when I have my BP checked again, and if it's ok, I get to go back to work next weekend (yeah!)

Some of you may be wondering why I am excited to go back to work. Well I am for a couple of reasons. 1) we need the $$ 2) I miss my co-workers! I have seen nobody but my neighbors out in their lawn and Nate for the last 5 days and I am going a little crazy 3.) I know that it has been crazy busy at work and I hate leaving my co-workers in a tight spot.

So, I guess that time will tell. Not much else new to report. My cervix was still only fingertip but she said it is starting to soften and move more anterior (although it still feels like she is tickling my tonsils when I get checked) So hopefully my body can start kicking it into gear and dilate dilate dilate!

Bedrest...uggg

So my appointment today could have gone a little better :) My Blood Pressures were up (137/72) which is still within the normal range but quite a bit higher than my normal. I was also spilling +2 protein in my urine so that was a bummer. I got PIH labs drawn (to see if I am at risk for developing HELP syndrome) and they tested my urine for a more accurate protein reading. Dr. Howick is supposed to call me in the morning with the results.

Cervical exam was not a whole lot different. Fingertip, 40% effaced, and -2 station. Pretty much notta. Hopefully soon I'll start kicking it in gear. Come on contractions.

Well that is pretty much it. I have a follow up appointment on Monday, but until then is rest, rest, rest for me.

Bowling Ball between my legs??

So this last weekend the pressure has been on... literally. I have never felt so much pressure in my hips in my life. I feel like there is a 15lb bowling bowl nestled up in my pelvis. Lets just say it's a wonderful feeling.

So we are approaching the 37 week mark this week. WooHoo! I can not wait to meet this little guy and be done being pregnant. Well, actually it is kind of bitter sweet. I have really enjoyed being pregnant. It is such an amazing experience. Feeling another being moving and squirming inside of you. However, it is also an uncomfortable and unpleasant feeling at times as well :) I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon, so here's hoping I have progressed a little more.

Feet=still swollen....nothing new there.

Today I went to target because I decided that I should probably begin packing some sort of bag for when we eventually head to the hospital. I, however, did not want to pack all of my toiletries since I will be needing them between now and whenever D-Day is. So, I decided to purchase a few things that I figured I would need in the travel sized containers. Let me just say that they carry just about everything in travel size now. I also purchased some comfy pajama/lounge pants and a cheep pair of slippers for the hospital stay.

We got the guest room pretty much completed this weekend. Nate and his dad did a really good job putting in the floors. They look great! Much better than the nasty, bug infested blue carpet that previously occupied the space. The wall color turned out pretty good as well. When we were painting it I was a little nervous as it looked a little big seafoam green, but after it dried and we got the blue carpet out it looked like the grey/blue color I intended it to be. I just need to paint the baseboards so Nate can put them up and it should be good to go. Oh, and we need to hang a light in the room as the wobbly, black light fan didn't really seem to go in the room anymore.

Amy and Andrew came up to visit this weekend which was really nice of them. It was wonderful to see some familiar faces, have some good food, and catch up with them. They got us some adorable baby gifts that included an NDSU hat/socks, THUNDAR stuffed bison, and an adorable NDSU piggy bank. I will have to take some pics and post them. This little man is going to be quite stylin :)

11 Shifts left at work until I start my maternity leave! Wow, has time really flown by. Well I think I am going to go relax, take a bath and read my book. Until next time.

Fingertip, Thick, High....

Well I had my first cervical exam...I guess it could have gone a little better :) But I guess FT is better than closed right :) Definitely feel more contractions this week. My body is definitely getting ready for the big day. At least they aren't too terribly uncomfortable yet.

So I have been buying things left and right for baby this last week. It seems every time I think I have everything that I need, I think of something else that I need. I guess that's how it will be from now on. There will always be something else we need.

I am now at a 22lb weight gain, I am guessing that at least half of it is in my legs! I have so much water weight it's not even funny. After a night of work I have two large stumps coming out of my hips. I have no definition from my thighs down. Goodbye knees, goodbye ankles, goodbye feet. They no longer exist under the fluffy fluid-filled skin that surround them. Darn you hot and humid July!

So I think that Nate has been nesting this week. He decided that we HAVE to finish the basement guest bedroom before baby arrives. So that is what we are doing. I picked out what was supposed to be a gray-blue paint color for the walls, bought a bed in a bag from walmart, and he picked out some flooring from Lows. Pictures to come if it gets done before D-Day :)

Well the house needs cleaning and my stomach is growlin :) Must be lunch time.

The Last Month Begins!

We are down to the last 5 weeks! WOW! Things really seem to be moving fast now. The nursery is almost completed. I purchased some more fun things for baby, and my body is starting to tell me that it is done being pregnant :) My feet are now continuously swollen (as opposed to getting gradually more swollen as the day would go on). This I am attributing to the warm, humid weather we have been having lately.

I have started to notice more contractions, and some are even a little uncomfortable. My belly is pouching out like crazy, and I even noticed some stretch marks along the bottom :( I had been trying to avoid them, but sometimes mother nature has it's way. At least my belly is not covered in them like some women. I am up to a 20lb weight gain now. It is very strange for me to be this "heavy" I Know that it is not me that weighs this much, but a combo of baby and I, it is just strange to see such a BIG number when I step on the scale. Hopefully after baby boy norby is born I can have the motivation and diligence to work off my baby chub :)

I ordered some uppercase living for our house this week from my friend who sells it. I am really excited. I got a cute expression for baby's room and two for our living room/entry way. I also managed to put up a few of our photos that had been collecting dust in the office since we moved. Our house is slowly starting to come together.

Nate has been working for GreenWorks Landscaping for a few weeks now, and I really think he is starting to enjoy it. At least, It has seemed to spark a little bit more interest for him in his job. I think he really enjoys working outside with his hands. Plus it gives him some crazy new muscles from lifting bricks all day. He has started to work on our lawn, tearing down some of the craziness that was there and just tidying it up. The fish he put in our pond seem to be thriving, and I'm pretty sure feeding them at the end of his day is one of his favorite things to do.

Well we are supposed to be headed to the lake today so I should probably hop to it and get some stuff done before we leave. Laundry/Packing/Cleaning/Bills. Doesn't it just sound like fun :)