Baby Showered!

This past Sunday my mom threw me a lovely baby shower. And by threw, I mean let me plan and then decide to try and change all my plans hours before (that's how she rolls).

It turned out to be the most wonderful day, and I still am walking around on a little high from all the love we received.

Even baby Liam came (3 weeks old!)

My momma and I.

I have a maternity shoot scheduled for May (and I'm so excited about it), and the nursery to finish up. I'm most anxious about getting my work squared away at the office, but I know everything will work out (because it has to, right?).

30 Weeks!

I made it to 30 weeks! 30 weeks sounds really pregnant to me and I can't believe in as little as 7 weeks our baby girl could be here, full-term. I thought I would jot down a bit about how I'm feeling at 30 weeks so I don't forget..

Crappy iPhone picture for your viewing pleasure.

Far Along: 30 Weeks 4 Days

Weight Gain: About 10 pounds total, the doctor is very pleased given my starting weight. And I didn't have to give up my sweets (GD test passed!)

Gender: Baby is all girl as confirmed by at least 6 ultrasounds, and counting. I like how they must tell me the gender at every ultrasound appointment, just to make sure.

Labor Signs: I've been feeling a TON of pressure, lower back pain, cramping and round ligament pain the past few weeks. A lot of which have to do with sitting at my desk all day long because I notice I'm not feeling as much pain / pressure on the weekends. I don't think this means anything, but I do know those are signs of early labor so my doctor and I are keeping watch of everything. I'm getting mandatory ultrasounds every two weeks to check my cervical length, fluid and measure the baby. I'm fine with the added precautions but I don't expect her to come earlier than scheduled.

Nursery: We've painted and have a crib, dresser, chair and some art ready to go. I'm itching to get the foundation down and then figure out what we still need after my baby shower on April 22nd.

Birth: Well, I went ahead and scheduled a repeat c-section for June 11th (4 days shy of my due date), and exactly two calendar months from today. I still haven't completely ruled out a VBAC but it's doubtful. Given the reasons why I had a c-section before, I'm not an excellent VBAC candidate. My doctor won't let me wait to go into labor naturally after June 11th, and obviously another induction is just not an option. If by chance I go into labor on my own before June 11th and I'm progressing quickly without medical intervention or complications, will definitely try for a VBAC. I do love the idea of going to the hospital nicely showered, made-up and rested, and then having our baby girl within minutes, but I don't like the idea of having had TWO c-sections and what that will do to my future ability to have children.

Appointments: I'm going every two-weeks right now, and I'm getting fancy ultrasounds each time. I know I'm really lucky because I remember only getting two fancy (high quality) ultrasounds with Carter my entire pregnancy. They measure Olivia top to bottom every two weeks to make sure she is progressing on target. You know how I was worried in the very beginning that she was measuring 4 days behind? Well, I went in for my usual appointment about a month ago and she was measuring two weeks AHEAD. Out of nowhere. She had been consistently measured about 2-4 days behind (I ovulated a few days later than day 14 of my cycle, and I knew that), but having her jump TWO WEEKS ahead was a little scary. Specifically her head and belly were measuring of a 31 weeker and I was 29 weeks. That put her at the 90th percentile for her gestational age. Usually babies measuring in the 90th percentile are concerning for doctors (and can be a sign of gestational diabetes among other things). But I went in two weeks later and they went to check out her size, and she was down to the 78th percentile. Still a big girl by all means (I cringe) but not in a scary / concerning way. With Carter, he measured exact my entire pregnancy. He was always right in the 50% percentile for his size and measured to the day of my gestational age. I think I have one more bi weekly appointment and then I start going every week.

As for how I'm feeling, I'm a combination of terrified, anxious and so freakin excited. In just about 6 weeks I'll have a full-term baby. I really can't wait to meet her, but I have so much at work to catch up on and prepare for my three month absence that until that is squared away, I won't be able to relax. I'm worried she'll come before I'm finished here, but I know if that happens everything will find a way of working out just as it always does.


okaythatisall!

Easter

 Our Easter was very low-key this year as my parents (and sister and brother) are all in Jamaica on a breathtaking tropical get-a-away. It was actually nice to follow some of our Easter traditions with my little trio. I'm also house-sitting for my parents but thankfully the Easter bunny found us and we had a really enjoyable Easter!

 It was nice to be able to use the "Easter bunny isn't going to come if you don't do such and such" as a bribe to get Carter to pick up his toys and behave all weekend. Don't all parents do that? Bribery is my favorite parenting tool.

After Carter opened his Easter basket, we all got ready in our Easter best and headed to brunch at a fancy country club (my parents and I go here every year for Easter brunch and my mom was nice enough to book us a reservation - already paid for - so we could continue the tradition). They also have an Easter egg hunt and petting zoo for the kids so Carter was psyched all morning. I mentioned the petting zoo part to him while we were getting ready and then next thing I know Carter wouldn't stop talking about how excited he was to go to the zoo. He wanted to see lions and jaguars (I don't know where he comes up with this stuff) and I kept trying to correct him that we weren't going to the zoo, but it was too late.

It ended up being a much smaller petting zoo than normal with a few bunnies, chickens, a goat and two lambs, but he still loved it.

Best picture of the day. 

30 weeks!

Later on we took my parents dogs to the dog park, and I cooked an Easter feast. I missed my family but it was also nice to spend the holiday with my little family.

By the way, all weekend Carter would not stop using the phrase "Oh my God." I guess there are worse phrases he could be repeating right now..

Big Boy Room

I've officially finished Carter's big boy room. I'm happy with the way it turned out for the most part, and now I get to focus all of my energy on Olivia's nursery! Here are some pictures of the finished result (I actually broke out the DSLR for these; I know shocking).

Bedding and head board are from Amazon.

Letters from Carter's nursery (hand painted by me). Desk from Amazon. Toy box and shoe shelf from Target.

Shelf from Target.

Wallfry prints.

Andy's mini office is still in the room. We sectioned it off with these dividers from Amazon.

 He actually sleeps in here every single night and loves his room. Although, we've been house sitting this week and I'm a tad nervous because Carter has been sleeping with us because there isn't a convenient space for him to sleep him alone. I'm worried he'll get used to co-sleeping again and we'll have an adjustment problem when we go back home. We will see.

Happy Easter Weekend everyone!

A new baby!

One of my closest friends (Amy) had her baby boy last Friday! He is such a doll and I am so in love with him. Being at the hospital on Friday and getting caught up in the all the excitement of a new baby brought back so many memories of Carter's birth. I loved being on the other side of the equation; watching the new mom and dad in the hospital and visiting a teensy tiny little newborn that didn't belong to me.

Baby Liam and I (my friend Amy's new little boy!).

I didn't really have any friends who had children when Carter was born. I was the first one of my close group of girlfriends to have a child and I sort of just winged it. I probably didn't research things as much as I should have, and I didn't know that an entire world of amazing baby products existed outside of Babies-R-Us. I didn't have advice from friends or family, and I didn't know what to expect (as much as I thought I did).

Isn't he amazing?

Having been through it before, the loss, the TTC process - I find the whole birth experience so overwhelming and thrilling at the same time when I never would have before (as much). I would have been like "oh, here's your new baby, he's really cute!" And that'd be it. But I was just so excited I couldn't stand it. I was so overwhelmed and happy for the new mom and was flooded with emotions. Also, having a toddler who I find to be the most incredible little man in the entire world also makes me feel like I know what is in store for this little guy and his parents, and it just gets me so happy!

Hubby holding Liam. 

I literally can't stop thinking about meeting our baby girl in about two months. It's so close yet so far away and my thoughts have been consumed with her. I still have so much to finish at work and at home (THE NURSERY) and I'm sort of in shock this is really happening. Is it?

My mom offered to pay for another 3D ultrasound yesterday because she wanted to be there for it and also see the baby now that she's grown a bit more.

Ahhh, :).

I'll be 30 weeks Friday, 9 weeks to go (repeat c-section will be scheduled for 39 weeks)!