The One With Less Than 9 Weeks Remaining

That's right!! I only have 8 weeks and 6 days until Lorelei's due date of November 6, 2011.  Or on a different note--62 days remaining! Whoa!

I have never been more excited to meet someone.  I guess that just means that I have never loved someone before I met them! Jonathan and I love Lorelei so much and cannot wait for her to get here!

Don't get me wrong--I CAN wait on the labor and delivery process but CANNOT wait to hold our baby girl!

I have not written in a while due to the fact that I work 8 hours a day.  By the time I get home from work, I eat, catch up with Jonathan, and sleep. I've been trying to exercise more but have failed because I am so tired.  I was fotunate not to have this fatigue in the first trimester, but it has hit me hard this last trimester.

Lorelei is beginning to swish and roll more than punch and jab! Sometimes, she just shakes my whole body.  This normally occurs around 4 a.m. 

I am in my 31st week. Lorelei's skin is becoming less red and more pink.  Her irises can dilate and respond to changes in light!  I really hope she has her daddy's eyes.  I do not want her to have to deal with glasses, contacts and eventually LASIK like her mommy did.

According to the books and questions from the nurse at my appointments, many women are starting to experience Braxton Hicks contractions.  I have not felt these or if I have, I am unaware that this is what is happening.  Lorelei is also on a more definitve sleeping and waking schedule.  I will ahve to agree that she moves more at certain times of the day and sleeps longer during others.  This longer sleeping scares me sometimes; thus, the nonstress test.

I called my doctor the other day to talk about decreased movement and more squirming rather than jabs and punches.  To my surprise, they made me come in within two hours for a nonstress test.  I have never had one of these and did not know what it was.  It made me nervous.  I had two monitor looking things strapped around my stomach.  I was to push this botton everytime I felt her move.  She was great and passed within the first five minutes with two good kicks.  The Dr. said it looked like she fell asleep after that haha!  However, the Dr. was happy that Lorelei made a liar out of me and reassured me to come in and have this nonstress test at anytime that her movement was not what I thought it should be.

Then, I went to the Dr. for my regular visit the friday following the nonstress test.  My fundal height was measuring 30 cm which was on track for the first time.  It has always measured ahead.  The Dr. thinks she had a growth spurt and then just leveled out or it was how she was lying in my stomach.  However, they will do an ultrasound next week if the measurement hasn't grown as much just to check on her.  I'm hoping I am growing a 6 lb. baby rather than a 9 lb. baby haha!

However, I was naturally worried as to why my uterus was only 1 cm in growth over three weeks instead of 2-3.  I had also not gained much weight and may have even lost some.  Therefore, I have been trying to eat some more so that she can grow with it!

We also start our prenatal prepared parenting class that last 5 weeks next week! I am excited to learn more about the birthing process so that I can relax more about it!

The One With the Breastfeeding Class Among Other Things

Jonathan and I have started taking prenatal classes.  After discussing with my doctor, she recommended that I take every class possible due to my lack of baby knowledge... :-/

The first class that we took was Breastfeeding.  It was very eye opening but we learned a lot at the same time.  Let me just say that I took lots of notes and Jonathan did well not to laugh.

Also, I have started to notice that I am getting bigger and catching up with girls that are further along than me.  People seemed shocked that I am not due in the next few weeks--uh try around 10 or so.  Also, no one seems to think that I will make it past late October. We'll see...

I am now 29 weeks along! Wow--so according to the doctor, Lorelei is measuring between 30 and 31 weeks!  She is starting to get stronger and heavier.  My upper back is feeling the pressure!  She can regulate some of her body temperature now and is practicing blinking.  She weighs a little more than 3 pounds and is between 15 and 17 inches long! The weight and size of a big butternut squash. Wow! She is 2/3 her final size.  She is still adding baby fat! Yay! Fat babies are too cute! :-)




This is the weight and size of our precious little Lorelei!  People in the grocery store were staring and laughing! Oh well!


Last night, I had my first calf cramp! I woke up screaming for Jonathan to please help me stretch it out because I couldn't grab my toes to stretch my calf myself! He was a champ! It is still sore! However, I am glad that Jonathan and I can laugh at every random, not-so-pleasant thing that Lorelei and pregnancy throws at us.  I know that it might seem like I complain sometimes (about still having morning sickness).  I do NOT want it to seem that way! I am so incredibly happy everyday that I realize God has blessed us with this miracle and could not be happier!  Just know that I realize how blessed I am and when I discuss my unpleasant symptoms it is more to document them for my future reference rather than to complain!

I have also just realized that I am going to be booked to the max of the next few months with prenatal classes, working, birthday parties, baby showers, and Junior League volunteering/meetings/parties.  I don't think I am really having a free weekend until October!  Hopefully this busy schedule will help this last semester fly by since my mom friends tend to think it drags along.

For example, this weekend started off with a historical tour of Gainesville for Junior League.  I was up at 5:30 with Lorelei kicking and then went to start the tour at 7:30 a.m.  It ended at 2.  Then, I came home, showered and changed and headed to Orlando to meet up with my best friend during law school, Ms. Ashley Buckman.  She was in Orlando for the Miss America Outstanding Teen Pageant.  She helps out the organization!  We chatted and it is always great to know that you pick up like you never left off with your best friends! Needless to say, after we saw her, Jonathan and I ate at downtown Disney and arrived home really late!

This is a little different than the last picture the three of us had together! :-)

I miss my pretty friend! Lorelei cannot wait to meet Aunt Ash!

Today, we went to church and then out to eat with the sunday school group! It was nice being able to socialize.  I alsways learn so much watching all the moms with their babies!

Jonathan spent the weekend cleaning the shower and the house.  He also mowed his parents lawn while they are out-of-town.  Tonight, we went and bought him some more work-out clothes so that he can throw away his old ones!  He was so excited and cute shopping for new work-out clothes.  You would think he had won the lottery.  He racked up with 4 shirts, three shorts, and some socks!

Finally, to sum up the last week, Jonathan and I had lunch one day with his boss' family! I finally got to meet his boss' wife and two girls! They are great and bought Lorelei some books and a cute little ring for her when she gets a little older! It was too precious! 

The One with the Third Trimester/Glucose Screening

I am officially in my third trimester! Lorelei will make her appearance in 3 months or less! We are getting so excited and maybe a little nervous at the same time.  Prenatal classes start this month along with my provisional Junior League year! Whew! These next three months are going to FLY BY!

Lorelei updates:

Lorelei now weighs around 2 1/2 pounds.  Well, she might weigh more.  She does feel hefty on my back.  I have been having some pretty painful back aches.  Don't worry not my lower back (preterm labor sign) but in the middle of my back due to posture.  My stomach is just making my pasture horrible.

She is around 15 1/2 inches long and putting on baby fat as we speak to make that wrinkly skin more plump! Yay!  She should be practicing breathing still which can cause hiccups.   I am not sure what these will feel like but I do not think I have felt them.  I have felt her kicking harder and more frequently this week.  Jonathan has felt her more over the past few days I think than he has the whole time.

I also saw her do a miniture roll across my stomach today! It was too cute! I laughed out loud--making my co-workers give me weird stares.  I'm sure they just chalked it up to the crazy pregnant lady.

As I'm sure you are all still wondering, yes, I am still sick without my medicine and a little nauseated at times with it.  However, her frequent movements make me feel better!  All you moms-to-be out there--word of adive:  there will come a day when your baby is not moving at all, it will scare you, it did me.  Lorelei didn't move all day long one day when we were on vacation last week.  It scared Jonathan and I--due to how you are supposed to be counting kicks at this point in the pregnancy (10 in two hours).  Then, God blessed me with such an active baby this week! Makes me smile!

Jonathan appeared on behalf of one of his clients this week on television! I was such a proud wife! He is so well spoken, smart,  and cute!

Here is a belly shot upon entering the third trimester:

Please excuse the not-so-cute look! I was extremely tired! You moms understand!

Enjoy! Also, I am aware I look more pregnant than 27 1/2 weeks here, but oh well! She is a big baby! :-)

The One With The Vacation

Jonathan and I took off for 6 days and went to Walker, MN to spend time with his family for a week! It was a much needed rest before Lorelei comes.  We had fun with his family that we rarely get to see because they live so far away.  We played on the lake, well Jonathan did.  I rode on the boat and just sort of sat around and relaxed.

Jonathan competed in triathalon the first Saturday that we were up there.  He came in 8th overall out of 400 people or so.  I was so proud.  Lorelei was proud as well.  She will cheer him on next year at all of his races!

Although we had tons of fun, we sure have enjoyed being home for the weekend and relaxing and getting back into the swing of things before work on Monday.  I have Labor Day off but after that, I will have no off days until she comes.  I plan on working until I go into labor.

I have so much to do over these next three months.  We still have to finalize and organize her room, take a ton of prenatal classes, and mentally prepare.  On top of that, out of town friends will be in Florida to visit with, babies are turning one with birthday parties to attend, and lake houses are being opened for parties. This is also the beginning of my provisional year for Junior League.  There is so much to do. I was looking at our schedule over the next three months and it seems to go nonstop so I'm guessing that these months will fly by!

Here are Jonathan and I in Bemidji, MN with Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox! I am 26 weeks pregnant here!

Jonathan about to go wakeboarding!  I am being a great boat rider!

This past week Lorelei learned how to cry, strengthened her grip, and is practicing breathing.  I am now supposed to be gaining 1/2 pound to a pound a week.  I am not even going to discuss this.  I am more expecially with vacation.  She is between two and three pounds.  She has bursts of hard kicks, some rolling around, and lenthy periods of sleeping as well.  She is about the length of a large cucumber.

I apologize for the lack of pictures! There were many more but not taken with my camera...

I will post some belly pictures tomorrow and discuss the third trimester! Whew! Yay!

Lindsey

The One Where Lorelei is Viable

Hold your horses! By NO MEANS do I want her to make her appearance any time soon; however, she has a great chance of surviving outside the womb with extensive medical help now that we are past 24 weeks gestation!  This blows my mind that a baby that is almost two pounds can make it now!  I much prefer the past 37 weeks baby! :-)

I am now 25 weeks and 1 day.  Time is flying by! I will be in my third trimester in less than 2 weeks! Whoa!! I still have morning sickness.. Although, she is WAY worth it, it is still not easy for nausea/vomitting to overcome my daily medicine.  However, I do have predominantly good days with the help of my medicine! Yay! Jonathan and I even went on a lunch date, ran errands, and just spent the day together this past weekend! It felt almost normal!

Lorelei wanted it hahaha!

Jonathan finished it off! He is trying to put on weight... Geez!



Chocolate milkshake! Yummo!

Cute daddy!

Also, my belly button is starting to poke out.  Probably from the chocolate milk that I love.

Lorelei growth updates:
She has days where just rolls around and other days where she kicks nonstop and hard all day long!  I love them both!  She is too cute! 

Jonathan put his ear to my stomach the other day to see if he could hear her heartbeat (something we read said he might be able to at this point--he didn't) and she kicked him in every different spot he put his ear! I could not stop laughing!

Her eyes are beginning to open and she might be able to react to a flashlight being shone on my stomach!

Lorelei's body parts are continuing tot become more proportional to each other.  Baby fat is also continuing to fill in her wrinkled skin for a smoother look and more hair is growing, developing texture and color.  She is close to 2 pounds and about 9.2 inches.  Roughly the size of an eggplant!



My uterus is roughly the size of a soccer ball and halfway between my sternum and bellybutton.

Here is my 25 week and 1 day shot.  I missed the 24th week... Whoopsie!

P.S.  These maternity, linen pants stretch out during the day.  Hence, the bigger looking booty... :-/

The One with the Dresser

I've hijacked Lindsey's computer again to write another entry! (Yes, it's Jonathan. I think it's important for me to put my mark among these posts. I know you all love reading Lindsey's posts, so I'll try to match her with interesting facts and funny comments!)

So... After we got the bedding from the shower in Tuscaloosa last weekend, Friday came around and it was time to head to Home Depot (after eating dinner, of course) to buy paint for the dresser!

We had already decided the best plan was to paint the dresser rather than the book cases because the dresser was only one item and to replace it would be considerably more expensive than replacing the book cases--which only cost $13 at Walmart. Our plan was to find pink and green spray paint that matched the bedding.  The pink looked like a perfect match and the green was a slightly lighter shade but appeared to still go well.

We laid down the newspaper and cardboard in the garage when we got home and I began painting right away!

I'd never used spray paint before, but I found the best way to get good results was to spray facing down so the paint didn't create running droplets, and to begin moving your hand before pressing the button to shoot the spray (that way you don't make shaded polka-dots...).

Even with no lead in the paint, we were careful to keep the garage well ventilated and I let Lindsey wear the mask I used in undergrad to block the dust when cleaning at Caplewood (...as if it was ever clean at The Party... haha! Speaking of Caplewood, the dresser was actually left there after a former resident--EE--moved out. And now it will be passed on to Lorelei!).

Once I was done painting, we left the box fan in the garage with the garage door cracked about a foot and the door leading from the garage into the back yard open for it to dry overnight.  Then after waking up in the morning and having a great brick workout (35 mile ride, 6 mile run--I've been trying to focus on putting in some longer distance/steady pace workouts to build my lactate threshold.  With my exercise-induced asthma being less of a factor in the longer distance races, the main factor becomes how fast I can push myself without reaching the point where I go anaerobic and start accumulating lactic acid in my bloodstream...), I brought all the pieces inside and put them back together!

I just spent several minutes looking for a cool quote about dressers or furniture but couldn't find one by anyone I recognized or one that really fit. I'd rather comment on how funny it would be if we got some more spray paint and drew a giant mouth using the bottom two drawer handles! Wouldn't that be great! I don't know if Lindsey is going to go for it though... It does look pretty good already... Besides, it'll be better when Lorelei discovers crayons and markers and goes on a canvas safari around the house.

FYI, I also put some $13 shelves together Saturday afternoon:

The One with the Poem

Here is the poem from Meemaw Beck that made me bawl from line one (you know, the one I mentioned in my last post).

"Once upon a time there was child ready to be born.  So one day she asked God.  They will tell me that you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?

And God answered, I chose an angel for you, she will be waiting for you and will take care of you.

But here in heaven all I ever do is sing and smile and laugh.  That's enough for me to be happy.

Your angel will sing for you and smile at you every day.  And you will feel your angel's love and be happy.

And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language that men speak?

Your angel will speak to you using the sweetest, most beautiful words you will ever hear and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.

And what am I going to do when I talk to you?

Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.

I've heard that on Earth men are bad.  Who will protect me?

Your angel will defend you, even if it means risking her life.

But I will be sad because I will not see you anymore.

Your angel will talk to you about me, and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, though I will always be beside you.

At that momemtn there was much peace in Heaven.  Voice from Earth could already be heard, and the child asked softly:  God if I am about to leave now, would you please tell me my angel's name?

YOU WILL CALL YOUR ANGEL MOMMY"

I wish I could hand you all a tissue right now.

Lindsey