Happy New Year!

What are the plans for New Years Eve you ask? Shaun is fixing himself a beer and snack and I am thinking about how nice it will be to go to bed early and sleep in tomorrow. Ahhh, what an exciting life we lead :) In other news, my dad is amazingly clever and got us a 3D/4D ultrasound for Christmas! How awesome is that?! We are going this friday to make sure Charley is still a girl ::crosses fingers:: and we'll get a full dvd of the whole thing that we can hopefully share on the blog! I'm SO SO SO excited about it, I can't even contain myself! I think it will be great for Shaun too. My belly is always moving, bouncing and shaking with every little movement Charley makes. He can see it and knows she's in there, but I think seeing 3D pictures of her will really help us both bond a little more with her. We broke out the Baby Bjorn to test out (guess who our test subject was) today. I think Gadget actually likes this one.
Also, today Jessey's little boy Chase was born via scheduled c-section around 7:30 this morning. Congrats Jessey and happy birthday baby Chase! I can't wait to see pictures of him and hear how she's feeling. Jessey and I have become closer throughout our pregnancies since she's 5 weeks a head of me. She always has great advice and I can't wait to meet Chase.

32 Weeks!

Shaun and I spent a quiet Christmas together. I keep thinking about how crazy it is that this will be our last Christmas as a family of 2! Next Christmas Charley will be 10 months old, which I just can't seem to wrap my head around. I've been getting a ton of braxton hicks contractions which can be very uncomfortable especially if Charley starts to kick while I'm having one. She's getting so big her movements are starting to feel so different. I don't usually feel kicks anymore, just her moving, turning and stretching. Officially I have 8 weeks until my due date, but my OB says he won't stop labor anytime after 35 weeks, so I want to be ready for her to come anytime between 35-41 weeks (even though I think it will be closer to 41 weeks).
We've been working on the nursery a lot and Shaun put together the swing today.Deciding whether we should torture Gadget or not. We figured the swing might be a little much for her :)
This week your baby should be in a head-down position. Ninety-six percent of all babies present head first by the time labor begins. If your fetus is breech, your provider might consider turning it manually. Just like you, your unborn baby will establish a daily routine. You'll notice at times your baby is active and wiggly, while at other times you can't feel her movements. Once your baby's born, she'll most likely continue with her in-utero pattern. Edit: Hilariously enough I forgot to censor this weeks naked lady. Now everyone will have to stare at the NSFW uncensored naked cartoon pregnant lady because I'm not changing it :) The damage has been done. Hahaha!

Along with a routine, your baby has favorite positions too. A favorite of many unborn babies is to have their heads down, rumps up towards the ribs (conveniently, the perfect position for labor). Your unborn baby weighs around four pounds and stretches to over 11 and one-half inches in length (crown to rump). She's about the size of a jicama.

Happy Birthing Day to...

Tomorrow I turn 26 and in the past I would congratulate myself on another year well done and celebrate my entrance into the world. But ever since I found out I was pregnant and a little part of me (I'm still 95% in denial) realized there will be a day that this child will have to come out of me I started to believe that birthdays are done all wrong! A birthday is a day you should shower your mother with expensive and overly lavish gifts and thank her adamantly for spending however many hours of blood, sweat and tears trying to get you the hell out of there. I will forever think of my own birthday as celebrating my mothers labor and delivery. Thanks Mom, for pushing me out. I obviously couldn't have done it without you.

Here are some old pictures I scanned in.

31 weeks!

We've started taking all our hospital classes. It's a lot to learn and every class gives us a ton of information to try to take in. We've learned a lot about infant care, our hospitals rules and are starting to feel a little more prepared. Of course this has brought up some more questions for my OB which I plan to ask him Tuesday for our next appointment. Charley's all about the night life. Every night she keeps me up dancing like a little maniac. When she's 16 and wants to stay out late for some crazy party I'm going to remind her of her fetal nighttime antics and let her know I saved a special "you're grounded" moment which will be used at that time. Nope, life's not fair. She also has decided recently that she has something against the fetal position and does her best to stretch out as much as possible making me ever so uncomfortable. People walk by my desk and see my face and come running over thinking I'm having contractions or something. I have to disappoint them by saying she's just so stretched out I feel like my belly is going to split open. I'll have to be better about my faces. Your unborn baby's lungs continue to mature. As her lungs become more developed, the chances of her surviving if born prematurely increase. Her skin, which has been wrinkled, now becomes pink and smooth as fat cells fill out her body. Baby knows your voice. Singing to her, talking to her, and telling her all about the world she'll be joining soon is a great way for you and your partner to bond with Baby—and each other! Your baby's fingernails have grown and she may even need a manicure after she's born. She weighs around three pounds, eight ounces (Try carrying around 4 navel oranges) and stretches to around 11.2 inches (crown to rump).Charley's started to gain an average of 1/2 lb a week. Grow Charley, grow!

Christmas is just around the corner

Things kind of snuck up on me this year. My birthday is Saturday and next week is Christmas! Even though we put up a tree it just doesn't feel like Christmas to me. It's just going to be Shaun and I finishing the nursery and trying to get organized for Charley. We even decided to not do presents so we can hit all the after Christmas sales and buy the things we need then. Shaun is preparing for the disney marathon which is in January while I'm preparing for the marathon of labor which I'm thinking will be more painful, but all too similar. Shaun has also decided he wants to be my doula, so he's doing all the research he can now to try to help support me through labor. We hope everyone has a fabulous Christmas!
31 weeks in front of our tree. Only 9 more weeks till my due date!
Merry Christmas Everyone!

30 weeks!

I feel completely done, which is silly because I know I have 10 more weeks left. I feel 80 years old with all the aches and pains. I don't sleep well, I'm uncomfortable, cranky and an emotional wreck most of the time. I hope this next 10 weeks flies by and I am holding my little baby girl in my arms before I know it. In reality I realize this is going to be the longest 10 weeks of my life and for whatever reason I expect to be at least a week overdue. Blah.A few more weeks to go! Your baby weight is starting to impact your lifestyle. Bending over is tricky if not impossible. And tying your shoes? Forget about it. As your baby-to-be crowds your internal organs you may experience more heartburn, indigestion, and flatulence. Breathing may be more difficult as your lungs have less room to expand.
Tired of Being Pregnant?
By this point the novelty of your baby bump may have worn off—you're getting downright tired of being pregnant. In a few weeks your aches and pains will be a distant memory as you stare into your newborn's face, but for now there are a few simple things you can do to make your last few pregnancy weeks more comfortable.
Complaint: No sleep. Your baby bump makes it hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. Add to that the discomfort caused by your internal organs making room for your growing baby-to-be: Your lungs have to work harder to provide the extra oxygen your body needs, creating shortness of breath. Your stomach is pushed up, making heartburn and indigestion likely. And your bladder—well—you're already used to going to the bathroom several times a day, and making similar trips at night can be frustrating.
Your baby's face looks much like it will when she's born. She still needs to fill out more to get the characteristic chubby infant cheeks, but she's on her way. She can move her head, open her eyes, and make breathing movements through her open nostrils (although no air comes in). If your little one were born today, she'd have a good chance for survival at about three pounds (like a head of cabbage) and nearly 11 inches long (crown to rump). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

29 Weeks!

11 weeks to go and I'm already ready to get this baby out of here. Not really, she'd better stay and bake till at least 37 weeks, but I don't know how I'm going to make it 8-12 more weeks. My every two week OB appointments start today. At my weigh in today, my doctor said I'm up 22lbs total, so I feel pretty good about my weight gain so far. He also said I only failed my 1 hour glucose test by a couple of points and passed my 3 hour with flying colors. He also said I was measuring right on track "not too big, not too small." I got a "keep doing what you're doing" and was sent on my way. Look how much I've grown over the past 2 months. I can't even believe it! Hard to believe my belly has a lot more growing to do.Let's get right to the point: You're a bloated, water-retaining mess. Chances are good you can't get your sneakers on or your wedding ring off, so get comfy in your slippers. Your pants don't fit. Your shirts don't fit. And now, thanks to the swelling in your feet, your shoes don't fit. You can thank a wonderful thing called edema for that. Go edema! Extreme swelling (as in "Oh my god, what happened to my hands?!") might be a sign of preeclampsia, so make sure to see your doctor. For mild edema, your doctor may recommend support hose—with plenty of room for your belly—and drinking plenty of water. Also, a low-salt diet may not be any fun (No potato chips! No soy sauce!), but it may help to minimize edema and water retention. Having a baby prematurely is frightening, no doubt. But here's a reason to relax: Due to the impressive advancements of medical technology, if your baby is born this week, she'd have a 9 out of 10 chance of survival, which is seriously great news. Other awesome developments:
Baby's brain can now control her breathing and body temperature. She can also cough, and her sucking abilities have been perfected. Look out, boobs!
Your Mini's skin is looking less wrinkled as she packs on the pounds. She's starting to look more like a Pampers model and less like a Depends model. She's now beefing up on the energizing and insulating white fat she'll be born with (unfortunately, white fat is not energizing and insulating for adults!).
And speaking of energy, your little Energizer Bunny is on fire these days. You're sure to feel your share of kicks, punches and elbows, especially when you're lying down. You might want to start keeping a kick chart to monitor your baby's movements, and also to later show your 13-year-old child what you endured for him or her. Ask your doctor how to count kicks and how often you should do it.
This week your baby is a little over 15 inches long—about the length of a butternut squash—and weighs about 3 pounds.

SURPRISE Baby Shower!

My wonderful Aunts hosted a surprise mini shower while I was in NY for Thanksgiving. My Uncle Dennis, Aunt Pat and Cousin Kristen drove out from Long Island, my brother and girlfriend were there from Florida, and my Aunts Carol and Nora and their children were all there. A couple of my Aunt Nora's friends even showed up that I had spent some time on previous trips with. It was amazing, I couldn't believe it.

For anyone that didn't believe I was surprised, this look of shock and maybe even a little terror will clear that up for you :P I love that my brother is smiling in the mirror. Classic Justin.
My sneaky aunt and cousinsYep, you got me!My Aunt Pat, Uncle Dennis and cousin Kristen. I'm still looking a little shocked.My Aunt Nora, Aunt Carol and Loraine.Guess the baby food game. This one I guessed was "mashed turnips or vomit." Obviously I was wrong, but I couldn't even tell you what it really was.Shaun smelling a "poopy" diaper. I'm guessing Charley's poopy diapers are not going to smell like chocolate.Caroline, Niki, Loraine, and Laura contemplating which candy bar the poopy diapers smell of.Opening all my cute presents.Super cute baby book for all the 1st year milestones.
It was really a fantastic time. We played games, opened cute baby gifts and ate fabulous food. Thank you so much Aunt Nora and Aunt Carol for hosting an amazing surprise shower, and thank you to everyone that was able to come. It was so touching, I'm thankful to have such a wonderful family.

Our Newborn Cloth Diaper Stash!

I bought our cloth diapers for when Charley first comes home. It should last us until she's about 15lbs.And what do you do when you have an 8 lb dog and you get a stash of cloth diapers? Why diaper Gadget, of course!Thankfully she didn't give them the full test, but she did give us a little wink.She's really just glaring with one eye. As much as Gadget wants most of Charley's stuff to be for her...this is one thing she'll gladly let Charley keep for herself.

Nursery Furniture!

Today our nursery furniture was delivered. We decided on Munire Newport collection based on reviews from baby bargains and research on pregnancy/parenting forums. We had ordered Rubbed Black, but there was a problem with the shipment of that color and settled for Espresso, which would have been our second choice anyway.




Now to figure out the artwork, finish decorating and get the mattress, bedding, rocker and changing table. I'm hoping we'll be completely finished with it by the end of January.

Nursery art!

I found these on etsy.com and would like to try to recreate them for over the dresser. I LOVE them! I'm going to try with scrapbook paper and see how it looks.

I also found an example of how I'd like to do the wall letter from samandsophiebaby on etsy.com.We already bought the "C" and scrap paper to cover it, hopefully we'll be able to successfully make it the way I'm picturing it.

27 Weeks!

Lots going on this week. Last night was our hospital tour which was fun and informative, passing my glucose test which was AWESOME, painting and molding is done in the nursery, and nursery furniture is being delivered Monday. I promise this outfit looked much more flattering in the mirror this morning...

This week, your baby weighs over 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.
The light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter for both you and your baby. With only 13 weeks left (give or take a couple of days), it's time to enjoy the ride because it's getting shorter. As your baby bump expands, you may experience a few growing pains: Your skin may itch as it stretches. Meals may be smaller, but you may want to eat more often as your stomach has less room. Heartburn and indigestion can be frequent as your stomach is pushed up closer to your esophagus. And the added baby weight puts pressure on your bladder, meaning you're still visiting the bathroom often. If you're terrified by the idea of labor, you're not alone. Maybe you worry you won't know you're going into labor, that the pain will be too intense, or that you'll have an emergency C-section. Theses concerns are normal, but by learning more about what scares you, you'll feel better about delivery day.
Oh and my public apology to Shaun... I told him I would not buy baby clothes and guess what came in the mail last night... That's right, 8 beautiful tiny baby outfits from Gymboree. They were having a huge sale, plus I found a 30% off my entire order coupon, but I did feel bad for doing something we decided not to do. I ordered most in 6-12 months size, because I figured people would probably get us some newborn and 0-3 month outfits. I can't wait to see them on her.
Sorry I bought these beautiful outfits, honey :) I'll do better in the future.

Progress

1st Trimester-completed
Highs-finding out we were pregnant, giving Shaun his first Fathers Day card to tell him the news, telling close friends and family, catching a glimpse of our baby's beating heart at the ER, starting to learn about pregnancy.
Lows-seeing an empty sac at the first ultrasound, measuring 2 weeks behind what we calculated, worrying about miscarriage, morning sickness, fatigue, more worrying about miscarriage, trip to ER because of bleeding.
2nd Trimester-completed
Highs-no more morning sickness, more energy, feeling movement, 19 week ultrasound, finding out we were having a girl, feeling more movement, buying nursery furniture, Shaun feeling movement, hospital tour, starting to buy baby items, getting bigger.
Lows-comments on my GINORMOUS size (just because I'm pregnant and supposed to be getting bigger, doesn't make this nice or ok. No one wants to be called "ginormous" or "huge" or "big"), heartburn, back pain, sciatic nerve pain, hormones (sorry Shaun), getting bigger.
3rd trimester-in progress...

WOOHOOO! I PASSED!!

Thank the little baby jesus in his little bitty manger, I passed my 3 hour glucose test!!! I totally psyched myself out and was convinced I'd fail and I'm SO HAPPY I could jump up and down (which I would later regret since I'm wearing heels, so I'll refrain) :-D
The 3 hour test was BRUTAL, I got so sick later on in the day I thought I might puke poor Charley to death.
In other good news the nursery furniture will be delivered Monday so we'll have pictures of the nursery with the furniture all set up. Things are starting to come together :)
I'll be back to post my weekly post and belly pictures tomorrow. Time's a flyin'!

Baby room teaser....

Charlie (my dad) and I worked on Charley's (my baby) room this weekend. The effort involved two-tone paint divided by moulding and included two hand-framed moulding inserts with a third accent colour. I nailed/glued the last of the moulding late last night and will put the finishing paint touches on tonight. This picture shows the molding that lives over the imaginary crib.