Week 38

This week was my last week of work before starting maternity leave. We are required to start our leave 2 weeks before the due date. It will be nice to have the time off and focus on Isla's arrival instead of work. I'm also glad since I am so sick of my maternity work clothes. I can't wait to pack them away. I think I will start saving now so that when I loose the baby weight and go back to work I can get a new work wardrobe! It will be strange though to not be working for the next 12 weeks. I don't think I've had that much time off since I started working at 16! I know once Isla arrives there will be plenty to do, but until then I'm just trying to find ways to stay occupied.

Isla is still the size of a watermelon and may gain weight, but won't really get much bigger (thank goodness)!

Since we aren't supposed to leave the immediate area, we stayed home for the holiday weekend. I sucked it up and got a maternity swimsuit even though I swore I wouldn't. We went to the main neighborhood pool a few times and I was reminded why I used to pay extra to go to the adult only pool! It was certainly a different experience, but I guess we need to get used to all the screaming kids!

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Week 37

Well we are all still here! Honestly, it really would have sucked to make it through 37 weeks of pregnancy just for the world to come to an end. I would have been pretty pissed! We hit several big milestones this week. First, Ryan and I have been married now for 4 years. It is really hard to believe that 4 years ago we had just gotten married on Peter Island in the B.V.I. and our toughest decision was what cocktail to have next! Things have certainly changed. It's a little scary to think that our decisions now will affect more than just the two of us. Second, we made it to 37 weeks which means Isla is now considered full term and can be safely delivered any time now. Third, we made it to the three months that I needed to be at my current job in order to get the 12 weeks paid maternity leave! It is a big relief to have made it past that deadline.

Physically I'm pretty much feeling the same. My swelling hasn't gone down at all and I can't wait to have ankles again. I haven't had any contractions yet, not even Braxton Hicks ones. Any time I turn over or get up I usually make a noise and Ryan is on high alert as to whether it is a contraction. He says he is ready for Isla to come now. I'm not so sure. I think if she waits another 3 weeks that will be ok with me. It's still hard to fathom she will be here by then. That has always been something that will happen in the distant future and now it's more like the immediate future! Yikes! People keep asking if we are ready, which I guess we have all the stuff, but how can you really know if you are ready for something that will change your life so profoundly? But I guess, ready or not, here she comes!!!!

Week 36

This pretty much sums up how I am feeling most of the time now... worn out. I had a doctor appointment on Monday and everything was good. I was tested for Strep B which about 1/3 of women have. I haven't received the results yet, but if I do have it I will need to take antibiotics while in labor. The doctor also checked to see if the baby's head is down and it was. Hopefully she stays that way for another month. I am feeling her movements more and more now. I can tell she is getting stronger and running out of room. She usually gets in several good shots to my ribs each day.

On Saturday we took an infant care class at the hospital. It was a pretty good class. The teacher hit on all the high points like swaddling, diaper change, baths, and infant CPR. I'm feeling a little more confident but still pretty nervous.

I think I've started to get the nesting bug. Today I packed a diaper bag, finally took some bottles out of the package so we can wash them, and we made a run to Target to pick up the remaining stuff we think we need. The whole plan in going to Target was to use our 10% off registry completion coupon, but of course I realized I left it at home as we got in line to check out! We also put together a diaper change caddy for the basement and a bath caddy. We plan on using the kitchen sink for the first few weeks while we are doing sponge baths. I've started to pack for the hospital. I have most of my toiletry items packed and I packed Isla's going home outfit, blankets, etc. I can't believe she will be here in a month. Even though it feels like I have been pregnant forever, it is still pretty overwhelming that soon we will be a family of three!

Little Rock Baby Shower

This weekend, some good friends from home threw me a shower in Little Rock. The food and decorations were fabulous. A special shout out to Katie Cooper who couldn't be there, but still made the most amazing cupcakes E-V-E-R. It was so good to see everyone and catch up since I don't get home as often as I would like. Tara and Eric were nice enough to host the shower at their house. We got to meet their daughter Olivia, who is adorable and sweet as can be. We at least remembered our camera this time around, however, I didn't really get any pictures together with everyone. Here are the pictures that we did get. Thanks MG for being the photographer, even though you turned your nose up at our point and shoot camera!


Ryan wanted me to hold the baby to see how I acted. I guess he was trying to test me. Not sure what he was going to do if I didn't pass his test. It's a little late now! So here's a picture of me looking very uncomfortable holding Olivia.

Here's Eric, Ryan, and Erin's daughters Maddie and Mo.

Celeste with the awesome wreath that she "threw together" for us.

Ryan modeling a lovely watermelon outfit.

Tara, Anna, Erin, Celeste, and Doug (holding Olivia)

It's a girl sign from Cookie and Marc.

Cookie, Sam, Ryan and I.
Blanket handmade by Sam!


Thank you again to Anna, Tara, Celeste, Katie and Cookie for a great shower! I'm so lucky to have such amazing friends and family.

Week 34 - Cankles and More!

6 weeks left and counting... Isla is now about the size of a pineapple and weighs around 5-1/2lbs. She has been very active this week. Her movements feel more like pushes and rolls than sharp jabs now. However, whenever she hits my ribs that is still a pretty sharp pain! I've been doing kick counts each day where I make sure she kicks or moves 10 times within an hour. She usually passes the test well before the hour mark, especially if I do it right after I eat.

Sleeping is still uncomfortable, but not as bad now that I have the new pillow. As the title of the post states, the cankles have arrived! Oddly enough, this was the one symptom that I was really hoping I wouldn't get. They have been coming and going for the past few weeks. The swelling would usually go down after I slept or elevated my feet. Nothing really helps now. It doesn't really hurt, but my feet feel tight and it just looks really gross. For anyone who doesn't know what cankles are, here you go...

I saw the doctor on Monday and everything went well. Isla's heartbeat was good and all of my stuff - weight, blood pressure, etc checked out ok. I have another appointment next Monday. On Tuesday night, I am taking a breast feeding class at St. Luke's. I'm hoping this will help mitigate some apprehension I'm having. I've read a few books, but it still seems very overwhelming.