Week 36

So in some ways, we seem to have slowed down for a bit, but in others we're headed straight for a new baby. As of Sunday, breastfeeding will not be an issue. Gabe will definitely be fed on a regular basis. We went in for our weekly visit on Thursday. I'm still dialated at 2 cm, but I am apparently measuring larger than I should be and so we are scheduled for an ultrasound next week to check out Gabe's size. After our appointment we went on a tour of the family birthing center. It is quite nice and has two family waiting rooms, a private operating room and a couple of kitchens that are kept stocked for patient access. We went in with our paperwork already done and having read the booklets concerning the birthing process at this particular center as well as vaccines. The tour guide was particularly impressed by all of this. We got a gift bag from the clinic and I went back to work. I was really sore and tired after my visit. I am really exhausted lately and standing for more than five minutes makes me really sore. Oh, I don't know how I'm going to handle him getting bigger in there. How on earth will I be able to walk! The good news is, he seems to like hanging out in proper birthing position, so as long as he still plans on coming out the regular way, he's ready to go.

Week 35

Well, things just keep getting more and more interesting! We went to childbirth classes and a breastfeeding class this week. Shawn got to wear the fun pregnancy belly which was rather interesting. I have pictures that I'll upload one of these days. The funny thing was that the belly was 35 lbs and I've only gained about 12 so far and they wanted to put a band around his ribs to constrict his breathing a little, but apparently I am tall enough that, that was never really a problem for me. (He ended up not wearing the band because he has had broken ribs in the past.) They showed this horrid video showing three women giving birth with three different birth plan options. It was a bit graphic and I couldn't watch it because quite frankly I'll be doing it myself soon enough and I don't need to see it. I'll experience it plenty. Other than that, the class was great. There was this list of things that your body does as it preps for labor and I was able to check off all of the things on the list....go figure. The breastfeeding class on the other hand was not nearly as helpful as my lactation consultant at WIC had already given me all of the information that the class provided. Even Shawn felt like it was a bit of a wasted evening. Oh well, the rest of the classes we took were really good.

Yesterday at the beginning of 7th hour my body decided to start contracting continuously. That was fun. It started and just kept on going, and going, and going. They were definitely braxton-hicks contractions because they were all different lengths of time and really, really close together (30 seconds to a minute apart). They kept up for about 30 minutes. It was rough. I just sat at the back of the classroom praying that no one noticed me back there breathing deeply and acting a bit strange. That would be about the time my supervisor called me out to the hall. Needless to say, it was a bit difficult to get up because I was in the middle of a contraction. I tried. And failed. After breathing through it, I went out with her and explained why I looked so funny when she opened the door. I went to work at Lane Bryant after school where I probably stood for longer than I should have because by the time I finished checking out our last customer I started to have this really strange sensation of ice cold water being poured over my lower abdomen. It was very, very wierd.

I went to my doctor appointment today where, after telling her about my contractions she decided to check and see if I was dialating. I am officially at 2 centimeters. (Yes, I know you can stay there for several weeks - a fact we discussed with the doctor). However, she told me that if I started having contractions like I did yesterday that I should probably call and come in to be checked again. She made me call in to Lane Bryant and tell them I can't work anymore and told me that I can't do any shopping or standing for extended amounts of time this week in an attempt to convince Gabe that he should hang in there for at least 7 more days. She was going to make me stop working at the school but I convinced her to let me stay as long as I sit most of the day. Thankfully this isn 't a problem as everyone there is most understanding while at the same time being desperate for us paras to be there (there are lots of people gone lately without any substitutes available). So we have an appointment for next Thursday as well as a scheduled tour of the hospital in the event that Gabriel stays in that long.

Week 34

Well, what a week this has been! Walking around and standing has been getting much harder as I am having lots of lower abdominal soreness when I do. Apparently something is up because on Friday morning, after our morning meeting at work, I lost my mucus plug (apologies for the graphics). I called my doctor's office to find out if I should come in early to my appointment or not. (I wanted to make sure that what I thought had happened, actually had.) The NP told me just to come in at my appointment and we'd talk about it then. So I went back to work and eventually went to my appointment. Apparently I've lost a pound since my last visit 2 weeks ago and my blood pressure, though good, was slightly elevated (likely because I didn't know what to expect at this visit after what happened and was a bit stressed). We did the strep test and then Dr. Howick checked to see if I was dialated. Thankfully, I wasn't. However, I have begun effacing. She said it could be a few days or a few weeks, we just don't know. She said she would prefer if he hung out until at least 37 weeks, but if he decides to deliver at 35 weeks, we will. So there you have it. It seems that Gabe is wanting to join us a little early. We'll see how that goes!

Week 33

So much has happened this week! Shawn threw my baby shower on Sunday at Culver's. We had a turtle custard cake and an oreo custard cake. My two supervisors came, as well as two of Shawn's co-workers and about 6 of the girls from Lane Bryant. Jo and Mom were there too. Everyone was very generous and gave us lots of cute stuff and necessities. The girls from LB even pitched in and gave us a carseat. I am so grateful!

Shawn fixed my car this week as well! He took the dashboard cover off and fiddled around in there and got the car working again! Hooray!!! I really do have a fantastic husband! He also made our reservations for the rest of the classes at Altru this month and next. He is going to re-take the Daddy Care Basics class because he wants to learn with an actual baby. I just keep thinking how lucky I am to have a hubby that cares so much about this pregnancy and becoming a dad that he will do anything it takes to get it right.

Shawn and I worked on painting the room this week. The ceiling has been painted and the top portion of the mural wall. Once we get the chalkboard portion of the wall done, we'll finish up painting the trim and Shawn will start building the shelving unit. Our mattress for our crib arrived this week. Actually, it arrived the same night that we found our travel system. Oh, that was wonderful. We had a black travel system picked out through Walmart online but we had stopped at Target to pick up a diaper bag that Shawn liked that was on clearance and while we were there we found the exact same travel system in a black/taupe plaid color for $54 less! Oh, we were thrilled! It is actually more cute than the original one we had chosen, but we got a much better deal and it is the exact same item! So we are set if Gabe decides to arrive early. We have our crib, mattress, two car seats and a stroller. His wardrobe is basically complete and I have his quilts and boppy cover completed. Oh baby, 7 weeks!

Week 32

This week I found out that I have one more 2 week appointment and then we are down to 1 week appointments. I can't believe the end is that near! Oh goodness, am I ready for this?? We had family come this week. Shawn's mom came to visit on Thursday. She flew in from Billings. We went out to a really nice dinner at Red Lobster. Then on Friday, Jo came to visit from Madison. It is nice to have family in town. Maggie is learning how to behave with company. We got a training collar for her as a last resort and it seems to be working for the most part. She still needs some work with it, but overall her behavior with our company has vastly improved.

Gabe has gotten big enough that he is waking me up in my sleep moving around in there. Shawn could feel him jabbing me through the flannel duvet and down comforter. It freaked me out the first time it happened and now it is happening more often. I also had my first Braxton-Hicks contractions this week as well. They are quite uncomfortable but thankfully few and far between.