31 weeks - only 9 more to go

31 weeks

Alleigh and Aunt Leigha (please ignore the no make-up look)

Wow - it has really been a while since I posted. Our camera broke so we are in the process of finding a new one. Any suggestions? I cannot believe that our sweet Garrett will be here in 9 weeks (or maybe sooner). :) Tomorrow I will be out of school for a week and have really enjoyed having time at home. We visited my parents, brother, sister-in-law, and Alleigh this past weekend and enjoyed getting to visit with them. I have been cleaning and organizing since we got home. I guess you can say that I have begun nesting. Maybe it will last the next 9 weeks so I can keep this house clean. :)

Pregnancy Update:

How Far Along: 31 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss: Have gained 20 lbs. so far - whooo (pretty soon I will not be putting this number on here)
Maternity Clothes: yes, they are a must! Just bought some shorts this week

Sleep: much better this week - had some severe rib pain that has been keeping me up but feels tons better now
Best Moment of the Week: will be tomorrow when I get to hear Garrett's heartbeat again

Movement: Yes - He moves a lot but is starting to slow down -I think he is running out of room
Food Cravings: none at the moment unless you can count Tums - I eat them like candy
Food Aversions: I am at the point where anything gives me acid reflux - even water
Gender: boy - Garrett Adren
Labor Signs: starting to feel a little pressure

Belly Button: starting to poke out
What I Miss: being about to walk as fast as I used to and bend over to touch my toes :) I think a pedicure is calling my name!

What I'm looking forward to: a pedicure that I am scheduling for next week

Milestones: starting childbirth classes tomorrow night - they ought to be interesting - I am a little nervous!

26 weeks and nursery almost complete! :)

Pregnancy Update:

How Far Along: 26 weeks
Total Weight Gained/Loss: Have gained 11 lbs. so far - go back to the Dr. next week.

Maternity Clothes: yes, they are a must!
Sleep: not too good this week so far - some back pain has kept me up

Best Moment of the Week: seeing my sweet husband paint a canvas to put in Garrett's room and signing it "Love Dad"! Precious!

Movement: Yes - He moves constantly now. If you watch my stomach closely, you can even see him move

Food Cravings: a strawberry sundae with nuts and sweet tea this week :)

Food Aversions: I am at the point where anything gives me acid reflux - even water

Gender: boy - Garrett Adren

Labor Signs: none
Belly Button: is still there, but getting smaller and smaller everyday.

What I Miss: sleeping through the night without having to get up and being able to take in a DEEP breath - I really feel like my stomach has gotten a lot bigger this week. I am running out of room! :)

What I'm looking forward to: Summer Vacation! :) 22 more days!
Milestones: finishing the wall art and ordering vinyl letters to go above Garrett's crib

This is the canvas that Jason scetched and painted. We looked and looked for something that would go with our black and white toile themed nursery to put on the wall and couldn't find what we were looking for. So...Jason found an image online, printed it off, and painted it on a canvas. I think it turned out great! I can't wait to put it up.

23 weeks

Pregnancy Update:

How Far Along: 23 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss: Have gained 11 lbs.
Maternity Clothes: yes, they are a must!

Sleep: better now that we purchased a good mattress! :) It is wonderful, but Jason said it was like buying a car. Those things are not cheap!
Best Moment of the Week: getting the glider we ordered for the nursery and getting to hear Garrett's heartbeat at the Dr. Monday.

Movement: Yes - he is very active, especially when I eat or drink something cold and sweet.

Food Craving: a strawberry sundae with nuts. Had one last night as a matter of fact. :)

Food Aversions: anything fried or anything with lots of tomato sauce gives me acid reflux.

Gender: A BOY!!
Labor Signs: none

Belly Button: is still there, but getting smaller and smaller everyday...I don't think it will an inny much longer.
What I Miss: sleeping through the night without getting up to go to the bathroom.
What I'm looking forward to: Summer Vacation! :)

Milestones: people that do not know me have actually started asking when my baby is due!

Easter

"Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God's children." (1 John 3:1). Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for us to save us from our sins and because you love us! It is so exciting to me that we get to worship a loving and risen Savior, not just on Easter, but every day!

Jason and I spent the beautiful Easter weekend with my family. I am so thankful for the time we get to see them and spend with them. They are wonderful! Enjoy the pictures. :)

21 weeks and A LOT going on...

The Stone...

Well I know it has been a while since I have updated, but we have been super busy. Spring Break was last week and I really enjoyed having some time off to just enjoy resting. Everyone tells me that before long, there won't be much time for resting. Jason took off work to be with me Tuesday - Friday. Spring Break started off great but toward the end of the week, got HORRIBLE! Here is a summary of what went on:

Monday: did a little housework and took a nap :)
Tuesday: had massages and registered for Baby Garrett at Target and Babies R Us
Wednesday: rested at home while Jason went to work...on his day off :(
Thursday: rested at home and had lunch with Jason :)
Friday: drove to Selmer, TN with Jason to check on a pool job that he designed, went to Shiloh military park and had lunch by the river - very beautiful, then drove to Starkville to spend the night to go to the basketball game Saturday morning.
Friday night: ate at one of our favorite Starkville restaurants - Harvey's
Late Friday night - Early Saturday morning: woke up with TERRIBLE pains in my back - started throwing up because of the pain - went to the emergency room in Starkville - found out I was experiencing my very first kidney stone while being pregnant....NOT FUN!!!!!

So needless to say, Jason and did not get to go to the game in Starkville. (I hope the nurse's husband enjoyed those tickets we gave her.) The only place we went from the hospital was back on 45 headed home, then to Walgreen's to fill the pain pill prescription, and to the bed where I spent the next 2 days. My sweet Moma, who came in town to help take care of me, and Jason did everything they could to try to make me comfortable, but nothing worked. The pain meds they gave me in the emergency room only last 2 hours and then I was in excruciating pain again. I don't think any of us got any sleep. Monday I decided to call my OB doctor and see what she could do for me. I went in, they did an ultrasound of my kidney and also comfirmed that it was a kidney stone which she said was common in pregnancy and said I had two options: 1.Go home with stronger pain medication, which she assured me was fine for the baby and drink LOTS of fluids to try to get the stone to pass, or 2.be admitted into the hospital and have an IV pump me full of fluids to get the stone to pass. I chose option 1. I figured I might be more comfortable at home. We went home, got the new prescription filled, and I slept like a baby the next four hours. (so did my Moma and Jason) :) When I woke up the meds were starting to wear off so I took another dose and about an hour later...I passed it!!!!!! I literally felt like I had given birth to my first child. :) I wanted to keep it and show everyone. I will spare my blog readers and not post any pictures. :) I told my Moma and Jason that I know that I am ready for labor now. I mean...I might even have Garrett naturally. :)(haha) I have been sore the past two days which the doctor said was normal and I will be glad to be returning back to work tomorrow. I really hope this is the only major event I will have in the next 4-5 months before Garrett makes his arrival.

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails!

After much anticipation...We learned we're having a sweet baby boy. His name will be Garrett Adren! We had the ultrasound today and everything looked great. His heart, brain, spine, and kidneys were all perfect. He was a very active little boy (probably because of all the sweet tea I drank today!) and didn't have any problems showing his little boy parts to the world. :) The ultrasound tech said there is not doubting he is a boy! His daddy was just absolutely beside himself. I don't think I have ever seen Jason so happy before - he was just giddy. :) We are both already in love and can't wait to hold sweet little Garrett in 5 months. (I have already warned Jason that he is going to be a moma's boy, at least while he's little). I will have to add the pictures later. We are too busy showing them off right now. :)

What's Going on with Baby Garrett:

Garrett's sensory development is exploding! His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that hemay be able to hear our voices now. He weighs about 11 ounces and measures 10 inches, head to bottom (about the length of a banana). His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his scalp is sprouting.

Pregnancy Update:

How Far Along: 19 weeks
Total Weight Gained/Loss: 9 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: yes, love them!

Sleep: a little better this week, but not getting congested because of our crazy MS weather

Best Moment of the Week: getting to know that we are having a boy and seeing his little heart, spine, brain, kidneys, and bladder :) They all look great!

Movement: Yes - he is very active, but I am not feeling every moment just yet
Food Craving: a strawberry sundae with nuts :)
Food Aversions: anything fried gives me acid reflux
Gender: A BOY!! Oh Boy!! :)

Labor Signs: none
Belly Button: is still there
What I Miss: being able to bend over without feeling like I am squishing a person :)

What I'm looking forward to: shopping for boy clothes now

Milestones: getting to see Baby Garrett and knowing that he is growing perfectly

One week to go before we know!! :)

How Far Along: 18 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss: I have gained 5 lbs. total
Maternity Clothes: yes, love them!
Sleep: not much
Best Moment of the Week: getting the nursery furniture put together and in place. :)

Movement: lots of little bubbles Saturday. :)

Food Craving: at this very moment - a Snicker's sounds very good!

Food Aversions: anything fried gives me acid reflux :(

Gender: don't know yet - we will find out in 7 days!!!!
Labor Signs: none

Belly Button: is still there

What I Miss: getting a good night's sleep - I cannot get comfortable at night due to my aching hips. Does anyone have any pointers???

What I'm looking forward to: our next appointment :)
Milestones: starting to show more and getting the nursery ready

The baby is 5 1/2 inches - head to bottom - (about the size of a bell pepper) and weighs almost 7 inches. He/she busy flexing his/her arms and legs. His/her blood vessels are visible through his/her thin skin, and his/her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his/her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around the nerves, a process that will continue for a year after birth. If we're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If we're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. Little Baby D, please be cooperative next Monday so we can know if you are a boy or a girl! :)