She is Getting Big!! 32 weeks

I definitely can feel Ms. Annabelle now.  Just a few minutes ago as I was playing on my computer sitting on the couch I could feel her kicking against my right arm as I surfed the web so I stopped and put my hand there, next thing I know I feel my tummy going in waves and then a sharp quick pain in my private area.  OUCH!!

You have to wonderful what is actually going on in there.. LOL..

Tomorrow we are 32 weeks along.  She is supposed to be about 3.75 pounds and 16 inches long.  It's hard to believe at times that something that big is in me although as you can see she makes it known she is in there.  We have a Dr. appointment in the morning to check up on her and we are forever closer to having her in our arms.

I have been having a hard time sleeping through the night and I seem to wake up around 3:30am or 4am every night if nothing else but to pee but sometimes I can't sleep and I go to the couch to watch TV or have a snack.  I find the leather couch comfy at that time of night because it's cool and it supports my back.   However, the nights I do get up I really feel crappy the next day especially if I don't get back to sleep at all.

The mornings are getting harder and harder and it's getting uncomfortable to drive and walk into work in the morning.  Often I have to lay back in my chair for a bit when I get in because I feel light headed or tummy just doesn't feel good.  I just keep saying it won't be much longer as I am now 8 months along.  The way I figure it I only have about 6 more weeks of work and as time goes on like others who have had babies in my group I might need to work from home more often.

I think all and all I have been lucky during this pregnancy but as they say the third trimester the honeymoon is over and for me that means increased heartburn, feeling like I was punched in the belly, uncomfortable sleeping, lack of sleeping... but... it could be worse.

Picture of Me at 31 Weeks

So I finally remembered to take a picture of me today and I thought I would share it with you all.

Merry Christmas!!

I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas!  Jerry and I have had a great Christmas.  I feel so spoiled this year and Jerry said the same, we didn't get each other outrageous gifts but we got thoughtful and meaningful gifts.  Being pregnant and emotional I cried a little when I saw he had got me a new charm for my pandora bracelet, it's to rings on a pillow and one has a little diamond in it.  It's was a charm to represent our marriage.  I love it!

I also got an awesome mono pod for my camera and it rocks!  I have wanted one for sometime now and I can't wait to start using it.

I got Jerry new cuff links that are monogrammed and he loved them.  He also got a heart rate monitor for when he works out.

We both also got each other things we needed but just wouldn't spring on for ourselves :-)

Annabelle wasn't left out this year either.  She got some books and a few toys along with some leg warmers, socks, hat, pacifiers and a Sofia Giraffe.  We can't wait until next year when we have her here with us to open gifts and enjoy a good family Christmas.

All of Annabelle's Goodies

Today we have been laying around in comfy clothing all day and we are making a good old Yankee Pot Roast for dinner, it is yummy and so easy to make and clean up. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!! I hope everyone have a wonderful New Year and may 2012 bring you everything you have been hoping for :-)

Found a Doula and a Pediatrician

It sure has been a busy week with Christmas right around the corner and us trying to cross off things on our "To Do" list.  We went and met the Doula's we had found and we really like them and are very happy with our decision to have a Doula present at our birth experience.  There are 3 Doula's in the practice so we are assured to get someone who is fresh and awake and if we labor goes beyond a day we will have a new fresh Doula come in to help through the rest of the time.  They really seem to love their jobs and they are very informed.  Here is a link to the their site http://www.thebirthingwell.com/meet-the-doulas/. 

What is a Doula you ask?  They will help us with the following:

• Helping with alternative pain relief for those who don't want medication for pain relief.
• Being an advocate for our wishes (they can't speak for us but can help us better understand what is happening so we can make the right choice).
• Help be there for emotional support for Jerry and I, so Jerry will be able to get a break if the labor goes long.
•  They will come to our home to help us labor if we would like them to.
•  They know a lot of the policies at a hospital and they can help our wishes to be met.
•  If we would like them to they can take pictures for us (of course respecting any boundaries on what type of pictures)

We are very much looking forward to  working with them during the birth of our little Annabelle.

For the Pediatrician we went to a prenatal visit with a couple of other expecting parents.  This practice seems to be GREAT!  They gave us a very informative package of information and spent time talking to us about what to expect in the hospital at birth and how the practice works.  They are open 364 days a week and available 24/7, I mean seriously I have never heard of that and that is AWESOME!!  They are located in the building that is attached to were we will be having the baby and I especially like that they have different waiting rooms for sick kids vs. well kids vs. teenagers vs. infants.  Here is their website http://raleighchildren.com/ . I think we found a great fit for our little Annabelle and I am very happy we will always have someone to call day or night in case of illness. 

31 Weeks:
Tomorrow is 31 weeks and I am very excited and feeling more ready every day.  We still have a bunch to do and buy but now that we have the Doula and the Dr. I feel better and more ready.  I do need to take a picture of my belly so you all can see what it looks like but it really isn't as big as I thought it would be.  She is riding really low on me so most of it is below my belly button line.

Little Annabelle is still right at home and been kicking and moving around more and more.  We are now seeing our OB every two weeks and soon we change over to once a week.  So 9 more weeks to go and I just think back to waiting till 12 weeks before we could tell people and I keep saying that time went by fast so this will too!

I hope everyone is having a great Holiday!!!  We defiantly have had our prayers answered this year and  I thank God every day for all his blessings this past year has brought.  I still get emotional when I think of our little one that we lost on Christmas last year and our second little one we lost in April but I know everything happens for a reason and we were blessed to have them with us for the time we did.

Merry Christmas to All!

To Do/Buy List

To Do:
1.  Find a Pediatrician DONE
2.  Go sign up with a Doula DONE
3.  Pack the labor bag DONE
4.  Pack our hospital bags DONE
5.  Install the Car seat DONE
6.  Make a "Birth Plan" I hear these just go out the window any ways but I think I should make one DONE
7.  Get my LOA paper work together and ready DONE
8.  Send in my hospital pre-registration form (going to do this this week) DONE
9.  General list item to buy the things we still need DONE
10. Get a shelf for her room DONE
11.  Put up her mirror DONE
12.  Get a couple of pictures for her room ORDERED
13.  Wash her clothes Washed all the 0-3 and Newborn
14.  Wash her bedding DONE
15.  Wash the cloth diapers DONE
16.  Setup our bedroom to attach the bassinet to the bed
17.  We need to talk about who is going to do what around the house when she gets here (this might go out the window but it doesn't hurt to talk about it)
18.  Make freezer meals so we are not eating out every night Working on it
19.  Install the BumGenius sprayer on the guest room toilet
20.  Get instructions on how to clean the diapers and post it in our laundry room
21.  Baby proof the stairs, outlets and cabinets
22.  Hire a cleaning service for the first few months Not doing this any more

To Buy:  We really use our registries (Babies R Us and Amazon) to keep track of this and we have marked things we have bought as purchased.  We have been buying things as we went along so we didn't find ourselves here in the 3rd trimester with a list a mile long of things we needed and baby things are expensive when you look at the volume of things you need!

This is my brainstorm in no order of priority

• Breast Pump Got it
• Rocker Ordered
• High Chair
• Bumbo
• Bounce Play Seat 
• Bottles
• Pacifiers 
• Cloth Diapers
• Eurgo Baby Carrier w/ Infant Insert
• Burp Cloths
• Bibs 
• Wrap T-Shirts (Newborn)
• Halo Sleepers
• We have a bit of outfits but we still could use some more one piece outfits
• A Hooter Hider for Breast Feeding
• Nipple Cream
• Wipes (lots of baby wipes)
• Trash can for her room
• Laundry Basket for her room
• Lotions and Soap and all that good stuff for baby
• Activity Center
• Baby Gates and Safety Items

I am sure I am missing something here.  Some how we will get all of this :-)

Our house is starting to look like a home

This has been one very busy year and among getting married, remodeling a second home 8hrs away to sell, suffering the losses of our little ones and we bought a home in Feb., but we have not been able to afford to buy some of that "nice to have" furniture, it just wasn't a priority.  But now with our little one on her way here soon we decided that if we planned to drive the 3hrs to IKEA and 3hrs back to get some dining room furniture we better do it now, because we needed to take the truck. 

IKEA furniture isn't the best but we actually think it is just what we needed for now as this isn't our forever home.  We are having some friends over for dinner on Saturday so that will be our first true use of the table. 

We also purchases a buffet table for the dining room.  The color kind of blends in on this picture but the thought is we will paint this room at some point.

While at IKEA we saw a console table that would work well for our family room.  It gives us a place to put some of our many books and it kind of finishes out the room so we are not looking at the back of our couch.  As you can see we did find a mirror for above the fireplace (thank goodness it needed it badly).

Glucose Test:  So from what they tell me no news is good news and I have not heard anything from the Dr. and it's been over a week.  It's safe to say that all was good.  I have another Dr. apt on Friday but I am guessing that is just going to be the usual check in. 

I am thinking that my next post is going to be a brain dump of our "To Do" list of things to get done before Ms. Annabelle arrives...

Am I really going to be another year older tomorrow?

How is it that time can fly by  for some things and seem to crawl for others?  It just seems like yesterday I was celebrating my 32nd Birthday and now tomorrow I will be celebrating my 33rd Birthday.   But yet now that I am waiting for little Annabelle the weeks seems to go just a little slower and I am sure when she gets here and I want time to slow down things will pick up to light speed.

Tomorrow I am going out to dinner with my favorite person, my wonderful husband.  This will be my last Birthday without our little girl and I can't wait to celebrate my Birthday with my husband and little girl.  I am sure this time next year it will feel like someone turned on the fast forward button on me.

A big thank you to those who have already sent me cards, each and everyone one of them made me smile!

Fun Picture - Ultrasound Progression & Compare Our Baby Pictures

Jerry and I think Annabelle looks like me most.  What do you think?

How time has gone by and this is how Annabelle has progressed!

28 Weeks 3D/4D Utrasound

Today we got to see our little Annabelle at our 28 week 3D/4D ultrasound and she so beautiful.  She still loves her hands and likes putting them up on her face or in her mouth and she was call cuddled up to the cord and placenta.

Here are some pictures from today's ultrasound

Oooo hummmm there is nothing to do in here.. LOL

Look at those little feet

Cracking a little bit of a smile for us

Love that little face

Sucking on her hand

Open mouth

2D Profile Shot you can see her leg and the cord

Isn't she such a cutie pie?

Hello Third Trimester... 28 Weeks Down (12 to go maybe)

What a milestone we hit today!  We are now going into our third trimester and the chance of Annabelle surviving if she should comes early is really good now.  Woohooo!!!!

Today we had our 28 week Dr. appointment which included the glucose test.  For those who have not had to take this test before let me say it really isn't that bad.  The drink tasted like an orange freeze pop that had melted well I should say several not frozen freeze pops.  I was able to drink it at home and then we went to the Dr. and I did have a bit of a time keeping it down as I felt like I was going to be sick on my way to the Dr.  I won't know how we did on the test until early next week but I am hoping I pass so I don't have to do the 3 hr test.

Tomorrow is a fun day!!!! We are going to go get some more 3D ultrasound pictures taken of Annabelle so we can get a better idea of what she will look like and so we can include these on our Christmas cards.  I am guessing this will be one of the last times we see her on ultrasound before she gets here.

She is now getting to be over 2.25 pounds (getting to be a big girl) and 14 inches long.  At least that is what I read she should be at.  She likes to kick and show me she is there and I love feeling her move around.  Mostly I feel her after I eat or drink something.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and come back tomorrow I will have some new pictures to show you!