Baby shower at MIL's house

Yesterday I had a shower, hosted by Dh's mom. It went very well, much better than I anticipated based on all the drama caused trying to schedule it! Lots of people showed, including many who didn't rsvp, and MIL decided she was going to feed people more than just cake and coffee, so there was a lot of good food too :)

And of course, so many gifts! Levi is going to be one well loved (and spoiled) baby with all his new clothes and blankets and toys and such!

Everything is falling into place!

We took our childbirth class last Saturday, and I am so glad we did! I think we both feel much more prepared and ready to go!

It was different than I expected. We didn't really learn the breathing technique stuff. A little bit, but not much - maybe spent 10-15 minutes out of a 6 hour class on breathing. We learned alot about natural ways to cope with labor pains, learned about medical pain relief options offered at that hospital, a little more about the general procedure, and what happens if there are complications, learned about c-sections, and got to tour the birthplace. It was taught by a labor and delivery nurse and there was a delivery doctor there for a 45 min q&a, so we really got alot of questions answered.

Since I was a preemie, I wanted to know more about preterm labor, and did find out that they will try to stop labor if you go into it before 36 weeks, but at that 36 week mark, they'll deliver. That is less than 4 weeks away!!!

I also asked if my delivery can be related at all to my mother's labor history. The doctor said that the 2 things you can take from your mother is the ability to have a vaginal birth (your hips are typically similar) and that your baby's birth weight will most likely be similar to your own birth wieght. Well, I don't count, since I was 8 weeks early, but I asked about siblings and he said if they were all about the same, then yes. Well, I asked Mom and she said all the other 4 kids were about 5 lbs! Granted she was a smoker, so I can expect a little higher, but I was happy to hear everyone was on the smaller side. I do not want to push out a 10 pound baby!

Mom also said she had very short labors, and not terribly painful - she slept through the beginning stages of 2 of them! I really hope my labor is like that! It probably won't be though, since I have had a relatively easy pregnancy, and hers were full of terrible morning sickness and heartburn. Oh well! We'll just have to wait and see!

Thank goodness the upcoming weeks are going to be busy ones, otherwise Dh and I would go stir crazy, we are both just so anxious and excited!

Next on the calendar is the baby shower MIL is hosting! It has been quite the crazy ordeal trying to plan this shower, and MIL has NOT been very accomodating or gracious about the whole thing, which has been pretty stressful, but I am trying to be grateful and just think about it this way - no matter how it happens, just the fact that I get a shower means we are more prepared for Levi and he will have some things to help welcome him into this world.

Well, that's it for now!

32 WEEKS!

Yay! I am so excited this day finally came! I have been anxiously waiting for this milestone, and feel so relieved now that it is finally here! The reason, is because I was born at approximately 32 weeks. Yep, a preemie baby, weighing 3lbs, 13oz. My parents had to leave the hospital without me and were able to bring me home a month later, still covered in wires and hooked up to a heart monitor. BUT, I made it! With no long term complications!

I feel like I am really going to be able to meet this little boy now, and everything is going to be alright.

My baby has a big nose :)

I had my 32 week appt yesterday, and all is good. I did mention that he hadn't been moving as much the last couple days, and wondered if he was running out of room in there, so my doctor did a quick little ultrasound to check on the amniotic fluid levels and make sure everything else looked okay.

That was a fun surprise! But I felt bad Dh wasn't there to see his son again. I didn't really get to see much on the u/s, but one of the first things my doctor checked was his positioning in my pelvis, he is head down and facing my back - perfect position for delivery :) She also said he has a big nose!!!



I laughed, and told her "Well, so does his daddy!" lol. Dh's nose isn't really big, but he does have a chubby german nose and it looks like Levi will probably have his nose :)

Levi was also practicing his breathing and she said he had his eyes open and was sticking out his tongue. And he DEFINITELY still a boy!!!

Our next appt is in 2 weeks, on April 1st, and Dh will be coming to that one, because we have a growth ultrasound and the doctor is going to measure everything, find an approximate weight and make sure he is growing on schedule.

30 Week Appt. Update

Last night our electricity just randomly went out. DH went downstairs and flipped the breaker, but no luck there. We just couldn't figure it out! All the neighbors still had lights on, and we definitely paid our bill! So we called the electric company and they said they would send someone out, but the truck wouldn't be there for over an hour. So DH and Bailey and I sat on the couch in the flashlight lit living room reading baby books and magazines until Bailey started barking to let us know the truck had arrived.

By the time the electricity was back up and running, it was definitely time for bed! And of course we had to reset the alarm clock. Must not have gotten it right, because somehow I lost 10-15 minutes of time walking fro the house to my car :) So, I was late to the doctor's office today.

When I got there my nurse and doctor were both very relieved! I am always the first appt on the days I go in, and they were worried when the next appt. was checked in before me! My doctor said it was not like me at all, and that I am usually so meticulous about details, she couldn't believe I would have forgotten.

I thought this was so funny, considering how punctual I am at everything else in life... If only they knew!

At any rate, I had a pretty basic appt. today, all my vitals were normal, Baby's heartbeat sounds good and he is still head down.

I only gained about 1 1/2 lbs during the last week, which I was happy about, since I put on 6 in the the previous 3 weeks. Between that and the somewhat elevated blood sugar, I figure I better watch the sweets a little closer!!!

My doctor did comment that Levi feels pretty big for 30 weeks, which has me somewhat concerned. But I decided there is no use fretting until I am closer to my due date.

My appointments are now going to be only 2 weeks apart, until 36 weeks and then every week there after. I went ahead and scheduled the rest so I could just give work the list and tell them what days I would be in late all at once.

Also, I get to have another ultrasound at my 34 week appointment, so that is very exciting! I can't wait to see our little boy again!