8 Months!

I'm a little late posting my 8 month (32 week) update. I'm officially 32.5 weeks.

Last Saturday was my family baby shower thrown by my mom at my Grandma's house. It was really nice spending time with the women of my family. My Aunt Ann and Cousin Kirstin came from Oregon, My great Aunt Nancy who I haven't seen in about 2 years was there, my cousin BJ's girlfriend, Kelly came, along with my Aunt Cindy, Cousin Danielle with her three daughters, 2nd Cousin Karen and of course my mom, youngest sister, and Grandma were all there. One of my employees made me a cake that was delicious! It was more like a torte with raspberry and chocolate ganash. mmmm

My Grandma made Kaydriana's quilt. We picked out the material together and this is the 40th quilt she has made. This is already one of my most cherished items.

Two games were played. A questionaire about my pregnancy was won by my mom and then there was a toilet paper measurement of my tummy. I was (gulp) 11.5 squares around. Chehaila guessed 12 sheets and Grandma guessed 11 so we had to have a tie breaker which Chehaila won. I got a lot great gifts. It's a bit overwhelming when I look at my registry and see there is so much that I still need before Kaydriana makes her appearance. But thankfully I have 4 more showers and as Tim points out the only thing we Really need is diapers. Well, in a sense thats true...

Tim took off to Arizona on Monday morning to visit his parents (who are now both retired and are staying there for a month) and he golfed with his dad and attended spring training. He got 13 signatures from some of the players of the Mariners on Kaydriana's lil jeresy. He's already put it in a frame for her :)

It was a rough week without him. I felt like a single parent. I had the whole house to take care of and take care of Griffey by myself. Now I know it's not exactly the same thing, but it made me realize how lucky I am that I don't have to do everything on my own all the time. Because I had bible study on Monday night and had to go to our 2nd birthing class by myself on Tuesday night I had to wake up extra early and stay up late to make sure Griffey got lots of love and play time.

I had a horrible time sleeping all week. I don't forsee having a fitfull night sleep ever again!

Friday morning at 3am I felt Kaydri hiccup for the first time. I was so tickled, I got up and grabbed my fetal listener toy and listened to her hiccup for 20 minutes. It was so neat.

Friday I picked up Tim from the airport and an hour later my Costco girls came to pick me up for our annual girls weekend trip. Suprisingly I lasted the whole 3.5-4 hours worth of shopping without having to go hang out in the car. I bought Kaydriana a cute lil onesie with a butterfly on the butt and a princessy fairy/butterfly wing thing. Along with her tutu my sister got her, we are going to have fun dressing her up!

It's official that I hate all the photos I am in. I am just so big all over. I'm not being too hard on myself, it's just the reality of the situation. Besides, I knew I'd end up being one of those, "big all over" pregnant women. I look forward to the swelling bloat that has overcome my body to go away after the baby is born. Oh and a new pain to report: all the joints in my hand ache. I can't wear my anniversary ring any more. And after a 4.5 mile walk with the girls yesterday my feet and ankles are killing me! I'm happy to report that after seeing my Physical Therapist again on Tuesday he said I'm doing good and don't need to see him again unless something changes with my back. After the long walk my back was in a lot of pain, but I did the excersises and felt a lot better. Not perfect, but better.

According to the 32/33 week update, Kaydriana could be about 4lbs and 19 inches long. I can start feeling her feet press into me and I have to be able to stretch my torso when she decides she wants to extend her body. I was trying to sit in a recliner on Friday and she did not like that. She wanted me to straighten out my body. I gave up trying to sit there and went to bed to read so we could both be comfortable. I know the end of this pregnancy is only going to get harder and harder so I'm trying not to complain, but now I can understand when moms to be say they are ready to no longer be pregnant!

31 weeks

Here is my 31 week belly - it's getting huge!

Do I look tired? Well thats cuz I am! I haven't slept well the last two nights thanks to my baby girl dancing in the middle of the night. Tuesday (March 2nd) I experienced my first Braxton Hicks contraction. It wasn't painful per se, it was just super intense. I was trying to roll over and my uterus was as hard as a rock and I could not find a comfortable position. Tim and I haven't slept in the same bed for over a week. I toss and turn all night and with my big belly and all my pillows, its easier if Tim isn't in bed with me so I don't worry about keeping him awake.

This week has been really busy. Monday afternoon I had my first physical therapy appointment for the sciatica pain I've been experiencing. After he was done pulling my legs, checking my pelvis and having me do some exercises, my back instantly felt 90% better. I have to do these excerises when I first wake up and right before bed and ice my tail bone. It's made such a difference!

Monday night I had my first home group through church. Not only am I really enjoying the book, "Crazy Love" we are discussing but I really liked meeting the other women in the group. We shared, "Awe" moments where we discovered God's amazing love, presence, etc. I wasn't sure which moment I wanted to share at first. At the last minute I decided to share when I found out we were pregnant again and how I knew it was God finally answering our prayers after miscarrying our first. I'm glad I shared that story because the other couples said I was in good company and they shared their own struggles with starting their families, infertility issues, miscarriages and a couple who cannot have kids of their own and are going to adopt a baby. It was neat because everything leading up to joining this group just fell into place and it was obvious this is exactly what I've been looking for.

Tuesday I had a teeth cleaning. I typically like getting my teeth cleaned, but doing it while so pregnant was not fun. Not only was it uncomfortable to lay the way I was laying, but my gums bled so much. It took longer than usual because the hygenist had to keep rinsing and sucking the blood. blech!

Tuesday night was our first birthing class. I didn't really learn anything new since I went though birthing classes with my friend, Jessica when I was her birthing coach. But I really wanted to share this experience with Tim and have the opportunity to decide what OUR birthing plan will be. And I'm sure I'll learn something new over the next few weeks. I look forward to to Tim watching the live birthing video! I also look forward to taking a tour of the hospital's birthing center. I'm hoping the annoying guy (there always has to be one, right?) decides he's not the class comedian and doesn't try to make stupid comments every 15 minutes through out the rest of the classes. I told Tim that next week we need to try and find the seat furthest away from him.

One thing I relized that evening was that I will be considered FULL TERM in 6 weeks! How exciting!! Of course I don't want to have Kaydriana that early because I have so many things to look forward to. My first shower is this Saturday. This one is for the women on my side of the family. My mom is hosting it at my Grandma's house. I'm so looking forward to spending this special time with my family. I have so many other things to look forward to this month so I'm sure April will come quickly.

Kaydriana should be measuring about 18 inches at this point and weighs a little over 3lbs. My WTE updates no longer compare her to fruit. She is a full fledged baby and if she was born now, she has an excellent chance of survival :) So now all I have to do is wait, try to remain comfy and keep my fat little feet elevated.

30 weeks!

I don't have much to share except that I am 30 weeks or 7.5 months along.

I went to the doctors yesterday. Dr. Graham was called out on an emergency so I saw the nurse practioner. We heard Kaydriana's strong lil heartbeat and then the dr measured my belly. I haven't had my belly measured before. She said I was measuring a bit big - more like 31 weeks. I asked what that meant and she said it was subjective. Then she said if she had to guess Kaydriana would be about 7.5 lbs. I know this is in no way a true indication how big she'll really be, but it was neat to hear. My mom's kids were all big, me being the smallest at 7lbs 11ounces. But Tim and his sister were both in the 6lb range. So we'll see...

I mentioned to her that I believe I've been suffering from sciatica, so I was given a referral to see a physical therapist twice a week for the rest of the pregnancy.
To be honest, I don't know for sure if what I'm suffering from is Sciatica. Here is what is says about sciatica:
The most common symptom from sciatica is pain. Most people describe a deep, severe pain that starts low on one side of the back and then shoots down the buttock and the leg with certain movements.
~The pain is usually worse with both prolonged sitting and standing. Some people describe the worst pain when trying to stand from a low sitting position, such as standing up after sitting on a toilet seat.
~You may also notice a weakness in your leg or foot, along with the pain. The weakness may become so bad you can't move your foot.

But, I also found information on Coccydynia Pain - AKA tailbone pain- which can occur during or after sitting. The level of pain depending on how long you sit and Acute pain while moving from sitting to standing. Symptoms include
•Sensitivity to finger pressure on the tip or edges of the coccyx
•Shooting pains down the leg
•Like sitting on a knife

Both seem probable so I'm hoping that after seeing the physical therapist we'll get more information. Ever since 10th grade I've had tailbone issue. When I've lifted something heavy or painted a big room - my tail bone would be on fire and it would hurt to sit. And standing and walking were difficult because my leg would give out and I'd have excrutiating pain. I had a feeling when I became pregnant it might become an issue and boy has it!

Okay, enough about my aches and pains, here's my 30-week picture. I'm not crazy about it, but I was not really feeling it today - it was just one of those days:

29 weeks and a 3/D experience

Click the play button to view the 4/D videos

I'm 29 weeks and today I got to get a free 3/D 4/D ultra sound. Not only was it free, I got paid $80! Unfortunately, Kaydriana was not participating very well. Her hands kept blocking her face and her head was rubbing in my placenta, but we can see her nose and in some shots of her lips and ear. I think her nose looks like mine and her ears are more shaped like Tim's than mine. I wish we could see what color her eyes are gonna be, but I suppose there are some things we must be patient with. She is currently face down with her head in the lower left side of my belly with her spine facing the left and her extremeties are on my right side.

For her being 29 weeks she should be 17 inches long and three pounds. She sure has been kicking and moving a lot. I've been using my Bebe Sounds listening thing to listen to her kick me. I've only been able to hear her heartbeat once, but it's still neat to listen to her move. I look forward to hearing her have hiccups. If she is anything like me and her dad, she'll definitely have hiccups.

As a reward for her hard work being a model today I bought what I think will be her going home outfit. If it's too big I'll save it for her to wear during the Morris/Jacobson family shower after she is born. I also bought her a little Mariners outfit. They didn't have any pink ones and Tim thinks she'll look like a boy, but nothing a little headband won't set straight. So now she has a Seahawks, Huskies and Mariners outfit for her. If Daddy couldn't have his little boy first, at least his daughter will support his favorite teams.

Here is a picture of her going home or shower outfit:

And here is a picture of me at 29 weeks:

Yesterday I got a much needed pedicure. My poor feet were needing some TLC. And although they are puffy looking things, they are so much prettier. I must vow to myself I will not let them get so beat up! They are pretty swollen right now because after the ultra sound, we went and had our taxes done(Can't wait to be able to claim a dependent next year!) then I went to Target to update our registry. Most of of the stuff we want/need are at Babys R Us, but it's not a store that is very convenient for many people so I wanted an alternative. But Target kinda sucks when it comes to selection so I mostly registered for diapers and clothes at Target. Its hard to register for clothes. Everything right now is springy and summery and because it's going to be summer for her first 4 months of life I primarily registered for new born and 0-3 months. However, when I found long sleeve stuff I registered for 6 months sizes since it will be November when she's 6 months.

Well, I think thats it for now. 10.5 weeks to go! :)

3rd Trimester, 7 Months, 28 weeks...

Whatever you call it, I’m 2/3rds through this pregnancy!

I know things will only get more difficult with Kaydriana getting bigger and bigger along with my belly so three months won’t feel like a short time. But in the span of things, it really is. Especially considering I’ll be considered full term in less time.

After not hearing back from my glucose test last week, I finally called the doctors office to get my results. Everything came back normal which is great news. However, my iron levels dropped dramatically. When I first had my blood drawn during my first trimester my iron levels were great – 36.5. Normal is 35. They have now dropped to 30. My doctor asked if I’d been feeling tired and sluggish and I responded with, “Well, yeah! Isn’t that normal during pregnancy?” She explained that it’s primarily caused by low iron so I need to start taking supplements. I've taken the supplements for 3 days now. I don't know if I feel any different since work has been really tough lately, but I do look forward to starting to feel a bit more normal.

Oh and bonus on taking iron supplements? They cause constipation! Woo Hoo! So not only am I taking iron everyday, I also take all this other fun stuff to try to keep from getting backed up. Sorry-TMI, but hey isn’t my blog full of it? :)

I’m officially retaining water now. It’s pretty clear in my face and just this past weekend I noticed I can’t see my ankle bones anymore. Wearing socks and stockings have been uncomfortable and after a long day wearing them, I have very pronounced indents.

Here is beautiful foot (sans ankle bone):

Here is my 28 week pregnancy update from WTE:

Your baby is settling into the proper position for birth, with his head facing downward. Your little work in progress is now about 2.5 pounds and almost 16 inches long. He's busy adding new skills such as blinking to an already impressive repertoire of tricks like coughing, sucking, hiccuping, and taking practice breaths. Your baby's sleep now includes the REM (rapid eye movement) phase — and that means he could be dreaming already. Though his lungs are nearly fully mature (so both of you might breathe a little easier if he were born now), your baby still has plenty of growing to do.

While it's good news that your baby is settling into the right position for childbirth (since you're now entering the third trimester), the potentially painful news is his head — plus the weight of your uterus — may now be sitting on your sciatic nerve, which runs through the lower part of your back, buttocks, and legs. This common condition (called sciatica) can cause sharp, shooting pain and/or tingling or numbness, starting in your rear end and radiating down the backs of your legs.


I think I posted it in the past that my sciatica has been bugging me for weeks.


Well, I think thats it for now. Here is my 28 week photo:

27 weeks

So many fun things to post today. Lets see where to start? Well, how about what WTE says about 27 weeks. Apparently my uterus is the size of a basketball. Crazy! That seems so huge... how does it fit? All I know is the last few days Kaydriana has been really low and tucked away since my stomach doesn't seem so big or hard. Honestly it's a relief because during last weekend and all day Monday she was sitting so high I hard the hardest time breathing.

Anyway, WTE also says that our baby is 15 inches long and her weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over two pounds. More big news: baby may recognize our voice by now.

Some other fun stuff: this past weekend I saw her move for the first time. I noticed out of the corner (or bottom) of my eye that my stomach was making funny movements. Everytime I felt her move I could SEE her move! So fun! Last night I woke up at 12:34 am (yup today at work was hard!). I finally gave in, turned on the light and pulled out the baby listening toy I got a couple of weeks ago. I listened to her kick and punch me and finally after about 15 minutes I found her heartbeat! I just layed there and listened to it for a few minutes. So amazing!!!

I've lost a lot of my appetite. I'm eating very little in comparison to how much I've needed to eat the past few months. If I eat too much I feel like I'm going to be sick. Maybe it's because Kaydriana is starting to really take up a lot of room.

I just cannot believe there is only 3 months to go. In one sense it's not long at all, but the fact that I'm having many hard days and knowing there will be more and more as we get bigger makes me a little nervous. My sciatic nerve bugs me on almost a daily basis and now I'm worried about the days I wake up and she's sitting up in my lungs. But I also try to keep that stuff in perspective. I've got a healthy pregnancy and many people have it worse off so I should be grateful.

Oh and I'm still waiting to hear the results of my glucose test. I had to drink that thick, sugary syrupy crud yesterday. I don't really think I'll end up having gestational diabetes, but my Great Grandpa had it, my uncle and my mom have it (regular diapetes not gestational obviously)... so I suppose it's not out of the question.
Anyway, I think I've captured everything. Here is my 27 week photo:

As you can see my face is getting chubby! I'm not so happy about that, but nothing I can do. I just don't wanna dislike the maternity photos I'll be doing with my sister in March. I wish I could just work out my face and neck. Oh and a tan would be nice.... hmmmm