Monday Madness

{The Weather}::: Rain, rain go away, come again another day! Over the next 10 days, rain is forecasted for 6 of those days! Boo! Slightly cooler temps too ranging for the mid 60s-mid 70s. This super preggo lady can deal with that! I've decided that if I were to ever be super preggo in the middle of summer, I may need to live naked! Between the heat and humidity I'm just roasting hot! 

{What's Cooking?}::: 

• Chicken kabobs
• Steaks and sweet potatoes 
• Turkey Burgers

Not a real extensive menu this week! With baby due any day now, I don't want to stock up on ingredients for meals that I won't be cooking for awhile. Going for the fast and easy options now. 

{My To-Do List}::: REST AND RELAXATION! Baby could be here any day so I'm going to enjoy these last few days to just rest and get ready for sleepless nights and long days. However, I DID get everything on my pregnancy check list completed!!!!! :) Except for finishing our wedding photo book. I should really work on that as it does not take much energy, but for some reason its just too overwhelming of a project right now lol 

Goal for the week: HAVE A BABY!! Walk, walk, walk! And do a lot of reading...about baby and labor! 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!! 

Hopefully I'll be updating you with a baby pic soon!!!!! :) :) :) 

My due date is technically TOMORROW!

Don't forget to vote daily for Mommy in the Making! 

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Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Today is hubby's 28th birthday. 

Check this guy out ;) I'm a lucky lady! Celebrating him today! 

Ever since we found out we were pregnant and due May 21st, hubby has been hoping and praying that Baby Christian would make his appearance on his birthday and that they could forever share their special day. 

With only about 7 hours left of May 19th...I don't think it's going to happen....but not for a lack of trying! 

We have tried nearly every natural induction "wives tale" and nothing has happened. I guess we have a stubborn boy on our hands...not much different from his daddy :) 

He is going to be a great daddy!!! 

Hubby was so sure (and hopeful) that we would be in the hospital having a baby today that he didn't want me to plan anything for his birthday. Well, that and nearly anything that we would do to celebrate I'm not really able/allowed to do at this point...no rollerblading, no biking, no kayaking, no waterparks...

We did go to dinner with our small group friends last night and today I am cooking up all of his favs! Blueberry muffins and eggs for breakfast and cheesy enchiladas for dinner. 

We have done some walking and birthday shopping and a trip for coffee. Oh and had some DQ birthday cake! 

So today we celebrate Jim and only Jim. As he has put it, there has just been "some trouble with shipping" for his birthday present :) 

Dear Daddy, 

I know you thought you put in your order request in time for me to get to you for your birthday, but there seems to have been a problem with shipping...I'm going to be late! Hope you still love me just as much! Can't wait to meet you! Hopefully soon :) 

Love, 

Baby CJ

May is for Moms - An interview with my mom!

Happy Mother's Day! 

So this post is a little bit late, but better late than never! 

It has been fun for me, doing these 'May is for Moms' posts and being able to reflect on becoming a mom and hear from my mom too! Since Christian isn't born yet (and couldn't talk even if he was) I won't be doing the 3rd week of these posts. 

I have been blessed with an amazing mom who has always supported me and pushed me to be the best that I can be. We've had our ups and downs, but she is definitely one of my best friends and I'm lucky to have her! Hopefully some day I can have this kind of relationship with a daughter of my own! And maybe I can even apply it to my relationship with my soon to be little boy! 

Thanks mom for being the best mom I could ask for! 

And for answering my interview questions :) 

1. How did you feel the moment you found out you were pregnant with me? 

Dad and I always knew that we wanted to start a family as soon as we were married.  However, I guess that wasn’t in the plans for us because it took us three years to finally get pregnant.  After several years of doctor tests and disappointments, we were finally able to get pregnant and were THRILLED when we received the good news from the doctor!

2. Was I a wonderful surprise or carefully planned? 

You were definitely a wonderful surprise and a blessing!

3. What was the most challenging time in my childhood? Why?

There were two times in your childhood that were definite challenges for me as a parent. The first time was when you were about 8-10 years old.  You had problems with controlling your anger.  In fact, one time you went to your bedroom and totally destroyed it.  However, after your grandma and I started you on an “anger journal”, your attitude improved quickly and I no longer saw that side of you.  The second time that you were a challenge to me as a parent was during your teenage years when you began dating and hanging out with your friends.  I had a whole new set of things to worry about like would you be able to make good choices and say no to drugs and alcohol and would you be able to say no when it came to sex before marriage.  At this point in your life, you made a promise to me to make good choices.  As a symbol of this promise, I got you a gold ring with two hearts linked together to always remind you of the promise that you and I shared.  

4. Did you worry about me more when I was a child or now that I'm an adult? 

When I was a young parent, I always told myself that I couldn’t wait until you were an adult so that I didn’t have to worry about you any more.  However, I now realize that as long as I am living, I will always worry about you.  I will never stop being your mom/parent and that is one thing that goes along with being a mom/parent. 

5. What is one thing you thought was deeply important when I was a baby that you now realize was not important at all? 

From the time you were born, I wanted you to have the best of everything and I wanted you to be the best that you could be.  Since I have always been a teacher at heart, even before I went back to school to get my teaching degree, I have always valued education and always pushed you to do your best in school.  However, during your senior year, as you gave your valedictorian speech, I realized that maybe I pushed you too hard.  I guess I always wanted you to be as independent as possible and with that comes a good education.  Maybe I set your expectations too high?  However, you did meet them with flying colors and you are still meeting them today as you become a new mommy.  

Love you!

39 Week Bumpdate!

39 Weeks, 2 Days

Don't mind my droopy eyes...allergies are getting the best of me this week...Boo. 

Need to get this baby out so I can take some allergy meds! 

Size of Baby::: Still about 19 to 22 inches and between 6 and 9 pounds. He has probably reached his birth weight by now. At our ultrasound last week, he was 7 pounds 3 oz and his femur bones were measuring about 2 weeks behind....he is going to have short legs like his daddy :) If he isn't out by next week, he is going to turn into a pumpkin! 

Symptoms::: 

• Still swelling, although I think it has gone down a little
• Lots of trips to the potty
• Back ache
• Constant cramping and some mild contractions

Signs of Labor::: Was still only 1 cm dilated at my appointment on Monday, but a lot more effaced! The doctor didn't give me a number, though. Also, starting to have some contractions! 

Cravings::: Pecan Sandies cookies! And ice cream! Not good...

Something I Miss::: Wearing my wedding ring and sleeping on my belly

Stretch Marks::: Unfortunately, I think some have appeared...Lots of little light purple marks around my belly button :( Thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones! Come to think of it, I think I stopped lotioning my belly...shoot! That's probably why! BOO! 

Wedding Ring::: Off

Belly Button::: Poking out 

Milestones:::

• Baby continues to build layers of fat  
• The outer layers of skin that have been protecting him in the amniotic fluid are starting to come off
• Not much else is happening...baby has also started to move less as he settles in getting ready to enter the world!
• Still 1 cm dilated but more effaced! 

39 Week Surprise::: My hubby!! He took the day off work to spend with me in case it was our last day to just hang out together! And we also spent the day trying to make me go into labor! ha ha Lots of spicy food, long walks, bouncing on the yoga ball, working out at the gymdoing squats and swimming, foot rubs in the inducing spots, sex...nothing worked. It was a fun day, though! 

Looking Forward To::: Seeing Christian's face!  

Dr. Update::: On Wednesday night, I realized that I hadn't really been feeling Christian move much that day...and hadn't really felt him much the day before either! We have a fetal doppler that we are renting and can listen to his heart beat at home, so whenever this has happened before, we just listen in to the little guy and make sure his heart beat is around where it normally is...130s-140s. Well, on Wednesday night it was 160s-170s and I wasn't feeling him move so we thought that was strange and got a little worried. Finally we decided to call the hospital and get some advice. The on call doctor advised us to come in and get monitored....soooo at midnight we made our way to labor and delivery. Everyone at the hospital was telling us "Congratulations", etc thinking that we were in labor! It was slightly embarrassing! After we got checked in, we got a room and I was hooked up to the monitor. It took a bit, but eventually baby boy started to move and his heart rate fluctuated which was a good sign! They also checked my urine for protein, which there was none, so that was good! And they monitored my uterine activity! The cramping I have been having has actually been contractions! Who knew! ha ha After a few hours at the hospital, we were sent home and told everything was fine but that we should see the doctor on Friday for a follow up. We also learned that apparently our doctor is on vacation!!!! He is gone until the 20th! The day before my due date! He never mentioned this to us so it was news! So we are meeting with his back up doctor today at 3:15pm...at least we can meet the guy who might deliver Christian if he comes early! The doctor really only comes in to catch the baby, so it's not a huge deal...just more of a surprise! So now we know that and I'm feeling more comfortable with heading to the hospital when I do go in to labor now that I know the process and all. Plus the nurses were super nice! 

 

 

Happy Birthday Baxter!!!

Today our sweet puppy boy is 2 years old!! Or 14 years in dog years.... 

Call me crazy, but he is just the cutest puppy I have ever seen! 

Always soooo snuggly! 

Here he is chillin' in the window in Christian's room...just waiting for him to get here!

You'll never believe this, but before hubby and I got married, I actually wanted to get rid of this little guy!!! He was so annoying and messy! 

But now I'm home with him all day every day and he is potty trained and the sweetest little puppy! 

I know it's weird, but he has been my little puppy baby for the last 2 years and now, thinking about having to share my time between snuggling him and Christian makes me kinda sad! I think I will have to snuggle them both at the same time :) 

I don't think Baxter will mind...he loves to snuggle his brother already! 

Such a cutie! 

Maternity Photos!

I really debated getting maternity photos taken, but I think that I will be glad that we did. 

I had them done when I was 36 weeks, 4 days, so my belly was nice and round! But the rest of me was just starting to get pretty round too! The major swelling in my feet started the afternoon these pictures were taken! Luckily, it wasn't too bad in the morning when we had the pictures done. 

Unfortunately, I can't get the pictures to upload to my blog because of the format they are in and I don't know how to change it....

Soooo...if you want to see my pics, check out my facebook page: 

Mommy in the Making MN 

Maternity Photos 

No Baby Yet!

If you don't follow me on facebook or on twitter, you have probably started to wonder by now if baby is here!! I have been a little MIA in blog world this past week. 

Well, no baby yet... 

Like I reported last week, my doctor was thinking I might end up getting induced THIS week. He was thinking I may be developing pre-eclampsia. 

We had a biophysical ultrasound last Wednesday and everything came back normal so I wasn't induced Wednesday. We also had some blood work done at that appointment which came back normal. 

At my appointment on Monday, my blood pressure was still high (especially for me) but not high enough to be considered pre-eclampsia. No protein in my urine either. So since all was looking good, there was no need to induce this week. 

I was a little bummed because I had mentally prepared myself for the possibility after being freaked out by it last week! I'm glad, though, that baby is staying in to cook a little longer until he is ready. Just hoping I don't go late and STILL end up getting induced! 

Life this week has looked a little different than normal. I'm starting to get more uncomfortable and can see the end in site. Soooo....I have been trying to relax and enjoy these last days before I start losing sleep and have a baby filled schedule. 

My days have been filled with lots of walking trying to get labor started. Unfortunately, if I start having contractions, they always stop when I stop walking...so I guess that's false labor or maybe just Braxton Hicks Contractions...Not really sure how all that works. 

I've also been doing a lot of reading and enjoying the weather. 

I planted my garden/plants on Monday after the doctor!

Flower bed

Veggies...Green Pepper and Tomato plants with pea pod seeds planted in back and lettuce in front

More flowers...

Plus more flower pots in the front of the house but I didn't get pictures...

Tuesday hubby took off work to spend the day with me! We did a lot of walking, worked out at the gym and did some swimming and tried everything we could think of to induce labor...still no baby..

On Sunday it was Mother's Day and since I'm technically not a mom yet, as in baby isn't born yet, I didn't really expect to really celebrate Mother's Day. I should have known different with my extra sweet and thoughtful hubby :) 

We were exhausted on Saturday and in bed sleeping before 9pm!!! Needless to say, hubby was up by about 5am tidying up the house and making me breakfast which he brought to me in bed at 6am! Very sweet, but I was also super grateful that we had went to bed early the night before or I may have been slightly less grateful :) ha ha 

Oh! And I got a card from Hubby and Baxter and a cute picture frame that says "Mom" with a picture of Baxter! LOVE IT! 

PLUS another card from Christian. Too cute! 

We then served in children's ministry at church all morning. After church hubby took me shopping and we bought a ton of beautiful flowers and plants for my patio garden along with some new matching pots! I was sooo excited! If I remember right, we ended the day with a long walk. Hubby is so good to me :) I'm a lucky lady and Christian is going to be one lucky boy to call him daddy!

Everything loaded in the car after our shopping spree!

Hope you are all having a great week! 

39 Week Bumpdate coming soon!!! 

As of Sunday we have been in the single digits until Christian's due date! 

As of today, only 6 days to go! Hopefully :)