Tomorrow!!!

The plan is that Nadia will be discharged tomorrow. She was taken off the phototherapy at noon today. They put a newborn size sleeper on her, and it's too big! She weighs 5 lb 14 oz so she has lost 4 oz since birth (5 grams since yesterday). I don't own any newborn size sleepers - just onesies. We need to go shopping and buy some NB size clothing for her. All my sleepers are size 0-3 months. To be honest, even the NB outfits I brought are big on her. I probably should buy a couple of things in preemie size. Today she received her first immunization shot, and she also had a hearing test which she passed. She is sleeping right now, and once she wakes up I will feed her and then she'll have a 2 hour sleep test in her car seat.

Tomorrow morning I have an OB appt (down one floor from NSCU) to have my staples removed. Of course I am tired from losing a lot of sleep, but mostly I feel pretty good physically. I am very glad to be rid of the heartburn. I had a horrible case of it during labor. I kept having it come up in my mouth, but that was the last of it. I can again eat whatever I want to eat and not suffer for it! My tummy has shrunk a lot but isn't back to pre-pg size yet (of course). My thighs are back to normal (swelling gone) but from the knees down I still have a crazy amount of swelling. I cannot move my ankles and my feet are so distorted I cannot put them flat on the ground. I've had a hard time finding a pair of socks that will go on my feet. I walk around in socks - even in the rain outside when we were at the Ronald McDonald House as there aren't any shoes I can put more than my toe inside. They hurt BIG TIME. I'm hoping they return to normal soon. I am getting better about movements in light of my incisions, but of course it's still slow going when I try to get up from bed and such like that. I think though if my feet weren't so swollen I could at least walk at a reasonable pace.

It was so wonderful for us to be able to hold Nadia today. My mom, Paul, and I all took turns cuddling the gal. I feel badly that she spent the first 5 days of her life with very little human touch. She loves being snuggled! Paul absolutely lights up when he sees her. He is LOVING fatherhood!!! Nadia has a dimple just like her Daddy. :-) Well anyhow the prayer request is that tomorrow's bilirubin count will still be under 10 and that her weight will have either stayed the same or gone up. I really, really want to go home tomorrow as I haven't been home since 6/23.

Progress!!!

Well we have had some ups and downs the last few days, but overall things are definitely going in the right direction!!! It turns out my milk came in Saturday afternoon. They were emptying her stomach (by the feeding tube) after every feeding, and the 5pm feeding was all breastmilk! What a relief that was for me! I was so happy considering I had only been pumping for 3 days and also nursing her for 2 of those. Although she was able to get milk from me at every feeding from then on, I still wasn't able to get milk through pumping until Sunday. I was soooo proud to hand them a bag of breastmilk (15ml) that I produced through pumping after I nursed her. I wanted to give them bags of milk to use for her supplementation by feeding tube rather than formula. Thankfully, by Sunday afternoon they said I was giving her enough milk while nursing that they would stop supplementing her. Her tube was removed! I still have 2 bags of milk that I guess we'll take home with us. It was a relief to stop pumping as it really added to the time and energy involved in feeding her to nurse and then pump every time. It's nice to JUST be nursing right now although eventually I'll start pumping again so that there will be milk for Paul and the babysitters to use, but for now I am just nursing her. I also am now allowed to nurse her on demand instead of sticking to their schedule (8am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm, 11pm, 2am, 5am).

Saturday night (between 8-11pm) she was transferred from NICU to NSCU (special care instead of intensive care) which again represented progress! Then late Monday morning she was transferred to one of their 2 demo rooms. This was VERY exciting as it meant I could finally be with her 24 hours a day. Diaper changes were now my responsibility, LOL! I've changed at least 6 poopy diapers already. It was so nice to be able to just get up from bed to feed her. Saturday night the trip to and from the Ronald McDonald House added 40 minutes to each feeding (which meant less sleep for Mommy) mostly because I am moving VERY slowly and it took forever for me to walk a flight of steps etc. So although I nursed her more times last night than Sat pm - I got a lot more sleep last night.

Other news yesterday wasn't as encouraging. She lost a little weight, and her bilirubin which had dropped from Fri to Sat went up from Sat to Sun. That was definitely discouraging for me as I am so anxious to go HOME having been here at the hospital a full week now. The good news is that her bilirubin went down a LOT from yesterday to today. WOOHOO! She will be coming off the lights sometime today as her number was under 10. This means today will be her first time to wear any clothing. It's about time, LOL! She likes to practically wiggle out of her diaper; I think wearing clothing will help keep her diaper on for one thing. This also means I should be able to cuddle and snuggle her today. YAHOOOOOOO! Nursing is wonderful, but I still have only had one chance to really snuggle with her (Sat pm) for more than say 3 minutes at a stretch.

Right now we're waiting for the doctors to do their rounds. It is at this time we should learn whether she will be discharged today or tomorrow. I am hoping for today but expecting them to say tomorrow. I'd love to be wrong though!!! My mom has stayed with me the last three nights. Thank you, Mom!!! I can't wait to be home with my hubby. Hopefully he's getting a lot of work done on his thesis as he now has less than 3 weeks to finish it. I know he misses us also!! His favorite nickname for me over the years has been "cutie pie" and now he says he has two cutie pies! :-)

Firsts

Well this week there have been many firsts for Paul, Nadia, and I, and that will only continue over the years to come! Today was the first day I changed one of her diapers. This wasn't as momentous to me because I've changed MANY diapers over the last 25 years. It was a bigger deal to me when Paul changed her diaper since it was his first ever diaper change. Neither of us have changed a poopy diaper of hers yet - that first still awaits both of us, lol. Of course nursing is a huge first experience. Thankfully my milk has started to come in today which is big progress. It's much harder for milk to come in when #1 mom has to wait until baby is 2 days old to nurse for the first time, #2 mom didn't pump for the first time until about 19 hours post delivery (even though she asked to nurse or pump many times in there!), and #3 mom's time with baby is very limited especially time to hold her and nurse her (30 minutes a day, 8 times a day). Keeping a baby away from her mom 20 out of 24 hours a day is just not nice IMHO. So that leads me to the most monumental first for me today - the first time I got to just hold my baby for longer than 5 minutes (I am not counting the 4 hours a day of nursing). This evening I started nursing her at 5pm and as her nurse didn't seem so strict about the 30 minute rule, I kept going until 5:45. Then Paul held her some (first time he had seen her today as my mom came in yesterday so Paul went home yesterday). Well then the nurse said Paul could hold her while they did the supplmentation (by a tube through her nose). Then she just let us keep snuggling with her. I have to say this ranks as one of the happiest moments of my entire life - feeling my little one fall asleep on my chest. We had her out of the lights for 1 hour and 45 minutes. It was amazing. Hopefully her bilirubin count will be low enough tomorrow that she can discontinue the phototherapy and we can have MANY more experiences snuggling with her in the very near future. She is just soooo cuddable!!! I wanted to cry tears of joy as it really hit me in that moment - I am a mom...my daughter is nestled on my chest... thank you Lord for this most precious gift!!!

Last night I was transferred to a different room. My mom and I spent the night in a room on the oncology floor. The trek from our room to Nadia was 10 minutes long. My mom wheeled me back and forth at 2am, 5am, etc. Thank you, Mom!!! We are spending tonight at the Ronald McDonald House as I was discharged this afternoon. Tomorrow night we'll be sleeping in a unit within the NICU, and if she's not discharged on Monday we will spend Monday night there as well. Please pray that she is discharged either Monday or Tuesday as I really, really want to go home!!! She didn't lose any weight from yesterday to today. She is just under 6 lbs so she only lost about 2 ounces since she was born. They want to see her weight start to go up again. Her bilirubin dropped down since yesterday (which was good as from Thurs to Fri it went up). If it's under 10 tomorrow then her phototherapy will end tomorrow morning. It needs to stay under 10 for 24 hours for her to be discharged. Finally, my milk has to come in before she can go home. Thankfully I am in the transitional milk stage. We are hoping my milk will come in tomorrow, but the lactation nurse feels if not it will definitely be in by Monday.

Well I know you guys are dying for pictures so rather than typing any more text, I am going to just post photos until it's time to feed her again. Enjoy!!! She has yet to wear any clothes. That will be another first for her. I can't wait to take pictures of her once she is rid of all her tubes and wires and has some cute clothes on!!!

The first two were taken on Wednesday (one day old). The third was taken on Thursday (two days old) being held by Paul's mother. The fourth was taken on Friday being held by my mom who lives in MD. The fifth was taken on Friday with my Aunt Janet (my dad's sister who lives in NY). The sixth was taken today while she was in my arms. I was holding her hands because so many photos she had her hands in her face. :-) I know I'm biased, but isn't she so beautiful!!!

No infection!

I am very happy to report that Nadia has been taken off of the antibiotics as the b/w results which came back this morning showed she does not have an infection! PTL! She can come home once my milk comes in (colostrom now) and her bilirubin count comes down (it was higher today). They said yesterday what probably led to her bilirubin count going up was the bruising from the vacuum (those red blood cells) although it could also be from her liver not being 100% mature yet due to coming 3 1/2 weeks early. I thought I was done with ultrasounds, but the OB was concerned about my swelling (especially my thighs) so he wanted an ultrasound done of my legs today to make sure the veins are okay (no blood clots). The u/s came out fine. Hopefully Nadia will be discharged tomorrow or Monday. That would be AWESOME! My mom came up today to spend a week helping me out. Paul hasn't gotten a lick of work done on his thesis which is due in 3 weeks. I'll post more photos later, but here are at least two! The first was taken of me right before we left on Monday night - my last pgcy photo (water already broken and contractions already started) at 36w3d. The second was taken VERY shortly after her birth when Paul was first introduced to Nadia (I was

still unconcious at this point from the general anesthesia).

Stats

Well I am not sure what info I have omitted that I should share, but Jo asked a few questions so I will give those stats. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! I hope to add photos this evening. My #1 priority right now is feeding her. Thankfully her doctor gave her permission to start nursing today. I've fed her 3 times so far today, and at 8pm I will be doing feeding #4. I plan to go to the NICU to feed her every 3 hours even throughout the night. She was successful her first try which was SUCH a relief to me as nothing has been coming out when I've been pumping, and I've been pumping every 2 hours.

Nadia Renee was born at 5:40pm on June 24 weighing 6 lbs 2 oz and was 19 1/4 inches long. As is normal, she has lost some weight so she's under 6 lbs now. June 24 was the 2,239th day since we started ttc; I am SO glad our countdown to becoming parents is now over! PTL! One of the funniest questions I have been asked (by several nurses and also a couple of OBs) the last 2 days is - what kind of birth control will you be using. Birth control?!?! When I let the person know that we started ttc 6 years ago, and Nadia was once a frozen embryo, they smile and don't expect an answer to the question. :-) She has blue eyes. We shall see if they stay blue or not. Paul has blue eyes. She has a REALLY "outie" belly button. No idea where she got that as Paul and I have innies, LOL. Her chin and nose look like Paul's in most people's opinion. She gets the most compliments on her lips, but overall we just think she's so perfect. She couldn't be any cuter to us even when she's crying, LOL. Her hair is dark brown and she has quite a bit especially in the back.

Paul had his first experience (ever) changing a baby's diaper today. It was only a wet one so he still gets to look forward to his first messy one at some point in the future. It is SO wonderful to see him with her. He's such a great dad!!! He looks forward to seeing her, holding her, etc. just as much as I do. :-) I am just so very thankful that the Lord has brought her into our lives, and I am so thankful for all the prayers and encouragement so many have given us over the past 6 years in this journey. Your words of congratulations mean soooo much to me. I can sense that so many are celebrating in this joyous occasion with us - some I know in person and some I have only known online. I thank ALL of you for sharing in our joy!!!! I'll post more when I can with some photos but it's time to head to the NICU for her 8pm feeding!

Birth story!!!

Thank you, Wendy for keeping the blog updated, and thank you to everyone for the congratulation messages!!! I'll back up to Sunday and say that in light of the pains I was having in the morning, I stayed home all day (didn't even go to church). I was on the couch almost the whole day. Monday I did go to the doctor in the morning. Turns out I was right that I was experiencing the "bloody show;" the OB didn't think I was anywhere near delivery. I was more concerned that I was as I wanted her to stay inside until 37 weeks. So again I took it easy that day with the exception that I did teach Monday night. I got home from class, did some grading, and then went to bed. About an hour later I woke up as I realized my water had broken while I was sleeping. I was very thankful the carseat had already been installed in the car, and I was very thankful that I was almost done packing and had a brief list prepared of what needed to be added at the last minute. The contractions didn't start for about 20 minutes after my water broke so I had time to help Paul (who was in a bit of state of shock) finish packing. We got to the hospital about 1 hour after my water had broken. The contractions were about 6 minutes apart. They said I was 1-2cm dilated, 60% effaced, and baby was in station -2 (head down).

Eventually I got into a room; unfortunately none of the ones with jacuzzi tubs were available. We were seen by quite a few different doctors and nurses during this time as we came shortly before the shift changes. After about 3 hours of contractions I asked if I could have an epidural. My main reason for wanting was that I knew others had been able to sleep through contractions with one and I was really tired (it was about 2am and I think I was about 4cm dilated). However, the anesthesiologist, after reviewing my charts said he did not feel comfortable giving me anything in my spine in light of my platlet problem. They put a little pain medication in my IV which they said wouldn't decrease the pain of the contractions but would help me rest more in between them. That was an accurate description of the effects it had on me. I was given those meds 3 times over the next 12+ hours. The contractions were very regular the whole night - usually 5 minutes apart. The first part wasn't SO bad. When I started to get really uncomfortable was when I got to 8-9 cm dilated. I think it was about 5am.

From that point on it was a BIG battle for me not to push when I had the contractions. I tried breathing, focusing, etc. and sometimes was succesful and other times I still pushed a little. Paul was my coach every five minutes. He said "breathe" more times on that day then probably his whole life put together, lol! At first they were checking me every 30 minutes or so to see if I had gotten to 10cm, but then they recognized I had hit a plateau and it was probably going to be awhile. Around noon I got to the point where I was only left with a "lip" and then by 12:45 they almost let me start pushing, but there was still a partial lip on only one side so they suggested I wait til 1:15. At 1:15 I was declared fully dilated. I had been fully effaced for a LONG time. So I was finally given permission to start pushing only to discover that Nadia was still in -2 station and she needed to come down first. So they got me in a more vertical position to let gravity help and said I could push whenever I wanted to but that I'd do this part on my own. They let me do this for 1 hour, and during that time I got her so her head was down low where it needed to be.

So then at 2:15 the assisted pushing began with Paul holding one leg and Yvonne (my nurse since about 11am) holding the other. I pushed with every contraction and they could see her head and hair. Yvonne realized Nadia was face up so she had me try different positions to get her to flip around. After about an hour of pushing, they put some pitocin in my IV to see if that might help. Three times over the next 2 1/2 hours they upped the dosage of pitocin I was on. I was of course getting very tired. I had been in labor since 11pm and never had the benefit of an epidural. I am not a night owl so losing a night of sleep was making it really hard for me to function, but somehow everytime I'd have a contraction I'd have the strength to push even though I'd think I was completely drained of energy. Around 4:15 - after 3 hours of pushing, a whole group of doctors came in - several OBs and several pediatricians since she was preterm (they define as before 37w and I was 36w4d). Her head could be seen all the time at this point so Yvonne hoped the delivery was near. Of course so did I!!! Well unfortunately I could push her head out some, but I could not get her out all the way. They tried a vacuum on her three times which scared the daylights out of Paul as the thing would fly off her head when they were pulling and Nadia was staying inside. After trying 3 times they said I needed a c-section because baby's head had been down there too long and also because it had now been 19 hours since my water had broken which is not good when you are GBS positive. I had been on penicllin by IV the whole labor but still they said she needed out ASAP.

This was of course very discouraging for me as after having contractions for 19 hours without an epidural and pushing as hard as I could for 3 1/2 hours, I really wanted to give birth w/o a c-section. It was a very scary few minutes as I was still having VERY strong contractions (had recently had another dosage of pitocin for one thing) and now they did not want me to push again as the had pushed Nadia's head back inside me. They were wanting me to sign forms and asking permission to do a hysterectomy if my bleeding was too bad. It was very overwhelming. They wheeled me down, and Paul was not allowed to join me. The anesthesiologist (a different one) said I needed general anesthesia in light of the platlet problem. So in between very strong contractions (baby's head was still practically crowning - they had the monitors on her head instead of my belly) when I had to fight the urge to push, I am trying to explain my medical history (aspiration which lead to lungs collapsing due to general anesthesia when I was in middle school). I hadn't eaten for 24 hours at this point which was a good thing. It was so hard to manouver and get myself on the OR table and such in the middle of these contractions.

Well they put me under and at 5:40pm she was born. I didn't get to see her until 9pm, but Paul and his parents (who arrived while I was headed to the OR) got to see her right away which was nice. Everyone thinks she's so cute. Of course we are biased, LOL! She has some bruising on her head and face from the vacuum, and her right eye is a bit swollen from that as well, but those side effects will go away shortly. Since I was sleeping from the anesthesia, they asked for Paul's permission for her to have a bottle of formula. Her first blood sugar level was good, but her second was not so they said she needed to eat long before I'd be up to nursing her. One cool thing about her birthday (6-24) is that Paul's bday is 1-3 and mine is 4-21 and 21+3=24. :-)

She spent the first night in the nursery. I had hoped to keep her in my room, but that wasn't possible as she was having a little trouble breathing and needed to be closely monitored. Wed morning the pediatrician said she needed to be transferred to NICU. This brought me to tears. They were doing b/w which takes 48 hours to see if she had an infection as that was one theory for her breathing problems which were getting worse not better. They also started her on antibiotics just in case she needed them, and they would stop them on Friday morning if her b/w showed she didn't have an infection. Thankfully a nurse did bring her by for me to see her for a few minutes before they took her to NICU. I got barely any sleep on Tuesday night as they came in to do something to me every 30-60 minutes the whole night. So I lost two nights of sleep at this point. I was also VERY hungry as I hadn't eaten in 36 hours. I kept asking for food so finally about 4:45am they gave me some toast which tied me over until breakfast at 8am.

I discovered on Wed that I was very weak and swollen. I could barely move my arms or hands. I had pulled with all my strength during the pushing time and my arms, shoulders, etc were like dishrags. Thankfully over time I am regaining the use of my arms and such although they are still very pooped! The swelling has increased over time. I have never seen my legs and knees and such so huge!!! The doctor said it might take 2 weeks for the swelling to go away completely. I was on a pain pump for 24 hours, and then they switched me to Percocet. For about 24 hours I had an IV in each arm, but yesterday before dinner they removed one IV completely and now they only hook up the other one for my dosages of antibiotics. They also removed the dressings over the incisions and the catheter at that time. I was able to get a shower which felt great as during labor I had sweated so much that every inch of my hair was dripping wet (and I have very thick hair).

The first time we went to NICU, Nadia was on a CPAP machine at level 5 (6 is the highest) plus an IV and monitors. She was even having trouble taking a bottle so they switched to an IV. It was hard to see her with so much paraphanelia. Thankfully the next time we went to see her, they had taken her off the CPAP and she was doing a lot better with her breathing. I have been pumping every 2-3 hours round the clock, but I didn't get started until 1pm yesterday so I lost about 19 hours of the first critical 72 hours. I am hoping today to be able to try to nurse her. I will have to check with her doctor this morning when they do her rounds. Once she was off the CPAP we were allowed to hold her which was wonderful. Paul went once by himself (and watched her have her first bath which she hated, LOL), and I went twice with him (by wheelchair). She is still sensitive from all the bruising, but once she's in a position she's calm. She has the cutest lips!! Her hair is dark brown like Paul's was when he was born (mine was blond at birth and stayed that way for a few years). We love her SOOOO much and can't wait to take her home!!! It's so nice to be able to hold her now that she's off the CPAP.

Thankfully they only interrupted me once last night (midnight) so I was able to sleep much better although I still got up every 2 hours to pee and pump. I do miss the catheter in that sense as getting up to pee is quite a painful thing. But at least I'm not going as often as I did while pg! Well we are off to see Nadia now. We are sooo happy our princess has arrived and we hope she can be discharged asap. I will still be admitted until tomorrow at least.

NST

This morning I had some bleeding which prompted me to call the OB. They had me come in, but I had to go to a different office that I had never been to before. First they weighed me as usual. I gained 3 ounces shy of one pound since my last appt (which was exactly 1 week ago). So I am sticking to the 1 lb a week as they recommend (lately anyhow). Overall I've gained just shy of 28 lbs in 23 weeks so I guess overall I'm about 5 lbs off the mark of gaining 1 lb a week in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. However, if Nadia is born in the next 2 weeks I think I'll be able to stick with my goal of gaining no more than 30 lbs. :-) I passed the urine test which was nice for a change (no protein this time). They didn't take my b/p (first time they skipped that). Then they did a fetal non-stress test which was measuring her heartrate as well as whether or not I was having any contractions. I didn't think I was having any contractions this morning, and the monitor confirmed that, LOL. Her heart rate was usually in the 140's (which is where it always has been in the past) but it fluxuated up and down (highest that Paul or I noticed was 166). I noticed that the times it was over 160 corresponded with when I was feeling her move. Then the OB did an internal exam (last one was 23 weeks ago). He said I am one fingertip (1 cm) dilated and that I haven't completely lost the mucus plug although they think that's what was happening this morning with the bleeding. My appt for tomorrow was cancelled (obviously, LOL), and my next appt is scheduled for July 1 when I'll be 37w4d. He said if I go into labor they won't stop it since I'm already in my 36th week. My last class is Wed pm, and I will need Thursday to finish grading the assignment due Wednesday plus the final exam. I plan to post the course grades on Friday morning so I'm hoping that's the earliest I'll go into labor. Who knows though when she'll decide to make her grand entrance. It could be tomorrow, or it could be 3 weeks from now! We shall see. :-)

Paul's favorite

This is definitely the maternity outfit he likes best. He calls it the farmer outfit, LOL. It's very appropriate given our home is surrounded by corn fields, pumpkin patches, etc. I've seen more wildlife in our yard than I have in any other home I've lived in. Yesterday and today we've been enjoying watching a doe with her VERY small fawn for example. It's a comfy outfit, but I feel like a butterball in it so I don't wear it that often. I got it on eBay for just a few dollars so I've gotten my money's worth out of it. Plus I can wear non-maternity t-shirts under it which is a plus as I don't have that many maternity tops. When I put it on this afternoon I did discover that I don't have much growing room left in it! So far I have only outgrown one maternity item (that I am aware of anyhow) - my navy blue maternity skirt hasn't fit for awhile.

We finished assembling the toy box yesterday morning. I put it between the two recliners as I thought it could also serve as a place for guests to set their drinks if we had company. There are a few toys in it now, and I am sure there will be many more in it a year from now!

I did go for a walk with Paul on Saturday, but I passed when he asked me today as I have been having a lot of cramping down low and my lower back really hurts. I woke up about 5am in intense pain and wasn't able to get much sleep after that. I am not sure if the doctor will do an internal exam on Tuesday, but if he does I am curious as to where things stand in terms of dilation and such. On Friday I plan to resume exercise as I'll be 37 weeks then and won't mind if the exercise brings on labor at that point! I re-read most of Husband Coached Childbirth today (about the Bradley method) and this time discussed it with Paul so hopefully he'll know what to do to help me as I am not planning to have an epidural (but who knows if I'll stick to that plan!). Yesterday we watched portions of a free DVD we received in the mail which covered various topics such as how to give baby a sponge bath, how to burp baby, etc. Paul learned a few things.

Packing

Well I did start packing yesterday although I am not done yet. I just have one small suitcase plus the boppy. Last night we did a little shopping. Paul needed a new pair of denim shorts, and I decided to get some new pjs as I haven't bought any new pjs in 2 years and none of what I own has buttons down the front. What I usually sleep in during the summer is a Steeler night shirt that's sort of like a large t-shirt that almost reaches my knees. I looked at the nightgowns and pjs at Sears that had buttons down the front, and I narrowed it down to 3 options and had Paul pick one. I ended up buying a lime green "silk" pj set that includes a short sleeved shirt (with buttons down the front) and pants. Last night I tried them on and the top will be fine after I give birth (as it just barely fits now), but I don't think the bottoms will so I'm going to take them back to the store. I'll probably just wear whatever the hospital gives me, but if I feel it's safe to put on something of my own, I'll wear a t-shirt and black pj pants that have fit during pgcy (but are not maternity clothes). I don't own a robe, and I am not going to buy one just for this brief hospital stay. I'll either go without or use what the hospital gives me. A lot of sites suggested snacks for hubby during labor; so I asked Paul what he wanted and plan to buy those and have those packed for him. They also suggested hard candy for mom during labor so I'll buy one bag for me. While we were at Sears I saw two onesies on a clearance rack near the register, and I couldn't resist since they were so cute and only cost $1.74 for the two of them together (original price was $14). I probably don't really NEED two more 0-3 month onesies, but for $1.74 who can resist? Not me! :-)

Since the weather has been so nice and my swelling went away, Paul and I decided to go for a walk yesterday morning. Well we didn't make it as far as usual and had to take lots of breaks. I found it very challenging to walk while having BH contractions (I'm having those VERY frequently these days). Actually even walking around the mall last evening wasn't always easy. The contractions used to be excusively up really high, but now sometimes I get them really low and my back hurts as well. They didn't use to hurt at all, but now some of them are painful. I am sure compared to the REAL deal these aren't very painful, but they are the most painful ones I've experienced thus far. I don't think I'll be going on many more walks until after she's born.

Last night we worked on assembling the toy box that was a bday gift from my parents (April 2007). That year I thought it would be used by the children we'd adopt from Ukraine, but it turns out it's for Nadia.

36 Weeks!

Well starting tomorrow I can say only 3 weeks left to go! I hope the time just flies by until she's in our arms! I made good progress on my to do list yesterday. I cooked and froze a double batch of tuna noodle casserole and a pan of lasagna, finished the thank you notes from the baby shower, graded some papers, etc. The invitations for Paul's party were also sent out this week so I think I've done all I can to prepare for that event ahead of time. Today I want to at least partially pack a suitcase for when it's time for Nadia's arrival. I figure some things like toothpaste and such can't be packed until the actual day arrives. I plan to bring both newborn and 0-3 month sized clothing for Nadia since we don't know which size she'll start out in. If you have any advice on what to pack/not to pack, I'm all ears! :-) I do plan to bring a boppy in case I find that helpful for nursing.

Good News/ Bad News

Well the good news would include that the weather has been MUCH cooler and this has led to my swelling going away. YAHOO! Yesterday was the first day in over a week that my shoes didn't bother me at all, and I stood for most of my class last night without my legs hurting or anything!! I am sure the temps being this low is just temporary, but I will enjoy it while it lasts! Another bit of good news is that now we in the 20's as far as days until Nadia's EDD. WOOHOO!

The bad news isn't really that bad. It's just that my test from Monday came back positive for Group B Strep (GBS) which has nothing to do with "strep throat" but is a bacteria that is benign to women but "may pose serious and potentially life threatening consequences for your baby during birth." The usual treatment is to give the mother penicillin by IV during labor. Penicillin hasn't worked for me for decades for things like say an ear infection. I will mention that in case it would be better to select a different antibiotic. I also was hoping to avoid an IV (negative effect the fluid has on b/feeding plus I was wanting to stay mobile and use the jacuzzi tub if I get a room with one). Well I'll discuss all this with Dr. O on Tuesday. I actually liked the OB I saw this Monday better than him, but she wasn't available next week. So anyhow I am praying that Nadia will not become ill from the GBS.

I got another baby gift yesterday from a friend at work. He got Nadia a toy (ball popper) from the Walmart registry. We don't own many toys for her so I am very grateful for this gift! Thanks, Clark!

ONE month!!

Well I'm hoping Nadia will be born before 7-18, but technically her EDD is exactly one month from today. YAHOO! My hip pain keeps increasing (at night) so that is another reason I can't wait to have Nadia in my arms! I will say I am very glad that our bed is the kind that the mattress is pretty high off the floor; it definitely would be harder for me to get out of bed if the bed were as low as most beds are. Of course it still isn't pleasant to get out of bed. I feel like saying OUCH every time (and I get up to go to the bathroom a million times a night). The 24 hour test showed that I pee more than twice as much during the night as I do during the day.

Hiccups!

Many have asked me if Nadia has hiccups. For most of the pregnancy I would say I didn't know because I wasn't sure how to distinguish between hiccups and other movements. Well I've finally figured it out (I think anyhow, LOL), and YES she does have hiccups. It seems she'll have a hiccup "episode" at least once a day. Today I watched my belly jump with each hiccup. :-)

This morning I had ladies Bible study and then before I met a friend from work for lunch I stopped at a shoe store. I didn't end up buying any shoes. Going up a size didn't help, and there weren't too many options in a wide width. The black sandals I have been wearing (which are a medium width) actually seemed as wide as the shoes labeled as "wide width." Part of the problem is that I have never wanted to wear any shoe that puts something between my toes so that eliminates a lot of summer shoes. Plus my feet just hurt all the time and really it's not much worse wearing shoes, at least this one pair of black sandals. So as long as my feet don't swell up any more I don't think I'll buy any shoes. I should be at home most of the time after my class finishes on 7-25, and I always go barefoot at home.

A lady on a 3rd trimester db said that she received 120 onesies so far from her baby showers. I thought I received a lot, LOL! She doesn't plan to return any; well I definitely would if I received that many! We have about 40 onesies from newborn through 6-9 month (4 different sizes). Onesies must be really common baby gifts, but I think that we have just about the right amount although eventually I think I'll need to get some in larger sizes (9-12 months, etc.).

No Preeclampsia!

I am off to class in a few minutes, but I wanted to give an update from my OB appt today. All my lab results were good (bloodwork, 24 hour urine test, etc.). I don't have preeclampsia; I just have swelling that is normal for the end of a pregnancy, especially in the summer. I am going to buy myself one pair of larger shoes tomorrow though as my shoes really hurt. Actually my feet and hands really hurt, but the end is in sight! I only gained a few ounces since Thursday. Over the last month (from 5-16 to 6-16) I gained exactly 5 lbs (not just to the ounce but even the decimal place after the ounce, LOL) which is about what I'm supposed to be gaining so I was happy about that. I had the strep B test today, and the OB (a different one than I usually see) also did an u/s (my 7th this pregnancy)! It was the first time I had an u/s at that site, and I've been going there for 5 months! She said it was to check to make sure baby was head down which she was (and always has been at every u/s the past 15 weeks). The OB kept commenting on how very active she is; I already know that, LOL! Her little hands were waving all around, etc. The OB said her head is down very low so she's right where she should be. The BH contractions weren't painful before, but now sometimes they hurt. I guess my body is just getting ready for labor!

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day was never any where near as hard for me emotionally as Mother's Day, but I admit it still usually wasn't my favorite day to attend church. Well this year it was a happy day! I gave Paul a card and a Giants hoodie for Nadia. I think he really liked both. He usually buys funny cards rather than "sweet" ones, but I could tell he really liked the card I got him. :-) Since our house was being shown this afternoon, we decided to go to Walmart and BRU after church. Last night and this morning we went through everything we've been given to tweak the shopping list I had created. For example, I had scratched socks and cloth diapers off the list as I received those on Saturday. We then cut the tags off of all the clothing that we were keeping (almost all of it), and I did 2 loads of laundry of just baby stuff (clothes, cloth diapers, receiving blankets, etc.). After church we first went to Walmart and returned a few items (such as some of the bibs) and then with the store credit purchased a boom box, jump up, baby spoons, 3 pairs of tights (one with ruffles on the butt - how cute!), and some things for her hair.

Then we drove to BRU and returned one item (the pink dust ruffle since I had purchased a Gossamer Wing one on eBay) and then shopped with the $100 gift card I had received from my 14 colleagues at work as well as some cash we were given at yesterday's shower. At BRU we purchased a 2nd roll of wallpaper border, a Gossamer Wings tissue box cover and trash can, bags for breastmilk as well as a container to keep them in the freezer, a mat for under the high chair, 2 hooded towels, 2 sheet savers, 2 bath toys, and one other toy (elephant). I also had ordered 4 things on Walmart's website on Saturday night such as a 2nd car seat base (with free shipping to the store). I was trying to only spend an amount equal to the exchanges, cash gifts, and gift cards, and I did pretty well as I stayed under that amount by $41. :-) So all of the items pictured above are really also gifts from others. So again I say THANK YOU!! I think we are pretty well set now for her arrival. I'll need to buy a few more things (such as diapers!!) soon after she's born, but I think I have enough of everything to wait until after we see what size she is at birth before I make any more purchases (with the exception of one dressy dress on eBay).

After shopping at BRU, we shopped at Party City for Paul's graduation party (Aug 2). We have the balloons, paper plates, cups, napkins etc. It's good we didn't wait any longer as it seems the graduation stuff will soon be taken off the shelves! I plan to send out the invitations this week. I'm still trying to get everything crossed off my to do list by the end of the month - this includes school projects as well as home projects such as freezing meals, etc. Of course if I have preeclampsia then I might not have that long! I see the OB tomorrow afternoon.

Baby Shower!

Well yesterday afternoon I had a baby shower. Paul remarked last evening at how I used to dread these events, and that now they are very enjoyable. :-) This was a traditional shower (first for me) in that there were only women present (well except for Paul's great uncle Herby who was there with his wife) and we played games. This shower was thrown by Millie (Paul's sister-in-law) and Paul's mom. For years Millie had said whenever we adopted or had a baby she'd be throwing a big party! :-) They invited LOTS of people; however most weren't able to attend. For example, Paul had given them 47 names/addresses of family and friends of mine and only 7 of those came (my mom, one friend from when I lived in Annapolis, two friends from the school where I was principal from 1996-2003, one professor from where I taught 2003-2004, one professor from where I am now, and one lady from my church).

I'm not sure how many they invited as far as relatives from Paul's side of the family, but there were about 10 women from his side of the family who came (one of Paul's aunts, his grandmother, a cousin's wife, etc.). My mom commented that she's never been to a baby shower where none of the guests were in their 20's or 30's - most of the guests were in their 50's and 60's (and a few in their 70's and 80's). The shower was held at the church where Paul's family attends, which was where we were married 7 years ago. I am so very grateful to Millie & Paul's mom for all the work they put into the shower. Millie always does a great job with catering parties like this. She was shocked when I requested vanilla cake (she had made both and knows I always pick chocolate), but I knew the chocolate cake wouldn't be worth having heartburn for hours!

We played 3 games. The first was to guess how many safety pins were in a little baby food jar. Sharon, a colleague of mine at work, won that one even though she was off by more than 100, LOL. Then they passed around a jar and had people throw some change in it. Paul's mom said the winner would take All. Everyone guessed how much was inside, and the winner was given a bottle of All detergent, LOL. The jar with money was given to me. My mom won the last game which was to complete a little chart saying which feature I was hoping baby would take after Paul vs. me (ex. do I want her to have my nose or Paul's nose). My mom said she never wins games like this but she won a game at my bridal shower and again at my baby shower - she knows me well! :-) The easy ones were legs and hair; I think everyone got those right.

Then after we ate (sandwiches, fruit, veggies, deviled eggs, etc.) I opened presents. Some who couldn't attend had sent gifts so I had a lot to open! The activity gym has already been assembled, and I'm taking that to the office tomorrow. The curtains have already been hung. I'm sure my dad would approve of the Steeler items I received (bottle, bib, socks). :-) Nadia was given lots of bibs, onesies, and footed pajamas. My favorite pjs were the ones with the frog feet. There were 2 handmade gifts. One of Paul's aunts on his father's side (she lives in CA) made a beautiful quilt, and Paul's aunt's (his mother's sister) best friend knitted her a beautiful pink blanket. Last night we went through all the gifts we've been given the last two months to figure out what we still needed and what duplicates we had that needed to be returned (ex. we received two of the same exact CD). The items we received the most of were bibs (42!), onesies, and footed pajamas.

Everyone says you can never have too many bibs, but I think 42 is too many! I thought I might have too many onesies, but as I went through them I found out that I had 7-10 in each size (newborn, 0-3, 3-6, and 6-9 months) so I decided to keep all of them. Same went for the pjs. I did have as many as 5 in one size (0-3 months), but I kept them all even though I'm not sure if she really needs that many pjs. She needs more "regular" clothing (play clothes, clothes for church), but she doesn't need more pjs or onesies! She also has plenty of pink clothing. I plan to stay away from pink in my purchases for her for awhile so that pink isn't the only color she ever wears. I am going to wait on buying any clothing though as I want to see how big she is when she's born and how quickly she seems to grow. The one exception is I do plan to shop on eBay in the near future for one dressy dress for her to wear to church this summer.

The funny thing is that many people told me that I would get LOTS of receiving blankets as baby shower gifts and actually I never received any! I had purchased one pack of 5 back in 2005; I'll wait and see if I need more or not after she's born. I also was told I'd receive a lot of diapers, and I didn't receive any of those either. I had purchased one pack of newborn size in 2005 as well as one pack of th next size up so I think I am covered until I find out which size she's going to start out in after birth. She received 3 rattles yesterday. That is something I need to keep buying more of for her (toys). I have been just buying books, but I know she'll need to have some toys at home and in my office. However, that's not something I need to run out and purchase immediately.

After I opened the presents the cake was served and then after that the ladies started leaving. My mom had traveled the farthest (3 hours), and there were two who came from the Philadelphia area (about 2 hours). I am very, very grateful for Millie & Paul's mom for making this very special event possible. I've waited many years for the day I'd attend a baby shower that was for me! I am also very, very grateful for all the gifts and also for those who took the time and energy to attend!

Good riddance!

Well I was VERY glad to hand off that brown jug at the doctor's office at 7:30 this morning. Things that are supposed to be flushed down the toilet should NEVER be stored in one's refrigerator. It was just SO gross!!! It was also really a pain during the night as usually I just use the upstairs bathroom, but last night I'd have to come down and empty the contents of the "hat" into the jug that was in the refrigerator. I learned that my output is greater at night than it is during the day - didn't really need to know that about myself, LOL. Monday afternoon I will find out the results of the urine specimen and bloodwork from Thursday as well as this 24 hour collection.

Yesterday the realtor called and scheduled a showing of our home for tomorrow afternoon. I am hoping they want to buy our home! We're going to go to BRU and the party store while our house is being shown so that will be fun! This is our 13th showing altogether; the last one was on April 27. Our dinner guests cancelled out on us, and I was feeling badly for having asked Paul to help me with weed whacking, cleaning, etc., but it turns out none of those efforts were in vain as we need everything to look great for Sunday's showing. I froze some of what I had cooked for last night. I made the mistake of eating one brownie before I froze most of them. The horrible heartburn I had last night and still this morning from that brownie was so NOT worth it. When will I get it through my head that I need to avoid ALL chocolate, tomato sauce, cheddar cheese, cereal, etc. until after Nadia is born? I avoid these foods for awhile and then my memory seems to fade, and I think surely it won't be that bad to eat just one brownie. Silly me!!!!

35 Weeks!

In just 5 days, Nadia's EDD will be exactly one month away. YAHOO! She's getting really close to being considered "full term." The definitions of full term seem to vary as some places define it as the start of the 37th week, tothers the start of the 38th week, and still others the start of the 39th week. Everyone seems to agree anything past 42 weeks is "postterm." Well I'm hoping she'll stay inside at least two more weeks. Now if she wants to be born anytime after she hits 37w, that's fine with me! :-)

Yesterday, Paul got an email from his advisor, who is in Boston for a few days, asking Paul to email him the PowerPoint presentation Paul gave on Wednesday. His advisor wants to use some of it in a presentation he's giving at Harvard. Paul was pretty excited at the thought that his data is being presented at Harvard. :-) Paul's advisor earned his PhD from MIT and did his postdoc at Harvard.

In addition to cooking dinner for the guests we are having this evening, I also plan to cook at least one meal to store in the freezer. I also am going to ask Paul to install the car seat base in my car today. I'm trying to get ready just in case Nadia decides to come early like her Mommy did (or like her cousin Susie did).

Preeclampsia?

Yesterday my shoes really hurt - they were making marks on my feet (since they were swollen). Today I mostly have been on the couch with my feet propped up and yet I still have swollen ankles, feet, and calves. I put on a different pair of sandals that are usually rather loose, and I could barely get them on. Do pg women have to buy "maternity shoes" also, LOL? So I decided to call the OB. I wasn't sure if I should, but I figured they would tell me if it was no big deal. They said I should come right in and be seen by the midwife since the OBs were all booked up this afternoon. Well my urine sample showed that #1 I am dehydrated and #2 the amount of protein in my urine keeps going up every time I come in. The swelling and protein can be signs of preeclampsia. I don't have the other symptoms (headaches, vision problems, and high b/p). My b/p is still nice and low. I gained more than 1 lb (but less than 2 lbs) in the last week. I think a lot of it is water retention since my hands, legs, and feet are swollen. So she told me to eat more protein, drink more water (even though the ladies were laughing at me last week when I drank 3 glasses of water at dinner), and eat as little salt as possible. My urine specimen was sent to the lab to see if I have another UTI, I had a bunch of bloodwork done, and I get the fun experience of collecting my urine in a jug for 24 hours. I am to start it Friday morning and end it Saturday morning which means this jug will be in our frig when we have company over tomorrow night. How embarassing! I will be seen by an OB on Monday afternoon who will review the results of the bloodwork and 24 hour urine collection test. I guess that means my next appt with Dr. O for Wed has been cancelled, LOL. I am not sure if they'll do the strep B test on Monday or just wait for my next appt (whenever that will be). She doesn't think I have preeclampsia in light of my low b/p, but in light of the protein level continuing to rise, she wants the thorough testing to be done to be sure. I had thought I'd spend all day at home today, but I ended up with an expected trip to the OB and then to a lab.

Today I got a baby shower card and check in the mail from my Dad's cousin in NY which was really nice. I will use it for my baby shopping trip (see post below). I appreciate the input thus far on my shopping list. I do have a temporal themometer. I had never seen one until a few months ago when I was with my nieces and nephews and thought it was quite an amazing invention especially since they are more accurate than the ear kind. I was given one at my choir shower, and I am sure I'll put it to good use (although hopefully not too often as I don't want Nadia to have too many fevers!).

Shopping List

This photo was taken just before I was about to go to bed last night at 34w5d pg. I am happy to say that my heartburn was better the last two days. I discovered another food to avoid - cheddar cheese. In my attempt to eat more protein and less sugar, I had purchased things like reduced fat cheese nips (crackers) and such. It turns out the cheese gives me heartburn. Peanut butter on crackers is fine, but cheese on crackers is not! Paul's mom's chemo treatment went very well yesterday; it was her fastest treatment yet! That's three down and three to go.

I've been working on a shopping list lately. Mostly I've been going through the registries and deciding of the things not purchased what I should buy. I was given a $100 gift card to BRU from my colleagues at work and one of the choir shower gifts was $45 cash so I have at least $145 to spend on Nadia, and I imagine I'll spend more than that. It will be fun to go shopping for her! Anyhow I am trying to determine needs vs. wants. Of course some things that are in the "want" category are making it onto my list such as another roll of wallpaper border. It hit me that no matter what house we buy - 30 feet of border isn't going to be enough to go around 4 walls of a bedroom. I plan to go shopping the next week or two so if you have any input as far as my list goes, I am all ears! I have been eliminating things that won't be needed in the next 5 months as I figure I can put those items on a Christmas wish list for my family (such as toys, a second front facing car seat, etc.). I plan on waiting on buying more clothes until I see exactly what size she is when she's born.

Here's what's on my list at the moment: small boom box (we've been given CD's for her but don't own something to play them on), sheet savers, waterproof pads (those things to lay her on if I want to change her diaper on the floor), socks (she doesn't own anything for her feet yet!), Johnny jump up, 2nd car seat base, milk storage bags, cloth diapers (for spit ups etc.), hooded towel, travel chair, bath toys, kick toy (for her gym), baby spoons, sunshades for the car, microwave sterilizer (we usually only run the dishwasher about once a week so I figure I can use this to clean the pump and bottles daily), mat for under the highchair, and a bathtub storage basket (for bath toys). One thing I purchased for her this week (using a bday gift certificate for Amazon.com from my brother) was a baby food kit (cheaper than buying it at BRU) as I plan to make her baby food (the kit included a cookbook, trays for freezing the food, etc.).

One other item that I am contemplating purchasing that I would appreciate feedback on in particular the BebeSounds nasal aspirator. I am not sure if this is one of those really helpful things like the temporal thermometer or if the old fashioned aspirator works just as well. I know babies aren't really fond of having their noses cleaned out so I thought maybe this was a good item to buy.

When we go shopping at BRU, I also plan to stop at a party store and buy the plates & napkins for Paul's graduation party (Aug 2). I am trying to plan ahead as I figure I'll be very sleep deprived at that point! Yesterday I bought paper for the invitations, and I plan to mail those out next week. If it had been my choice, I would have thrown him the party before Nadia's arrival, but he really didn't want to have the party until after his thesis defense (only thing he has left to accomplish to complete this 2 year master's degree in chemistry). The upside of having it on August 2 is that will probably be the first time some friends and family get to meet Nadia. :-)

Pediatrician?

I recently requested the form from human resources that I need to submit within 30 days of Nadia's birth so that she will have health insurance. It was the first time I wrote down her name on a form. :-) I filled it out except for two blocks - date of birth and who will be her doctor. I was hoping we'd move before I needed to pick a pediatrician, but Paul suggested I pick one near where I work so it might not be necessary to change that once we move (whenever that happens to be given no one has even looked at our home since April 27). There's a clinic very close to my university which has quite a few doctors of which 5 are pediatricians. So how do I pick between these 5? The information I have on each doctor includes their gender, whether they are an MD or DO, and where/when they graduated from medical school. I have it narrowed down to 3 and am struggling to know how to pick between those three - a female DO who graduated in 1998, a female DO who graduated in 1994, or a male MD who graduated in 1966. If I had friends with young children who had a doctor in this town that would be a helpeful place to get info, but I don't think I know anyone who fits that descriptin. Hmmmmm.....

Yesterday I definitely bought more groceries at one time than ever before. I spent almost $150 on one trip! Although it all fit in one cart (barely) before I went to the checkout, the cashier used two carts for all the bagged groceries. The next step will be to start cooking and freezing a few meals. We do have a freezer in the garage that my parents gave us (that they didn't want any more) which we have never used. I am not sure whether I can squeeze everything into the freezer section of our refrigerator, or if we'll plug in the freezer in the garage and use that for the first time. I had a bit of a panic as our power was off for 7 hours (7pm to 2am), but nothing sees to have melted. :-)

It turns out Paul's mom's 3rd chemo treatment is today (not Monday like I thought it was). Praying that goes well for her! Also I am praying for Kelli who had a FET last Wed. She got a (light) bfp by a FRER hpt on Monday night (5 days past transfer) and Tuesday morning. This is VERY exciting! I am praying this is a super sticky BFP! Kelli & Kyle have ttc for almost 6 years. Two embies didn't survive the thawing process so it took thawing 4 embies for them to transfer 2, but it seems she is now pg!!!! They also still have 4 more frozen embies.

Finally, I am happy to pass on the GOOD news that Paul passed his comprehensive exam in physical chemistry. YAHOOO! I was expecting him to pass, but still it is a relief to have it be official!

Stocking up!

Well after ladies Bible study this morning, I plan to do a BIG shopping trip. First, I need to buy some stuff for dinner this Friday night as I have invited a colleague of mine and his family over for dinner, and they have relatives staying with them so actually there will be 4 kids (2 young ones plus 2 middle schoolers) and 5 adults including Paul & I. I am meeting them at Knoebels first, and then they are coming back to our house for dinner. The kids have never been to Knoebels; I think they will have fun! However, the main reason I plan to buy more food than usual is that I am trying to stock up. First, I plan to stock up on the nonperishables that Paul often uses for breakfast and lunch (Raisin Bran, cans of tuna, chicken noodle soup, etc.). I'm trying to make the grocery shopping simpler for the month of July. Second, I am planning to cook some meals this month and store them in the freezer. I've never done that before, but I think it will come in handy to have some meals that can be defrosted and reheated after Nadia is born. At the minimum I am going to freeze a pan of lasagna, pan of tuna noodle casserole, and a pan of a chicken casserole. Paul likes to have pizza almost every week so I am sure he'll be glad to go pick up pizza for us during the time I am in the sleep deprived stage of motherhood. :-)

39 Days!

Oh how I hope the remaining weeks just FLY by! I can't wait to hold her in my arms. :-) I also am really looking forward to lying down without having intense hip pain and also can't wait to be done with the nonstop heartburn which lately has been really bad. She's a very active little girl, and many times when she moves not only can I feel it but now also can watch my belly move. Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on the car seat question. I appreciate it!

Tonight I am giving my students their midterm exam. The class is already 1/2 over! After tonight's class, there will be only 5 classes left. Today Paul's mom has her 3rd chemo treatment; I am hoping it goes as well as her 2nd one did. After this treatment she's halfway done! Today is also the day that my sister and her family fly back to Turkey. I am praying for them to have a safe trip and also for a smooth adjustment (time zones, etc.) back home as they have been in the US for about 5 1/2 months. They will come back in about a year for their year long furlough.

Car seat question

3+ years ago I purchased a car seat and also a travel system (which included an infant carrier, base, and stroller). I am trying to decide whether or not to purchase a 2nd base for the carrier (costs about $25) for Paul's car. When we are together we use my car, so the only time she would be in his car would be when she's just with Daddy. I will definitely put the first base in my car. I am just not sure whether we should put the other car seat in his car (rear facing of course!), or if it would be worth it to buy a 2nd base and use the infant carrier no matter which car she is in (until she outgrows it anyhow). I would appreciate the input of you mothers who have 2 vehicles. Thanks!

Boy are we having a heat wave! The heat and humidity was so bad even at 9 am yesterday that I didn't even walk the full 1.3 miles. Paul did part with me and then he finished the 3.4 mile route. We installed the window a/c units yesterday. I felt badly as I wasn't able to be as much help to him as usual, and the living room one in particular is cumbersome and very heavy. Thank goodness for a/c though! I think I'd be dying this weekend without it especially while pg.

SURPRISE!

For a couple of months I had been looking forward to having dinner at Cracker Barrel on June 6 as I was going to see friends, some of whom I hadn't seen in years. These ladies were teachers at the school where I was principal from 1996-2003. At one point there were 7 of us planning to attend, but one didn't show up last night (not sure why) and the other had to cancel a couple of weeks ago as her daughter (in Indiana) had surgery and so Kay needed to go out and help with her grandchildren during her daughter's recovery. Others were invited but were unable to attend for various reasons. Well the ladies brought gifts for Nadia and paid for my dinner. It was a very special evening just to spend time with these ladies, and then it was also wonderful to open some baby gifts! :-)

Tammy gave me an umbrella stroller, links, a rattle, and a teether. Roxy knitted Nadia a very soft pink blanket. Kay sent a CD and a photo album. Della gave three pretty outfits - one in newborn, one size 3 months, and one size 6 months. Rosalie, a fellow Steeler fan, gave me a Steeler knit hat for Nadia as well as three bibs and a diaper bag. Thank you SO much, ladies!!!

Yesterday I received the crib dust ruffle I bought on eBay (GW collection). It's beautiful! I hadn't registered for the bedding collection as #1 it was outrageously expensive and #2 most of the items aren't supposed to be used according to SIDS guidelines (quilt and bumper). BRU in the US didn't sell the dust ruffle separately, and it was very expensive on the Canadian BRU website ($40!). So I kept searching and bidding on eBay and finally "won" one at a price I was willing to spend (less than 1/2 of the BRU price including s/h). So that's one item I am going to return from my registry as at the choir shower I received a pink dust ruffle. I was given a gift receipt so I'll use the store credit to get something else. :-)

34 Weeks!

It won't be long now! If Nadia cooperates, then it could be just one month from now that she's in my arms!! Starting tomorrow her EDD will be only 5 more weeks away, and on Monday the countdown to her EDD will be less than 40 days. WOOHOO! One of the ways I plan to try to bring on labor in early July is through exercise (worked for my sister). I was curious how long the route was that Paul and I have been taking the last few weeks, and it's a whopping 1.3 miles RT. What a workout, LOL! The embarassing thing is how long that takes me. Last summer I was averaging about 14 minutes a mile. My time now is almost double that, and that's with only doing a fairly flat section compared to having a VERY steep hill included in the 3.4 mile route we used to do. At least I am getting some exercise though (not sure I can say the same for Paul when he joins me, poor guy). It's definitely better than when I was under restrictions. It feels good to be at least a little more active, and after she's born I can put more effort into truly getting back into shape.

Wednesday night a friend (who works in the tech dept at my university) came by and gave me a baby gift. She gave me a bottle warmer, which I left in my office. I figure Nadia will be used to warm milk, and you're not supposed to microwave breastmilk. I thought this would keep it simple for the babysitters as I have a frig under my desk and if there is a bottle warmer in the office then they can warm the milk up without leaving the office. She also gave me 3 outfits - 2 pairs of long sleeve tops/bottoms that are pjs (size 24 months) and a short sleeve onesie with matching pants size 6-9 months. Girls clothing is just sooo cute!!! So that was a lot of fun to open that present. :-) Thanks, Kim!

Last night Paul and I went shopping at two different furniture stores. We tried out all the rocking chairs and gliders at both stores and eventually picked a glider at the second store. It's very comfy! I could definitely fall asleep in it. Our hardest decision was which fabric. We had TONS of choices. First we went through all the samples to find the one that was the softest and also was easy to clean. Then once we made that decision the hard part was picking which color as we were trying to think not just what would go in her nursery but what color would be best for whenever we move the glider to the living room or family room. We went with sage. It should be delivered in 3 weeks; so it should get here before Nadia is born. :-) Thanks, Mom & Dad!

Yesterday, I received two things for Nadia in the mail. One was a bottle (BPA free) that Playtex sent as a free sample, and the other was a Steeler boppy cover that I bought on eBay. Since I was given a 2nd boppy, I took one to my office and left the pink striped one at home. Even if I don't end up using these for nursing (I plan to try them out for that purpose), I figure they are good for tummy time and later for her to use when sitting on the floor. Since I have my office decorated in a Steeler theme I thought it would be fun to have a Steeler boppy there! :-)

OB appt

Today has been a busy day. I was out the door by 8:50am and won't get home until about 8:30pm. However there was some time for shopping in there so it's not a 12 hour work day thankfully!
I also had an OB appt today. I am happy to say I gained only 2.5 lbs in the 19 days since my last appt. So that puts my total weight gain a little under 25 lbs; so my goal of gaining no more than 30 lbs still seems possible! My b/p was good as usual as was her heartrate and also the measurement of my belly. Hopefully there wasn't protein in my urine this time. Last time it was due to having a UTI. My next appt is in 2 weeks when I'll have the group B strep test, and since I'll be 35w5d at that appt from then on my appts will be 1 week apart. When I was at the conference last week I had plenty of people I had never met before ask me questions such as "when are you due" and such so I would say that it seems most people can figure out I'm pg by looking at me.