Thanks for the baby shower!

I just wanted to thank all the girls at church for throwing me a very sudden baby shower before we moved! I know it takes a lot to throw one and I am really touched by everyone's generosity! Also, thanks Laura and Holly for being such fun hosts! I haven't got to unpack Sadie's room yet, but hope to this weekend! I was sad to have to go home and pack all of the gifts, but will definitely have fun opening them again!

Check out this awesome cake Lisa made with flying pigs on top!

Hospital Tour

Last night, Brian and I got to take a tour of Baptist East, the hospital where Baby Sades will be born! The staff was really nice and professional and had a lot of great policies, like a major security system for all patients in the ward and no bottlefeeding to breastfed babies. I think it is going to be a great stay and delivery! You can take a virtual tour of the ward at http://www.baptisteast.com/virtualtour/ldr.cfm.

Over the next month, we will be taking classes on Postpartum Care, Labor and Delivery, Breasfeeding, Baby Basics, Baby's First Months, and Anesthesia. We are so excited that we were able to still sign up for classes so late in the game! Also, they are all free!

The Pregnancy Rap

I would like to thank my friend Laura for this enthusiastic pregnancy rap that she sent me from her exercise video:

Do the Prego Shuffle:

Hey I dig my waddle,
It's okay with me,
Cause every day's a new center of gravity.
You'll get much more from your pelvic floor,
When you pass on the bagel and do one more Kegel.
Now let's visualize those big baby eyes,
And send a real big hug to that number one bug. (At which point you either hug your own belly or your friend's.)

3 lbs on my bladder

Sadie's a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. That's okay though, she can still see mommy and daddy when she is getting fed!

During our relocation to Louisville, I started to lose part of my MP (those of you that know what that is can figure it out, but I don't want to gross out those who don't prefer TMI!), so had to go the doc on Friday to get checked. I had started to dialate a little, so I am now on "light duty" and taking it easy. I went back to the doc yesterday and everything seems to be fine and I haven't dialated anymore. Sometime within the next week, I get to have another ultrasound to check her weight, etc and I can't wait to see her again!

This week in Sadie's life...

Our baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet Sadie's increasing nutritional demands, I'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because her bones are soaking up lots of calcium, I have to up my calcium intake...but that doesn't mean I have to drink milk (gag!), but can have fortified orange juice, ice cream, and cheese. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in Sadie's hardening skeleton each day.

By this week, Sadie baby weighs a little over 2 pounds and measures almost 15 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Sadie will have a new home...

On August 22nd, our family will be leaving the Ozarks and moving to Louisville, KY! I have already found a new doctor that specializes in high risk pregnancy and have my first appt with her on the 28th. I hope she's as great as Dr. Bradford!

Last week of the second trimester

Sadie weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with her legs extended. She can now open and close his eyes, and she sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. She may suck his fingers, and although her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if she were to be born prematurely. The baby is already starting to move into the head down position to get ready for birth. With more brain tissue developing, Sadie's brain is very active now. Wonder what she's thinking?

The Final Countdown

I don't mean the bad 80's song, I mean until Sadie is here! We talked to Dr. Bradford yesterday and he said we will be induced by 39 weeks at the latest. That means we only have about 11 weeks left! WHEW! We have some work to do!
Starting at 32 weeks, I will be doing weekly stress tests to see how things are going and to see if we will need to do a cesarean, earlier induction, etc.
It is exciting to have such a small countdown...we can't wait to meet her!