37 Weeks- Happy Birthday!!!!

How Far Along:  37 Weeks

Total Weight Gain:  32 pounds

Maternity Clothes: yes yes yes!

Stretch Marks: Not too bad at all- only a few

Sleep: Impossible. 

Best Moment This Week: Braxton being born!!!!!

Miss Anything: Ha- sleep!

Movement: All the time

Food Cravings: Not really- can't each much with the baby taking up all the room

Anything make you quesy or sick: Um.... the stinkin IV!!!

Gender Predicition- They were right- he's a BOY!

Labor Signs: Oh you know, just some pressure that comes and goes every 3 min- oh wait, thats contractions!?!?

Symptoms:  Pressure, Tiredness, Swollen Feet

Belly Button in or out: Still flat- never popped!

Wedding ring on or off: Was able to keep this on the entire time too!

Looking Forward to: Being a mom :)

Well we made it to 37 Weeks! He is the size of a winter melon and should measure 18.9-20.9 inches long and weigh between 6.2-9.2 pounds.  He is practicing exhaling, inhaling, sucking, gripping, and blinking! This was the crucial week we needed to make it to- so I am so excited that we did!!!

Monday I had another chiropractor appt- we were talking about how we didn't think Braxton would "drop" because he was already so low I just didn't see how he could get any lower.  Ironically, later that night I was laying on the couch and he proved us all wrong- because I totally felt him drop.  The pressure that I didn't think could get any more- did. 

Tuesday I had my follow up ultrasound to re check Braxtons weight since the earlier one put him so heavy.  According to the previous one he should be at 7.5 pounds right now and would between 9-10 pounds at birth.  This ultrasound tech however, measured him much much smaller- she said at the time he was only weighing 6 pounds.  We also saw Dr. Hall and I was now 70% effaced and 1.5 cm dilated-  she said she thinks this would probably be the last time she saw me before I had the baby- she said she can't predict when I will go into labor, and I might make it another week, but she really thinks he will come within the week! Ahhh!!!!!

Wednesday we finally got my maternity pictures back!! (Now that Im about to have the baby) But they turned out good! Here are a few of them:

I also got my flu shot at work- I was so nervous to get it- but it didn't hurt at all!! Thankful I work at a place that offers them for free to their employees! And thankful I made it to today so I could get it :)

Wednesday night I was feeling a lot of pressure- felt like his head was just pushing down on me and ready to come out.  As the night progressed the pressure got stronger and stronger and more and more.  It started out just kind of uncomfortable, but by the time I went to bed it was pretty painful- not tears painful- but complaining painful.

Little did I know that "pressure" was actually contractions! And the next day- October 18th- was Braxtons Birthday!!!!!  We technically made it to 37 weeks and 1 day! (His technical due date was Nov7th)-  he stayed in just long enough to make that all important 37 Week mark!  My next post will be all about the labor and delivery and getting to meet our little baby!

36 Weeks!

How Far Along:  36 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 28 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Of course

Stretch Marks: Just the few

Sleep: Its okay, just have to get up a million times to pee- and getting my big ol belly out of bed in my maternity pillow is quite the task!

Best Moment This Week: Massage Class and the chiropractor!

Miss Anything: Being able to do normal things

Movement: Non Stop- this week he targeted my ribs hard :( Not fun.

Food Cravings: No cravings really, still want my Indian Taco though!

Anything make you quesy or sick:  Nope!

Gender Predicition- BOY oh BOY!

Labor Signs: Contractions

Symptoms: Swollen Feet, Contractions, Tiredness

Belly Button in or out: Flat- still hasnt popped!

Wedding ring on or off: Still On!!!

Looking Forward to:  Holding our baby for the first time!

Nursery Progress: Its all ready for him to come home to :)


Baby is now the size of a honeydew- should be about 17.2-18.7 inches long and weigh around 5.8 pounds (I wish Braxton was that small- he was that big around 32 weeks!!).  Most of his bones (besides the skull) are now hardened and his muscle tone is improving.

We had our weekly doctors appt on Tuesday- it went pretty good- I had the Strep B Test done -it tested negative whoo hoo- and the doctor said we are pretty much in the clear now. Meaning, if I go into labor they arent going to try to stop it anymore.  So now instead of coming to Labor and Delivery if I have 5 contractions in an hour- instead I only come in once I've had contractions 5 minutes apart for an hour straight.  That was a relief knowing that we are out of the pre term labor scare!  And I'm now 50% effaced and dialated to a 1! Whoo hooo!!!  I asked her if she was concerned about how big he was- she looked back at his number and said yah, we need to get another ultrasound in to re-weigh him for both my safety and Braxtons- so we are doing that again next week- all we are all hoping the numbers were off last time!  So for now, I'm still on "bed rest"- its not as strict anymore, I can walk around the house as long as I am comfortable.  She still doesnt want me walking around the block or a store, but I'm not stuck to the bed anymore.  Well technically not, my body still cant be up long.  If I stand for even a few minutes, I have to sit down, the contractions are too strong. But I do feel like we are making good progress!

That night we had our last baby class- Infant Massage.  I am SO glad we took this!  There are so many benefits to doing this, I don't understand why not everyone does it!  We learned techniques to help with colic and help with crying and overall health.  And just the bonding it creates between the parent and baby is unbelievable!  So with the chiropractor care Braxton will have and the infant massages we will be doing all day every day- I cant wait to see the benefits he will get!

Wednesday came along and just absolutely killed me.  I would get 3 strong contractions pretty much back to back followed by 1 long contraction that didn't let up for at least 30 min.  That happened every 2-3 hours. I was in so much pain.  Driving home with Brian I was just gripping the seat belt crying out in pain from the contractions- and on top of that Braxtons foot was shoved up my ribs making it feel like my ribs were literally breaking.  I was in so much pain we called the hospital on the way home to see if I needed to come in, but they wanted me to go home and try laying down first. Laying down really helped- guess work had just been really rough on my body that day- slowly but surely the pain started decrease and I began to feel better.

Thankfully, I had a chiropractor appointment the next day- she was able to get him moved out of my ribs and get me some relief! I love going to the chiropractor!!!

Friday brought a whole nother round of trouble though- I was doing good all day and then about 5pm I started to get a headache (which I never get) and it just kept getting stronger and stronger- my whole body just started to feel awful and achy- then my throat starting feeling like it was closing up. By this time I started getting pretty vocal with Brian that I wasnt feeling good.  A little bit later I started to get really really hot- and then shortly after my body stayed hot but I got so cold and just started shaking uncontrollably.  Thats when Brian started to get really worried.  We called the doctor to see what to do-  they wanted us to take some Tylenol first and see if that helped and if it didnt to go into the ER.  I took 2 Tylenol and within an hour it had knocked me out and put me to sleep. I woke up the next day and felt perfectly fine- so weird!

I am so worried that I'm not going to know when I actually go into labor- with all these contractions and pains Ive been having for so long, Im nervous I'm just going to write off the real labor pains as just what I have been going through already.  Everyone tells me that I will know- but I just have a feeling that I'm not going to...

1 more month to go until we get to meet our little one!!! :)

35 Weeks! Just Call Me Waddles :)

How Far Along:  35 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 21 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Yep, moving into my fall clothes now!

Stretch Marks: Very minimal!

Sleep: Impossible.  Laying down in any position is so uncomfortable and when I have to roll to another side it takes forever- I'm exhausted all the time, but sleep is just not coming easy

Best Moment This Week: Express Baby Shower & My mom and Taylors blessings

Miss Anything: Being able to get up or roll over or walk or move at all without pain or struggle!

Movement: All day and night- this little boy loves to be active.  Think he is going to be one heck of a soccer player like his daddy :)

Food Cravings: Hmmm....I guess grilled cheese, root beer, and mexican.  I eat less now than I did before I was pregnant- belly is full with baby, no room for food!

Anything make you quesy or sick: Not much anymore

Gender Predicition- BOY!

Labor Signs:Contractions!

Symptoms:   Swollen feet, exhaustion, contractions, back pain, waddling, emotional

Belly Button in or out: Staying flat, still hasnt popped!

Wedding ring on or off: On! So happy about that!

Looking Forward to:   Holding our baby boy for the first time!

Nursery Progress: It is 100% ready- thanks to Mom and Taylor!



Baby is now the size of a coconut!  He should be about 17.2-18.7 inches long and still in the 4.2-5.8 pound range (he is estimated at 6.8 pounds right now though.....).  His hearing is fully developed and responds to high pitched noises.  His kidneys and liver are also now developed.  Most of his basic physical development is now complete- now its just adding on some more weight!

I've avoided almost all swelling so far- thankfully- except for my feet!  I cant wear anything except flip flops now and even those are so tight they leave indention marks on my poor feet.  This might present a potential problem since Fall and cooler weather is now here, but since I'm on so much bed rest- I wont have to worry about that too much :)

I can tell the time is getting closer, because my fears and anxiety have switched from pregnancy related to parenting related.  I've done a lot of research of infant/child development- I want to make sure that we do everything we can to make the best environment for our son and I don't want to be oblivious to signs of potential problems.  I've also found a lot of research about television and infants- and how it is recommended that children under 2 watch zero tv and have no background tv.  ZERO TV in our house might be impossible- but it is something I am taking seriously and will limit very closely with Braxton.  Our pediatrician has told us he needs to sleep in our room (in a pack and play, not our bed) until he is 6 months old to help reduce the risk of SIDS- which we fully intend to do.  But I was thinking how we always watch tv in bed to unwind before we go to sleep...all these little things that we will have to be more conscious of and change.... so much to learn about!  I just hope that I know what I'm doing once we get home from the hospital.  Everyone says it just comes to you- I sure hope so because sometimes I just feel so lost!

We had our CPR and Breastfeeding classes this week- I learned alot and feel better prepared on both topics!  We only have one class left- Infant Massage and then we have completed all our parenting classes together :)

Wednesday was Brians last day of Konnect- I know it was hard on him to stop serving in this ministry- but we just thought with all the complications and being this far along it was best for our family for him to be home with me.  I know I am very grateful to have him home with me at night for these last few weeks in case anything happens!

Thursday Brians work threw us a Baby Shower.  I was just so amazed by them- I dont even work there and they took the time to throw us a shower- how awesome is that?!?  They made a gorgeous hand make baby cake and punch and there was even our first diaper cake.  So adorable!  I knew Express was a great company to work for, but I was just blown away by the amazing people in that company.  They went out of their way to make that hour so special for us and just show us some love!  Big thank you to everyone who helped put that on and who came to celebrate with us!  We got necessities  that we really needed and some super cute stuff for our lil boy!

We also went and got our Tdap shots together- the shot wasn't near as bad as I expected, but my arm was sore for the next few days!  I think almost all of our family has gotten the shot now, which is good.  In order for them to be around Braxton they need to have it at least 2 weeks before he gets here.  (I know there is a new movement to not vaccinate- but we are following our doctors advice and going the vaccination route)

I cant even walk from room to room in our house anymore without awful contractions- and the nursery was in desperate need of organization- so Taylor and my mom offered to come over Sunday afternoon and do it all for me- how lucky am I???  It was so wonderful- I was able to sit in the recliner and help direct (in all honesty they didnt need me- those two are pros at this!) They got everything organized and decorated and completly ready for us to bring Braxton home!

Those two- my mom and The Beard Family have blessed us in our time of need in a way that can only be summed up as a gift from God-  I dont know how to thank you guys enough for everything, but please know we are beyond grateful and thankful for everything. 

34 Weeks- Bed Rest & Breakdowns!

How Far Along:  34 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 20 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Love them!

Stretch Marks:  Still just the few...hoping to keep it that way!

Sleep:  Awful!! Between acid reflux and just being plain miserable, its impossible

Best Moment This Week: Baby Shower!!

Miss Anything: Being able to walk at a normal speed :( I'm slower than slow....

Movement: non stop- and he is so strong- he loves to punch down low,kick my ribs, and stick his butt against my sides!

Food Cravings: Not really- I can barely eat anymore- there is just no room in my belly!

Anything make you quesy or sick:  Acid reflux all the time... don't know what is causing it!

Gender Predicition- He is all boy!

Labor Signs: CONTRACTIONS!!!  

Symptoms:    back pain, swollen feet, acid reflux, exhaustion, contractions- i can't even walk 10 feet without them starting up! 

Belly Button in or out:  Staying Flat!

Wedding ring on or off: Still on! whooo hoo!!!! 

Looking Forward to:   Braxton being here soon (just not too soon!)

Nursery Progress: Just need to get it all organized and we are ready to roll!

34 Weeks! Baby is the size of a butternut squash- should weigh about 4.2 to 5.8 pounds (he is estimated at 6.2 pounds) and should be between 17.2 and 18.7 inches.  He can now recognize and react to simple songs- Brian loves to sing Soft Kitty to him, which I have recently protested- because we do not like cats in this family and I don't want him getting confused :)  jk....kinda!

This was an emotionally trying week for us-  We went in for our check up with the doctor, I had been having bad contractions over the weekend and we were now past the 2 week mark that we tested negative for for premature labor- so I was kind of expecting them to do another stress test and see just how many contractions I was having.   But instead....I got checked for dilation (still at zero thank goodness) and had to have another fetal fibronectin test...ugh!  At least my doctor was ALOT better at doing this than the hospital nurses- wasn't nearly as uncomfortable- but all I could think about was here comes another $500 bill for this test.... Bills are just racking up... little did I know, it was about to get a whole lot worse.

In amazingly good news- the test came back negative again- so we have a 2% chance of having the baby in the next two weeks- Praise God!  But in devasting news to our family- the doctor drew the line and said working full time was not an option.  I needed more bed rest to keep the baby healthy and safe than what I was getting.  She asked what my plan was with work and I let her know I had planned to work up to the day I went into labor, that we just had to have the income.  She decided that for now I needed to only work part time and then we would re-evaluate at the next appointment if that was working or if I needed to be on bed rest full time.

We were already going to be in a financial pinch due to a tight budget to begin with and on top of that our daycare pushing us back a month- Basically what this means for us- is after the house bills are paid for- we have less than $20- for everything.  Everything meaning gas, groceries, toiletries, the dog, everything.  For my A type personality, this was just too much to process.  I literally cried all day that day and fell asleep crying in my husbands arms- scared at how we were going to survive and take care of our son.

We had lots of people telling us it would be okay and everything would work out, but that line just seemed to stress me out more.  I know people were saying that because its really the only thing you can say to someone in that situation, but I knew they were wrong.  It wasn't going to be okay- the numbers got worse and worse every month and my accountant brain had no way of solving the problem.  I knew stressing and crying wasn't good for me or Brian and especially wasn't good for Braxton, so the next day I just had to take a deep breath and have a long talk with God.  Me and Brian cut almost every expense there is to cut and we just had to trust that we were going to get through this somehow someway.  We know we are going to have to sacrifice and are prepared to do that, however we will not take out credit cards and while money is a desperate need right now- we have to keep investing in our marriage too- so a 2nd job isn't an option either.  I need Brian to be there to take care of me while I'm on bed rest and when our little one comes, we need Brian there to be a daddy and bond with Braxton and share the parenting experience with me. We went through the house and made a pile of everything we could find to sell  to bring in some money and we are just praying for a miracle.  We have learned to ration out our food and to re-use things that most people wouldn't.  We are both scared to death of how we are going to make it, but we just have to have faith that God will provide.

We do have amazing family and friends- and my sweet mom has tried to make sure that we have food in our fridge and on our table- when she goes grocery shopping she will get us a sack full of essentials and she checks in on us all the time.  I know she wishes she could solve all our problems, but the numbers are just staggering.  But that sack of groceries she brings, that in itself is a miracle to us every time.  Thank you mom for taking care of us with food, with your time, with your love, with everything you have.  You are the best mom in the world.  We were also blessed by one of Brians co-workers, he made us dinner and we made it last 3 meals! (and it was soo YUMMY!).  And to everyone who has pitched in to make things a little easier on us- whether its a meal, helping clean the house to give Brian a break, helping getting things for Braxton, a prayer, hug, a listening ear, or shoulder to cry on- thank you.  We love you and are so thankful for each of you in our lives. 

I really thought that this much bed rest would be hard on me- I thought I would get restless and just want to get up and clean and organize and just move around- but it ended up being the exact opposite.  I had no idea how exhausted my body really was.  The days that I am on bed rest all day long- I dont move a muscle.  And its amazing the difference it makes in the number and intensity of contractions I have- once again, Dr. Hall does know best!

And I am so lucky to have a husband that serves me with love every second of every day.  I know its not easy on Brian- working full time, coming home and cooking, cleaning, and bringing everything to me so I dont have to walk- and on top of all that just dealing with all the emotions of becoming dad, trying to be strong for me, and handling all the stress of the financial situation and me and braxtons health.  Thats a lot on one person, but he never makes me feel like an inconvenience or a stress on him or anything negative- he just loves me and holds me and kisses me and reassures me that no matter what we have each other and our love is stronger than anything the devil can throw at us and that no matter what we will get through this together.  

Sunday we had our second baby shower- it was a Boy oh Boy theme and turned out adorable!  We got alot of stuff we really needed!!! We even got our stroller and baby monitor and our mattress pads we needed so badly- along with a bunch of other necessities and stuff for Braxton!

Thank you to everyone who is lifting us up in your prayers- we appreciate it more than you know!

33 Weeks- Hanging in There!

How Far Along:  33 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Every day!

Stretch Marks:  Keepin them to a minimum!

Sleep:  Up and down all night.... rolling over has become so difficult...and getting comfortable is impossible :(

Best Moment This Week: Laughing in the car with my husband- just sat there for a long time being silly and laughing so hard , a friend at work lending me her breast pump, and moms surprise!!!! What a blessing!

Miss Anything: Being active, being able to clean, being able to really do anything

Movement: He is active 24/7

Food Cravings: Nothing special- meals are getting smaller and smaller!

Anything make you quesy or sick: Nope

Gender Predicition- 100% Boy

Labor Signs: contractions

Symptoms:  lower back pain, swollen feet, contractions, acid reflux

Belly Button in or out: still staying flat

Wedding ring on or off: on :)

Looking Forward to:  Baby Shower!

Nursery Progress:  Just needing some essentials- crib sheets, mattress pads, stroller, monitor etc!

This week baby is the size of a Durian Fruit (no idea what that is!)- but he should be weighing between 4.2 and 5.8 pounds (he is estimated to be 5.8).   He is now keeping his eyes open when he is awake, and he is starting to coordinate breathing, sucking, and swallowing! His bones are hardening and he is having major brain development this week.

We got to view our maternity pictures this week- they turned out really good!  Part of me wishes I would have waited another week or two so my belly would have been bigger... but then again we did it the week before all the bed rest/contractions started so maybe it was for the best!  I can't wait to get some of our favorite prints in!  Hopefully they get here before our little one does!

My mom also had a HUGE surprise for us! She is the queen of all bargain shopping and she found the sale of all sales and was able to get us a new (bigger) refrigerator- with a working ice machine! finally! and a new, silent, energy saving dishwasher!!!! We needed both so bad- we had old hand me downs before and they weren't going to last much longer.  She was able to get both for less than the normal price of one! It was such a surprise and a blessing to us- there is no way we could have done that ourselves.  Thank you mom!!!!! We can't tell you how much that meant to us and how much its helping us out!!!

This week the "modified bed rest" got a little stricter- I'm still able to work, but no more running errands of any kind or doing anything that someone else can do for me. No cooking, no cleaning, no grocery shopping- sitting at work and laying down at home.

That worked pretty good for the majority of the week- seemed like the contractions were getting better.... that is until Saturday- and then that same incredibly pain side contraction flared up again.  And then Sunday- well Sunday was just plain awful!  My body just felt different- in a bad way-  I had a constant lower back pain, I had contractions that were wrapping around my back all the way around my stomach-  We didn't know what to do- whether to go into Labor and Delivery or not- I wasn't have more than 5 an hour (that I could feel anyways)  but the ones I was having were really bad.  It got to the point that I finally said 1 more contraction and we are going in- we got our bags ready to go and loaded the car seat into the truck- everything was ready to go.  And then I ended up falling asleep...... so we didn't go in, not yet anyways.  We decided we would call the doctor on Monday and see where to go from there.....

32 Weeks- Labor Scares & Baby Showers

How Far Along:  32 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: holding steady at 18 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Yes, Yes, Yes

Stretch Marks:  I'm staying lucky on this one so far!

Sleep:  Not so great, toss and turn all night and get up to pee every hour- my poor husband!

Best Moment This Week: Finding out that I'm not going into labor yet & my first baby shower

Miss Anything: Being able to sleep how I want and being able to walk normal!

Movement: All the time!! Non stop kicking and moving!

Food Cravings: Nothing really,  I cant eat much at one time- Braxton is taking up my whole stomach!

Anything make you quesy or sick: Nope

Gender Predicition- He is definitely a boy!

Labor Signs:CONTRACTIONS!!!!!

Symptoms:  Contractions, swollen feet, hot flashes

Belly Button in or out: Still flat

Wedding ring on or off: ON!! whoo hooo

Looking Forward to: Baby Classes

Nursery Progress: Its ready!

He is the size of a squash this week!  He should weigh 2.5-3.8 pounds and measure 15.2-16.7 inches long.  He has now developed sensitivity to temperature.  Chances of survival if the baby were born this week is 90%!!

Monday morning I got up and got ready for work, as I was getting ready to leave, around 645am I got another incredibly painful contraction.  The kind that makes walking impossible- this one felt like Braxton was literally pushing his way out.  I couldn't walk, couldnt sit, it was awful.  I rode with my mom to work, the pain was kind of going in and out.  But when I got out of the car to walk into work it went into high gear again.  I couldnt hold it in anymore and just cried and cried at my desk because of the pain.  Finally around 745am it was over.  I called my doctor to tell them about everything from Sunday and Monday- and they said I needed to come into Labor & Delivery immediatly.  (they werent happy that I waited so long!)

So we went up there,  I had my mom and Brian with me- I was still crying off and on because by this time I was pretty scared.  I expected them to take me to the testing room- but instead I went right into a delivery room.  I got hooked up to all the machines and they monitored his heart beat, his movements, and my contractions and blood pressure.  We were watching the contractions on the monitor and I noticed I was going up to the 40's and 50's quite often, but I didnt really know what that meant.  Honestly, since I wasnt having the painful ones anymore I felt kind of silly and bad that I made everyone take off work, because I thought nothing was happening.  Boy was I wrong!!

Next thing I know I have nurses coming in very concerned- saying that I am having strong contractions anywhere from 6-12 minutes apart with some as close at 4 minutes apart.  They gave me a shot that was supposed to relax my uterus muscles to try to slow down the contractions (I am terrified of needles and shots!)  The actual needle of the shot wasnt bad at all, but gosh it burned!  Then they had to do a test to see what my chances of pre term labor was- um uncomfortable!!  And they checked to see if I was dilated-  luckily I wasnt!!!

The doctor came in to check on me- I just love Dr. Hall-  she gave me a lecture about not coming in Sunday- told me I was now on bed rest and that she wasn't sure how long I would be in the hospital.  They needed to get my test results back which would take several hours and I couldn't be released until the contractions were under control.  The shot they gave me slowed the contractions down for about 10 min, but then they came back even stronger and faster.  Now they were only 2 minutes apart!  So time for shot #2-  they could only give me 3 of these shots, and I really didn't want to go through another one, so I was really hoping this one would work.  And thankfully it did, the contractions slowed down in strength and speed.

So, finally HOURS later we were released- home for bed rest! The fetal fibronectin test came back negative- meaning I had a 98% chance of not having the baby for 2 more weeks.  However, it only predicts 2 weeks- so the doctor warned me that at 2 weeks and 1 day- all bets were off again. I had to stay home from work Tuesday but they let me go back after that since my job is just sitting at a desk with no standing or moving.  And then after work hours and on weekends I was to be on bed rest. 

Tuesday I went in to see Dr. Hall for a follow up appointment and she scheduled me an emergency ultrasound that day to check on the baby and see if I was effacing yet.  I love ultrasounds because there is nothing better than getting to see your little one, but they are starting to get really uncomfortable.  I am all baby in my belly, so my belly is really really hard (they comment on that every time)- so when they push with the ultrasound thing its an uncomfortable hurting feeling.  She measured all his bones and his head- once again we got the "oh my gosh he has such a big head" comment and she told us he is measuring almost 2 weeks bigger than he should be- measures at 33 weeks and 5 days and is weighing 5.2 lbs, which is HUGE, he should be about 2.5 lbs- so they are estimating if he goes to full term he would be between 9-10 lbs.  I know this is just an estimation and soooo many people have told me their stories on how it was off- but this is one of my biggest fears.  I knew it ran in Brians side of the family to have huge babies, but I was really praying my genetics would come into play on this one.... The most important thing is that he is healthy, no matter how big he is, but I'm still holding out hope that the numbers are wrong....

his lips all puckered up

his big ol foot- takin after his daddy and papa kj!

He is head down and very very low- this kid is ready to come on out!  She couldn't measure my cervix because he was so low, so we had to do the internal ultrasound to get the measurement.  It wasn't until the next day that we got the results back on this- but we got good news! I wasn't effacing yet!!! So for now they are calling this pre term labor contractions and ordering modified bed rest.

Saturday my mom went garage sale-ing and found some AMAZING baby deals for us!!!  By this point I was getting really restless and there was a small consignment sale right down the street so we all 3 went and found some more awesome deals- I'm telling you I dont know what we would have done without Consignment Sales, Garage Sales, and CraigsList- they have been the biggest blessing to our teeny tiny budget!

Sunday was our first baby shower-  we did a co-ed baby shower because I just dont understand why only the mom would want to have the fun of getting things for the baby- its OUR baby, not just mine.  It turned out perfect- my friends Taylor and Penny  and my mom hosted it for us- the theme was She's About To Pop!  The decorations were adorable and Penny baked all the yummy food!  We had popcorn cupcakes, pop rocks, ring pops, popcorn, soda pop candy, and colored soda in blue, green, and orange!  It was kinda difficult for me because I wasnt able to get up and mingle with all my friends- I sat seated in the same spot the entire time.  But it was so fun- we got some great and cute gifts and Taylor came up with some really fun games.  We played Who Knows Mommy & Daddy the Best!  Betsey knew me the best and Shannon knew Brian the best (with Britt in a close second- way to go Weaver Family!)  And we played How Sweet It Is- a game where you match candy bars up with things in pregnancy- it got lots of laughs :)  And we did How Big is My Belly- everyone tore off some streamers the length that they thought would wrap around my belly- Miss Sarah got 1st place with her sister Kacie and my friend Kenzi in VERY close second!

While we were opening gifts I started to have contractions and got really really hot- so Brian finished opening them all for us. Thank you to everyone who came over to celebrate with us and for being so patient with my contractions and hot flashes! We have some pretty amazing friends and family :)  And a HUGE thank you to Penny, Taylor, and my mom for putting the party together, doing all the before hand and afterwards cleaning, and all the decorating!!! You guys ROCK and we are so  blessed to have you in our lives!

mommy & daddy!

brian opening the gifts for us while i had contractions/hot flashes!

my lovely hostesses!

31 Weeks.. Let the Contractions Begin...

How Far Along:  31 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Yep, and now I have the best OSU Maternity shirt too!!

Stretch Marks:  Not bad

Sleep:  Getting difficult- I just cant ever get comfortable.  When I lay on my side it feels like my side muscles are literally tearing- its so painful. And I think God is preparing me for motherhood- I can sleep through ANYTHING, no storm will wake me up, no noise is loud enough... but lately any little thing and I'm awake.  It stormed this week and I was awake the entire time :(

Best Moment This Week: Maternity pictures!

Miss Anything: Cuddling up with my husband and being able to work out!

Movement: Non stop, hes getting stronger and stronger! And moving up to my rib area now

Food Cravings: Bananas and Chocolate Milk .....and still mexican and chocolate and root beer!

Anything make you quesy or sick: BLEACH!  They used Bleach for an activity in Konnect this week- I was so sick for the rest of the night. It was absolutly awful.

Gender Predicition- hes a sweet boy!

Labor Signs: CONTRACTIONS!!!

Symptoms:  my left foot is swollen, get out of breath easily, and  extremely tired- like back to 1st trimester type tired!

Belly Button in or out: Still almost flat- hasnt popped yet!

Wedding ring on or off: ON!! whoo hooo

Looking Forward to: Our next baby classes, baby showers, and ultrasound

Nursery Progress: Its pretty much ready for him!

Braxton is now the size of a pineapple!  He is 15.2-16.7 inches long and should weigh 2.5-3.7 pounds.  He should gain half a pound a week from here on out! His brain, nerves, and eyes are all going through major development this week.   His irises now react to light!

I haven't gotten sick from smells in a long long time- but Wednesday night at Konnect they were using bleach for a project with the kids (which just doesn't sound smart to me at all)- but I didn't know it and as I was walking my girls to the room the smell overcame me and I was sick instantly.  I had to have someone else cover my group and had to go outside to get fresh air-  I ended up being sick ALL night from the smell and just felt miserable.  I think that has been the worst smell hands down this entire pregnancy!  My husband was so sweet though- he came outside and took care of me and took over taking care of my girls and he got me out of there early that night so I could go lay in bed and be sick.  I am so well taken care of, its such a blessing!

We had our maternity pics with the amazing Randy Coleman this week too! It was soooo much fun- time just flew by.  Me and Brian were just laughing and having fun the entire shoot- it felt like we were on a little date.  We went to a little park area in a neighborhood that had green grass and a lake and a little swing set.  I cannot wait to see how they turned out!!

I was feeling really great this week!  I had energy and I felt that pregnancy "glow"- things seemed to be on the up and up and finally getting easier for me!  That is until..... Sunday we went to the mall to look at some things we needed- Things were going great, and then out of nowhere  I started to get what I thought was a side cramp.  I told Brian I needed to slow down on walking because it was hurting pretty bad, but I still thought I could walk it out.  Well, it ended up getting so bad- about a 9 on a scale of 1-10 that I could not take another step- walking was impossible.  We were really close to a bench, so somehow Brian got me to that bench to sit.  The pain was awful and I started to get really really hot.  I just wanted out of the mall at that moment.  Finally after about 15 min the pain had died down to where I thought I could walk again and try to get to the car.  About 2 steps into walking the pain started again in the exact same spot on my side, only on my other side.  It was just as painful.  I didn't want to stop though, I just wanted to get home.  The pain caught up to me and walking once again became impossible.  I had to stop on the rail and just breathe out the pain.  People were looking at me like I was crazy.  I finally made it to another bench that was close to our exit so I sat there while Brian got the car and brought it up to the door for me.

I really didn't know for sure what these were- I knew they weren't Braxton Hicks contractions because those aren't painful and they go away with walking- but there is no way I was having real contractions at 31 weeks- right??!?!?

We went over to my moms from the mall to relax and let her know what was going on.  The pain hadn't come back, so I just kind of thought well that was weird but maybe its normal for this time in pregnancy.....

Little did I know what I was in store for come Monday morning.....

30 Weeks, The Nursery, and OSU Football!

How Far Along:  30 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 20 pounds (per the dr office, 18 by my scale)

Maternity Clothes: Yes! :)

Stretch Marks:  Just a few, trying to keep them to a minimum- nothing bad yet

Sleep:  Pretty good!

Best Moment This Week: The nursery being done and  the first OSU game of the season

Miss Anything: Nope, so happy being pregnant!

Movement: He is doing sumersaults, kicks, punches- non stop action going on in there!

Food Cravings: Chocoloate Milk, Chocoloate, Mexican

Anything make you quesy or sick:  Doing good in this dept- havent gotten sick in a while!

Gender Predicition- Hes a boy!!!

Labor Signs: Some Braxton Hicks contractions, nothing bad yet

Symptoms:  Contractions, swollen feet

Belly Button in or out: FLAT! looks like it could pop any time now!

Wedding ring on or off: Its on, Im hoping it can stay on the whole time!

Looking Forward to: The next ultrasound! those are my favorite :)

Nursery Progress: Its all put together!!!

30 Weeks!!! I feel like we are in the final stretch!!!!!  Baby is the length of a cucumber now- about 15-16.5 inches long and weighs 2.5-3.8 pounds.  He is now strong enough to grasp a finger!!!

My  checklist this week says to get the hospital bags ready!!! Woah!!! That was kind of scary to read- that means we really are getting close! We got all our toiletries packed- we got travel size ones- now we just need to pack our outfits and lil Braxtons!

I went in for my bi-weekly doctors appt on Tuesday-  it went great!  Braxton HATES the heart doppler- every time the nurse puts it on him, he kicks so hard that it literally bounces the doppler off my stomach. It is so funny to see. He got so mad at it, his heart rate went up to 152! That is the highest its been in a long time! He usually holds steady at about 146. I dont understand why he hates that but then falls asleep during all of our ultrasounds!  Silly boy :)  The doctor said everything looked perfect- she measured my belly and I was right on where I should be.  I asked her if I was too small-  seems like other people are just so much bigger than me I had started to get worried.  She kind of looked at me weird and said not at all, you are literally perfect just how you are growing.  That made me feel good!  Then I asked her about having a big baby- she just laughed and said wait you were just worried you were too small and now you are worried about having a 10 pound baby- to which I replied YES!  She said not to worry, that she cant estimate his birth weight yet, but that I am right where I should be and everything should be okay.  She said that she would have a better idea at the next ultrasound and that it was normal for me to start worrying about this- but she really does think I'll have a normal weight baby!  Whew!!!  They also weighed me in and I've offically gained 20 pounds so far- she said that was right where I should be too!

We had a major scare this week with my mom-  We were out shopping for Braxton when I kind of noticed her walking like she was in pain.  I asked if she was okay and she said she just had a cramp in her leg. But that "cramp"  turned in to a paralyzing pain.  All of a sudden she couldnt move at all and was in so much pain. People around started to notice something wasnt right and came to check on her, but we couldnt get her to the truck to get her to the hospital.  Brian went and pulled the truck up right to the door and somehow ended up basically carrying her out to it.  Getting her in the truck was just as difficult, she couldnt put any weight on her legs.  We boosted her up and got her in, but she was still in agonizing pain. Brian drove so fast- gave him some good practice for when labor is here-  we got her to the ER and of course by this time the pain had gone away.  They checked her and hooked her up to the IV's and ran a bunch of tests, but couldnt find anything.  Doctor ended up saying it was just a cramp.  However, we all know it was not a cramp, something went terribly wrong and it was frustrating to not have answers.  Praying that it doesnt happen again! Such a scary moment for all three of us.  Thankful for Brians ability to stay calm and take care of me and my mom. 

The nursery is offically painted and all the furniture is put together!!!!! We couldnt be happier with how it turned out.  Our friends, The Beards, painted for us- we did gray walls with 1 wall having gray stripes- its so perfect! We didnt want to go with a theme for the room (animals or sports or anything) so we just went with colors- and did Orange, Green, and Blue.  Taylor made the Braxton name sign and Brian and my dad put together all the furniture, my mom handmade all the bedding (pillows and quilts too)- it was just a family effort to get it all done and on a budget.   The quilt and bedding my mom made is absolutely perfect- I remember the things Oma made me when I was a baby and how special they are to me even to this day, so I am so excited she was able to make this for Braxton.  I love love love it!!! We walk in the room all the time and just look around- cant wait for lil Braxton to be here!!! Thank you to everyone who helped us get it all ready for him!

Painting the room!

putting together the dresser

My mom made Braxtons quilt- I am so in love with it!

Taylor made the Braxton sign- it turned out amazing!

We decided not to buy OSU season tickets this year- which was such a hard and heartbreaking decision for us to come to- but we knew it was for the best.   But..... this weekend was the first home game and I was feeling pretty good so we bought some tickets and decided to go! We were so excited!!!  My mom even bought me the cutest maternity shirt for the game- I just love it!! The game would have been just fine, except that it was like 100 degrees outside that day.  Just walking from the car to The Walk and Student Union and I was drenched in sweat and so exhausted.  I felt like I had just run a marathon.  I literally drank like 4 bottles of water so fast just trying to stay hydrated.  We watched the walk and then my sweet husband was so concerned about me he took me to the union and we just sat at a booth, drank water, and talked.  It was like a little date :)  He never made me feel guilty or like I was a pain that we couldnt do all the things we normally do, he just sat and talked with me and made sure I was okay....Have I ever mentioned how much I love him! ;)   Once it was close to game time, we headed in and bought me a seat cushion.  I was really worried about sitting at the game, but with the cushion it was great!  We had pretty good seats, but we were in the sun the whole time.  I just had to keep buying (expensive) waters to stay hydrated. The game was so out of control (we were killing the other team) and it was hot and we were starving so we left a little before halftime- the first time I have ever left early, but hey I'm pregnant!- and we walked over to Mexico Joes and sat in air conditioning, ate a good meal, chugged water, and watched the game on tv.  It was so much fun- I cant wait until we can start taking Braxton with us!!!

With all the excitement of our growing family, me and Brian have had so many talks about what traditions we want to do, what we want holidays to look like for us- its been so exciting to have those conversations with him and just to dream of what our family will be like.  I love that when we talk about it we both envision the same things.  We both want tradition- and we both want holidays to be holiDAYS, not just eat and runs or rush from place to place, but to enjoy the day with family and have fun and make memories being active. I love dreaming and planning with him :)

29 Weeks

How Far Along:  29 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Nothing else will fit over this belly anymore!

Stretch Marks:  Nope, doing good!

Sleep:  Thanks to my chiropractor, sleep is wonderful!

Best Moment This Week: Without a doubt- getting to see Braxton!!!

Miss Anything: Nope, I am so happy being pregnant right now :)

Movement:  Non- stop!  He loves doing rolls and flips and kicks- I feel him 24/7

Food Cravings:  Cholcolate Milk!  (dont know where that one came from!) But I NEED it every morning!!

Anything make you quesy or sick: Not that I can think of

Gender Predicition-  BOY!

Labor Signs:  Starting to have some Braxton Hicks contractions, they arent bad yet, but they are beginning!

Symptoms:  Tired, Leg cramps, nesting.... the usuals!

Belly Button in or out: almost flat...

Wedding ring on or off: On!  Luckily, no swelling yet!

Looking Forward to: The nursery being all put together

Nursery Progress: Almost done painting, and almost got our handmade quilt done (made by my mom- cant wait to see it!)- so close to being all done!


 Baby is the size of an acorn squash this week!  He is starting to plump up, weighing anywhere from 2.5-3.8 pounds and is 15-17 inches long. He is growing fat deposits under his skin and his energy is surging because of it (yes it is!!!!).

Everything I read talks about him kicking my ribs and crowding them-  pretty sure this baby is still as low as he can get!  He is nowhere near my ribs yet.  In our baby classes they always talk about the baby dropping and how you will feel that- I dont think he can drop anymore than he already is!

This was a fun week! It was full of exciting things :) Monday started the Just Between Friends consignment sale-  this is the best sale ever!!!! Me, Brian, and my mom all went monday after work and it was amazing the amount of things they had there- TONS!!!!!!  We ended up getting a few things that night (at GREAT prices).  I love shopping with those two for Braxton!

Wednesday we had a health screening at work- all my numbers were great! I had good cholestorol, good glucose number, and a good blood pressure! And for doing the screening I got a gift card to Babies R Us!!! WHooo hooo!!!! We still have quite a few of big ticket items left, so this was a huge blessing!!!!

I had to skip the chiropractor last week- so when I went on Thursday it had been 2 long weeks since I had been there and boy oh boy could my body tell!   My upper back had been hurting worse and when she touched the tender spot on my back it hurt so bad- turned out I had a rib out of place!  Thank goodness I am going to see her though- she fixed me up and got me back in good shape- no more missing! Making sure I get there every week for my checkup!!!

Saturday was the funnest day of all (i know its not a word, but i still use it)  We had my mom and Brians parents come over that morning for breakfast together and let them see the nursery.  My mom is handmaking Braxtons bedding- so far she has the bedskirt done and 2 of the pillows and is almost done with his quilt!  I cannot wait to see it all done-  it is absolutly perfect for the nursery and exactly what I wanted!!!! And it is going to be so special for him to have a quilt that his grandma Millie made for him :)

After breakfast we all headed over to Stork Vision for the 4D ultrasound.  We were all so excited to see Braxton and I couldnt wait to see what all he was doing in there that was bouncing my tummy around so much.   But....he decided it was nap time right as soon as the ultrasound started.   And that little boy sleeps like his  momma- hard! Nothing will wake him up.  So the entire ultrasound he slept and didnt move at all.  But it was still good to see him- he has the cutest little chubby cheeks and he was just cuddling like crazy.  Everyone was saying he is going to be a cuddlebug- I knew it! I could tell in my heart a long time ago he was!  He was just cuddled up to me and was using the umbical cord like a little blanket (which makes me nervous)- but oh boy was he sooo cute.  I think he has Brians face- most people who saw him are saying they see my face and Brians chin-  and yes he for sure does have Brians chin!  I could have watched him for hours!  I was so happy to have my mom and Brians parents there to see him too- it was such a cool moment!

Here is our precious cuddlebug just sleeping away!

After the ultrasound me and my mom went back to the JBF sale for the half off day- the bargains we got that day were ridiculous. It was so cheap and we got so much good quality stuff!  I stocked up on Carters and Baby Gap clothes- anywhere from NB to 9 months-  everything was like .50 to 2 dollars max.  I cant wait till I get to dress him- he is going to be one cute litte guy!!!

I got a surprise mini makeover from Brian and my mom too- Brian took me to get my eyebrows done at the salon- its the little things that make me so happy :)  and my mom colored my hair for me and we all just spent the day together-  it really was the perfect day.  I was so so so happy.

Sunday our friends The Beards came over and painted the nursery for us!!! We are painting it grey with one wall having grey and white stripes.  So they did the first round of paint and then are coming back next week to finish up the stripes.  It looked SO good!!  While the husband was painting me and taylor did some organization and re decorating the house, which made my nesting instincts so happy :)

That night my grandparents took the whole family out to dinner and then we came home and crashed!  This was probably one of the funnest and eventful weekends we have had- and we were exhausted!!! 

I am so in love with my family, and our son, and my loving husband.  Life is so fun- I love laughing with Brian and laughing so hard that we cant stop and you just start crying because you are laughing so hard.  I cant wait until Braxton is here to add to our joy! :)