December Update

So much for my goal of blogging every week on a more regular basis...Maybe once we get back home and don't have a traveling experience scheduled every other week! We are halfway through our Illinois visit and Jackson proves himself to be a seasoned traveler! We left our house last Saturday morning and made many stops. We stopped to see Jackson's Great-Grandma Jarvis. We went from there to the annual Smith family Christmas celebration. After that we spent the night at Great-Grandma Smith's house. Sunday morning we left Covington, VA for Indianapolis. That was the longest day of driving and Jackson did very well. It was amazing to feel the ridiculous decline in temperature when we stopped for gas in Indiana! We spent Sunday night with my best friend, Katie, and her family before finally arriving in Evanston at Mimi and Grandpa's house!

Jackson has been quite a charming house guest! He has been super smiley and has chatted up a storm with anyone who will listen! He has gotten to meet so many of his mommy and daddy's friends! He especially enjoyed time with Grandpa and Uncle Larry, who FINALLY got to meet Jackson!!! As exciting as this time of year is, Jackson slept through ALL holiday festivities. There was one night of Hanukkah during which he was awake so we could take the annual family picture. Otherwise he's missed it all! That doesn't mean that he didn't benefit from the holiday season. He has quite a few new outfits, toys, and some great books to add to his collection at home. Luckily, Mimi and Grandpa have a Christmas tree decorated so he can entertain himself during his awake times. He just LOVES Christmas trees!

Developmentally Jackson seems to be doing great! There are many times during the day when he will choose to suck on his hands instead of his pacifier. He has pretty good control over those fists these days. He is holding his head up really well and his thighs are SO strong (I guess all that chubbiness is good for something!). He loves standing up and looking around. Unfortunately, he is so curious in his surroundings that he doesn't always nap when he should. We've gotten to know a new cry: the "I'm overstimulated and super tired" cry. That one isn't so fun, but after a fair amount of jiggling, he usually ends up getting in a good nap.

We can't believe that Jackson will be three months old in a couple of weeks! We are desperately trying to slow down time, but in the meantime, we are enjoying every minute with our sweet little guy!

Chatting with Daddy

What a Handy Reminder

Our second road trip was very successful! We had a really good time with Jackson in Philadelphia. Actually, he had a good time keeping Mommy company while Daddy was busy with work. It was really nice to all be together after Josh finished his sessions for the day--totally worth tagging along.

We hadn't even been in Philly for three hours when I managed to win The Worst Mother of the Year Award! I was so proud of myself before we left that morning because I had Jackson fed and ready to go on time. Great! He got one bottle on the way and then we were going right to lunch once we arrived. I thought about changing his diaper, but then he was sleeping and I would have had to take him out of the carseat and out of his outdoor outfit, etc. I figured we wouldn't be gone that long and I could just do it when we got back. Well, when we got back, he was hungry so I put it off to feed him. He started making some strange noises then so I figured we should take a break and get a new diaper. I was pretty much expecting for him to have blown out through his clothes. I was totally surprised when I started changing him and he didn't seem to have leaked...until I rolled him over a little and saw poop smeared all the way up his back! AHHH!!! I don't know how long he was sitting in that! Miraculously, it didn't go thru to his main outfit or the car seat. I did throw away the plain white onesie he was wearing. There was no way it was getting clean and I wasn't going to deal with it in the hotel. Might I add that Mr. Jackson was mighty smiley and happy during this process...

Up until this unfortunate incident, there have probably been two times in Jackson's whole life so far where he fussed because of a wet or dirty diaper. However, he now fusses more when he needs a new diaper. Is this to make sure I don't forget about him??? LOL

In other news, we had an impromptu doctor's appointment today and Jackson now weighs 10 lbs 12 ozs! WOO HOO!!! The doctor said when he hits 12 lbs, we can start looking for him to sleep longer at night. Just a couple more weeks!

Jackson's First Storytime

Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Blog

Today we went for Jackson's two month check-up and I couldn't believe how fast time is going! I want to try to get back to using this blog for the reason we started it: to document all things (exciting or frustrating) that go along with pregnancy and parenthood. I used to blog every Tuesday after we had read our weekly update. I'm thinking that Thursdays make more sense now since Jackson will reach weekly birthdays then :)

Our two month check-up went really well this morning despite Jackson being hungry and cold when we got going! He had probably the best night of sleep last night and didn't quite wake-up to finish eating before we left! He weighs 10 lbs 3.1 ozs! Woo hoo! The doctor was pleased with everything she saw and the things we told her. He did get two shots, but he was a champ! We go back in two more months for his four month check-up!

Probably our favorite development is that Jackson is "talking" to us all the time! Yesterday afternoon when Josh called Jackson laughed out loud! It was so cute! We just love watching him smile and coo at us! He loves looking at lights and ceiling fans! Luckily, both great-grandmas had excellent ceiling fans for his enjoyment while we visited for Thanksgiving :) Yesterday I noticed him making real progress at sucking on his hands/fingers. He seems to enjoy most of his tummy time sessions and holds his head up really well!

We took our first road trip for Thanksgiving which also meant Jackson's first out-of-town experience! We spent time with both Virginia great-grandmas and he got to meet some other friends and family along the way. He traveled like an old pro and was so easy, even out of his everyday routine. I think he won over many hearts while we were gone! I'm hoping this easygoing nature continues as we are spending this coming week in Philly while Josh attends meetings for work!

We are so blessed to have such a happy baby! He is so content and so much fun to be with!

Traumatized!

I have quickly gone from crying and upset to fuming and quite aggravated. With Cox Communications. Let me start by saying that Jackson and I are having a GREAT day! I judge that by the fact that he has been happy in his swing for MUCH longer than usual and I had found my second chance to pump before bedtime! So, I'm sitting on the couch zoning out to some lovely daytime TV, Jackson is content in his swing, I'm thrilled that pumping is going so well, and I look up to see a gigantic man IN our backyard! I was in the family room which has the large sliding doors that open to the backyard and deck. I immediately panicked and totally froze before trying to cover myself up (which is very difficult with no hands available). Once I was more decent I opened the door and asked if I could help him. He starts going on and on about some problem with the cable wiring and I really didn't care. I was interested in how he got into our backyard (we have a locked gate), what he was doing there without me doing, and the fact that he was smoking. I did check one thing for him and when I came back to the door he was making faces thru it at Jackson. Not harmful at all, but he had already creeped me out and I just had no interest in him playing nice with my baby. I eventually got him to go away, but not without asking how he got in. He said he just pulled on the gate and it opened. Hmmm...Josh and I are both very cautious to make sure the gate is locked when we use it so that the area is safe for Pax...

Now, to clarify, this guy wasn't intentionally peeking in or being really creepy, but I also feel like he should not have helped himself to our backyard without me knowing. I have not been terribly modest with my nursing (I'm quite proud of all the places I have done it in), but pumping is a whole different arena! You really don't want company while you're doing that.

Time to make a complaint phone call to Cox now...

The Jackson Jingle

Yes, we started decorating for Christmas already. Hear me out though! We will be gone until this coming weekend, home for a week, out of town for a week, home for a week, and then gone for almost two weeks in Evanston. We figured we needed to embrace the holidays in our own house while we could! Anyways, we obviously decorated last night for the holidays and Jackson LOVED it! He couldn't get enough of watching us string the lights on the tree. It was so adorable!

We just had a wonderfully long visit with my mom (Mimi to Jackson). She was here for ten days and we had such a good time! I can't wait for him to meet the rest of our families and our friends! We realize every day how lucky we are to have such a happy and sweet baby!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

We can't believe how big Jackson is getting! He seems so different to us and we see him everyday. It will be interesting to see what other people think who don't see him all the time. Some of Jackson's favorite things are: listening to music, having dance parties with his daddy, hanging out in his bouncy chair in the kitchen with us while we cook, checking out lights, staring at ceiling fans (in fact, that's what Jackson is asking Santa for: a ceiling fan for his room and an electrician to install it), getting licked by his puppy, talking walks, riding in the car, and let's not forget the most favorite activity: EATING!

Some of my favorite things about Jackson so far are: his wonderful, sweet, baby smell, how happy he looks when he realizes one of us is holding him, the faces he makes when he's eating, how he throws his head back and scrunches up his mouth when he's done eating, bath time, his smiles (whether voluntary or not), the cute little sounds he makes, and that he is happiest sleeping on either Josh or me.

I know both of these lists are going to grow and I can't wait to see how!

So Lucky

I just wanted to use a little blog space to brag about my wonderful husband! From the minute Jackson was born and I was rather unable to help out with much since I couldn't feel anything beneath my pelvis, Josh has jumped in and done everything he can to help out. He gets me whatever I need. Even though I've been at this motherhood thing for five weeks, I still don't have everything perfectly set up around me when I sit down to feed Jackson. We are lucky enough to have a good eater on our hands, but whenever I sit down to feed him, I might be committing to an hour long session or more! Even though he is back at work, Josh doesn't hesitate to get up in the middle of the night to bring Jackson to me when he's hungry or to just put the pacifier back in. The best thing, however, is that Josh has made a rule with himself that he will not let me hold the baby during dinner. He always takes care of keeping Jackson happy while I eat with two hands! It's really nice to know that I have that to look forward to each day! He is truly wonderful to me and a fabulous dad! I wish everyone could have a Josh :)

Being Normal

I am quite proud of us for managing to function somewhat normally since having a baby! I've made it a goal to try and get out of the house each day and I've done pretty well. Jackson has successfully accompanied me on normal errands to Target, Walmart, the library, and the grocery store. We've taken him out to restaurants and he is a wonderful dining companion :) I was even able to continue my normal Monday night routine of hanging out at the mall while Josh plays basketball! Jackson LOVED looking around at the sights and was even cooperative enough to be fed while we were hanging out at Barnes and Noble! That's probably the accomplishment I am the most proud of :) He also managed not to scream while I changed him in the public bathroom. He was quite happy, actually...

We have big plans coming up that include travelling--stay tuned!

Jackson Meets FEMA

Today we got to show off Jackson to everyone at FEMA! It was a beautiful day so we started by meeting Josh and a few friends outside for lunch. Then we headed inside to check out Daddy's cube and meet the other FEMA Friends. He had a wonderful time on his outing and stayed awake almost the whole time we made the rounds :)

Other than that, things are going really well! We get out of the house almost every day and Jackson seems to enjoy these outings as much I do! We have been back to the doctor several times because Jackson isn't gaining weight quite as quickly as the doctors would like. We went most recently today and were told that he is doing just great and that we didn't have to come back again until the normally scheduled two month check-up. YAY! Jackson now weighs in at 8lbs 9oz. Even though this is just a few ounces heavier than when he was born, he feels SO much heavier!

We feel so blessed because Jackson is making this parenthood thing pretty easy :) He eats like a champ (sometimes it feels like that's ALL he does every day...), lets us get a very decent amount of sleep each night, and is just so much fun when he is awake (which is more often than we would have thought). He LOVES his pacifier and is getting quite adept at maneuvering it around his mouth. He also likes rides in the car and walks in the woods with Paxton. I totally feel like I just wrote a personal ad for my four week old son! LOL Anyways, that's the latest update!

It's Seeming Real Now...

At this moment, the whole having a baby thing definitely seemed real!!! I had just thought in my head, "This just seems like a time I might get squirted..." Sure enough, I was right. Does that count as mother's intuition???

Other things that have made me proud of myself (in small ways, but you gotta take what you can get) are: figuring out that if I lean the Boppy against the couch when changing Jackson's diaper he can't roll onto his side like he likes to do. Changing a sideways diaper is quite challenging... AND realizing I can use the sound machine to make a calming sound while changing diapers upstairs. When Josh is home he'll help me tag team and make the noise while I do the changing, but he's not going to be around forever...sigh...

Realizing that I will figure out tricks to help us get through the routines of the days makes me feel really good about myself! Anyone reading this knows that I like to do things perfectly the first time. Motherhood is going to be an excellent test for that and I am ready for the challenge :)

Two Week Update

We have had lots of check-ups this past week and every one of them gave us a great report! We took Jackson to the cardiologist on Tuesday to have a check-up. Since I have a mild heart issue, the pediatric cardiologist we saw while I was pregnant wanted to double check Jackson once he was born. She was really pleased with what she saw and told us to have a nice life! It's a shame because we really like her, but we are definitely grateful we don't need her anymore!

Thursday Jackson saw the pediatrician for his two-week check-up and he did awesome! He has been such a champ for all doctors checking him out. He is almost back up to his birth weight (thank goodness it shows since he's eating ALL the time). He was born at 8lbs 4oz and when we left he was over a pound lighter. He weighed in just over 8lbs on Thursday morning! He did lose a little more than usual in the hospital so the doctor wants us to come back next week just to make sure he's still on the right track. Other than that, he looks great!

I also had my two-week check-up and the doctor was really pleased with how well my incision is healing. I was just glad I didn't have to admit that I haven't stuck to ALL the rules they sent me home with...I haven't cheated on driving, but I am making more trips up and down stairs than they recommended. I feel great though! I wouldn't do it if I hurt!

Ten Days Down...

We have successfully survived the first ten days since Jackson joined us :) I am happy to report that I think we would be a very boring "Bringing Home Baby" episode. Definitely not enough drama here. Jackson is so expressive already. I love all of his little faces, especially looking at his eyes when he's awake! Sometimes when he is really excited about eating, he snorts! He makes a face with it that looks just like a little piglet! Here's a brief rundown of what I have learned so far:

**ALWAYS take care to cover any orifice that might squirt bodily fluids when changing diapers. It took many squirts for me to fully realize this...

**Taking a shower might be the most productive thing you do in a day.

**The Boppy is the BEST invention EVER!

**As much as I miss being pregnant, the feeling of taking Jackson out and having people ooh and aah over him is just as good :)

**Napping when the baby naps is harder than it sounds...I'm working on making that a better habit...

**A pediatrician you love is a very comforting feeling.

**Any outing is a good time once you've been home for a few days (I broke down in tears of excitement when Josh said sure we could go to the grocery store later that night!)

**While the nurses and doctors mean well at the hospital, and might be very helpful, you will get different advice every time someone comes in your room. It is best to just pool it all together and take from it what you can.

**We have taken more pictures in ten days than I have any idea what to do with! Thank goodness for digital!

**Having a helpful husband makes ALL the difference in the world!

**As a wise woman once told me: Get ready to do everything that you said you wouldn't do!

Welcome!

We welcomed Jackson Albert Smith to the world on Thursday, October 9th at 1:58pm. He weighed 8 pounds 3.8 ounces and measured 19.5 inches long. The day went amazingly smoothly and we both enjoyed meeting this person we have waited 40 long weeks for!!!

The Last Night

Well, we are officially planning to have a baby by this time tomorrow!!! We spoke with our doctor this morning and she strongly recommended we schedule a c-section. Based on our last few check-ups and the tests we had yesterday, she was quite confident this was the best, and safest, option for a successful delivery. We head to the hospital tomorrow morning around 10am and the c-section is scheduled for 12:30pm. We lucked out and got the same doctor that examined us yesterday. We have seen her the most and really like her. We spent tonight doing some last minute preparations around the house (I'm sure no one is surprised that there wasn't much left to do...) and eating yummy food! We had Five Guys for dinner and the huge, greasy deliciousness was a great "last meal!" Then, my fabulous husband was kind enough to go out for a Pumpkin Pie Blizzard :) I have one hour left to have a good snack and then no more eating until I'm a mom! Wow! That's a weird thought. But, a good one :D

Here are the latest belly pictures. They are from Monday night, two and a half days before Sam's birthday!

A Busy Due Date!

The day started with us leaving the house like we were going to have the baby after our doctor's appointment. Let me say, that was an odd sensation. It's somewhat relative to leaving for vacation in the sense that you have packed bags. On the other hand, it's not at all the same! We started at our doctor's office and the visit went well overall. In her words, they are here to help me out from this point on. That's a nice thought, I guess :)

The report from that visit was that Sam's head seems to have dropped a bit and my cervix is slowly starting to get ready. However, our doctor wasn't overwhelmed with the fact that Sam's movements seem to be harder to track. I'm supposed to be able to count ten movements in an hour. Until a couple of weeks ago, I could get ten in five to ten minutes. Now it definitely takes the full hour. Just to be safe, our doctor sent us to have a non-stress test.

We went to the hospital for the non-stress test, specifically the perinatologist (see previous post about Mr. Bean). We LOVE this office! They have a super nice staff and comfy chairs. For about 45 minutes, they monitored Sam's heartbeat and me to see if I was contracting at all (I wasn't. I was laughing, however. That seems to have the same effect on the monitor as contractions...). Every time Sam moved, I pushed a button (the controller was very Jeopardy-like) and they watched to see how his heart rate responded to movement. That looked good, as did the level of amniotic fluid. Apparently he is still happy in his home.

After we left the doctor's office this morning, we were kind of under the care of the head nurse for the rest of the day. She's the one who taught our childbirth classes and has been with the practice for a LONG time. She's also the one in charge of scheduling inductions and c-sections. After I dropped Josh off at work, I called her to schedule an induction date. At this point she asked how big the baby was. I told her I didn't know and no one had seemed very concerned with really finding out. After much debate, she sent us for an ultrasound this afternoon. So, about two hours after I dropped Josh at work, I went back to pick him up!

We ended up having the same ultrasound tech as when we found out he was a boy! The really good news is we got firm confirmation that he is indeed a boy (Josh was especially worried because we never saw a picture of "the evidence...") and that everything looks great. The not so comforting news, however, is they think he might be as big as nine or nine and a half pounds!!! That is WAY bigger than we had planned on or guessed. Now, we know that this is a pretty big guesstimate and it's not that accurate. BUT, the fact that there is a chance he measures that big, makes me VERY nervous!!! We talked to the nurse at our practice again and she seemed slightly surprised too.

The plan right now is the nurse is going to talk to the doctor that comes in in the morning (we also really like her) and call us with a recommendation. We have a list of questions we've thought of and if there is any need for discussion, I'd really like to go into the office to have this discussion. If they just decide what to do (which is what we're hoping for) then we'll go with that. That being said, Sam will not arrive later than next Tuesday from everything we heard today.

Think small thoughts!

It's Tomorrow???

Well, tomorrow is D-Day (Due Date)! We can't believe it's here already! October seemed so far off nine months ago... For the last month we have been semi-prepared because, technically, Sam could decide to come at any point. Apparently, that was not necessary. Our doctor's appointment last week showed no new progress. Sam's head was still pretty high and he wasn't making any signs of coming out soon. We realize that all could change at any time, but seeing as I'm carrying this baby, I'm not feeling any big difference yet. We have our next (and last?) appointment tomorrow morning and there will be discussion of how next to proceed.

Josh and I decided that it was time to really act like Sam was coming tonight. We decided when we go out later tonight we will throw my stuff in the car...just in case. That way, it will also be there in the morning in case we for some reason don't get to come home. So, I spent today as if it were my last day without a baby! I stayed in my pajamas until about 2pm and finished up the little things left on my to-do list. The house is clean, my bags are totally packed, and after I write a few thank you notes and pay the bills, we will be as ready as ever. Now, I know that pretty much guarantees there will be no excitement in the next 24 hours, but it can't hurt to be ready!

We'll keep you posted...

Society vs. Pregnant Ladies

It is amazing to me how people respond to pregnant women when they are out in the real world! For the longest time, it seems like people are afraid to say something for fear you aren't really pregnant. That's a legitimate concern. Then there is that magical moment when you are more frequently asked when you are due and what you're having. It's fun having people notice. Finally, you reach the point where the majority of people in stores or restaurants at least cast an obvious look at your belly, if not strike up a conversation about pregnancy. Once you hit this point, it's hard to believe it when some people seem so oblivious to your pregnancy! Well, today I had two very different experiences. The first was at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. There seemed to be an overabundance of salespeople working the floor and each and every one made a point to say hello to me and ask if I needed anything. I think they were just doing their job for the most part, but everyone looked at my belly. I even had one guy tell me his wife is the Director of Patient Care in the Maternity Ward at Alexandria Hospital (where we're delivering) and I should ask for her and she'd take good care of me. I'm supposed to tell her Bill, her husband, sent me! LOL So, that was a very enjoyable experience. Later I was in line at Walmart at one of the self-checkout thingies. I had my hands full of stuff and really just wanted to put it all down on the conveyor belt. The woman in front of me, however, had left her basket on the belt and wasn't moving it. As she finished paying, I saw her stare at my belly and then just leave! I just think it would have been nice for her to move her basket, in general, let alone for a pregnant lady! Harumph!

Tis the Season

How fitting that just in time for fall, when all of the restaurants have yummy pumpkin-flavored special foods, we can compare Sam to a pumpkin?! By the end of this week (week 40), Sam should be average-sized. He should be about 7 1/2 pounds and 20 inches long. I'm getting really anxious to go to the doctor on Thursday and see what, if any, progress has been made! I'm hoping something has changed! I have had a lot more pressure in my lower pelvis so I have to believe something is going on to move us in the right direction! We also have an appointment for Tuesday scheduled (our due date), which I just think is funny. We can't believe that October 7 is almost here!

Still Cookin'

Our latest doctor's appointment was this morning and there is nothing new to report. Sam is still head down (yay!), but no other progress has been made. Obviously, no one is concerned yet since I haven't even reached my due date! Of course we will be excited whenever Sam decides he's ready to show us his cuteness, but we are enjoying our last few days (weeks?) sans baby :)

Here are the most recent belly pictures. The last one was specially requested by Josh. He gets a kick out of the fact that my pants go up so high...

Pregnant Woman's Dream Come True

Dairy Queen has Pumpkin Pie Blizzards!!! WOO HOO!!! The other night Josh and I both craved pumpkin pie but I also wanted chocolate so we looked up recipes for chocolate pumpkin pies. While we found some tasty looking ones, neither of us felt like going shopping or making it. BUT, last night I went with my friend, Susie, to Dairy Queen. In the car I shared my thought with her about how I hadn't been frequenting Dairy Queen for a whole year of blizzard-of-the-months and was hoping there was a pumpkin pie one coming around the holidays. She didn't seem too optimistic, but when we walked in, there was a giant poster on the wall advertising it was time already! I was SO excited! I got it with chocolate ice cream and I highly recommend it (even if you're not pregnant!). It was everything I had hoped for :)

Does My Vote Count?

FYI: Today would be a good day to go into labor. Josh has been working crazy hours at night so I sleep while he's gone and I sleep when he comes home (so he's not lonely--aren't I a good wife?), so I'm feeling pretty refreshed. I think I could push out a baby today...

**I felt this way yesterday too and nothing happened so I don't have high hopes for today, but just in case...

Personal Watermelon Anyone?

Can I stress how I have NO idea how I got THIS pregnant??? I totally freaked out when we read about week 39 in our book and on Baby Center! On the one hand I feel like there is no was that much time has passed, but on the other hand the night we took the pregnancy test seems like FOREVER ago! CRAZY! Anyways, by the end of week 39, Sam will be about the weight of a personal, or mini, watermelon. **GULP** Thank goodness we're almost to the end of the comparisons since there is nowhere good to go from here... According the "average" expectations, Sam will measure about 20 inches and weigh just over seven pounds by the end of this week. That's not TOO bad--I think I can handle that :)

Needless to say, we are getting very excited! I'm starting to think one of the hardest part of this giving birth thing is going to be not eating once I go into labor. Even though it's for a good reason (in case you need an emergency c-section), it's kinda unfair to put that limitation on a pregnant lady...;)

Craving Confessions

One of the most frequent questions I've gotten is if I was having weird cravings. My answer has typically been, "I'm not really craving anything new. I just like to eat more of the stuff I usually enjoy and it tastes SO good!" Since I've been pregnant, however, my willpower at the grocery store is weakening. I am usually really good and don't come home with much junk at all. I have been giving in more easily since the beginning and things like Strawberry Pop Tarts (no icing) and Cheetos have become a staple in the house. Yesterday was the worst though! I managed to turn down: Keebler Elf Sandwich Cookies, Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk (the appeal is that it comes in a juice box with a straw!), TGIFridays Cheese Sticks, and every pudding cup in stock! I did not manage to turn down a big bag of Cheddar Cheese Pretzel Combos, a bag of Candy Corn, and a bag of Harvest Corn or whatever it's called with the chocolate tipped candy corn. Not too bad, but it is becoming MUCH harder to be good! I think I could happily eat McDonald's and ice cream all day for the rest of this gig...

Oh yeah, and I just had a cookie after my bowl of cereal and banana...

I've Sprung a Leek!

No, I'm not in labor, and yes, I know that's not how you spell "leak..." By the end of this week (week 38!!!), Sam will be about as long as a leek. This was yet another BabyCenter post that was just too good to paraphrase:

"Your baby has really plumped up. [He] weighs about 6.8 pounds and [he's] over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). [He] has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold [his] hand for the first time! [His] organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. (We think this was poor ordering of facts. It makes it sound like he might strengthen his fist by squeezing my organs!) Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If [he's] born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If [he's] born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time [he's] 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after [he's] born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.) (Cool!)"

I did wonder out loud to Josh the other night if I would have a good enough sense of humor when/if my water breaks to say, "Seems I've sprung a leak!" It just seems like that would be a much funnier way to handle it than freaking out...;)

Our Son, the Jumping Jack

***Disclaimer: This blog might include too much info for some people, but from the beginning I said that we were writing this mainly for us and I want to remember the doctor's comments, so here goes!***

We had an appointment last Friday and we met the fifth doctor in the practice and LOVED her! She was awesome! She would be in our top three if we got to pick (the two guys are also in the top three). She did one of the last tests I needed to have and checked me for the first time. She had a good report: my cervix is still closed, I'm 60% effaced, and Sam is head down! WOO HOO! Josh was going to start having discussions with him about what position would be best for us all, but I guess he doesn't need to. Now we just need to hope that he STAYS head down!

That night, since we knew what position he was in, we felt like we were able to more accurately guess what body parts we were feeling when he moved around. He would not "sit" still for a couple of hours! Josh was able to feel lots of movement and he was kicking and punching all over! At one point, it felt like he really was trying to do a jumping jack!

We Made It!

At the end of this week, Sam will eventually be considered full term! WOO HOO! There is a great sense of relief you feel knowing that if your baby decides to be born, there is much less risk of complications. We are encouraging him to keep cooking for a few more weeks, just to get the full effect of this gestation thing. By the end of this week, Sam will be about as long as...a stalk of swiss chard??? What the heck is THAT? Apparently that means he will be just over 19 inches long from head to heel and weigh over six pounds!

While at times it feels like Sam is intent on pounding his way out of me no matter how (through the belly button seems to be his current method of choice), I still haven't reached a state of discomfort. I don't think I want to do this forever, but I'm good for a few more weeks :) I haven't had any contractions yet and I haven't noticed him dropping. I don't think I will though, since I've carried him low the whole time. I am, however, running out of things to clean and organize! LOL

Last night we had great fun pushing on my belly to have Sam push back or move around. He is big enough that we see waves of movement along my belly! It's so cool!

Belly Pic--35.5 Weeks!

A True Look at Dana's OCD

On my list of things to do all week was to start doing some Sam laundry. While we do have a lot of clothes, they are so tiny, I figured I'd have one load...maybe... Well, after an hour of just cutting off tags, I realized I had two full loads! That doesn't even include all of the blankets! Everything is in either the washer or dryer at the moment. And, yes, I was the anal mom using Dreft to wash these itty bitty clothes :) Another insight into my obsessiveness: After everything is dried, I plan to measure the outfits (neck to crotch) so I can arrange them that way. I look at some of these things and think, "What newborn will be THAT long?" or, "I think he'll be able to wear that way before six months!" A disclaimer: I know that the sizes on the tags don't match the age, but the same principle applies. So, I'll be hanging out on the couch with a ruler surrounded by baby clothes later today and I couldn't be happier :D

(I could probably start a business organizing people before babies come. I am assuming not ALL expectant mothers enjoy this stuff as much as I do!)

Reflection

There is A LOT going on right now and I just thought I should take a minute to really be thankful for everything that's going well for me in my life right now. I am thrilled that there isn't a hurricane hurtling at my house and I am expected to pack up only what fits in my car and flee. I wouldn't even know where to start! I am so glad that the immediate members of my family are relatively healthy. I am so happy that I have a husband that comes home to me every night, and even though he is working CRAZY hours right now still makes our baby and me his number one priorities. I can't wait to meet this seemingly perfect baby boy. I have had a wonderfully enjoyable pregnancy and I know I should be thankful for that. Overall, even though there is a lot of crap going on in the rest of the country, I'm doing more than okay :)

Our Baby is a What?!

Well, by the end of week 36, Sam will weigh about as much as a...crenshaw melon??? What the heck is that?! It looks suspiciously like a pineapple and a cantaloupe got together and produced a new type of produce...

Anyways, Sam continues to grow! I'm doing my best to feed him well :) He should weigh close to six pounds and measure about 18 1/2 inches long. After looking at pictures of how different babies hang out in utero, we have determined that Sam's favorite position must be oblique. His head feels like it is down, but pointing more to the side than straight down, leaving his legs to move around LOTS! Sam is also losing most of the downy hair that had covered him as well as the vernix caseosa (the waxy stuff covering him).

Other than not sleeping very consistently, I am doing great! I am getting really excited to meet this little guy, but I also realize I've had a pretty easy time and should just enjoy it while I can!

Evanston Experiences

I got back to Virginia at the beginning of the week after spending a few days back home with Mom and Dad. This trip definitely had it's interesting moments. It started on the second leg of my trip to the great Midwest. All of my planes were pretty small and the time that I was sitting my the window, I dropped my pen while doing my crossword puzzle. Please note that I was mostly frustrated because my planner is color coded and if I lost that pen, I would not be able to write in any of our general plans! I would have had to buy a whole new pack of pens just to get that color! I hoped, however, that as we landed, the pen would roll back towards me. It did! BUT, there was no way I could bend over to pick it up! I felt so stupid and helpless. There was a nice looking guy next to me so I asked him if he would mind picking it up and kicked it towards him. He was really nice and seemed like he wanted to ask if he could do anything else!

I got to use THREE "expectant mother" parking spots while home!!! I used them at Babies R Us, CVS, and Old Orchard! Woo hoo! It was quite exciting! I still feel guilty, like there are women "more pregnant" than me that should be using them. But, I'm pretty sure I qualify as expecting...

I find myself caught in a Catch 22: I was so anxious for it to be obvious that I'm pregnant, but apparently that means that I also will (unbeknownst to me) invite any and all comments! In the bathroom at a restaurant (Hackney's, for any North Shorers reading), I overheard a funny conversation between a mom and her two kids. I couldn't help laughing as I came out of the stall and she apologized. I told her not to worry about it, that I was just preparing. She had twins in the bathroom with her who were just over five and she told me she had two others younger than them! She went on to tell me how wonderful motherhood is and how much she enjoyed nursing. If I could, I really should give it a try because you can just take your boob anywhere! Now, mind you, this was in a bathroom the size of a large closet. Luckily, at that point other people were trying to go in so we had to leave... Not sure I'll talk about my boobs with strangers...

I've noticed people can't just ask when you are due. They feel compelled to say something else after that. At Trader Joes, the checker was doing so well! She asked when I was due and then said, "Don't let other people scare you." I thought that was actually helpful! Until she kept talking :( She went on to share a pretty detailed labor story that I really could have done without...

Honeydew List?

Josh guessed correctly yet again this week! Sam will be the size of a honeydew melon by the end of this week 35. So, he will weigh about 5.25 pounds and measure more than 18 inches long! For some reason, it is now sinking in how much Sam is growing! Perhaps it's because my stomach feels like it might explode at any moment... He is moving ALL the time! Sometimes it just feels like he's rolling over and over and over, other times he's poking and jabbing. We definitely felt a knee or an elbow the other night--something that bends! I found the following sentence particularly funny: "Your uterus--which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived--now reaches up under your rib cage." HA HA HA What a funny image! We also read that there is now more baby than amniotic fluid, so that explains why I'm feeling so much more Sam!

I had to go and open my mouth the other day about how low Sam was still sitting and how comfortable I still was. I know that what I'm feeling is nothing compared to how some other women feel when pregnant, but I definitely saw an increase in my uncomfortability. (is that a word? it should be!) Thus, my posting at 6am! To me, it feels like Sam is stretching out as much as possible and taking up all the room he'd like. I also am having a super hard time sleeping. That is really sad--I like sleep!

We went to the doctor on Wednesday and he said everything still looks good. Sam's heartbeat is going strong and I'm measuring on track. I asked how big he thinks Sam is and he said that he should be an average sized baby between 7.5-8 pounds. That's all well and fine, but I didn't feel like he really answered according to the actual baby inside ME... I just have a feeling that Sam is actually slightly smaller than the average quotes. I didn't have a feeling about boy or girl and I don't have a feeling about how much longer he will cook, but I do have a feeling about his size. We shall see...

Oh yeah...I am getting better at asking for help seeing as I can't bend over to tie my shoes or pick things up off the floor...Unfortunately for Josh, this means more silly little things I ask him to do when he finally gets home from work--he's a trooper!

Yes, We Cantaloupe

So last week I fibbed a bit... Josh is the one that guessed pineapple and I just agreed with him. Now that that is out in the open, I can freely share that he guessed right again this week! By the end of this week (week 34) Sam will weigh about as much as the average cantaloupe (about 4 3/4) pounds! He will also be about 18 inches long. I can tell he's definitely getting longer as he tries to stretch out in my stomach. I had read that babies stop kicking as much as they get bigger and my doctor clarified that they don't move less, they just move differently. That's totally true. He is moving ALL the time now! Log rolls, curling up , standing on his head, punching out his little hands...he does it all! Sam's filling out (in other words, getting a bit fatter) and his central nervous system and lungs are maturing. While we are definitely moving closer and closer to The Big Day (whenever that should come), we are still encouraging Sam to keep cooking as long as possible!

We are a bit nervous as to what comes after cantaloupe...there are still six more to go...

Second to Last Trip

This past weekend we took our second to last trip before Babydom! We headed southwest to visit Josh's two grandmas. It was a really nice way to kick off my relaxing period! I know that's what I need to be doing now that I'm officially finished working, but I also know it will be hard for me to not pop up and down to do a million different things I think of. These are some pictures we took after church on Sunday--made a good photo op to capture us towards the end of week 33 :)

Funny story: We ate at Cracker Barrel Sunday night and ran into a nice enough woman on our way out. She was not an "old woman," but she was old enough to not have this conversation:

Little Lady: Oh! When are you due?
Me: Beginning of October

Little Lady: Wow! You're so big already!

Josh and Me: Yeah, we're getting close.

Little Lady: And you're sure you're not having twins?!
Josh and Me: Nope. Just one! (Laughing good naturedly)

Seriously?! These would be the smallest twins if I was having them and due in just six weeks! Yikes! I just can't believe what comes out of people's mouths!

Seat #31

Thursday we got a most exciting e-mail: our glider had arrived and was available for pick up! YAY! I had been patiently waiting and waiting and waiting... After much back and forth and delay from Target, we ended up ordering this glider from Walmart. I love it, maybe even more than the original one we picked out! Here are some pictures for those of you requesting nursery photos:

I Live in a Pineapple Under the Sea...

We guessed this week's produce comparison correctly! What are the odds?! By the end of this week (week 33), Sam will weigh just over four pounds and measure longer than 17 inches! Luckily he isn't trying to stretch to his full length too often... Everything we read keeps pointing out that the bones in his skull aren't fused yet and all of his bones aren't hardened yet. That just freaks me out! I know that's how it's supposed to go, but it's still kinda weird.

We had a doctor's appointment last Friday and got another good report! She said everything is measuring just right and based on the fact that we have been picture perfect so far, she fully expects us to go to term :) WOO HOO! I of course wanted to know if that meant full term like exactly on our due date (I was kidding!) and she said that 37 weeks would be a safe bet for us. Josh did admit later that he was pretty freaked out when she started the conversation by telling us that in two weeks and five days (from last Friday) we could go ahead and have this baby. She said if I went into labor then, they might try a little to stop me, but for the most part they would be OK with me having Sam!

My goal for the rest of this time is to make myself relax and take it easy! I know Sam would be in pretty OK shape if he came now, but I'd like him to keep cooking a little longer so I'll do whatever I can to help that along!