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!

Lay off the beer

Today, our office went on a retreat to the Tulsa Aquarium. While we were there, I decided to feed the sting rays! As I was buying the food, the man that was helping me all of a sudden said "UM, I don't mean to be rude but..." (I went into panic mode, thinking "Is my bra showing?" "Is it my undies?"). He then pointed at my stomach and said "I think you need to lay off the beer." Then he gave me extra food so Sadie could feed the rays too!

Sadie's First Baby Shower

On Wednesday, Trace and Nancy threw me a surprise baby shower at work! It was so beautiful! Here are some pics:

Am I Having Twins???

NO! SO stop asking...it isn't funny :)

Baby Sades is growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's over a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Her skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.

The top of my uterus is now an inch or so above my belly button, which means it's about the size of a soccer ball, which is funny because I could swear she is playing soccer in there sometimes.

Last night I got to watch my tummy bounce up and down while Sadie had the hiccups! Brian was outside, so he missed it :(.

Where are my ankles???

I have noticed some mild swelling (to put it lightly) the last few days, especially in my ankles and feet. It's called edema, and it happens because changes in my blood chemistry cause fluid to shift into my tissue and because my ever enlarging uterus puts pressure on the veins returning blood from the lower half of my body, slowing circulation in my legs. Edema is often worse at the end of the day and in the summer. My body will eliminate the extra fluid after I have Sadie (which is why I will have the pleasure of urinating often and sweating a lot for a few days after delivery). Needless to say, my ankles look like marshmallows. Yum.

Sadie Rose is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. Her skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare her for breathing. She can swallow, but she probably won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as a dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze Sadie when she hears them outside the womb.

Sadie now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at close to 11 inches and almost 1 pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head (is it blond or brown?) and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

It is funny what a stigma it has become to touch a pregnant woman's stomach! Even close friends hesitate before they touch the belly. For now, I would welcome anyone, but ask me how I feel about it in a few months!

Even though the books I am reading say I could possibly have stretch marks on my tummy by now, I only have them on my hips. I can see the veins on my tummy and chest though, and have some dark spider veins on my stomach.

Hiccups and leg cramps

Brian and I went to the doc on Thursday afternoon and got to hear Sadie hiccup! Dr. Bradford had the doppler on my stomach and you could hear her heartbeat change every time she had one!

Twice this week I have been startled awake by leg cramps! Thankfully my lovely hubby was there this morning to rub the cramp out and listen to me whine. Then he snuggled with me until I fell back asleep. :)

Sadie now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. Her eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And I can certainly feel her move. Brian gets his "Sadie Time" everyday and gets to feel her move and talk to her.

I have been feeling better, but I am told to relax and enjoy it while I can — the third trimester will bring some mild discomfort from carrying a baby who is nearly full-term. I have noticed that I have spider veins on my thighs and stomach, but no stretch marks on my actual belly yet. I do have them on my hips though, but I have always had them there. Round Ligament pain still comes and goes, but it is not as persistent as it was. They have been replaced by back pain (which the doc said can also be round ligament pain) and the pregnancy waddle. The books I am reading say I will probably get a lot bigger next month and I am worried I am going to go into the Guiness Book of World Records for being the widest 5'2 woman in history. I got my first fat joke the other day when someone asked if I was carrying twins. I looked at the man and told him the doc keeps checking, but only sees one!

Look what Grandma E got me!

Grandma E. bought me this changing table and mom and dad got to bring it home when they went to Louisville for Uncle Joel's graduation. Mommy painted it white and covered the shelves in pink fabric. I love it! The pig is my friend Orbel that Becky got for me.

My friend Ivy

This is my soon-to-be friend Ivy. Daddy says this little girl is responsible for my mom having baby fever.