41 Weeks and Counting...

Well, the due date of June 20 has come and gone, but there is an end in sight for this pregnancy along with the beginning of a new life in the near future. I passed the nonstress test today at my appointment, and the fetal heartbeat still looks good. There were even a couple of contractions that showed up on the monitor, so there was some progress made in that department as well. However, I am now measuring at 42 weeks and still only dilated 1 cm. Since my body seems a bit confused about what to do yet, we made the decision to be induced tomorrow, June 28. The longest the doctors will let me go before induction takes place anyway is Thursday, and I figured if there hasn't been much progress yet after this long, another 2 days is not going to make much difference, and most of all, I am ready to meet this little guy!

While I had really hoped my body would go into labor naturally on its own, the idea of induction is now much more appealing to me, being the planner that I am, and knowing when this is going to be taking place. I won't have to make the decision about exactly when to go into the hospital while in labor or be in pain on the long ride there or be in labor in the middle of the night; at least, I hope not with our arrival time of 6:00 a.m. at the hospital. Plus, I think June 28 is a nice even number for a birthday, and my mom mentioned it is my great grandma's birthday, which also makes it a special day. Hopefully Elijah will cooperate and be ready for his birthday tomorrow:)

Nine months seems like a really loooong time...

39 Weeks

While it seems like I have been pregnant FOREVER at this point, the end is in sight with the due date fast approaching in less than a week on Monday! At my last 2 appointments, the cervix was still closed but thinning out, so there has not been as much progress as I would have hoped, but everyone keeps telling me he will come out when he is ready.

According to Ian, Elijah has the perfect environment right now; in his words "climate control and a self-feeding system," so he thinks that Eli is perfectly content to stay inside for a while longer yet.

While brainstorming ideas for this blog post, I have compiled a list of things I will miss and things I will not miss about being pregnant:

Things I will miss:
*Watching and feeling Eli's little movements
*Knowing I am carrying a human life inside me
*The easiness of taking care of a baby still in the womb
and taking him everywhere with me
*Listening to the heartbeat at the doctors' appointments

Things I will not miss:
*Rotating from side to side sleeping at night
and still not finding a comfortable position
*Itchy abdomen
*Frequent flare-ups of heartburn
*Waddling instead of walking
*Bumping into things with "the bump"
*Abstaining from fruity cocktails (especially in the summer:)

Even strangers are starting to get curious now...The following are some random conversations I have had recently or overheard relating to these last couple weeks of pregnancy:

In the elevator going to my doctor's appointment last week:
Nice young lady: "Usually I don't ask this, but how far along are you?"
Me: "38 weeks."
Nice young lady: "Wow! You are really out there!"

Also in the (much more crowded) elevator on my way to yesterday's appointment:
Middle-aged lady with a teenage son: "When is your due date?"
Me: "A week from today."
Middle-aged lady with a teenage son: "It looks like it!"
Me: "Well it sure feels like it too!"

Last but not least while navigating my cart down an aisle in Wal-Mart past a mom with 3 young kids:
Toddler boy speaking loudly in my direction: "Mommy, there's a BABY in that belly!!"
Me: No response. Just smile and keep walking.

Now that the nursery is ready (since February), the house has been cleaned, groceries stocked, childbirth class attended, pregnancy books and websites read, hospital bags packed, car seat installed, special prayers and blessings from Father (times 2), and countless of my own prayers said in hopes of a safe and healthy labor and birth of our baby boy, I think we are ready for this life-changing experience. Ian has even conquered his to-do list I created for him. I'm still waiting for that final nesting instinct to kick in, but in the meantime we will continue to enjoy our life as a couple before we become a family of three.

To Our Son

Dear Elijah,

In just a little less than a month (hopefully), we will meet you for the first time. Your dad and I are both very excited to meet you, hold you in our arms, and welcome you into the world.

After mass this past weekend, Father Greg gave me a special blessing (for the second time during this pregnancy) in hopes of a safe and healthy labor and delivery. He will also be the priest who will baptize you.

The meaning of your name is "The Lord is my God." Your dad and I both liked biblical names, and this is the one that we decided on since we also liked the sound of it. We also discovered while searching through a baby name book that we both liked names with lots of vowels. We will probably call you Eli more often for short. Your middle name, Joseph, comes from your Grandpa Bob's middle name which is the same.

For this child I have prayed, and the Lord has granted me the desires of my heart.

-1 Samuel 1:27  

 

The above quote is also displayed on a wall in your room. You have been an answer to a prayer. In return for this gift, we promise to be the best parents we can be by loving you unconditionally and hopefully leading by example through our actions and not just words alone.

At my 36-week appointment yesterday, the doctor did a quick ultrasound to determine your position. According to her, you had a "good sense of direction" since you were head down and ready to launch! I had a feeling you have been head down for some time now since I could feel your hiccups down lower and a strong sense of pressure every once in awhile. I was also able to see your little heart beating strong and steady! Hopefully, you will continue to cooperate and stay in that position to help avoid a C-section...As part of our childbirth class last weekend, we took a tour of the birthing suites and the C-section operating room, which terrified me. I think it was a combination of the bright lights and all the sterile surgical equipment.

Even though it seems like I have been carrying you inside me forever, the day is coming nearer when we will finally get to meet you! Although I will miss feeling your little movements inside, we are ready and excited to see what you look like and hear your first cry. You also have a lot of extended family members who are eagerly anticipating your arrival with hearts full of love. We already love you so much and can't wait for your arrival.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Maternity Photo Shoot

Here is a sneak peek at our maternity photo shoot.











I am still surprised I was able to talk Ian into doing this without too much persuasion!

To see the rest of the images, you can check out the photographer's website at: http://www.shootingimagesphotography.com/

Then, click on "Enter Site." Click on "Clients" towards the bottom right hand corner. The password is "mmcdonald."

Welcome to the Jungle

While it seems like just yesterday we were gathering at Groovy Grounds for my bridal shower, it was also the site of the baby shower hosted by my sisters. From the decorations to the cupcakes and even the favor bags, the theme of the shower reflected that of the nursery as well which is the jungle.

Megan and Jamie did an excellent job hosting the shower, and they have really become quite the party planners! The food was great, and the cupcakes were a big hit.

Then, it was time to open gifts, and there were gifts galore! Elijah's wardrobe is now very well stocked along with all the other baby essentials he will need during the first part of his life.

The best part of the day was spending time with family and friends. Eli is very blessed to have so many people who are waiting to welcome him as the newest addition of the family. Most importantly, I am very thankful to have the examples to follow of so many wonderful role models in our lives of family and friends as we embark on the journey of raising our first child.

28 Weeks and the Glucose Test

Flat orange pop and a thick sugary liquid are two ways I have heard the drink described that is used for the glucose screening to test for gestational diabetes. If you ask me, I would say it more closely resembles the taste of either orange Hawaiian Punch or Tang orange drink, only a bit thicker. I remember always having Tang available in our refrigerator growing up. I would also say I was pleasantly surprised after the first taste-test sip of the drink which afterward I drank the rest of it with no problem. I wouldn't say I would want to drink it every morning for breakfast, but it was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. Beforehand, I was most fearful I would not be able to drink the mixture within the allotted 5-minute time frame since I cannot even drink an entire can of pop in one sitting. Luckily, I was able to finish it off in probably less than a minute.

Then, the 1-hour wait began. Knowing that in an hour I would have to get my finger pricked for the blood test to see how my body reacted to the drink, I had a really hard time staying focused on the magazine article I was reading as one of my greatest fears- needles- kept entering my mind. Exactly an hour later to the minute (3:52 to be exact...I think I checked my watch every 5 minutes) the nurse came to get me again. I reluctantly set the magazine down and followed her as my fear intensified. There I was, sitting in the chair with my head turned away and my eyes squeezed shut, shaking nervously as she asked me if I had a preference of which finger she used. The worst part always seems to be the anticipation between the time the skin is wiped with alcohol to the time the needle is used to puncture the skin. Of course, in retrospect, this wasn't as bad as I had expected. Most importantly, I had passed the glucose test as well as the iron test used to check for anemia.

These past 4 weeks since my last appointment I had gained 2 pounds a week whereas my average before that was 1 pound a week. (I hope I'm not eating too many brownies...) The doctor did reassure me that it is normal to fluctuate with weight gain during pregnancy. I was also measuring at 31 weeks. My response: What?!? 31? I should be measuring at 28! Again, the doctor calmly reassured me that measuring a couple of centimeters ahead was okay; it is more of a concern if you are not measuring at the point where you should be. Elijah's heartbeat has maintained a consistent rate of 160. Hearing the fetal heartbeat is always my favorite part of the appointments:) Now, the biweekly appointments will begin, signaling we are that much closer to meeting our son!

Thoughts on the Third Trimester

Now that I am entering the third and final trimester of pregnancy, I thought I would take a look back at the journey so far. The first trimester was full of anticipation, joy, and excitement at being able to share with family and friends the hardest secret I've had to keep in my life! I was also very fortunate that I only experienced mild first trimester symptoms consisting of nausea, fatigue, and a sensitivity to smells. I was very thankful that the nausea did not transform into what seems to be the most common symptom of morning sickness (although at times I thought vomiting might bring some relief to the ever present motion sickness feeling). Another symptom I experienced was epistaxis for the first time in my life (also known as nosebleeds...I thought I might put some of my medical transcription terminology to good use...lol) along with nasal congestion, which are caused by the increase in both blood and mucus production in the body during pregnancy, something I wasn't aware of until I read about it.

The second trimester brought with it an increase in energy and no more nausea. They also weren't kidding when the authors of one book I read listed "hearty appetite" as something else you might experience. I sometimes find myself snacking throughout the day what seems like every 15 minutes, but I have replaced my usual junk food snacks with much healthier alternatives which now include more fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. I also can't seem to get enough Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch as I find myself eating it for breakfast, as a snack during the day, and occasionally for supper at times. This must be a true craving. Heartburn is another new experience for me as I have now begun to invest in TUMS. I also have a constant dull ache on the right side of my abdomen that is only relieved by lying down on my left side, something I am finding myself doing more and more each day between typing reports...must be from the stretching of the ligaments and muscles inside.

The two most exciting aspects of the second trimester have been feeling movement of the baby and confirming questioning onlookers that it really is a "baby bump and not plump." (This slogan was taken from a T-shirt I saw in a magazine...I seriously considered getting it...) The "quickening" or faint fluttering feelings I first began to notice have now become much stronger and more frequent every day, especially in the morning before I get out of bed and at night as I am falling asleep. The neatest part of this has been actually seeing little ripple or wave-like movements from the outside. It seemed the week I really started showing EVERYONE took notice when we went out and wanted to feel the bump...lol.

I have found myself becoming more confident in the fact that we are going to be raising a son. Coming from a family of all girls, I wasn't so sure about this prospect when we found out it was a boy, but I am feeling more prepared about learning along the way and attempting to do the best job I can of being a mother. Plus, I have the prime example to follow of a sister-in-law and brother-in-law who are raising 2 young boys! When I was teaching, I remember being so quick to notice the flaws I perceived of the parents of students in my class as well as the traits of the great parents. I know when the time comes, I will find out first-hand why they say parenting is the most challenging but also the most rewarding job you could have.

My mind wanders during the day, wondering what Elijah will look like and what his little personality will eventually be like. I can't really picture a boy version of myself, so I'm guessing he will be a mini-Ian, with dark naturally curly hair (if it gets long enough), long eyelashes, and hopefully his temperament too.

Entering into the third trimester, reality is starting to sink in more and more. I think I have come to the realization that this baby is going to have to come out, one way or another, and there's no turning back now. Two pieces of advice to keep in mind I came across while reading were that the labor process will not last forever, and it has a very definite, positive ending. I'm sure those two ideas will go out the window as soon as contractions start setting in, but for now those thoughts are helping me stay positively motivated that I will be able to handle it (with an epidural as well I'm sure...).

It is amazing to think something that starts out so microscopically small can emerge into a human body with all its intricacies. I guess that is why they call it the miracle of human life. It is hard to image we all started out that way. This also reflects just how powerful God is in creating human life, which reminds me of a quote: "If you understood it, it would not be God."