FULL-TERM

37 weeks and officially full term!

So, basically, ready or not, here we go! Eliana can grace us with her presence anytime now and it would be considered completely acceptable and she'd be a regular-term baby, as opposed to pre-term if she were to come before 37 weeks. At our appointment with Dr. Reuss last week, he said to be prepared because she could honestly come anytime within the next four weeks. Well, the obvious thought is duh. Of course she'll be here within the next 4 weeks, give or take. However, when he said it, it became more real. Well, now we're down to 3 weeks. Even MORE real.

I still think she'll be early. We shall see. Dr. Reuss will check to see if I'm dilated on Thursday.

I've started to have more consistent contractions. While not near enough to be in labor, it's definitely made things settle in for JP. Christmas night I had quite a few. He panicked in the cutest and most excitedterrifiednervousanxiousbutadorable way as humanly possible. His response to the frequent contractions? We're selecting a pediatrician and packing our hospital bags tomorrow.

What did I do the next day?

Selected a pediatrician and packed our hospital bags.

Anyway, onto our sweet girl. She is of course full-term and therefore her itty bitty body is ready for the outside world. Her immune system will still be weak for the first couple of years. Meaning, I will ask every single person that wants to hold her to wash their hands first. I'm excited for everyone to meet our little bean, but I may or may not be a completely neurotic first time mom at first. Actually, who am I kidding?! I will definitely be crazy, let's be honest.

The books say she should weigh 6 1/3 pounds. At our anatomy scan on Thursday they estimated 6 pounds 6 ounces. She also has a complete head full of hair. This is exciting, obvi. They didn't estimate her length, but she should be at least 19 inches or so head to toe. They were able to catch a glimpse of her itty bitty rolls by her knees. Omg. So cute. Melt my heart!
 

How far along? 37 weeks - FULL TERM!

Baby's size? a winter melon

Total weight gain:  28 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes!

Sleep: Not working has provided me with more time to sleep, which has of course been amazing. Quality sleep, eh. I'm still working on this one.

Best moment(s) this past week: Christmas was amazing, but exhausting. We'll definitely be changing up our routine next year with a nearly one-year old in tow. While Ellie's kidneys aren't 100% perfect, knowing that she will be fine and won't have any issues upon birth is a huge relief and certainly qualifies as a best moment this past week. You can read about this update here.

Miss Anything?  The days when people didn't ask if I were having twins. While I certainly have quite the baby bump, I don't think it qualifies as that of a mama with twins.

Movement: All the time!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing new.

Cravings: Nothing new. I gave into a whole lot of cravings this week. I fully expected to gain several pounds, but apparently not. I only gained .5 this week.

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions are definitely becoming more frequent, which is equivalent to JP's moments of excitement (read: panic).

Gender: GIRL!

Symptoms:  The heartburn and leg cramps/Charlie horses have somewhat subsided (knock on wood!). I'm just uncomfortable, particularly in the afternoons and at night when she's so active. She decides to curl up into a little ball on the ENTIRE right side of my stomach. It's fun. Especially when I'm trying to sleep.

Belly Button in or out? It's out and just enough so that people decide to make it their topic of conversation. Fun.

Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to:  Spending New Years with friends - even if I am back home and sleeping by 1:00. :) Life has been so, so great and I can honestly say I've never been happier. At this rate, 2013 is guaranteed to be amazing! I'm of course looking forward to Baby Girl's big debut as well. I'm becoming more and more okay with the idea that she'll be here so soon (well, any day now really). I still think I'm really going to miss having her to myself and being pregnant, but the excitement of her joining our little family definitely outweighs the selfish, anxious, and nervous feelings.

the nursery is done

bags are packed

car seats have been installed

our pediatrician has been selected

birth plan is ready to go

books have been read

classes have been taken

Now...we play the waiting game.

37  weeks: Mama

37 weeks: Ellie

Ellie's Kidney Update

Last Thursday we went to our 3rd and final anatomy scan to monitor Ellie's kidneys. If you didn't catch part 1 of this story, you can find it here. Some of you may remember, but both kidneys have been measuring a little big, although technically still in the "normal range" for a baby. Regardless, we decided it was best to continue to monitor them.

Her right kidney no longer has any extra fluid - great news!

 

The left one got a tiny bit bigger again. On average, a baby's kidneys are around 4.5mm. Ellie's left kidney is measuring 6.9mm. While the last thing we wanted to hear was that it got a little bigger, the doctor isn't at all worried. In fact, since she's gotten so much bigger in the last 6 weeks, he said that he's not surprised. He also said the extra fluid is in the main part of her kidney, which is actually a good thing. I forget the technical term, but this means that there isn't any blockage! HALLELUJAH! Her kidney is simply on the larger end of normal. He doesn't become concerned until they reach 10mm. Although I know our OB, Dr. Reuss, prefers they stay under 8mm. We have an appointment with him on Thursday. I look forward to hearing what he has to say.

 

 The fact that it's now only one kidney is also great news. He said it's a good idea to let our pediatrician know about the kidney, but that's about it. We had already ruled out Down Syndrome, but we can rule it out even further since it's only the one kidney. 

 

There won't be any issues at birth. This was by far my biggest fear! I was SO worried that she'd need some sort of surgery in her first few days of life, which absolutely terrified me. However, that's certainly not the case. She'll be perfectly fine. He said that we'll most likely never have an issue with her kidney. Absolute worst case scenario is she could be prone to UTI's in the first year or two, however, he said even this is highly unlikely.

 

While we would have preferred both kidneys to have cleared up, this is the next best thing.

Thank you for keeping her in your prayers and please continue to do so.

 

We can't wait to meet this sweet, adorable, and healthy little girl! :)

 

Ta-Da!



It's one of those days.

 

Yep. That's about right.

36 weeks

36 weeks (and 1 day).

27 days to go.

Holy freaking Batman!

 

Ellie is close to 6 pounds if she isn't already and at least 18.5 inches long. The downy hair and vernix caseosa (cheesy like substance protecting her skin) is starting to disappear. Well, it's not technically disappearing. She swallows it and it will make its appearance in her first diaper surprise, known as meconium (think black sticky tar like poo). Most of the bones in her skull have hardened. She's just about ready folks. I'll be full term next weekend!

 

How far along? 36 weeks, 1 day (I spent yesterday lounging around, catching up on sleep, and wrapping presents. Therefore, I didn't dare change out of my pajamas or put on makeup. Hence, the day late post/photo.)

Baby's size? a honeydew

Total weight gain:  27.5 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes!

Sleep: This past week was by far the worst. I've pretty much given up. Luckily, I'm now on winter break. So, if I'm able to sleep in or take naps, you better believe I will take advantage of every second I can.

Best moment(s) this past week: Mhmm. I think the last couple of days at work have been extra great. I seriously love, love, love my school, my team, and my kids. While I'm so excited to take time off to be home with our little girl, I've finally reached a point in my career where I truly LOVE everything about my job. Each of the past 5 years have had their ups and downs - not always bad, but not always good either. It's officially just about always good now. I take that back, there was a "best moment!" We finally hired my long-term and I absolutely love her!! That was such a BIG weight lifted off my shoulders!

Miss Anything?  I've gone from sleeping on my belly, to simply sleeping. I know that's long gone for quite a while, but I certainly do miss it.

Movement:  She's still my crazy energizer bunny. I swear this girl keeps going..and going..and going. In fact, her being wide awake in the middle of the night is the main reason sleeping has been so awful this week. I just want a tiny liiiittle bit more time to enjoy my sleep. Come on, Baby Girl!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing new.

Cravings: Nothing new.

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions come and go. I get them once a day or so, usually at night.

Gender: GIRL!

Symptoms:  Several charlie horses every single night, no sleep, and daily heartburn. I'm 36 weeks. Sounds about right. 

Belly Button in or out? It's out and still stretching.

Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to:  So many things. Life is good, friends. In no particular order:

Christmas Eve celebrations tonight
Christmas Day with family

Ultrasound on Thursday (to monitor/check on E's kidneys)

Two week winter break

Finishing up the last minute details for Baby Girl -- 3 things left to do, hallelujah!

(install carseats, pack hospital bag, and interview/select a pediatrician)



 

36  weeks: Mama

36 weeks: Ellie

The Pregnancy Stages

Throughout my pregnancy, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading Pregnant Chicken. The author is seriously hilarious. She once wrote this post about the stages of pregnancy. I wish I could take credit because it's pretty freaking accurate. However, she was the genius behind this post:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Stages of Pregnancy 



Stage 1: You just found out you're pregnant. You're excited (or horrified) and you can't believe you're going to be a mother. You may be scared to give birth and wonder how you're going to do it. Everywhere you look you see pregnant women. You're tired. Like really tired. Every pain and twinge you wonder if it's because you're pregnant. You wonder if people can tell that you're pregnant – sort of like when you wonder if people can tell if you're drunk (hopefully, you aren't wondering this at the same time).

Stage 2: You look fat but not pregnant. You can see people kind of looking at you wondering but it seems weird to blurt out "I'm pregnant!" You may or may not have told people by now. The people you've told ask you how you're feeling all the time. You may have bought a couple of maternity things that you think you can wear after the baby comes. You may be tired, sick, have sore boobs and have to pee constantly. It's a delicious luck of the draw.

Stage 3: You're really cute and could be an ad for a maternity store. Everyone can see that you're pregnant and congratulate you and tell you how wonderful you look. You feel great. Nothing hurts and you don't feel sick anymore. This stage usually lasts for about 27 minutes.

Stage 4: You're starting to find it hard to breathe and things are starting to swell. You're sick of people asking you if you know what you're having, when you're due and if you've decided on a name. You're tired of wearing the same maternity clothes but you don't want to buy new stuff because you're almost done. Shaving your legs, putting shoes and tending to your lady bits is becoming difficult.

Stage 5: You feel enormous and none of your maternity clothes fit. You want to crash through walls and shout "oh yeah!" like the KoolAid man. People keep saying "Haven't you had that baby yet?" You have a new appreciation for how difficult it is for the elderly and morbidly obese to get around and swear you're going to become an advocate for their rights once you catch your breath. You're no longer scared of birth you just want this kid out of you and if that means pulling it through your right nostril, so be it.

Stage 6: The baby is here. You want to burn your maternity clothes on the front lawn. You're no longer pregnant and you're looking forward to getting your body back, a full night's sleep and eating a nice, hot meal. Wait. What?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All my pregnant momma friends, genius, right?

 

I'd say I'm smack dab in the middle of Stage 5. Although I haven't quite gotten to the "you're no longer scared of birth you just want the kid out of you" phase. I'm pretty sure I'm going to skip right over that one and onto stage 6, hopefully not anytime soon. Although I only have 29 days until her estimated due date! 

I have this HUGE fear that our sweet girl is going to arrive early. Technically, we're just about 100% physically ready for her. I'm just not quite ready for her to be my outside baby mentally.

THIRTY-FIVE

 35 weeks down. 35 days to go.

 

Our sweet Ellie Bean weighs over 5 1/4 pounds and is at least 18 inches long. She's big enough now (aka: has completely taken over my belly) that she isn't rolling around and doing somersaults anymore. Although I do see her body parts moving across my belly quite frequently.
Her kidneys are now fully developed. This is great, great news. While we hope this has enabled her to rid her kidneys of the extra fluid, it would also be okay for them to remain their current size. We just don't want them increasing. Her liver can process waste (read: poo). She's pretty much done developing physically, other than continuing to fill out in the weight department. Grow Baby, grow! :)
 

How far along? 35 weeks

Baby's size? a coconut

Total weight gain: 27 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes!

Sleep: Eh. I still wake up a lot. I toss and turn. I pee way more often than any human being should. However, it is what it is. It's not AWFUL. Speaking of sleeping, we have rearranged our room to accommodate Ellie's sleeping quarters. She'll sleep in a Rock n' Play next to our bed for the first couple of months.

Best moment(s) this past week: This weekend was the best! I celebrated my best friend's birthday Friday night. We looked at a couple of houses. I completely finished Christmas shopping. We went to two Christmas parties. It was an all around amazing weekend.

Miss Anything? Sleeping on my belly. Oh, and WINE, especially during the holiday season!

Movement: ALL the time. At dinner on Friday my friends were so fascinated by Ellie's hiccups. It was super cute. That was about all we were able to get our of her though. I swear, she gets shy for everyone other than mama and daddy. It's impossible to explain to someone that has never been pregnant. I can't wait for all these girls to have babies so they can feel what I feel - my little alien baby!

Cutest story ever.

Ellie is typically wide awake from 5-10pm. While she may take little power naps, it seems like she literally doesn't sleep during this time. On Tuesday my kids had their winter program performance during her prime time - 7pm. Not only was she freaking out during all the singing, she put on her own little performance on the way home. I had my hand on my belly as I was driving. She kicked my hand, nothing new. I moved it to another part of my belly. A few seconds later, she kicked it again! At first I thought it was coincidence. Nope. We continued to play this game back and forth for a few minutes. Everywhere I placed my hand, she'd kick it. It was soo cute. I couldn't stop laughing and crying at the same time. It couldn't have possibly been coincidence with the frequency.
 I really wish JP had been in the car with me to witness our sweet girl's game.

Yep. I played patty-cake with my daughter's feet while in the womb. A-mazing.

 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing new.

Cravings: Nothing in particular. I've been back on my cereal kick though.

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions come and go. I feel like I get them a little bit more frequently now.

Gender: GIRL!

Symptoms: Leg cramps, peeing, and my new favorite - heart burn. I've gotten it occasionally over the past month or two. However, I feel like I get it almost daily now. It's really annoying. Honestly though, I still love being pregnant, annoying symptoms and all. A lot of women start struggling around this time and I'm perfectly content with my little bean staying inside. Yes, I can't wait to meet her, snuggle, and kiss her all over. However, I'm not ready for her to make her big debut.

Belly Button in or out? It's streeeetching big time. It's beginning to look more and more nonexistent in my opinion.

Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy and emotional. Things make me cry. Happy things, sad things, you name it. I'm just emotional.

Looking forward to: Lots of things. It's going to be a great week at work (celebrations, field trip, Secret Santa, early release Friday...). The two week winter break that begins at approximately 12:15 Friday afternoon. Yes, definitely looking forward to this and Christmas of course! :)
 

35 weeks: Mama

 Definitely not my favorite picture ever. Bipolar AZ weather = yoga pants and sweaters.
I feel like I officially have the large and in-charge look going on. Fabulous.
 

35 weeks: Ellie

34 weeks

Our sweet girl is 34 weeks!

6 more weeks to go.

42 days.
(Actually, I'm late on this post. So, less than 6 weeks OR 41 days to go.)

Craazy.

According to the books, Ellie weighs close to 5 pounds and is approximately 18 inches long. She's becoming rounder and more plump (read: fat - good baby fat :). Her skin is super smooth. I don't know about you, but I looove me some soft yummy smelling baby skin!

Her nervous system and lungs continue to develop and they're becoming more and more ready for the outside world. Babies born between 34 and 37 weeks typically do a short stay in the NICU, but are generally fine without any health issues. Good to know, although we definitely expect this little bean to stay put for at least 3 more weeks. Holy Batman! I only have 3 more weeks to go until I'm full-term! Finally, she will likely "drop" soon. I'm not sure that I'll notice the difference. They say you can feel it and some may even be able to tell by looking at me. We shall see!
 

How far along? 34 weeks (and 1 day)

Baby's size? a butternut squash (or large cantaloupe)

Total weight gain: 26 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes!

Sleep: I miss this so-called sleep thing. I get at least 7 hours each night, but it doesn't feel like quality sleep. I lose count of how many times I wake up throughout the night. Getting in and out of bed gets harder and harder each night. It takes more energy and consciousness. So, by the time I'm back in bed, it takes me twice as long to fall back asleep.

Best moment(s) this past week: This last week may have been the busiest I've had in I don't even know how long. Busy, but great! My favorite part was spending Saturday with my mom. We spent the entire day shopping AND I finished buying just about every last thing we need for Ellie. If she were to come tonight (and with any potential preterm complications aside), we'd technically be ready. My husband also brought home a beautiful bouquet of white roses tonight. Points! :) 

Miss Anything? Coach House during the Christmas season. We stopped by Saturday night after dinner with friends, hoping it wouldn't be too busy before 9:00. We were wrong. Next year I suppose. :)

Movement: ALL the time. I can't help but wonder how big this girl is now. I know the books say close to 5 pounds. I'm thinking more like at least 5. The movements are just SO intense and visible. I've captured some good video footage that I can't wait to show her someday. We have another detailed scan on the 27th just to follow up on her kidneys. I'm excited to see how much she's grown!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really. Still not fond of meat for the most part. Although I have noticed that I get full rather quickly. My stomach is apparently running out of room.

Cravings: My drink-a-coke-to-cure-a-headache trend has turned into a craving I think. We go out to dinner and I find myself ordering a coke - sans the headache. I don't do this often for the simple caffeine factor. However, it's definitely super strange. I've never been a soda drinker, other than with a little Jack. :) Even then, I always drank diet. Now, I want REAL Coke?! Strange.

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions come and go.

Gender: GIRL!

Symptoms: The leg cramping and peeing are out. of. control. folks. Lower back/upper butt cramps are also lame sauce. 

Belly Button in or out? It's out on the inside, but stretching. I still think it's going to completely disappear.

Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, especially now that the nursery is almost complete!

Looking forward to: Although it's basically done, I can't wait for the nursery to be 100% complete (minus the paint of course - we're waiting until we move for that step). We're still waiting for the glider that we special ordered from Buy Buy Baby. I believe it should be here by the end of December. I need to order a pink rug and a few prints for the wall frames from Etsy stat. I'm also excited to see all my little kiddos perform in their winter show tomorrow night. :)
 

34 weeks: Mama

 

34 weeks: Ellie

 

33 Weeks! Guess what!

I get to have a baby NEXT month.
How crazy is that?!

Baby Girl is 33 weeks and feeling the LOVE.

 

My mom and mother-in-law hosted my baby shower today and oh. my. gosh. I feel SO blessed. There are so many people that love this sweet girl so much already. I am so grateful to be surrounded by such a wonderful family and group of friends. More details and pictures to come!

 

Eliana definitely weighs more than 4 pounds and she's more than 17 inches long from head to toe. As she continues to gain lb.'s, her skin becomes less and less wrinkled and red. The bones in her body continue to harden. However, the bones in her skull still aren't completely formed together. No, it's not because she's supposed to look like an alien. This will allow her bones to overlap as they squeeze through the birth canal. In fact, most babies are born with a cone like head that goes away after a few days for this exact reason. That's about it folks. Ellie continues to gain adorable little ounces of baby fat. The final countdown is going real, real fast. She's going to be here before we know it!

Really quick - I learned a couple of fascinating facts today. Babies are born with 300 bones. While our bodies have 206, since there are so many bones that aren't fused together while in the womb, a baby is technically born with 300. They're also born without knee caps. Interesting, huh?

How far along? 33 weeks!

Baby's size? a durian fruit - don't ask me what this is!

Total weight gain: 25 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes!

Sleep: Sleep. What's that? My dreams have also been out of this world. JP has been the witness to this craziness!

Best moment(s) this past week: The NESTING phase has not only hit me like a ton of bricks, but my sweet, sweet husband has definitely entered his own little nesting phase. He's cleaned out, donated, and organized so many closets, drawers, and shelves this past week, it's cuh-razy! He's been so helpful and I absolutely love him for it. All of these instances definitely qualify as a "best moment." However, my baby shower today tops the list hands down.

Miss Anything? There honestly isn't anything new. Sushi. Being comfy. My wardrobe. Laying on my stomach. Wine. I'm definitely not complaining, but I have no need to add new things to the list. These are the things I've been more than willing to give up for the health of our little babe, but I will certainly be glad when they're all once again present in my life. :)

Movement: All the time. :) The movement has really started to change over the past week. While I've been feeling jabs, pokes, and kicks for well over 10 weeks, they've become much more intense. She's running out of room in there, so instead of a swift kick, I feel her entire body parts moving across my belly. It's an indescribable feeling and even crazier to see. My stomach almost flips upside down - very butterfly like feeling. It's very evident that I have a large little human in there.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really. Still not fond of meat for the most part.

Cravings: I've been on a banana kick lately, but I'm not sure I'd call it a craving.

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions come and go.

Gender: GIRL!

Symptoms: Waking up frequently and early each morning. My body is definitely preparing for the sleepless nights to come! I've been getting more and more leg and foot cramps. They wake me up in the middle of the night and I have to walk around to make them go away.

Belly Button in or out? It's definitely out, but I think it's stretching. I'm pretty sure it's going to somewhat disappear in the next week or two.

Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Super happy!

Looking forward to: This week! It may or may not be the busiest week of my life, I look forward to each day. I'm excited to pick up the last of the items we need and to also finish the nursery next weekend as well. Ohh...and winter break in 3 weeks!!!
 

33 weeks: Mama

 

33 weeks: Ellie

In case you're wondering...

I'm pretty sure I look like this nowadays.

In particular, the picture of the belly in the top right hand corner.

Yep, I catch my shirts doing this multiple times a day.

Please don't judge me.

 

I'm also pretty sure conversations similar to this one have taken place.

 

A Little Tease

My friend and photographer, Lauren Vaniver, so graciously spent her Saturday afternoon taking maternity pictures of JP and I. Her trusty sidekick was quite the source of entertainment as well. ;)

She sent me a few sneak peeks and I must admit, I'm in L.O.V.E.

I cannot wait to see what else this girl can do!!

Thank you Lauren and Clint.

You guys are the best!!!

xxoo

32 weeks!

Our sweet Ellie girl is 32 weeks today.

 
The books say she should weigh about 4 pounds and be around 17 inches long, although we obviously can't take that too seriously anymore. I should be gaining about a pound a week and at least a half of that goes to our little babe. All in all, she looks like a real baby (as opposed to a fake baby, right?).  She's simply plumping up! However, she has also become sensitive to temperatures. Whether it be hot or cold, she would probably react (aka kick me!) to anything super cold or hot being on my belly. I promise to not torture you baby girl. :) -- Love, Mama

How far along? 32 WEEKS!

Baby's size? a squash

Total weight gain: 24 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes!

Sleep: I slept in until at least 8:00 the last few mornings. This is rare, but definitely appreciated. I pretty much get up every night to pee at least 3-4 times, sometimes 7 or 8 times. It's fun.

Best moment(s) this past week: There were so many great moments this week! Thanksgiving was absolutely perfect. We had brunch with my in-laws and then spent the afternoon with my family. Loved every second but I was SO done and full by the end of the day. Totally worth it though. We spent Friday night watching our Devils DOMINATE UofA. As much as I despise watching football, it honestly was a good game. This is a rare comment; don't take it for granted, JP! We took our maternity photos on Saturday and I'm super excited to see the results. Lauren is absolutely amazing and we love her work! We also got TONS of work done on the nursery. Pictures to come!

Miss Anything? Sleeping on my stomach. And red wine. Still.

Movement: All the time. :) Still loving all her movements. She doesn't get up into my ribs too often anymore, thank you sweet baby Jesus. Either she's starting to get the hiccups more frequently or I'm noticing them more. Finally, our girl absolutely LOVES the right side of my stomach. You can almost always tell that she is on my right side. Sometimes she curls up into a little ball and pushes her butt out as far as it can go. It's really quite amusing, although not super comfortable. I swear, the left side of my stomach (the one you see in the belly pics) is so much smaller than the right.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really. Still not fond of meat for the most part.

Cravings: The only thing I constantly want these days is the caramel apple cider from Starbucks. It's becoming a real problem.

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions come and go. I usually have a few a week.

Gender: GIRL!

Symptoms: I continue to feel exhausted and could easily sleep for 12 hours a day if I had the time. While I feel like I eat quite a few times a day, I get full rather quickly. I think my stomach is running out of room. The frequent cramping and bathroom trips never cease to disappoint.

Belly Button in or out? I think it's technically out. Although it's not super popped out. I am beginning to think it may continue to stretch and eventually sort of disappear.

Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Super happy!

Looking forward to: Finishing the temporary nursery. I'm pretty much doing everything we would normally do minus the paint. Since we could be in the townhouse for as little as a month or up to 4 or 5 months, there is no point in painting her room. We'd just have to repaint it for our renters. So, the white walls remain for now. I'm also VERY excited for my shower next weekend!

32 weeks: Mama

In case y'all were wondering, I did make it my mission in life to do the board correctly this week.
 

32 weeks: Ellie

Happy Turkey Day!

Every year I feel like a lucky girl.

Every year I feel super blessed.

Every year I feel like it's better than the last.

Every year I'm so thankful and count my many, many blessings.

Every year I think, "Things couldn't possible get better."

 

But you know what, friends?

 

They do.

 

I am SO, SO happy.

 

Yeah, things may get stressful at times. I panic and let my anxiety get the best of me. I worry things won't work out, but do you know what? They always do. So, this year, I truly am more thankful than I ever have been. I can't imagine things getting better, but you know what?

 

They always do.

 

I'm thankful for so many things this season.

 

my sweet, kind, handsome, charming, funny, and loving husband.

my amazing mama.

beautiful friends.

a supportive family.

wonderful in-laws.

the most playful and spunky baby puppies.

(please note: they're not puppies anymore. I call all dogs puppies.)

a job that I'm passionate about and love.

a nice home (even though I can't wait to be in our new one!)

a country that I love.

our troops.

yummy food.

for being pregnant on Thanksgiving.

 

and last, but certainly not least..

 

a healthy and beautiful baby girl that will be gracing us with her presence in a month and some change.

(go ahead and let that one sink in for a minute...ONE month and some change. Yep.)

 

While I can't believe this is our last Thanksgiving as a family of two and I'm so grateful for all the wonderful holidays JP and I have spent together, I cannot wait for next year.

 

Because guess what?

 

It's going to be EVEN better!

 

and just in case you want a mental image of what may or may not happen to my belly button

by the time today is over..

 

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

 

31 weeks

Baby Girl is technically 31 weeks today.

But let's not forget that both her and I are measuring a little over a week ahead.

So, perhaps it's more like 32 weeks 1 day?

 

Anyhow, our sweet girl remains busy, busy, busy!

All of the books say she should be around 3 pounds or so and over 16 inches long. Apparently, our little over achiever has a mind of her own since she was 3 pounds, 10 ounces on Thursday. She is expected to gain about a half a pound from here on out.

 

Let's do a little math, shall we?

I'm (technically) 31 weeks.

If she continues to gain a half pound for the next 9 weeks or so, we're looking at 4.5 more pounds.

Give or take, obvi.

According to this equation, Eliana will weigh around 8 pounds or so at birth.

This is better than the 10 POUNDS my mother-in-law delivered with JP. Big babies run in his family, so it's to be expected. 8 pounds though; I (read: my lady parts) can (hopefully) deal.

 

Moving along.

Her immune system has significantly improved over the last few weeks and it continues to prepare for life outside the womb. However, breastfeeding will drastically improve her immune system over the first year. Which reminds me, I've had this reoccurring breastfeeding nightmare over the past couple of months. In my dream, Eliana (although she was a boy in last night's version) is here and we're super happy. Then all of a sudden an entire week goes by and I realize that I've forgotten to breastfeed her. She gets super sick all of a sudden because her horrible mother hasn't been feeding her. Since I didn't start breastfeeding right away, my milk dried up and I'm no longer able to breastfeed. The nightmare always ends there, but I seriously panic every time.
 Breastfeeding anxiety, ya think?

Her skull bones haven't fused together just yet and they are still soft. However, she DOES have hair, my friends. Great, great news!!  I didn't just read this in my baby books. We saw a nice good chunk of hair during the ultrasound on Thursday. Made JP's day, I tell ya.

 

Finally, we did learn that Eliana is in fact locked and loaded. She's headed down south my friends. Although, this is not to be confused with her being ready to go. She needs to finish baking! This is fantastic news though. If she were breech, c-section would be a good possibility, which I personally want to avoid at all costs.

How far along? 31 weeks

Baby's size? a pineapple. PINEAPPLE! You read this correctly. I know, it took me a minute too.

Total weight gain: 23.5 pounds! My appetite has been out. of. control. Therefore, I'm really not surprised by the 1.5 pound gain. Ellie is about go through a growth spurt (especially Thanksgiving day) as well, so I have a feeling I'll repeat this trend next week.
Maternity clothes? Yes! I really, really miss my wardrobe with the cooler temperatures though.
Sleep: Per my OB, I've been on antibiotics all week. Fortunately, they help me sleep. So, despite being super sick, I've actually slept better. I also took multiple naps each day this past week since I was home sick. I even slept for 8 hours STRAIGHT last night. True miracle, my friends. That hasn't happened in over 6 months.
Best moment(s) this past week:  Our detailed scan on Thursday definitely tops the list. While the extra fluid is still in Eliana's kidneys, we've realized that it IS going to be okay. She's healthy and growing. She's our sweet (BIG) little girl, with kidneys a little bigger than normal, not to be confused with abnormal. That's all. :)

Miss Anything? Being comfortable.
Movement: My little energizer bunny is still on the go. She of course slept pretty much the ENTIRE time during our ultrasound on Thursday. Later that night and every day since then, she's been back to her crazy self. Go figure.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Smells have become more intense and sometimes gross me out.
Cravings: Apple cider!! Have you ever had the Caramel Apple Spice (sans the whip) from Starbucks? I've been getting them for years, but this year, they're even better. I think I've had 1-2 each week for the past month, including this morning. I can't believe I'm about to admit this, but I woke up yesterday morning craving McDonald's breakfast. So, sure enough, we just had to stop during our house hunt yesterday morning. JP obviously wasn't complaining. Friends, I can't even tell you the last time I ate a McDonald's breakfast. 5 years? Maybe 10 years? High school? It reminds me of the once in a lifetime chance JP had to see me eat a cheeseburger back during 1st tri. So, the craving? A sausage biscuit, hashbrowns, and an orange juice. Worth every calorie.
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions have actually started this past week. The first time was last Sunday night and I've had them a couple more times since then. They're not really painful. My belly just gets super tight, it's hard to breath, and it feels like a super intense cramp for about 10, maybe 15 seconds or so. This isn't meant to be alarming, it's completely normal. My body is simply preparing!

Gender: GIRL!
Symptoms: Is all around uncomfortable considered a symptom? I feel large and in charge. Seriously, folks. I'm uncomfortable on and off all throughout the day. My belly is just SO big. I honestly can't imagine how much bigger it's going to get given the fact that I still have 2 more months to go. The leg cramps, BH contractions, and peeing every .025 seconds haven't gone anywhere either.

Belly Button in or out? It's not fully out, but getting there for sure. With a thin shirt on, it sort of looks like it's popping out all the way. In reality, the top part is popping out and the bottom part is still in. WEIRD.
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: Despite being sick and having my husband out of town on business most of the week, I'm still very happy and excited (and nervous). Oh, and EMOTIONAL:

 

I've been watching births online. Smartest idea? Probably not. However, I continue to get more and more nervous as we get closer to D-day. I'm not worried about being capable of taking care of a newborn. I'm more than ready and capable. However, labor and deliver absolutely terrify me, so this is my way of trying (keyword) to become more familiarized and "okay" with the process. Are the videos working? I'm not sure. However, I cry every. single. time.

Even though I should stop watching, I just can't.

Hi, my name is Brittany and I'm addicted to labor and delivery videos.

 

Looking forward to: My two-day work week. Granted, I only worked two days last week since I felt like I'd been run over a bus. Twice. However, it was really, really hard to make that decision because I've gotten the point where I HATE leaving my kids. I'm very selfish and protective over them. Unfortunately, subs just don't get the job done. So, I'm super excited for this week. I only work two days and my precious kiddos aren't being left with a crazy sub for the other three. I also may or may not be beyond excited to be pregnant on Thanksgiving.
 

31  weeks: Mama
I'm definitely 31 weeks - not 32. Baby Brain has gotten the best of me, AGAIN. Looks like JP will be photoshopping this one tomorrow. Again.

 

  

31 weeks: Ellie

This picture is actually very accurate according to Thursday's ultrasound. Ellie likes her hands up by her head when she sleeps (just like JP and I), she's head down, and her feet are crossed right up underneath my right ribs, which she never fails to let me forget.

 

What's in a name?

Eliana (Ellie) Grace

 

pronounced El-ee-on-uh

(not Alaina, Ellie-anna, or Alana)

 

It's of Hebrew origin.

It's common in Greek and Jewish cultures.

No, we're not Greek or Jewish.

 

It means God has Answered.

 

We first heard of Eliana in a baby name book. We both loved it and it was on our list of top 5 prior to finding out she was a girl. Once we realized she was a girl, we began trying to narrow down our list. We realized a few of our original choices wouldn't work for one reason or another. However, we were really drawn to names in which Ellie would be the nickname. Regardless of the first name, Grace would be her middle name.

 

We decided to look up the meaning to Eliana, which just so happened to be the same night we learned about the extra fluid in her kidneys. As soon as we read the meaning, we knew it was meant to be. We were sold. Our sweet baby girl would be named Eliana Grace.

 

So, there you have it, friends. As luck would have it, we've of course met or heard of people named Eliana since then. However, we're not budging. We love it and we're sticking to it! :)

 

Baby Girl Update

**Warning: This post is SUPER long, but I know friends and family have been waiting

for this update, so bare with me.**

 

We had our second detailed anatomy scan today. Our last anatomy scan (at 18 weeks) wasn't perfect, which left us nervous and anxious, yet excited to see Ellie's growth. Since we didn't share this news with many, let's backtrack for a minute (or ten).

 

During the first anatomy scan between 18-20 weeks, the techs check for a variety of things. They look to make sure all the vital organs are there and properly working, they determine the sex of the baby, check for any abnormalities (including down syndrome and other birth defects), they make sure the baby has ten fingers and toes, those sorts of things.

 

We loved the scan. We were able to watch her wiggle and move all over the place. We saw and heard her heartbeat. We learned she was measuring about a week ahead of schedule. While we didn't find out at the time (read about our reveal celebration, here), we learned that she was in fact a SHE. We loved every second of the scan. Until the tech came in and explained that the doctor wanted to talk to us via Skype. Our hearts sank. We knew this couldn't be good.

 

After explaining all of the things they look for, the doctor began to discuss the various "markers" they look for which imply there is a chance of the baby having Down Syndrome. He explained that she passed most of the markers with flying colors. However, there was one marker that stood out. Both of her kidneys were a little large due to extra fluid. He went on to explain that this can be a marker for Down Syndrome. However, since she passed every other "marker," he didn't think it was a big deal, but wanted to "make us aware of the possiblities." You just dropped a bomb on two first time parents. How can you expect us to not think this is a big deal? We of course freaked out and left the appointment heart broken. We later learned he did an awful job explaining the situation to us.

 

After hours and hours of research, we realized this truly wasn't as big of a deal as we originally thought. In fact, it is incredibly common and about 10% of babies have this same issue at their anatomy scan, although they failed to tell us this at the appointment. It's actually a "soft marker" and the marker to be the least concerned about. Our chances of Ellie having DS went from 1:800 to 1:600. While the odds increased, it's still incredibly unlikely given the fact that I'm healthy, within the perfect age range, and she has no other markers for DS.

 

Therefore, there are a variety of things the extra fluid may result in. The extra fluid often clears up by 30 weeks or so. Sometimes the fluid will remain until birth, but once the baby is born, it clears up on it's own. Then, at times it will remain. The baby simply has larger kidneys. This will sometimes result in absolutely nothing and again, clear up over time. Other times, it means the baby may be more prone to UTI's (urinary tract infections) when they're young. Basically, IF the extra fluid remains after birth, it's just something to note and it's good for the pediatrician to be aware of. They may monitor them using an ultrasound in the first few months just to make sure they don't get worse. In reality, this is pretty much the worse case scenario. In extremely rare cases, it could lead to other more serious kidney problems. However, it's incredibly unlikely and especially in our case given how there is very little extra fluid to begin with.

 

Fast forward to the appointment with my OB the following week. He was actually really upset that the doctor even brought this to our attention. He said that her kidneys should be around 4mm each, but her right one was a little over 5mm and her left one was around 6mm. He said it's really only considered abnormal if they're 8mm+ and needs super close monitoring if they're 10mm+. He was upset that the doctor got us all worked up over something he wouldn't consider an issue. After talking to him and all of our research, we felt so much better about the situation. We left the appointment reassured and a little more at ease. Although, it would of course remain at the back of our minds.

 

Fast forward to today. Again, we were so excited to see how much our little girl had grown. However, we were also nervous to see if her kidneys had grown. The scan went really well. Although little miss Ellie very much takes after her mama and was super stubborn. She's SO incredibly active all. the. time. However,  she decided it was time to sleep during most of the appointment. Go figure. I honestly tried to enjoy the appointment, but at the back of my mind, I was just waiting to hear how her kidneys were doing. We of course asked about them and the tech said she couldn't say much, but that everything looked good. We requested to talk to the doctor, who wasn't in the office. So, we'd of course have to talk to him via Skype or phone. My favorite.

 

Once on the phone, he seemed confused as to why we'd even be interested in the kidneys. We explained that the last time we were in the doctor totally freaked us out. He apologized and was surprised to hear the doctor even mentioned it (this guy reminded me a lot of our regular OB). He said that her kidneys do still have a little extra fluid in them, but he wasn't at all worried. He went on to explain the same conditions that can happen as I mentioned before. He didn't even mention the Down Syndrome. I brought this up and he again seemed surprised and explained that he wouldn't even think to mention the DS. He definitely didn't think that was the issue and instead said she looked healthy, she simply might have kidney's a little bit bigger than normal. Although he still wouldn't even consider it abnormal, unless they were 7-8mm+ and even then, he said it's not always a big deal. In fact, he had 5 other ultrasounds today alone with the same result. That common.

 

We left the appointment feeling SO much better. We're very confident that our Baby Girl is healthy and growing away. In fact, today I am 30 weeks 4 days, but Ellie is measuring 31 weeks 5 days. A week ahead of schedule in size, which doesn't surprise me given the size of my basketball, I mean...belly. I am measuring close to 32 weeks, folks! I'm not wrong on my dates. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee the date and time this little girl was conceived (TMI? lol). So, she's simply going to be a big baby. Again, we already knew this. Not only is she measuring a week ahead, but she's 3 pounds 10 ounces. Holy Baby!

 

Anyway, I know we've had friends and family praying for our sweet girl and I just want to thank you!! While she didn't lose the fluid, they remained about the same size. The doctors aren't worried and wouldn't even consider it abnormal. Our girl is healthy and growing away!

 

Since she was so incredibly stubborn, we unfortunately didn't get any fantastic pictures of her. These 3D shots are 110% creepy, but still so fascinating. It's amazing what technology can do these days! These were the best ones we could get.

 

 

While we're 110% confident in her being healthy, we would love for you to still keep her in your prayers. We look forward to meeting our perfect little girl!!