39 Week Appointment

So...had the appointment today. I was almost sure I wouldn't make it to this appointment, so I was a little surprised that I did. I thought for sure Parker would have made his appearance by now. Oh well..
Anyways. I am sitting at almost 3cm (which is already more than I was when I went into labor with Graycen) I was 2cm at my appointment on Thu and I was still 2cm when I went into labor on the following Monday. So, I'm happy that I'm already dilated a little more than I was with her. I'm having contractions but nothing regular.. :( Bleh! The Dr said she doesn't think she will see me at my appointment next Monday. If by chance she does, I have to start the non-stress tests - which she wants to do 2-3 times/week until he is born. She also said (if I come back on Monday) we can talk about inducing me, if I would like. Otherwise we can let nature run its course... So, it's something we have to think about. My blood pressure still looks good and Parker's heart rate is still good. Good things to report there.

The last week

I am wondering just how much longer I will go. It's so hard to say. I am still having contractions but nothing regular yet. I have the pre/early-labor stomachache (had this a day or so before I went into labor with Graycen.)Lost the plug (which could happen weeks before hand - with Graycen I lost it a few days beforehand)
I am steadily finishing up the last few things on my list of things to get done. Got the laundry done yesterday as well as grocery shopping and some last minute cleaning. Things are mostly in order, organized and out for Ma for when she is watching Graycen.
I have my next doctor appointment on Monday - anxious to know if I make it to my appointment. Watch, because I say all of this stuff, I will go over my due date... ugh!
Will I make it to week 40? Any guesses on when I will go?

Doctor appointment...AGAIN!

I feel like I really was just at the doctor. Well, I was there on Thursday of last week and my appointment for this week was today. It happened to be the only day I could get in this week was today.
Well, there has been some progress from 4 days ago - yay! I am now almost 2cm and have thinned out some more - not much, but some. My weight stayed the same, blood pressure still great and Parker's heartbeat was still "happy baby in there."
Last night while putting Graycen down for bed, Parker was moving so much and so strongly that it seriously felt like he was turning around. I was nearly in tears while this was happening - I couldn't believe it. I told the doctor this today and she looked at me, a little worried, and said "Well, I'm going to MAKE SURE I feel a head then." She was telling me her daughter turned herself around (from head down to butt down) at 37.5 weeks - wowza! Luckily, she felt Parker's head. I was afraid he was giving himself a version! ;-) She said it is very possible he was just turning over instead. Either way, I say - Parker Thomas, you stay in position!!
We'll see what happens in the next week. My next appointment is Monday of next week!

Baby, you're full term now!

I can't believe we are to this point already. As of yesterday, I am 37 weeks and had only 21 days left until my due date. Today it shows 20. It's weird that tomorrow we will be in the teens for the countdown. Wow...where has the time gone? My list of things I need to do is slowly getting shorter. I have gotten the bigger things done and am working on the small things - the more unimportant things.
We are happily spending the weekend up north with David's parents and I think it's great for Graycen. Since his ma will be coming down to care for her while we are in the hospital she is able to get a better feel on how Graycen acts, what things she likes/dislikes, what she likes to do, when she is talking - getting a better grasp on what she is saying. It's helpful, I think.
It's definitely getting harder for me to sleep at night and that just plain old sucks! My heartburn isn't as bad as it was - thankfully!!! The contractions are stronger but obviously, not regular or anything. It makes me remember what they were like with Graycen. Parker likes to stick his butt in my ribs quite a bit and that doesn't feel so great. Thanks buddy. He's growing and making some of my stretch marks a little longer. He has to leave his own, I suppose. I guess I can understand that. The marking of the territory..it's a guy thing! LOL


Babycenter.com says:
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.
Your baby weighs about 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by an Elvis look-alike. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Baby, we're halfway there!

I can't believe this is the halfway marker! I really, really can't. This pregnancy is zooming by so much faster than the first one. I think it's because I am working, taking care of Graycen and tending to the house. It just blows my mind. Our big ultrasound appointment is on Wednesday and I am ecstatic about it! Hopefully we will know what our little bundle is. Eeek!!
Overall, I am feeling quite well. I am just tired, exhausted, really. I have energy again and I have regained my appetite - thankfully!!
*I'm not throwing in a generic "in utero" pic this week since we will have our own on Wednesday*

Here's what Babycenter.com tells me for this week:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to her bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against her torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats her entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).

a bell pepper???

I haven't posted an update on our little baby bean in a couple of weeks. I am currently 18 weeks along. I don't know where the time goes. I had my appointment with the midwives last week and it went really quick and well. I have lost a total of 22 pounds, which I was told is a little too much and if it hasn't gone up or stayed the same at my next appointment (in 2 weeks) I will have to start a food journal and go in for weekly weigh-ins. UGH! I got to hear the heartbeat!! David missed it, unfortunately. He had come with and Graycen was with as well and she was getting antsy waiting for the midwife to come in so he took her out to the waiting room. I was sad that he didn't get to hear. He said it's OK because he's not missing the ultrasound. My mom is going to come over and watch Graycen on the morning of our ultrasound so David can be there and take it all in. We have decided that we are going to find out the sex of the baby. After lots and lots of thinking and consideration we have decided - yes! I was realizing that I don't know what the experience of finding out is like and getting to know. I want that feeling (that is, if they can tell!) I may update again next week but not quite sure since our ultrasound will be the week after that and that is my 20 week mark as well. Who knows. The next time there is an update on this one might be when we know if they are a he or a she!!

Here's what Babycenter.com tells me for week 18:
Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

How time flies!

I am one week away from being 4 months pregnant. I just can't believe it! I was REALLY bad and missed my appointment at 13 weeks and have yet to call and get in. I guess I shold try to go this week so I make it around 16 weeks. It makes me sad because we still haven't heard this little one's heartbeat. :( I am sure if I call I will be able to get in soon...hopefully! I am still struggling with a little of the sickness. I am sick right away in the morning and it has gotten a little stronger when I don't eat. It's a vicious cycle - I dn't want to eat because I feel sick and get sick because I don't want to eat! AUGH!!! What can you do? I try to choke down food and that's about the best I can do for now.

BabyCenter.com tells me:
Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

One week left...

..of the first trimester, that is! I can't believe how fast time has been sneaking by me. The m/s is finally calming down BIG TIME!! I am sick right away in the morning and then if I wait too long to eat, I feel sick again. Its controllable now! YAY!! I still don't want milk and this is how I was with Graycen, too. It will probably be another couple of weeks until I want it again. I can't wait for that day!

Here's what Babycenter.com tells me for this week:
The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Good thing I love grapes!

The only word I can use to describe how I feel this week is TIRED! I am extremely tired and all I want to do is sleep. It's hard work growing a baby and taking care of your family. Boy oh boy! My first appointment with the midwife is on Monday. I am super excited! Next week I will be in the double digits! My mom called me last night to ask me how her granddaughterS are doing. She is 100% convinced I am having another girl. We'll see...

Babycenter.com tells me:

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

Webbed fingers and toes.... oh my!

This past week I have felt pretty darn good *knock on wood* My m/s has been hitting first thing when I wake up and I am good as long as I eat/snack. I am even more tired but still just trucking along. My first appointment is nearing - only about a week away. Can't wait!!


Babycenter.com tells me:
Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl. Either way, your baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though you still can't feel it.

Blueberries anyone?

I can't believe it has already been 7 weeks. I know I will be saying this weekly, but still..

Babycenter.com tells me:

Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.

If you could see inside your womb, you'd spot eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of your baby's brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in your baby's growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.

We have a little lentil bean!

I am 6 weeks pregnant today! So far it's been OK. I am extremely tired!!! It was like instantly, I can nap at any time of the day. Wow! I didn't get this way with Graycen for a while still. The morning sickness has already kicked in. I had my first incident 2 days ago. When I called to make my first appointment with the midwife, which isn't until November 19, a nurse called me back to "chat." When she called she was asking if I had any questions and such. She asked if I had m/s (morning sickness) with my first child
and how bad was it. I told her I did and it was not good!! She told me to stop taking my PNV (pre-natal vitamin) and to start taking 800mcg of Folic Acid and a Unisom at bedtime. If this didn't help once the m/s kicked in to let them know and they could give me a prescription for something. I started it a couple of days ago - and thank goodness I did! I get sick first thing in the morning and then that is it *knock on wood* Let's hope this keeps up!

Babycenter tells me:
The nose, mouth, and ears that you'll spend so much time kissing in eight months are beginning to take shape. If you could see in your uterus, you'd find an oversize head and dark spots where your baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through his body. His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to his lungs has appeared. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones. Right now, your baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil bean.

This is the first babycenter update I have read...are we *really* having a boy??? Hmmm...makes you wonder. It's going be a long 34 weeks - waiting to find out if we have a boy or girl. Since we had no choice but to be surprised with Graycen (the u/s technician couldn't tell what the sex was) we decided to be surprised again. It will be tempting not to ask when we go in for the *big one* in about 14 weeks.