38 weeks

I want to blog this before I forget it all...

Yesterday I had my weekly midwife appointment. She examined me for the first time...

I am 5% effaced (how thinned out the cervix is. 100% = ready to push). 1 cm dilated (10 cm is ready to push) and the baby is 0 station (how high or low in the pelvis her head is. 0 is good! She is low, but not so low that I am in labor yet.) Gina said there is plenty of room for the baby to descend. That might sound weird to you but thats really comforting to me!

I gained (or the baby did) 1/2 a lb and my uterus hasn't gotten any bigger. I am still measuring small... so hopefully small baby!

The tub will be delivered this weekend. We have a bedroom ready for it!

Next week I will be examined again and we will have something to compare it too.

Unfortonuately, I have developed some serious back pain again. This is a reoccuring problem I have had my entire adult life. I saw the chiropractor and massage therapist yesterday and am going again tomorrow. It is so uncomfortable that all I can really do is lay around. I am also having some digestion issues that is making me dehydrated. It feels like it is because of stress so I am doing what I have to do to distance myself from any possible stress because some things are just more important.

Pics will come soon when I get around to it. I am going back to bed to RELAX and drinking gatorade and smart water and continue to play the waiting game.

On Children

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

-Kahlil Gibran

37 weeks FULL TERM!

the time has come. I am 37 weeks. 37 weeks = full term. full term = baby can be born anytime and be healthy and mature enough. 37 weeks to the midwife patient = in the clear to have the baby with the midwife and not at a hospital. (more on midwife's and natural birth coming soon.)

On Monday we (finally) got our second ultrasound. We only were getting a second one because the first one saw a possible mass in the stomach area. We went to Bayfront for the appointment and I am SOOOOOO glad I chose to have my baby with Gina (my midwife) and not somewhere like Bayfront.

The ultrasound went REALLY fast. It was a blur. But all good news... she is cephalic (head down) = perfect position for birth (good baby!), healthy with no mass, small but not too small, fingers, toes, and a very pretty face. We got this one blurry shot of her profile (she is looking towards your left). Sorry it got folded up. whoops.



Does this make more sense?



I am trying to go swimming as much as possible because it is great excersize and the only time I feel comfortable and cool. Today me and my mom and dad went to Ozona Blue and here is some sexy 37 week pregnant lady pics...





Do I look pregnant still?



Dad said to pose like a model and this is all I had in me...



Oh, and I saw one of my favorite people today- my chiropractor. I invited her to attend our labor and delivery. Turns out she recently has decided to specialize in Pediatric Chiropractics and was honored that I ask her. I am honored that I will (hopefully) be her first birth.

Sometimes you don't get what you want, you get what you need.

dogs.

preferred over humans.

36 weeks.

Today I am 36 weeks. One more week and she is full term!

I had lunch with Tyler today and he gave me a tour of where he works. Pretty snazzy.

Thanks for the 36 week pics, you very tall man.

chop shop.

yesterday, I lost my mind and chopped off my hair.

My lovely Nikki cut it for me and I LOVE it. It is so much lighter and COOLER.

Thank you Nikki!

toys!

I just got these organic stroller toys delivered today. They are made by miyim and they are awesome!



I guess we should put the car seat together and get this house in order since I am already almost 36 weeks and having a home birth...

Midwife appointment tomorrow and every week after that until she is here. I can't wait to meet her!

35 weeks.

Yesterday, I hit the 35 week mark. The baby is pretty cramped in there and her kicks and punches are really strong and sometimes hurt! We will be going to the midwife every week now and are getting the house ready for our home water birth.
I am definitely nesting and driving everyone crazy while I am at it.
I went to the Clearwater Beach pool today with my mum and dad to cool off and get some exercise. Just about the only place that I feel comfortable is in the water.





Oh, and here is me hiding a basketball under Tylers USF basketball shirt. Go Bulls!

cloth diaper wars.

I decided many months ago that I would be using cloth diapers instead of disposables for many, many reasons. I had no idea how many choices and options there were! My mom got me most of these cloth diapers from dnadiapers.com, a great Tampa company.

So far I have several prefolds (hemp) as well as diaper covers, pocket diapers, fitted diapers, and all in ones made by bumGenius, Thirsties, and Bummis.

I also got gDiapers which come highly recommended by Tif. (Thanks baby shower presents!) I plan on using cloth inserts instead of disposable inserts.

For now, I am washing and air drying all of my adorable diapers until they are just right for baby girl. But as soon as she comes... it's on!

May the best diaper win!

baby shower! june 26, 2010

thanks to Tylers grandparents for letting us use their home. Too bad they couldn't be there.








My mom and dad did an AMAZING job decorating and transforming the house into a baby celebration! They worked SO hard to make it perfect. And... it truly was! Thanks to Jessica for bringing flowers.


Will our little lady look anything like this stud????


My mom did an amazing job on designing this cake. Thanks to Publix for making it! It is the same birdies from the invitations. We still have the smaller cake with the flowers on it to eat on the babies birth-day!






The food was spectacular! Mom and Dad got quiche from the Wildflower Cafe and it was SOO yummy! Mom also made a delicious Martha's Vineyard Salad with homemade raspberry vinagerette dressing and supplied all of the snacks. Jessica made a very lovely fruit salad with all of my favorite fruits.




my guest of honor, Rocket Netzler!
















We had so many wonderful guests!


The proud Grandfather.



We played an awesome game of Playdoh baby. Everyone had 5 minutes to make a baby out of Playdoh.






Sherry was one of the winners!


All of the playdoh babies (and some questionables...)


We had a tough job of choosing winners. They were all so cool! The lucky playdoh baby creators got some awesome gift cards! We also played a scratch off game and had a raffle for gift cards.



and finally.. aah the gifts...




Thanks Aunt Carla for this amazing boppy with a handmade cover. Beatrix Potter is my favorite since I was a little girl thanks to you!!



Olivia kept things from getting boring by thoroughly enjoying the mini cupcakes I made!


The gifts were all so thoughtful and sweet and we got a lot of stuff that we need! I am very thankful for this!




Thanks to everyone for all of their love, hard work and support. Especially to my mom, Lois, who went out of her way to make this the most special thing anyone has done for me! She is going to be an amazing Grandmother.


And thanks to Tif, Trav and RockRock for the amazing photo's!!!