Thursday, September 30, 2010

37 Weeks and....

WE HAVE A DATE! Boy oh boy have I been looking forward to this post! Today's post is later, because I knew I was going to the Dr. this afternoon and we might discuss dates :) Well... we did :) As of right now... Jordan and I will go in Tuesday, October 12th. We aren't going in until that evening, so the D-Day (Delivery Day) will most likely be Wednesday, October 13th. I have to say we are both ecstatic! It's so nice to have a date. With this being our first baby, there is so much we cannot plan for... we don't know what in the world to expect. So, we are glad that we have a date... a time that we can prepare for as much as we can. Other than setting D-Day... my doctor's appointment went pretty well. However, we did get bad news... my cervix hasn't changed... AT ALL! This is really frustrating, I'm not going to lie, as much as I love the idea of being induced, I do not like the idea of being induced without my cervix having changed at all. So... I will continue doing all the "tricks in the book" and hopefully by October 12th, my cervix will have changed a little bit.

I did ask Dr. Daniel how much he thought she weighed. He mashed and pushed on my belly, asked Jordan and I how much we weighed when we were born, and he estimated she would weigh in the mid-to-high 7lbs range. He felt right now she was in the high 6's or low 7's and we still have a little under two weeks to go. Ada's developments have pretty much slowed way down. She's basically just practicing for life outside of my womb. She's breathing, sucking, sleeping, etc.

The nesting is definitely still there. I'm pretty much as ready as I can be. Mine and Jordan's plan is just to enjoy the next 12 days together. After all, in 12 days, life as we know it will change drastically. It will never be just the two of us again.

The nursery is 99.9% finished... we waiting on one special touch... her quilt :) As soon as we get that, I will post pictures. Until next Thursday (which will be my LAST post before my sweet baby girl is here)... have a good weekend!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

36 Weeks... What a Week...

Boy oh boy this has been an interesting week. So much has happened already and it's only Thursday! I'm just going to dive right into it. I'll start at the beginning... 


Last Saturday: My sweet cousin Patsy threw me my "family" baby shower. It was great! The entire theme of the shower was "Generations"... and basically, they had pictures of women throughout my family and then all the mother's took time to share with me one piece of wisdom. I enjoyed it very much, and we got so much good stuff!


Monday: Because we had our last shower on Saturday, I figured I would go ahead and start getting us ready to go to the hospital. There were a few little things we didn't get at our showers, so I used some of the gift cards and money to pick that stuff up. What I thought was just a quick trip to the Exchange in Oxford turned into an absolutely exhausting trip that landed me in the hospital :( I pushed through and finished all my errands at the exchange (even though my body was screaming at me to go home and rest)... I was driving home and couldn't make it the whole way. I stopped at my grandparents house (about halfway home) because I was in so much pain and having a lot of contractions. My pain was mainly in my lower back and my hips, but nothing I did eased the pain. I assumed I could just lay down on their couch and then I would begin to feel better... but then I started getting chills and shivering. Sure enough, I was running a low grade temp... 100.2. Once I realized I had a fever, I got scared. I know that fevers are signs of infection in your body, and I wanted to make sure Ada was alright. So... Jordan came straight from school and took me to Dr. Daniel's office. When we got there, they rushed me through to see him. I was still running a fever when I got there and I was still in a lot of pain. When Dr. Daniel walked in, he knew something was wrong. Usually when I'm there, I'm smiling and bubbly, but this time... I was crying and wasn't afraid to tell him how much pain I was in. He checked my cervix... it was closed... so he concluded that he felt I had a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) that may be making its way to my kidneys. He sent me straight to Labor and Delivery to get blood work done and fluids. I was also a tad dehydrated. Once I got to L&D, that was another experience in and of itself. Let me just preface this with the fact that ALL the nurses I came in contact with Monday evening were precious and this is not a reflection on them... I just happened to get there at the "wrong" time... We got to L&D around 5:00... the nurse did our initial paperwork, but was swamped... three people walked in at the same time and they were short staffed. It wasn't until around 7:00 that they finally began "trying" to start my IV. I say "trying", because it took them four times... yes... four. The first nurse tried in my right hand and couldn't get it... sent a nursing supervisor to try... she tried in my left hand and left arm (in the bend of my arm)... nope, couldn't get it. She then decides that she thinks it might be due to me clotting too fast (huh?)... anyway, she then tells me that I could take a rest and she was going to go get an anesthesiologist. So, around 8:00, a nurse anesthetist came in and finally got my IV started. As it turned out, all my labs came back clean... no UTI. Dr. Daniel still isn't sure why I spiked a temp, but he made me stay overnight just to make sure it didn't spike again. 


Tuesday: Needless to say, Jordan and I didn't get much sleep at the hospital (they even gave me Ambien to help me sleep... it didn't really help). So, most of the day Tuesday, we napped and tried to rest from our eventful evening :) That night, I was feeling better, so I went to dinner with some ladies from church for one of their birthdays. I had fun, ate a good meal, and thought that the rest of the week was looking up... so I thought. When I got home Tuesday night, I noticed that I was a little stuffy. I thought it may be just from all the fluids I got at the hospital and that it would pass... then it got bad... fast. I couldn't breathe, couldn't swallow, chills, achy... what? I was so mad. I had been just fine the day before and even that whole day... why was I getting sick now?


Wednesday: Didn't sleep much Tuesday night... woke up yesterday feeling horrible. I called Dr. Daniel's office and they called me in some medicine (whoop! whoop!) Even though I didn't feel good, I am nesting something terrible. I got myself and Ada completely packed for the hospital and the car seat base installed! Call me crazy for packing so early, but I would rather be ready earlier than later. 


That brings me to today... I'm still battling this sinus infection, but like I said... I'm nesting. The nursery is ready, the house is cleaned, and laundry is caught up. Isn't it amazing what hormones and adrenaline can do to our bodies? Needless to say, I am tired. I did take breaks yesterday and today to rest my feet and nap, but I am so thankful that whenever Ada decides to come... we're as ready as we can be. 


Ada's developments this week: She is continuing to put on weight... about 1/2 pound a week. Her gums are firm with ridges that look somewhat like teeth, even though obviously she doesn't have any yet. She is becoming more alert in the womb and we can totally tell. She's responding to our voices which absolutely thrills our hearts. Ada has dropped. I'm not sure if she's totally in place, but I can definitely tell she's dropped. There's constant pressure on my bladder and cervix... it's lovely I tell you :) Because I went in on Monday, Dr. Daniel just told me to come in next Thursday for my 37 week appointment. He told me at the hospital that he would check me again (please pray something has happened with my cervix... I want to carry her until 38 weeks at least, but I know with my first baby, it may take me a while for my cervix to change... he won't let me go past my due date, I totally don't mind being induced, but I really don't want to be induced without my cervix dilating and thinning). I'm also going to ask him for another sonogram. I want to know how much he estimates her to weigh. Plus... I just want to see my baby girl. I haven't seen her since 20 weeks. 


I'm pretty much going to really take it easy from here on out. Like I said earlier, we are pretty much packed and ready for whenever she comes. So, for the next four weeks, I'm just going to rest and enjoy these last weeks with my sweet Ada in my womb. Until next week...  

Thursday, September 16, 2010

35 Weeks... Showers and Sentiments

Ok people... buckle your seatbelt... this could be a long one :) I look forward to Thursday all week.. not just because it means I'm one week closer to seeing my baby girl, but because I get to sit down and share my heart... literally. I go to the computer, sit down, and just start typing whatever is on my mind and my heart. But this week... I've been especially looking forward to it, because I have SO much to share and yes... I want to do it all in one week's blog.

So let's get to it :) Ada's developments this week... the final touches are being added on. Most of her development from here on out is packing on the pounds. Her movements are becoming less jerky and are mainly pushes and slow rolling movements (she's running out of room in there... trust me... my stomach can't stretch much more :) She is currently in the head-down position... HALLELUJAH! Let's just pray she stays there. Her liver has now begun processing her waste, and her nails are still growing! They may even curl over the tips of her fingers and toes when she's born! She's now weighing in at probably 5.5 pounds and is probably around 18 inches long.

Two weekends ago, I had my first baby shower... and let me tell you... everyone needs a shower like this. But, unfortunately, not everyone has a friend like I have who knows me so well... and she knew I needed it :) Most of you know my best friend Katy... or as Ada will call her "Aunt Katy"... she has been such a dear friend, more like a sister for the past three years and it's scary how well we know one another :) She knew that I have a hard time with showers (if you know me at all, you know I can be a little shy - and the atmosphere of showers... everything centering around you... well, it can be overwhelming for me) So... she through me a "party".. a "girl's day out"... and I loved every minute of it! She just invited a few of my closest friends (some couldn't make it) and we went to eat brunch at The Victoria in Anniston... YUMMO! After brunch, some of the girls came back to my house and played the neatest game... I'll explain more later, and then everyone painted a small canvas to hang up in Ada's nursery :) The day was so laid back and there was no pressure, because although the day was technically about me and Ada... we just all enjoyed hanging out and catching up! Another example of how well Katy knows me... she and the rest of the girls went in together and bought me a breast pump (whoop! whoop!) I'll share why that was such an amazing gift in another post.... :) Needless to say, it was a great Saturday and a great shower. Thank you Katy for taking the time, money and energy to plan this shower. I know you're cringing at the public recognition, but I couldn't share about the shower without acknowledging the sweet friend behind it! I love you... you are so special to me. I can't wait for Ada to meet her Aunt Katy! We love you!


All the sweet friends that came to brunch.


Cute Decorations :)


More cute decorations...


These were the party favors... they said "Anna Lee is about to POP!" How cute is that?


Ok.. this was the candy they used for the game. Each candy had a corresponding clue that went with it. I'll give you one example, "For Anna Lee, the epidural is going to be a.... "You fill in the blank with the name of one of the pieces of candy :)


These are the canvases we painted that day. We had all the different colors that are going in her room. I love how different they all are. This is definitely something special I hope Ada remembers for the rest of her life!

This past Sunday, I had my second baby shower. Five sweet ladies from my church put together a super cute shower and it was great! We got tons of great stuff including our car seat!!! Thank you hostesses for getting that for us! It takes so much pressure and stress off of us to know we now have something to bring our baby home in! I have to tell you that we got some really cute stuff! I've snapped a couple of pictures... we loved everything, but there were a few that we loved :) Here are some pictures Christy, one of the host took for me.. and some pictures I took of some of what we got that day :)


Diaper Cake :)... loved it!


Beautiful and yummy cake... thanks to Audrey Oswalt :)






Now on to the "Sentiments" part of the post... I wanted to take the time this week in particular to say something about my sweet sisters and brother. Ada has no idea, I don't think Jordan and I even realize, what a blessing these four people are going to be in her life. The reason I wanted to write about them this week, is because 20 years ago, my mom carried these four babies to 35 weeks... an amazing milestone in 1990. I could talk about them all day, but I want to take the time to talk about one characteristic I love about each of them that I feel will be such a blessing to Ada. Obviously, they each posses many of the same qualities, but like I said... I'm just picking one :)


I think this is one of my favorite pictures of them... ever.


Caitlin Marie

Caitlin has such a heart for children. She has truly been in love with this baby girl since she found out we were pregnant! Caitlin spent some time this summer and last summer in Honduras working in orphanages. This is her passion. I'm so thankful to have a sister who will truly love my child like her own.


Sarah Grace

Sarah posses a loyalty to her family unlike anyone else I know. Never once do you question her loyalty to her family. That is how she shows her love for you many times. I know that Sarah will be a trustworthy, loyal aunt for Ada. Ada will never question or wonder whether or not her Aunt Sarah loves her or supports her. I'm thankful to have a sister who will always be there for my daughter... no matter what.


Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is so wise beyond her years. She treasures God's Word and keeps it in her heart. I know that if Ada, in the future needed any advice, she could go to her Aunt Elizabeth and Elizabeth would shower her with Truth. I'm so thankful for a sister who is rooted in Christ's Word, and who is bold enough, and will care about my daughter enough to give her the Truth she needs.


William Bruce

Will has such a tender heart and cares for others. He always has. There is no doubt in my mind that Will is going to make an amazing father one day... and I know for sure he will make a great uncle. I'm sure that there will be many time when Ada interrupts her Uncle Will from watching TV, playing a game, watching football, etc... and I know he will give up whatever he's doing to spend time with her... that's just who he is. I know Ada will look back one day and cherish those time with her Uncle Will :)

I've said many times, that this blog is my journal. It's the outlet I use to share my heart and to document this time in mine and Jordan's lives. This past weekend, on Friday, my family had the opportunity to make a great memory. My mom, sisters, brother, grandmother, and grandfather all came over to our house (Unfortunately my Daddy had to work, but he is definitely going to be a part of this, he just wasn't on Friday). They came over and we ate pizza and painted canvases like the ones my friends and I painted at my first shower. This idea may sound cheesy to you, but nothing can replace these for me. The fact that my friends and my family took the time and energy to paint something with their own hands was so special to me. The best part of the night... my sweet PawPaw painted Ada a canvas :) He had a little help, but as you'll see in the picture below.. he was and is so proud! 



I wasn't lying when I told you this was going to be a long one :) This is the last thing I want to mention. When we found out we were pregnant... I knew very early what I wanted to do in the nursery whether it was a boy or a girl... and one of the things I wanted was for my grandmother (my Dad's mom... I call her Memaw) to quilt the baby a quilt for his or her bed. Originally, I wanted this because of a couple of reasons.. A) I knew I wanted to do a vintage/rustic look in the nursery and thought a quilt would go well... B) I could pick out the fabric that I wanted and my baby's quilt would be unique... not just one I purchased at the store... C) It would have such sentimental value for my baby because my grandmother would be making just for him/her. So... I called my Memaw and of course.. she agreed. Little did I know that this quilt would touch my heart so much... and it isn't even finished yet. My sweet Memaw has had a hard time over the past few months... she suffered an extreme case of vertigo and has had other bouts with blood pressure... etc. But through it all, she has remained faithful to work on Ada's quilt... and let me tell you, it's BEAUTIFUL. I was at her house the other day, I stopped by just to visit, but she wanted to show me the progress of the quilt. All of a sudden, her eyes filled with tears and she shared that with each quilt square she cut out and sewed to another, she prayed for my sweet Ada. She prayed that just as this quilt would cover Ada and bring her warmth and protection, that God would call Ada to Himself and cover her with the precious blood of His Son.. Jesus. I lost it... obviously. I'm so thankful that Ada will have a quilt that her great-grandmother not only put time and energy into, but that it was quilted with such love for Christ and for Ada and prayers were poured out over her while Memaw made her quilt. What a blessing it has been for me already, and what a blessing it will be for Ada. I don't have a picture of it right now... it's almost finished, and I wanted to share it when it was complete. 

Thanks for bearing with me as I've shared my heart... I've laughed, cried, gotten excited, etc... as I've typed this blog. Please continue to pray for my sweet baby and for Jordan and me as the day we meet our baby girl gets closer and closer. Until next week...  

Thursday, September 9, 2010

34 Weeks.. So Close, Yet So Far Away

Maybe it was because last week was such a short post, but I feel like this week has gone by SO slow. That makes me happy and sad all at the same time.. yes, I actually like it and hate it all at the same time. Oh the hormones of a pregnant lady! One minute I'm telling Jordan how sad I am that this is all going to be over in just a few weeks.. and I break down in tears over the fact that I won't be pregnant anymore. There is a part of me that loves being pregnant. But then.. I turn around and I'm so ready for her to be here. Not just because I'm ready to see her and hold her, but because honestly... I'm tired. I'm tired of being pregnant.

I'm not sure why I complain. I've been so blessed during this pregnancy to not have any "major" issues or concerns to deal with. So far, this has been pretty much and "easy" pregnancy (minus a few minor problems). "So what are you complaining about?" you may ask. Well, honestly, it's just the typical pregnancy aches and pains. But, I do have to say how thankful I am for Jordan. He listens to every complaint (sometimes... several complaints that I unload on him like one big crazy hormone bomb!) but.. he actually listens. He encourages me when I complain about things that he can do nothing about (i.e. "Jordan.. can you just make her come out? I'm over this!").. and he serves me to help me with the ones he can (rubbing my swollen feet, massaging my back and hips, holding me while I cry, doing extra things around the house, etc.)... I love that man! Goodness... I LOVE that man!

One of my "minor" problems... swelling of my feet and ankles (it looks worst than it felt :)

So, on to a more positive note... time is ticking down, and I am slowly chipping away at my "Before Ada Arrives To-Do List". Yes, it actually has that title, and my mother, grandmother, Jordan, and I all have a copy :) (Sometimes when I'm anxious or nervous about something, I tend to go overboard, get super organized, and arrange thing into a checklist... and then distribute them.. hahaha) But... needless to say, there are things that have to be done before she gets here, and so slowly but surely, we're chipping away at the list. I'm just the type of person that would rather be prepared a little too early, then for her to come and me not have everything in order. I like to be as prepared as I can be going into a situation... I'm not a huge fan of surprises. I'm not totally freaking out about getting the list done super fast. I'm just trying to take a few tasks a week and getting them done.

So.. up until this point I've not posted any belly pics. And yes, it was intentional. I have stretch marks covering just about the entire bottom portion (belly button and below) of my stomach. Eww... gross! I knew I would get them, I just never imagined how bad they would get. I know that they are "just a part of pregnancy", and "so many women get them", or "just wait until she gets here and it will all be worth it"... I've heard every encouraging statement I think is out there, and I know that she will be TOTALLY worth it when she gets here and that I'm not the only pregnant woman out there with stretch marks... but I have to be honest... they still stink. I've tried the lotions, keeping my weight in check, etc... it was just inevitable... I was going to get stretch marks. So... that is one of the main reasons that I've been hesitant to show any belly pictures, plus, I showed so early and still look so much more pregnant than I am... that I was even hesitant to post pictures with my shirt covering my stomach. But... I gave in. I gave in big time. I decided that I refused to let my entire pregnancy pass without documenting my belly. So a sweet family friend, Abigail, met Jordan and I and we did maternity pictures. I don't have them all yet, but she has sent me a few "sneak peeks", so after I go through Ada's developments for the week... I will share those with you. :)

Ada's developments this week: Right now, Ada looks like she covered in cream cheese... it's the vernix that covers her skin so she won't prune in the amniotic fluid. Her "soft fur"... or the lanugo that covered her body is almost completely gone now, and I have to admit I'm glad... She is now developing her own immune system, instead of relying solely on the antibodies she receives through the placenta. She's probably measuring around 17 3/4 inches and weighing in at almost 5 pounds.







Thursday, September 2, 2010

33 Weeks... Short and Sweet

I'm just going to go ahead and let you know that this post will be shorter. We have been quite busy here at the Weathers' household. Between getting Jordan settled in his new job, getting ready for the baby to come, and just the everyday tasks that come with being a wife... I'm exhausted... but note this... I wouldn't change a thing :) So, I just wanted to touch on Ada's developments this week... her respiratory system is almost completely mature.. whoop whoop! She can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day... I'm sorry that's crazy to me! The bones in Ada's skull are soft and haven't fused together yet in order to make her head pliable to make her trip through the birth canal :) From this week on, Ada will probably gain around a 1/2 pound a week. Right now she's probably weighing in at around 4.5 pounds and around 17.5 inches long from head to toe.

Okay... I've been wanting to post this, but I felt like I needed to wait until closer to time. I love to imagine what she's going to look like. Jordan and I have our ideas, but I'd love to hear yours. Here is a picture of Jordan and myself as babies... that way you can compare our newborn features to decide who Ada might favor, or what mix of features she might get from both of us :) I have to admit... I'm excited to read these :)


Jordan as a baby...


Anna Lee as a baby...