36 Weeks (or a little trip to the hospital)

I guess this is technically a 35 week update but this past Friday, Beau and I spent an exciting evening in Labor and Delivery! I'm still baking the baby so nothing to be worried about but here is the story....

Since I'm technically a "high risk" pregnancy now (with Grayson's breech position, the chord around the neck and some excess fluid), Dr. Jacoby told me to monitor my fetal movements. And after a day of not feeling this normally very active child Friday (like I didn't feel him move once - scary), I decided that I needed the peace of mind of knowing that everything was okay. Also, I now knew, from my doc appt the day before, that I wouldn't have to go to the Emergency Room, I would just simply need to walk into Labor & Delivery and tell them I haven't felt him and they would take care of me. SO, that's what we did. I really did not want to be the overly dramatic one but the nurses assured me it's never the time to be overly cautious and they repeatedly told me that coming in was the right thing to do. The nurses were wonderful! And 5 hours later (did I really think I would be out in 20 minutes after a quick sono to show that he was healthy and fine? Yes, yes I did.), I was free to go. The doctor determined that I probably wasn't feeling him due to the increased amount of fluid. The baby was probably also a little lethargic b/c I was dehydrated. I was contracting like crazy thus the extended time they kept me. BUT, we got to see this kid's amazing lips. I mean, he has really good lips. I'm worried about saying that before I know for sure but with the nurse and ultrasound tech both saying this at the same time with huge smiles on their faces, I feel fairly confident that I can tell you - our kid is going to have some lips. AND HAIR! That's right....keep reading....

One of the plus sides to being high risk is that I get a sono every week! I mean, pretty cool since typically you don't get to see your baby again until delivery, I'm feeling like I know this little guy already. He was 6 1/2 lbs a couple of weeks ago and my usual tech just can't get over the amount of hair he apparently already has. SO, if he comes out with teeny little bitty lips and completely bald, we can all be really surprised! :-)

The down side to this little not-so-quick-trip to the hospital - we missed the going away party of our dear friends, the Pharrs :-( Words can't tell you how bummed we were that we missed them before they moved to NYC but I'm glad to hear all of our friends were there to see them off the right way...on a patio with cold beer! Beau and I can't WAIT to travel to Manhattan to see them and their new digs - Beau has never been, I can't WAIT to go back and we are so proud of them and this next step in their lives - win, win, win!!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) 

35 Weeks (or my little Honeydew!)

I really started feeling uncomfortable in week 35. This is when we discovered that yes, Baby Grayson is still breech and also has the umbilical chord around his neck! We will most likely do a C-section, which I can't say I'm too upset about. I know it's painful and the recovery is much longer BUT both ways have their pros and cons and let's face it, a C-section is SCHEDULED and how do I love a good plan! The up-in-the-air, wait for it, surprise labor was freakin' me out! His head is permanently in my rib cage and it effects the way I sit and lay every moment of every day.

What else is going on? I officially told RAZOR that my last day before maternity leave would be June 9th. This gives me plenty of time before the due date (June 26th) to finish up some last minute errands, to veg out a bit, enjoy some Me Time and overall, prepare for this new, exciting time in our lives. 

How your baby's growing:

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

This WOULD be what my baby looks like if he was in the correct position! Flip him around, wrap a chord around him a few times and you have a Grayson! I can't WAIT to meet him! :-)

34 Weeks (and a DARLING baby shower!)

'm sooo far behind on my blog updates - my apologies! But I haven't missed a weekly update yet and I'm not about to start now ;-) So, here we go....

My friends and sisters threw me the sweetest, most perfect baby shower on May 15th! It was perfect and it meant SO much to me that everyone came. I loved every minute of it! I had family that flew and drove in from Houston, Corpus and San Antonio. It was so special to have everyone together and I just loved all of the generous gifts. I was really touched by everyone's love and generosity. I could go on and on about that... :-)

Below are some pictures of the day (the rest are being held in captivity by my mother!).....

With three of the hostesses: Kristi, Thea and Nikki (who flew rain and shine from Destin!)...

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. 

Backyard Visitor

Beau sent this picture to me yesterday saying that this little guy is not so little! He actually kept Shelby indoors so that SHE wouldn't get hurt! Ha! I think he's so pretty :-)

If you can get in to the backyard, then can Shelby get out??

33 Weeks (or What I Know For Sure)

I know:

• Childbirth class is simply terrifying. They should show those videos on MTV and BET in place of rap videos and to high schoolers and WHAM, no more teen pregnancy.
• There is a head in my rib cage. You all know it. I know it. I talk about it all the time. It's like the best tumor in the world! But I wouldn't mind not having it there anymore and would much rather have it sleeping in it's crib. 
• Yes, I said sleeping. I'm holding out for a rare baby who would rather let me sleep than poopie his diaper. :/
• I don't mean to complain, especially b/c I have been blessed with an easy, healthy pregnancy, but I'm SO uncomfortable! I can't bend over, I'm OUT OF BREATH all the time (so lame), tired from the moment I wake up in the mornings, the list goes on - I know, I know, I need to get over it but I'm doing a great job of feeling sorry for myself! ;-) 
• Baby Gray is currently breech. Hence, the head in my rib cage. This could mean good news - a scheduled induction or c-section. As in, we will meet him a week EARLY and it will be PLANNED! Loves it! I'm such a planner that this spontaneous birth thing is really making me uneasy. :)
• I'm increasingly terrified of this labor :-( I hadn't really thought about it once until this past weekend. And I'm REALLY getting scared. So why can't the fact that gazillions of women before me have done this put my mind at ease? 
• We have 46 days until the due date - less than 40 days if it's scheduled. That is close to 30 days, which is a month. Are you following the math?! Where did the last 3 or so years months go?! When did I become an adult?!

This has turned out to be a freak out blog entry - not at all what I planned to discuss! I have funny Beau quotes and fun stories about my parents moving here! I have my upcoming shower that I'm SO excited about and how I can't WAIT to see the women in my family (and friends!) who are all flying in for it this weekend! I have house repair updates, fun friend outings to report on and crazy client stories to tell....so how is this all about my fear about being a......mom? OMG, that's the first time I've called myself that. It's too much!

How your baby's growing:

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

I will leave you on a more positive note! Look at my other babies sleeping in bed with me :-)

A Little Letter

Dear Grayson, 

When your head is grinding into my rib cage and your very active feet pound on my bladder (you're still breach), I don't get mad. I look at this. And then everything is right in my world again :-) 

However, warning you now that when you get upset because you can't bring a friend to dinner or stay out past curfew, I will remind you about what you are putting me through in this last trimester. Love you already!

32 Weeks (or Fattening Up)

That goes for baby and me ;) Grayson weighs almost 4 pounds now and I've gained 23. I'd like to stop here, thank you...

A lot has happened this week! My parents closed on their house and their moving truck arrives this week!! They are officially Frisco-ites. Or whatever we're called. Last weekend Beau and I attended a breastfeeding class and this week we went to the Childbirth Preparation class. After about 12 videos of natural child birth (i.e. no pain meds), I'm proud to say that my mind is going unchanged in the epidural department. Good grief, not judging anyone's very personal decision on how they want to give birth but that is NOT for me. My mom still has regrets about not taking the meds when she was in labor with me. Ha! And that was 30 years ago!....Ugh. 30. That's another story. That birthday is coming up and while I haven't even had time to think about or reflect on my 20s, I'm bummed that I will be 9 months pregnant during it. Talk about miserable and wanting a margarita. I mean, I assume I'll want a margarita. Maybe it will be a glass of pinot. Either way, aint happenin'.

Happy May! I can officially say that I'm having a baby NEXT MONTH! 55 more days. Mama and I are celebrating by going to a chocolate festival today. Kidding, we would be going even if there was no reason to celebrate! :-)

How your baby's growing:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.