My doctor's appt yesterday

Yesterday, I was so excited to see Dr. Beckman and to check on Miss Lillian. Everything seems to be progressing. I have gained another 2 lbs (which was really good b/c I feel like I have gained 10lbs). My blood pressure was 116/60. No protein in my urine and my strept test came back negative....yea!!! Lillian's heart rate was fast and strong (I don't know why I always forget to ask him what it is). This week my fundus measured 39cm. That is 1cm less than last week. Dr. Beckman joked around saying that my baby is shrinking....hahaha. He said that Lillian has probably dropped a little. He went ahead and checked me. I'm still 1 cm dilated, but now I'm 50% effaced and Lillian has dropped into my pelvis. Lillian's growth is at a standstill right now, which is good b/c she is already ahead. Dr. Beckman said that if I make it to 39 wks, he will probably do another ultrasound. However, I just have to take it day by day.

Monday, starts my maternity leave. I was supposed to start it on May 4th, but everyone thinks I'm going to deliver early. However, my boss told me to call into work and they will put me on the schedule for a couple of days next week if I want to work. That way I can push off my maternity leave for another week. I really don't know what to do. My fingers and toes are so swollen, they are painful. So, sitting in front of a computer all day long typing orders in does not sound like fun. However, a paycheck sounds good!!! I guess I'll have to talk to John about it.

Anyway, Here is a picture of me at 37 wks and 3 days of my belly. As one person told me, yes, I really do look like I'm going to pop!! People just have the nicest things to say to you when you are pregnant.....if you can't tell.....that is sarcasm

It's been a busy week!!

Yesterday, I had a baby shower at work. Let me tell you, I have the best co-workers ever. The shower was wonderful. Lillian got a lot of cute stuff. This little girl is going to be so spoiled!!!

Today, I woke up and I was on a mission. I had so much more energy and was ready to organize things....could this be my nesting phase??? I started off in Lillian's room, our bedroom and then the kitchen. I sorted out the laundry for John to do when he got home. I cleaned what I could, finished my thank you cards, and I even got the bottles out and started cleaning them. I don't think I hardly sat down today. John got off work early today......so he started on the laundry and we went for a walk. After that, we went to Wal-mart to get a few things (of course, we got stuff for Lillian too!). Then cooked dinner. I did the dishes and then made sure Lillian's bag and my bag was ready to go. I also made a bag for John and a snack bag for him while at the hospital. I have been on a mission all day long!!!!!

Tomorrow, I go back to the doctor to see how things are progressing. Hopefully, not too much longer until I meet my little girl!!! Less than 3 weeks to go!!!

My baby shower in Indiana

Today, my mother in law had a baby shower for me and Lillian. I always get so nervous being in front of people. However, it was so good to see everyone. Miss Lillian got a lot of wonderful things. She will definitely be well dressed for awhile!!! John and I are so blessed to have good friends and family to share with us the birth of Lillian. She is going to be so loved!!! I can't wait for everyone to meet her!!!

the diaper cake I got......it is the cutest thing!!

I'm so glad Missy and Nicole came to the shower. It has been so long since I have seen them!! I miss them so much!!!

She may be here earlier!!!

Well, I went for my 36 week appointment today. I was nervous because there were going to check me to see if I was dilated and to get tested for strept B. I waited in the waiting room forever. I guess since they were off yesterday, they schedule everyone for today. Anyway, my blood pressure was good 106/74. I did my usual urine sample....no protein. I told Dr. Beckman about my acid reflux that I have been having and bless his heart.....he gave me free samples of Protonix....exactly what I wanted/needed!!!! Dr. Beckman dopplered her heart rate, which was fast and strong. Then he measured my fundus. I was measuring almost 40cm. Which means I grew 6 cm in two weeks. So, he immediately wanted an ultrasound to see how big she is getting.

However, I still had the dreaded test to do. He did the swab for the strept B test and then he check my cervix. I am 1cm dilated and she hasn't yet dropped into my pelvis yet.

My ultrasound was interesting. Her head was measuring on target. Her legs were measuring 37 wks and her belly was measuring 38wks and 5 days. The ultrasound tech said everything was fine, but it starts to become a problem closer to delivery b/c the head may be able to come out, but the belly would be a problem. So, Dr. Beckman said he wanted to see how I do next week. If I am still growing, then we may be inducing my labor early or I may be having a schedule c-section. Lillian may even out and everything will be fine, she measured ahead before. So, we will have to wait and see.

When I got home, I told John about my visit. (He didn't go b/c he thought he wouldn't be able to handle them "checking" me, which is fine. If he is uncomfortable, that makes me uncomfortable). Anyway, we put the car seat in the car. It took us forever!!!! Putting a car seat on leather seats is a pain in the butt!!!!! However, we (I should say he) got it in.

So, now I'm just waiting on Miss Lillian to get here. I can't wait to see her!!

Getting closer!

Well, I have made it to 36 weeks. I can't believe it!!!! I am looking forward to meeting my baby girl. Both John and I are trying to get things ready for her big arrival!!! John is going to put the car seat in my car later tonight. We thought that if I go into labor while I'm at work, then that is one less thing to worry about. Plus, my car would already be at the hospital. It's so weird being this close to delivery. At work, if I even say OUCH....everyone looks at me.....even the cardiologists. Dr. Dawkins keeps telling me that he has only delivered a couple of babies before so he is a little rusty. I just laugh at him.

Anyway, today was a good day for me. I got to go to True Day Spa in Jasper and get an Expectant Mother massage. Oh, how I needed that massage!!! That hour seemed to fly by. The lady was so good too. She was always making sure I was comfortable. She even brought in extra pillows for me. I wish I was rich......I would get one everyday!!!

After my massage, I went to Elder-Beerman for some new pajamas for my hospital stay. I needed some that buttoned up the front for breastfeeding. I found two pairs that I liked. John met me there. He got off work early and took me out to lunch!! What a good husband I have!!!

When we came home, we started house cleaning. Of course, I can't do much of it. What I can do, I have to take frequent breaks. John basically did all the housework, while I laid on the couch taking a nap. He didn't say a word either......I told you he was a good husband!!!

Tomorrow, I get to go talk to Human Resources regarding my FMLA time and to get Miss Lillian on my insurance. Then, Thursday I have a doctor's appointment. Sunday, my mother in law is throwing me a baby shower for John's side of the family and Tuesday I'm having a baby shower at work!!! So, I'm going to be pretty busy for the next week!!!

It's funny....I know

Well, I have recently had to explain over and over again about why I can't do the laundry. See, when John and I were in the process of buying our house, we looked at the house multiple times. Our laundry room had a front loader washer and dryer in it from the previous owners. So, we didn't think anything about it. I was living in Evansville in an apartment with my own washer and dryer, so we didn't ask them for theirs in the contract. So, when we started the process of moving in, we quickly realized that my washer and dryer was too big for the space. The room is exactly 1/2 inches too small for them to fit side by side. Needless to say, they are staggered to fit in that room. There is a small space to slide in to reach the washer. I told John from the very beginning that whenever I do become pregnant, I wouldn't be able to do the laundry.....and I was right. We have thought about getting a new washer and dryer numerous times, but hate to spend money on something that works just fine.

Anyway, thought you might like a picture to visualize the situation. I just have to laugh!!!

It was a crazy weekend!

Since I can't really do all the duties of a nurse, I am the unit secretary until I come back from maternity leave. Well, I have a pretty crappy schedule of working every weekend and Monday evenings with some Fridays. Last week, I worked Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. 40 hours in 4 days being 35 weeks pregnant equals not fun and very tired!!! Anyway, work was crazy busy. Friday, I think at one point I had all the charts in front of me with tons of orders on them. I seriously almost cried. Saturday, wasn't too bad, just busy with discharges and admissions. Sunday would have been better if I would have slept the night before. See, Saturday night I was up cleaning my bathroom because my toilet decided to overflow at 10:00 at night. So, that was a big mess. We had some excitement on Sunday though. A confused wife of a patient wanted to turn off the lights but hit the code blue button. That is definitely a sure way to get about 10 nurses fired up. Monday didn't start out too good for me. I was starting to have contractions before work. Nothing regular, so I went to work. (if anything was to happen, I'm already at the hospital!!!). We started out crazy busy. Day shift had 7 admissions and 3 discharges, so there were a stack of charts with orders on them. Then we had a death...which is never any fun. Then later on we had a true code blue. They made it!!!!! Again, that is a sure way to get 10 nurses fired up!!!!!! That shift sure flew by!!!

Anyway, I am so excited....I'm 35 weeks now. I can't wait to see my little girl!! I wonder so many things about her. What does she look like, is she healthy, am I going to be a good mom....you know pretty much what all women go through. I get asked a lot about me being nervous about labor. Honestly, I try not to think about it. It is something I have to go through, so why sit and think about it. I'm just trying to keep an open mind b/c you don't know what is going to happen. I'm pretty much opened to anything except for forceps or the vacuum being used on my baby's head.....that is a big NO in my book!!! I'm just so excited to see her!!!!

Well, this weekend, I actually get some time off. So, John and I are going to visit our friends Jenn and Aaron. They just bought a house, so we are going to go see it. I'm so excited for them!! The house is going to be so cute!!

Hopefully, John will be getting off soon.......hopefully, he will take me to eville. I need to get a few things and refuse to go by myself. He said if he got off early he would take me to eville and to the Olive Garden....YUM!!!! I hope he gets off early!!!!

Happy Birthday to me!!

I can't believe yesterday was my birthday! It feels like March was a big blur to me. Time has really gone by. Anyway, yesterday, I turned the big 2-6!! I can't believe it! I am getting closer to 30 now.

Yesterday, I spent the day being very tired. I didn't sleep the night before. I just couldn't find a comfortable position to sleep in. I even went to the couch to try to sleep. Unfortunately, nothing worked. So, I finally decided to stop trying around 10am. I got up and got dressed and headed to Jasper to get my antibody screen done at the hospital. Then, I had to go to Dr. Beckman's to get my last Rhogam shot. After that, I finally headed home. John was waiting on me when I got there. I opened my cards from my family and friends. I LOVE getting cards in the mail!!!! Then, I opened my gifts from my wonderful husband. I got a Jason Aldeen CD, Father of the Bride DVD (I have been searching for this video for a year now!), some cute little baby clothes for Lillian, an outdoor Illinois chair (I will always be an ILLINI at heart), and a gift certificate to get a massage. How I need that massage!!!!!!! Plus, he got me some flowers too!!!

Later that evening, we went out to eat with John's family. It's really funny because John's dad and I share the same birthday. So, we went with them to celebrate his birthday. John is taking me out tomorrow to The Mill House...YUM!!!

When we got home, I started working on Lillian's room, while John started the laundry. However, I didn't let John get too far from me.....he had a movie to watch with me. He hates Father of the Bride, but hey, it's my birthday!!!

So, all in all, it was a good birthday. Next year, my baby girl will be here to celebrate with me!!

I'm new to this......

Well, I decided to start a blog since my other website was running out of space. I didn't see the need of starting to pay for space. So, anyway, here I am. Hopefully, my family and friends back home will be able to see this. In all honestly, I am not a very good phone friend.....I am a good internet friend. I spend way too much time in front of this computer.

Anyway, I'll be keeping everyone update on Miss Lillian and her soon to be arrival in the next 6 weeks. We are slowly but surely getting everything ready. Hopefully, by next week, her room will be completed (I keep saying this too). It's just really hard to get things done when you are not allowed to lift anything. Plus, I can't even do laundry because I am too big to get to the washer. So, I have to sit and wait for my husband to do it for me :)

Well, this is my practice blog......I hope this works!!