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Friday, May 25, 2012

37 weeks: Full Term, Baby!





I'm in disbelief I made it this far, and that our little girl can safely join us at any time! Not that I hope she comes early, as uncomfortable as I am. I would prefer no surprises and that she'll join us on her scheduled date of June 11. I'd really like to be mentally and physically prepared (showered, bags packed, hair done, camera charged, etc), and I'm not quite there. Although, I've always thought it would be fun to experience my water breaking on it's own and rushing to the hospital like they do in the movies..haha.

Physically I'm barely holding up. I'm pretty sure she's dropped. I'm having so much pressure and pain very low, that after sitting at my desk for an hour or two, I can barely walk. Literally. I have to stand up and hold the underside of my belly for a good 2-3 minutes and wait for the sharp pains to subside, and then I can attempt to walk. Ouch.

And can we talk about heartburn? What is this evil thing? I escaped heartburn altogether my first pregnancy, and didn't start experiencing it until a month or two ago. Now I wake up in the middle of the night with the most excruciating heartburn. I've been keeping a bottle of Tums next to the toilet since I'm up to pee so much and I it's been helping a little.

I had one or two days of swelling (my feet were a little swollen) but that subsided. I'm still lucky enough to be wearing my wedding rings although today they seem to be a bit tight. I don't know how I escaped that so I'm pretty happy, but I remember getting incredibly swollen after my c-section last time from the IV fluids so I should probably take my jewelry off now while I still can. I also had my blood pressure creep up on me at the end of Carter's pregnancy, and this time it's way low. Like just above too low, low. I am overweight and 9 months pregnant and I have the blood pressure of an athlete. Go figure.

I also have no idea how I managed to gain only 12 pounds. Seriously. I actually lost a pound at my last appointment, but the baby is growing at a stellar rate so I couldn't be happier. I wish I felt as good as all of this sounds, but I still feel like my body is broken and I'm unable to do very basic things. Getting up out of bed at night to pee is the worst. I have no stomach muscles, and it takes everything I've got to push myself up and off the bed, and then I experience sharp stabbing pains with every step I take. I feel like, at any moment, the baby, placenta and all, will just drop right out of me.

I know I will miss every second of this in another month or so and who knows when or if I'll get to be pregnant again so I'm trying to savor every last day as much as I want to meet her already.

My official last day of work is June 6th! I'm working right up until I have her minus two days. I thought I owed myself at least two days to square things away at home, but knowing me, I'll probably come into the office just because I won't know what to do with myself. I'm constantly busy, and complaining about it, but the minute I have a moment to myself, I have to fill it with something. Before Carter was born I would have loved some free-time, but now I'm pretty content with just going, going, going all the time. Especially at 9 months pregnant, I feel like if I sit still, I'll just end up watching the clock tick waiting for this baby to be born. I wish I could physically accomplish what my mind wants it to.

Sorry for the ramble of emotions, but that's all I got! In a little over two weeks our baby girl will be here and this will all be a distant memory. Please say a prayer for a safe delivery and a healthy baby girl. It's all I care about.




Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Olivia's Nursery!

We're done! Sort of. I still feel like I'm not finished, but I must be crazy, right?

I now present to you our finished(ish) nursery!











9 days until full-term, 26 days to go!





Monday, May 14, 2012

Maternity Pictures!

Last weekend my friend Lauren from Lauren West Photography took my maternity pictures! The location was breathtaking, and I'm so happy with the way they turned out.

Head on over to Lauren's blog to check out some of the favorites of the day: Michelle, Andy, Carter: Waiting for Olivia! I'm in love and can't wait to order prints to frame around our house.

Thank you Lauren for an amazing shoot!

Xo,

P.S.

28 days to go!!!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

33 Weeks




Man. I had such high hopes at the beginning of this pregnancy of blogging my progress every single week with cute belly photos, and I realize that I deserve a big fat fail for that one. I haven't really taken one decent photo of myself (besides my iPhone pictures), but my lovely, amazing and talented friend Lauren from Lauren West Photography will be taking maternity pictures of me this Saturday. I've never had "professional" photos taken before so I'm really excited to document this time in my life, and get some cute family pictures that I can frame.

These last few weeks are so freakin exciting and overwhelming that I might actually do a post for each week because it's all my mind thinks about these days. When your stomach is the size of a bowling ball, and you're in pain every time you move, it's kind of hard to think about anything else but. I feel like I have so MUCH work to do to get caught up and prepped for my maternity leave, but I have no motivation to work on it. Miraculously, my sales are doing really well (I'm a commission based insurance agent) even with all the added distractions so that is good. I'm trying not to worry too much about it because I know I'll never get this time in my life back again to spend with my babies.

Speaking of maternity leave, I plan on taking my full 12 weeks this time. Yes, TWELVE. Considering I only took 6 weeks off for Carter, this will be huge for me. We have a scheduled repeat c-section set for Monday, June 11th, and I'm hoping to work right up until June 8th (Friday). I'm cray, but let me live in my dream world where this will be possible. I'm scheduled to return to work on September 3rd. We plan on keeping Carter in daycare until July 1st so I'll have a good three weeks adjusting to the new baby, and getting some one on one time in with her. After July 1st, my life will change drastically. It will just be ME, home alone, with a newborn and a two year-old. I'm terrified. I'm hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. I'm excited about this time, but naturally nervous. I know I'll survive, but it's going to be really hard.

At 33 weeks, 5 days, I have a little over 5 weeks until my c-section, and a little over 3 weeks until full-term. Since months have been flying by in what feels like days, I know she'll be here before I know it and this will all be a distant memory so I'm trying to savor it. Who knows if and when I'll be pregnant again, and considering our house isn't big enough, it will probably be a long time.

I've had some pre-term labor scares with contractions, but I don't think they're anything but Braxton Hicks so I'm not too worried. I've been checked twice, and so far they haven't made any progress. My doctor thinks everything I'm feeling and experiencing is typical for a 2nd pregnancy. I was prescribed Procardia to stop contractions but due to the side effects I'm weary of taking it. If I feel like I absolutely have to, I will.

I've officially gained 12 pounds this pregnancy, but been asked if I'm having twins twice now. I don't think I'm THAT huge, and I'm baffled why anyone would make a comment on a pregnant woman's size at all. But whatev's, I don't care too much.

34 weeks on Friday and will hopefully have the nursery finished very soon. Things are happenin people!