Finished Nursery

It seems like it took forever but we are finally done with the baby's room.  Pictures are hung, bedding is here, all the clothes are washed, everything has a place.  I know it isn't going to stay this organized forever but it is nice to have it ready. 

Looking into the room from the hall way.  Ally was relaxing in there as well.

The glider and bookshelf.

Close up of the bookshelf.  Has all his books and toys.  Plus we have quite a few empty picture frames that need to filled!

The crib with the bedding quilt hung on the wall until he is old enough to use it.

We took the bumpers that came with the bedding and made them into wall hangings because we are using a mesh breathable bumper which is better for air flow in the crib.  Plus we needed more wall decor.  We have the two long sides above the two windows and the two short sides above the doorway and closet.

Then we have the closet and changing table.  (Changing table is stock full of diapers, wipes, blankets, and bibs.)  Then we have some decorations above it.  Just a picture of a whale and penguin (which go with the bedding) and then I found a print of the numbers 1-10 in German so I had to get it.

Then finally his open closet.  The dresser doesn't match the rest of the room and wouldn't really fit so we put it in the closet.  Then all of his clothes are hung up except onesies and pj's.  Plus we have lots and lots and LOTS of wipes stored in there (which will be nice not having to stock up for a while) and size 1 diapers.  Also hanging up is his diaper bag (that Russel picked out because he won't mind carrying that one) and his paw print robe that his Aunt Melissa got him for Christmas.  Now he just needs a pipe to go with it. :)

Actually we do have one more thing to do.  There are these big letters for about $5 at Kohl's and we bought two since we are undecided on his name.  Once we know for sure and we get home from the hospital we are going to hang the correct letter up over by the glider and window.  We checked it out with both letters and they both look good.

38 Weeks!

Since I won't make it past 39 weeks (unless he magically flips head down) this is my second to last belly picture.  I will probably take one more Sunday night or Monday morning.  I don't think I look bigger than my last picture but I feel it.  No big changes except sleeping is harder to do again and this time it is making my hips hurt instead of my back.  Oh well...it's almost over.  Then my lack of sleep won't be from my big belly but from the baby.

Baby Boy is Big & Breech

So March 17th, Russel and I had two doctors appointments.  The first was my 36 week appointment where the Maternity Counselor (a nurse) tested me for Group B Strep (which came back negative), blood taken (hematocrit - 37%, which is good), and went over my birth plan.  She asked questions about pain medication, when I want the baby bathed, if Russel will cut the cord, etc.  Then she felt/measured my belly, where she asked if I was having a contraction (which I wasn't) and then said my belly was measuring 39 weeks!  I am thinking she measures differently than my doctor because this past Friday I was only measuring 37 weeks (right on).  After that she sent us on our way to our next appointment with the ultrasound tech for our growth ultrasound.  Well the first big news was that he is breech!  Which essentially means he is upside down.  However he isn't 'normal' breech, he is 'frank' breech.  His head is right between my ribs, his back is on my left side, butt down, and his feet straight up on my right side.  The picture below is a little creepy (google image) but that is what he looks like. 

The tech said she could see him grab his ankles and he probably sucks on his toes.  She tried to get a good profile/face picture for us but he kept hiding behind his feet and hands.  We got a picture of his boy bits again, his face (the best one she could get), and then she printed a picture of his hair!  I was surpised that we could see a picture of that but it is pretty cute.  I will try to post the pictures later but I don't have a scanner and it would be a picture of a picture. 

Well afterwards the tech did all her measurements on the computer and his projected weight is 8 lbs!  Obviously this can't be exact but that is their estimate.  He is in the 90th percentile which a baby at that time is supposed to be int he 50th so he is quite the big baby.  The doctor said it could be from the Gestational Diabetes but also could be that he is just big. 

Well the news about him being breech meant a couple things.  He could turn around on his own (which isn't too likely because of the size and I was already 36 weeks 3 days along), they could try to turn him (it is called an external version), or schedule a c-section.  Well after a lot of thinking and family opinions and because of many personal, physical, and financial reasons we decided not to have the version done.  There is only a 50% chance it would work (and end up with a c-section anyways) and there was a lot of other factors which wouldn't make it work either.  We decided to go for the scheduled c-section and my doctor was very nice about it.  However he did say that the day of the surgery he will have a portable ultrasound machine and if he had happened to flip by then I would get sent home and wait for labor.  I am pretty sure if he flips I will know it though because I can feel his head on the top of my belly and he is such a big boy!

So...coming up on the blog, 2 more belly pictures (before the big day), pictures of our finished nursery (just need to hang things on the wall), and I will try to post the ultrasound pictures.

P.S. ...

We have narrowed down the baby's name from 3 to 2 and we are pretty sure we have a strong front runner.  But it is a secret which one! :)

Bedding Update...Again

It seems we have picked the most difficult bedding to get EVER!  As you know we ordered this bedding starting back November 20th right after we found out what we were having.  Since then it has been on backorder.  We thought we had a ship date back in January from Amazon but we didn't.  Everyone (including the people who make it) said the bedding would be available by the end of February.  So when we found out from Amazon they didn't have the bedding we ordered it from another place thinking we could get it faster.  Well we waited until the end of Feb like it said and still nothing.  So I finally talked to the new place we ordered from and they said they recieved the shipment of the bedding the previous night so they would begin shipping out the backorders that day.  I did some research and found out that everywhere else who had the bedding on backorder (Target, Babies'R'Us', Amazon...) all had it in stock.  So I waited a couple more days and then Russel got an email from Amazon.com saying out bedding has been shipped.  It was a huge suprise for us because Amazon said they would not ship it out without some more information from us.  So I contacted the other place (about 4-5 days after they said they were starting to ship our packages out) and just canceled our order.  The woman said "your package is supposed to ship out tomorrow, are you sure you want to cancel?"  I said yes but I really wanted to add that I didn't believe her.  So as of today our bedding arrived in Kansas from Arizona and should be here by Friday! I will feel much better when I can see it but knowing at least it is out there makes me feel much better!  Next time I am just going to buy something straight from the store so I can physically take it home with me.

Baby Shower #2

My second Baby Shower was February 20th and was held in Eau Claire.  It was mostly my mom's side of the family, some of my mom's friends, and I had two friends from Milwaukee come up and visit which was really great.  The shower was thrown by my two sisters and we had it at my Grandma Kovar's house.  This one was also a lot of fun!  We played some games as well, including the diaper game again and a game where the guests had to guess how big my belly was using toilet paper.  My cousin Jackie who is due 4 days after me wasn't too happy she couldn't use herself to guess!  We then got to eat some snacks along with some great desserts including a cake my Grandma is famous for making.  It is usually just "Red Cake" but my sister requested her to make it "Blue Cake" for my baby boy.  Then of course we opened gifts (Russel helped) and everyone was very generous.  The baby got some great clothes, diapers, LOTS of wipes, a picture painted by a family friend, bath stuff, his whale bathtub!, and a bumbo!  After the shower we only had to go out and purchase a few more things we didn't get off our registry like our monitor but other than that from both showers we got pretty much what we needed!  Also just a note - I didn't take any pictures at this shower so I want to thank Jackie and Maka for letting me steal theirs!

This is the diaper cake my sister Melissa made for me!

My sister Jennifer handing out the Toilet Paper for the measuring game

My sister Melissa measuring me

My cousin Jackie and I (due 4 days apart)

The "Blue" Cake

My cousin Katie playing the diaper game

Gift Time!

Russel helping me out

Baby Shower #1

So as I mentioned before on February 6th I had my first baby shower at Russel's mom's house in Warrens.  My dad's side of the the family, Russel's side of the family, and a few of my friends came to that one.  We played some games including the diaper one where you melt chocolate bars in a diaper and you have to guess which kind of candy it is.  It smells really good but looks disgusting.  Also the baby got a lot of great gifts like clothes, a high-chair, blankets, and of course diapers which will come in handy!

My mom & my friend Candis

Some of the people attending the shower

Reanna playing the diaper game

35 Weeks!

Technically I am 35 weeks and 3 days, so that means only 33 days left until my due date.  I am still convinced I will go earlier than my due date.  Like I have probably mentioned before, they will give me until my due date to go into labor naturally and then if he doesn't come by then I will be induced.  With the Gestational Diabetes they don't want to wait.  But all of that is also depending on my Ultrasound next Wednesday.  On St. Patricks Day I have my 36 week appointment which include being tested for Group B Strep (which doesn't harm me but can harm the baby during birth so I would have to be on antibiotics), I will register with Labor & Delivery, and talk about a Birth Plan.  Then I will have my growth Ultrasound where they will check the size/weight of the baby as accurately as they can and then we will be meeting with my Doctor afterwards to talk about it.  Of course if he is measuring too large then I will be induced early.  I am hoping I start naturally before my due date.  Even though we have already had an ultrasound I am nervous about this one.  Still hoping everything will look good and normal like before.  After that appointment I will go to the doctor weekly for checkups.  But I will only have 3 1/2 weeks left by then so there will not be many! 

The Diabetes is still a pain but I'm getting used to it mostly.  It sucks always wanting the food I can't have and my breakfast and lunch are almost always the same thing every day, but my nurse/diabetic educator says I don't need insulin for sure and instead of going to meet her all the time I call her with my blood sugar levels so I don't get charged for a visit.  I meet her on the 19th and I am hoping that is the last time I ever have to see her and I will be back to eating normal as soon as I give birth.  My first week of eating after having him is going to filled with really bad food but then I will get back on track since I have to be in a wedding in June!  So far total this pregnancy I have gained only about 20-23 lbs.  They say I shouldn't gain too much more but women usually gain about 1 lb a week in the last month.  I have been pretty lucky that the weight is really only in my frontal area. :)