33 Weeks, 3 Days

We've been very busy this week prepping the nursery, washing ten (!!) loads of baby clothes and linens, and packing James's bag to take to the hospital. There's a general consensus among family that James will be born in April. We can't wait to meet our little boy! 

James is now about 4.2-5.8 pounds (probably closer to 5ish by now based on previous ultrasounds) and about 17 inches long. My ribs definitely feel his legs stretching. This morning he was pushing his butt up, making my belly a very odd shape. So silly! James is either a Durian (a really ugly and creepy-looking fruit) or a pineapple (again). 

His breathing and sucking are continuing to develop and his bones are hardening. His pupils constrict, dilate, and detect light. James's brain is growing, but I'm convinced he's stealing all of my brain cells. :)

We've had a very busy week! My baby shower was on Saturday and it was so much fun. James and I were completely spoiled, and the food was amazing. It was so nice of friends and family to travel to celebrate little James with us. Katie and Michele put so much work into the shower, and I can't thank them enough for that. It was just perfect!

A week ago I had another OB appointment. It went great! My mom was able to come with me, and the doctor was nice enough to do a little ultrasound so she could see James. His head is too low to see (the doctor originally thought he wasn't head down...then realized his head was just so low she couldn't see it from the angle of the ultrasound), but we got to see his torso and legs, and he confirmed that he is indeed a boy. We were able to see his ribs, which was awesome-I've never seen those in previous ultrasounds. His bones are getting so big and strong! I also had another nonstress test on Wednesday, and James was perfect. He definitely doesn't like having the monitor on my belly and kicked it throughout the entire test, but we were able to get a good 30-minute reading. The nurse rechecked my fluid levels and they're within the normal limits now-yay! They're on the high side of normal, so they will continue to monitor them, but that's a relief. 

I can definitely feel James getting heavier and longer. His movements are not so much "kicks" anymore because he can't stretch and move around as much-space is getting tight! My breathing is much more labored, and I find myself waddling more each day. It is harder to get comfortable, but I'm still able to get a decent amount of sleep most nights. I'm enjoying that while I can. :) I feel huge most days, but that's par for the course at this point...and I have a pretty good reason. I am still having nausea but am getting sick every other day or so, which isn't too bad. I have been craving more sweets...but that could have something to do with the Girl Scout cookies in the pantry.

It has been so much fun to have my mom visiting us, and I'm sad to see her leave tomorrow after our childbirth class and hospital tour. The next time she visits us will be after James is born. Oh my goodness! Time is flying by. I'm going to miss being pregnant and feeling him move, but can't wait for Matt to be able to hold his son, and for his grandma and grandpas and aunts and uncles to meet him. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend! 

32 Weeks, 1 Day

We're getting closer!

James's toenails are now visible and he's starting to lose the lanugo (the fine downy hair covering his body). His skin is starting to plump up a bit as he adds more fat to his little body. His lungs continue to develop and he's absorbing more nutrients as he prepares for birth. Baby websites say he's about 16-16.5 inches long and weighs 2.5-3.8 pounds (we know he weighs more than that, but the length is probably not too far off). He'll gain about 1/2 a pound per week until he's born.

This week's vegetable is the strangest food comparison to date. One website says he's about the size of a squash. What kind of squash? We're not sure. The other vegetable is a jicama. Yes. A Jicama.

This, apparently, is a jicama, also called a Mexican Turnip. It usually weighs 1-2 pounds but can get up to 20 pounds.....so how is that a good comparison for a 32-week-old baby? We're not very clear on that.

He's getting so big!

James has some days where he's very wiggly and others where he's silent. I love it when people are able to feel him kick and move! It's awesome. But only when I know those people. I'm not big on strangers touching my belly, but luckily that hasn't happened much. I've had more people commenting on my pregnancy, and a few retired military guys say something along the lines of "Boy, good luck raising a kid in the world we live in..." Thanks, guys! Today James is big on kicking my ribs. Silly baby. He has also been having frequent hiccups, which is the gosh darn cutest thing in the world.

I'm feeling a lot of pressure on my pelvis/hips/lower back (same as last week), but am noticing that I get out of breath easier than I did a couple of weeks ago. Crazy info tidbit: my blood volume has increased 40-50% since I got pregnant. That explains some of the headaches. I'm uncomfortable, but some days are better than others. Some nights are better than others, too. I am so blessed to be able to carry our son, but am eager to hold him in my arms. :) 

We had our first nonstress test this morning. One band is wrapped around the top of my belly and a little disc is placed underneath the band to monitor any contractions I may have. A second band is placed on my lower belly with another disc underneath it, but that one has ultrasound gel on it. It is used to monitor James's heart rate. They couldn't find James's heart rate with the little disc, so they did the other half of the nonstress test first, which is an ultrasound machine used to measure amniotic fluid. Side note-he is still head down! They found where his heart was located, measured the amniotic fluid, then hooked me back up to the other machine. James did not like the little disc-he kept kicking it and dislodging it. I was reading but had to stop to hold the disc in place. It took about 20 minutes for him to calm down so the disc could get a good reading. They monitored him for about 30 minutes and his heart rate was great, averaging 155 bpm. I have an allergic reaction (severe itching) to the gel once it's removed from my belly, and when they were trying to find James's heart rate with the disc the first time they rubbed the gel all over my belly. It was hard to sit still when I just wanted to scratch my belly like there was no tomorrow! My blood pressure and heart rate were both in a normal range. 

One cause for concern is my amniotic fluid levels. Since our ultrasound in December, a few techs have mentioned that I have high fluid levels. Today, they diagnosed me with polyhydramnios, which is an elevated level of amniotic fluid. It can be caused by diabetes, a certain condition with twins or multiples in utero, or incompatible blood types between mom and baby, but I don't have any of those issues. It could also be an indication of a birth or swallowing defect, but all the tests run on James so far haven't shown any cause for concern. About half of the time the doctors don't know what causes the condition. It can lead to early labor, my water breaking too early, or placenta abruption, or can cause no issues whatsoever. The good news is that although my levels are high, they're not extremely high. There's nothing that can be done about this issue, so I just need to take it easy, stay hydrated, and pray that he stays in the womb as long as possible. Both Matt and I will be surprised if he makes it to May, considering his position right now and this issue. 

I have one more class to attend-a Childbirth prep class with my mom. My seventh and my last class! Between classes and reading, I feel prepared, but can anything really prepare a woman for labor, delivery, and taking care of a baby? That being said, I have no doubt in our ability to care for our son. I am so excited! When I was at the hospital today, I picked up the pre-admissions packet I need to fill out so I don't have to deal with paperwork while I'm in labor.  

This week will be so much fun. My mom flies in Thursday (WOOHOO!), OB appointment Friday, and my shower on Saturday. I am so excited to see friends and family. I hope the OB does a little ultrasound on Friday to find James's heart rate (instead of using a doppler) so my mom can see James "live." 

Much love from our family to yours!

31 Weeks

As I write this, James is using my uterus as a bouncy house. The leftover sweet tea I was drinking might have something to do with that. The other day I thought he changed positions-it was the most intense movement I've ever felt, like an earthquake in my belly-but I think he was just...stretching? Or just being a bouncy baby. 

At this point, James's central nervous system can regulate his body temperature and his fat stores have increased (hence the weight gain). Baby websites say he weighs 2.5-3.8 pounds (nah, he's a big boy) and is about 16 inches long. 16 inches!!! Remember when he was 3 inches? He's been very productive. He can turn his head from side to side now, too.

16 inches...about the size of a....

PINEAPPLE!

Ohemgee, this makes me so happy. I. Love. Pineapples. They're a symbol of hospitality, so a lot of signs and items from the olden days (especially in Virginia) have a pineapple on them. I think we have 10 pineapple-related items throughout the house. Not as many pineapples as gnomes, but we're getting there. In case you are interested, here is an article on the Social History of the Pineapple. (I couldn't make that up if I tried.) Anyway, moving on....

Another fruit comparison: four naval oranges (why four of one fruit, when the best fruit of all-pineapple-will do?)

For a non-fruit visual:

Baby is getting more comfortable...and low. (I love how the little pointer that says "fat" points to the entire baby.)

The other night, Matt asked what the first book we read to James should be. I thought for a moment, then realized I couldn't pick just one. He decided that the book "All of Life is a School" by Kermit Weeks would be perfect, and I suggested that we read it to him that night. Why wait until he's born? He can hear us now. :) 

Background: Kermit Weeks is the owner of Fantasy of Flight, a hybrid amusement park/airplane collection between Orlando and Tampa. Matt and I have been there a few times, and just love it. On our last visit, Kermit did a demo flight and talked with guests afterwards. We had bought the children's book in the gift shop (it is a great story with animated planes as the characters) and asked him to sign it. He asked who he should make it out to, and I said "Our yet-to-be-conceived child?" He let out a short laugh, asked us our last name, then wrote on the page. 

<3

Tonight is James's first astronomy event! We are going to a science fair with the astronomy club Matt is part of. So nerdy, and so adorable. I hope James already knows all the planets, or his dad will be very disappointed.

I am going to an all day Baby Boot Camp (yes, that's the title) class at the naval hospital this Thursday, and the non-stress tests start next Wednesday. This weekend we get to spend some time with Nonnie and Grandpa!

My belly is getting so big the maternity shirt barely covers it!

Happy Tuesday!

30 Weeks!!!!

We can't believe we're 75% there. Only 10 more weeks to go! Well, actually, 9, but I'll get to that in a minute.

According to baby websites, James weighs 3-3.5 pounds, is about 15-17 inches from head to heel, and is the size of a cucumber or cabbage. I'm pretty sure we've used cucumber before, but just for the fun of it, here it is.

An English Hothouse Cucumber.

And...Cabbage. 

James's eyes are now open a good amount of the time, but his vision is...horrible, to put it nicely. He might have a full head of hair, and red blood cells are forming in his bone marrow. His super smart brain is getting more wrinkly as it grows. Little James's hands have enough strength to grasp a finger. Awwww! :) He's surrounded by a pint and a half of amniotic fluid right now, but that amount will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in the womb. 

For the first time, this picture actually reflects James's actual position! 

He's lower than this baby, but you get the idea. :)

I had an OB appointment on Friday, and that went well. My BP is great and my weight hasn't changed (as long as I'm not losing but James keeps gaining, that's good). His heart rate was in the 150's. 

We had a growth scan (ultrasound) yesterday, and we got lots of good information. He weighs 3 pounds, 9 ounces, and is measuring 2 weeks ahead. He's in the 50th percentile for growth for 32 week babies. That's good, though! He is head down and is very very low. I felt him move the other day and thought he moved head down, so I'm glad I was able to confirm that. He's facing my spine, which is the perfect position for birth. The ultrasound tech thought it was funny that he was already prepping for birth, ten weeks early. He's a planner, just like his mommy and daddy! Although he could still change positions up to 36-37 weeks or so, the tech and doctor don't think he's going anywhere because he is so low and really wedged down in there. He was very wiggly during the exam, but we were not able to get able to get any pictures because of his position. Doesn't look like we'll be able to get any more pictures until he's born. We did get one picture of his leg and it looks like a chicken wing. His legs are sooooo long! His heart rate was 159. It is so cool to go to the ultrasounds and see how big he and all of his organs and bones are getting. When I saw how big his heart has gotten I started tearing up. So amazing!

They are not changing my due date, but if I don't go into labor before 39 weeks (May 7), they're going to induce me as a precaution because of some medical issues I have. It's better to err on the side of caution and not wait until 40 weeks, especially because he has been measuring big. The date of conception still isn't clear, so it's possible I'm already 32 weeks (as I've mentioned) right now but they don't want to "officially" change my due date. I have a feeling James will arrive before 39 weeks. I hope I don't have to be induced, but as long as he is healthy, that is all that matters. :) 

My next ultrasound is in mid-April. I'm going to start weekly fetal monitoring (non stress test) in two weeks. This will monitor his heart rate and any contractions I may be having. Between these appointments, my regular OB appointments, my baby shower, and baby-related classes, I'll be staying very busy until he's born!

His kicks/punches continue to get stronger. When he moves, my whole belly moves. Because he is so low, my sciatica and lower back pain have been worse. There's not much that helps it besides massage, which is frustrating. It makes sleeping very awkward. Leaning forward can help with the pain, but with my belly in the way, that's a challenge. Luckily, my heartburn has been better since he moved head down, but it's still there. My lungs are still being compressed, and I hate that feeling. He has been kicking my ribs more...that doesn't feel great! My nausea comes and goes, but I have been getting sick less often. I've also been eating more small meals to combat nausea and vomiting. Despite all this, I know how blessed we are to be creating a life, and he will be worth every moment of pain or discomfort. 

We can't wait to meet our precious James!

Happy Tuesday!