Baby Watch 2010

It's on!!!  I had a check-up today and found out that I am already 3 cm dilated and 60-70% effaced, so Dr. Daum said it's likely we'll have this baby sometime next week.  Hooray!!!  As expected, all the extra fluid is going to help get this baby here a little early.  I'm not measuring quite as big as last week, though.  My belly was 38 1/2 this week compared to 40 last week.  I think some of the excess fluid drained into my legs.  They are HUGE!  I need to take before and after shots of my feet.  They are truly creepy looking if you ask me.

But needless to say, we were super excited to hear the news about my progress.  It was a pleasant surprise.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but was definitely hopeful that I was showing some signs of getting close.  So keep your fingers and toes crossed, faithful readers!!  Savannah will surely be here before we know it!

Letter to my little girl

My sweet little Savannah,

Now that you are considered full-term, you have your momma's permission to make your debut. Your daddy is sort of hoping you'll be ready this Friday since he has a four-day weekend. That will give him a little extra time to be home with us before he has to go back to work. But don't worry, he won't be mad if you're not ready by then. I just thought I'd let you know.

We are both very anxious to meet you! Everything at your new home is ready so it's just up to you to decide when to make the move from your current residence to the space we've put together for you. I think you'll be excited about it. We thought a lot about what you would probably like and tried to make everything nice and cozy. Only the best for our little girl! Your daddy has been busy putting together all of the fun toys and gadgets that friends and family have given you, and I have been washing your clothes and diapers and putting everything away in your room.

We think about you every day and cannot wait to welcome you into the world and bring you home.

Love,

Mom

Got water?

No?  I sure do ... plenty to spare in fact.  I'm practically carrying Hurricane Harbor around in my belly (and legs, ankles, and feet).  I know, you're probably confused now so let me explain. 

At my doctor's appointment yesterday, I stepped on the scale ... and then almost immediately fell off because I had gained SEVEN pounds ... in TWO weeks!!  Wow, right?!  I know.  I was floored.  When the doctor saw it written in the chart, he paused, turned and looked at me, then back at the chart, then back at me as though he didn't believe it because it doesn't show on the rest of my body.  I asked if maybe I'd just eaten one too many pieces of cake, but he didn't think so.  He took a look at my legs and ankles and assessed that 5 of those 7 pounds were from water.  Not so bad since I'll shed it really quickly after she's born.

When I laid back for him to measure my belly, the measuring tape said 40.  Uh, really?  I'm only 36 1/2 weeks.  Why is my belly measuring 40?  He was certainly as curious as I was, so off to the sonogram room we went to get good measurements.  Well, it turns out that Savannah isn't measuring 40 weeks yet ... thank goodness!!  She's actually measuring right on track between 36 and 37 weeks.  He predicted that she already weighs 6 lbs. 15 oz., though ... so if I make it to 40 weeks, she's gonna be a chunk!

During the sono, he noticed an increased amount of amniotic fluid, though, so he measured it too.  He said I'm borderline polyhydramnios which is just the fancy term for having too much amniotic fluid.  There are lots of causes, but about 65% of all cases are unexplained.  He checked all the things that could be potential problems, like if she wasn't swallowing or if some of her organs weren't working right, but everything looked fine.  He wasn't concerned about it at this point, so neither am I.  In fact, I'm just on the cusp of it, I'm not actually over the threshold so that's good to know too.

I asked if it could possibly cause me to go into labor before 40 weeks and he said there was a chance, but couldn't quantify it.  If that happens, it's basically just my body looking at the fluid level and saying "ok, I'm done."  I'll have a sono next week to see if it's changed at all.

There's an alien in my belly

Well, I've never posted a video on here ... mostly cause I haven't had anything along those lines to share.  But, on Tuesday, Savannah was going crazy in my belly, so I gave my video camera app a try and recorded the commotion.  I apologize that it's sideways ... had to record it with my phone turned sideways and didn't find a way to rotate the video after I put it on the computer.



This was just prior to the baby shower my coworkers put together.  We got some really useful things for Savannah.  I'm probably most excited about the exersaucer from Dr. Daehnert!!  It's got three stages so we'll be able to use it for several years!  Here's a pic taken right before we cut into that delicious cake.

36w0d

We're in the home stretch now!!  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I'll be posting an update after that.  We also go some decorations hung up in the nursery ... stay tuned for those pictures.

I'm growing impatient

When I first started to feel Savannah kick and move, I had so many friends tell me that it was a feeling that never got old for them. I would agree if I were still feeling the sweet, gentle movements of 20ish weeks. But now that I'm almost 36 weeks along, I have to be honest ... it's not that fun anymore. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be more excited and thankful that she's healthy and I know her wiggling (or violent thrashing) is a sign of that, but I don't know how much more I can take. My ribs are a kind of sore that I've never experienced before ... like I've been in a cage fight or something.

I'm ready to be able to take a deep breath without feeling like I've been stabbed in the side.

I'm ready to roll from one side to the other at night without moaning and groaning. Or better yet, to roll from one side to the other by way of my stomach rather than my back.

I'm ready to be not pregnant anymore.

I'm ready to meet our little girl.

*sigh*

Recent happenings

The past, oh, let's say, 6 days have been eventful. Some days were good-eventful and others were not-so-good-eventful. Instead of just good news and bad news (or vice versa), I'm going to serve you a little feel good sandwich ... putting the not-so-good between two slices of awesomeness.

Everything started last Friday. I took a vacation day to get ready for company to come to town for my baby shower. My practically lifelong friend, Tisha, came up from Houston with her little cutie daughter Gabriella, and my mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew came in from White Deer and Amarillo. While us gals were showering it up on Saturday afternoon, the guys went to Lone Star Park to watch some horse races. The even made a bet on the Kentucky Derby while they were there and won!!!! We are gonna be able to do some great things with that $15! LOL The shower was GREAT! I couldn't have asked for anything better. Savannah got some much needed items and some pretty cute outfits too. Can't wait to start putting it all to use!!

My family got on the road back home after breakfast Sunday morning. Needless to say, it was a long drive back up to the panhandle. Around the time I was expecting to hear that they'd made it there, Dad called. Right on schedule, I thought. That was only half the story though. They had indeed made it home, but were on their way back to Amarillo and Mom was taking that trip in an ambulance. The short story is that her leg gave out on her while stepping into the house from the garage and she fell and cut her head open. Turns out it was more than a cut ... massive gash is a better description. In the end, she got 31 staples to close up the 20 cm wound. OUCHIE!

In the midst of this incident, my brother, sis-in-law, and nephew showed up at the same ER because my nephew had fallen and broken his arm. Are you kidding me?! Two family members in the same ER at the same time in unrelated events?! Too much to handle. Poor little J got his arm set and wrapped with a temporary cast while his Gamma was just a few doors down the hall getting her own boo boo fixed up. So, Sunday night was a looooooooong night for my family. Today J is getting his permanent cast, and Mom is recovering as best as she can with lots of rest and continued fluid intake to help bounce back from the major blood loss.

Ok, back to the good stuff. First, I turned in my final project for my class last night which means ... Spring semester is OVER! Hooray!! Then, I had a check up this morning to see how our little Honeybun is doing, and she's doing great! The doc and I discussed how to know I'm in labor and when to call, pain management, pediatricians, and Braxton Hicks contractions. Those are becoming more common, but there is no cause for concern by any means. He pretty much said everything is perfect! I'll go back in two weeks then start weekly appointments and the serious countdown to D-day. I am SO ready to meet her!!!!!