38 weeks!

Yesterday marked 38 weeks in this pregnancy adventure! Yesterday we had a doctor's appointment and ultrasound. My mom was in town so she got to come with me for this visit which made her a very happy grandma! We met our regular doctor's partner who could possibly deliver our baby if our doctor is unavailable. She was very friendly and took the time to get to know me and learn about my pregnancy thus far. She checked my cervix and said I am still 70% effaced and now 1 centimeter dilated! It was definitely encouraging to have made progress from last week, even if it was only a little bit! Every week of progress is one step closer to meeting our little guy! After meeting with the doctor we had an ultrasound to get an idea of how big the baby will be. According to the ultrasound he is about 6.5 to 7 pounds and is very squished in my belly! It was hard to get a good image of him because he's so cramped but once he moved his arm from across his face we got a good profile picture. His little forehead was furrowed and he was sticking his lips out which was pretty cute to see. The rest of the ultrasound was rather quick, but that's okay because it means he is healthy and our fluid levels looked great.
This week I have been feeling like a ticking time bomb. I am still working 12 hour shifts at the hospital, but it is definately getting harder. I'm so thankful for how considerate my coworkers are and it always seems like someone is asking me if I need help with anything. I plan to work up until I deliver and considering I had a few contractions at work this week that may just happen! This past weekend my coworkers also threw me a baby shower that was amazing. They all came together to get us our swing and pack and play... two things we still really needed!
At this point in the pregnancy I think we are finally feeling ready for the baby to arrive. It is somewhat of a now or never feeling and we're getting excited for all the changes come our way. Butch has mastered installing car seat bases in both cars, setting up his ultimate nemacis the pack and play and putting together every baby gadget that comes through the door. It has been really cute to watch him take such an active role in setting up the baby gear.
We will have another doctor appointment at 39 weeks(next Thursday) unless something happens before then! Keep your fingers crossed!!

Week 37

Today marks week 37 of our pregnancy and medically speaking our baby is now considered full term. It's definitely an exciting feeling to know that any day now our lives will never be the same. We met with our doctor this morning for our weekly check-up. We found out that my Group B Strep test was positive which means I will receive antibiotics at the hospital once I'm in labor. At this point in our pregnancy our visits are actually pretty short. The doctor asks how I'm feeling, if I have any concerns and then checks my cervix for progression. The weeks are flying by for us and sometime we feel like we're constantly at the doctor's office! Our doc said that I have not dilated at all, but that the baby's head is very low (remember the bowling ball reference?) and that my cervix is 70% effaced or thinned. Basically, nothing is happening in terms of having a baby any time soon. I am having an increase in Braxton Hicks contractions which are not painful and help my body get ready for the real thing. I have also been feeling a lot more aches and pressure and I'm certain the baby has "dropped". This luckily has given me a little more lung capacity back and I don't feel out of breath all the time.
Our doctor will be out of town next week so we are meeting one of her colleagues and we will also get an ultrasound to get an idea of how big our little guy is. We're very excited that we get another ultrasound to see the baby since it will have been 18 weeks since our last view. I'm interested to see what position he is in because it has become a regular game at our house to "guess the body part" when my belly moves. Having an ultrasound to predict the size of the baby will also give our doctor a good indication of how long she can let me go overdue before inducing me. She does not feel that I will be early at all (official due date is April 8th), but hopefully she'll have a little sympathy for me and not make us wait too long!
Week 37 has also made us both realize what we have left to do to prepare for the baby. The nursery is almost ready and our hospital bags are packed. I have had a couple of days of good energy, but I haven't quite hit full "nesting" mode!
This adventure has been so exciting for us both and we are very ready to meet our little guy. Every day that passes is one day closer bringing our son into the world. We still haven't decided on a name for him, but hopefully once we see him we'll know what to call him!
Check out some pictures of the nursery. Our crib has not arrived yet, but you'll see where it will go. You'll also see two eager nursery helpers that aren't quite sure what to make of all the changes!

The countdown continues...

Well we are almost a month away from our due date!! This week will mark week 36 of our pregnancy and each day the reality of this baby's arrival becomes more real. Since my last post, we have accumulated 18 packs of diapers, 6 packages of wipes and over 20 books! Our baby shower in Massillon was wonderful and Libby's "stock the nursery" idea was a huge success! It has been so much fun laying out all the outfits our little guy will wear and getting everything organized in the nursery. The only downfall is we are running out of room for everything! This by no means is a complaint... we feel extremely blessed to have amazing family and friends to spoil us and our upcoming arrival. The nursery is pretty much set, except for our crib. Hopefully we will get a call from the store soon that it is ready for pick-up!
At this point of the pregnancy, we are seeing the doctor/nurse practitioner once a week and the doctor has started to check to see if my cervix is making any progress towards labor. Dr. Somani said that everything is looking good and the baby is in a good position for labor and delivery, but I am not dilated at all. She also performed a Group B Strep test which we will find out the results at our next appointment. Basically if the test is positive, I will receive antibiotics at the hospital once I'm in labor to protect the baby. Our doctor also said that the baby's head is low and I might even start to feel like I'm walking around with a bowling ball between my legs! You can imagine the jokes we got out of this comment! I can say that I'm starting to feel a bit more uncomfortable, but haven't quite hit the "bowling ball" status yet.
Butch and I are hoping the the next month goes by quickly although we are really cherishing the moments we have to still be "just the two of us". I know our lives are about to change drastically, but I couldn't be more excited. Having all the baby accessories set up and sitting around the house just makes the anticipation grow! Hopefully our little guy won't be too stubborn and we'll be able to post about his arrival soon!