Monday, February 28, 2011

Hopeful Report at OB Appt & Ava Update

I had another OB appointment this morning and saw a different doctor than the one I saw Thursday last week. She checked me and said I am about the same as I was (2cm, 50% effaced) and that she thinks it is totally likely/possible that I will make it until Richard arrives. He may be arriving a little earlier than we originally expected, too, so for now I am breathing a little easier. My next appointment is next Monday.

Ava went to the day care place today during my appointment and had a blast again. I'm so proud of the great little girl she is growing up to be! She is SO stinkin smart and such a sweet girl (usually, hehe). One thing I'm keeping an eye on, though, is that she has been stuttering a little bit lately; like it just started within the last week. Initially it worried me but I've done some reading about it and it sounds like a pretty normal thing. Apparently it's not at all uncommon for 2-3 year olds to go through little phases of stuttering as their cognitive development and language skills do not always match up exactly. Like they can think faster than they can talk sometimes. I have seen definite changes in Ava's use of words in the same span of time as the stuttering so for now I'm assuming there's just a little disconnect in the speed of her different kinds of development. For example, a lot of times when she would wonder what something was she would point or bring it to me and say "What's that, Ava?" (phrasing it the way I would ask her). Well just in the last two days she has been getting it right instead. Yesterday we were outside and she pointed at something and said "What's that right there, Mama?" Another way she has changed is in the complexity of her responses and using more connecting words. Usually when she would go potty and seemed like she was done I would ask her if she was all done. She would say "Yeah" or "All done." Yesterday I asked her if she was done and she said "Umm, yeah, I'm probably all done." She has also discovered that if she's struggling to get a word out, whispering helps her. (Interesting.) So... I'm not worrying about Lil A just yet. :)

So, anyway, while labor and such could still happen anytime (I mean, really, no one every knows until it happens), I don't feel like it's as pressingly upon me anymore. It's nice to NOT be in control of this situation - we are forced (in a good way) to trust God and it's quite freeing. I think now I will be able to relax and enjoy the week (and these last days with just Ava) without analyzing what I'm feeling every minute (timing contractions, etc). I plan to still avoid extra walking and such but will do all my usual stuff otherwise. Story time at the library with Ava tomorrow, choir practice Wednesday night, girls' night with a couple friends one night, Shane's baseball game(s), another chiropractor appointment at the end of the week, church on Sunday, OB appointment on Monday, and then potentially picking up Richard from the airport any time after that (??). Oh yes, and lots of naps and resting mixed in with all of that as well. That should be a good week of keeping busy to (hopefully) make the time fly by. :)

I will probably update again here with my 38 weeks picture on Wednesday night or Thursday sometime. :) :) :)

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Still Pregnant

Well I am still pregnant. I've been feeling more of the "Braxton Hicks" contractions and randomly time them for an hour or so but so far no consistent pattern has developed and they're still not painful. Richard will be here somewhere between 1-2 weeks, which sounds like an eternity right now, but I am still hopeful that he will make it in time for Baby's birthday. If not, I have really settled with being okay that Skype is the best possible backup plan and I'm ready to have this girl today if she's ready to come. I'm not walking and trying to get things going but I'm not staying in the bed or anything either. Given how long it will be before Richard gets here we both agree that I should just live normally (with naps!) and if I go into full swing labor than so be it.
I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so I will update again after that (unless we end up at the hospital tonight!).

Thursday, February 24, 2011

37 Weeks... Baby on the Way?

I had my 37 week OB appointment today and... oh boy...

I saw one of the doctors I hadn't yet seen this morning. I liked her a lot. My bp was 110/70, I have gained about 29-30 pounds, and I measured 37 cm (which corresponds perfectly with the 37 weeks I am). The doctor checked me and said I am a "loose 1," closer to 2, cm dilated and 50% effaced and had a decent bit of bloody show. Having changed that much since last week, having more Braxton Hicks contractions, having that much show, and this being my second baby, she said she would be very surprised if I made it another 2 weeks and that I probably won't even need another appointment next week. !!! -->Let me mention here that I have not been walking, have only exercised twice in the last week (stationary strength training stuff only), and have been napping and/or at least resting and overall taking it easy every day. Basically, I have not been doing anything to intentionally help this process along.<-- Anyway, I had a lot more show in the hours following my exam this morning, still have some now, and have been having more contractions as well. The contractions are still not painful, they feel more like just pressure, but I am trying to pay attention to them more now and take note of their timing. I packed my bag and finished getting Ava's stuff together when I got home and then took about an hour nap. I am working on who I need to contact who can get in touch with someone in Iraq so Richard can get on Skype and "be there" for the birth via video chat at least this time if Baby Girl really does come before he gets here.

Either way, whether Richard is here or not, I feel as prepared as possible and overall ready to go. "Dear Lord, please give me the strength to get through whatever happens whenever it happens. Please protect Baby Girl and deliver her safely and in good health. Be with Ava and her little heart and mind as we go through all these changes and make adjustments. Thank you, Lord, for your everlasting love! Amen."


37 weeks picture

Thursday, February 17, 2011

36 Week OB Appointment

Well I went this morning for my 36 week appointment and all is well. The doctor checked me and said my cervix is still closed (yay!) but that he could feel Baby's head (double yay!). So she is head down for sure and I am not currently on the verge of going into labor or anything, so I am breathing big sighs of relief about that. (Still praying that the timing of Richard's R&R works out just right and he is here for the birthday!) My bp is good, Baby's heartrate is good, I have gained about 27 pounds now, and... well that's pretty much it. Smooth, routine, normal, etc. -- all very good adjectives I want to have associated with a pregnancy. I have another appointment next Thursday so I will update with what's happening and a new picture then.

In other wonderful updates, I got Ava registered at a daycare center this week to use for some random hourly care. It is just a couple minutes away from Mom's house so it is super convenient too. Anyway, she was there for four hours today while I ate breakfast, went for my appointment, did some shopping, put air in my tires, and picked up lunch. It was so awesome/weird to be totally by myself for that long! (It's been a while.) When I picked her up the ladies said she was wonderful; listened and followed directions well, played nicely with the other kids, was helpful, etc. That's my girl! :)

Friday, February 11, 2011

35 Weeks Picture

I'm not positive, but I think Baby Girl is head up right now. I have an OB appointment next Thursday so we'll see what the doctor says then. I would of course like to avoid a c-section but I would also like to avoid an ECV (external cephalic version) where they would try to actually turn her from the outside. I went to the chiropractor today and was more out of whack than I thought, so I'm hoping that getting my own body in better condition and alignment will help Baby get her little body in the right position too. If, on Thursday, the doctor determines that Baby is breech for sure then I will go back to the chiropractor on Friday to try a few things with her that she has had success with in the past in getting babies to turn.

Anyway, here's my 35 week picture. I will definitely update here again next week after my appointment Thursday.

Friday, February 4, 2011

34 Week OB Appt

Well I had my 34 week appointment today and everything is looking great as usual. My measurements, weight, bp, Baby's heartrate, etc is all excellent. I saw the doctor who delivered Jaden for Stephanie and I liked her a lot. She answered a lot of questions for me about how she typically runs things for a labor and delivery so I feel totally great about the possiblity of her being the one on call when I go in. I go back for my next appointment in 2 weeks and they will start checking me every week then (!!!).

Ava is starting to understand this whole baby thing a lot better now, I think. It really helped that she got to see Stephanie and talk about Jaden in her belly and now see him in real life. (She held him yesterday for the first time, too, which was really sweet.) We have been reading her "I'm a Big Sister" book a lot (at her request) and she kisses and feels my belly move every day. She snuggles and rocks her baby dolls too so it'll be neat to see her taking care of them while I take care of Baby. :)

How Far Along?
34 weeks 1 day
Maternity Clothes?
pants FOR SURE, some maternity tops and some long regular tops
Stretch Marks?
I could literally feel myself growing last week and thought for sure I was going to get stretch marks but so far they're still absent (yay!)
Sleep?
I get up to go to the bathroom a few times each night but the time between those trips I sleep pretty well (and I nap like a champ many days!)
Best Moment the Last Couple Weeks:
Richard and I (99%) decided on a name last week... not telling yet :-x
Movement:
Baby Girl moves A LOT but the movements are no longer jabbing punches and kicks as she is running out of room. They are move sweeping movements and my belly looks like a waterbed when she moves, hehe.
Food Cravings?
I've been eating like a champ; pretty much anything and everything :)
Labor Signs?
The lower back pain and pressure from a couple weeks ago is mostly gone now and the Braxton Hicks contractions are no longer alarmingly close together, so I'd say no labor signs now (PTL!).
Belly Button In or Out?
flat/out
Rings On or Off?
no swelling - rings still on
Exercise?
I've kind of stepped up the workouts again. I do 3 days a week of super high rep, low weight strength training and 2 other days a week of light other stuff, like walking.
What I Miss:
sleeping on my stomach and not having to pee 800 times a day
What I am Looking Forward to:
seeing Richard when he gets here for R&R (hopefully before Baby comes)!
Milestones:
The doctor told me today that at their practice they do not stop labors for women who are 35+ weeks along. I am less than a week from being 35 weeks so... Baby Girl really could be here almost anytime!