38 weeks

yes, yes I am still pregnant, in case you were wondering. Super fun. This week Ryder is officially full term. (aka: time to come out). He weighs somewhere around 7lbs or so, give or take. I have my 38 week doctor's appointment tomorrow morning---please please pretty please let me be doing SOMETHING! I think i've dropped a bit. I have less trouble breathing now but the alternate to that is that I have to pee even more often--which I didn't even think was possible. And when I have a Braxton-Hicks contraction, I feel like there is a vice grip on my bladder and I feel like I'll pee my pants. Also super fun.

This past weekend I had my last two showers: my neighborhood ladies put one on and then my work girlfriends put one on for me. Both were really fun, and as usual, I got some really great and much needed stuff. You should see his dresser drawers and closet-->packed to the max! I love it. I did another load of clothes and blankets today with Dreft baby detergent. Joe and I hung everything up in the closet and sniffed all the little clothes--they smell so good :)

Well, the hospital bag is packed, the showers are done, the nursery is ready with all the clothes washed...let's go!

I'll post another update tomorrow night with a 9 1/2 months pregnant belly shots and a doctors appointment update as well. Wish us luck!!

Check out the countdown to the left...

WE ARE NOW IN THE TEENS FOR DAYS TILL RYDER COMES PEOPLE!

Dr appt update

So not what I wanted to hear, but better than nothing--->I am still not dilated at all, but my doctor said, "I don't have to reach as far to feel his head!" which means that he's dropped a little, but he's still not down nearly far enough to start anything I guess. But if he's made that tiny bit of progress in just 5 days, maybe by my 38 week appointment next Wednesday it will be even better. My blood pressure is still good and I gained less than a pound since last week. I have noticed I have started to retain a litte more water because my socks leave lines and when I lay in one position for awhile, then I have bad lines in my skin. But like I said, my BP is still good and so is my weight. Till next week!

37 weeks

Not that I'm keeping track or anything, but only 24 days left till our due date :) That seems like an extremely long time from now, but I'm trying to remain positive that it's NOT forever from now! And most women who have children tell me that I should enjoy this time before the baby anyways....but I think I'm too antsy. And uncomfortable. I still don't think he's dropped yet. Apparently I'm supposed to be having frequent shooting/stabbing pains in my crotch when he's really down in my pelvis moving around and I don't have those very often. Maybe like one or two here and there and I'm pretty sure it's just when I'm having a braxton-hicks contraction (false/non-labor contractions, for those of you who are wondering what that is) and I feel like my bladder is going to explode. Again, apparently this will only get worse over the next couple weeks. Yay.

This week the avg baby at 37 weeks weighs 6 1/2 lbs. AND at the end of my 37th week, Ryder will officially be considered full term :)

Tomorrow I have my 37 week appointment, so I'll be posting another update tomorrow or Wednesday. I also have another baby shower this coming Saturday with some of the ladies that live in my neighborhood and then again on Monday with my work girlfriends. Ryder is spoiled. Or, as Joe likes to say (and it sounds better too!), "he's not spoiled, he's blessed". I'll take it ;)

9 months belly shot

So I had my doctors appointment today where the doctor did my first cervix check. Guess what? I'm not dilated AT ALL :( She wouldn't even give me a half cm dilated when I asked if she could at least give me something to work with!! I was severely dissappointed...she said his head isn't even down far enough into my pelvis to touch my cervix and she said that until his head starts dropping down and engaging my cervix, I won't start dilating. Apparently she said jumping jacks won't help this either when I asked. I just have to wait. I could cry. If you look below...I'm huge and to be honest, I don't think I can go another month, I really dont. It's just not possible!! I have my next appointment next Tuesday, so let's hope for some better results. Otherwise Ryder will be grounded when he gets out!

9 months/36 weeks

9 months/36 weeks bare belly shot (yikes I'm huge!)

9 months/36 weeks!

Earlier in my pregnancy, an OB doc told me that, "there really is nothing good to say about weeks 36 through 40. So just hold on!" I know what he means now! It's not that I'm feeling bad neccessarily. It's more of me feeling uncomfortable. I am clumsy, which means I drop everything on the ground...and it's so dang hard to move/pick stuff up. So I usually look around me to see if a)anyone saw me b) do I really really need to pick that up? c)is Joe near me to pick it up?? (poor Joe...he's so good about it all).

This week Ryder is around 6lbs-he's getting to be a big boy! I think I noticed my very first, small stretch mark :( It's on my old belly button ring bottom hole. it's very small, but with a month left, it's sure to leave a beauty of a scar I'm sure. So to my cousins who may be reading this (Erin, Mary, Ashley) DONT GET YOUR BELLY BUTTON PIERCED! it's really not worth it at this point! (you're welcome shelby and kathy, by the way).

So I had not one, but TWO baby showers this weekend. One with my girlfriends on Saturday and one with Joe's side on Sunday. Both showers were so well done and everyone put a lot of time and effort into making them special, so a BIG THANKS to all who helped. We got so many nice gifts-Joe and I had a lot of fun putting everything away last night. I did a big load of laundry today of baby clothes and used the Dreft baby detergent---it smells sooo good. I love baby smell!

On Thursday I have my doctors appointment where they do my first cervix check. Please send out a mini prayer for me that I actually have started this process. I just may cry if I haven't started yet...haha. So look forward to a Thursday night post with an update on the doctors appointment and also month 9/week 36 belly pictures!!

35 weeks

This week the growing continues and the little guy's kickboxing routine inside of me also continues. He's about 5 1/2 lbs now and anywhere from 17-20 inches. From now on, he'll gain weight mostly as his height/length slows. The books this week said that he's about the size of a roasting chicken...which is what Joe and I ate tonight for dinner...huh. weird.

The books said that at this point his kidneys are fully developed and his liver is processing waste now. Mostly everything from toenails to hair on the head is done growing. At this point if Ryder is born, he has a 99% chance of survival. So I say...let's go! well, not quite yet. But I'll take 3 weeks from now instead of 5 weeks. that sounds sooo much better.

I am looking forward to this weekend: TWO showers!! I have one with all my girlfriends on Saturday and then on Sunday I have my shower with Joe's side of the family. Very exciting :)