Weeks 37-39

So most of you know, our sweet Charlotte is here! Actually, she's been here for 2 months and is nearly a grown human being by now, but I wanted to post about the end of my pregnancy before I get into her birth story. I want to write it all down so that I don't forget! So let's pretend I'm still pregnant for a sec.

There weren't any big changes during the last 3 weeks. I finally got my life together and we finished the nursery around week 37. (Well, we still haven't hung a few of her things for the walls, but residency is just really not conducive to home decorating. She has a crib (that she's never slept in) and a changing table (most importantly), and a rocker (second most importantly).) My ankle swelling went away completely, and I was able to wear my wedding rings the whole pregnancy- until they made me take them off at the hospital. I still ate cheeseburgers, pizza, and milkshakes more than I would like to admit. I'm not quite sure how I'm not obese at this point except that I have my mother's genes. At my last OB appointment at 39 weeks, I had gained 26 pounds total. We did an ultrasound to look at my fluid levels at that last appointment, and they estimated her weight at 8 pounds. I generally felt good the last few weeks. I remember just really trying to cherish every little kick and squirm. I knew I would miss that (and I do!). Sleep was another story. I was not comfortable lying down at all. That I do not miss.

I didn't take a week 39 picture, and I had her at 39 weeks and 6 days (one day shy of my due date), so this is the end of the chalkboard pictures!

Weeks 30-36

I've totally failed on the blog updates. I have lots of excuses though, don't worry. I took Step 3 this month, so sleeping and studying have definitely been priorities. (Step 3 is the third and last test we have to pass to obtain a permanent medical license.) But praise the LORD I am done with those tests!! Step 3 takes 2 days and is about 16 hours of testing, total. That's bad enough, but taking it while almost 36 weeks pregnant was a real treat, let me tell you. Every time I had to get up to use the bathroom, I had to sign out, be fingerprinted, pull my sleeves up, pull my pockets out, pull my pant legs up (and bending over to do so is no longer easy, but neither is holding my pee), and be scanned with a hand held metal detector. It was a lot of trouble to go to the bathroom. I'm just glad it's over, and I can have my life back.

Lots of growth has occurred since my last post! I officially waddle. It's unavoidable. And my ankles. Good grief. They started swelling about 35 weeks. I have some serious pitting edema going on. I look at my feet at night, and it's like I'm looking at someone else's lower extremities. Nausea has also returned, which is really special. And sleep is... lacking, to say the least. Despite all of my complaints, I think I'm going to miss being pregnant! I just love feeling her squirm around inside my belly and knowing that she's always with me. She's such a mover and has been this whole time. You can see my belly move all around, and Matt always says she's trying to get out!

I didn't take a 30 week or a 35 week picture, but here are the last few!

I can't believe she will be here in less than a month! One of these days, we're going to finish the nursery (maybe even before she's born...), and I'll post some pictures of it.

29 weeks

Happy New Year, everyone! (Never mind that it is January 19, and I am actually 32 weeks pregnant.) Flashback to 3 weeks ago...

2013 was a great year. Matt was baptized, we celebrated 2 years of marriage, I accepted a fellowship position in hematology/oncology, and I've been carrying our precious baby girl for the last 7 months! Our hearts are so full, and we feel so blessed. I can't even wrap my head around what 2014 is going to be like with Charlotte here!

We had our check up this week, which included our second anatomy ultrasound, and everything looks perfect! Charlotte weighed 3 lbs 6 oz, which is the 60th percentile. My doctor estimates that at term she will weigh 7.5-8 lbs. We can tell that she has hair. She has also turned head-down and is no longer breech! I know I still have 11 weeks to go, but I was starting to get a little worried that she was going to stay breech. I will say that things are much more uncomfortable since she's vertex, but I'm very happy about it nevertheless. As for me, I have gained TWENTY pounds. I'm not quite sure how to classify my bellybutton these days either. All in all, I'm feeling great and just so thankful everyday for this healthy baby girl.

Katie and Wes built Charlotte a toy box this weekend! I'm quite impressed with Uncle Wes's handiwork. They wrote a sweet note to her on the bottom of it, and I can't wait to put it in her nursery! It is such a special gift.

28 weeks: Merry Christmas!

7 months, y'all. Not much has changed since last week. I still feel great! My belly button is kind of neither in nor out, and I haven't had a cheeseburger in like a week. Go me! We're going to get ready for baby this month {I think}. We finally ordered a crib. And I ordered some fabric swatches for the bedding. That's about as far as the nursery has gotten.

Speaking of which, if you missed my Facebook post, let me update you on the nursery. It is my belief that there is a dead animal inside the wall in the nursery. It stinks to high Heaven. If the door is left open, the dogs go and stand in the closet and sniff. I mean it's bad. We have looked everywhere. It's got to be in the wall. I don't know where it is or what it is but it is dead. And it is rotting. Not quite sure what we're going to do about that. To be continued...

This week has been so different this year. I worked 12 hour days the entirety of Christmas week, so part of me felt like I just totally missed it. I barely got the Christmas decorations up before Christmas (and only half of them, at that). I ordered most gifts online (which didn't arrive until after Christmas Day). I didn't get to go to church. I forgot to get the dogs' Christmas gifts (trivial, maybe, but still). And kudos to all you Pinterest-inspired people who have blogged about your cutesy Christmas-themed baked goods. It was Dominos and take-out for the Newmans this week. I think I cried at least twice. 

Then my good in-laws showed up on Christmas Eve, and I came home from work to prime rib, presents stacked under the tree, candles lit, and people not wearing pajamas. My dad, my sister, and her fiance joined us for dinner. It was so nice, and I finally felt like it was Christmastime. We opened gifts with Matt's parents that night, and it was so much fun opening things for baby girl! I didn't take many pictures, and I realized later that I didn't even take a family photo. Fail.

On Christmas night, I got off work and we headed straight to my dad's for a late Christmas dinner. 

The day after Christmas, I had to settle for speakerphone happy-birthday-singing with my family to my mom since I was not around wi-fi and couldn't FaceTime. (FaceTime has really become an integral part of my life, and I think it's the best invention ever.) I think this is the first time I've not been home for her birthday. They even took a picture of her holding the phone up so I was "in" the picture.

I finally finished my week-long stretch of work on Friday night, and we headed South for Christmas at my grandparents' and then with Mama and Mike. 

I love listening to my mom play the piano. It's one of my favorite things in the world.

Apparently, my precious little sister drew this fine piece of artwork at some point in our childhood. My grandfather kept it, and he pulled it out and showed it to us this weekend. I must say, it's pretty funny.

After I nearly died from overeating, we opened gifts and played our traditional game of Dirty Santa. I scored some Trap-A-Crap (a spray made by Poo-Pourri to cover up your bathroom stench). I tried it out before {someone} went into the bathroom. Evidently, you're supposed to spray it into the toilet. I sprayed it in the air, and {someone} said I was trying to kill him. Whoops. It's made with essential oils, and it's guaranteed to work.

Round 4 of Christmas was back in Hattiesburg. Special shout-out to my sister for being patient and waiting 3 days to celebrate Christmas because I had to work. Katie got me a bracelet with the March birthstone (because Charlotte is due in March). Mama said, "Well, what if she isn't born in March?" Katie said, "Well it's a good thing Laura was born in March too because I never thought of that." Haha. We got way too many things this year. I'm so thankful that we were able to spend time with all of our families even though I worked so much. We have the best families, and I'm so grateful for them.

Animal print from Aunt Katie. Duh.

Santa, aka Mama, had the flu this year during Christmas. Wrapping presents in her state of illness and delirium, she labeled everything "From: Sick Santa" which I thought was weird and hysterical.

Charlotte's first ornament on Mama's tree! She truly is the best gift we could ever have asked for. I absolutely cannot wait to hold her, and I love her so much my heart may explode. I can't believe this time next year we will have a precious little 9 month old crawling around!

 

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!

Weeks 26 and 27

We didn't take a 26 week picture since I was working nights most of the week then was blessed with the stomach virus (thank you, pediatric ER). I mean I finally stopped puking from pregnancy, and then I get the stomach virus. The universe hates me. I got dehydrated and had a few contractions, which freaked me out a little. After a little IV fluid, all that chilled out, thank goodness.

So here we are at 27 weeks. Matt refuses to paint my toenails for me, and my belly button is now flat. It's going to become an outy any second now. In fact, one day, it did stick out a little. But it has since retreated. I don't expect this to last. Also, I have upped my middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom from 2 to an average of 3. 

We went to the doctor Monday, and all is well. Charlotte's heart rate was 147 bpm. Just perfect! I've gained 18 pounds total. We'll see how that number escalates over the holidays... We start going to our appointments every 2 weeks now. OH MY GOSH that means we're having a baby soon. Do we have a nursery? Nope. We do have one pack of diapers and some dang cute clothes. I.e., we are not ready.

In other news, we have had quite a week! My sister graduated college on Friday, and I only had to get up from my seat to vomit 3 times. We are so proud of her!! Perhaps I will post the cliche picture of her in her cap and gown later, whenever someone in my family shares their pictures with me. I was too busy trying to keep my gastric contents inside of my body to handle my own camera that day. Even without photographic evidence-- go Katie!! You're gonna be the best teacher ever :)

If that wasn't exciting enough, on Saturday, Katie and Wes got ENGAGED! We are so happy for them! Welcome to the fam, Wes. 2014 is going to be out of control and fabulous. Again, this phone pic is all I've got.

It's almost Christmas, y'all. And I'm about as ready for Christmas as I am to have a baby. I have purchased ZERO gifts. I've really got to get it together. 

25 weeks

I am feeling LARGE these days. I painted my toenails earlier this week, and let me tell you, it was a struggle. I also have been having difficulty bending over and getting my boots off, and I've noticed my ankles are a little swollen at the end of the day. Despite my largeness, I feel fantastic! 

I am still loving cheeseburgers and milk, and I've also become obsessed with the peppermint chocolate chip milkshake from Chick-Fil-A. I have no self control whatsoever. I had 4 in one week. FOUR. Pregnant or not, that's just not okay.

This was a big week for us! I was offered {and accepted} a fellowship position in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at UMC! I am beyond excited! 

Matt made that day so incredibly special. I came home from work to all of my favorite things--roses, a box of my favorite cookies, cupcakes, my favorite dinner, and the sweetest card. He is so supportive, and for that I am so grateful. Finishing in 2015 and going into private practice would by far be the easiest road for us, but Hem/Onc is my dream, and Matt is so understanding and encouraging. So here we go--three more years of training. Have I lost my mind??

24 weeks

I don't have a single picture of anything Thanksgiving related because I spent my Thanksgiving on call at the hospital. I was really grumpy about that for a while. However, we have so much to be thankful for this year, and I tried to remember there are definitely worse reasons to be in a hospital over Thanksgiving. Matt did bring me lunch, and we spent a lovely 30 minutes together, which consisted largely of me inhaling food and answering pages. Oh, residency. Gotta love it. Sometimes the dream. Sometimes a nightmare.

Of course, more than anything, I'm thankful for my baby girl. Every time I feel her kick, my heart just swells. All of our ultrasounds and tests have been stone cold normal, and for someone who knows a little too much about what can go wrong with development, I'm so thankful for her health so far. Matt and I are so, so excited to be parents, and we're so grateful for this gift!

It goes without saying that I'm thankful for Matt, but I just can't put into words how wonderful he is. He's just such an amazing, supportive, loving, thoughtful husband, and he's going to be the best daddy. I can't imagine my life without him. Charlotte and I are two lucky girls!

It has just been an incredible year for us. We are so blessed, and our hearts are so full. 

I can never express how thankful I am for my family.

And for our great group of friends.

And Grayce and Oscar Bob.

Central heat.

Our home.
Our jobs.
Maternity jeans.

America.

Cheeseburgers and milk.
And I honestly am thankful for FaceTime. It's how I've spent every major holiday with the rest of my family this year. 

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

1 Thessalonians 5:18