Heather Drive Baby Pool - WINNER!

In all, 167 people entered the Heather Drive Baby Pool. Thank you to everyone who participated; it was really fun to see the guesses pour in and added to the excitement while we anticipated the arrival of our baby.

The results were mathematically calculated by ExpectNet. The most important aspect of the guessing was the baby's sex--if you were wrong about that, you had no chance of winning! Then the other elements were taken into consideration as well, and everyone was given points for their guesses based on how close or far off they were. The object of the game was to actually get the LEAST amount of points.

Without further ado, the winner of the Heather Drive Baby Pool is...

CHRISTIE FROM TENNESSEE!! :)

To refresh your memories, Nora was born at 3:29 a.m. on 9/11/10, weighed 6 lbs., 10 oz., and was 20 inches long.

Christie correctly guessed that we were having a girl, and also guessed the correct birth date. She was also pretty darn close on the baby's weight and length. Way to go, Christie!

If you'd like to see how you ranked, you can check out the Heather Drive Baby Pool page to see all results.

Christie is the winner of a vintage apron of her choice from Etsy seller Terrace Hill, and the Martha Stewart Cupcakes book.

Congrats to Christie, and thanks again to all of you for playing!

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IT'S A GIRL

Nora Grace
September 11, 2010
3:29 a.m.
6 lbs., 10 oz.
20 inches

More to come.
For now, all there is to know is that we are all healthy, happy, and in love.

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38.75 Weeks: Fake Out

Well, since we're getting so close to the end now, I figured I'd do a mid-week update instead of waiting for Monday to roll around to do my regular pregnancy post. I'm actually 39 weeks on Saturday/Sunday, so we're a bit more than 38.75, but... humor me.

Last night, my body decided to play tricks on me!

First, some TMI-type stuff, so SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU HATE IT. You've been warned! I had a doctor's appointment yesterday morning, and the latest is that I'm 2 cm, and she went ahead and "swept the membranes" for me to try to get things moving along. I spent the whole day not feeling much different--no real cramps or anything, so I figured it hadn't really worked.

After work last night, we went on a walk. When we got back, I started to feel these crazy tightening sensations across my belly, and a lot of pressure in my lower abdomen. After a little while of it, I said to Michael, "I'm pretty sure these are contractions!" My belly was rock hard, and they seemed to come and go. And even though a few of them were uncomfortable enough to take my breath away, they weren't painful enough for me to feel like I could time them in any way. This lasted through making, eating, and cleaning up dinner, but then they seemed to subside. I still had some tightening in my belly throughout the evening, and was still feeling some additional pressure in my pelvis, but... nothing ever came of it.

FALSE ALARM, damn it. I guess they were just strong Braxton Hicks?

And so we continue to wait.

Other results from the appointment--My doctor is still a bit concerned about my blood pressure. It wasn't terribly high, she had it marked down on the chart as 128/92, I believe. But I guess the second number is higher than they like to see it, and for her, she's looking more at the "trend" in my blood pressure than the actual numbers themselves. Each week, the blood pressure just creeps higher and higher, so she's concerned about "late-gestation hypertension." I don't have any signs that would indicate pre-eclampsia, so it's just the blood pressure for now.

In addition, I am continuing to measure small. This first became a concern when I was 30 weeks pregnant and started to fall behind in my belly measurements. At the time, I was only measuring 1 cm behind, but because my belly hadn't grown since my previous appointment, my doctor decided to send us in for a growth ultrasound to check everything and the fluid levels. Everything turned out to be fine, with the baby measuring in the 58th percentile on the growth charts.

Fast forward to almost-39-weeks pregnant, though, and it's an issue again. At this point, I should be measuring in at 39 cm (1 cm for every week you are pregnant), but I am only measuring 35 cm. She said that 4 cm is a pretty big deal, so she is sending us for yet another growth ultrasound. We scheduled it for Tuesday, hoping that I'll go into labor before then and we won't actually have to go through with it. We'll do whatever we have to do, obviously, but ultrasounds cost us $50/pop so we'd rather not have to! Plus, it sounds like my doctor is just being overly cautious (which I really do appreciate), because she said that more than likely, the baby has just descended down into the pelvis a bit, causing him/her to measure smaller than he/she really is. She also seems to think that I have a longer-than-average torso, so I'm just "hiding" the baby well.

Now, to the most interesting part... she said that when we have my appointment next week (on Wednesday), we will discuss possible induction for Thursday, September 16. AHHHHH! I was not expecting that at all, so I was a bit taken back by it. But, she said that if my blood pressure continues to creep up, and depending on the results of the growth ultrasound on Tuesday... we will have to evaluate the risks of evicting the baby (which will be very, very small since I'll be only a few days shy of 40 weeks) versus the risks of leaving him/her in. Soooo... it sounds like, if I don't go into labor on my own before then, we could very well be having a baby next Thursday.

Makes things a bit more real, doesn't it? To have an end in sight?

Either way, it doesn't sound like she's likely to let me go too far past my due date, so we are definitely getting close. I'm still hoping to avoid induction, so I'm continuing to send my baby lots of "come on out" vibes.

We'll see what happens, but I wanted to post this on the off chance that I don't make it until Monday! *fingers crossed*

I'M GOING TO BE A MOMMY SOON! :)

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BOY? Or GIRL?

I am shamelessly stealing this post directly from Shauna, but substituting in my own answers (obviously). We're in the final countdown, and we might as well fill the time with a little bit of last-minute fun with the guessing the sex of the baby, right?

There are many old wives' tales and "methods" of supposedly figuring out whether the baby is a boy or a girl.

CHINESE GENDER CHARTS:
(These use the mother's age at conception and month of conception to determine the sex)

Chart #1 = BOY

Chart #2 = BOY

Chart #3 = BOY

Chart #4 = GIRL

Chart #5 = BOY

Looks like the charts are pretty consistent! The verdict here is definitely BOY.

The one that is different specifically says to use the mother's "lunar age," which differs from calendar age. So, that one yielded a different result.

I've heard varying things about the accuracy of Chinese gender charts, so I guess we'll see if it works for us or not...

OLD WIVES' TALES:

Mayans
The Mayans determined the sex of the baby by taking the mother’s age at conception, and the year of conception. If both are even or both are odd… it’s a girl. If one is even and one is odd… it’s a boy. I was 27 and it was 2009.
=GIRL

Nausea
The old wives tale is that a girl will make you more nauseous. I didn't have a whole lot of morning sickness. Lucky me!
=BOY

Heart Rate
The old wives tales is if the heart rate is above 140, it’s a girl. If it’s below 140, it’s a boy. The heart rate has consistently been up over 140.
=GIRL

Cravings
The old wives tale is that if you crave sweets, it’s a girl. If you crave sour, it’s a boy. I really haven't experienced very many "cravings" throughout the pregnancy. The only one I ever felt was a true craving was when I couldn't get enough yellow mustard (first trimester). I guess I consider that more "sour," so...
=BOY

Husband’s Weight Gain
The old wives tale is that if your husband puts on weight during the pregnancy, it will be a girl. Michael has most certainly not put on any weight.
=BOY

Acne
The old wives tale is that a girl will cause acne because she is doubling your hormones. I don't have any acne to speak of.
=BOY

Clumsiness
The old wives tales is that if you are clumsier than before, it’s a boy. If you are as graceful as ever, it’s a girl. Definitely not clumsy.
=GIRL

Boobs
The old wives tale is that if your boobs grow a lot, it’s a girl. The boobs are out of control. By the time I was four months pregnant, I had to go out and buy bras in a size that was two band sizes and two cup sizes bigger than normal. And I've since had to buy bra extenders because even those bigger bras grew to be too tight. Annnd when I got measured for a nursing bra a couple of weeks ago? Let's just say I never thought I would see THOSE letters in my bra size.
=GIRL

Sleep
The old wives tale is that if you prefer to sleep on your right side, it’s a boy. If you prefer to sleep on your left side, it’s a girl. God, I would just prefer to SLEEP at this point. Neither position is particularly comfortable; I have to rotate pretty regularly throughout the night. But if I'm sleeping on my side, I generally prefer the right, so...
=BOY

Hands
The old wives tale is that if you have softer hands, it’s a girl. Rougher hands, it’s a boy. My hands are pretty soft!
=GIRL

High or Low
The old wives tale is that if you feel heaviness down low, it’s a boy. If you feel pressure up higher, it’s a girl. I've definitely been carrying this baby high.
=GIRL

The verdict here? Pretty split.
GIRL = 6
BOY = 5

Almost 50/50! Hmmm...

It's only a matter of time before we'll know for sure. Send "labor" thoughts my way, people... I want this baby out! :)

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38 Weeks: Ready, Freddy

Well, here we are... 38 weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I won't be doing a 39-week post, but I know it's very likely that I will.

I'm just READY.

Plus, living in anticipation is killing me. I'm a planner; this not-knowing stuff is hard for me. Will my life be the same tomorrow, or totally and completely different? Will I be at work next week? On Friday? Tomorrow?

38 Weeks Pregnant

More than anything, I have this feeling like the baby will come when he/she should. Like things will work out how they are supposed to. The biggest thing is that my mom travels every week for work. Most of the time, she's gone Monday through Friday. She's afraid she's going to miss the birth, and frankly, I'd like her to be here, too! So, well, that leaves the weekends. OR... this week. You see, because of the Labor Day holiday, my mom is scheduled to work in town all this week. So, you know... that would be convenient, right?

Still, I know the baby will come when it's time. I just wish I knew when that was going to be!

I'm starting to get all the phone calls/texts/e-mails/Facebook messages asking the same things--how am I feeling, is anything different, what was the latest at the doctor, when is my next appointment. I honestly don't mind the questions, but it does help fuel the anticipation a bit.

At my doctor's appointment on Thursday, I was 1.5 cm dilated, 60% effaced. This was just a little bit of progress from the 1 cm, 50% effaced I was the week before. What was really weird is that the doctor told us she can feel the top of the baby's head. Um, WHOA. That right there is a reality check.

In other news, my belly was still measuring small, but my weight gain has been good--I'm up a total of like 25-26 lbs. so far. Of a little bit of concern is the fact that my blood pressure has apparently been "creeping up" over the last 3-4 appointments. My doctor showed me a graph that showed the rise in blood pressure. Weird, since no one had mentioned it to me prior to last appointment. I typically have a really low, healthy blood pressure--in fact, at 32 weeks, I posted about how great it was that it was still hanging out at 100/68. My doctor didn't tell me what it's up to (I'm stupid, I should have asked), but she said that it's not quite at an "abnormal" level yet. I guess since I started off low, it had room to "grow" and remain within normal range. Still, she told me to closely monitor my level of swelling, and to call if there are any big changes or if I experience any headaches. I think they're mildly concerned about the possible development of pre-eclampsia, but my urine is still clear of protein so for now we're OK. I'm curious to see if there will be any change at my next appointment on Thursday of this week.

I've also been experiencing some minor contractions, but they're nothing of significance yet, unfortunately. Hopefully they're making progress for me, though, because I'm anxiously awaiting the "real thing"!

I'm having trouble sleeping. Sometimes, when I wake up in the middle of the night to pee (still consistently getting up 4-5 times per night), I have trouble going back to sleep. Or I'll be completely exhausted but still can't drift off. I guess it's a bit of insomnia. I slept like total crap on both Friday and Saturday nights this weekend, but finally got what felt to be a good night's sleep last night. But somehow, I still feel exhausted today. *sigh* Such is life.

Last week, we dealt with 90-degree temperatures every day, and then, starting Saturday, the temperature plummeted like 30 degrees and it's been feeling rather fall-like out. It's perfectly fine by me, as I think it's quite comfortable now. However, I HAVE NO CLOTHES. I seriously have like two long-sleeve shirts that fit over my belly. Everything else is short-sleeve since I've been pregnant all SUMMER. I have no idea what I'm going to wear to work tomorrow; I'm not prepared for this "fall" shit!

We've started all of the "tricks" to try to induce labor. I'm not doing anything crazy, but all of the little things--walking, spicy food, etc. Last night, I got hot sauce on my burger even though I would normally never do so, and tonight my mother-in-law made eggplant parmesan for dinner. (She actually had no idea that eggplant parmesan was supposedly a labor-inducer; it was just a funny coincidence!) So far, nothing has done the trick.

We also finally packed the hospital bags. I'm still going to need to do some last-minute throwing of things in the bag, but we pre-packed everything that we could, and made a good list for everything else so we wouldn't forget anything.

We are ready. It's time. I keep telling the baby to come on out of there! The outside world is a lot of fun! :)

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37 Weeks: FULL TERM

Maybe it was the photo shoot I did on Saturday morning, chasing a 2-year-old boy around, squatting, standing, kneeling, running. Maybe it was the Bills game on Saturday night, plus the drive to and from the stadium. Maybe it was the apple picking in 90-degree heat on Sunday, or the six hours I spent in the kitchen preparing meals to freeze.

Regardless of what it was (and hey, maybe it was a combination of everything!), I think I have turned a corner in this pregnancy. And it's not a corner you want to turn, really.

I am tired.
I am sore.
I am uncomfortable.
I have puffy, fat, Fred Flintstone feet.
I am WADDLING, people. Waddling like a freaking penguin.

But praise Heaven, I am FULL TERM! So I've been talking to this baby and telling him/her that he/she is more than welcome to come on out at any time now.

37 Weeks Pregnant

(For a progression week to week, check out the compilation of my belly photos I put together this morning. It's hilarious, actually, to see how bright-eyed and energized I look in the second trimester, and how that has gradually disappeared until I now look exhausted in every photo.)

Have I mentioned that the forecast features 90 degree temperatures every day this week? Because apparently I need to be elevated to a whole 'nother level of miserable.

I cycle back and forth between practically begging this baby to come out, like, NOW, and being scared shitless that ohmygod, the baby might come, like, NOW. I am simultaneously so grateful to be at the end of this part of the journey, while I am also trying to hold onto every last minute of it. It is quite confusing.

But mostly, I am just READY. Really ready. Ready to evict this little person from my body and welcome him/her to the world with open arms.

I have debated whether or not I want to share the state of my cervix with the internet, and if you don't want to hear this... TURN AWAY NOW. But this blog is a journal and who knows, maybe I'll want to remember this part some day. At my 36-week appointment last Wednesday, I had my first "check" and I was 1 cm and 50% effaced. And even though I know it means jack, I was still kind of surprised and definitely happy to hear about any kind of progress. Now I'm looking forward to my next appointment on Thursday to see if things have moved along any further.

I have some kind of weird "feeling" about next week. I don't know, week 38 just seems like "the week" to me. But it's very possible that is just wishful thinking. I guess we will know soon enough.

In the end, we are nervous, but we are SO excited. We want to meet this baby so badly. I "know" my baby right now. I know his/her hiccups, and the way he/she wiggles back and forth after I eat. I know he/she prefers to hang out on the right side of my belly. I know his/her heartbeat, and that it usually measures in between 135-150 beats per minute. I know baby likes to stick its butt out at the top of my belly, loves to cause mommy heartburn, and is taking up so much room in there that I almost always feel out of breath. We have watched him/her grow as we have watched my belly grow.

I know all these things, but I am ready to really know my baby. I am ready to know my son or daughter.

Come on out, Baby. Meet your parents. Let us give you your name. And say hello to the world.

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The Belly: A Progression

16 Weeks

17 Weeks

18 Weeks

19 Weeks

20 Weeks

21 Weeks

22 Weeks

23 Weeks

24 Weeks

25 Weeks

26 Weeks

27 Weeks

28 Weeks

29 Weeks

30 Weeks

31 Weeks

32 Weeks

33 Weeks

34 Weeks

35 Weeks

36 Weeks

37 Weeks

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36 Weeks: I Miss My Waist

I'm a day late posting my update this week, but oh well... I'm technically always a day or two late, since my weeks really turn over on Saturday/Sunday. But since I've been consistently taking my pics on Mondays, it doesn't matter, right? Right.

And this week is no different; I did take my photo last night. I just didn't have a chance to post about it.

36 Weeks Pregnant

At 36 weeks into this adventure, I've started to long for my pre-pregnancy body. Or, really, anything resembling my pre-pregnancy body. Hell, at this point, I'll settle for a belly that doesn't contain another human being. ;)

I also find myself trying to remember exactly what it feels like to button and zip up a pair of pants. To easily reach my toes when I need to trim and paint my toe nails. To be able to sit with my knees pulled up to my chest (normally a really comfortable position for me). To hold a baby on my hip.

How weird it'll be when I suddenly have these things back.

My belly is feeling stretched this week. Baby's movements are actually really uncomfortable for me now. When he/she sticks its butt out, I usually have to "rub it back in" because it hurts! Little bugger. The movements are moving my entire belly now. Last night, I was rehearsing a presentation I had to do for work today, and I had my laptop resting on my belly in bed. The baby was literally moving the entire laptop up and down with his/her stretching. I'm starting to really realize that I have a full-size baby in there now. Even though he/she is still on the small side, it's the size of a newborn now. Um, whoa.

This weekend, we installed the car seat bases in our cars. We really just needed to get them out of the house since we don't have a lot of extra room in here these days. So now I'm riding around with a car seat in the back (Michael just has the extra base in his). It's very strange to get into the car and see that in the back, knowing that in just a few short weeks, there will be a baby in there.

Our baby book came in the mail on Friday, so I also started filling that out this weekend. There are several pages designated to information on the parents and the pregnancy, so we completed all of those pages now.

Perhaps the most exciting baby event of the week is that our stroller arrived! We ended up getting the Bumbleride Indie in the ruby color and it is gorgeous. We love it, and can't wait to take it out for a spin! We're actually planning to try to train Tessa to walk with it before the baby gets here, so we'll be the weird couple walking around our neighborhood with an empty stroller. :)

Aside from feeling really ready to meet the baby, and some general discomfort, I'm still doing pretty well overall. Still suffering from some occasional heartburn and swelling, but hanging in there.

I have my first weekly appointment tomorrow, and I'll be getting "checked" for progress at each appointment now. I've been experiencing some random menstrual-like cramps, which I can only assume are mild contractions? I don't really know. But baby still seems to be sitting up nice and high, so I'm not expecting too much at this point.

25 (I think?) days to go! :)

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Baby Pool: Last Chance!

Now that I am (ohmygod) 36 weeks pregnant, it's time to shut down the Heather Drive Baby Pool. In other words, if you've been slacking, you need to get your guesses in now in order to have a chance to win an awesome vintage apron from Etsy seller Terrace Hill. In case you missed the first post with all of the details, it's here, but check out this cute apron as an example:

I'm also throwing in a Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book for our winner, so hurry up and enter!

All you need to do is go to our Heather Drive Baby Pool page on Expectnet.com and enter your guesses for our baby's sex, birth date and time, weight, and length. Also, PLEASE remember to enter your e-mail address in the "How do you know the parents?" field so that we can easily get in touch with you should you become our winner.

See all terms and conditions for the contest and giveaway at the original Baby Pool post.

You all have until Sunday, August 22 at 9:00 p.m. EDT to get in your entries. At that time, the pool will be closed, and we'll just be waiting for baby to arrive! :)

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35 Weeks: 35/35

When you're pregnant, reaching 35 weeks is a big deal. I'm not exactly sure why, aside from the fact that "35" is a magic number. You see, when you hit 35 weeks pregnant, you also have exactly 35 days to go. Well, until your due date, anyway. So this is commonly called 35/35!

I actually celebrated 35/35 on Saturday or Sunday (depending on which due date you're going with), so today I actually have less than 35 days to go. Eeeek!

35 Weeks Pregnant

Oh, and today also happens to be my 28th birthday. So I guess you can say there is much to celebrated around here.

Last Thursday, I had my 34-week doctor's appointment. I gained a pound since my 32-week appointment, so I'm up about 22-23 lbs. total. Given my birthday and all, I indulged today, so I'm pretty sure I'm up like five additional pounds now, but at least I have another week or so until I have to be weighed again. Hopefully it'll even out. HA! :) My next appointment is Wednesday, the 25th... starting then, I'll be going every week! It's so crazy to think about.

On Saturday, we took a breastfeeding class. It was nice to get an overview of everything, and get to write down a few tips and tricks before the baby even gets here. It was all helpful information. Of course, the *real* education will come when I actually try to nurse the baby, but still, a little preparation for what to expect is good to have.

Baby is now about 5.5 lbs. and has pretty much grown to his/her full length. All he/she has to concentrate on these next few weeks is fattening up a little bit. And sitting on my bladder. And kicking me in the ribs.

Alright, now I'm going to leave the world where pregnancy is all rainbows and sunshine and transition into what has been my reality. I'm going to be completely honest and tell you that the last few days have been really rough on me. I think it's been a culmination of a lot of things, but the stress and anxiety associated with everything finally built up enough where I reached a breaking point on Saturday and became somewhat of a hormonal lunatic.

I won't bore you with all of the details, but I'll say this: I've reached a point where I am tired all.the.time. I've discovered that despite still being able to sleep pretty well most nights, getting up an average of four times a night to pee just does not bode well for feeling "rested." I know this is supposedly helping prepare me for when baby arrives but man, it would be nice to sleep through just one.more.night before the baby actually gets here.

So, I think the general exhaustion, plus the crazy hormones, plus the anxiety associated with knowing my whole life is going to change in just a few short weeks, plus a few totally ridiculous little stressors (that normally would've been no big deal) pushed me over an edge. Starting Saturday night, I fell into this feeling of depression and feeling like crap about myself. I cried a few times and couldn't really function, then spent the majority of Sunday crying and not functioning as well. The funny thing is that I couldn't really tell you why I was feeling what I was feeling--just that I was generally unhappy and downright sad about things. Then that escalated into feeling guilty for my feelings, which just made everything worse.

I still felt like a waste of space when I woke up this morning, too. But thankfully, the fog seems to have lifted throughout the day, and I was able to fully enjoy my birthday evening with Michael.

I'm told that this kind of funk/depression is completely normal at this stage of the game, but it took me by surprise and I will say that when you're going through it, your feelings feel anything but normal. I so badly just wanted to rewind and feel good again, but didn't know how to make myself feel better. I really hope I don't go through any more episodes of this between now and the end of the pregnancy, but I guess I should prepare myself to do so.

Anyway... I wanted to "confess" because I didn't realize how common it was to have feelings like that until after I started mentioning it to other mothers/pregnant women. *sigh* End rant.

We can't believe we're already halfway through August. And we're only a couple of days away from the 1-month mark!

I may be hormonal and crazy, Baby, but I still can't wait to meet you...

Happy Birthday to me. On my next birthday, I will be a mommy.

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DIY Maternity Photos

Given that I follow a lot of photographers' blogs and am somewhat immersed into the world of professional photography, I've been seeing maternity photos on a regular basis for years now. I've always loved how they capture a moment in time--a snippet of that nine months when mommy and baby are still "one." As I've said before, I think there is much to cherish about pregnancy, and photos are an excellent way to remember what the time was like, even long after the pregnancy is over.

My problem is that I've never wanted to pay for maternity photos. It's not that I'm decidedly against doing so, it's just that I can't see myself forking over a few hundred dollars for photos of every pregnancy, and I'd feel badly having maternity photos for the first child and not for any subsequent children. I think half of the reason to do maternity photos is for the child to be able to look back at someday, knowing how his/her parents were anxiously and happily awaiting his/her arrival.

So, if not pay for them... what's a girl to do? Well, I started to think... I have a really nice camera, and perhaps a teensy bit of skill--and why pay for what you can get for free? The only issue was figuring out how I was going to be both in front of and behind the camera. At the same time.

Enter my husband into the picture. I told him that I was going to try to DIY some maternity photos with a tripod and the timer. He suggested that it would be even better if we went out together, and I could coach him to take the photos. Good call, Honey.

Last week, we went out on a couple of really nice evenings and snapped some pics. Here are our results:

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34 Weeks: Nesting

I know six weeks is not a long time. And, realistically, I keep telling myself--I should prepare myself to have a baby anywhere between three weeks and seven weeks from now.

When I tell people the due date, they keep saying "Wow, getting close!"

At work, we're starting to seriously discuss the preparation and transition to my maternity leave--well, as much as we can plan for it, since I plan to work right up until D-Day. Meetings are being scheduled for September, and I accept them on my calendar, not really knowing whether or not I'll actually be there.

So I know... six weeks is not a long time.

It sure feels like it is, though.

34 Weeks Pregnant

I've been "nesting" on and off throughout my entire pregnancy. I'll get something in my head and have to do it pretty much immediately; I won't be satisfied until it's done. Whether it's repainting/remodeling, cleaning, organizing, purchasing, washing, assembling--it doesn't matter. I want it done.

In terms of a lot of the baby's belongings, I've been able to hold out because I knew we had another baby shower to get through. I was hesitant to open a lot of things simply because I wasn't ready to commit to them until after the second shower. I didn't know--maybe I'd research and find a better option, or maybe we'd receive duplicates. I played it safe and kept everything in its packaging or with tags still attached.

But as soon as we got home from our shower on Saturday, I immediately started sorting. I took inventory, figuring out what we had, what we didn't have, what we had too much of, what needed to be returned/exchanged. I made piles for keeping, piles for returning, piles for simple exchanges.

Yesterday, we went on a baby shopping spree. We returned all of the things we didn't need (for instance, I had received 20 receiving blankets... we cut that down to 8) for store credit, then bought pretty much everything we hadn't yet received as gifts. We used gift cards. I placed online orders for cloth diapering supplies and things that weren't available in-store at Babies R Us, Target, and Walmart.

It didn't end there. As soon as we got home from our shopping, I did more organizing. Except this time, I opened a lot of things. I got rid of cardboard boxes. I clipped tags off of blankets and the newborn clothing. I took baby toys out of their packages. I did two big loads of baby laundry--blankets, towels, sleepers, onesies, socks, burp cloths, wash cloths.

And it felt good.

I'm pretty sure I had Braxton Hicks contractions on Saturday when we got back from the shower. They were pretty uncomfortable, but nothing too serious. I also keep getting these random, sharp pains in different areas of my belly. Not really sure what's going on, but I figure it's all par for the course at this point in pregnancy.

The baby's level of movement, and the way it can be seen from the outside, has reached alien-like proportions. I frequently find myself staring at its activity, and saying, "Oh my gosh!" because I can't believe the shapes into which my stomach is contorting at any given moment. It's crazy, y'all.

Last week, we went out and made an attempt to take some DIY maternity photos. I haven't had a chance to do much editing yet, so we'll see how they turned out--I'll likely share the results here soon. We figured, why spend the money on them when we can take some snaps of our own? It's been fun.

I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday, so we'll see how it goes. I'm sure it'll be routine, as usual (which is obviously a GOOD thing!). We're taking a breastfeeding class on Saturday. My birthday is next Monday.

Things are good. Life is good.

I just can't wait to have a baby in it. :)

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Baby Shower #2

Today, we had our second baby shower. Michael's mom, sisters, and aunt threw it for me (us). The guests were from Michael's side of the family, and because of the location, my college friends were invited to this one, too.

It was an awesome afternoon with good family, good friends, and good food. Like my other shower, it was relatively small so I felt like I got to spend some time talking with everyone, which was great. We played a few cute games, enjoyed some cake, and I opened all over the (VERY generous) gifts.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of photos yet, but there are a few to share. Also, I missed out on getting a photo with all of my hostesses, which I'm really sad about! But everyone was running around doing so much that it escaped us until we were all home afterwards. Oops. :(

The cake. It was almond cake/icing and had like a strawberry cream/mousse filling or something; it was delish!

The gift table

So much stuff for the little one...

Laughing with Cristina as I open Bumbo chair #2... oops! Thankfully, we had very few registry screw-ups, but somehow, TWO people bought us Bumbos and it was never marked off of our registry. Things that make you go hmmm....

I had BOYS at my shower again. (The horror!) Our brother-in-law, Andy, and nephew, Logan. Also in attendance were our other nephew Brendan, Michael's uncle Mike, and Michael's grandfather. :)

Who knew plastic cups could be so much fun?? Logan was such a serious baby, but the last few times we've seen him, we've been amazed at how he has all of a sudden developed this huge personality. Love him!

With two of my friends from college.

We received many wonderful gifts, including our high chair, extra car seat base, the Bumbo and accessory tray, burp cloths, onesies, the changing table supplies, and more. We also received several gift cards and cash gifts--which will all be put to very good use, I assure you!

I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of others and am so grateful to my "other" wonderful family... it's so nice to have married into such a nice group of people. I can't wait to add another little person to the family! :)

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33 Weeks: Mama's First Cankles

All in all, things are relatively the same as last week.

This weekend was rough. On Saturday, we spent much of the day outside at my sister-in-law's house. We spent about five hours total in the car driving to and from that family visit, and when we got home in the evening, I spent somewhere between 3-4 hours on my feet in the kitchen, working on a cake.

At the end of the night, my back was killing me and my feet hurt. When I looked down at them, I was shocked at their appearance; I had my first-ever set of cankles!! My feet and toes were so fat I didn't even recognize them as my own. They weren't the most swollen feet I've ever seen or anything (in fact, the swelling would probably be considered relatively mild), but suddenly going from having hardly any swelling problems to having big, swollen feet was quite the shocker.

On Sunday, I spent way too many hours on my feet again, as it was my brother's fiancee's bridal shower and as one of the bridesmaids/hosts, it required more time on my feet than it did sitting down. It was nice, a success, and a good time was had by all, but OHMYGOD I was hurting by the end of it. My feet were swollen again, killing me, and my back--ouch. At one point later that day, I put my sneakers on and they were SO TIGHT. I would look down at my feet and just start laughing because I couldn't believe they were mine. It's a very weird feeling to not recognize your own feet.

I spent the majority of the remainder of my Sunday laid up on the couch with my feet propped up, but even Monday morning, I still felt like I had been hit by a truck. I guess I'm just starting to feel the effects of carrying around an extra 20+ pounds. I don't think my body is cut out for this!

Speaking of extra weight, let's check out my belly pic for the week, shall we?

33 Weeks Pregnant

I did end up retiring my engagement/wedding rings from everyday wear yesterday. They still fit, but with the swelling I had over the weekend and the increase in tightness of the rings, I just don't want to chance it anymore. They're usually relatively loose on me, and now that they're feeling kind of tight--it's time to take them off. I did buy a cheapie substitute to get me through. :)

The baby's movement has been cracking me up this week. The slow stretches and pulls are so amazing to watch and feel, and every once in a while, he/she will kick me repeatedly in the same spot--strong kicks that occur three or four times in a row. I can feel him/her getting stronger and it's kind of awe-inspiring. The other night, I was lying in bed and I suddenly saw a small bump appear on my belly, through my shirt. I pressed on it with my fingers and it was hard. By the time I lifted up my shirt to inspect it more closely, it had disappeared and that area of my belly was soft again. But I'm pretty damn sure that lump was a foot!

I've also started feeling baby hiccups on a daily basis now. On Saturday morning, I pulled out the doppler to listen to the babe's heartbeat. While I was listening, I was hearing this little sound that kept coming through over the heartbeat. After a few seconds, I realized that my stomach would move ever so slightly at the exact same time I heard the unidentified noises. It was then that I realized--I was listening to the baby's hiccups! Now, they seem so obvious every time the baby has them... I don't know whether the baby has suddenly grown big enough for me to feel them more prominently, or if I've just been oblivious up until now. Because prior to Saturday, I had only felt them once (a few weeks back), but now, like I said--I feel them every day! It's pretty cute.

We continue to pick up little things here and there for the baby. We're working on finishing things up in the nursery, building up our cloth diaper stash and supplies, and last weekend, we purchased "going home" outfits--one for a boy and one for a girl. :) It's fun to go into the nursery and look at all of the little things.

We have our second (and last) baby shower on Saturday, so we're looking forward to that. Once we get through that, we'll buy whatever else we still need, then I should be able to take and share some preliminary nursery pics! (The final ones won't be ready until after the baby is born, as we are holding out on a few things until whether we know it's a boy or a girl.)

Oh! And one of the most exciting things about this week is that we're officially in August. We woke up on Sunday morning and said, "Hey! Now we can say we're having a baby 'next month!'" A pretty big milestone, I'd say. :) We have a relatively busy month, too, so I'm sure it'll help keep things moving along for us. I cannot wait to meet this baby!

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32 Weeks: Not Wine, But Whine

I think I've been a really "positive" pregnant woman. When people ask me how I'm feeling, I always say "really good," and "great." In truth, I haven't had much reason to complain about anything. Aside from the anticipation of meeting our little one, I've enjoyed pregnancy and have even made a point to try not to wish it away.

SO... would it be horrible if I whined a little today?

Ever since--oh, I don't know... Friday?--something has shifted and things have changed.

First, let's observe:

32 Weeks Pregnant

Is it just me, or am I all of a sudden carrying this baby REALLY high? I feel like my ribs have been invaded. And that, my friends, is the source of much of my complaining these last few days. There's a general discomfort associated with having your organs squished up into your rib cage, along with an active baby who likes to practice somersaults in there. Shocking, right?

My totally comfortable, love-them-so-much full-panel maternity pants? Not so comfortable anymore. Not really loving them at the moment. The elastic band at the top of the panel cuts into the top of my belly (again, because it is SO HIGH), but if I fold it down, it feels like it cuts into the bottom of my belly. This is a no-win situation, I feel. The only solution, it seems, is to live in dresses and skirts for the next eight weeks. Not easy to do when you only have three dresses and two skirts.

Oh, and let's talk about my bra. My bra has turned into a torture device. I wish I was exaggerating. These bras that I bought in April to accommodate my growing pregnancy boobs, and thought would last until I had to switch to nursing bras? NOT SO MUCH. Because of this baby's migration up into my ribs, my rib cage is seemingly expanding, and the bra band, even on its loosest hooks, digs into me and makes me feel like I am wearing a corset around my ribs ALL DAY LONG. I just about cried last night when I went into Target to buy bra expanders only to find that they were completely out of stock. (I went and checked again today, and they were out again. *sob*) And let's not forget about the underwire! The underwire is taking up permanent residence in the skin at the top of my belly. At this rate, I think it's eventually going to leave permanent marks.

The problem is that I can't stand NOT to wear a bra, either. (Um, just to be clear, I'm talking about at home. I wouldn't subject poor, innocent members of the general public to the sight of THAT, I assure you.) So I suffer all day, right up until the moment I'm about to crawl into bed for the night. At that point, I can't even tell you how good it feels to be free of the constriction of the band and the discomfort of the underwire.

As if all of these developments haven't been enough to deal with over the last couple of days, I think it's time to officially retire my engagement/wedding rings. And maybe I'm hormonal, or maybe I'm just a sap, but it makes me want to cry because I *LOVE* my rings. Yes, I know they're just material possessions and don't actually mean anything when it comes to my marriage but I *LOVE* to wear them and I *HATE* my naked fingers.

*deep breath*

OK, now you can start to ship me mass quantities of cheese (cheddar, please!) to go with all of my WHINE. Because I know! I know I'm being a crybaby, and I'm only going to get bigger and more uncomfortable. But if any of you experienced pregnant ladies and/or mothers have any tips on how to get me through these last few weeks, I would love to hear about them.

Moving on, trying to return to my normal, chipper self...

We had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I'm up 21 lbs. total, with approximately eight weeks to go. I'm really hoping I can stay at or under the 30 lb. mark for total gain, but we'll see how it goes. They say that you're supposed to gain at least a pound a week at this point of pregnancy, so if I stick to an average of a pound a week, that would put me right around that 30 lb. number when this is over. Everything else looks good. Really low blood pressure (she said it was 100/68!), good heartrate, and baby has done some catching up and I'm now measuring right on time again.

Last night, we finished our birth preparation classes. Now that they're done, I think I can be honest and say that they weren't tremendously beneficial. I don't regret taking them at all, as I do think it was nice to review everything and be given a few tools to help with the labor process, but it wasn't like I had any crazy "lightbulb moments" or anything like that. In related news, we did our hospital tour on Sunday. That was actually really nice, as it made us feel more comfortable knowing exactly where to park, where to go once inside, etc. We got to see one of the birthing center rooms and hear all about the hospital's processes and services. All good stuff to know.

Wrapping up... thank you so much to everyone who has entered the Heather Drive Baby Pool so far! It has been fun to see all of the guesses come pouring in, and I look forward to being at the point where the baby is out and we can determine a winner! :) One thing--if you entered and did NOT include an e-mail address, please let me know in the comments or via e-mail so I can go in and add your e-mail address for you. If you don't have an e-mail address attached to your entry, we won't be able to contact you if you win! And if you haven't entered a guess yet, what are you waiting for?

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