Wednesday, March 31, 2010

39 week photos

Here are a couple of photos we took yesterday on my afternoon walk! I managed to get in a good 4.77 miles and it felt great. I did have several STRONG contractions but I pressed through and walked as I was having them, even uphill!!





Here is another photo from our breastfeeding class we took that the hospital....

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Mommy to be update...STILL waiting!

Well as much as I would LOVE for this to be a blog regarding my birth story, my sweet little Michaela apparently does not want to come and see us just yet. She is holding out on us and being stubborn like her Momma!

Everything is going well, I feel good, tired at times but nothing major. The hardest part now is waiting. When you have been told that you are not going to make your due date and then nothing happens it can be hard. We were looking forward to having her last week and then nothing, maybe over the weekend, but nothing and now we are 9 days away from my due date and I am just about to go crazy! I want to hold my little angel so bad! She is pressing out of me so hard especially with her little feet, so cute! We managed to get some on video too! What a memory that will be.

Last night we had our breast feeding class which was rescheduled from the 10th of March. At least we were able to make this prior to her birth because it was SO helpful. The instructor was amazing and we learned so much. I am hoping for a good BFing experience but it is good to know all the things that can happen so we can be prepared.

Today my mission is to WALK like crazy, eat spicy food, and hope that the old wives tale of babies being born on the night of a full moon comes true! If not, well then I will just get to enjoy her little feet pressing out of me one more day! It is such a miracle to see!

I am so happy. Impatient, yes, but so happy to be going through this. I will miss each and every moment of this. I am going to write a final thoughts on pregnancy blog later today after my walks because I want to sit down and replay all the precious moments in my mind and look back on what was by far the most amazing journey of my life! But for now, I am off to walk and hopefully get in for another prenatal massage! Gotta love those!

The funny thing about all of this is I know that God has his hands on Michaela's life and she will be born in HIS timing, when it is right. I have peace knowing this but God also made me to be an impatient one! LOL! We are just so excited to welcome our little miracle into the world.

This morning I walked a good 2 miles and after lunch will be heading out for another 2 miles, more if I can. SO excited!!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

38 week appointment....

Well I am pleased to say that we had another fantastic appointment! My doctor is going out of town this weekend and so I am going to be one lazy lady while we he gone in hopes that nothing happens! We are in a waiting mode as of now. She could come today or it could still be another week away, only God knows. It can be hard emotionally as we think somedays, is this really happening? And then nothing happens but one thing is for sure, my body is progressing and doing what it is supposed to be doing.

Today we were a bit disappointed as my husband and I were sure there was going to be more dilation and effacement only to find out that the numbers from last week where not what we thought. Miscommunication on our part I guess as in my chart it was showing something totally different than what we thought we were told. I guess my husband and I heard things wrong, you see that is what happens when you are in a daze in the doctors office as you are so excited about what is happening! Regardless of the misunderstanding, this week I am 2 cm and 60% effaced, which we confirmed with the doctor as he was checking it in my chart while we were there so that there was no misunderstanding! He was very pleased with my progression and while he thinks and hopes that I will not go into labor this weekend, we all agreed it is just a guessing game from now on!

As far as my other numbers, all were on track! My BP was fantastic 114 /78 and my weight gain so far is now at 23 lbs, YEA!!!! I was only up .4 lbs from last week so it seems to be slowing down, which is a good thing!! Michaela's HR was fantastic and strong reading 138 bpm. She is head down and wrapped around my left side. So cute! The best news of the day was that she is doing well. I was concerned as her movements have not been as much as before but last night she was pressing out of me quite a bit. My doctor told us that her movements should be slowing down and it is normal. She is LOW I can tell you that for sure! While checking me the doctor felt her head which I think is just amazing! She is getting into position to see us!

Over all this was a great appointment. We made it to 38 weeks with a healthy baby girl and a healthy Momma to be, what more could we ask for!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Pregnancy Update...

16 days until my due date, and ??? days until I deliver! Who knows! If I am going off of my doctors guess, we could have 1 day or we could have 6 or 7 days. Michaela could choose to be stubborn (like her Momma) and stay in there until Easter. I have been showing signs that make me think something will happen soon but I have learned that you really never know.

The other night was hard. I was in so much pain. My husband bless his heart managed to make me laugh and smile through it all but it was a very difficult night. I started having pressure really low, and when I say pressure, I seriously cannot describe how bad it was. Then the pain moved and was in my back along with my lower abdomen. These were NOT contractions but rather a deep, deep, intense pressure that would not go away. I soaked in a warm bath which helped my back and squatted and leaned on the bed which seemed to help as well but it was not a fun night. All of this happened at 4 am, I was totally asleep and it woke me up. The same thing happend the night before with a BIG contractions waking me up.

Fast forward to Sunday. I was having more contractions which were strong and frequent but not regular. The closest was 11 mins apart and 2 that were about 21 mins apart and the rest were all over the place. So I guess my body was getting ready but still not the real thing. This is hard for me as I always tend to get my hopes up. I told my parents and husband the other day I feel like my uterus is crying wolf! Teasing me into thinking this is it and then nothing! It can be hard emotionally. My mother did not have any contractions prior to me being born. She was out working in the garden and BAM, her water broke and then the pain started. I guess my body is different and likes to practice more for the real thing I guess.

I am doing well though, breathing and relaxing through each contraction which has helped. I find a focal point, breath and relax my face and it seems to be helping. Now if I can only remember to do this when the real thing happens! LOL!

All in all I am doing well. Yesterday I was out shopping for most of the day and got to much done then I came home and crashed! By 9 pm my husband was putting me to bed and I slept all way way until almost 9 this morning! WOW! I did have to get up several times in the night as I was restless for some reason. So was my husband. Guess it is more of the baby bootcamp getting us ready for the big day. I was just so tired last night and felt truly terrible but somehow have managed to keep a smile and be grateful for each phase of this amazing journey as hard as the days can be.

I am resting today then this afternoon I have another prenatal massage! I just love getting those and who knows, it maybe my last one before I give birth!! Our 38 weeks appointment is on Thursday and I am so curious to see how I am progressing!

I am off to enjoy a very lazy pregnant lady day!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

37 weeks is here! I made it full term...time to celebrate!

Well another amazing appointment to report! Everything is going well and my doctor was super excited to see how fast I was progressing. He really feels as if I only have about 10 -12 days or so left. Again, he said it is just a guess and in his words my body is on auto pilot and I will go into labor when I am supposed to, however based on my exam today as compared to where I was last week, he is thinking around March 28th - 30th I will have Michaela. He said I have dropped, BIG TIME which I already was thinking as I am feeling so heavy and so much pressure down there. That is a good thing though, she is getting into position for her big day!

However, he also said I could go sooner, so it is anyones guess now as to when it will happen! I am currently 2 cm dilated and already 70% effaced! So one thing is for sure, he said I will NOT be making it to my due date. For whatever reason my body is getting ready for the big day and she is almost ready to come and see us! Her HR was strong and wonderful at 145.

We discussed the deep menstrual type cramping I have been having along with my back pain. The doctor had a big smile on his face and said that it was wonderful news as that is supposed to happen and it means my body is getting ready. I just need to hang in here. Some of them have been VERY strong, as in knocking me to my knees and others are mild and more of a deep discomfort. I am just trying to keep a smile and through each contraction or deep pain know that it is a blessing to have having these as it means all is well and my body is doing what it is supposed to.

All my numbers came back well this week which is always wonderful to hear. My BP was a tad higher than normal reading 120/68 but that is a wonderful BP so that is fine. My weight gain this pregnancy is now at 22.6 lbs which I am thrilled with. I feel so happy that I stayed well under my range. My next appointment is a week from today, if I make it that long! LOL! So this week will be an exciting one!

My dear husband and I are looking forward to a nice dinner tonight to celebrate making it to 37 weeks! We are both kind of in shock right now, as my husband would say, he is in a daze. It is hitting us so hard that is this really happening and SOON! When we were at the hospital we were signing papers for the delivery and I had to sign a form for Michaela and next to the signature it said, relationship to patient. As she is the patient, I put down for the first time, the words, Mother. I began to cry in the office as my husband was there with me. It was an emotional time for both of us and so real. I am about to be a Mother. What a HUGE responsibility and blessing it is. I feel so blessed right now and I am trying my hardest to soak in each and every moment before this journey ends and another beautiful one begins.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Daily results 3/14, 3/15 and 3/16

Catching up on my daily results blog! I am doing well and staying as active as I can! Today was wonderful. I had a fantastic massage and my energy levels are high! Hoping to get a lot done this week! Looking forward to Thursday when I am 37 weeks along or full term! Yea!

Results 3/14
Calories consumed - 1,601
Fiber - 39
Protein - 143
Water - 4 liters

Results 3/15
Calories consumed - 1,809
Fiber - 50
Protein - 90
Water - 3.2 Liters

Results 3/16
Calories consumed - 1,656
Fiber - 54
Protein - 89
Water - 3 Liters so far but hope to get in another liter before bed

Friday, March 12, 2010

Birthing class...

Last Saturday my husband and I attended our birthing class. We did not know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised and had a wonderful time.

We discussed all the details of labor and what to expect. We also watched a few videos as well. The instructor was the best. We took her child care class a few months ago and really enjoyed her style of teaching. She did not hold anything back. She was very frank as to how labor would be and what we could look forward to. We talked about complications that could arise, when to come to the hospital and when to stay at home and labor there. I learned so much and feel better about the process. They also gave us a wonderful book with tons of info in there. We have been reading it and every day feel more prepared.

Out of everyone there, I was the only one having a natural birth. That surprised me, for some reason I though there would be more. I guess I am the only crazy one! LOL! They told us that 9 out of 10 women that come to the hospital have epidurals and meds during birth. Now I have to make this VERY clear, to me there is nothing wrong with having one, but I want to do this naturally. I feel very strong about it. But that is me and does not mean that epidurals are the best way to go for other women. I understand that everyone's labor is different and you never can know what will happen. I have talked to my doctor and he feels strongly that I will have a good labor but we never know how it will be. If needed we discussed having one after 8 hours or so as to not put stress on the baby. BUT, my desire is to experience her birth naturally. I know it will be a pain beyond anything that my mind can comprehend but I feel that I am mentally prepared as best as I can be.

Anyways, during one of the videos we watched, they were teaching us breathing techniques and positions to help with contractions and pushing. My husband and I were the only ones who got on the floor and did all the exercises and practiced the breathing while everyone else watched us. The instructor told everyone they could try them out but I guess they were too embarrassed or thought they did not need to learn the techniques. I know for me, I wanted to practice each and every position as I am going to need to know what to do in order to ease the pain as best as I can. It was fun. My husband was wonderful. He was breathing with me and doing all the postions. There was a couple there who was having a c-section so I understand why they did not do the breathing etc... but for the rest of the people I do not know why they did not try them out, but everyone is different and that is ok.

We learned so much in the class and I have to say the best part was in the beginning of the class, my husband leaned over to me and said, " I am so happy to be here. I would not have missed this for the world!" That made my day! He was kissing my hand throughout the class, bringing me water... SO sweet! He is so precious and I love how he is embracing every second of this pregnancy.

Here are some photos of us at the hospital where we will be having Michaela -



Thursday, March 11, 2010

36 week appointment....

All is well, we had a wonderful appointment once again which we are so thankful for!! The visit was short and included the usual checkup. My weight gain is now at 22 lbs which is fantastic, my BP was 116/ 76 and Michaela's heart rate was 146 which is wonderful. So all numbers were on track and we are pleased with that!

My doctor checked me and my uterus is dropping and I am less than 50% effaced and have started to dilate but less than 1 cm ( he said it was called finger tip dilation). He also said for me to continue to take it easy and he said he is thinking I have another 2 weeks. But that is just an estimate and of course I could go longer! He will be checking me again next week for my 37th weeks appointment which I am excited about as I will be officially full term!

Michaela is growing very well. He told me she will not be a small baby, but a good size for sure! She is estimated to be 6 lbs now and should be gaining about .5 lb each week. So that was good news. She is head down and since she has been in this position for so long he feels that she will not move from that position which is fantastic!

Another great visit! So much to be thankful for!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Daily results - 3/10

Good day but oh so tired! Short blog tonight but I will be sure and write about my 36 week appointment tomorrow morning! Off to bed I go....

Fitness - 35 min walk
Calories - 1,582
Fiber - 58 grams
Water - 160 oz
Protein - 140 grams

Daily results 3/8 - 3/9

All is well here, just getting bigger by the second. Seriously!!! I feel good but there have been some hard moments in the past couple of days where my energy has been nonexistent. On Sunday I was SO TIRED! I took a nap and just crashed! Then Monday and yesterday were fantastic, and I felt wonderful until late at night and then the bed was calling my name! I guess this is to be expected but I do long for the days where I had endless energy but it will come back soon, I hope!

My 36 week doctors appointment is tomorrow and since I have been slowing down I think it will be a good appointent. I have not had too many contractions this week so that is good. It will be just a standard vist. You know Mommy's BP, babys HR, weight etc... but I still love going each week to hear her little heart beating so strong. This week though he will not be checking effacement etc..unless he feels it is needed. We will see.

Anyways. today I am staying mostly at home doing laundry and light housework. I am planning on taking my dog for a walk hopefully 30 mins if I can.

Here are the my results from the past two days -

Monday - 3/8

Fitness - 20 min walk
Calories - 1,582
Protein - 112
Fiber - 40
Water - 128 oz

Tuesday - 3/9

Fitness - 17 min walk
Calories - 1,595
Protein - 111
Fiber - 59
Water - 192 oz - Wowza!

Thursday, March 04, 2010

35 week appointment...

Not much to report, but that is good right?! The appointment was great. Michaela is doing great her HR was 143 and super strong. I was measuring in on track at 35 cm which is perfect . My blood pressure was much higher than normal as I was nervous, so it was 126/80 as opposed to the usual 106 or 108/72. I wanted them to test it again and they said they would after the vist but I forgot! Oh well. My weight gain was fine, 21 lbs which is well within my 25 - 35 range, so I am not worried about it which is nice.

We discussed my contractions with the doctor and he checked me to just be sure I was ok and I am. I am just getting going!! I currently am showing a 20% maybe 30% effacement and he said my cervix is just getting ready to start dilating. So he said we are totally fine for now. If I have more pains this next week they will check me again, if not then my next dilation check will be at 37 weeks and my 36 weeks appointment will be just the standard baby's HR, my weight, BP etc....Now what does all this mean, 0% effacement means no thinning and nothing happening and 100% means baby could come soon. So we are good as of now. He said I can still walk and be active but I should slow it down. We want the baby to stay in as long as possible! So I can still reach for a good slow 30 min walk every day but nothing crazy.

He did some measurements and guessed as to how big she is and as of now Michaela is about 5.5 lbs. He said if she goes to full term she could be around 7.5 lbs or maybe somewhere in the high 7's. I was so happy to hear this, I want her big, strong and healthy! It is of course an estimate so we will have to wait and see! My next appointment is a week from today, hoping for another good report!

After the appointment we went for our Thai lunch and oh my was it good!!! Always nice to treat ourselves! I love having lunch after the appointment where we can talk about everything, so much fun!! We are so excited!

I am off to clean and do more nesting! LOL!

Daily results - 3/3

Here is one of the baby shower photos. This was taken by my Dad at my parents home right before heading over to our shower. Such a wonderful memory for sure! More photos to come soon....promise!



Yesterday was fantastic! I was able to get everything done that I needed to do and I felt great. I bought some more sheets, mattress pads, etc...you know the things that are on every must have list! I did get something special for my husband too! We are planning a special date night before she arrives where we will give each other a gift and just spend some time together. Then we are going to a baby specialty store to buy her a welcome home outfit! Oh my word it is too cute! You can even get a little pink suitcase to put her outfit in and it says Welcome Home on it! How adorable is that!?! I would also like to go to the build a bear place and have a bear made for her, you know, something special to remember this time. It will be an exciting, emotional and memorable date night for sure!

All in all I am feeing wonderful, nothing to complain about other than the contractions. Towards the afternoon I started cramping up a bit but nothing major. Just those good old BH contractions letting me know something is going to happen soon! We are going to talk with the doctor today about how frequently I have them but other than that, I feel amazing!! My energy levels are VERY HIGH from about 7 am to mid day, then I would say around 1pm I start to get very tired. Around 7 at night I am ready for BED....or a lazy night watching Lost or something! LOL!

We are heading to our 35 week doctors appointment today and then to a lunch to celebrate, you know, it is tradition! The Thai lunch after each appointment! Even my doctor knows about it and was asking the other day, are you going for your Thai lunch after the visit?! Too funny! I cannot wait to treat myself - YUM! Bring on the Tom Ka Kai, I am ready!

Here are my results from yesterday -

Calories - 1,595
Fiber - 39
Protein - 122
Water - 146 oz
Fitness - 30 min SLOW walk

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Daily results 3/1 and 3/2...

Everything is going VERY well. I am trying to keep up with my blogs but it seems ever since March 1st hit all I can think about is the fact that our little angel could be born this month! We are on a mission to get everything finished for her arrival. Yesterday was a massive shopping day for me which was so much fun, but it was also very productive. It is just amazing to me the bouncers, play mats, toys and so on that are out there but I think I found some cute ones.

We went last night and bought everything we need for her first aide kit for her bathroom and then we put everything it a container so we can have it all in one place. I had my What to Expect the first year book with me going through the items one by one, it was fun. I started crying at one point because it was hitting me that it is getting so close. My husband was holding me and was so precious in the way he was comforting me. I was emotional last night to say the least.

Today I am heading back to Babies R US to get waterproof pads for her crib and her pack and play. I am also on a quest to find the perfect lamp shade for her table lamp in her room. Then I am off to look those last few items we need on our must have list. We are trying to finalize everything this weekend and so if she does come early, there will be nothing to worry about. Our birth class in on Saturday and then our breastfeeding class in on Wednesday, after that we are done with the classes and hopefully will be ready for the real thing!!

It is amazing to me that all of this is really happening. One year ago today, we bought our house! What a year this has been! I remember the move back from Russia and all the exciting things I was looking forward to doing in 2009, my first year living back in the US since 2006. Little did I know that 2009 would change our life in the way that it did. I feel so blessed and happier than I have ever been. The love of my life and I are getting ready to have a baby! It is such a blessing!

Well I better get going, today will be another long day! Tomorrow is my 35 week appointment and I cannot wait to hear our Michaela's heart beat again! It is funny, I am not worried about my weight, or anything else, all I want is to know she is still growing big, strong and healthy! Maybe after tomorrow we will have a better idea if she is coming early or not, we will see!!

Oh one last thing, my dad is trying hard to get me the photos of the shower but he has been so busy so it may be a few more days but I will post them soon, promise!

Have a blessed day!!

Results from 3/1 -

Calories - 1,704
Fiber - 46
Protein - 124
Water - 128 oz
Fitness - 17 min walk

Results from 3/2 -

Calories - 1,861
Fiber - 37
Protein - 105
Water - 84 oz
Fitness - 65 min walk

Monday, March 01, 2010

Family Baby Shower...

We spent the weekend in Dallas for our family baby shower. We were overwhelmed by all the amazing gifts that we received! The shower was beautiful and seeing my family was so much fun as some of them live in other states. I wish the whole family could have been there but they were in our hearts.

My little Michaela Madison officially has more clothes than I do! We received so many adorable outfits and some of the cutest hats I have ever seen. My heart almost stopped when I opened up a gift from my Mom and Dad. There was an adorable bunny inside that read, best friends indeed. I just loved it as my parents and I are truly so close. Then my Mom told me there was something else inside, it was a cardboard cut out and it read BOB Revolution!! I started crying and was in shock! I have been wanting this jogging stroller ever since I first became pregnant! It is chocolate brown and pink, so cute and perfect for our little girl!!

It was an emotional day for me as I was reading so many wonderful cards from my family that touched my heart so much. My family has been waiting for this moment for a long time and it really is a dream come true for my parents. My grandmother gave me a gift that in many ways is truly the greatest gift one could give. She gave Michaela her first Children's Bible and she had my little girls name engraved on the outside. I thought it was so precious. My grandmother has always been the best example of what the Lord can do in your life. Her strength, compassion and joy for life is something I strive to have and I hope I can pass down to my little girl.

After the shower my husband and I shared a romantic Italian dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Dallas. We talked about the day and how fast our little angel will be coming to see us. We drove back home on Sunday and unloaded everything then headed out to Babies R US to buy the rest of the stuff we needed to get set up for her arrival. We bought over 1,000 baby wipes and over 600 diapers! That should get is going for a few weeks at least! We also bought her swing, diaper genie as well as all the medical needs such as thermometers and so on. We took a photo of the den after we bought everything and it looked like a baby store exploded in my house! We then spent the night organizing everything before spending a relaxing night together reflecting on the weeks ahead. March is here and our little girl could very well be born this month and we are trying to get ready for her arrival as much as we can!!

I talked to my parents this morning and my Dad is going to try and have photos of the shower for me today so I will post a baby shower photo blog tonight or tomorrow!!!!

Results from my Mommy to Be Olympic Challenge!

Well I did not get the gold but I stuck with the challenge and did my best. I set my goals high and even though I did not reach all of them I am proud that even though I am pregnant I am setting new goals and challenges in my life. I always want to be reaching for something!

Here are the goals I set at the beginning of my challenge -

Fitness - Walking, Biking at the gym, Elliptical -

Gold Metal - 17 Hours
Silver Metal - 14 - 17 Hours
Bronze Metal - 10 - 14 Hours

Nutrition - Staying within Calories and Water intake -

Gold Metal - 14 days staying on track with calories and water intake
Silver Metal - 12 - 14 days
Bronze Metal - 12 days or less

Here are my results -

Fitness - 608 mins or 10.13 hours - BRONZE!!
Nutrition - 11 days out of 17 within calorie range (1,500 - 1,800) - BRONZE!!

Now onto the next challenge....To log my food, water intake and fitness every day for this month. It is not a big goal but perfect for where I am now in my pregnancy. I have learned that it is not the size of the goal but the act of setting it in your mind and doing all you can to reach it that counts! Striving to better yourself everyday, that is what I want to do!

March Goals -

1. Consume 1,500 - 1,900 calories per day
2. Drink at least 128 oz of water
3. Fiber intake - 35 grams or higher
4. Protein - 100 grams or higher
5. Consume at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day
6. Walk for 30 mins every day - even if I have to break it up - just get it done the best I can.