32 Weeks

On Thursday, January 28, 2010 I went to the doctor for my 32 week check-up. Everything was normal and it was a routine exam. I was pretty pleased with my weight gain thus far...until this time! I gained 6 lbs in a month! I'd like to think that some of this weight is due to the swelling that I have begun to experience, but who knows! The nurse said I am measuring at exactly 32 weeks, which is good. Dr. Hernandez asked me my thoughts on inducing and I told him that as long as he thought my body was ready and everything is ok with the baby, then I am fine with it. I definitely am not one of those women that are totally against it, but I also don't want to be 41 weeks pregnant and waiting and waiting! He told me that he won't let me go more than a week past my due date, and he would induce no earlier than about 38 1/2 weeks if we decide to. Basically he gave me the ok to induce the week before my due date, which is over spring break! That would be perfect because I would already be off of work and get those days with the baby without having to use my maternity days since it is a holiday. Plus, mom would be off that week to help out. I know we have some time before this comes, and he may end up coming earlier than that on his own, but it looks like now that we will have our baby boy sometime the week of spring break or before! I'm sure these next 6-7 weeks will FLY by!

Here is a current picture of the belly:

And here are my current stats!

Total Weight Gain so far: 18 lbs

Belly Button: still in, just stretched!

Stretch Marks: None yet!

Cravings: Still craving fruit, but not as much. Lately I have kinda been craving bean burritos with sour cream from Taco Bueno. Not such a healthy craving to have! Maybe this has to do with the 6 lb weight gain...

Sleeping Situation: Getting a little bit worse. I still have no trouble falling asleep, but I do wake up at least 2-3 times a night to go to the bathroom and am usually thirsty and get a drink of water. Most nights I normally wake up needing to use the bathroom around 12:00, again around 2:00/3:00, and on days when I sleep in, I get up again around 7:00.

I miss: Getting my back popped, putting on shoes and socks with ease, and I still miss sleeping on my stomach.

Annoying symptoms: The area around my belly button, especially underneath and on top, is very sore and feels bruised. I am assuming this is just from the stretching, and the baby pushing on those areas. Still having indigestion every now and then, and have now started SWELLING! I noticed last week (when I was 31 weeks) at school that my lower calves and ankles were awfully swollen. I took off my socks and they had left a huge ring around my ankle! The skin around the sock line was very puffy and uncomfortable. My hands have not swollen as much, but I do notice that after a long day at school when I have been on my feet all day I am definitely swelling in the legs. They seemed to be better over the weekend when I am taking it easy. I may just need to start teaching in my rolling chair soon! I asked Dr. Hernandez about it and he said it is normal. He suggested trying to drink more water, putting my feet up, and wearing support hose.

Exciting news this month:

-Our nursery is coming right along! We got the room painted and the furniture came in. Kyle put the crib together last weekend and we arranged the furniture where we want it. I hung Lane's name above the crib and bought a large mirror on sale for $30 at Kirkland's to go above the changing table. The baby bedding came in today and it looks very cute! I will be doing a separate post soon about the nursery that will include pictures. There are still some nursery items that we need that I am sure we will get at the showers coming up!

-On Tuesday, January 26, 2010, Kyle and I had our first childbirth class at the hospital where I will be delivering. There are 6 couples total and we will go on Tuesday nights for 5 weeks. We already had the privilege of watching a live birth on a huge plasma screen TV, and learned a little bit about what to expect when I go into labor. We learned some breathing and relaxing techniques as well as some pregnancy exercises that will help with getting my body ready to go! There were some funny/awkward moments, and Kyle was a trouper and took it more seriously than I thought he would!

-I had my first shower on January 21, 2010 that was given to me by the school. Tara and I had a joint shower and both got lots of great gifts. Then Tara had her big shower last weekend that was held at her mom's house. She got LOTS of good gifts for baby Gage, and it made me so excited for my showers coming up!

-I have still been feeling the baby move a lot each day, but am now able to really tell where he is. I guess since he is getting bigger I can feel larger movements and can see my belly moving all around. I have noticed that when I sit up straight for a while I can really feel him in my lower right ribs. If he has remained in the same position as he was 2 weeks ago, it must be his bottom/and or legs poking them!

I go back for another check-up on Monday, February 8 when I will be 34 weeks.

Thelma Jones Elementary Baby Shower

On Thursday, January 21, 2010, my school hosted a double shower for Tara Taylor and me. Tara and I are due only a month apart and were excited to have our baby shower together! It was held in the library after school.

Here are our cakes!

Tara and I with our cakes.

All of Lane's gifts! The office staff gave me the umbrella stroller I registered for, and I also got some gift cards, my boppy pillow and cover, a sleep positioner, and lots of cute outfits and bibs. Kyle's mom Claire came and gave us our baby monitor, and my mom gave us the cutest elephant humidifier and a little dress coat for Lane to wear next winter! It looks just like the one my dad used to wear with his dress clothes!

One of my favorite gifts was a painting that our art teacher Nicole Conques painted for me. I saw an elephant painting at a boutique in Dallas the day after I found out I was pregnant. I hadn't even told anyone I was expecting yet, but fell in love with it and decided I wanted it whether the baby was a boy or a girl. I printed off a picture of the painting and bought a large canvas, and Nicole was able to reproduce the painting perfectly! (saving me some major $$) It looks so cute in the nursery!!

Tara, Jane, Me, and Stacie. Our second grade team is great! I love working with these ladies!

Showing off our bellies! Tara is due February 26 and I am due March 23.

Me with the Grannie's!

These handmade burp cloths are so cute! One of our fourth grade teachers made them for me.

Wash rags!

Lane in 3D!

Today was such a fun day! This morning, Kyle and I went back to Stork Vision to get a 4D sonogram. Dr. Hernandez doesn't do 3 or 4D, so we bit the bullet and paid to have one done. It was so worth it! I was exactly 30 weeks and 4 days today and we got some great pictures of our little guy! I can't tell who he looks like yet, but most people are saying he looks like Kyle. My Uncle Mel said he thinks Lane may have gotten my dad's "Tittle Nose!" Whoever he looks like, he looks pretty cute to me!

I think he looks so sweet here. Such a cute little profile!

The sonographer said that he cooperated well. She said there was plenty of fluid in front of his face, which made it easy to get clear pictures. Every now and then he would put his hand in front of his face, but then would put it back down for her to pause the picture.

His feet look long here to me!

Here he goes with the hand in the face. I think it is so amazing that technology these days can show images like this!

Near the end of the sonogram, he decided to stick his tongue out at us! It was so funny because he kept it out for a long time.

The sonographer said that Lane is head down with his head way down low on my left side. His bottom is just to the right of my belly button and his legs were curled back around by his face. Basically if you were looking straight at my belly and could see through it, he would be in the shape of a C with his head at the bottom.

We got a cd with 30 still images, and a 13 minute long DVD of the whole ultrasound. It was so cool to get a sneak peek of what our baby will look like. I can't wait to kiss that little face in a few more weeks!

After the sonogram, we headed up to Babies R' Us to pick up our furniture. It has been in for a while, but we waited to pick it up this weekend because we had some coupons. Back when I went to register with mom we made a helpful friend who let us have some 20% off coupons that were good for furniture. We "returned" the furniture and then "re-purchased" it with our 20% and ended up saving over $300.00! Kyle's dad came over to help us unload it from the truck and it is boxed up in the nursery now. We plan on getting the nursery painted tomorrow and since Monday is a holiday, Kyle and I have off work and will work on putting the crib together. The crib bedding is supposed to be finished at the end of this week, so it won't be long until Lane's room is ready! I will post pictures as soon as we make some more progress!