November 2005 Mommies! - Our Babies Are Starting To Arrive!

[november2005mommies]

WE ARE IN THE HOMESTRETCH! OUR BABIES HAVE STARTED TO ARRIVE!!

November 2005 Mommies - 9 Girls - 15 Boys -5 Surprises!!

Link to Second Trimester Thread: Second Trimester (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=189)

Link to Third Trimester Thread: Third Trimester (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=4925)

Your co-moderators are Alanna, Natasha and Lindzee82.
Please put updates in RED to make it easier for us to find them!

baby arrival announcements can be made to:
announcemybaby@yahoo.com

threadmembers are encouraged to frequent the email account to watch for new arrivals! (and then to post and report to the thread!) Login using the password: hooray!

To join, please submit a post to this thread with the following information:

CC Name
Me: Name, age
DH: Name, age
Married: Date
TTC: Date (optional)
BFP: Date (optional)
EDD: Date

***Please also note if you have any other children, etc.


*abbytfox IT'S A BOY !! ~ Elliott Solomon
Me: Abby, 29
DH: Adam, 28
Married: 6/22/03
EDD: 12/7/05
ADD 11/21/05


* Alanna IT'S A GIRL!! ~Molly Eleanor
Me: Alanna (Lana), 32
DH: J., 31
Married: 9/13/03
TTC: Nov. 2004
BFP: Feb. 24, 2005
EDD: November 5, 2005
Gender Prediction: A BOY!
Scheduled Induction: November 9, 2005
ADD 11/10/05

* albuquerque IT'S A GIRL!! ~ Zoe Katerina
Me: Ashley, 33
DH: George, 32
Married: 27 June 2003
TTC: November 2004
BFP: 23 February 2005
EDD: 5 November 2005
ADD: November 8, 2005
ADD 11/8/05

amyhky IT'S A BOY !!
me: Amy 33 yrs.
DH: Chad 34 yrs.
married 6/28/03
DS: Hayden, born 7/3/04
EDD: 11/9/05 - it's a boy!
Scheduled C-Section: 11/8/05!


*AmyPooh IT'S A BOY !! ~ Cameron Grant
(AmyInDallas on WC)
Me: Amy, 28
DH: Rich, 32
Married: 8/3/2002
DD: Kailey Catheryn, 9/3/2004
EDD: 11/26/2005
Gender: Don't know yet
Scheduled C-Section: November 15, 2005!
ADD 11/15/05


*Beevo12 IT'S A BOY !! ~ Kaden Bradford
Me: Yota
DH:Brad
Married: September 21, 2002
TTC: December 2003 (4 m/c's)
BFP: March 4th, 2005
EDD: November 16th, 2005
ADD 11/10/05


*Bliss (WC name is Augustbride03) IT'S A BOY !! ~ Dylan Donovan
Me: Adrienne, 29
DH: David, 31
Married: August 30
BFP: March 17, 2005 (happy St. Patrick's Day to us!)
EDD: November 26, 2005
ADD 11/22/05

Breakfasthill IT'S A SURPRISE!!
Me: Beth, 30
DH: John, 41
Married: 9/21/02
DD: 5/17/04
EDD: 11/15/05

http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/engel/angel-smiley-001.gifclzj
Me: Lynn 31
DH: Charles 30
Married: 6/8/2002
DSS: Zachary 10
DS: Isaiah 2
EDD: 11/14/05
ADD: October 26, 2005


* Decemberwed IT'S A GIRL!! ~ Lily Kate
Me: Kassie, 32
DH: Kevin, 32
Married: 12/15/01
DS: Benjamin Rowley 1/20/03
EDD: 11/15/05
Scheduled C-Section: November 10, 2005
ADD 11/3/05


*dziner IT'S A BOY !! ~ Dean Marcus
dziner, 34
DH, 36
married 11.25.00
Ava Brooke, born 12.27.03
Edd: 11.17.05
ADD 11/21/05


*First-time mom (morrisonk from WC) IT'S A GIRL!! ~ Kaylin Mae
Me: Krystal, 24
DH: Doug, 24
Married: July 31,2004
TTC: December
BFP: March 17, 2005
EDD: November 21, 2005
ADD 11/10/05


ginadc IT'S A SURPRISE!!
Me: Gina, 38
DH: Evan, 35
Married: 5/17/2003
EDD: Adopting baby due 11/11/05

*Hawaii2SJ IT'S A BOY !! ~ Aiden Kala`i
Me: Deanne, 28
DH: Randy, 28
Married: 1/24/04
TTC: 8/01/04
BFP: 3/03/05
EDD: 11/04/05
ADD: 11/05/05

*Kelly's Girl IT'S A BOY!! Baby George!
Kelly's Girl, 31
DH-31
Married: 10/13/01
BFP: 3/15/05
EDD: 11/22/05
ADD: 10/10/05

* Kristen78 IT'S A GIRL!! ~ Caitlin Elizabeth
Me: Kristen, 27
DH: Andrew, 30
Married: 8/16/03
TTC: 9/1/04
BFP: 3/4/05
EDD: 11/13/05
ADD: 11/03/05

*Lindzee82 IT'S A BOY !! ~ Matthew Timothy
Me: Lindsey, 22
DH: Eric, 24
Married: August 21, 2004
TTC: January 2005
BFP: March 2005
EDD: November 14, 2005
ADD: 11/15/05


*LSUGirl IT'S A BOY !! ~ Andrew (Drew) John
Me: Rikki, 29
DH: Paul, 35
Married: 9/01/02
DS: 8/27/03
EDD: 11/09/05
Scheduled Induction: November 11, 2005
ADD: 11/11/05

*mrs_barkley IT'S A GIRL!! ~ Emalee Rose
Me: Terena, 27
DH: Tim, 28
Married: September 20, 2003
DD: Gina Marie, May 1, 2004
TTC: we weren't
BFP: March 10, 2005
EDD: November 2, 2005
ADD: August 22, 2005


*Natasha IT'S A GIRL!! Kelly Ruth Serene
Me-Natasha, 22
DH-Bert, 25
Married: not yet!
BFP: 3/6/05
DS: Ethan Joseph
EDD: 11/13/05
ADD: November 25, 2005


Poodlelover IT'S A SURPRISE!!
Me: Terri, 31
DH: Brian, 32
DD: Madeline Elizabeth 01/23/04
Married: June 30, 2001
BFP: March 15, 2005
EDD: November 24 (Turkey Day!)

*rochacha IT'S A BOY !! ~ James Louis
Me: 33
DH: 32
Married: 10/26/02
TTC: 12/04
BFP: 3/13/05
EDD: 11/21/05
Gender Prediction: A BOY!
ADD: 11/17/05

SeaPoet IT'S A BOY !!
Me: Dionne, 36
DH: Aidan, 36
Married: 3/04
EDD: 11/11/05


*SEBSKI IT'S A BOY !! ~ Joseph Michael
Me: 29
DH: 30
Married: 10/27/02
BFP: 3/11/05
EDD: 11/22/05
ADD: 11/10/05

*sem426 IT'S A GIRL!! ~ Hayley Ilyse
Me: Stacy 33
DH: Adam 33
Married: November 24, 2001
BFP: March 12, 2005
EDD: November 15, 2005
ADD: 11/22/05

*Shirsty IT'S A BOY !! ~ Samuel Matthew
Me: 30
DH: 32
Married: 8/17/01
TTC: Jan 2004
BFP: Mar 2005
EDD: Nov 6, 2005
ADD: October 25, 2005


*StClaire IT'S A GIRL!! ~ Avery Grace
Me: Claire, 26
DH: Bryan 32
Married: December 15, 2001
BFP: March 3, 2005
EDD: November 9, 2005
ADD: October 20, 2005


*Tulip IT'S A BOY !! ~ Fletcher James
Me: Kelly, 28
DH: Dan, 31
Married: May 25, 2002
BFP: February 24, 2005
EDD: October 28
ADD: October 10, 2005

[november2005mommies]

Saving

[november2005mommies]

List of Babies by Birthday

August 22, 2005
Emalee Rose
2 lbs 11.6 oz and 15 in
Mommy: mrs_barkley

October 10, 2005
Fletcher James
Mommy: Tulip

October 10, 2005
George
Mommy: Kelly's Girl

October 20, 2005
Avery Grace
Mommy: St. Claire

October 25, 2005
Samuel Matthew
8 Lbs - 21"
Mommy: Shirsty

October 26, 2005
Angel Baby
Mommy: clzj

November 3, 2005
Caitlin Elizabeth
6lbs 4oz - 20.5"
Mommy: Kristen78

November 3, 2005
Lily Kate
7lbs 5oz - 19.5"
Mommy: Decemberwed

November 5, 2005
Aiden Kala`i
7lbs 9.8ozs - 20"
Mommy: Hawaii2SJ

November 8, 2005
Zoe Katerina
9lbs
Mommy: Albuquerque

November 10, 2005
Kaden Bradford
8lbs 3.5oz - 20"
Mommy:Beevo

November 10, 2005
Joseph Michael
6lbs 13oz - 20.5"
Mommy:Sebski

November 10, 2005
Molly Eleanor
10lbs 2oz - 22"
Mommy:Alanna

November 10, 2005
Kaylin Mae
7lbs 13oz - 20"
Mommy: first-time mom

November 11, 2005
Andrew John
8lbs 12oz - 19.5"
Mommy:LSUGirl

November 15, 2005
Cameron Grant
8lbs - 20.5"
Mommy:Amypooh

November 15, 2005
Matthew Timothy
8lbs 13oz - 20.5"
Mommy:Lindzee82

November 17, 2005
James Louis
8lbs 1oz
Mommy:rochacha

November 21, 2005
Dean Marcus
7 lbs 4oz - 20.5"
Mommy: dziner

November 21, 2005
Elliott Solomon
6 lbs 11oz - 19"
Mommy: AbbyTFox

November 22, 2005
Dylan Donovan
7lbs 14oz - 18"
Mommy: Bliss

November 22, 2005
Hayley Ilyse
6lbs 13oz - 20.3"
Mommy: SEM426

November 25, 2005
Kelly Ruth Serene
7lbs 13oz - 20.5"
Mommy:Natasha

[november2005mommies]

October 28
Tulip

November 2
mrs_barkley

November 4
Hawaii2SJ

November 5
Alanna
albuquerque

November 6
Shirsty

November 9
StClaire
LSUGirl
amyhky

November 10
Decemberwed

November 11
SeaPoet

November 13
Asianbear 07
Kristen78

November 14
clzj
Lindzee82

November 15
SEM426
Breakfasthill


November 16
Beevo12

November 17
dziner

November 21
first-time mom
rochacha

November 22
Kelly's Girl
Sebski

November 24
Poodlelover

November 26
AmyPooh
Bliss

December 7
Abbytfox

[november2005mommies]

*********************************************
ULTRASOUND APPOINTMENTS



*********************************************
SCHEDULED INDUCTIONS
November 9
Alanna

November 11
LSUGirl

*********************************************
SCHEDULED C-SECTIONS

November 8
amyhky

November 10
Decemberwed

November 15
amypooh 9:30am

[november2005mommies]

Baby Pictures I


abbytfox - 29 Weeks
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d739b3127cce94494e3c711800000036108CZNnLFmycm

[november2005mommies]

Baby Pictures II

[november2005mommies]

Baby Pictures III

[november2005mommies]

sem426 - 37 Weeks 2 Days
http://images.snapfish.com/345375%3B923232%7Ffp58%3Dot%3E2329%3D%3C35%3D467%3 DXROQDF%3E2323%3B98%3A63%3B%3C9ot1lsi

Hawaii2SJ - 38 weeks
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/alohadee/1af088bf.jpg

[november2005mommies]

Saving 2

[november2005mommies]

Saving 3

[november2005mommies]

Here we are! A fresh new thread for all the new babies who are sure to arrive in the next few weeks!

Please let us know if you want to have any of your info updated... just post any changes you have in RED.

*** A Note: I didn't carry over the u/s pictures from the old thread or the Belly Shots but I have saved space at the beginning of this thread for both of these kinds of pictures. If you have any new pictures you would like to add OR if you would like to have any pictures carried over from the old thread please just post the picture with your request and we will add it to the front of the thread! ***

*** Another Note: For those who are already mommies and all of us soon to be mommies - I have created space for baby pictures at the front of the thread. However, out of respect for everyone's privacy, the moderators will NOT post pictures to this space unless you specifically ask to have your pictures posted there ***


Feel free to start posting away!!

[Alanna]

Subscribing!

[first-time mom]

Yay for the new thread:D It makes it seem so real, we will all be holding our babies soon!!

CONGRATS TULIP- cant wait to hear your story!!

[albuquerque]

Thanks for the new thread, mods!

[Lindzee82]

I am here and subscribing!! How exciting!!!

[Natasha]

WOOHOO! We're really gonna have these babies soon! YAHOO!

[rochacha]

Wow, we are in the home stretch.

I see that Tulip had her baby. Congrats TULIP!!!

[clzj]

I will update about my appointment later.

[amypooh]

Can someone change me from schedule induction to scheduled c-section on Nov 15th at 9:30AM?

I think I have been taking this whole 2nd pregnancy too nonchalantly....
Well I called Dr C about my blood pressure... the nurse made me feel like a total dumbass when she called back. She said with a blood pressure of 150/110 I should not be at work period. So I need to go home and lay on my left side and then take my blood pressure again, if the bottom number is over 90 again then she wants me to go to labor and delivery. She said the risk of seizure is too high with a BP that high and that it is so dangerous because it could come on suddenly and I could fall on my stomach and lots of other bad things she elaborated on.

I thought it was no big deal, I could just deal with feeling a little off and get on with my day.

So anyway as soon as my husband gets out of his meeting (we work together) I'm heading home to try to retake my BP. And I'll either go to Labor and Delivery tonight or to the doctor in the morning if it goes down.

Next Scheduled Dr Appt is 10/21

[abbytfox]

Thanks for the new thread, mods! It is really exciting that we are all getting so close.

I called the doc today because I noticed some "stuff" coming out of me last night and this morning. It was blood tinged, but not actively bleeding. The doc said that because my placenta is so low that this is going to be usual for me from now on. Very fun. I am starting to think that he is going to say c-section due to the placement of the placenta. I know it isn't a full placenta previa, but it is low lying. I am still hopeful that I can have a vaginal delivery. We'll see. I am going to ask him about it on Monday.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d739b3127cce94494e3c711800000036108CZNnLFmycm
Hi Mods...can you please post this on th u/s page. My color isn't working. Sorry! This is 29 weeks.

[dziner]

35w

Congrats to Tulip!!

My EDD is 11/17, please. Thanks. :)

[sem426]

Congrats Tulip!! Welcome baby Fletcher!!

just a quick post to say I'm here for the new thread! My next appt is 10/21

Please add this belly shot to the front page: 34w5d

http://images.snapfish.com/344%3C372323232%7Ffp64%3Dot%3E2329%3D%3C35%3D467%3 DXROQDF%3E2323%3B6649%3C3%3A6ot1lsi

[november2005mommies]

Updated to here!

[november2005mommies]

We were posting at the same time, sem426! Really updated to here now!!

[Lindzee82]

amypooh - How scary about the blood pressure. Hope it has gone down. Take care of yourself!!

abbytfox - No fun about the discharge. I hope you don't have to have a c section, but if your placenta is low then that is the safest thing for you and BF. Definitely talk to your doc and see what they say. Great ultrasound pic. What a little cutie you have!!

sem426 - You look great!!

[Sebski]

ACK!! new thread = new baby!!! From reading the first couple pages I can see that Tulip's a momma now!

CONGRATS TULIP!!!!

I'm off to the old thread now to catch up on all that I missed!

Back now w/ some responses/SO's...

Work Shower I think the gift card amt stems from the guilty management that I work with. They haven't been supportive at all of reducing work hours etc. for me and in the beginning were difficult w/ my taking a day here or there for morning sickness.

Sem Can you believe it's STILL raining here??? UGH! I took car service home from work tonight and almost every road is flooded... INSANE! Congrats on the furniture - post pix!!! I'm going to try to get some of mine up tomorrow since I'm off. Woo hoo!

Beevo FAB NURSERY! Love the shots you posted in the old thread!

Alb I reallllllly like the balloon print! And the border is exactly what I'm looking for, only in a print, for above the baby's changing table. I've had NO luck. I think the print will look great with the border! Yes, I work in NYC so I took a car service home the day of my work shower. The driver helped me to my house with the loot... corporate America comes in handy every so often I guess right? HA!

Cramps so I think I had my first bought w/ contrax last night. I was sooo crampy and my privates hurt a lot too. DH got very nervous and started lecturing to pack "something" last night. He was all anxious - every time I took a deep breath in, he would look over at me all panicked. So I humored him by pulling out and dusting off my duffle bag and throwing some socks into it. :rolleyes: I don't have anything else to pack yet. :o I'll have to run out tomorrow and pickup some other essentials... for me that means hair scrunchies, chapstick, shampoo and candies! :)

I'm so siked that we started a new "baby arrival" thread!!!!!!!!!! Now for the big question -

Who's next?????

[shirsty]

Yay new thread! and

Congrats Tulip!!!

Amy that sucks about the BP, hope you can get some rest and it goes down for you soon.

Abby that also sucks about the discharge, but at least you know it's 'normal' given your situation and that you don't need to worry more.

Dr. appointment Well our appointment yesterday was very anticlimatic, I got all worked up and had a major let down, I knew it was going to happen! I was fantasizing all day that the dr. would take one look at me and say "Whoa you better get home and pack your bag!", instead I get "yep you still have a couple weeks, you should start thinking about having a baby". And of course DH and I are thinking WTH do you think we've been thinking about for the last 37 weeks?! Really the highlight of the visit was getting a flu shot, how sad is that. I am going every week now though so at least I get to go back next Tuesday :)

About the dizziness, the dr. wasn't concerned about it at all. I am starting to think it was stress related, my job has been really stressful this past 2 weeks. I have to stay focused on taking care of myself and not getting caught up in work drama.

I totally agree with those who've said they feel like they're back in the 1st trimester again, except with way more weight to lug around. Speaking of weight as of my dr. appointment yesterday I officially weigh more than my husband now, which is hard to come to terms with! :eek: I figured it was gonna happen though at least it didn't happen until the very end.

Glad tomorrow's Friday!

edited to subscribe to the new thread

[Lindzee82]

I talked to DH tonight and he told me that he just found out that he has a three day weekend starting November 11th for Veteran's Day. And, he can get leave to come home for those three days!!! So......the plan is that at my appointment on Tuesday I am going to ask the doctor if it would be possible to induce me on Friday, November 11th. That is only 3 days earlier than my due date, so it is possible I could go myself before that. But if I don't, I am going to ask about the possible induction. If they say that is something we can do, DH will be here for the delivery!!!! He was able to find a round trip ticket for under $400. So for that price we figure if I go into labor earlier than that weekend, he will take his emergency leave and fly home for two days and then still come home the 10th and stay with us for a few days. Or if they will not induce me, he wants to still come home and see me all big and fat and see the baby stuff as he will not be granted emergency leave after the 15th of November so he wouldn't be able to come home for the birth. So that is where we are now. He was going to book his ticket tonight but it is non-refundable so I told him to wait and call the airlines directly tomorrow. Doing the tickets through Travelocity will give him a non refundable ticket and with the military that scares me. So he is going to call Delta Airlines directly because if you buy your tickets right through them then you can either refund or change your travel dates. So, it looks like no matter what I will get to see him 4 weeks from today!!!! And hopefully my docs will be cool and will say the induction is a go and then our boy will be here 4 weeks from tomorrow!! And DH will be with me to witness the miracle of birth!!! So that is where we are now. I hope everything works out okay. Too bad my appointment is with the midwife I don't really like, but she knows all that I have gone through in this pregnancy by myself so maybe she will be compassionate about everything. Another thing that I think would be amazing is having Matthew on Veteran's Day being that he is named after our best friend, Matt, who was killed in action in Iraq. Crossing my fingers that all goes like we want.

[Natasha]

I don't think I have had any contractions. I never had any with DS, so I have no idea what to expect. Today is officially one month till our due date! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I should start thinking about packing the hospital bag...

[LSUGirl]

I had my 36 week check today
*gained 1 lb. from 2 weeks ago. (so less than 2 lbs in 4 weeks.. yeah!)
*BP was 102/70
*Drew's HR was 142
*Fundal height is right on - 36 (no IUGR this time :D )
*had strep test done.
*got flu shot
*I am 1+ cm
*but I am still "pretty thick and long."
*she's estimating him about 5 lbs right now.
*go back next week.

I haven't posted belly shots in here forever!!
36 weeks
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/rikkifonte/DSC03690.jpg

[abbytfox]

amypoohHope the BP comes down quickly. That is scary. Take good care of you and the little one!

sebThat is crazy about the contrax. I love the way you described your DH looking at you. My DH was doing that a lot too! It is nice to know that they are so concerned. Good thing you have your socks packed!:D Just teasing! I have nothing packed yet either and who knows what is going to happen from here on out...you'd think we would have learned our lesson with two scares so far. Hope you haven't floated away yet! Is it still raining out your way?

shirstyGlad your appointment went well. Isn't it crazy some of the things our docs say to us? When we told ours that we weren't finding out the gender of the baby he told us that we were "chicken"! I couldn't help but wonder how we were being chicken by NOT finding out...so wierd. It is funny that yours told you to start thinking about having a baby soon. You're right...what does he think you've been thinking? Good luck dealing with the work stresses that are making you not feel well. Your health is the most important thing!

lindzee I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU! I hope that your midwife agrees to induce when Eric is home. That would be amazing for your family and how perfect that little Matthew would be born on such a special day. It is wonderful how it is all working out. I am just thrilled for you...good luck asking for your induction. Thinking of you!

LSUGirl Sounds like Andrew is doing great! You look awesome...all belly!

[Natasha]

Is anyone else HOT all the time? I swear, I should be losing weight after all this sweating. Granted, it's hot here (90 degrees today!), but even with the a/c on, I am miserable. Whine, whine, whine, I swear, thats all I do...........

[Lindzee82]

LSUGirl - Glad your appointment went well! Yay for not having IUGR this time. That must be a relief! Yay for being a little dilated, too. It is always reassuring to know that our bodies are doing what they are supposed to in order to prepare for our baby's arrival. Your belly shot looks great!

abbytfox - Thanks! I really hope that she will agree to induce me. By that point I will be so far along that I should be starting to dilate and all should go nice and well. I don't know if I am nervous about it all starting to coming together because it is 3:14am and I am wide awake!! I have been running everything through my head and just can't sleep. Aaahh! I am nervous for Tuesday to ask my doc!! Hope you are doing well!

Natasha - I am hot all the time, too. It is in the low 40s here at night and I still sleep with a fan on me. I finally broke down and turned the heat on for one cycle tonight because the house was a little chilly...but mostly I am still hot with constant hot flashes!!

[albuquerque]

Lindzee, you crazy girl! When I saw that email notification come in I thought the system must be misfiring, who would be posting at 10 something a.m. my time? *Maybe* someone on the West coast, still awake and at the computer at midnight their time...but no, it's Lindzee, up and posting at 3:17 am in Vermont! Crazy! You better be sleeping now! Anyway, it's true we're all having trouble sleeping these days and I'm sure that you particularly are with the news that maybe you can work out a way for Eric to be there when Matthew is born. I really really don't want an induction for myself, but if I were in your situation, I would be begging for one for sure. Fingers crossed that it will work out just as you hope it will.

Natasha, I used to have the hot all the time thing, but not anymore, it is COLD here now! The weather here is nothing like I thought it would be, but maybe that's because our suburb is in the foothills of the mountains around the city, and it really does affect the weather. It is just a lot cooler here than down in the city center, it's a totally different climate. Anyway, last night I got out our big down comforter for the first time. I won't say I slept *comfortably*, the comforter isn't magic or anything. But I did somehow sleep *deeply*. That thing is like a drug. Anyway I feel more awake today than I have in weeks. But it's definitely sweater and comforter weather here, no more hot flashes! Now I'm struggling to find some of DH's jackets that will close around my tummy, and slowly accepting the fact that I'm going to have to spend more freaking money on maternity clothes--my summery pants don't cut it any more and sadly I know I won't fit into my old, warmer (and smaller!) pants through November and December. Still, it irks me to no end to have to buy maternity clothes with 3 weeks and one day to go!

Abby, yuck about another mini-scare with the blood stuff. It must be hard to relax, constantly worrying what's around the next bend! How is the bed rest going so far? I hope you've got a good video club membership! I think if I were on bedrest, I'd have a StarWars fest! I'd watch the whole original trilogy (from the 70s-80s, I like to pretend the newer ones don't exist), from beginning to end! Or maybe a Godfather fest! My DH for some reason likes the Terminator movies, we've rented all three recently and it's really funny to see them again and laugh at them, and especially to laugh at how far the special effects technology has come since the first one!

LSU, love the belly pics, you're so cute, ALL baby. You look like once that baby is out, you'll snap back like elastic, you lucky girl. Also, you look a little like you've "dropped" (not like I'm any expert but I'm obsessed with this right now, wanting to "drop" so badly myself!), I'm jealous! I'm hoping to finally get some pictures--I have some old ones but when I have the new ones I'm waiting for, I'll post them all...

Shirsty, I think I know exactly which Babar hot air balloon print you have. Do they sell it at Land of Nod? With a red frame? I'm pretty sure I've seen it--I was SO close to getting that exact same print. What stopped me is that buying things on an American credit card with a Greek billing address, especially from an American website (they often don't have other options besides US for country), is not so easy. In a lot of ways that print would "go" better in our nursery than the one I bought. When I saw the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta one, though, I just didn't think twice. Obviously I'm a bit obsessed with all things Albuquerque. It also didn't hurt that they accepted my credit card, but even without that I'd have asked someone else (mom, cousin, friend) to let me use theirs and pay back with a check. But I did love that Babar print also. It's beautiful, it's classic, and it also has that ethereal hot air balloon dreamlike quality that seems so perfect in a nursery.

Rehoboth, I'm almost a little jealous of your aches and pains. I wish I had *some* concrete sign of some progression! I do get some slightly uncomfortable pulling feelings down low when I'm walking, and I think last night I can say for sure I was having braxton-hicks, but overall...I don't have a strong feeling of things happening. Congrats on being full term! Alanna and I are full term *tomorrow*!

Sebski, to answer your question, I vote Reheboth as the next candidate for the position of Mommy! No particular reason why. Except that she's full term and feeling some contractions....more than I've got going on by a long shot! And about your managers, if they gave you a hard time about morning sickness early on, I'm glad the bstrds paid up with that GC. The freaking least they could do. Now that I've been through most of a pregnancy, and a very easy pregnancy at that, I think back to the way my managers at UBS treated some of my colleagues when they were pregnant and it makes me want to scream!!! One in particular, her doctor gave her a note to put her out on disability one week before her due date. My stupid manager was married to a pretty well celebrated OB/GYN, and so he thought that because his wife was an OB/GYN that made HIM an expert on these matters, and he gave her a really hard time about going out on disability since in his "expert" opinion she'd had such an easy pregnancy. Also, she was the one in our group with the earliest shift, she was expected in at 6 am to do the morning note, but he refused to send a car for her and cut her NO slack if she was ever late, even in her 9th month, even though everybody knows that the stupid subways run erratically that early in the morning. We also were not allowed to have a baby shower for her on office time, that jerk. We did have one, but outside the office in a restaurant, and there certainly was no GC from management or corporate car to get the stuff home. UGH! I know that they ended up in HR battles and that he was basically trying to fire her but HR wouldn't let him. HE should have been the one fired, for the inappropriate things he said and did. But he also had a law degree and he wasn't stupid--it was always he said/she said, he never put any of that crap into an email or any other kind of paper trail. He was SUCH a jerk through all that. Corporate America--I do miss the paycheck but there are MANY things I don't miss.

Sem, you too, so cute with your belly shots! All baby! And, YAY for furniture deliveries! Is it so nice to have it all set up??

Kristen, how exciting to be a little bit dilated! I have an appt next Monday, I'm really hoping for *something*, I'd be thrilled to be told I was 1 cm dilated. Is it a little bit shocking to hear, though? Like, Oh my God, not only is this really going to happen, but it's actually *starting* to happen?!

First time mom, it's so cute that your DH was worried whether or not your baby could hurt herself. Looks like you're going to have a protective Daddy there!

Bliss, it is hard to know how many clothes you need, isn't it? My mom says you change a baby more times every day than you could possibly imagine, and that you need way more than you think you need. But when I say, OK, how much do I need, then, she doesn't really answer the question! I hope we have enough. I'm not buying more now, I'll wait and see. If you find you need more right after the baby is born, can you send your DH out to buy some on short notice? Although, probably you'd rather be along to pick some out, especially since they'll be your first gender-specific clothes! Who would want to miss out on *that*, so much fun!

Amypooh, scary about your BP scare. Is it weird to think of them potentially inducing you so soon? Are you ready? Maybe YOU will be next, not Rehoboth! In a way it seems very exciting to me, but...well, if your due date is 11/26 obviously it's better and less scary if you can let Baby cook a bit more. Take care of yourself!

Alanna, FULL TERM TOMORROW!!! Can you believe it?! Remember back in the TTC w/ Charting days, when something like this seemed impossibly far away? I almost feel guilty reading that thread now, especially since there are still so many familiar names there. I'm so thrilled every time I see a familiar name graduate outta there and into a pregnancy thread, but wow, I feel for the ones still waiting. I think a while back you said you were jealous of all the others with signs of progression--I'm right there with you. Until last night, I couldn't even say for sure (I still can't say for *sure*) that I'd had any BH. I know I'll eat my words, but oh right now how I'd love to feel a contraction! There was a woman in the October thread, due on Halloween so only 6 days ahead of us, who was talking at least a week ago about losing her mucus plug! I never thought I'd be so anxiously anticipating anything that sounds as disgusting as losing a mucus plug! (Someone said her Danish neighbor translated this from the Danish as "slime cork", funny!) On the other hand, a small part of me is worried that somehow I might deliver before my mom gets here next Tuesday, I would really hate that (not as much as she'd hate that, though). As of Tuesday night, though, bring it on!!! I'm *really* hoping to go early on my own, to avoid the induction/c-section battles, but I'm afraid I'll go a little late.

OK, now I'm off to scavenge for something to eat! I think I'm going to experiment and try to make a vegetable curry--I like Greek food but man do I miss food variety--anything but another souvlaki!!!!

[Decemberwed]

Moderators: can you please change Lily's EDD to Nov. 10? It is a scheduled Csection.

I saw that Tulip had Fletcher! Congratulations! Let the countdowns begin. I am at 26 days left! Bring on the babies!

[clzj]

It looks like we have a lot of c-sections going on. I will be a repeat c-section so if anyone has questions please feel free to ask.

Update on my appointment yesterday:It was a morning appointment. Which is fine but I ended up not eating breakfast before I left work. Shame on me.

Weight:up 6 pounds in 3 weeks for a grand total of 24
BP:126/82
Measured at 32 weeks at almost 35
StepB test
Had an NST and the doc did not like the way that looked so off to the hospital I went for an NST and Level 2 ultrasound. I was ordered to get food on the way to the hospital. I had the first NST because of the tummy measurement and the fact that I have a funky utuerus.
Got to the hospital and the NST was fine but I had to hang out for the MFM doc to the the ultrasound. I got to see the little one. We still did not find out what we are having. The little one is in the 30% and they are guessing that the baby weighs about 5 pounds. It looks like it will be about the same size as DS.

Next appointment is October 31

My doctor also asked if we are looking at having a tubal. We haven't even discussed it. Technically I can't not have a tubal done because of being Catholic. The reason she asked is because the hospital that we choose to go to does not perform tubal's. This is because they are a catholic hospital. DH and I have not even discussed the thought of a tubal or anything. Deep down I would like to have 1 more child of our own.

I can't believe that I will meet my little one in 4 weeks from Monday. At this point last time I was on bed rest. So far so good.

[Lindzee82]

albuquerque - Yeah, I saw that you were lurking in the thread when I was posting. I knew you would catch me up that early...or that late!! I didn't fall asleep until after 5am my time so I am not too sure what time that would be for you. It was sooo frustrating! I have been awake since 8am, so I think I am in for a long day. Thanks for crossing your fingers for me!! I really really hope the doc says yes!!

clzj - Wow, sorry your appointment was so long and in depth. How exciting that you got to see your little one, though, on the ultrasound! That is a very hard decision to make regarding the tubal. It sounds like you have some doubts so I would say definitely don't do it at this time. Especially if for religious you can't. You can always change your mind down the road. How exciting that you are meeting your little one 4 weeks from Monday. If all goes as planned, I will meet my boy 4 weeks from today!! I better get cracking getting stuff ready!!

[november2005mommies]

Updated to here!

[Kristen78]

albuquerque - Lindzee posts from Maine. I'm the one in Vermont. Hee hee! Same time zone though! :p I wasn't that shocked to hear that I was 1 cm dialated because I know you can walk around like that for weeks and weeks. But when I told my DH he was all worried about it and said he better wrap up things at work. Ha ha!

[rochacha]

I think it was rehoboth who said they were overwhelmed by the last thread that they couldn't keep up. Well that was me too, and I am sure it will happen again with this thread, but I'll try.

Sebski -- congrats on the work shower and gift card! That is a bonus, though it can't really make up for the crap they put you through...oh work!
You mentioned that you have staed to feel contrax and you DH wanted you to pack the hospital bag. Well, I am not due till 11/21 and I haven't been feeling any contrax, not even BH, and hubby is insisting that we pack the bag this weekend. I think this is the one part of classes this past weekend that he paid attention too! So, we'll be packing the bag and he is even going to buy me new slippers.

Lindzee -- Dh might actually get to see the birth? That would be so great. I hope they say yes and get you inducued on the 10. BTW, go take a nap if you are still up!

Natasha -- I am usually the cold person, complaining about how cold it is, shivering under my blankets...well for the past week since the temperature has dropped he in NY, I have been piling the covers on hubby. I sleep with no blankets and wake up nice and sweaty. Yes, I blame it on baby.

Amypooh -- take it easy. High blood pressure...yikes. Hope you are doing well.

abbytfox -- I personal library is filled with trashy sex and the city types of novels. I know, not literary classics, but fun easy reads...nanny diaries, the devil wears prada, good in bed, bridget jones...just to name a few.

Wow, looks like a lot of c-sections and induction are coming up. At least you guys have a date to plan around. I still have 5 weeks left till by EDD. I kept thinking that I would go early, but at my Dr. appointment wednesday, they said all is well with my cervix. Nothing going on yet. I think I jinxed myself into thinking I would go early, but now I am thinking I'll have a turkey day baby.

Anyone have any recommendations on a baby book...something that tells you what to expect, how to care for, etc. Like I have no idea about what you are suppose to do to help the belly button heal, or dealing with circumcision, or rashes, etc. Does the hospital send you home with a manual???? Seriously, they should.

[sem426]

Wow...I can't believe all the posts since I last posted at 8pm last night! This thread is jumping!

lindzee That's SUCH great news that Eric might be able to be here for the birth! I hope everything works out!! You need to get some sleep....no more 3am posting!

amypooh Sorry about the high BP...please try to take it easy, only a few more weeks left.

YES IT IS STILL RAINING HERE! ARGHHH!!! I don't think we've seen the sun in over a week. it's getting very depressing...but the forecast is promising some sun hopefully late tomorrow and Sunday as well!

furniture frustration So the furniture was delivered on Wed...DH was there when they delivered it and set it up. I was so excited to get home from work and see it...So I ran upstairs and the minute I walked in I knew that the crib wasn't right. I called DH upstairs and asked him if he even noticed something was wrong..and of course he said no. WHy do men not notice little details??
The problem is...it's the right model crib...but when we bought it they told us they were updating the style a bit and the "legs" of the crib were going to have more detail in them. The dresser would also have the same detailing. So....the dresser we got HAS the detail...but the crib doens't! So it doesn't match! they must have given us an older crib w/o the updated styling. :mad:
After that I proceeded to check out all the furniture and there is also a little chip in the dresser....
DH and I were both off yesterday for the jewish holiday...so when i woke up I called the delivery/customer service # and left this long message. Someone finally called back after about 4 hours....she was rude and didn't even apologize for the error! She said they could deliver the new items on Mon...b/t 8am-6p. I told her that DH could not stay home an ENTIRE day again to wait for them and we needed a smaller window like 3-6 and he could just work a 1/2 day then....she refused. They also said they won't do a Sat delivery. Now i was even more angry.....DH basically took the phone and demanded to speak to a supervisor who they claimed "was not in the office". It was ridiculous...they made the error and now they wouldn't even work w/us on a delivery time. We had such a great experience in the store we bought the furniture in, and now the delivery process was making this so irritating.
DH basically hung up on the woman and then called the store directly that we bought from. The guy there was so nice and apologetic, he called the delivery place directly and then called us back to tell us they WILL deliver b/t 3-6p on Monday AND they were going to credit us the $ we paid for the delivery/assembly charges!:D
So, hopefully on Mondayh the correct items (that aren't damaged at all!) will arrive and then I can start with really setting up the room!
I told DH he needs to go through everything w/a fine tooth comb on Monday BEFORE the delivery guys leave even if they have to sit there an wait for an hour!
SOrry to ramble and vent...but it was so frustrating...isn't the customer always supposed to be right?!

[sem426]

QOTD- Has anyone picked out baby announcements? I've seen a few I like, and am trying to decide. I love the ones with the baby photos on them. I love the inababycarriage.com website, although they are a bit pricy. I want to decide on them before the baby arrives...so once she is here I can just order them online and not have to worry about it.

QOTD #2 What do you plan on having your baby wear home from the hospital? It could be cold here when the baby is born, so I'm not sure how much to bundle her up. Right now we don't have a jacket or anything. so I was just thinking a onesie with a sweater on top maybe and then I'll have her in a blanket until we put her into the car?

[Sebski]

Alb I can't believe what your old mgr put your co-worker through! I'm telling you, being pregnant on Wall Street has definitely opened my eyes. You'll appreciate this one... I got a call from HR the other day... it was a "lets meet and talk about your maternity leave". Ummm - ok. I was surprised because it's not like they have to workout my coverage issues - they already have it planned out. But, pretty convenient call as I started my reduced work week only 2 weeks ago. I'm down to 3 days a week by using vacation time that I saved all year. Needless to say, I'm getting the push to go out on full time leave now. And I know that its the reduced weeks that are doing it. They aren't going over well with my boss. He's such an A$$. So, HR was trying to convince me to take my vacation all now (about 2 weeks) and then they would put me out on full-paid medical leave for the remaining time until the baby comes. Might sound great to some, but the prob is - whatever time I take BEFORE he comes, gets deducted from my time home AFTER he comes. I know it might not sound annoying to some people, but it is for me... after all, I saved my vacay time specifically for this. And he approved it for use this way - via EMAIL so I have it in print - and he's trying to re-neg since it's actually coming to pass now. And I had to sit and listen to HR for 45 min telling me to "double check with him on it, make sure he's really comfortable with my 3 day work weeks, he might have agreed to it too quickly, have a talk with him". HUH? It's not my job to talk to him - I already got my answer in PRINT. I told her "I have it in print and can forward it to you if you'd like, but the 3 day weeks work best for me now and I"ll be here until my due date". UGH!!! Does HR think I'm crazy? Yeah, go ask him again about the reduced work week so he can say NO and there's no way I'm treking into the city every day this close so I'm left taking an earlier leave like he wants. And preggo isn't walking around. I really despise men sometimes. :mad: He's one of those who will forever be in a mid-life crisis... late 40's - married twice with 3 kids he never sees because he's busy jet-setting his girlfriends between his 4 different homes. GAG ME! Sorry to ramble on - but I've been carrying this around since Weds and it feels soooo good to finally vent!

LSU congrats on no IUG prob! Love the belly shot! :)

rochacha score on the new slippers! ;) Have fun packing your bag... I have to head out and buy my "stuff" today... I was supposed to be out and about by now, but can't seem to peel my PJs off! HA!

clzj sounds like you had a tough appt! I'm glad the NST worked out ok though - and at least you got to see your little one through that U/S! So cool that you aren't on bed rest at this time like you were with your last little one!

Sem how frustrating for you with the furniture! Your DH sounds like mine though... I could see him saying "it's fine" until I got home w/ and went over things. How do men not see what we see? ;) I'm glad it worked out though and you got your 3 hour delivery window... the extra detailing sounds lovely - its going to look really pretty!

Abby nope, haven't floated away yet... but its still raining! Pretty unreal - I can't imagine how people in Seattle live through all the rain they get! Thank goodness for our sump pump and french drains - our poor neighbors have gotten so much water in their basement!

[Sebski]

Sem you posted your QOTD while I was posting... :)

Announcements I just started looking into these this week. I'm thinking of doing holiday cards/birth announcements but I'm not sure yet. I like the idea of seperate cards more I think, but keep going back and forth. Whatever I do, I want to get the envelopes ahead of time for addressing, so all I have to do is stuff them when the munchkin arrives.

Coming home outfit Not sure yet. My mom usually buys this so I'm sure I'll be getting something at my shower this weekend. I think you're safe with a onsie/sweater/blanket combo. It will be chilly, but not cold cold yet.

[Lindzee82]

rochacha - If they will induce me and if Matthew doesn't decide to come early...DH will be here for the birth!!!!!! I really hope they say yes!! I am still up!! No nap though, gotta go to lunch with my uncle. I will try this afternoon for sure!

sem426 - It is great news....if they will go for it!!! They have to!!! They just have to!!! I will try to nap this afternoon. This has been the pattern for the last few days. I woke up at 3:30 the other morning and was up the rest of the day and did not sleep at all when I tried to take a nap. Very frustrating. It is raining a lot here, too. No fun! Oh my goodness, that is crazy about your furniture! Glad you called the store directly and that they are were able to get through to the delivery place. Hopefully this will be the end of the furniture saga and you can finish your nursery!!

baby announcements - I am planning on just doing mine through Shutterfly. I like the patterns they have and the prices are very reasonable.

coming home clothes - Matthew will be in a onesie, a sleep n play, a sweater and hat set, and will have a blanket covering his legs. He shouldn't be too hot at all. Maine is cold in November! Normally he wont have so much but the sweater set is a gift from my memere and we all come home in them and the blanket was made for us by our best friend, Matt's grandmother, whom Matthew is named after.

***

Just realized that today is 1 month until my EDD!!!!! And DH will be here 4 weeks from right now!!!! I will be able to hold him in 4 weeks!!!! I forgot what it feels like to hold his hand and kiss him and hug him. I just can't wait!!!!! I misses my babycakes!

[Alanna]

Alb Yay for being full term tomorrow!!! I cant wait to be able to tell her to come out and not feel bad about it...

lindzee fingers crossed on your plan to have DH present for the birth!!

Sem AGGGH what a PITA! I'm so upset for you... i am definitely feeling a lot of compassion on the whole furniture frustration front!

clzj Sounds like you had a good appointment!

I have my appointment today... I should find out the results of my strep test... but otherwise I am not anticipating anything exciting....

QOTD#1 we are having FIL design our cards - he does really cute designs and has done them for SIL's babies... so we have bought the card stock.. and we are working on what we want them to look like... i want there to be an insert in them so we can include a wallet sized picture...

QOTD #2 we havent settled on a coming home outfit yet... i was reading the thread on them Coming Home Outfit Thread (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=2346)

and I was surprised at how huge 0-3 outfits were on the babies... im thinking of picking up a premie outfit to have on hand just in case.

we also bought one of these...

Bundle Me
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000D14PW.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I figure we will bundle her up like crazy and since I will probably sit in the back seat with her on the way home i can make adjustments if needed.

[Alanna]

Lindzee Your post made me all warm when I read that you had a sweater set from your Memere! We called my mother's mother Memere (and my grandfather was my Pepere), just reading that made me miss her! (but in a good way) anyway... thats just me rambling on... :)

[sem426]

How cute is this? I think I might need to buy them since this baby has SO many clothes already! I can't seem to find them at BRU or BuyBuyBaby, so I might need to order them online!

http://store1.yimg.com/I/babyant_1861_86925257

Closet Organizers - Newborn to Size 7
With gift, hand-me-downs, or even a great sale price that just couldn't be passed up, a little one's closet can quickly become a jumble of clothing in many different sizes. These size dividers make it simple to keep the whole wardrobe neat and orderly. Five blank, plastic size dividers, removable labels for 14 sizes.

[Bliss]

Wow, this thread moves fast :D

Lindzee how exciting about your DH coming home! I am sure you are beyond thrilled to get to see him in 4 weeks. I hope all works out w. Matthew being induced while he is home :) At the very least I am psyched for you that you get to see your hubby.

Amypooh Hope you are feeling well and BP is under control. You are my due date twin :) so I need to keep tabs on you.

Sem Totally feeling your frustration on the furniture front. We had an issue w. our crib we ordered from BRU, the finish of the wood was totally off from the changing table (it was the same collection). So they ordered us another crib, and it came in last week...surprise surprise, that one didnt match either. After a lot of BS from BRU about "variances in wood color" we picked a different changing table that does match the new crib. So we are waiting for that to be delivered, hopefully by next week. Then we need to arrange for delivery of the new crib & changing table and send back the other 2 pieces. Its such a PITA as I want to put stuff away, but cannot since the furniture we have now is going back. *ugh* I am thankful that we still have about 6 weeks or I would be freaking about all this mess.

Announcments I was also thinking of maybe doing a combo holiday/announcement card, but now I am thinking of doing just an announcement and writing "happy holidays" in it as well or something. Havent really looked at too many companies yet.

Alanna I was thinking of getting the same bundle me for the carseat, as we live in CT and I know it will be cold out. Here is a question- are you still going to have the baby in a jacket or snowsuit? We got a fleece lined snowsuit for our shower, so I am thinking we should either use one or the other so that baby is not too hot. Either way I am probably going to get the bundle me anyway, just curious if you are still supposed to use a jacket or blanket with it. I am worried about overheating the poor little one :)

On baby clothes, I am going out today to get some more sleepers, onsies, tshirts etc. There are some sales by me so hopefully I can stock up. Of course, I am hoping I can walk the mall without getting too tired or nauseaus.

We have our all day childbirth class tomorrow, so I am excited for that. It seemed so far away when I booked it, and now its tomorrow, time is sure passing. Yet it feels like I have been pregnant FOREVER lol.

I live in Connecticut, and this constant cold rain is the worst. I need to see some sun soon, its so depressing!

[albuquerque]

Sem, those closet dividers are probably a great idea....the only problem is that the sizes of the baby clothes are such a total mystery! Some things in 0-3 months look the same size to me as another brand in 6-9 months, it doesn't seem to make any sense! I'm putting some of her stuff in the closet but most in the dresser we have. I'm terrified of having her swim in huuuuge 0-3 month stuff for months, only to find out when she's 6 months old that she's already outgrown most of the stuff in the 6-9 month stack! I'm also really worried about some of the most adorable things we've been given--there are some unbelievably sweet outfits, with matching hats and undies and everything, that are 3-6 months and quite summery. She'll be 6 months at the very beginning of May, and you'd think that in Greece, it would be warm enough for summery clothes....but you'd be wrong. We were sleeping with a down comforter right up through mid-June this year and it was definitely sweater weather until the mid-June, too. I'm so sad to think she might never have a chance to wear these things! And exchanging them for a larger size isn't really an option since they were gifts sent from the US and I have no receipts or anything....
...btw, SUCKS about the furniture frustration. Good for you and your DH for not letting them get away with it. There's nothing worse than spending a lot of money to get something really nice and then being treated like crap by customer service. They want to unload last year's model and damaged material on someone and they're waiting for someone who won't complain and insist on getting what they paid for! Let them learn that this is what clearance sales are for--chipped stuff and last year's model without that extra detailing that you paid perfectly good money for!

Sebski, good for you for not letting your boss and HR run over you! Too freaking bad if now it's inconvenient for your boss for you to take the time he agreed *in writing* (go you!) for you to take. HR wants you to talk to him again, because maybe he agreed too quickly without thinking it over? Well too bad, because you've made major life plans around an agreement that you discussed with your manager and *he agreed to*! These kinds of stories just make me seeeeeeeethe! Another thing I always freaking hated about the Wall Street atmosphere was this culture of people bragging about what vacation time they *didn't* take. And then if you *did* take all the vacation time you were entitled to, they would act like you'd done something wrong! WTF is wrong with people?! That same woman I was telling you about didn't take any vacation time the whole year she was pregnant (baby born in Sept) because of the pressure my boss was putting on her and because she felt GUILTY about taking maternity leave. And then when she came back to work right after maternity leave, again she was made to feel like she couldn't take a day off because she'd been gone 3 months--so by the time she felt like it was sort of OK for her to take a day off, it was March of the new year and all the rollover vacation time had expired. GRRRRRRR!!!! I guess I don't need to tell you that she eventually left the company because she couldn't handle the tension there with my boss. Then he had the nerve to be pissed because she only gave him 2 weeks notice (um, hello, that's standard, and when you fire people you give them NO NOTICE) and that wasn't enough time for him to hire a replacement. :mad:

......taking deep breaths, calming down.......

Announcements DH surprised me by not vetoing announcements outright. Apparently something like that would just be considered weird to Greeks, but I guess he understands that they're an expected thing in the US and that by having this child in his country I've made a lot of compromises, so he actually voluteered that if I want to send them to people in the US I should plan to do that. Last week I got an announcement in the mail from my ex from college--his second baby. I actually really loved their announcement and I might just rip off their idea wholesale. It's a very simple 5x7 black and white picture of their son, buck naked sleeping on his tummy in that adorable newborn arms-and-legs-curled-up-under-him, bum-in-the-air position, on some kind of neutral padding and neutral background, with his name, stats, and something like "Welcomed by CollegeEx and CollegeEx's Wife". I'd scan it and post it but it's kind of an invasion of their privacy. It is adorable, minimalistic, and very classy, I think. Totally frameable. I think they had a professional photographer take it but I'm pretty certain you wouldn't need to have a professional to get a shot like that. I'm expecting to not be very ambitious in those first few weeks (I LOVE sleep and don't do well with sleep deprivation), so I'm going to try to do this as low-hassle as possible. One good digital pic, convert to either black-and-white or sepia tone on the computer with our very basic photo editing software, with same software add some text in a nice font with her name (if we can ever freaking have a DECISION about her name!!!), birth date, weight, "Welcomed by Alb and DH", and then ship it off to ofoto or shutterfly to print. I keep telling myself to go ahead and address the envelopes (which I already have), and to buy the international stamps and put them on....but of course more pressing matters like proper CC attention have interfered with those plans and I haven't made time for that yet!

[albuquerque]

Those of you who find this thread overwhelming can blame people like me...it's just that I'm required to be in front of my computer all day waiting to jump on any work they send me, but they don't send me enough work to keep me busy! Sorry!

Anyway, Sebski, something I forgot to mention earlier (too busy ranting about my old manager!)--you said you're looking for something like that border I have, only in a print, for over your changing table? (You are the one who had the adorable little hot air balloons in your bedding, right?) Well, it might seem a little weird, but they sell that same design in a full blown wallpaper, and it might be possible to cut out a chunk of it to use as a print? I don't know, just a thought. If it did work, it would certainly be a *cheap* solution--the wallpaper is on sale now for $13.19 for a roll.
http://images.solidcactus.com/usawall/picture.aspx?i=NB25063&w=&h=
Look here: http://store.yahoo.com/wallpapers/grwamawa.html
The border I have is green tinted (looks more green IRL than in the little sample pic they give), but they also have other colors, I think. I know they have black and white, and maybe also blue and a few other colors. The main site is www.usawallpaper.com, and I think if you do a search for "norwall balloon" it will come up. Or else, the whole pattern range is called "Green Water Marble Wallpaper", made by Norwall--you could do a search on "norwall water marble" and see what it gives you.

[Lindzee82]

Alanna - Thanks! Yeah, the 0-3 outfits start at like 8lbs. I don't think my baby will be that big, so I have a newborn sized outfit that goes from 5.5-8.5 lbs so that should be good.

[Sebski]

Alb oh my GOSH on the "I never use my vacation" front!!! I can't stand that... I use all of mine every year. With how quickly you can be "disposed of" I figure why save it - they won't pay me out for it if they let me go. Plus, it's MY time, heck - I want to use it! I'm so tired of the "it's cool not to use your vacation and live at your job" mantra! I feel like screaming GET A LIFE! :)

I love the hot air balloon wallpaper idea as a print! I'm going to checkout those websites now - thank you! You also reminded me that I didn't post pix of the bedding... I only have a couple pictures online of the day the furniture/bedding arrived. Haven't taken any since we added the rug, wall hangings and balloons from the ceiling... But, at least I can post what the crib looks like w/ the bedding right? :) Oh, and also - I liked the crib caddy-cornered like in this picture, but DH came home and veto'd it so it's now flush against the wall. Boring I think, but gotta pick your battles. ;)

Here's a crib/bedding shot:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce26b3127cce94f795d95c2a00000016108AbtG7Nw0cNN

And here's a closeup of the balloons on the bedding:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce26b3127cce94f7aa659d2100000016108AbtG7Nw0cNN

Oh! I can also ask you all a silly question... see how the bumpers match the bedskirt in the full crib shot? Well, there are hot air balloons on the reverse side (you can see in the bedding closeup shot). I go back and forth over which side I should display - the balloons, or the matching stripes/dots to the skirt... what do you think? Yes, I said it's a silly question. :rolleyes:

The curtains arrived yesterday, but I have to head out and buy different rods this afternoon... I thought I could make do with the ones I have, but they aren't going to work. I'll post some pictures of the progress once I get them up.

[Lindzee82]

Alanna - Aww, I am glad I made you warm! I am sorry that you have to miss her.

Bliss - You have no idea!!! I am just so excited. I really hope the doc will induce me!! Either way I just can't wait to hold my husband!! Good luck at your childbirth class tomorrow!!

Albuquerque - Those announcements sound really nice. Glad your DH didn't veto them. I don't think I will tell my DH that I am doing announcements. He will think they are dumb. He wont even notice if I do them!

[Natasha]

Sebski-I vote keep it how it is, it looks good. I LOVE your bedding!

Holy moly, yhis thread moves sooo fast, I'm gonna skip SO's and go right to the QOTD's.

Announcements--Haven't even thought about it. Ugh. i probably should. We just don't have money for that right now, till Bert finds a new job. Oh well...

Coming home outfit--I dunno if ya'll have seen it at Baby Gap, but it's a shirt with wings on the back and ruffle butt pants with fairies on them. Then, we have the wooly purple Baby Gap outfit to put over it. I'll post pics some other time. It's for up tp 7.5 pounds, so hopefully it will fit well. A good friend of our got it for us, cause I only buy baby clothes at WalMart! lol They go through them too fast!

[Sadie]

<delurking>

Sebski,I LOVE your bedding! Could you tell me where you got it? I have been looking online and that is my favorite by far of what I've seen.

Thanks!

<back to lurking so I can learn all I can from you all before I go through this myself>

[Kristen78]

QOTD Announcements - I want to order some from Inababycarriage.com. I think I will do a holiday version so we can send them in place of Xmas cards this year. I really like this one...
http://www.inababycarriage.com/designs/holidays/christmas/images/holidaystripes.jpg

Problem is that they would cost me like $150 or so and I haven't told my DH yet. So we'll see...I doubt I have the talent and/or energy to make my own.

QOTD Going Home Outfit - I packed 2 outfits, not sure which one I will use. One is a pink striped 1-piece without feet. But it is 0-3 months. The other is a yellow onsie + a white footed sleeper with animals on it. Its more unisex. That one is sized 5-7 pounds so I think we will probably use that because it will fit better I bet. I also packed a cotton knitted cap and a fleece blanket. I also have a Bundle Me that I will use with the carseat depending on the weather. Its pretty chilly in Vermont in November!

[sem426]

seb love the bedding! it looks great!!

alb that idea for the announcements sounds really nice. my DH has given me some feedback, but ultimately I'm sure he'll just agree with whatevr i pick :)

I just got back from lunch with one of our vendors from work. They got us the cutest teddy bear and this basket filled with wash cloths, bibs, onesies, undershirts and a hooded towel. It was so nice of them! I love getting baby gifts:D

[sem426]

kristen we posted at the same time...i love the announcements by inababycarriage. the one you posted is adorable. I don't think i'll do combo holiday card. I'm trying to rationalize spending over $200 on annoucements and then i'd want to order thank you's as well....so even more $$!

[Sebski]

Thank you for the bedding compliments! It took forever to find a set that I really love. :)

Sadie Thank you! The bedding is by Navis Designs (www.navisdesigns.com) and its called "Heavenly World". I purchased it at Bellini.

Kristen LOVE LOVE LOVE that announcement! That's one of the ones we're (or should I say I'M) considering). She does such fabulous work!

Sem Score on the baby gifts! I'm with you - I absolutely love getting them! :)

Since we're talking about announcements today... have a question for you... how many are you ordering? Are you sending them out to only close friends and family? Or doing a more extended mailing?

[sem426]

Can you tell I have nothing to do at work today, this is like my 5th post!!

announcements I'm going to need probably 100-125. Between our friends and family and then my MIL gave me a list of people she wants us to send to...we'll have a pretty big list. I haven't even asked my mom who she wants to send announcements to yet, but i'm sure she has a bunch of friends too.

[Alanna]

announcements we have figured about 100. We want to send them to our college friends, and then i expect that my parents and DHs parents will have small lists of their own.

M/w's Visit i just got back from my appointment.. i thought it would be a short and sweet one today.. and well... an hour and twenty minutes later... here i am...

good news! i dont have strep B. yay.

the reason it took so long is that when she asked how the baby was moving.. i was like.. well i think im noticing it less.. her movements are less obvious... she responded with a "you just won yourself a NST!" so i sat there all hooked up for about 25 minutes.. they gave me almonds to eat and a big glass of water.. every thing is fine.

the other thing that happened is that she said she wanted to check and make sure the baby's head was down so she did an internal. she said her head is down and probably wont change at this point. Yay!

She also said that my cervix was "really short" and I had some "impressive effacement" going on for someone at only 37 weeks. That made me a little happy... but Im going to take it with a grain of salt... i dont want to get myself excited, I bet Ill be here long after most of you have given birth :rolleyes:

Sebski that is seriously some of the most beautiful crib bedding I have ever seen! GORGEOUS!

Bliss I havent figured out exactly what the baby will wear underneath the bundle me... i dont think im going to do a snowsuit or anything like that though... (unless its snowing! oh please - no snow that early!) probably just layered up with a sweater and hat as the top layer... ill have to get some input from my mom and sister! I just dont have a clue about such things :o

[Lindzee82]

Alanna - Yay for no Strep!! Yay for baby being head down! Yay with progress!! Sounds like a great appointment to me. And the NST must have been cool to hear the heartbeat for all that time!! I have never had one, but I would like one just to see what he is doing in there!

[amypooh]

Sem - You can buy those dividers at Target too. I had those for Kailey's closet they were a big help!

Sebski - I have similar work woes.. I have 4 days of vacation I'm going to lose if I dont get to take them before Cameron's arrival. My boss is really laid back and I could probably take them no problem, but his boss is another story. He was a jerk about me wanting to work from home yesterday with my blood pressure sky high. Ass!

And I LOVE your bedding. I love Nava's Designs. I copied her design for Kailey's bedding. I fell in love with her "Brownstone" collection so I sewed it myself with my mom and my aunt adding a few more colors in so it would be unisex thinking I could use it for all my kids. Wrong-o!

Kristen - That is a great idea to do holiday announcements.

Announcements - Last time I used our photographer that took Kailey's pictures. I'll either use them again, or something from invitingsmiles.com maybe or maybe use Kristen's idea for a holiday card.

Dr Appt - I'm on bedrest until Monday and then we'll reevaluate on Monday. I had to do a BioPhysical Profile today. They estimated Cameron weighs 5.5lbs now. Which is quite a shock because I am sooo much bigger this time. I have to do a 24 hour urine colletion which sucks, I had to do it with my daughter too. You have to collect your urine in this huge orange jug and then jug has to stay in the fridge... sick!

decemberwed - Did you ever post pictures of Lily's final nursery?

[Lindzee82]

Amypooh - Sorry about the bed rest and having to give the sample. Hugs!! Take care of yourself!


***

DH has booked his flight!!!!! He will be here at 1:08am Friday November 11th no matter what!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!

[Decemberwed]

I just had my 35 week appt. Did the Strep B, and my first internal. My dr. said I was closed up tighter than a drum. For me that is good. I need to last until the csection date. She also thinks that Lily is going to be more "average" weight than Ben (who was 8lbs 15 oz). And, I didn't gain an oz from two weeks ago, which I am happy about.

That is my update...

I love everyones posted pics (announcements, cribs, etc) All baby stuff is so much fun.

Amy I think I am officially done with Lily's nursery. Here is what I have. I had to buy the shelf to hang the letters from because they were just too small for the wall. But, I didn't want them to be overkill with the L on the wall. I am also posting my announcements- I have a friend of a friend who does them...then I just take a pic and add it to the left side.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce35b3127cce94cdb372bcfb00000016108AcN2rZu2bM9
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce35b3127cce94cdb9f43d4800000016108AcN2rZu2bM9
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d627b3127cce9314fe9eb31b00000015108AcN2rZu2bM9
All it needs now is a "average sized baby"!!!

[amypooh]

Decemberwed - Oh I love it! It looks like a magazine... beautiful!

[Lindzee82]

Decemberwed - Beautiful nursery!

[KatieKate]

Decemberwed , Beautiful Nursery. Can I ask where you got that Dresser??

[Kelly's Girl]

I haven't been around in a few days and it is hopping here! I wanted to pop in while I could and update.

DH and I went out of town last weekend for a last-trip-before-baby vacation to celebrate our 4th ann. Late Saturday night, I kept feeling like my water had broken so we went to the hospital Sunday around noon. Hadn't broken, but was having regular contractions, so they gave me a shot of terbuteline to stop my labor and sent me home so I could get back to La. and my own OB.

Around 11 p.m. Sunday it was apparent that the meds weren't working and I was having regular contractions so we went back to the hospital. (I was feeling like such a nervous nellie and kind of silly!) Turns out it was a good thing we went b/c I'd dilated another cm. and was fully effaced since that afternoon. They tried again to stop my labor with stronger meds in an IV.

At this point, around 3:30 a.m. my DH took a cat-nap, thinking we'd be sent home after overnight observation to be able to return home to my OB and the rest of the pregnancy would progress as usual. He woke up around 5:30 to me in full labor about to get an epidural and being told he'd be a dad- SOON.

Our son was born at 8:43 a.m. and is doing great. He has already moved to the intermediate nursery and been removed from his IV! He was born at 33w 6d but just doesn't seem to know he's a preemie.

Here's a picture of my DS (who was SO supposed to be a girl, I thought! ;) )
http://images.snapfish.com/344%3C573923232%7Ffp58%3Dot%3E2333%3D%3A69%3D8%3B6 %3DXROQDF%3E2323%3B69%3B689%3B9ot1lsi

[Natasha]

Kelly's Girl: CONGRATS! He doesn't even look like a preemie. How much did he weigh? How scary to have the baby while OUT OF TOWN! I hope you guys are doing well, and I can't wait to hear more details and see more pictures!

Decemberwed--I LOVE your nursery!

[november2005mommies]

Kelly's Girl: Did you want to share your son's name? I was going to update the birth of your son to the front page, but I'm not sure what to put for a name! Thanks!

[Kelly's Girl]

Oops, I did leave out some important stuff, huh? Sorry, I'm kind of spacy right now. :rolleyes:

His name is George (that's the sign behind him my neice made for his bed in the NICU) and he was 4# 14.8 oz when he was born (almost 5!), and 18 in. long. We're doing okay since we have family here, but it is a little trickier trying to adjust w/o all the comforts of home (like extra clothes! I only packed a weekend's worth!)

We spend a lot of the day at the hospital, but I'll check back when I can. Hope everyone is doing great- I haven't had a lot of time to read posts, so everyone take care!

[november2005mommies]

Don't worry about it, you are totally allowed to be a bit spacey! Congrats!!!

Updated To Here

[Lindzee82]

Kelly's Girl - Congratulations!!! He is sooo cute!! So glad he is doing well and that you are too!!

[albuquerque]

Kelly's Girl, CONGRATULATIONS!! And WELCOME to little George!!! What an adorable baby he is! This is so exciting! I'm sure the surprise was a little scary, but it sounds like everything turned out OK. Man, if our baby had come before 34 weeks, we would have NOTHING ready at our house. Are you guys somewhat prepared in terms of your house? When do you think you'll be able to take him home? And....how far away is home?

If our baby also turns out to be a boy, against all predictions, we are in *major trouble*......so many little pink clothes!

[albuquerque]

Sorry, had to come back to add that today Alanna and I are FULL TERM!! Yay! Alanna, I'm jealous that you seem to be moving along with your impressive effacement and all. I hope that my appt on Monday turns out to be something like yours...I don't know, I think if you keep on planning to be two weeks late and don't pack anything, etc, Murphy's Law says you'll have a surprise on your hands and go two weeks early! (Maybe I should start concentrating on being two weeks late, by that logic? God knows I have nothing packed or ready....)

I can't believe we already have THREE BABIES!

[Lindzee82]

Albuquerque and Alanna - Congrats on being full term!!! How very exciting. I am sure one of you will be the next to have a little baby!!

[Decemberwed]

Kelly's GirlHoly Cow! Congratulations! George DOESN'T look like a tiny preemie, he looks like a big, healthy baby. So glad everything is ok.

KatieKateWe got Lily's dresser (and nightstand) from Rooms To Go Kids. However, the line isn't on their website. It is made by Stanley and is called the Young American's or something like that. You can go to Stanley's website to see the whole line. Someday we anticipate buying the bed in this picture as well. The furniture itself is bright white but is distressed on the edges. This is the pic from the Stanley Furn. website of the collection called Summerhaven:
http://www.youngamerica.stanleyfurniture.com/images/assets/251_94_35_L.jpg

Happy Saturday to everyone! I am taking Ben to a local pumpkin festival today. Hopefully it will be fun rather than chaotic!

[Lindzee82]

I am off on a nursing bra search today...should be interesting!!

[Kristen78]

Wow, I can't believe we have another baby already. Congrats Kelly's Girl!!

Well a few weeks ago I said that my DH agreed that we could name the baby Miriam...well now he is chaning his mind...AGAIN! This is so frustrating. He says Miriam sounds like an old lady name :rolleyes: and he doesn't think it is "beautiful and elegant"....uhhh, OK! So now he says we can name her the other name I liked which was Caitlin. I do love Caitlin too, but I liked Miriam because it wasn't so popular, and Caitlin is pretty common I think. At least it was in the 90's anyways. So we may go with Caitlin, but I think my DH still has the possibility of changing his mind. I guess I will be happy with either name, so its not a big deal.

Lindzee- Let me know if you find any good nursing bras. I need to buy a few too!

[Kelly's Girl]

Nursing Bra- Check out the bravada line. It is fabulous! I also got the hands free bra for pumping- awesome!

[first-time mom]

WOW congrats Kelly's girl this is getting so exciting!!! Babies are coming left and right!!

Nursing bras-I bought a good one at Motherhood maternity:) It cost 18!

I have a question for ya all!! Has anyone been worried about toxoplasmosis? My dh changes the litterbox but yesterday my dog ate cat poo from the garden outside and then came in and licked me, now I am paranoid!! I did ask the doc and she said the baby is all developed and if I did get it chances are it wouldnt do anything to her. She did say that there is no telling if I do have it or if I have been exposed. She said I could have been exposed in early pregnancy for all I know but there is nothing they do about it? She said if something serious happened more than likely something would have shown up on ultrasound, which she looks fine! I think I am just getting to the point where I am starting to worry if she will be 100% ok when born cause we really never know.


Anyone else worry about the health of their baby. Maybe my hormones have my mind wondering!!

Movements-My baby has been mellow my whole pregnancy and has caused me to worry the whole time but now she is moving less. I still feel her everyday so is this ok? Wow listen to me I sound like a worry wort:) Maybe I need a nap. But I guess this is why I am a part of this thread so I can get some feedback!!

gender-if my baby comes out boy I am really in trouble as well. He will be wearing a lot of pink haha:)

Lindz-I am so happy for you:) It will be so cool if our babies share the same b-day:) I will keep my fingers crossed for you and you keep yours crossed for me (Nov. 11)! If my doc doesnt do it on Nov. 11 it looks like the 18th for me. I just hope he doesnt take the 11th off b/c of the holiday!!

I know I missed a bunch of people this thread is hoping and its hard to keep up:)

[dziner]

Welcome George and congratulations Kelly's Girl! I hope you aren't terribly far from home and are able to return soon and get into the swing of things.

[amypooh]

CONGRATULATIONS Kelly's Girl and WELCOME George!!

[Tulip]

Hi guys. We're finally home after a very long week in the hospital. Fletcher had jaundice and feeding issues. He's still not latching but I'm pumping and we're working on it.

I'll update with my birth story after I get some sleep. :)

[sem426]

Congratulations Kelly's Girl!! Welcome George!!

Tulip glad you are home! can't wait to hear the birth story.

gender if thsi baby turns out to be a boy...we are in big trouble! lots of girl clothes, bedding and accessories! I actually have been thinking about that alot lately...what if the ultrasounds were wrong?? I know there is always a chance of that..but we had 2 and both techs said they were confident it was a girl....i guess we'll just have to wait and see.

decemberwed the nursery looks amazing!! you did a great job!

we got our carseats inspected today...we did a pretty good job, they just tightened them a bit. It's so weird to have it in the backseat...now all we need is for someone to sit in it:D

lindzee I'm so happy for you that Eric is all booked and coming in 4 weeks!!

kristen both Caitlin and Miriam are beautful names..when you see your daughter hopefully you'll just "know" which name suits her!

[Sebski]

CONGRATS KELLY'S GIRL & WELCOME GEORGE!!!!!

Tulip glad to hear you and your little man are home!!!

I'm popping in quickly to post some nursery pix... FINALLY found my camera charger. Let me know what you think... I"m feeling like it needs some more "oomph" but DH thinks that means "clutter" and is revolting.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce34b3127cce949323a4656e00000016108AbtG7Nw0cNN

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce34b3127cce94932dc9650400000016108AbtG7Nw0cNN

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce34b3127cce94932398655200000016108AbtG7Nw0cNN

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce34b3127cce94932004a46700000016108AbtG7Nw0cNN

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce34b3127cce94932d5f659200000016108AbtG7Nw0cNN

Sorry for all the pictures, but I rarely have any to post so when I get some, I get trigger happy! :o Don't mind the tiny holes near the hot air balloons - DH has to fill and paint them (they're from old pix we had there). And, ideally I want to get a toy chest for under the window, but haven't been successful so I have those 2 bins there for now. I definitely need to put something over the changing table but I'm at a loss on ideas... DH isn't crazy with another print... not crazy about his name in letters. Any suggestions?

Ok I have to jet - I'm supposed to be getting ready for dinner and am running late. Ooops! Tomorrow's my shower - wish me luck!

[Sebski]

Back again because I just saw what your original due date was Kelly's Girl and almost passed out!!! We were supposed to be due date twins and you off and go have your son early on me! :p Refresh my memory - were you told he was supposed to be a girl and he ended up being a boy? I don't remember if you found out or not. And thank you for helping to totally get my butt in gear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats again - you have a very handsome son!

[Lindzee82]

Kristen78 - I really like the name Caitlin. I always said that was what I was going to name my daughter when I had one, but DH had other ideas. Both names are really beautiful. I do hope that you are able to come up with a set name soon! I found a nice bra at Motherhood. Finally found one that fit, so I bought 2. I like them.

first-time mom - I change my own cat's litter box. I am not too worried about toxoplasmosis. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you, either. You are fine!! As long as you are feeling the baby move each day I wouldn't worry. You should get 10 movements in 2 hours, so I would do a fetal kick count every day to put your mind at ease. You still have your doppler, too, don't you? If you come out boy and I come out girl, we will just swap clothes, k! Thanks! It would be great if our babies had the same birthday! I will definitely keep my fingers crossed for you that they will induce you on the 11th, however, I don't think you will make it that long either!! I know you are two weeks ahead, so that 18th would just be too long for you to wait!!

Tulip - Good to see you are home!! Sorry about the jaundice and feeding issues. Glad you are pumping though. Maybe he will get the hang of it soon. Take care!!

sem426 - How exciting to have your carseat installed! I can't wait to do mine, hopefully this week. Thanks! I am sooo happy that he is coming home, too!!!

Sebski - That nursery is beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing your pics!! Good luck at your shower!!

[amypooh]

sebski- I love the pig lamp... where did you find that?!?

[Hawaii2SJ]

*subscribing*

CONGRATULATIONS KELLY'S GIRL & WELCOME GEORGE!! I'm glad you are both doing well.

I also saw the first page and noticed my BFP was wrong Please update it to BFP=3/03 NOT 2/03 My mistake:o

Thanks!!

[abbytfox]

Congrats Kelly's Girl and Welcome to little George!That is a very exciting weekend. So glad that George is safe and doing well. Hope you are feeling good too!

LindzeeYay for Eric booking his ticket! He will be home before you know it. So wonderful. You must be bursting with joy and anticipation!

TulipGlad you and Fletcher are home and settling in. Sorry for the troubles with jaundice and BFing. Hopefully you will get into a groove soon!

Seb Your nursery is beautiful! I love that little coat rack that the sweater is on...where did you find that? It is adorable! Have a great shower...
*************************************
So we got the whole shower thing figured out. Originally I was supposed to have my girlfriends shower at my best friends house on October 8th. Unfortunately I was in the hospital and then put on bedrest so it never happened. We rescheduled for October 29th and it is going to be at my house which is about an hour from SF. Hopefully many of my friends will be able to come. Then my mom's friends were throwing me a "ladies" shower that all of my mom's friends, my grandmother, aunts, and other women in my life (like MIL and sister) would attend. That is scheduled for November 5th and has also been relocated to my house. I feel so relieved that everyone is being so flexible and wonderful about the whole thing. And I get to celebrate with friends and family so that is really exciting! YAY!

I am officially done with my first week of bedrest and can safely say I am SO done. Our really good friends came over tonight and it was great but I would have loved to go out to dinner, heck, I would have loved to be able to get off the couch! I am really trying to be patient, but this is truly a life lesson. What a challenge! The worst part is that I totally overate and feel so full and terrible. I haven't felt like this for a very long time. It is awful and I can't even walk around the block to help digest. I will say that the chocolate fondue with fruit was worth every bite!

I have a doc appointment on Monday and can say that I am so looking forward to the excursion. As my dad said "When have you ever been so excited to go to the doctor? Let alone the OB?" We were hysterical. I guess that is what spending a week in bed will do! I'll check in with an update afterwards...Hope you are all enjoying the remainder of your weekend!

[abbytfox]

Congrats Kelly's Girl and Welcome to little George!That is a very exciting weekend. So glad that George is safe and doing well. Hope you are feeling good too!

LindzeeYay for Eric booking his ticket! He will be home before you know it. So wonderful. You must be bursting with joy and anticipation!

TulipGlad you and Fletcher are home and settling in. Sorry for the troubles with jaundice and BFing. Hopefully you will get into a groove soon!

Seb Your nursery is beautiful! I love that little coat rack that the sweater is on...where did you find that? It is adorable! Have a great shower...
*************************************
So we got the whole shower thing figured out. Originally I was supposed to have my girlfriends shower at my best friends house on October 8th. Unfortunately I was in the hospital and then put on bedrest so it never happened. We rescheduled for October 29th and it is going to be at my house which is about an hour from SF. Hopefully many of my friends will be able to come. Then my mom's friends were throwing me a "ladies" shower that all of my mom's friends, my grandmother, aunts, and other women in my life (like MIL and sister) would attend. That is scheduled for November 5th and has also been relocated to my house. I feel so relieved that everyone is being so flexible and wonderful about the whole thing. And I get to celebrate with friends and family so that is really exciting! YAY!

I am officially done with my first week of bedrest and can safely say I am SO done. Our really good friends came over tonight and it was great but I would have loved to go out to dinner, heck, I would have loved to be able to get off the couch! I am really trying to be patient, but this is truly a life lesson. What a challenge! The worst part is that I totally overate and feel so full and terrible. I haven't felt like this for a very long time. It is awful and I can't even walk around the block to help digest. I will say that the chocolate fondue with fruit was worth every bite!

I have a doc appointment on Monday and can say that I am so looking forward to the excursion. As my dad said "When have you ever been so excited to go to the doctor? Let alone the OB?" We were hysterical. I guess that is what spending a week in bed will do! I'll check in with an update afterwards...Hope you are all enjoying the remainder of your weekend!

[abbytfox]

Sorry for the double post...my computer is being SO ANNOYING!

[Lindzee82]

abbytfox - I am totally bursting with joy and anticipation! I just can't wait to see him!! He is so very excited too. How sweet that both showers are being moved to your house! That is so thoughtful of everyone to do that, and I am sure that everyone will still show up. An hour really isn't that long of a commute for such a joyous event! Yay for completing your first week of bedrest. That is an accomplishment. Each day that you do complete is another day closer to meeting your little baby and another day that they get to grow stronger for you! I am proud of you. Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow!

[november2005mommies]

Your BFP date has been updated, Hawaii2SJ!

[shirsty]

So much excitement!!!

Congrats Kelly's Girl and welcome George!!! ITA that he does not look like a preemie, you guys must be so proud!

Lindzee whoo hoo that your DH's homecoming schedule is all set!! Now let's just hope that baby and your dr. cooperates. You're finding out this week if your dr. will induce you before DH comes home, right?

First-time mom i also think you don't need to worry about the toxoplasmosis, i have heard that if you've lived with cats for awhile that you've very likely had it already and don't need to worry. I also hear ya on the worrying about the baby, it's really seemed to amplify for me in the last couple weeks. So you're not alone!

Abby glad to hear you are hanging in there with the bedrest! I think I would have totally overdone chocolate fondue too, OMG how good does that sound. I always look forward to my dr. appointments but I'm just a big weirdo I guess.

Speaking of which my next appointment is Tuesday, and just like last week I have my hopes all up that things will be 'happening' with this baby. Most likely it will be like last week though, nothing going on! I have had more regular cramping in the past week I will say, it was keeping me up last night. I am so glad I could sleep in this morning and didn't have to go into work. They are probably BH but don't feel much like the ones that I was in the hospital for a couple weeks ago. These just feel like regular old menstrual cramps. We'll see what the dr. says.

I am starting my 38th week tomorrow, wow! This is according to the Nov 1st due date I got after my 20 week ultrasound. According to when I ovulated though my due date should be Nov 5 or 6. I know it's splitting hairs at this point but I wonder if it will mean anything once Nov 1 comes and maybe goes. Will they want to induce me earlier because the ultrasound said Nov 1? Or should the actual date of ovulation take precedence? Who knows. I have appointments scheduled this week and next but didn't have one scheduled for the first week of November, sure I wouldn't need one ;) I did go ahead and schedule one for Nov 2, more out of concern that I would jinx myself if I didn't.

I also just completed the paper work for the cord blood donation just this past week. If some of you guys still want to do it I would contact your hospital/red cross (if your hospital participates) and see if you can still sign up. The info I got said all paper work had to be completed by 30 weeks, which seems waaaaaaayyy too early to me. Anyway I just faxed it in Friday and it should all work out no problem.

[Bliss]

Kelly's Girl Congrats on the arrival of baby George!! :D He looks beautiful, hope you are home soon.

Nursery Pics are all so beautiful! I am so jealous as we are waiting to "decorate" until we know boy/girl. I have some painters coming next week as our original one flaked out, so we need to get someone to paint the room for us. And my replacement furniture is in, so I am going to arrange delivery tomorrow. So hopefully we will have the nursery done in the next 2 weeks as far as painting/putting away baby clothes.

Lindzee How great that you have a definite on DHs trip home. Now you have 2 exciting things to count down to :)

Tulip Glad Fletcher is home & doing well.

Abby Glad you are doing well! I am sure this is little comfort but this will be over before you know it :) I have heard of people on bedrest from early in the second trimester, I cannot imagine how they do it.

Crib BumpersIn our childbirth class yesterday the instructor said to not use bumpers in the crib due to risk of SIDS. So can you buy the babys bedding without the bumpers? I would hate to waste money on something we cannot use. For those of you who have bumpers, are those just for decoration, like you will take them off every night when baby goes to sleep? I thought bumpers were OK if they were firm, but she seemed pretty adamant on no bumpers, so of course now DH says no bumpers :rolleyes:

Nursing Bras This is a dumb question, but how do you buy the nursing bras w.out knowing what size you will be once your milk comes in? I have 2 in the current size I am in now, but the woman at the store told me not to order any more until my milk comes in. She told me I could over them over the phone and have DH pick them up (depriving me of the hilarious mental pic of DH in the bra section trying to find a nursing bra LOL).

[LSUGirl]

Seb and Decemberwed Great Nurseries!!! They are awesome. I just have to finish the crib skirt and then I'll be all done in ours.

CONGRATS TULIP and KELLY'S GIRL!!

Announcements- these are ours - a friend is making them (KirstyJoanne from WC and LJ). Of course, the stats will change ;)
http://images.snapfish.com/344%3C6%3B4323232%7Ffp63%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3C85%3D%3B 77%3DXROQDF%3E2323%3B7368%3B2%3A3ot1lsi

Going home outift - I have no idea. I need to get on that and my hospital bag.

Thank you all for the kind words on the belly shots. You are very sweet!

We are almost there!!

[Kristen78]

I had a surprise shower yesterday. This was my 2nd shower. I kind of suspected it but at the same time was positive that I was wrong. So we were going to my in-laws house to celebrate my MIL & FIL's birthdays which were this past week. We always do this so it was nothing out of the ordinary. Except that I noticed 1 gift had been bought from my registry, and I was wondering why we had to go have a birthday dinner at 2:45 on a Saturday. But I was sure it was because that was the only time that fit for my husband and his 3 sisters. So we are driving there and right before we turn onto the long dirt road that leads to my in-laws road, I see a car with MA license plates who obviously can't figure out where they are going and I say "Oh great now we are stuck behind these slow pokes". THen I do a double take and realize it was my mother's car and her license plate! I said "Hey, thats my..." and my DH started giggling in the passenger seat. So I knew right away. LOL. :p

Anyways, the shower was great. I got a ton more stuff. Not as much as the 1st shower, but still alot. I got a 2nd base for our Graco Snugride carseat, lots more onsies and clothes, a fleece bunting for the winter, a hooded bear towel, a Land's End diaper bag filled with all sorts of goodies. A HUGE box of wipes, a Deluxe Jumperoo, fleece blankets, my SIL made me a beautiful baby quilt, my MIL handmade a Raggety-Ann doll and is making a matching dress for the baby. I'm sure there is more I just can't remember. Oh, a humidifier for the baby's room. Some books....gosh the list goes on...!

Anyways, the baby's room is offically stocked. I dont know what else I could possibly fit in there - seriously!

4 more weeks to go!

[Natasha]

My goodness, this thread moves sooooo fast! I can barely keep up! I'm at my IL's house, so I'll do SO's when I get home. Just wanted to check in and catch up!

[Alanna]

Kelly's Girl CONGRATS on the arrival of George!!! What an exciting story! I'm so glad everything worked out and he is such a handsome little guy! Yay for our third baby to arrive!

Alb So excited to be full term... i ate a can of pineapple in celebration... its no holds barred from here on out.. im going to try all the silly things they say can help things along... (DH is very excited about this :p ) i am ready to not be pregnant any more and to meet this baby!

Kristen Sounds like you had another great shower! that's so funny about your mom's car!

LSUGirl What cool announcements you chose! i love safari animals!

Tulip Glad to hear that you are home with Fletcher! We cant wait til you are feeling good enough (and have a moment!) to tell us more!!

Abby so glad that your showers have been moved to your house! that will give you a couple of fun things to look forward to! and your baby will be here before you know it!

Lindzee Yay for your DH booking his tickets! I am so glad that you are going to get to see him so soon!

***********

we had our breastfeeding class yesterday... it was so much better than our birth classes. it was only 2.5 hours and it was really put together much more succinctly ( i got the feeling that in our birth class the m/w spent a lot of time just filling her time out) i dont know if i learned anything particularly earth shattering.. but it was really good to have DH there so he could see and hear first hand all about it.

today i have been super low on energy... i even had a hard time just folding the laundry... I hope i am back to normal tomorrow... I wont be able to get anything done otherwise!

[Lindzee82]

shirsty - I am so excited that DH's ticket is all bought and it is official that he is coming home for a visit!! I should find out at my appointment on Tuesday! I am very nervous! Good luck at your appointment on Tuesday. I can't believe you are 38 weeks!! That is so exciting!!

Bliss - The excitement is almost too much to bare!!!!

Crib Bumpers - I have never seen any bedding sets sold without bumpers. You may be able to buy bedding "a la cart" though so you just get the pieces you want. This may prove to be more expensive than the set, though. I am planning on leaving the bumper in the crib at least until Matthew starts to roll. His crib needs to be near the window which can tend to be drafty on cold winter windy days, so I am thinking that the bumper will help to keep some of the drafts off of him directly. When he is a very new infant and is not rolling around close to the bumper, there should be no harm. We will take it out if it appears to be an issue.

Nursing Bras - I was told that the general rule is that you would grow a cup size. I bought my bras yesterday because I don't want to be braless when the time comes. I got a band size that fits so that I have to clasp it today in the middle. So I can go smaller or larger. The cup fits me okay right now, not too loose, but not tight. I got a stretchy material one so it will expand if my cup size goes up. I think I did good in my decision. But we will see how it goes!

LSUGirl - Cute announcement! I like it!

Kristen78 - Yay for a suprise shower! How fun! Sounds like you made out pretty good and are ready to go!

Alanna - Thanks! I enjoyed my breastfeeding class sooo much more than my childbirth class, too! It was just so interesting and informative. I hear you on the low energy and I am not even as far along as you. I hope I get more energy soon, but I don't know. My nausea is returning full swing and that is not fun. I have spent the entire day on the couch. Blah. Good luck getting things rolling!! I hope your baby arrives very soon!!

[first-time mom]

Here are my 35wk belly shots:) I am not sure if I can get any bigger!!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f3dc068ddf00000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f3dc0e8dd700000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

Compared to 32 wks:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d729b3127cce93a1da4d09f800000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

I will post some nursery pics tomorrow or later tonight:)

[first-time mom]

Here is my nursery:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f33a220cb800000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

Notice the little pointy ears in the crib!! Looks like we have a bad habit to break not to mention I have to wash the bedding again..... This is the first time I have caught her in there:)

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f33a0d8da700000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f33afc0c6600000010108AcNGbZ

[first-time mom]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f33af80c6200000025118AcNGbZq1cuO

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f33ad60c4c00000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

This pic shows the snoopy border:)

http://im1.shutterfly.co
m/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f33afc0c6600000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

And this one is dh with his favorite outfit for Kaylin.... He didnt want to be in the pic but I made him so thats why we got no smile:)

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f33ae38d4900000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

Sorry I went camera happy:)

[first-time mom]

I swear this is the last one:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce37b3127cce94f33afc0c6600000016108AcNGbZq1cuO

[Lindzee82]

first-time mom - Wow, that looks painful!!! You are looking good though!! I noticed your kitty right off!!! Definitely gotta break her of that!! Very nice nursery! You have sooo much stuff!! Doug is too cute!!!

[Kristen78]

first-time mom - LOL. Your DH looks like a deer caught in headlights in that picture. So funny! Your nursery looks great!

Whats left - So after my 2nd shower this weekend I dont have many things left to buy. I still need a Boppy, breast pads, milk storage bags, a baby bathtub, cloth diapers to use as spitup rags. I also need to purchase the replacement parts for my SIL's Medela pump. I also want to buy a baby keepsake book. I need to call this pediatrician to see if they are accepting new patients and possibly make an appointment to meet her. Next week I am planning on taking my carseat to get installed/inspected. The following week I will probably take my DH's truck to get that carseat installed/inspected. I think thats it! I can't believe I have less than 4 weeks left. :eek:

[sem426]

first time mom great belly shots! your nursery looks wonderful!

bumpersI've also read the pros and cons of bumpers. We have decided to keep the bumpers on until the baby is able to move around roll over when they might become a hazard. If they have the double ties (on top and bottom) they are less likely to cause a problem as well. Once the baby is able to move around we'll probably take them down so they can't be used to pull herself up or cause any sort of breathing problem.

abby That's great that your showers were moved to your home! Now you won't have to miss out on anything.

LSUGirlthose announcements are adorable!

sebski your nursery turned out fabulous!! Love the bedding and all of the decoration came out great! hope your shower yesterday was great and you got lots of nice gifts:)

So we have round 2 of the furniture delivery today....hopefully everything will arrive correctly and w/o problems. I'm hoping to have the nursery set up this weekend.

I divided up all of the clothes we have so far and am going to start washing all of them this week, I just need to buy different dryer sheets. I've heard Bounce Free is the best...what is everyone else using?

[Lindzee82]

Kristen78 - Sounds like you got a good handle on things. Your to do list is much shorter than mine! I want to try and have everything done by this weekend as I am having more and more bad days than good days. I don't want to have to stress about not having things done, as well. Are all your baby clothes washed? I am washing Matthews coming home outfits tonight and I am so excited!! How very strange to be excited about doing laundry!

[Lindzee82]

sem426 - We are on the exact same page on the bumpers!! I am glad I am not the only one who is leaving them on. Mine have the double ties, too. I really hope the furniture delivery goes well today. How exciting that your nursery will be all set up this weekend!! I am going to start washing things this week, too, and I am so excited! I don't mind doing Matthew's laundry at all!! I bought Bounce Free dryer sheets and I got a bottle of Dreft at my baby shower, so that is what I will be using.

[mrs_barkley]

Gina still sleeps in the her crib and the bumpers are still on. She hasn't tried to stand on them yet.

[LSUGirl]

Two quick updates:

TMI - I have lost part of my plug (last night). I know this doesn't mean much in terms of timing of delivering, but it's a sign that my body is gearing up for Andrew's arrival.

WE GOT APPROVED FOR CORD BLOOD DONATION!!! Yipppeee! I got the call this morning.

[sem426]

LSUGirl Since you are a second timer I guess you knew it was your plug. Is it something I will KNOW is my plug and not just regular discharge? Just wondering if i'll know for sure when it happens for me!

That's great about being approved for cord blood donation.

[Sebski]

Amypooh I found the pig lamp in Target! It was on sale too - gotta love Target!!!

Abbyfox Thank you! We got the little coat rack in Bellini... I saw it there when I picked up the bedding. My DH is an avid golfer and I knew he'd love it! Congrats on getting the shower worked out - and for making it through the first week of bedrest!

Lindzee Very cool that you can now count the days until you see your DH!!!

LSU Thanks! Can't wait to see pictures of your bedding - sewing it yourself - very talented (and I'm jealous!)... love the announcement! And wow on losing part of the plug - I'm hoping I'll recognize when that happens for me.

Kristen Congrats on the 2nd shower - sounds like you're all set in the baby loot department!

First-Time-Mom Great belly shots - looks like you've dropped! Love the nursery pictures - look at that stocked closet!!!

Sem Thank you! Hope round 2 of furniture delivery goes much better for you guys!

Bumpers We have the double-tie bumpers and are planning on using them while the baby sleeps in the crib in the beginning at least. They are firmly tied into place and we have a sleep positioner as well to help keep him put.

Laundry We got soooo many clothes at my shower yesterday and I'm a bit confused on how to sort it out. I know by ageand style... but laundry-wise, what is everyone washing? Knits? Outfits? Or just onesies and things like that? I'll have to pickup bounce free sheets - thanks for that tip Sem, hadn't heard about using them over the regular sheets!

Had my family shower yesterday and it went so well! We got lots of stuff off our registry - swing, bouncers, high chair, PNP, blankets, boppy, crib sheets, convertible car seat, infant seat base, bottles, bottle warmer/sterilizer, bathtub/toys/accessories etc... the only thing I need to get is the infant car seat. We're going to head into BRU this week since I'm 35w and want it installed soon. When we head in, I also have to pickup a manual pump, breast pads, Dreft and some other little odds and ends. I was amazed at how much clothing the little one got - and blankets... we're set in the blanket department for awhile! :)

[clzj]

You don't need to use dreft if you don't want. I used Tide Free with DS and that is what I am going to use with this one?

This coming weekend my mom is coming down and we are going to do the baby's laundry and last minute shopping.

LSU-With the first did you use regular onsies with the belly button? I can't remember what I did.

[Lindzee82]

LSUGirl - How exciting that you are starting to lose your plug!!! Very cool!! Yay for getting approved for cord blood donation!

Sebski - 25 days!!!!!! It is very cool!!!! Sounds like you made out very well at your shower yesterday. How cool! We got tons of blankets, too!!! Which will be good in the Maine winter!! I would definitely get your infant seat soon!!

[Natasha]

Laundry-- We washed pretty much everything. Ethan never had any skin sensitivity, but she may. We did the laundry as we got it, so we are pretty well caught up. I used the Method brand of baby detergent.

Plug-- I have the same question. Will I know that's what it is? I had zero labor symptoms with Ethan, and was induced at 17 days late, so I am in the dark here.

Bumpers-- Mine are staying on too, unless she moves or wiggles.

Today is Bert's first day of no work. It's nice to have him home, but stressful, too. I hope he finds something soon.

[Sebski]

Thanks for the detergent recs!

Just back from my doctor's appt... I'm now onto weekly's! Next Monday is the strep test and I have to call and schedule my level 2 at the hospital to measure the baby. Can't believe I'm up to the weekly visit point... when she said that, my face went :eek: and she laughed and said she gets that reaction all the time. HA! I'm up 4lbs, but I think it mostly had to do w/ my shower and the 3 pieces of cake I had yesterday. :D I hate Monday appts - I'm sooo bad over the w/e's!!!

[Kristen78]

Washing - I washed almost all the 0-3 month clothes I had a few weeks ago. I got a few new things but I might wait to wash them. I'm not going to be anal about washing every single thing. I'll see how the baby's skin is and if they need to be washed then I will wash them then I think. I am not washing any of the bigger sizes until I know what I need to wash.BTW I organized my closet my clothes SIZE. I think it will be easier that way.

[Lindzee82]

My car seat inspection appointment is made. 9:30 Tuesday morning at the fire department. I "installed" it myself this morning but it is really loose. I can't imagine how they will get it to be tighter and move less. Should be interesting. I am wondering if it is just not compatible with my car. The carrier takes up my whole back of the car. It is crazy!!! Very weird to see the carseat in there!

[sem426]

Lindzee Our car seat was loose too...but you woudn't believe how snug they got it at the inspection. I'm sure they'll tighten it up for you.
Right now the base is just in the car, but when we put the carrier in there I need to move the passenger seat up some so it can fit. That is one of the reasons we put it on that side of the car and not behind the driver since the seat would need to move up a little too close and wouldn't be comfortable for driving. I have a 4 door car (an Acura) and I was surprised how much space the car seat took up!

[Natasha]

We have a 2005 CRV, but with Ethan's booster seat and the baby's carseat, it's gonna be a little crowded! lol

[clzj]

I have a 1996 Civic and it is going to be cramped with 2 car seats also.

[Lindzee82]

sem426 - I am sure they will get it nice and tight, too! I put my seat in the middle of the back seat, so it sits right between the driver and passenger seat. That is where the instruction manual said to put it. I thought it was kind of strange, but we will see what the fire firefighters say.

[sem426]

lindzee i've also read that the center of the backseat is the best place to put it...but not all cars are equipped for it there. Our center seat comes down like an arm rest w/cup holders in it, so it's not secure for the carseat since it's not flat in the back. If your car is able to have it in the center that's the best place!

[amypooh]

Back from the doctor... I didn't realize this but if my avg BP score had been just a tiny big higher today, she was going to put me on hospital bedrest. I was like, WHAT?! You can't just spring that on me, if this is getting serious, let me know so I can get mentally prepared for it, ya know. So we talked for a while after my freak out.

So we agreed to this plan, MWF work from home, record BP 4 times/day, I have to go the doctor Mon and Fridays and we'll do a BioPhysical Profile every Friday until I deliver.

Here we go T-28 days until Cameron's arrival. WOW.

laundry - Haven't washed a thing yet. I know I know... bad mommy. My husband is going out of town this weekend so maybe my DD and I will just hang out at home and wash clothes this weekend, catch up on some Elmo and Lifetime TV. :) I guess I need to pack a bag this weekend. 28 days is going to fly by.

[Kristen78]

Lindzee - They say the middle of the backseat is the safest place because the baby won't be right next to the door in case you get into an accident and someone hits you from the side. At least thats what I think. I am going to attempt to install my carseat base sometime this week or weekend and then take it someplace to get inspected next week. My DH drives a '97 Blazer and that truck manual says NOT to install it in the center seat. So each car is different I guess.

[clzj]

C-section: It is offical. Set for 4 PM on 11/14. I could go to work that morning but I think I will hang out at home with DS and mom.

Carseats: I know in the conversion van it will probably be in the other captains chair. The bigger the vehicle the less likely for side impact damage as a little car because you are up higher. We have always had DS carseat in a captains chair in the van. In the TA we can only put it in an outside seat.

Hospital Bag-I still haven't packed mine yet. I guess I should do that.

[Lindzee82]

carseat - I just thought it was strange to put it in the middle in case you are hit from behind and the carseat comes loose because it can then fly through the front windshield, rather than being stopped by the front seats. But it does make sense not to have it near the doors for a side impact crash. I guess each option has its own pros and cons.

[Bliss]

clzj how exciting to know your baby's birthday! Now you have a "real" date to count down to :)

amypooh Glad your appointment went well. Are you due on 11/26? I am too, but my countdown says 39 days. I about had a heart attack when I read your post that says 28 days left lol. I have so much left to do I need all the time I can get :)

We are doing well here, had my 34 week appt today and all looks well. They are estimating the babe at 4lbs and 7-8ozs. She said something like we may be at 7lbs by 37 weeks, so hopefully I wont go late or I am going to have a big baby if they gain .5 oz per week. Of course, that is all estimates and they are usually +/- a pound so I am not too freaked. I do feel huge but it is still all in front...so it looks especially big when I look down. I have some mild BH contractions, usually in the morning that go away when I drink water. I think I get my first internal next week or the week after (I am going every week now) so I guess I will see if we are making any progress then. I think I have dropped, but that does not mean much from what I hear.

I had to break down & go to buy shoes today, since its too cold for sandals and my feet refuse to fit in any closed shoes. Let me tell you, trying on shoes was no picnic, I have never had such little fun shoe shopping :) I ended up w. two no back pairs of sneakers since I cannot bear tying my shoes every day when DH is not here to do it for me :)

[amypooh]

Bliss-Didn't mean to scare you... I have a c-section scheduled for Nov 15th

[abbytfox]

You guys are all so on top of things. We still haven't packed our bag, washed the baby clothes or even bought our car seat let alone installed it. Yikes! I do have all those things on my list of "to do's" if that makes any difference.

We are supposed to have a doctors appointment today at 4:15 but Adam called the office and one of the other patients is in labor right now, so we may have to reschedule. Obviously, I completely understand, but also would really like to see the doctor and ask him my millions of questions. So I'll let you know what ends up happening.

I know I am just sitting around doing "nothing" but I am completely wiped out today. I have been needing to get up to go to the bathroom about 4 times a night now and I think that is part of the problem. I guess I am in training for nighttime feedings!

My new pregnancy complaint is that my left thigh has started to go numb. I think the baby is pressing on some nerve that cuts off circulation to my thigh and it is the strangest sensation. I touch my leg and can't feel myself touching it. It is only a small portion of my leg at the very top to the middle of my thigh. Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

amypoohThat is crazy that your doc was going to put you on hospital bedrest! Some warning would be nice...maybe she didn't want to worry you which would have made your BP go up even more. I am glad that you worked out a plan with her. Hope you BP stays normal!

lindzeeYay for having your car seat installed. It must be so exciting to see it in there and know that in less than a month Matthew will be riding home in it. Hopefully the fire dept. can help you tighten it up! Adam will have to be in charge of that one...

clzjDefinitely take the morning of the 14th to be with your DH and mom! It is going to be a very special time and you won't be able to concentrate on work anyway! At least I wouldn't be able to...Do you feel relieved to have a date to count down to?

BlissSounds like your appointment was great! According to all my books your baby is right on in terms of weight. That must make you feel good!Shoe shopping is THE WORST right now. I completely agree. I normally wear a 9.5 which is big anyway, but had to buy an 11:eek: when I bought shoes last time. I hope that my feet settle back into a normal huge size. I can't imagine having to buy such big shoes from here on out!

[Sebski]

*sigh*

Completely had a meltdown sorting through the things I got at my shower yesterday. I was doing so well too... chugging right along - got the clothes organized into "size" piles of sleepers/onesies vs. out-outfits. But then I realized that I didn't know what to do with things once they were sorted by size. So there I sat in the midst of all these tiny clothes piles just staring. I have summer things for the baby and sleepers/outfits that go up to 12 months... short sleeved onesies in 3 months... obviously I can't use the short sleeved stuff now, but it won't fit come the summer. What do I do with them? Something so entirely simple sent me over the deep-end. Then I started reading the baby's books that we received... the first and only one I got through made me realize, I don't have any stories of my own to tell this baby. HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS??? Moms are great storytellers - capable of answering even the simplest of questions with imagination... moms know how to sort their baby's clothes... moms know how to get the bassinet cover to stay on the top of the fricking bassinet... what in the world do I have to offer this child? DH called in the midst of it and I started crying. Told him I can't do this... I don't think I can have the baby because I'm not a capable mom. He didn't know WHAT the heck happened. So I told him about the clothes etc. and he tried calming me down... asked me how I'm supposed to know how to be a mom when I've never had a baby before. He made perfect sense... too much sense almost. So, I'm sitting here on the 2nd floor "hiding" from my living room where the tiny clothes piles are. It made me feel much better coming on here and seeing that you too Abby don't have a bag packed, laundry done or a car seat installed. Heck I don't even *have* an infant carseat yet. I never thought I could feel so overwhelmed...

*sigh*

[Natasha]

Sebski-- Oh good Lord, I can soooooooooo sympathize! I did the same thing when I was pregnant with my son. And, it's even worse with this one. I am freaking out, wondering how on Earth I am going to love and nurture TWO kids! Sometimes I feel like I am barely doing it with my son! It's hormones, sweetie...

Not that it's magically simple after the baby is born. It's harder and crazier, and you will continue to have occasional breakdowns (I did, anyway). But all that matter is that you love the baby. everything else follows. I'm not sure if it helps or not, but you are not alone. I cried all night last night over stupid little things...

[sem426]

Seb Add me to the list of meltdowns and crying. We are in the process of fighting w/our furniture company and pretty much at the point where we are going to demand a full refund and be forced to find new furniture. Basically, they sent "new" pieces today and they also had defects on them. I refuse to accept anything that is not in perfect condition for the money we are paying. Ther was splintered wood and a hole like a nail size in the dresser. (this was after they delivered the wrong crib the first time and the dresser had scratches in it) DH sent the delivery men back and proceeded to B*tch out the customer service dept AGAIN. They told us we are being "too picky". I was apalled and then he pretty much told DH that they are NOT coming back with anything else and if we want another set we have to come to the warehouse. Once he told me all of this of course I couldn't stop crying and am actually still crying as I type this. I am so angry and upset at the same time. We bought Munire furniture which comes w/rave reviews and a great reputation so I can't believe this is even happening. Now I am freaking out and feel like I need to take off from work tomorrow to go and find new furniture and see if anyone has rush delivery that won't take 8-12 weeks.

[Kristen78]

Lindzee, I think the point is that if the carseat is installed correctly it should never come loose in a crash so there is no chance of it crashing thru the front windshield. BTW I tried installing mine this evening in the center and I cannot get a tight fit at all. My manual recommends only installing it in the center if you can get a tight fit. So I hope if I bring it to a carseat installer they are able to get a tight fit. If not I will put the seat behind the driver's seat, but I hope that doesn't make me have to move my seat forward for it to fit. Ahhhhh...

[Sebski]

Natasha thank you so much for letting me know that even 2nd timers have moments like this. I feel so out of my element right now. I'm just extremely happy that I had off today/tomorrow from work to try and get a handle on things.

Sem OMG on the furniture front!!! :eek: I can't believe the shoddy customer service you guys are left to deal with! What store did you order it from? My SIL also ordered a Munire set (I think) through Crib City or a store with a similar name to that (in Springfield). They're expecting delivery in a couple of weeks. She too raved about how that company gets such great ratings - so I'm shocked to hear that you're having such trouble! I think you are totally right to look into something new... are you able to get a full refund? If you have one near you, we used Crib World for our furniture and were amazed at how fast the set came in. We were told up to 12 weeks, but it arrived in just 4. They housed it for us in their warehouse until the room was painted, and that took about 3 weeks. They carry LOTS of different brands and their customer service was really nice. We used the one in Morris Plains. I can't imagine how you must feel right now... I could cry for you!!!

[Lindzee82]

amypooh - How exciting that Cameron will be here in 28 days!!!

clzj - Yay for having your c-section date confirmed. That must be so exciting!! Hopefully tomorrow I will have my induction date!

Bliss - Glad your appointment went well! Too funny about the shoes! I am still bumming around in my flip flops and it is 50 degrees here!! I refuse to buy new things. Therefore, tomorrow I will be wearing capris as I have not yet done laundry!!

abbytfox - Your DH has to do those things!! You need to rest!!! Weird about the numb leg. I have not experienced that yet. My new thing is sharp shooting pains in my left hip. Always something new, isn't it? It is very exciting to have the carseat in there. But scary too. I can't imagine the hospital letting me leave with a baby in it. I don't know what to do with a baby!!

Sebski - Hugs! You poor thing!! I have been going through the same thing. Regarding the short sleeved onesies - that is all I have. Matthew will wear those under his long sleeved outifts and sleep n plays. I don't want him to be too hot. If you have tags on the onesies you could exchange them for long sleeved ones if you really wanted, but I think the short sleeved ones will be great. I am sure the mom thing will work out for all of us. I can't offer any advice at all because I feel exactly how you do. But, things will be okay. Keep your chin up, sweetie!

sem426 - You poor thing. Hugs to you, too. Looks like we all need hugs right about now. I can't believe how that furniture place is treating you!!!! I am really sorry.

***

Tomorrow is my 36 week appointment. I am very nervous to ask about the induction. I don't know what I will do if they say no. Probably run out of there screaming and crying and never go back!!! I am also nervous for my Group B Strep Test. I need to mention all the contractions I have been having. I am not sure if I am getting an internal or not. We will see. I am also assuming that this is the first of my weekly appointments, although I have not been told this. We will see. Needless to say...I do believe this will be another sleepless night.


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce36b3127cce948090c1747200000036108AbtGzhs3ZtT

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce36b3127cce948090c3747000000036108AbtGzhs3ZtT

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce36b3127cce948090c5747600000036108AbtGzhs3ZtT

And compared with last week where I was bigger and totally lower. This kid is such a tease!!! He is not dropping at all like I thought. This is so freaking frustrating!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce31b3127cce94e583795f0200000036108AbtGzhs3ZtT

[Lindzee82]

Kristen78 - We were posting at the same time. That does make sense - install correctly and no crashing through the windshield. Have you noticed that I am a worst case scenario worrier?? :) I will see what the firemen say. It definitely wont be able to go behind the drivers seat because the seat is all the way up and it wouldn't fit. How frustrating. Hopefully all will be well and the firemen will save the day!

[Sebski]

Lindzee we posted at the same time... THANK YOU for posting about using the short sleeved onesies under outfits and sleepers. That hadn't even crossed my mind in the crazy hormonal state I'm currently in! I really can't return them since I'm not sure where most were bought from. They aren't Carters or a brand that I can bring back to BRU so I will just wash them and toss them in the "onesie" basket. Great belly shots! And good luck with the strep test and induction talk!!!

This thread sure comes in handy... looking forward to many more emotional outbursts with you ladies as our kiddos start showing up! :D

[Lindzee82]

Sebski - You are so welcome!! It is sometimes hard to think rationally in the middle of a breakdown. They will be fine under long sleeved clothing. Thanks for the compliments on my belly shots. I am worried that he is not growing though. Glad my appointment is tomorrow so I can express all my worries!

[shirsty]

Meltdowns - I am right there with you all, I was in meltdown mode all Sunday afternoon. Everybody and everything is driving me nuts!!! To top it all off, yesterday we were doing laundry and my DH sent a pen through the wash in his jeans and wrecked half the remaining maternity shirts that fit me! :eek: Yesterday I just wanted to cry about it but today it seems kind of funny, lucky for me (and him ;)) Who cares if I wear the same 3 pairs of pants and 4 shirts for the next 2-3 weeks right??

Bliss I am with you on the shoes, I had to go buy some slipons that weren't sandals, also in a size 1.5 more than I usually wear. I hope my feet shrink back but I think I've read that they don't!

Lindzee I have my drs. appointment tomorrow too, good luck with the induction talk! I am trying not to get my hopes up for this appointment but I probably still will. I am having more cramping now than last week (but not real discernible contractions) so hopefully that means progress.

Natasha you said this a couple pages back I think, but you went 17 days past your due date with your first?! I think I will lose my mind if I am still preggo on Nov 17th!!! :eek: Everyone keeps saying oh you're not gonna go early, you've got plenty of time and it makes me nuts when people say it but really I should be prepared to go late.

[Lindzee82]

shirsty - Thanks! I am soo nervous!! Good luck with your appointment. I hope that you have been making progress. I have been having some pretty painful contractions tonight so I may see if she will do an internal tomorrow to see if they are doing anything. She may not want to though. I am sorry about your laundry. I would have killed my DH!!! Glad you can laugh about it now. And certainly wearing the same clothes for three weeks isn't bad at all. I am still wearing capris in 50 degree weather!! It is fun to get away with things like that when pregnant. Can you imagine trying to pull it off otherwise!!

[abbytfox]

Back from my appointment...basically we don't really know anything more because the other hospitals never sent my FULL records. They sent partial reports but not the u/s reports that are the most important. Needless to say we are going to have another u/s this week. Some of the things the doc said were that I needed to stay on bedrest and move as little as possible. He also mentioned that he was surprised that I hadn't delivered yet because 75% of women who experienced what I did deliver at that time (that was interesting.) He said that if I carry the baby to 36 or 37 weeks but still have blood behind my placeta that they will probably induce me. I asked if that meant an induction where I could labor or a c-section and he said it really depends on where the placenta is. So I am pretty anxious to get the u/s to really see what is going on. In other doctor news...I finally looked at the scale today (I just HAD to know) and although I was shocked by the number I lost 4 pounds from my last appointment 3 weeks ago. I am still up a ton...way more than the 35 I am supposed to gain but oh well. I'll check in tomorrow...

[LSUGirl]

plug - I hear it is different for everyone. TMI but it can come out as an actual "plug" or it can look like you just blew your nose. It may come out in pieces or all at once.

onesies - cljz - you mean with the cord stump? We did use onesies. We also used gowns and sleepers. We did not use any pants (that would rub right on the belly button).

[Natasha]

Sebski--No prob. Having a baby is freaky, and these hormones do NOT help!

Lindzee--My doctor's didn't want to schedule my induction until I went late with DS. Let us know what they say...Your belly shots are great!

Shirsty--Oh yes, 17 days late! But, I wasn't positive of the date of my last period, so they made me wait till I was super late. Most doctors don't do this though, it seems.

Abby--How frustrating to not get some concrete answers. I hate that! Let us know what they say after the u/s.

LSUGirl--Good to know about the plug. You think I'd know this stuff...

Shoes--My feet went back to a smaller size after Ethan. Not my original size, but smaller than my preggo feet!

I am so jealous of those of you in 50 degree weather. It has been in the low nineties these last few days! I am so tired of SWEATING!

[albuquerque]

Kristen, a few pages back you said your DH had gone back into undecided land about your baby's name. I'm in the same boat--we've narrowed it down to two main options, with two other options on the table but much less likely--but I don't think we're going to know until she's born. Basically I'm OK with any of the options and I'm leaving the final decision to DH. And he doesn't see any rush. It's annoying because I *so* wanted to do letters spelling her name, think of her by name while I still feel her moving around inside me, etc. But, I'm asking him to compromise by giving her a name from birth (the usual Greek way is to call them "baby" until the baptism, usually around a year old!), so I guess I can compromise by waiting until birth. Anyway, you know how much I love the name Miriam (I can't think of anything more beautiful and elegant than Miriam! and I don't think it's an old lady name at all, I think it is darling for a little girl while still being very appropriate for an adult woman), so since that is your first choice, I hope he comes around to it. If not, though, Caitlin is also a lovely name.

Bliss, I shuddered to read your shoe shopping story. Since I work at home I've mostly avoided this--I wear slippers all day, and I wore my Tevas with the adjustable size bands right up until my feet were freezing in them. Now when I go out, I do force my feet into some closed shoes--I can cram them in but it isn't fun, and taking them off again when I get home is oh such a pleasure. I'm hoping to avoid the shoe shopping nightmare, but it looks like eventually I'll have to go down that road.

Sebski, just one step at a time, girl! Only a few of us here (the second-timers) know how to be mothers yet. Most of us are clueless and even the second-timers have a new challenge in learning how to be mommy to 2. We'll figure it out, one way or another. And we'll still have this thread for questions and melt-downs! Don't try to figure out how to be the world's most perfect mommy today. One step at a time--get one load of laundry done, and there's always tomorrow and the day after for figuring everything else out.

Sem OMG I can't believe what these furniture people are putting you guys through. "Too picky"?! I would be SO angry to hear that--I don't know what you spent but it sounds like you chose really nice stuff and spent a chunck of money. And it is not too much to expect to have your really nice stuff arrive without damage! I hope you can sort it all out. Even when it is all sorted and your nursery is all set up and adorable, I'm sorry these people are turning what should be a wonderful, fun time into a nightmare!

Alanna, all these furniture stories must make you worry more than ever about your own furniture delivery! Any more news on that?

Abby, what did your doctor say about your numb leg? I guess they didn't think it was anything to worry about or else you would have mentioned it. Still, it can't be fun. I hope it doesn't get any worse.

Shirsty, OMG about your DH's pen in the laundry! I would be soooo screwed--I only have 3 or 4 shirts I can wear, now that short sleeve weather is behind us. If I lost those, I would be in some serious trouble.

Lindzee, cute belly shots, as usual. I think this week's pic looks "lower" than last week's pic--you don't think it looks lower? It will be interesting to hear what your doc says today.

Had a doctor's appt last night. I wasn't very happy afterwards. She said the baby is still waaaaaay high, waaaaaay up there, and that my cervix is so posterior that she can hardly reach it. That part made the internal exam not fun. Nothing in terms of dilation or effacement. She did say when she finally reached my cervix that it maybe seemed a little soft to her, but that's the *only* indication of any progression at all. I was disappointed because it seemed to me that she'd moved position, but I guess she still hasn't dropped. No mucus plug, no nothin'. I guess I've had some BH but that doesn't mean anything, lots of people feel those from the 5th or 6th month. Fortunately she said she doesn't follow the hospital policy of shaving, which is damn good because I would *freak* out if they tried to shave me. I would absolutely switch doctors over something like that. If they ignored my wishes about something as unnecessary and barbaric as shaving (hasn't been standard practice in the US for decades), there's no way I could trust them with the rest of this experience. Anyway, so they don't do that. I was OK with her answer to the episiotomy question--that she makes that decision on a case by case basis, depending on where and how badly it looks like the mother might tear. She was very fuzzy about my questions about induction. She said she really didn't miss the 42 week pregnancies in the US, and that she was much happier with the doctor's freedom to decide dosages of pitocin here as opposed to in the US, where it is apparently strictly regulated. I get the impression that she likes to induce, and at least at this point, I REALLY want to avoid an induction. But I think this is likely to become a battle, unless I go early on my own. And since there seems to be no sign of the baby dropping into position, it doesn't seem likely that I'll go on my own. Sigh. I guess I have to crank up the walking--half an hour a day isn't cutting it. DROP, baby, DROP!!!

In other news, my mom is *supposed* to be flying in today. Her flight from Amsterdam to Athens is actually supposed to leave in 7 minutes, but I think there's a good chance that she won't be on it, because according to the online flight status, her flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was delayed by an hour due to "unscheduled maintenance" and it only landed 6 minutes ago. I don't see how she can possibly get through passport control and get to the departing gate in time. Actually I'm sure they've already closed the gate for the Athens flight. Uggh. The next flight from Amsterdam to Athens leaves Amsterdam at 8pm tonight, arriving here sometime after midnight. I sure am glad that I took the day off today to go get her from the airport, especially since I'm paid by the day. Grrrrrrr. I guess there is a *small* chance that she was on an earlier flight to Amsterdam, because her original flight from Kansas City to Detroit did get her into Detroit early enough for that earlier flight. It's impossible to know, though, I just have to wait and hope that she can find a way to call from Amsterdam if she's delayed. My MIL and FIL were going to go with me to the airport, and we were going to leave early to stop at Ikea first since it's next to the airport and we'll have two cars (my mom is bringing a ton of luggage since she's coming for 3 months!). But now I guess I have to sit by the phone and wait for a while. Grrrrrrr! I freaking HATE KLM!!!!! I have never, never once, had an itinerary go smoothly when I was flying KLM. And I have never got out of that Amsterdam airport on time. On two occassions I've had to spend the entire night there, not fun. My friend in Brussels thinks it's all very funny. He says I'm "Amsterdamned". This all particularly sucks because KLM is one of the few carriers with consistent service to Athens (using the term "service" loosely here). Grrrrrrr. The KLM website calls itself "KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - The Reliable Airline". The *reliable* airline?! HAH! And their customer service.....well, I'll just say they must have their customer service agents at that freaking airport trained at the same place as Sem's furniture people......

Anyway. I think I'm going to go back to bed, since I have to sit around waiting!

Hope everybody has a better day today.

[Kristen78]

albuquerque - I can't imagine not having a name for my baby for a whole year! Thats just crazy. You must be so excited about your mom coming. I would be if I were you. Has your mom ever visited you in Greece before? She must be so excited too. First she gets to go to Greece, then in a couple of weeks she is going to have a granddaughter! What a fun 3 months!

Lindzee - When is your appointment today? I hope your midwife will agree to the induction. I can see where they might not want to, but I think if any woman put themselves in your shoes they could see why you would want to have it done and why it would be best for you. You deserve to have your DH their for the birth if its possible. Don't be afraid to ask about it. It might not hurt to break down in tears while you are asking too. Thats what I would do! Good luck!

I ordered a bunch of things yesterday. I got 2 packages of Lansinoh disposable nursing pads, and 2 boxes of Lansinoh milk storage bags on Amazon.com. I also ordered a book to read (In Her Shoes), since I just saw it at the movies and loved it. Last night I went online and ordered all the parts I need for my SIL's Medala PIS pump. Now i just need the Boppy pillow, baby bathtub, burp clothes, baby keepsake book, and nursing bras. I really need to get the nursing bras soon I think. But I have no idea what size to order. I'm wearing a 36D right now, but I could use a little more room so I might want to go with a 38, but do I get DD? or what?

[sem426]

Thanks everyone for the support on the furniture front. I basically didn't sleep last night stressing over this. I swear I didn't cry more than once this whole pregnancy, but last night made up for it! I know it's not the worst thing in the world and I should be happy I'm having a great healthy pregnancy, but it just kinda sucks!

I sent an email and DH called Munire directly this am and they were VERY nice and sympathetic. SEB We did buy our set from Crib and Teen City (the one in lawrenceville), so I hope your SIL does not experience anything like we did. Munire told us they would look into this immediately and gave us the name of a few other stores that carry their merchandise if we still wanted to buy the same set. I'm going to call them today and see a) what the prices are and b) how long it will take to get the set in. We might also try to check out some other stores as well which carry different brands.

abby Sorry you didn't get all the info you wanted at your appt. Hopefully, once you have the u/s you'll have more info about what the next few weeks will hold.

Lindzee Great belly shots! I hope your dr agrees to the induction.

shoes I haven't had any problem fitting into my shoes. I'm lucky I guess, no real swelling anywhere thank goodness.

alb I have a dr appt on friday and am betting that my baby is wayyy up there still too! good news on the shaving and episiotomy front though. I hope your mom makes it there soon, hopefully she made the flight from amsterdam to athens.

parenting books I ordered a few books yesterday from amazon...The Baby Book, Healthy Sleep Habits/Healthy Child and What to Expect the First Year. I figured I should start reading up on how to take care of this kid!

Hope everyone is having a good day...I'll update my furniture saga later hopefully with good news.

[first-time mom]

Shirsty-My is also known for leaving stuff in his pockets! I have washed everything from his cell phone to nuts and bolts ugh... My dh keeps making fun on me cause I basically have one shirt that covers my belly so I wear this one when we go out with others but hey I dont want to buy more maternity clothes at this point.

Sem-I hear ya about the hormones making you crazy!! I would have flipped on the furniture ppl as well... ugh

I am still freaking out about this toxoplasmosis fear!! I think it is more or less me worrying that there will be something wrong with her and now I have some sort of a cold going on so the first thing I thought of was toxoplasmosis! I cant tell if its pregnancy related or not. My nose is stuffy which i read is a pregnancy thing, my eyes are watering, my throat is occasionally sore!! I also feel like I have rode a horse my butt hurts really badly and when I squat to pick something up I feel like I am being split in half. I also noticed my dog had diahrea yesterday which made me freak about about toxo even more. I dont know if I should be concerned or not. I know there is a blood test to confirm whether or not I have it but the doc wont do it not even my regular doc. I dont get it....Anyway I am having break downs over here too.. I hate not knowing I am one of those people that wants to know everything is ok and in this case you cant *sigh*

Linds-nice belly shots!! I know my belly shot does look painful and that is probaby why I ache so badly. I am going to try to go get a massage today I could use one.. Good luck at your appt today. Mine is Thurs and it seems like a long time away, I am getting so antsy.

Alb-Have fun with your mother!! Dont worry things could really take off down south and next time you go back it could be totally different!!

Bliss- I hear you about the shoes mine dont fit either I am hoping I can get away with my sandals for another three weeks. Its cold here though haha

Abby-Hopefully you will get the answers from the ultrasound. I hate apts where I go and feel like I didnt get the answers I was looking for. Well at least you are still preggo if every else ends up having there baby early because of the placenta abruption...you baby is a fighter.

LSUgirl-Good to know about the plug. I have had heavy discharge the whole pregnancy I dont know if I would know if I had lost mine. I have been wearing pantiliners for the whole pregnancy.

Have a good day everyone!!

[clzj]

LSU-That was was exactly what I was talking about. The onsies and the cord stump.

Long Sleeved Onsies: Are any of the cold weather folk getting these?

Forgot to put it in red.

C-section: Nov 14 @ 4 PM and actually my EDD is 11/20

Sem-The furniture will work out.

[Alanna]

wow. what a fast moving thread.

Sem I hope you are able to find a solution to your furniture problems... we looked around for quick delivery items a couple weeks ago when we were told our bureau wouldnt be in until the end of november and I was surprised that one of the best shots looked like it would be Pottery Barn Kids... I called them and it depends on what style you are looking at but some of the stuff can arrive in about 3 weeks or so.

Alb yes. Sem's stories are giving me heart attacks. I feel like we finally have light at the end of the tunnel. We recieved our delivery day yesterday (supposedly will arrive on Saturday!) and I know that it could mark the end or just the beginning of our woes. Like Sem at this point, after what we have gone through and how much we have shelled out for this furniture... I am not going to accept anything that is less than perfect. I was joking with DH that we must have a giant red flag next to our file at the furniture store. But honestly, I thought that this whole experience would be more like when we were planning our wedding where everyone was so cognisent of how important it was to get things right... one would think that they would not want to mess with pregnant ladies... but I guess I was wrong about that.

I have my fingers crossed that your mom will get in on good time. you must be SO excited to see her! I cant help but also take it as a major milestone in our pregnancies that your Mom is arriving! hooray! My sister had a terrible experience with KLM too on her honeymoon... what was supposed to be like an 8 hour trip ended up taking more than a day... so crazy!

Lindzee good luck with your appointment today. I hope they see how important this is.

We went to our Pediatrician's Open House Last night and it was really good. There are three doctors in the practice and they all seem nice. The one who was specifically recommended to us was my favorite out of the three... I think we are definitely going to go with her. I was really impressed that they made a big deal about seeing all newborns within 3 days of arriving home (we wont be delivering at a hospital where they have privileges so we have to use the inhouse pediatrician for the hospital stuff). They said they are really dedicated to breastfeeding and they have found that having an early appointment like that goes a long way to help mom and baby to successfully breastfeed (so hopefully we wont have given up before we get to go to our appointmetn). Anyway - thats a big thing checked off our list. YAY.

this is my second to last week (parttime) at work. It seems really crazy that I am that close! it seemed forever away for so long.

[Sebski]

Lindzee I hope your appt goes well today! So anxious to hear what the doctor says! I also need to pick your brain on the military... BIL is in the reserves and arrived home yesterday to an envelope telling him to report in 3 weeks to NC... SIL is due next month with their first baby and, needless to say, DH's family is in an uproar. He's going to try and switch his training location to NJ to be at least in the same state... but, how easy is the govt to work with on things like that? And how long is training? I'm not sure what your DH does in the military so different things might apply that I'm not aware of, this is all so new to me... and DH is at a conf so I'm getting sporadic details. SIL is already talking about moving to wherever he gets stationed to during her maternity leave and about scheduling a c-section in the hopes he'll be on leave a weekend next month. But, can you take leave so soon into training? I'm still in shock over here!!! Thanks for any insight you have!

Sem Good luck with the furniture hunt... I hope you can find the same set elsewhere. I'm not going to mention it to my SIL - she's got enough on her plate. I just hope that the furniture comes in ok now for her. What a nightmare to have to deal with so close to delivering... but, you'll find a set or a diff place to get your set and all will be well! Let me know if you need any north Jersey help!

Thank you to everyone who helped calm me down after last nights meltdown. I slept pretty well last night and that helped... plus, with everything SILs got going on now (read above) my freak-fests over onesies seems so trivial. I can do this. Heck - there's no turning back now! ;)

Long-sleeved onesies I got a few at my shower and am probably going to pick some more up. It gets pretty cold up here and I like the idea of layers - arms included. :)

Have to run - phones ringing...

[Bliss]

Sem Sorry to hear that your furniture horrors continue. I am actually sitting here waiting for our replacement furniture to be delivered...really crossing my fingers that the wood on the 2 pieces even comes close to matching at this point. I do have to say that BRU has been pretty good through this whole thing, dealing w. the manufacturer (Babi Italia) and the delivery people, and covering the cost of the second delivery/assembly. They also got us our new changing table in one week. So you may want to see if they have anything you like.

Lindzee Good luck at your appointment today! Hope all goes well.

Alb I am sure you cannot wait to see your mom. What a trip she has to get there, sounds crazy! My DH was a big fan of Amsterdam when we were in college :rolleyes: and he used to fly direct out of NY, but that would still be 3 connections for her right? Your poor mom must not want to see a plane again for a while, how great that you will have her there for 3 months.

Amypooh Your post had me lol. I was sitting here calculating thinking, how the heck did we get to 28 days already :D Hope you are feeling well, you will have Cameron home w. you soon!

Onesies- so you can put a onesie on the baby before the cord falls off? I have a few side snap tshirts but I have heard that they ride up, so I think I am going to invest in some more onesies.
I got a nice surprise yesterday, my friend is going to send me her Medela PIS hooray! She was going to give it to her cousin who is not even PG yet, and when I mentioned I was not sure if I should buy one or not she offered to ship me hers. So I just need to get supplies for it. I am pretty happy as if BFding works for us I would like to pump at some point so DH can feed the baby too.

[sem426]

Again thanks for everyone's support on the furniture hunt and all of your suggestions for other stores.

So we are going to take a full refund from the store, bc I can't even deal with them anymore. We've called a few stores in the area and one on Long Island carries our set and actually has the crib in stock. They are checking to see how long it will take to get the dresser and hutch. At this point if they say 4 weeks i'll be happy. We are already going to LI on Sat to see my IL's so we are going to head to the store first. While we're there I'll see if there is antyhing else they have that i like better. They are supposedly the biggest store on LI and I have heard good things about them. So hopefully, this will all work out in the end. I am still so shocked by the customer service at crib and teen city. Everyone I tell the story to can't believe that they were so rude...isn't the customer always right!!

onesies I have a bunch of long sleeve ones, but never thought about the cord stump issue.....since nothing is supposed to rub against it for the first few days. i do have some side button undershirts, but don't really have any pants for the beginning. hmmm:confused:

alanna I hope everything goes well with your delivery. I totally agree, you shouldn't accept anything that is not perfect. You are paying good $ for this furniture and you should expect the item to be just right! Congrats on finding your Pediatrician!

[clzj]

I am just wondering how many 4 oz bottles everyone is having. I am using the playtex nursers so the milk goes into a bag/dropin and the nipple touches the milk. I have 4 I think. I am contemplating getting a few more but I am not sure. I am going to breastfeed but this is for when I go back to work.

[Sebski]

Sem YAY on the furniture front! Glad to hear you tracked down the crib at least! That's got to be a big relief. Good luck with things this weekend in LI!

Onesies I guess I should pickup some side-snap tops due to the cord stump thing... didn't think of that either. But, then wouldn't the pants rub against it? I'm thinking the onesie would be more comfortable *over* the stump rather than pants... :confused:

[dziner]

I just had to reply to Sebski's vent...for one, b/c I have totally been there and two, b/c I have been through the baby thing once and can give you some reassurance from "the other side." ;)



I have summer things for the baby and sleepers/outfits that go up to 12 months... short sleeved onesies in 3 months... obviously I can't use the short sleeved stuff now, but it won't fit come the summer. What do I do with them?

*This drove me crazy after Ava was born. We literally got a whole year's worth of clothes, and it stressed me out to no end that some of the things seemed like the wrong season for the size...like, she was born in winter, why would someone give her a 12 mo summer outfit??? Made me nuts. Well, I can tell you this: stick it in the closet and don't worry about it now. Somehow it all worked out. Ava turned out to be such a peanut that at nearly 22 months she is still wearing mostly 12 month outfits, and even a few 6-9 month onesies (I returned a bunch that I got, like you, and wondered what on earth I needed them for. Months later I got some for layering and they've been great for that as well as extra pjs in the summer. You just never know.) Just hold on to the stuff and see what you need as you go. You can always donate to a worthy cause or regift...or save for baby #2!

HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS??? Moms are great storytellers - capable of answering even the simplest of questions with imagination.

*Honey, just about anything entertains these kids. Ava finds different sounds hilarious, and I can look at her and go, "bop!" and she'll crack up. This weekend I found singing "Zum Gali" (the Jewish girls here who went to camp might know what I'm talking about) to her sent her into STITCHES. She dances around the room like a crazy woman, hysterically laughing. I guarantee you will be able to entertain and educate your kid w/o even knowing you're doing it.

It made me feel much better coming on here and seeing that you too Abby don't have a bag packed, laundry done or a car seat installed. Heck I don't even *have* an infant carseat yet. I never thought I could feel so overwhelmed...

*I don't have any of those things done. Last time I had a few things tossed in a bag before I went into labor, but a lot of what I needed were things I used all the time so I couldn't pack them. My contractions started at 5pm, mild enough that I still cooked and ate dinner, took a shower, had some ice cream, ;), poked around the house and packed my bag. We didn't leave for the hospital till 1am. Laundry takes no time at all. Last time I felt like Ava's bedroom and everything for her had to be in perfect order. Had the PNP by my bed, DH was building a crib (late, yes), etc. Well, she refused to sleep anywhere but her carseat till she was 2.5 months old so it didn't matter. This time the new nursery is still my office/Ava's playroom. I know now that there is no real deadline other than what's in my head.

What do I recommend you try and take care of now? I am a graphic designer and I do baby announcements, so naturally I'm doing ours. I've preprinted the envelopes and made matching thank you cards so I'll have them ready to use. It wouldn't hurt to have some notecards available and a pad to keep track of all the gifts you get so you can make sure and thank people appropriately. You can also print up labels for your birth announcements and get some stamps, make things easier later. We have our bris list printed out to bring to the hospital. I am trying to stock up on a few easy meals, frozen stuff, canned soup, etc. I got my flu shot.

There are many, many stupid, irresponsible people in the world and lots of them have children. If they can do it, we can too! :D

[Kristen78]

Onsies I think you just dont want anything that is tight and rubbing up against the cord stump. A onsie that is a bit loose would be fine. It would probably be better to wait for pants since the pants would hit at about the level of the belly button and that would irritate the cord stump. I think I would use a onsie + footed one-piece outfit until the cord falls off.

[sem426]

Originally posted by dziner
There are many, many stupid, irresponsible people in the world and lots of them have children. If they can do it, we can too!

LOL! I always try to tell myself that when I feel like I have NO CLUE what to do!! It's so true....

thanks for the advice dziner!:D

[Kristen78]

I was just lurking over in the October Mommies thread. There are so many cute babies over there! I can't believe our time is right around the corner. I'm so excited now after seeing some of the newborn baby pictures and after reading some of the birth stories. I was getting nervous about the birth but it seems like the concensus is that the epidural is heavenly (just what I wanted to hear!!). So now I am less nervous and more excited. I hope I have my baby right around my due date and not more than a day or 2 later. I would hate to have to sit around waiting for her to make an appearance. Its going to be hard enough waiting @26 more days for her to come. I hope it goes by quickly!!!

[Sebski]

Dziner you're my hero!!!!!!! :) Thank you so much for that post!!! I'm working on the laundry now and you're right - it doesn't take much time at all. Going to take your advice and get the baby announcements squared away now too... the bag is packed 'enough' for now. I feel like I have a much better handle on things today... THANK GOODNESS! ;)

This thread is truly the best!

[Bliss]

We've called a few stores in the area and one on Long Island carries our set and actually has the crib in stock. They are checking to see how long it will take to get the dresser and hutch. At this point if they say 4 weeks i'll be happy. We are already going to LI on Sat to see my IL's so we are going to head to the store first. While we're there I'll see if there is antyhing else they have that i like better. They are supposedly the biggest store on LI and I have heard good things about them. So hopefully, this will all work out in the end

Sem, is the store Behr's? I have heard great things about them if it is...most of my friends (I am originally from NY) got their furniture there.

On my furniture horror story, my new furniture is finally here. It does match, but the pieces are a slightly darker wood color than I had wanted, which was a pale natural wood. But I have no patience to argue anymore w. the manufacturer, and since everything matches it stays :)

ETA, Dziner, great post :) Now I feel better about not being at all prepared yet for our little one. I havent even unpacked the shower gifts :o but I figure I have a little more time than some of the girls, and I will get there!

[sem426]

Bliss YES the store is Behr's! They seemed very helpful and sympathetic to our situation when we called. I'm excited to go there on Sat and get this taken care of. My DH is from LI, so it's not too far from his parent's house so it works out great since we were going there anyway on Sat!

[LSUGirl]

Question for those of you planning to BF

Are any of you starting to use the nursing creams now? I didn't with my first and OUCh - I got very dry and cracked. So a few days ago I started putting the cream on everynight in preparation for nursing. It's already made a difference, hoing it helps when he gets here. Am I nuts?

[Lindzee82]

My goodness, I am so far behind!!

abbytfox - That stinks that they didn't send your full report. But, good that you will be able to have another ultrasound. Hopefully it will show that all is great with BF! Great that you have not delivered yet. That means you are doing very good at being on bedrest!

Natasha - Your doc sounds like mine regarding the induction. Thanks for the compliment on my belly shots!

albuquerque - Thanks. I think I look way higher in this weeks shots. Interesting that you see lower. Sorry about your appointment. But even though the baby is very high now, doesn't mean she wont drop quickly. Yay that they wont shave you!! Try some walking and some sex!! I hope you don't have to be induced!! Sorry about your mom's flights. That always seems to happen. How exciting that she will be with you for so long. I bet she is really looking forward to it. Has she ever been to Greece?

Kristen78 - My appointment was this morning at 9. I did cry at it. My recap is below. Basically, no induction is scheduled, but if it comes down to it she says I am a special case and she will work hard for me.

sem426 - Thanks! Glad you are taking a refund from the store and even more glad that you were able to find the same set at a different store. Lets hope this experience is much more painless for you!

first-time mom - I promise you, you do not have toxoplasmosis. Please stop worrying! Thanks for the compliments on my belly shot. Your tummy just looks like the skin is stretched to the max. I hope you can get a massage. You will love it!! Thursday will be here before you know it!

Long sleeved onesies - I am not planning on getting any. I don't want Matthew to be too hot. Some of the outfits I got came with long sleeved onesies, but that is okay because there would be nothing over them.

clzj - You are getting your c-section on my due date!! 27 days from now! How exciting!!

Alanna - Thanks! Glad the pediatrician open house went well and that you found someone you liked. That must be such a huge relief.

Sebski - Thanks, my appointment recap is below. The military is not easy to work with at all. In my personal experience, everything is an issue and takes a long time to fix. Mostly all our issues have been with pay. The Army still owes us a few thousand dollars. Good thing we don't live paycheck to paycheck or else I would be living in my car. Eric is having a problem now with his active duty transition because he is getting different information from everyone. It looks now like he wont get stationed anywhere until at least after the new year. We were hoping to be out of state by Christmas. If your BIL has to report in 3 weeks, it doesn't seem possible to me that he would be able to change his location. Especially if he is going for training. Is he in the Army or another branch of the military? I know that in the Army, there are only certain bases that do certain types of training. Like for example, Ft. Sill in Oklahoma is the only base the does Field Artillery OBC - which is what Eric is doing right now. Ft. Leonardwood in Missouri does Military Police OBC. Air Assault training is done in a few locations, two I know of are Hawaii and Georgia (Eric got lucky and got Hawaii for that one). So, depending on the type of training he needs to report for, they may not offer that class in New Jersey or on those particular dates. Training length depends on the type of training. I only know the lengths of the things Eric went through. Field Artillery training is one of the longest in the Army. 5.5 months. Military Police was only 3 months (Eric's best friend Matt was an MP). Air Assault was 3 weeks. Advanced Course was 6 weeks or so. So everything is different. If you know exactly what type of training he is going for I can look into it for you. Or at least try. It should actually say on his orders how long he is to report for. I know that all Eric's orders say his report date and his end date. If he is just going for training, more than likely they wont allow your SIL to go unless she gets her own apartment off base. They usually don't supply housing for training. That is why Eric is in Oklahoma without me. He has to pay to live in a hotel on base, but he does get reimbursed. If BIL is only going to be gone a few weeks, it wouldn't be worth your SIL to change docs this late in the game and all that. I know that for DH, he has to put in for leave 2 weeks ahead if going more than 100 miles away from base on non-class days. More than likely BIL would not be able to take leave that soon into a training course. However, once the baby is born, your SIL would need to contact the Red Cross for them to alert BIL of the birth and he may then be able to take 3 days of emergency leave. But, again, it would all depend on the circumstances of the particular training he is doing. Sorry if I have confused you even more. Basically, it is a case by case situation. Let me know if you have any more specific info and I will see what I can find out.

Bliss - Thank you, recap is below! I have heard that it is okay to put a onesie on while the stump is still there. I am planning on using onesies right away. Yay for getting a pump!! Sweet deal!!

4oz bottles - I have 3. I am hoping to be a full time breastfeeder and not need a lot of bottles.

****

Back from my 36 week appointment. It was a very looong visit!! Here are the highlights:
- Gained 6 pounds since my last appointment 2 weeks ago. Up a total of 36 pounds and now weigh only 3 pounds less than my DH!
- Blood Pressure 100/60
- No induction set. I asked and she didn't seem too interested. She explained that if the baby is not read to come out, he wont. They could try it and have me labor all day, but if nothing happens they will send me home. They wont send me for a c-section or anything. I asked if it was something we could decide that week. If we checked me at my 39 week appointment and it looks like I am close to delivering and if they think there is a good shot if we could schedule it then. She said we could look into it. So as of right now we are not scheduling an induction. I don't want to take the risk that my only 3 days with DH are stuck in the hospital for nothing. And, I don't want to put Matthew through the stress of labor twice. So, I guess we will just let nature take its course. Sucks, but that is what we need to do at this point. I told her that I thought I would go early anyway, and she laughed at me. She does not think I will go early at all. That was not nice to hear. They don't induce until after 41 weeks, so I will be pregnant forever I fear.
- Baby is still in a head down, face back position and his back is perfectly lined up with the middle of my stomach. She had another nursing student so the student felt my belly too and then she asked if my mom could feel. So my mom got to feel Matthew's back and butt, too! That was cool.
- Measuring right at 36 weeks
- Matthew's heartbeat was in the 130s which is really low for him.
- I got the Group B Strep test. I didn't like that. The dry q-tip did not feel very good going in there. The butt got swabbed, too. Not impressed.
- She did an internal to just see where we are at this point. My cervix is soft, but completely closed. She said that Matthew's head was very very low, but she couldn't break through the cervix to actually feel it. She said he is laying right on top of it though. So that was nice to hear.
- I have been prescribed to take Evening Primrose Oil at night to start to soften things up. I have to take 3000mg. I am a little nervous about doing this as I have never heard of it before and I don't like doing things that I don't know anything about. I guess it helps to prevent tearing too. I just hate taking new things.
- I got a non-stress test because I told her that Matthew's movements were slowing up and that I couldn't get him to move at all that morning. Matthew passed the test with flying colors. He moved all around and his heartrate was great! So that was nice.
- And lastly, I had to get a flu shot.

I don't think there is anything else they could possibly do to me. It was crazy. I am doing weekly appointments now, so I go back next Wednesday.

[dziner]

sebski, so happy I could help!! :)

[Natasha]

Lindzee--Ugh, appointments like that arer sooooooo dissapointing. You want to hear "This baby's ready to go! if not, we'll take him as soon as you're ready!". I know thats what I want to hear. I guess they know what is best, but still... They suck. Hang in there!

[Sebski]

Lindzee oh my gosh you really had a doozy of an appt! Sorry to hear the induction conversation didn't go as you had hoped... but, it sounds like you are keeping a level head about things. I've never heard of primrose oil - is it something that starts the labor process along? Good luck with it! And not for anything, but I personally think I'm going to go early too and my doctor didn't seem too optimistic yesterday either. But, doesn't have a crystal ball so whatever. I say keep thinking that if you want - positive thoughts can't hurt! ;) And thank you for the military info... BIL is in the Army reserves... he hasn't been assigned yet to a specific detail, but told us that he has to report for training in 3 weeks to Ft. Braggs (sp?) in NC. Do you know what type of training runs through that base by any chance? Length of service-wise, he's got to complete 18 months after training. DH is trying to get his sister to look at the whole picture realistically... right now she's thinking he can take leave during his training and come home next month and she'll schedule a c-section. While it would be nice, it just doesn't seem logical when you're not working on your own time, but rather the military's ya know? We're afraid she's setting herself up for a major letdown. Plus, their mom passed away only just a year ago so DH and SIL are still grieving that loss... it's going to be a tough ride for her w/out her mom or DH around.

LSU I was thinking of using the nipple cream now because my nipples have gotten very dry and sensitive in the past several days. Figured it can't hurt. Now that I know it's working well for you, I'll definitely head out and get some. Thanks!

Bottles We have about 5 4oz bottles now. But, like Lindzee I'm hoping to BF and not need to use them right away. Keeping those fingers crossed! ;)

[shirsty]

Lindzee UGH on the appointment!! I can't believe the dr. laughed at you for thinking you will go early, I really hate when people do that. Of course we all know that most first timers are going to go late but do you need to be rude about it. I am promising myself that I won't be like that to other preggos once I have my baby! It does sound like he's moving into position though so that's good.

LSU - that's an interesting idea on using the cream now, it makes sense to me. Enough sense that I might try it myself, and what could it hurt anyway??

Dziner thank you for your post!! It really helped put it all in perspective.

Alb hope you've heard from your mom and she's on her way to Greece by now.

Sem hope the furniture fiasco is over for you now! What an ordeal. I would be totally crying too.

I also had my dr. appointment today, 38 weeks. My dr. doesn't start doing internals until 38 weeks, can you believe it? Anyway I got one today and while my cervix is still totally closed he said the baby has dropped considerably from last week, yay! I can totally tell too, just walking is getting much harder, and my hips feel more dislocated than usual. Overall it was a good appointment, I didn't expect any dilation but it was good to hear there's progress. I also asked him when he typically starts thinking induction and he said one week after the due date. So that would mean I am having this baby within 3 weeks from today, one way or another. I guess I might feel differently about induction if I get to 41 weeks and feel like I can keep going but honestly today I am hurtin', so it's hard to imagine wanting to go beyond that.

I finished packing my bag tonight (what I can pack now anyway), and DH and I have been working on the baby book. It is a really nice book that my mom got, lots of space for pictures and also to write things, about how we met, our wedding, our hopes and dreams for the baby, etc.

I have been SO MOODY lately, absolutely everyone is driving me nuts except DH, he is the only person I want to be around. I feel like my best friend has let me down during this pregnancy, I really thought this would be a special experience for the 2 of us. She doesn't have any kids yet and has been so busy for the past few months I've barely seen her, and I feel so disconnected from her :( I can't believe at one point I wanted to have her in the delivery room.

Maybe my expectations were too high in the first place, I don't know. I have learned now that I wasn't always the best friend when other friends were pregnant, not mean or anything but just having no sense of the challenges involved and how to be a good supportive friend. I do have other friends who have kids already who have been great, it's just been hard to deal with my best friend. And all the lovely hormones are not making it any easier! It helps to be able to come here and know there are all these other women going through the same thing.

[Lindzee82]

Natasha - Yeah, I didn't leave that appointment too excited. Although it still is pretty early for me, since I am only 36 weeks. Matthew needs to grow a little bit more before he makes an appearance. I just wish that when she did the internal she would have had more hope that I would be able to be induced because progress was being made.

Sebski - A doozy is a good word for it! I guess I didn't take everything into consideration when I got all excited about asking for the induction. I wasn't educated on the process, I guess. I need to put Matthew first. I am trying to stay positive. My luck, though, Matthew will decide that Sunday afternoon when his daddy is leaving would be a great time to make an appearance! I guess the primrose oil is to help soften up the cervix. I don't know how it works, but that is why I was told to take it. I posted about it in the pregnancy and parenting threads to see what others experiences may have been with it. You should see the pills - they are like an inch long!!! They are huge!! Definitely we should both be thinking positively for early births!!!! You are welcome for the military info. Is your BIL just starting out in the Army? He could be going for Basic Training. 18 months seems like a strange length of time to me. Usually you owe 4 years at a time. It would definitely be hard for him to get leave that soon after starting training and if he is going for Basic Training he wouldn't get any leave at all. Also, would your SILs doctors even do a c-section? She would want to find that out first before he even started the process of applying for leave. I feel bad for your SIL cause I know what position she is in. But, when you are a military family that is what you have to deal with.

shirsty - Definite ugh!!! Yeah this doc isn't the best. She is the one I really don't like at all and never have!! Definitely good that he is moving into position. I just hope he isn't teasing me and camps out there for the next year or so!! Yay that your baby has dropped! That is progress!! My docs wont induce until 41 weeks, either. I think it is so unfair for them to make us wait that long!! I totally hear you on the moodiness. I have been yelling at everyone!! I have become pretty distant with my best friend too because I have just been so sick and haven't felt like doing friend things like go out and hang out. Hopefully after our babies are here our friendships will get back to normal!

[LSUGirl]

I also have my hospital bag packed tonight. Andrew's diaper bag is ready to go, as well.

nursing cream - it's been doing wonders. I remember right before Matthew was born I also got dry and started to get chapped. that was happening again this time. So I thought "Hmm we are going to fight this early." LOL

Bottles - I have 6-8 4 oz bottles (can't remember how many are in a pack - and I have two packs). Hopefully I won't need them much and nursing goes smoothly.

OB appts - I have an appt Thursday. I was 1+cm last week. I am hoping to be at 2 cm when she checks this week, but I'm not holding my breath. With losing parts of the plug on Sunday and today, I am hoping some progress is being made. These AF-like cramps had better be doing SOMETHING ;)

induction - If I am still pg at 41 weeks we will schedule an induction. My OB doesn't really like going much past 41 weeks. The placentas function makes her nervous at that point.

I am hoping to post nursery shots by Friday
Here is my 37 week belly shot :)
http://images.snapfish.com/344%3C8%3C2%3B23232%7Ffp45%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3C85%3D% 3B77%3DXROQDF%3E2323%3B7%3B8577%3C9ot1lsi

[Lindzee82]

LSUGirl - Good luck at your appointment tomorrow. I hope that you have made some progress!! That is good that your OB doesn't go past 41 weeks because then you know that there is an end in sigh!! Very soon for you, actually!! Your belly looks great!

[Kristen78]

Lindzee - I think what your midwife said makes sense. It sort of sucks, but I have heard that getting induced can be a bad thing if your baby truly isn't ready for it. I guess thats what its good to let you babe come on his own time. Hopefully he will decide to come Friday Nov. 11th! I have read about people using Evening Primrose Oil when I used to lurk in the TTC boards. I thought it helped with cervical mucous and all that stuff when you are trying to get pregnant. I have never heard of using it to get your cervix to soften up for the birth. I guess you learn something new every day! Sorry you GBS test wasn't so great. Hopefully when you get the results back you are negative though, right?

I have my Dr. appointment today. I am going to find out the results of my Group B Strep test I think. I dont know what else will happen but last week I asked if they would start doing internals every week since she did one last time and she said No. So I guess I wont be getting one this time. Maybe next time though? I made an appointment for Monday at 1pm to meet with a pediatrician. I hope that goes well. And I called this daycare that I am on a waiting list for yesterday just to "follow-up" and I am still on that waiting list and they should have a spot for me in the spring. So I'll probably have to bring my baby to the other daycare that we found for 6-8 weeks before I can switch over to this one.

Oh, my DH is supposed to be getting a raise/promotion to a management level and he said if he does I can probably go back to work part-time 3 days a week! I am psyched. Right now I work as a software engineer with a typical 40 hour work week. So going to 3 days a week would be HEAVEN!

[clzj]

Getting set for baby: I went through DS stuff and realized he has a lot of stuff. I just took out the onsies, sleepers, blankets, socks, and crib bedding and I have a hugh garbage bag full of clothes and stuff. That is not including the new stuff. I have decided not to get any more 4oz bottles. I have 5 of them and then if I need to I can get just use the 8oz bottles if I need to.

This is what I need to buy:
Lansinoh
Droppins (4oz)
Coming Home Outfit
Tide Free
Bunting
Long Sleeve Onsies (4)
Bathtub

Things to do
Wash clothes
Put up PNP
Move DS clothes
pack bag for hospital

For Nipple Cream/Mositure:You could also squeeze your nipple and use the natural liquid that comes out. I forgot where I read that with DS.

[Lindzee82]

Kristen78 - Yeah it does make sense. I was just hoping that she would be more optimistic about it since it is only 3 days early. But since she thinks I will go late, I guess right now there is no hope. With my luck Matthew will decide to come about an hour before Eric boards the plane. Hopefully the GBS will be negative. I don't want to have to take any more medicine. I take enough already!! Good luck at your appointment today. I hope your GBS comes back negative, too! Yay for your DH getting a raise. That would be awesome! Hoping all goes well for you, that sounds like a good deal!!

[sem426]

Lindzee Sorry the appt didn't go as you had hoped, but maybe Matthew will cooperate and make his big debut when Daddy is here!

LSUGirl Great belly shots! You are so tiny!

Kristen YAY for Dh's raise/promotion! and even better you can work part time now! I'm jealous!!

kegels/perineal massage Has anyone being doing either of these? i've been doing kegels for a while, hopefully it will help in delivery. I'm thinking about starting the pm as well....I figure why not if it might help me avoid an episiotomy or tearing.

[november2005mommies]

Updated to Here!

[Lindzee82]

sem - I sure do hope so! I do kegels when I think of it. I don't do them on a regular basis, although I probably should. The perineal massage freaks me out. I wont be doing that.

[clzj]

The c-section time has changed to 2 PM in 11/14.

Names: We talked about it.
Alexander Wilson
Ezra Wilson
Xavier Wilson

What do you guys think.

[november2005mommies]

Updated

[Lindzee82]

clzj - I really like Alexander.

[sem426]

clzj I also vote for Alexander!

Just got an email that my glider is in and being shipped! YAY! They said 10-12 weeks for arrival and it's here in 9! Hey, anything early is good in my book!

[Lindzee82]

sem - Yay on the glider!

[Kristen78]

Well I had an eventful Doctor's appointment today...

First off I somehow managed to gain 4 pounds in 1 week! Last time I had gained 1 pound in 2 weeks? Not sure whats up there...

Then I got my blood pressure taken and it was really high. But I always get high BP at the doctor's so I think it was just that. The doc came in and let me know that my Group B Strep was Negative! So thats good news. But she was really concerned about my blood pressure. First she asked me about my job and hte possibility of stopping work. I told her I would rather not because I dont get disability and my maternity leave is unpaid. I have enough $$ saved up to cover most of my expenses for 12 weeks, but if I have to start that now, then I would get that much less time with my baby when she does come.

Next she went over the signs of pre-eclampsia with me. She wanted to send me over the hospital to get a non-stress test and some labwork. She said sepending on what the results showed, she might want to induce me at 37 weeks!!! :eek: :eek: Hello, thats next week! Lindzee, see so you want an induction and I might get one and don't want it. How funny is that?

After that appointment I left for the hospital. I got there and had to give a urine sample. But right when I was starting I dropped the freakiin cup into the toilet!! How and why do they expect pregnant women to collect a urine sample? I can't even see down there. BUt he nurse said if I couldn't give a sample, she might have to catherterize me. Yuck! So I grabbed the cup fro the toilet bowl, shook it out and just peed into it. Bad, I know, but there was no way I was going to risk having to get a catheter.

Next I got hooked up to the monitors for the non stress test. The baby loked good and everything was fine. A ton of movements and all that. I got blood taken too. The labwork for the blood and urine came back fine. I didnt have any traces of protein in my urine. I left with instructions to take it easy and to collect my urine for 24 hours. SO I have this huge jug that I have to bring back to the hospital with my 24 hours of urine tomorrow. Real fun! I didn't go back to work and I am taking tomorrow off because I can't really walk around with a jug of urine at work, you know?

Besides all that I feel pretty good. I forgot to add that I guess since everything else was fine I don't have pre-eclampsia. But I will talk to my doctor's office tomorrow to get my next appointment times and maybe get some more instructions from them then.

[clzj]

Kristin-The jug. Been there. I did it 2 weeks ago because of swelling bad. Mine all came back fine. I went to work for 5 hours and then went home.

[Lindzee82]

Kristen78 - 4 pounds in one week is nothing! I gained 6!!!! Yay for the negative Group B Strep. Sorry about the high blood pressure. I am sorry you don't want to be induced, but how exciting that your baby could be here next week!! You gotta do what's best for your little one. I am totally with you on the peeing in a cup frustration!!! You would think they would come up with a better system. Like a big bucket or something! Glad you don't have preeclampsia. Maybe you were just stressed today and that made your blood pressure abnormally high. Definitely get some rest and take care of yourself!

[Kristen78]

I forgot to mention the worst part of the whole hospital trip. So they are doing over the hospital and they added on this huge building to it. PLus a new parking garage. Its really nice and today was my first time seeing it. The problem is that the new garage where you HAVE to park is 10 minutes (walking) from Labor & Delivery, where I had to go. So when I leave L&D I ask the nurse if there is an ATM and she says its by the gift shop which is near the parking garage...I needed to get $$ to pay for parking. So I walk the 10 minutes back to where the main entrance/gift shop/parking is, and I have to PEE like nobody's business. But I can't just stop in a restroom because I have this whole process now that I have to collect my pee in the big jug. SO I get to the giftshop and they dont have an ATM, AND they wont give cash back if you use a debit card. She says to ask the service desk where the ATM is. SO I do and they say its ALL the way back in the building that I just came from! OMG I was pissed. I started to tear up and cry. How could I walk back there when I had to pee so freaken bad??? I ended up walking away and sitting down and I found $2 in my purse. Parking was going to cost $3.75 since I was there for 3 hours. I found another $1 in dimes and I figured I would just go to my car and hope and pray that Ihad $.75 there. Luckily I did, so I was able to pay for my parking fee and leave. But boy was I upset. Apparantly they are getting an ATM at the gift shop, or in the lobby, but not for another 3 weeks or so..:rolleyes:

[beevo12]

We did the Group B strep test today and I nearly screamed and flew off the table when she touched my butt with that Q-tip. LOL. I told her about all that's been happening and she decided to do an internal. YAY! Well, cervix is closed. :( (of course she thinks that's just great) But I was hoping for a little something, she said she was touching his head though, and K jumped so far up into my ribs when she did it. hehe. The nurse that was in there saw it and was laughing. I have gained an additional 8lbs since my last appt 3 weeks ago. I think that brings me to 40lbs gained even. ugh. She estimates him to be 5 1/2-6 lbs right now. (just by feeling him) My OB gave me her personal pager number if I go into labor. She really wants to be the one to deliver him and she said she'll try her best to be in town or not have any cocktails in her. (ha!) My next appt isn't for two more weeks on Nov. 2nd. I'll be 38 weeks, and then I go every week after that until he's born. PLEASE dont' let him come late! I got this sheet from the office about symptoms of early labor and I have ALL of them but I don't think that really means anything. Soooo, that's it!

Only 2 more nights of work!! I'm going on a tour of the hospital tomorrow and can't wait!

My friend took some pics of me last week, here are a couple:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce39b3127cce94e1fc69da1500000016108Aasmjlu5aNN
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce39b3127cce94e10c95da9100000015108Aasmjlu5aNN
And DH did not want to take off his hat or change his shirt.:rolleyes:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce39b3127cce94e1f58d9a6d00000015108Aasmjlu5aNN

[Sebski]

Lindzee Good luck with the primrose - hope it gets things started for you! BIL is doing basic training I believe... he went to military college, but that's about it... just reactivated himself in the reserves a couple of years ago never thinking, I guess, that he would get called? Who knows - he's a strange bird. I feel for SIL because she's going to have a tough time of it... MIL passed away only a year ago so she'll be dealing w/ the baby's arrival minus her mom and DH.

LSU Hope you don't mind my asking - but what do you have packed in the baby's diaper bag? I hadn't thought about doing this yet...

cljz LOVE Alexander!

Sem Congrats on the glider arriving early! That must feel good w/ all the furniture woes you've been dealing with!

Kristen What an appt! Glad to hear the strep test came back negative!

Beevo Great pictures - you look wonderful!!!

Nothing eventful going on over here. I scheduled my next level 2 u/s for Oct 31. They want to measure the baby and check his weight since he's measuring ahead. I'll be 37w at that point. I get the strep test on Monday - hoping that she does an internal w/ it too so I can see if there's any progress going on down there. Only thing happening differently is pressure. But, that's probably normal.

Off to eat dinner - have a great night!

[abbytfox]

WOW! I am so far behind...not sure I can catch up, but I'll try. Today my mom came over for a few hours. She made vegetable soup and hard boiled eggs. I am SO into egg salad lately. Not sure what that is all about. She also watered all the plants and cleaned the kitchen a little bit. Our kitchen and living room are basically one big room so I could hang out on the couch and she could be in the kitchen at the same time.

Last night DH went to our infant care class. He called me halfway through and said that he missed me and wished I was there. It just made me so sad(obviously this was not his intention, but his sweet words just set me off even more!) I really wanted to be there and I felt like I was just missing out on all these special things before the baby arrives. You know, all the things that you get to do as a couple in anticipation of the baby. Of course, once the baby is here it won't matter and we will just be happy that he/she is here and healthy, but I just felt really sad about it. Today I am pretty much over it though. I am feeling better as the time passes by knowing that soon we can get this baby out and get on with the good stuff (and I can get OFF the couch!)

In other news, my MIL is coming from Maryland on Saturday to help out for a few days. I really enjoy being with her and it will be nice to have company for a coupld days. Plus, she really wants to help Adam and I know that he will so appreciate everything she can do to ease his burden a little. Not that I am a burden, but he is really great about doing everything and on top of caring for me he is working and cleaning and taking care of his own stuff. I know it is a lot and just love him so much for never complaining or making me feel like I am imposing. Needless to say, it will be nice to have a little extra help for a couple days!

LindzeeSo sorry about the induction. Even though it makes sense from her perspective I am sorry that it isn't going to work out the way you want it to. I mean, obviously a healthy baby is the way you want it to work out, but having your husband there would be so nice for both of you. Hopefully, the primrose oil will help in some way. Good luck!

semThat is so exciting about your glider! YAY! Ours is in the warehouse, but we just called to have everything delivered and the earliest it can get here is November 15th! I am really feeling like the baby will be arriving before the furniture. Oh well. At least something is going right for you in the furniture dept!

BeevoYou look amazing! Totally glowing. And I have no idea where you are putting 40 pounds. You must be ALL belly. You truly look gorgeous!

KristenSo sorry about your appointment. The last part about not being able to find an ATM and having to pee so bad is just the icing on the cake. It sounds awful! I hope that everything with the pee jug works out. Does not sound fun AT ALL!

[abbytfox]

clzjI really like Alexander but recently heard of someone who named their son Ezra. At first I wasn't really that fond of it, but now I like it. Unique and kind of funky while still being rooted in tradition. Good choices! Would you use Alex as a nickname? I think that is great too!

[Bliss]

Sem You should be pretty happy w. Behrs from what I have heard. I actually wanted to order my furniture from there since my friends have been pretty happy w. them but DH threw a fit about paying extra shipping since we live in CT now.

Lindzee Good to hear that all went well at your docs appt, sorry to hear about the induction. Actually a friend of mine who has 3 kids was telling me that inductions do tend to lead to c-sections if done too early, they made her wait 10-14 days after her due date for all 3 kids (she must have some uterus, her kids never want to come out!). Hopefully you can send Matthew some "come meet daddy" vibes before your DH comes home. On a funny note, in our childbirth class they showed a video that told us to "visualize your cervix opening like a flower" and the nurse stopped the video right after to tell us to absoultely not do that until we were past 37 weeks since its very powerful and can lead to labor :rolleyes: DH and I were snickering in the back about that one, but of course now I cannot get blooming roses out of my mind :D So maybe you can try that as our nurse seemed very into it :)

Beevo Great pictures! You look amazing.

Kristen Sorry about that whole pee in a jar thing. Sounds like fun. I have heard you need to keep it in the fridge too- my friend had to do it at work and someone actually asked her why she was taking her juice into the bathroom LMAO. She was mortified, but can laugh about it now!

*sigh* DH and I have had a cranky day, I swear he is nesting and making me clean out every closet in the house. He is making my nuts. I think he is punishing me for total lack of sex :rolleyes: . I cannot for the life of me get any interest anymore, and he just found out about the no sex for 6 weeks after birth part from his friend (thought I would keep that little tidbit a surprise until after baby is born lol.) He actually asked me if we are ever going to "do it" again. I should have told him no LOL.

[amypooh]

Kristen- Hang in there. I just did the same urine collection Monday... fun times. The jug has to stay in the fridge which is down stairs so peeing in the middle of the night really sucked... all the way down stairs to dump urine in a jug... just what I wanted to do in the middle of the night. I had to do it with my daughter too. I seem to always get high BP at the end. But so far no meds required just rest. And if it makes you feel any better, I had a c-section at 38 weeks with Kailey and she turned out just fine, no problems! :) I'll have a c-section around the same time this time.

[Lindzee82]

Kristen - Hugs! You poor thing. Sorry about the ATM trouble, but glad you were able to find enough cash to pay your parking fee and get out of there. Hope you made it home in time to pee.

beevo - Yeah, I was not impressed with getting swabbed in the butt either. She didn't warn me of that beforehand!!! Those docs are pretty sneaky. Sorry your cervix is closed. Mine is too, and she was able to feel his head. Sounds like we are right at the same place. Your pictures came out great!

Sebski - Thanks! I have heard from a few people that the primrose oil did nothing for them, so it will be interesting to see. If BIL is doing basic training he most likely wont get any leave. But he should check into that beforehand and see what the policy is. More than likely they wont let him switch duty stations for that. Yay for getting another ultrasound! How exciting!

abbytfox - Egg salad is sooo good!! Glad your mom was able to help you out a bit. How sweet that your DH still went to the infant care class without you and called to say he missed you. I definitely know what you mean about feeling like you are missing out on the "couple things" that are done to prepare for a baby. My poor DH is preparing for the baby by looking at pictures I send him of what I have done to our apartment to prepare. You are doing what is best for BF right now and he or she will love you so much for that!

Bliss - I am bummed about the induction. It would have been nice to be able to plan, but there is still a chance it could happen. I am definitely going to try and coax Matthew to come out a little early. I like flowers!!!!! I am sooo going to try that!! haha!! Sorry you are having a cranky day. If he is nesting shouldn't he be the one doing the cleaning?? I wish I had the energy to clean something. I am so lazy lately!

[LSUGirl]

clzj - I love the name Alexander!!

Seb - Mainly we just have a couple outfits in there (since 1. I don't know what will fit and 2. he may pee all over one). I have some diapers, wipes, diapers bags to dispose of dirty diapers, blanket, baby comb, insurance card, chapstick (for me), desitin, infant tylenol - that sort of thing. Not that I will need it. I was just getting the diaper bag ready as a whole. They give you everything in the hospital.

nesting - I did the "nesting" thing all day. Scrubbed this house from top to bottom. Tomorrow the car/truck/suv (whatever the heck you want to call it) gets detailed :)

OK.. Nursery is done :)
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/rikkifonte/DSC03735.jpghttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/rikkifonte/DSC03742.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/rikkifonte/DSC03738.jpghttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/rikkifonte/DSC03743.jpg

[beevo12]

RikkiAndrew's nursery looks great! I love it!

[abbytfox]

LSUGirlAndrews room is so darling! Did you paint the murals yourself? I love the giraffe eating the leaves. Also, wanted to say that you looked great in your latest belly shot!

Bliss Totally with you on the no sex thing. It has been forever over here...It really sucks being on bedrest. It was hilarious at the hospital I commented to DH that we really should have had sex before everything happened. Now we have been instructed that there is to be "nothing in the vagina." We were hysterical that the doctor kept making sure we understood that! It isn't quite so funny now that that could mean 7 more weeks of bedrest and then the 6 weeks pp...that is a long time. My interest, of course, had totally diminished until we were told not to have sex and now I want it! The grass is always greener...Hope you and your DH have a less cranky day tomorrow!

[albuquerque]

Hi All,

I'm going to be really bad about SOs, because my mom is here, and we're talking so much that it's really hard to keep up with what little work they send me and read everybody else's posts, much less write my own. She's in the shower now and that's the only reason I have time to write! It's nice, though, she's really helping me to finish up with the little things I want to get done before the baby is born. I did want to say Alanna, I think it's very sweet that to you it seems like a milestone in our pregnancies that my mom has arrived! It is a milestone, I guess.

Also last night MIL and FIL came over and brought our changing table pad (I hate the ones they have here, they are nasty and plasticky and not nearly as nice as the ones everybody has in the US, with the terrycloth covers! but oh well), our stroller and our carseat! Seeing the stroller and carseat next to the door in the living room somehow makes everything seem so much more real even than the crib in the nursery. That's how I felt when I went to see my cousin in Feb, too--seeing her 9 mos pregnant at the airport obviously made an impression, but when we got to their house, opened the door and saw the carseat snapped into the snap-n-go, that's when it really hit home to me, my cousin is going to have a baby here, whoa. And now that's how I feel about myself.

OK, off to visualize blooming flowers and to look up "primrose" in my English-Greek dictionary!!!

Hope everybody is having a great day!

[Lindzee82]

LSUGirl - Beautiful nursery!! It came out great!!

albuquerque - So glad you are having a nice time with your mom. Awesome that she is able to help you get things ready! Yay for getting your changing table pad, stroller, and carseat! Ha on the blooming flowers!! I am going to start that soon!! Hope it works for you and your little girl makes an appearance soon!! I can't believe that you are due so soon!!

[Kristen78]

Thanks everyone. The pee collection does suck. I couldn't imagine bringing it with me to work! SO I took today off. My Doc said to "take it easy the rest of the week" but I will probably go to work tomorrow anyways. I have lots of stuff to finish up before I leave, and if I have to leave earlier than I expected then I need to get started on it. I had to leave the pee jug in the fridge downstairs too so I had to get up 3 times last night and tromp downstairs, get the jug, and pee in the downstairs bathroom. It was a process for sure!

My doctor's office called yesterday and left a message about my next 2 appointments so I am going to call them back now and find out the scoop. I'll be back to update.

[sem426]

This thread is jumping!!

beevo those pix are great! your friend did an amazing job! i can't belive you've gainied 40lbs....I don't know where it all is bc I can't see it!

LSUGirl The nursery is adorable! you did a great job!

kristen ugh on the pee in the jug situation. I'm sorry you have to deal with that. You might be induced next week:eek: I can't believe you might have your daughter in a just a few more days!! what a PITA that whole ATM thing was...glad you were able to scrounge up enough loose change in your car!

alb Hope you are having a great time with your mom!!

abby that's great that your MIL is coming to visit and help you out. Your DH is so cute going to the class by himself and calling to say he missed you! I';m sure he's looking forward to his mom coming and helping out with everything.

bliss we do have to pay a little more for shipping from behr's since we live in NJ, but at this point i'm fine w/it! We're going there on sat to order the furniture.

I have my dr appt tomorrow and will be getting my strep test...can't wait for the butt swab after everyone's great description of it so far!:)

[Kristen78]

Well I finally got in touch with my doctor's office. I called this morning and the nurse had to call me back. She gave me 3 more appointments - 2 next week at the hospital for non-stress tests and 1 regular appointment with my OB. I asked her why I had to have more non-stress tests, but she didnt know so she told me the doctor would call me back. SO the doc just called me back and said they want me to go 2x a week for the non-stress tests because my blood pressure was high. Its just a precautionary measure. Nothing was wrong yesterday except the high blood pressure. My DH brought home a blood pressure machine from his work yesterday and I took my blood pressure 2x so far. Once it was 112/76 and then this morning it was 112/66. So I dont think I really have high blood pressure at all, except at the doctors. I can't explain it but going to the doctors just makes me stress out or something. At the doc's yesterday I think my BP was 152/90 or something insane like that. So because of that I have to deal with these twice weekly hospital appointments. Oh well! So no induction for me. Thank god!!!

beevo - I agree, you look great! I can't see where the 40 pounds went either. Its all baby!

sem426 - The pee in a jug thing is a big PITA. Luckily I get to stop it in 13 minutes :D Then I can bring in my sample to the hospital later today. I guess I wont be having my baby next week. Which is a relief, because the though of being induced sort of scares me. I want to let nature take its course.

[clzj]

Kristen: With DS I had to go 2x a week starting at 34 weeks. I had to just go to the DR office but it was still a pain. The first was for an NST and the second was for an ultrasound. This all started because of falling down the stairs in the rain. Then preterm labor. I had gotten sent off to the hosptial 2 times before my 36 week appointment. At my 36 week appointment I get sent off again because of high BP and that was just because I was scared that they were going to send me off to the hospital. At 37 weeks when I knew the little one was fine to come my BP was normal. With DS pg I had to do the pee collection 2x.

[Alanna]

Every once in a while I check FF for their daily pregnancy info. This is what it said today:

Daily Info Tidbit
If you're feeling like your pregnancy is dragging on forever, imagine how the Asian elephant feels. The Asian elephant carries a baby for twenty to twenty-three months! You wouldn't even be halfway there yet if you were an Asian elephant (even though you might be starting to feel like one!) You don't have much longer to go! Continue to take care of yourself, enjoy a healthy lifestyle and rest whenever you can. You're almost there.

Ummm Thanks? geez. I feel bad for complaining... I mean I never thought about how hard it would be to be an Asian Elephant. :rolleyes: I guess I am slowly losing my sense of humor.

[Bliss]

LSUGirl LOVE the nursery, your murals are adorable!! Did you do them yourself?

Kristen Good news that your BP is regular at home. I have the same thing when I do to the doctors office, my DH (who is a doc) calls it "white coat syndrome". Usually they take my BP twice at my doc since they know me now- once in the beginning and then again after we have heard babys HB and I have relaxed and talked w. the doc. The second reading is almost always lower. And of course it doesnt help that as they are taking it I am sitting there hoping the number is not too high LOL.

Abby Your DH is too sweet, going to the childcare class and all. Thats great that your MIL is coming to help out too, and you will have some company.

Alb Hope you are having a great time w. your mom!

Alanna That post made me LOL. I guess I should be thankful about not being an elephant as well, although I feel like I have been pregnant for years at this point! And elephants dont have to cook, clean or go to work so screw them :D :p

Is anyone cutting down doing moderate trips by themselves? My DH is all overprotective and its making me nuts :) I am planning on going into NYC which is about 1 1/2 hours by train sometime next week or the week after. I will be 35-36 weeks at that point. I dont really see what the big deal is, after all I have a lot of friends that traveled that far to work everyday while PG but figured I would throw it out there to make sure I am not being "reckless" :) Poor DH, if it were him carrying the baby he would never leave the house :)

[sem426]

bliss I travel to work everyday about 55 minutes on the train and am planning on working up until a few days before my due date. Some people think i'm nuts, but so far it hasn't been a problem.

alanna that totally made me laugh!

kristen so glad your BP is down today....just take deep breaths and try not to stress when you are at the dr's office next time!

[Alanna]

And elephants dont have to cook, clean or go to work so screw them

Well said!!!

I have cut down on trips (my last big one was around 35 weeks - went to maine (for my shower) about 1.5 hours each way from our house) ... not because I am nervous about being away from home.. but mostly because i cant stand traveling for any more than 30 minutes at a time (thats what i commute each day)...

I dont think at 35-36 weeks it would be a problem if you are feeling up to it. You could always run it by your ob/mw and then your husband would definitely have to think it was ok!

[ginadc]

Wow, I can't believe how much I've missed! I'd do S/Os but it seems like an enormous mountain of stuff to catch up on. I'm finally digging my way out from the giant assignment from my one big client; still working on it but it's now a manageable load of work instead of seemingly insurmountable.

Meanwhile-- drat! We have to wait another week on the sonogram!

I just received an e-mail from birthmom's social worker, and apparently the doctor decided to wait and do the sonogram next week. (Not sure why.) Her appointment next week is Tuesday, but she wasn't sure if the doctor meant to do the sonogram at that same appointment or a different day, so as soon as she figures that out, we'll schedule a conference call with SW, birthmom, us, and possibly either the birthfather and/or a good friend of birthmom's who's moved in and is helping out, to take place after the sonogram.

I'm frustrated that we have to wait another week to find out sono results, but it's a relief to hear news!

Meanwhile, she has stipulated in her birth plan that she wants us in the delivery room along with birthfather and her friend, who's living with her. We'll have to see if her doctor will allow this; apparently the number of people the hospital allows in the room varies by doctor, and she forgot to ask him at the last appt. I'm really thrilled that she wants us both there, though! The doctor says that everything's going well and that starting next week he'll begin checking her cervix and dilation.

How exactly am I supposed to concentrate on work with all this on my mind?

[Kristen78]

Bliss - Thats exactly how I feel. I am always hoping that my BP will be normal when I am there and I think just that stresses me out. Its such a pain.

[Natasha]

Yikes, I missed waaay too much for SO's this time. But, Gina, I did want to say YAY for the birthmom wanting you in the delivery room!

We went to my parents house yesterday (3 hours each way, they live by Yosemite). I don't anticipate anymore long trips till after the baby is born. My legs were twitching like crazy on the way home!

[LSUGirl]

nursery - yes, I did paint the murals. It took me forever. I think Matthew's nursery was done around 32 weeks. this time it took me until 37 LOL

OB - about ot head to the OB. Praying we have some more progress :)

[mrs_barkley]

just a quick update. Emalee had her 2 month :eek: appt today. She will be 2 months old on Saturday(22nd). She had 5 shots :( She is 6 lbs 6 oz and 18 1/2 inches long. She is getting so big :) Here's a pic:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v398/tes251/Emalee/DSC2566.jpg

[LSUGirl]

(taken from my LJ)

Cramps are good! At least these AF-like cramps are doing something. We are now 2-3 cm. Up from "a good 1, 1+" last week. I was correct in the fact that I lost my plug. She can now touch his head. Last week she couldn't. She said "it could be this weekend or it could be next week." I was floored by that comment. She doesn't think I will make it to November (I do). We shall see.

One thing, I am group B strep +. Odd, since I was negative with Matthew. She thinks I probably had a false negative with Matthew - but he was fine. So now I have to be on antibiotics for at least 4 hours before Andrew is born. I must do research on this since it is all new to me.

Mrs Barkley - so glad she is doing well! Awesome!!

[Lindzee82]

I am having a wicked issue with swelling today. I have been pretty luck in the pregnancy to not have swelling, but today my right foot is grossly swollen! The left foot is fine, and nothing else on me is swollen. Just the right foot. It is huge!!!!! Is this normal? I have put my feet up almost all day and have drank a lot of water but nothing seems to be helping. I am worried because I have not experienced this yet.

[shirsty]

LSU whoo hoo on the cramps and dliation! I was having cramps earlier this week but not much for the past day or 2. I hope they start up again for me. Your nursery is awesome, love the elephant. That sucks about the strep.

Kristen I have the same issues with getting my BP taken, I usually have it taken twice like Bliss and as long as it goes down the 2nd time they're fine with it. Glad to hear you're not getting induced next week.

Mrs. Barkley wow 2 months already how can that be?! She is a doll.

Lindzee I would call your doc. The books seem to say that if you get sudden swelling it could be an issue, why not call just to be on the safe side?

No progress to report here, the baby is still low but I don't think he's dropped any more. I keep wondering if I'm losing my plug but nothing so far. DH and I keep having these freak-out 'moments' where it hits us all of a sudden, like whoa he's going to be here really soon! I can't believe how hard my belly is, it is achy pretty much all the time now.

[rochacha]

I think I mentioned something on poage one about how I was going to try and keep up...ha! It moves to quickly for me. I have read along, just not posting. I can't keep up with the So, but here are a few:

LSU -- cramping is a sign of early labor or progress? I was wonder about this. I have been starting to feel a little crampy the past few days. I'll have to try and keep track of it and see if there is any progress mad on my part. I am still a month away from my official due date.

Mrs. Barkley -- I can't belive it has been two months! Time seems to have flown by, she is adorable. I am so glad you guys have her back home with you.

ginadc -- How exciting to get to be there for the delivery! That is great.

Bliss -- I commute (drive) over an hour each way to work, and I plan on workingup until I can't anymore. Although my employer is letting me work fromhome one day a week, so I canget to Dr. appointments with out having to take the whole day off. It makes hubby nervous, but I don't want spend my FMLA time sitting at home by myself with nothing to do.

Kristen78 -- I know it is not funny, but I got such a visual of a carrying around a pee jug at work, leaving it in the break room fridge. Sorry, that is not fun. I hope it all works out fine for you.

I can't remeber who had the horrible experience with the ATM/gift shop walkign all aorund the hospital. I empathize with you. Nothing worse than trudging around, getting to the place you think you need to go to, and realize you have to go all the way back. At this point it takes so much effort to get around. Sorry.

One more month to go till my due date...11/21. Hard to believe. Things are going really good. Had a Dr. appointment earlier this week. Did the GBS test, results should be there next week. Also had another internal. Nothing happening on that front. I keep waiting for something, since I have been having internal since week 30.

One little exciting thing, I got a call from a woman at Hubby's work. They want to throw him a surprise shower! He is going to die. They did a groom-al (aka bridal) shower for him three years ago when we got married. I missed it. But this time I'll be there. I had to go back and clean up our registries at target and BRU since next week is the shower at my work, and the week after is the shower at his work. I am floored that our co-workers are even doing this for us.

Started to pack my hospital bag last night, over the past weekend, hubby and I went shopping for some stuff like pjs, slippers, toilletries, etc. I know if is early, but again hubby is nervous and he said he would feel betterif it were all ready to go. I have to wash some of baby's stuff this weekend so I can pack that for the hospital.

[clzj]

Road Trip-I just found out that we are going to be going to my brothers for the weekend. It is a 4 hour drive. Good thing we are taking the conversion van so I can stretch out if needed.

[sem426]

LSUGirl wow the dr thinks the baby will be here so soon! exciting!

lindzee i hope the swelling is better today. i agree, talk to your dr just to be sure it's nothing to be concerned about.

glider Our glider arrived yesterday! It looks really nice, I"m so excited to have 1 part of the room there now! Hopefully we'll have the furniture situation all set this weekend too!

dr appt i have my appt this afternoon....leaving work early :)
I doubt I'll have anything exciting to update, but you never know.

I got all of my parenting books I ordered yesterday and started reading some. There is ALOT to read and absorb! I'm glad I started reading them now bc i'm sure once the baby is here I won't have much time to read anything!

TGIF!!

[Bliss]

LSU Thats great on the contractions & dilation! Looks like we have had a few girls go early here :)

Lindzee I have been pretty swollen the whole thrird tri, but usually in both feet when I have been standing for a while. I would call the doc just to make sure, but try not to worry too much, so many weird things happening to our bodies nowadays :)

Ginadc How exciting that the BM wants you to be there in the room when your baby is born! Hope that the hospital cooperates.

Mrs Barkley She is beautiful! Love the pic, she looks so comfy :)

We have our infant/toddler CPR class tomorrow, I am actually taking it alone as DH has to work and he is already certified in CPR. I am going to have to go into no stress mode as I worry about everything and I dont want to have a lot of things to add to the list from the class. I figure its good to be prepared though, so I decided to take it. And I broke down and signed up for a breastfeeding class as well since I have SO many questions. That one is 11/7.

Baby laundry I am going to get some Dreft so I can start washing and putting away our shower gifts next week. Do you use fabric softener on baby clothes (is that a dumb question?lol)? I have heard people use Bounce Free but thought I would ask second time mommys to see if they used anything.

[clzj]

Baby Laundry: Did not use fabric softener with DS and will not use it this time either.

[mrs_barkley]

Baby Laundry: I just use our regular detergent and dryer sheets. I don't use fabric softener at all. We never had any problems. I do wash the girls' clothes separate from our clothes.

[Natasha]

Baby Laundry: I use baby detergent, and half a regular dryer sheet.

So, I had my doctor's appointment yesterday. Now I start going every week, so I'll see him again on the 27th, joy. He informed me, with a big smile, that at most, I will only be pregnant for 6 more weeks! :eek: If I haven't had the baby by DEC. 1ST!!!, we'll look into scheduling an induction or c-section. So, I could possibly be pregnant till freakin DECEMBER! Yeah, that bummed me out. Everything else was fine, I waited an hour for a (literally) 2 minute appointment. I am SO ready to be done being pregnant!

[Kristen78]

Natasha - Why till December 1st?? Why does he think 6 more weeks? Our due dates are in 3 weeks dammit?! I would freak if my doc said that. I wouldn't want to be pregnant for 6 more weeks either. 3 weeks I can live with, but not 6!

My friend had her baby yesterday! She was due on October 24th. She started having contractions 10/19 at 1am. This was her first. She said the contractions felt like bad period cramps, so she wasnt sure if they were contractions or just cramps? So she called her mom and her mom said that since she is used to really painful period cramps, that she is probably just downplaying them and they are most likely contractions. She was having a homebirth with a midwife. The midwife said to call when the contractions were 5 minutes apart and at least 1 minute long. I happened to call her at 5:30pm on 10/19 and she told me how she thought she was in labor. She was able to breath thru the contractions pretty easily while I was on the phone with her. Yesterday she called me at 4:00pm and told me she gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Thursday at 10:30am. I am so happy for her and BOY does it bring it home for me - I am going to have a baby soon too!

Baby Laundry - I washed most of my 0-3 month clothes in All Free. I didnt use dryer sheets and I dont know if I will wash some of the items I have gotten since then. I might just put them on the baby and see how she does. :rolleyes:

I dropped off my 24-hour urine sample at the hospital yesterday. LOL So funny to be walking around carrying jugs of pee. Hopefully all of my urine was protein free.

I received my Medala breast pump parts in the mail yesterday, so I am all set in the breast pump department. now I just need to get some nursing bras! I have been putting this off because of the $$ and the fact that I have no clue what size to order. Need to get a move on it though!

I still need to get a Boppy pillow, cloth diapers to use for spit up, and nursing bras. Oh, I also need to install my car seat. I better get a move on that!

[LSUGirl]

baby laundry - we used only dreft with DS#1. This time we are using All Free Clear (since that is what we use now). We do not use fabric softners or dryer sheets with the baby clothes.

cramping - it can be VERY early contrax.. it can be nothing. I was crampy with DS#1 for weeks and weeks.. and only got to two on my own (he was induced). But this time the cramps are more and more.. and obviously doing more - since I am now almost 3. Unfortunately, cramping is not a good indication of labor :(

[Kristen78]

cramping - This is what happened to my friend (see my post above). Her midwife said it could be contractions, or it could be nothing. For her it turned out to be contractions and 33 hours after her cramping started she had her baby boy in her arms.

[amypooh]

Went to the doctor again this morning. She was really not happy with my BP from yesterday. My BP in her office was ok though (something like 140/77) so she I didn't have to go to the hospital yet. She didn't like the dizzy spells I have been having or Cameron's slow down in movement. The protein in my urine was on the high side of normal so she wants me to do another 24 hr urine collection. Fun times. Then she sent me to the perinatalogist to check on Cameron. My belly was measuring ahead and then the last two weeks no growth. Cameron's measuring 5.5lbs again, same as last week. The doctor said that was ok for now but we need to check it again next week and I'm to call if I notice I'm not feeling Cameron at all. We put him on the monitor for a while and his heart rate was jumping around a bit it would go from 160-110 anywhere in there. But for now they said Cameron is doing ok, they just really want to watch things. Then it was back to my OB who told me no more driving until after Cameron is born. And that basically my schedule date of 11/15 is something nice to shoot for but she really doesn't see us making it that far. She is concerned Cameron's lungs aren't ready yet and wants to keep him in there as long as we can. She said right now my organs are tolerating the high BP ok, but as soon as they show any signs they aren't we'll be doing the c-section.

I'll still be going Mondays and Fridays to the OB and Fridays to the perinatalogist.

[Kristen78]

amypooh - Ugh. I just got done doing the 24-hour urin thing. Not fun at all! I feel for you! I hope everything works out. That reminds me that I am going to ask my OB if my baby is growing ok. I forgot to ask that but since they didnt mention it I assume she is still gaining weight.

[Natasha]

Kristen--That's exactly how I felt when he said 6 more weeks. I was like WHAT!? Are you crazy!? So, next week I plan to start every natural induction technique I can think of, since some take at least a week to take any effect. They didn't work with my son, but who knows what they'll do this time...

amypooh--Ugh for the second 24 hour collection. At least you and Cameron seem to pretty healthy, and they are monitoring you closely!

[abbytfox]

Went to have another u/s this morning and got some shocking news...everything is FINE! I am completely healthy. Not a sign of anything wrong with my placenta, no placenta previa or low lying placenta, totally normal amniotic fluid and no sign of a hemmorage or blood behind the placenta. The baby is in the 79th percentile at 5.7 pounds! WOWEE! That means that if I got to 40 weeks the baby would be 9 pounds! Anyway, we kind of walked out in a daze. How could we have gone from bedrest and the doc saying don't do anything to completely healthy and normal? It is crazy and wonderful! My MIL is flying in all the way from Maryland to help and although I am not going to be doing cartwheels the nurse said that I can putter around the house. I can't believe this. My doctor isn't back in the office until Monday so I will have to wait until then to do anything really different, but it sounds like I will be able to do a bit more around the house and take care of some light errands. We'll see...

baby laundryI was just talking to a friend today who said not to use dryer sheets because of reactions to them. Her daughter got a bad rash and they figured out that at her nanny was using fabric softener to make the baby's clothes all soft and cozy. It was the cause of the rash. I am sure different people have different experiences but that was hers. Thought I would share.

[dziner]

Abby, what a relief to be able to walk around again...and how odd that everything is okay after such a scare! What caused the bleeding then? I had a small placental separation at 13 weeks and was on restricted activity for the next 8...no exercise, sex, heavy lifting, etc. Even that sucked.

I can't believe how many of you are dying for your babies to come early...I started feeling crappy today and have been worried all day that I was going into labor. I am NOT READY. I need at least another 10 days, and I have plans up till 11/3...I don't want this kid coming before 38 weeks, preferably 39!

[Natasha]

abby--YAY! Thats sooo great!

dziner--I wasn't in any rush until the doc said SIX MORE WEEKS! Also, it would be great to have the baby before Bert finds a job, so he'll get a little time with her. I doubt a new employer will be very sympathetic to him staying homw with a new born baby...

[sem426]

abby that;s such great news!! i'm so happy that you are able to move around now!

amypooh so sorry about the BP issues and the secong urine collection. Hopefully this will be the last urine sample and everything will come back looking good.

natasha 6 more weeks! did they calculate your due date wrong? I can't imagine a dr letting you go 3 weeks past your date?? Hopefully you won't have to wait that long for your baby!

Had my dr appt yesterday, everything is good. BP was fine, baby's HB was strong. I actually LOST a pound since my last visit! I had my strep test done...not the most comfortable thing...but it's over with. I got my first internal and the dr said was cervix was soft which is good! nothing else going on down there yet, but that's fine...i'm with dziner and I'm not totally ready yet for this baby to come! I need a few more weeks to get organized!
My next appt is 10/27

It's so miserable and dreary here again....:( I've had enough of this rain!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

[Alanna]

Abby So happy to hear your great news!

Amypooh It sounds like you have been having a really tough week. I hope things get better and Cameron can stay put for a little while longer for you!

You can all count me in on the whole "not quite ready to have the baby yet" crowd. A couple days ago I wouldnt have said that though.

I have had an incredibly hard two days. My cat Lydia, who I have had since I was seventeen, was really sick on Thursday afternoon, I ended up rushing her to the vet where they had to keep her overnight to do all kinds of testing. She is home now and they are still not sure what is going on with her, but thankfully a few of the scarier things have been ruled out. The vet who was on call when I brought her in didnt have the most polished bedside manner and pretty much scared the wits out of me, so for about 24 hours I was left to really think the worst and consequently I was pretty much a total basket case crying and crying and totally unable to sleep. Thank God things are getting better because I don't know how much more stress like that I (or the baby) could have taken.

She still has to go in for an ultrasound on tuesday and there are still some tests that have to come back - so any good wishes you could send our way would be much appreciated. I feel like I really dont want this baby to come until we are at a better place with her... the last thing i want to do is to have to leave her for any period of time.

[Natasha]

Sem--Nope, they didn't calculate the due date wrong. My doctor is just a BIG fan of Vaginal and VBAC births, so he is waiting as long as possible before we c-sec (I don't think he'll induce...). I understand his reasonging, I just DON'T want to be pregnant till December.

Alanna--My thoughts are with you and your kitty. Poor thing, I hope it all turns out well. You both are in my thoughts.

Not much to update, I am just trying to keep up with this thread!

[Sebski]

Wow this thread is really moving and groving isn't it! I'm going to have to read back and catch up on everyone. Just wanted to pop in and say hi! Not much is up on our end. Been having mild cramps, kinda AFish but not as bad. No belly hardening though, so I don't know if the cramps are doing anything or not. Lots of pressure the past few days in the nether regions (as my DH has started calling that area ha! ;) ). And, I have noticed some lower back spasms... these literally take my breath away when they happen. They feel like someone is reaching inside my back and twisting my nerves or something... but, there's no pattern and they only happen every so often so I'm thinking these aren't contrax... besides, can contrax feel like back spasms?

Okay - off to catch up on you ladies!

[Kristen78]

Sebski - My friend's friend had a labor that was just a bad bad ache. She didn't even realize they were contractions!

[Lindzee82]

I am a little bit behind...

sem426 - Yay for soft cervix! That is a start! Raining here today. This is getting ridiculous!!

Kristen78 - Sorry you have to go in for so many appointments. I would love to have 2 non stress tests! I had one last week and I loved it! I loved just laying there and hearing Matthew's heartbeat for such a long time. It really put me at ease and relaxed me. Since your blood pressure has been so low at home, it probably does just get really high when you go to the docs. I always get nervous before going to the docs and I always notice a decrease in Matthew's activity level the day before and morning of the appointment. But, for some reason, my blood pressure is never affected. It is always pretty low. Maybe you could try having them take your blood pressure twice like some of the other girls have suggested. Once in the beginning and then again after you hear all is well. Glad that for right now you are not having an induction. That must make you feel really good!

Alanna - Too funny about the Asian Elephant! I guess someone (or something) always has it worse than us! I am so sorry to hear about your cat. I really hope that she will be okay. You are in my thoughts and prayers!

Bliss - I don't really take big long trips. I did go to Portland two weeks ago - I would have been 35 weeks - and that is an hour drive. I was not alone and they have a really big hospital there so it probably doesn't count as an excursion! I think that you would be okay, as long as you aren't already showing signs of labor or anything. I wouldn't worry too much. I would ask the doc just to be safe! I hope your infant CPR class went well! You will love the breastfeeding class!!! You learn so much! I loved it waaay much more than my childbirth classes!!

ginadc - Sorry you had to wait an extra week for the sonogram. How exciting that she wants you in the delivery room when the baby is born!!! That is awesome!!

mrs barkley - Emalee is too cute!! She is getting so big!

LSUGirl - Yay for dilation!!!! How exciting that you have lost your plug. I keep checking everytime I go to the bathroom, but I still have nothing! I want my plug to come out and I want to dilate!!! I am such an impatient person!! How exciting that she doesn't think you will make it to November...November starts next week!!! Sorry you are positive on the strep.

shirsty - Sorry you have no progress to report. I keep waiting to pass my plug too! But I got nothing. My belly is really achy too. It will all be over soon and we will be holding our little babies in no time!!

rochacha - How exciting that your DH's work is throwing him a shower! I think it is very thoughtful because sometimes I think our DH's feel left out that they really aren't a part of being pregnant and carrying the baby. Having a shower for him should make him feel important! I think its great!! Yay for starting to get your bag packed!

Baby laundry - I am using Bounce Free. Our apartment is pretty dry in the winter, so I am worried about static cling. That is why I used it.

Natasha - I cannot believe that your doc will make you be pregnant until December!! That is crazy!!!! You are due before me!! Thank goodness my docs wont go over 42 weeks so I am guaranteed to have Matthew by November 28th. I cannot believe your docs will let you go that long. That seems crazy to me!! I really hope that your little girl decides to come on her own well before that!!

cramping - I am so freaked out that I will not know that I am in labor. I hear all these stories about people with just mild cramping who were in labor. How do you know the difference? I so do not want to have my baby in my living room!!

amypooh - Hugs! Sorry you have to do another urine collection. Hoping that Cameron can stay in there a little big longer.

abbytfox - What great news!!!! Hope your doc says you can come off of bed rest when you see him this week!!

Sebski - Yay for some cramping!! Maybe this is the start of labor for you!!

[Natasha]

Lindzee--I am with you. I am so scared I won't know when I am in labor! I never went into labor with Ethan, so I feel like a first time mom on that respect! Yeah, my doctor sucks :D . He is just really anti c-section, I guess.

We are starting some natural induction techniques next week. Not that I expect anything to happen, but hopefully it will soften things up, and get the ball rolling for November... I (plan) on starting long walks next week, too, although my lazy self is DREADING it!

[Lindzee82]

Natasha - My docs are very anti c-section also. That is why they don't plan on inducing me on the 11th unless I make some mad progress by then because they wont let me labor and then do a c-section. They will, however, induce at 42 weeks for fear of placenta burn out. Hopefully your natural induction techniques will work. I want to start walking, too. But I am so exhausted all the time and I don't live in a very good area to walk alone in, and by the time my mom gets home from work it is dark. So maybe I need to start doing laps around the apartment!

[shirsty]

Abby congrats on being off the bedrest, that's gotta feel good!

Alanna so sorry about your cat, hope she continues to improve. I have had cats all my life, and it's always SO HARD when they are sick! Last fall I had to put my cat to sleep that I'd had since I was 17 too, it was a very difficult time for me. When she was really sick I even put off a conference for work (try explaining that to coworkers who don't love animals). We have gotten 2 new cats since then and they are the love of our lives (until the baby gets here, that's a whole other story!) so I know how you feel. It sounds like you are taking excellent care of her, just make sure you take care of yourself and the baby too!

Natasha add me to the list of people amazed that your dr. will let you go 3 weeks late, that is nuts! My dr. will let me go 1 week late and that's it. We have started thinking about natural induction techniques too but so far have just DTD, which is AOK with DH :) it is getting kind of ridiculous with this enormous belly though.

Lindzee I hear ya on the cramping thing, I have some cramping but it doesn't really *seem* like contractions. I think it's just prep for the real thing. Try to tune out the stories! I just heard yet another scary one last night about a friend-of-a-friend type situation where the woman couldn't walk for a couple months because of a botched epidural. I think only the unusual stories really get circulated. So I think we're gonna know when we're in labor. At least I hope so. ;)

I am going back to the dr. on Tuesday, which will be 39 weeks, amazing! I REALLY hope there's some progress from last week but I can't say I feel all that different.

[abbytfox]

Hi Guys! I guess I was a little premature with the getting off bedrest idea. When Adam got home on Friday he said that he didn't think I should change anything until I talk to the doc (I only talked to the nurse). So... I am still doing nothing on the couch ALL of the time. Hopefully, once I talk to the doc he will let me know what the next steps are.

My MIL came in yesterday and has been really helping. Today she is making eggplant parmesan and it looks like we'll have leftovers for weeks! It is really nice that she is here and can help so DH has a bit of a break. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for your support and hopefully tomorrow I'll have better news.

Backache When I was in the hospital they were really concerned about my back hurting. I guess labor pains can just feel like a back ache.

Knowing when You're in Labor I have been really worried about this too, especially since when I was in the hospital I was contracting and didn't know it at all. Everyone says that you'll know though, so I am just going to trust that I will. Can't wait to get this show on the road and get this baby here! (OK, maybe I can wait a few more weeks!)

Alanna Thinking of you and your kitty. Hope she's better soon. You do not need the extra stress right now...I am so sorry.

[Lindzee82]

shirsty - I try not to listen to other people's stories, but it is just so hard not to!!! I am starting to get really nervous! I can't believe you have your 39 week appointment this week! That is unreal!!! I hope you have made some progress! Can't wait to hear!!

abbytfox - Maybe your doc will suprise you and say you can get off bedrest. You will just have to wait until tomorrow. I think it is a good idea to continue to take it easy until you speak with him though. Hoping for some good news for you!! Glad your MIL is helping you out. That must be a relief!

[Natasha]

Lindzee--I have no idea why my doctor wants me to wait so long. My neighborhood isn't that great for walking, either, so I go to stores, instead. We did Toys R Us, Target, and Babies R Us today. Tomorrow, Safeway and the mall. I also ate a whole can of pineapple. Bought some EPO today, and Bert is very much looking forward to the DTD aspect of natural induction.

I am pretty sure the baby has dropped. My stomach looks smaller when looking down on it, and I feel more lower pressure.

[Decemberwed]

Natasha- Ah yes....all the natural induction tricks! With Ben, my Dr. told me to walk, walk and walk some more. We live in TX so spicy food is/was very accessible (although I found that I just "walked" a lot with heartburn). I took EPO for about 2 weeks beforehand (first internal I was a 1, then a 1 and a half then a "tight 2, and I have small fingers" said my Dr. And we DTD, which was miserable. All that to say that the only real progress I saw was that after a day FULL of walking I lost my mucus plug. That was exactly a week before Ben was born.
Oddly enough my Dr said she would let me go 2 weeks past my due date before we talked induction. Then after I had a NS test and quick ultrasound at 39 1/2 weeks and they measured Ben at 9 1/2lbs she said she'd let me go one week past my due date. I just think some Dr.'s are more conservative.
Hang in there.
Real labor - Because my water broke before and then I never had contractions with Ben (they started pitocin), I am worried that I won't know the real thing if it happens early either! The only thing that allays my fears is that in the beginning with Ben's labor I remember thinking "this isn't bad, what is everyone complaining about". Then as I slowly progressed and so did the contractions I very quickly realized what everyone was complaining about. I really remember being a perfectly normal person and talking with DH in the hospital and talking to the nurse, UNTIL a contraction hit. Then it was excruitiating pain, then it was gone and I could talk normally again. It really was bizarre. Although, the only thing I can think of is that a lot of people progress to a 3/4/5cm situation without their water breaking and it is my understanding the contractions aren't as bad if your water is still intact.
I have been having a lot of aches and pains and way more Round Ligament pain with this baby. Sometimes I attempt to roll over in bed and it takes my breath away it hurts so much.
All that to say I know nothing. I hope that I can last until my csection date on Nov. 10 without panicking and thinking I am going into labor.

[albuquerque]

Hi all--I think I'm going to be bad about SOs for a while now. I used to have so much time on my hands, sitting in front of the computer, but now I'm busier...

Abby, well, sorry you're not officially off bedrest yet, but still it must have been wonderful, if confusing, to get such good news at your last dr. appt. Hope that things stay so upbeat! You certainly deserve it after such a rough ride lately.

Alanna, how is your kitty? I really, really hope that things are OK. Our dogs and cats are family members, each one is a part of us...I still can't talk about my little dog who died in April without tearing up. And it's so weird that *so* many people feel deeply that their pets are part of their families, and yet you get no slack from people at work or whatever when you have a sick pet. Even friends often seem to take a sort of "it's sad of course but she was just a dog for crying out loud" kind of attitude sometimes. Our little dog died very suddenly, for which I'm grateful, actually, she didn't have to suffer (and I didn't have to watch her suffer) for weeks/months--but she was never very healthy and somehow it seems so much more heartbreaking with a sick dog or cat because they can't tell you how they feel, you have to just see it in their faces. And you can't explain to them why you're leaving them with these strange people (the vet) in this scary place, at a time when they feel their worst--you have to just feel like you're abandoning them....the whole thing is one of the most agonizing things in life, I think. It made me scared to have a child, in a lot of ways. Is your sick kitty the one in your avatar? She's beautiful--she looks like a purebred? Sandia was a purebred cocker spaniel, and as much as I love cocker spaniels, I told myself I'd never have another purebred. She was just never really healthy and I think the purebred aspect contributed to that. I think mutts with the mixed bloodlines are so much healthier. (We have a kitty too, but she's a healthy street cat mutt, she's never once been sick, thank God. I know she misses Sandia too, they were always always together until Sandia died, and now she's alone and so much needier of attention from me.) Plus, I know that purebred cocker spaniels will always find homes and next time we have a dog (if DH ever gets over the way Sandia broke his heart enough to have another dog) I want to have a little mutt that maybe otherwise wouldn't find anybody to love him/her. Sorry to go on and on about myself about this but my heart just broke for you reading your post--I think I can imagine a lot of your pain. One thing I'm soooo sad about is that our baby won't ever have the chance to know Sandia. I know she would have loved her. It makes me so sad.

Natural induction Fortunately we live in a great neighborhood for walking, and especially since my mom has been here we've been doing a lot of it. So that's good. We've also been eating a lot of pineapple around here, although DH makes fun of it ("Will we have time for dessert, or will we have to go to the hospital first?"). DTD--not so much. Well, not at all, truthfully. I actually think DH is too freaked out by my human water balloon body to touch me now. That doesn't really bother me--actually I kind of understand. When I see myself in profile, it freaks me out a little also. I need to get myself to a pharmacy to see if I can find any evening primrose oil here. We'll see.

Another dr appt tonight--we'll see if there's any progress. I hope there is, but I had similar hopes last week that turned out to be wishful thinking. So I'll let the doctor tell me. Looks like I'll work at this telecommuting job right up until I go into the hospital, whenever that might be. This is good, I guess, because it isn't physically challenging for me in any way and each day of money coming in is good. So for that reason I hope Baby's Birthday is a ways away--I feel fine, really, so there's no reason to want things to happen in a rush. On the other hand, I know my doctor will want to induce if I don't go on my own by my due date, and I *really* want to go on my own. So for that reason only I really wish Baby would come early. So, lots of walking and pineapple in store for me....