So Much For A Due Date

I feel like my actual due date deserves a post of it's own so this weeks post is a little early.  Cut me a little slack on the pic...I'm exhausted. 

40 Weeks - Due Date 1/29/2013

Kind of a strange day for January - the high was 64.  I've been in a tank top and capris for 2 days now.  I got to break the flip flops back out and was actually sweating when I went to my doctor's appt this morning.  I can't even imagine being pregnant in the summer.  There's a reason we're having a winter baby. 

They don't technically consider you past due until 41 weeks so technically I shouldn't be doing any complaining until next week.  I figure, I'm the one who's 40 weeks pregnant, I can complain if I want to.  I think my whole family (including me) was really hoping today would be the big day.  As I've mentioned before, January 29th is my Grandpa Torman's (mom's dad) birthday...he would have been 75 today.  Would have been just another one of those "everything happens for a reason" things I've been experiencing so much lately, but I'm sure there's a reason he wasn't born today too.

I'm dilated to a 3 now and had the lovely experience of having my membranes stripped today, so now I know I could go without ever having that done again :/  Hopefully that will give me the push I needed to get some real contractions going here in the next couple of days.  I've been having some contractions this afternoon, but I don't think they're "true" ones.  Seems like if I can shift around they go away and they're not progressing in pain at all - probably just practice ones.  Did some walking today and scheduled a prenatal massage for tomorrow in hopes that one of the labor inducing techniques will work for me.  Seems like Jase is a little too comfortable in there. 

On a lighter note, we got the curtains hung in the nursery tonight and I'm so happy with how everything turned out!  His walls are a little bare, but I have some plans for those that will come in the next few weeks.  My mom really outdid herself...she's quite the seamstress!  Thanks Grandma :) 

I think I jinxed myself this weekend talking about how sleep was still my friend.  That was the last thing I still had going for me and now that's pretty much out the window too.  I'm very thankful I'm off work this week and can take a little cat nap in the afternoon to make up for what I miss at night.  I know it's just practice for when he gets here, but I'd rather be losing sleep taking care of a baby then losing sleep because I'm so uncomfortable.  For now, Kiel's still working and I'll be at home cleaning & waiting impatiently!! 

Your baby's the size of a jackfruit!

In month nine, the average fetus is about 6.2 to 9.2 pounds and measures about 18.9 to 20.19 inches (wow!). But you really won't know exactly how big your baby is until his birth. 

• He's continuing to grow hair and nails.
• And he's keeping up that lung development, too

We know he's a boy, we know his name, we have a pretty good idea of what he'll look like...can't wait to find out when he'll get here :)

 -Nicole 

Why Pregnancy Lasts 40 Weeks Instead of 36

Kiel's parents dropped off one of his old toys for Jase - as you can tell he was pretty excited they kept it :)

I've decided that all that crap they give you about the last 4 weeks of pregnancy being about lungs and brain development (like that's important) is just a ploy to keep you from finding out the truth.  Now, I know not everyone has had an easy pregnancy like I have, but I think that anyone that's made it to 39 weeks would agree with me, this is the most uncomfortable time in pregnancy.  Everything is a chore...tying your shoes is almost out of the question, sitting is torture, standing is impossible, nothing fits, you have acne like a high school kid, and all this waiting around for baby is like telling a 5 year old you're taking him to Disney World...in 2 weeks.  So the truth is...the last 4 weeks of pregnancy are more for you then baby.  They're to get you to the point where you're so uncomfortable you forget all about how scared you are of delivery and just want to get this show on the road!  And that my friends is where I am today.  Ready!

At my weekly doctor's appointment today, I found out I'm 2 1/2 cm dilated whhhhhaaaattttt??!??!?  Moving right along!  We scheduled an appointment for next Tuesday (actual due date 1/29) and if I'm still pregnant and not contracting, we'll schedule a date & time for induction.  Of course, going on my own is our preference, but I'm glad we're not going to wait around for him to get to 10lbs.  My last day of work is tomorrow so it's also encouraging that I won't be on maternity leave with no baby for long even if we have to induce.  I'm so glad there is an end in sight.

The car seat base has been installed in the Malibu, Kiel & I got in a mommy/daddy date night this passed weekend, and the house got a pretty thorough cleaning.  Still putting some finishing touches on the nursery...once the curtains are up, I'll do some pics of the entire room, but here are the additions.

I think I've changed his crib sheet 4 times - this combo with the name sign is my fav :)

 

Loving the runners for the dressers!  The short dresser will have the changing pad on it eventually.

Fingers crossed this is my last weekly belly pic :)  As much as I'll miss these, I'm really looking forward to meeting this kid that has made me look like this.

Your baby's the size of a watermelon!

Baby keeps growing, despite being so crowded in there. He probably weighs around 6.2 to 9.2 pounds and measures about 18.9 to 20.9 inches.

• He's probably able to flex his limbs now.
• His brain is still rapidly developing -- he's getting smarter by the week!
• His nails may extend past his fingertips.

 

Here's to hoping next time I write, it will be to introduce you to our son :)

 

-Nicole

We're Full Term People!

Considering my book is saying things like, "If your baby is born this week, you may not finish reading this book" and today my Dr said, "See you next Thursday....if not before!" I'd say it's pretty obvious we're in the home stretch.  Are we ready?  

Lots of new additions to the nursery!  The pack-n-play will go in our room when he gets here, but it will be a tight fit so we're waiting as long as possible to move it in there.  I'm in love with the glider & ottoman set we purchased this past weekend and that dresser is stocked full of baby clothes!  Although, I have a feeling all those newborn outfits will just end up right back in the storage tubs.  Curtains and dresser runners are on the way!!

The diaper bag is packed for the hospital and the car set is ready to go.  Installing the base in the car is on the weekend agenda.  So it appears, yes, we're ready :)

 

And if that isn't proof enough, here's a picture I took tonight.  I've been planning on doing this towards the end of the 40 weeks since a full body shot makes such a big difference, and figured now is a good time in case he decides he's ready to make his appearance before I blog next week (probably just jinxed myself into a 41 week pregnancy).  Get ready...it's shocking.

The funniest part about the pics is that I actually thought I was "showing" at 8 weeks.  HA!  30 weeks later...I'm huge and extremely uncomfortable.  This kid is heavy.  If I make it another 2 weeks, I will undoubtedly hit the 40 lb marker.  So even though my anxiety about giving birth is still on the high end of normal, I'm ready for Jase to make his appearance.  I'm ready to sleep on my stomach and wear pants that don't have an elastic band that comes up over my belly button (I know that won't happen asap and I'll probably end up missing the stretchiness, but right now, I'm over them).  I'm ready to have a belly button again!  But most of all, I'm ready to meet this boy and use all this great stuff on him!!

Kiel, on the other hand, may have a different opinion.  This coming weekend is the last weekend of deer hunting season so I think if Jase could hold out until after then, Dad would appreciate that.  Priorities you know!

Your baby's the size of a pumpkin!

Baby is about 18.9 to 20.9 inches long and weighs about 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. Her head is now about the same circumference as her abdomen. 

• She may have about an inch or so of hair already.
• She's slowly shedding that white goo on her skin (called vernix caseosa) but you might see some of it at birth.

And just for fun, here's some more maternity pics for those of you who don't have facebook :)  Thanks again Suzy for doing such a great job on such a crappy day!  I am beyond grateful for these memories that you captured for us!!

 
 

 

-Nicole  

 

37 weeks - 3rd Times A Charm

Our 3rd appointment in Peoria proved to be best one yet.  We finally got some good news...there's no need to deliver in Peoria so no need to induce early...hallelujah!!  His kidneys are still dilated, but they didn't get any bigger & that's what we were hoping for.  The left kidney stayed the same at a 12, but that right kidney really saved the day by going from a 10, 3 weeks ago, to just a 7 this week!  Dr Gross is confident that when Jase is born, his kidneys will appear normal size (due to dehydration that occurs during birth), which would cause all of us, including himself, to question why we induced early in the first place.  Jase will need to be seen a few weeks after birth to confirm if his kidneys are still dilated which Dr Gross is pretty sure they will be.  From there we will have follow up appointments until either his kidneys figure it out on their own or until the Dr's feel he's big enough to do corrective surgery.  Obviously, we're crossing our fingers for the former, but for now, we wait for the big guy to decide when he's ready to meet us.  Personally, I hope he was listening when Dr Gross said because of his size he would feel confident in me delivering at 39 weeks and not the part when he said he'd even feel comfortable letting me go a week past the due date.  They estimated his weight is 7lbs 6oz which is just a couple oz less then what the ultra sound in Pontiac suggested so I don't think we need to be waiting until 41 weeks...I'm not really trying to break any records here. 

As far as the ultrasound goes, he was pretty boring again.  No good face pictures...couldn't even get a profile.  Just a blurry ear.

But we did find out, our man has hair! 

The half circle you see is the view of the back of his head.  The thick white line is his skull and the thinner white line on top is his hair lol.  I get a pretty big kick out of this picture.  Can't wait to find out what color it is!

Kiel's mom came to my weekly appointment with Dr Ingram this week & got to hear her grandson's heart beat :)  He really must be running out of room in there and taking this time to relax because it was very slow at 120ish bpm (was the same on Wednesday in Peoria) so not as loud as usual.  Dr Ingram seemed pleased that there's no need to deliver in Peoria - here's to hoping she's working or on call when he decides it's time. 

Still getting more & more uncomfortable everyday, but very thankful sleep has been pretty peaceful this past week.  I managed to get Jase's hospital bag packed this weekend (not that I need much for him) and aside from the items I use everyday, my bag is ready to go too.  Since we'll be delivering in Pontiac, I'm not too concerned about getting a bag ready for Kiel, but I might still throw something together for him in the next week or so.  I've gotten a lot of good advice from my sister & girlfriends who have recently delivered so I feel pretty good about what I'll be taking with me even though I'm sure I'll over pack. 

Will be finishing up my baby laundry this weekend with the newborn clothes I've borrowed from the Henkels (wishful thinking, I know) and the covers for the car seat & pack-n-play.  A few more steps closer to being ready!

Your baby's the size of a winter melon!

Yay! Baby has reached full term. He likely measures around 18.9 to 20.9 inches and weighs about 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. He's gaining about 1/2 ounce each day.

• He's practicing some skills: inhaling, exhaling, sucking, gripping and blinking.
• He's getting his first sticky poop (called meconium) ready for his first diaper.

  
-Nicole

36 weeks- Welcoming 2013 - The Year of Jase

2012 ended on a tough note for Kiel & his family.  On December 28th, Kiel's 19 year old cousin Dexton, was tragically killed in an ATV accident.  I never had the privileged of meeting Dex, but it was clear to me just from the pictures I saw at the wake and the stories Kiel has told me, that he was a happy, normal 19 year old boy.  We have seen a lot of unfortunate death in the last year and I can only hope that in order to honor their memories we can all learn to appreciate how short and fragile life can be.  Dexton is a prime example of what can be lost in the blink of an eye and I think life gets in the way of remembering that.  I hope the new year can bring the time to help heal the hurt in Dexton's family's hearts and many ways to ensure his memory lives within them all.
 

 Rest In Peace Dexton Trevor North 

June 24, 1993 - December 28, 2012

And just like that, we closed the books on 2012...

2013 has some big changes in store for Kiel & me.  It's hard to believe it's been 7 months since I saw that stick (sticks!) turn pink!  We are in the final weeks of being just a twosome and each day goes faster then the last.  It's sincerely unfathomable to me that we're going to be parents by the end of the month.  My anxiety about labor increases by the day and I know it's just because no matter how much I prepare, I have no idea what's going to happen until it actually happens.  Trying to embrace the unknown is harder then I could have imagined.  Luckily, I have lots of friends and family that have been through labor and survived, ending up with beautiful children for their efforts :-)  Weekend goals:  pack hospital bag

We had a very laid back NYE, spending it at the Henkel's eating good food and playing with the boys.  I really slacked on pictures this week.

On Wednesday, I had my 36 week ultra sound and bi-weekly Dr's appointment.  The ultra sound indicated Jase is an overachiever.  While everything I read says baby should gain a half a pound a week from here on out, our guy almost doubled that :-/  Our appointment in Peoria 2 weeks ago suggested he was around 5lbs 13 oz and this ultra sound measured him at 7lbs 8oz.  I don't know what this kid is trying to prove, but he's doing a great job of freaking his mom out!  I was also informed, I'm 1 cm dilated.  While I want to be excited that it appears my body seems to know what it needs to be doing, I'm well aware I have a long ways to go to get to 10 cm and there's no promises on how fast I'll progress from here.  My Dr appointments are now weekly so I guess we'll find out next Thursday how it's going in there.  I'm very anxious for our next appointment in Peoria on the 9th and very excited that Kiel is going to be able to go with me this time.  Since there are now decisions to be made it's important he's there so we can ask questions and come up with what's best for Jase together.      

Your baby's the size of a honeydew!

She's still in the 17.2- to 18.7-inch and 4.2- to 5.8-pound range and continues to beef up. 

• She's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on her own.
• Her skin is getting smooth and soft and her gums are rigid.
• Her liver and kidneys are in working order.
• Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.

Happy New Year!

NYE 2009

 -Nicole