Another great appointment!

I had my 37 week check up today and everything looks wonderful! I'm now 1.5 cm dilated and 50% effaced! Baby is about as low as he can get before I go into labor. I had NO protein in my urine this week (yea!!), my blood pressure was normal and I even lost a few pounds, probably fluid. Doc thinks I have about a 20% chance of going into labor this week and next week about a 50% chance! I could have a baby next week!! Even though my due date isn't until the 17th doc said he is fine to come at any time now! YEA! I'm having lots of contractions, but not anything regular or timeable. They aren't all that painful, so as long as I keep progressing I'm don't mind them.

We had another ultrasound and the baby looks great! He's measuring about 7 lbs 2 oz, and very healthy. We could see him opening and closing his mouth, kind of in a sucking motion and the nurse thought he was probably trying to suck on his hand because it was right up near his face. So cute!! I CANNOT wait to see him- I'm getting so anxious!

He's still very active, although I can tell he's getting cramped in there. I can feel him almost constantly and he's now started keeping me awake at night....a preview of what's to come, I guess!

His room is pretty much complete! I need to get a few things on the walls and I'm waiting to get his wall letters in the mail so we can paint them. Other than that it's ready to go! Matt got the Pack N Play put together this past weekend, so he has 3 places to choose from to sleep- the cradle, the crib and the Pack N Play. Do you think he's spoiled already?! :)

even more progress!

I had my 36 week appointment on Wednesday and everything looks good!

I'm now a "loose" 1 cm dilated, and 20% effaced! Dr. S was so excited I was 20% effaced I thought he was going to start jumping up and down! His head is low and "engaged" at a -3 station. I'm still ahead of the curve, but it doesn't necessarily mean I'll have the baby early. It pretty much just means when I do go into labor I'm that much closer to meeting Steven!

My blood pressure was fine at my appointment, but there was a little bit of protein in my urine this time. Doc said that's to be expected when the swelling gets bad, but still something we need to watch and I still have to "take it easy" and monitor my blood pressure at home.

That's pretty much all the news I have. Our next appointment is Wednesday and I will have another ultrasound to check his size. Doc thinks he will be 7 pounds by the end of this weekend! YEOWZA! And I feel every ounce of that. :)

the whole shebang

Lots of people have asked me things I have learned so far about Baby Steven. Food he likes, food he doesn't like, when he kicks the most, etc. I thought I had it figured out until the last few weeks.

The first few months of his life in utero all I pretty much listened to was Dave Matthews. I used to think he liked the funky upbeat rock- that was until I played him a Shedaisy CD.

I put in "The Whole Shebang" a few weeks ago for the first time since I'd been pregnant. It's an older CD that I still love, just don't listen to much anymore. Well, I've been afraid to take it out of my CD player. Every.Single.Time I start singing it Steven starts 2 stepping all around my belly. Seriously, this kid LOVES it. I'd like to think it's because I'm singing it, but he doesn't react like this with any other music. He can be fast asleep (or so I think) and the second I start singing he's all party. And it's not even a specific song, I just start at the beginning with track #1.

I think Matt's pretty disappointed he's not taking after him and rapping to Bone Thugs in Harmony already. I'd much rather he like songs about break ups and insensitive men. Maybe he's learning early and he's going to be a very compassionate little boy. :)

To listen to the CD, click here.

Progress!!

My follow up appointment went great! My blood pressure was normal, no protein in my urine, and baby looks great! He's making breathing movements and in the right position. He's measuring 6 pounds already!

I'm a finger tip dilated and my cervix is soft! In other words, things are moving along! I'm a little ahead of schedule, but that's fine. Dr. S thinks I'll have no problems giving birth to an 8-9 pound baby.

Here is a picture from our ultrasound today! If you tilt your head to the left you'll be looking straight at our sweet baby's face!

how do you take it easy?

Seriously! How do you "take it easy" with a baby on the way? Not just on the way, one that will be there within a MONTH!! I was told at my appointment on Friday that my blood pressure was a little higher than they like to see it and since I still have a month until my due date I need to...yes, take it easy. Easier said than done. So much left to do and time is running out. But I will try, I really will. Baby looked great and I got to hear his little heart just beating away! I could listen to it all day.

I had my last baby shower on Sunday and it was delightful! Baby and I (and Matt) got tons of cute, useful things from family and friends and it was a great afternoon. The food was delish and the decor was beautiful! I got to use my new camera (which is AWESOME, by the way) and I hope to learn how to upload a few pictures from it in the next few days....while I'm taking it easy. :)

I have to go back to the doctor a week early so they can check on baby and my blood pressure, so bright and early Wednesday morning Matt and I will head down MoPac to see Dr. S. I have been monitoring my blood pressure on my own at home and it's been fairly good, so I hope that was just a fluke at my last appointment. I will have an update on Wednesday and I hope to have learned how to upload some pictures in the meantime.

Here is a picture of the baby from my last ultrasound at 28 weeks.

So....

I figured I would start a blog so family and friends can keep up to date with the growings of our family.

I'm 34 weeks today! Only 3 weeks until he's full term and only 6 more weeks until my due date...hopefully baby Steven will come a little sooner. We'll see. How much fun would it be to have an Election Day baby?! They already have a lot in common- very exciting election and a very exciting baby. :)

I have my last nurse visit this Friday. After that it's weekly visits with the doctor from then on out! At my 36 week appointment I will have my last ultrasound to check if he's still measuring Biggie Sized. If he is then we will "discuss my options". I don't like the sound of that AT ALL.

Besides being 34 weeks, today is a VERY exciting day for me! My brand new camera is scheduled to be delivered today!!! A Canon Digital SLR. I have abolutely no idea how to use this camera, but will have so much fun in the coming weeks figuring it out. I can already tell you that Steven will be disgusted with me for having a chunk of a camera in his face after the first week he is an outside baby. Let's hope he'll thank me later....or maybe his wife will.