36 & 37 Weeks

Thursday, January 18 - 36 weeks!
9 months pregnant, here we are! I didn't know if this day would ever come again for me after having the twins so early. I didn't know if my cervix would ever be able to carry another baby to term, but we've made it (technically, full term is next week, but still). I can't wait to see how big you are today, they're finally measuring you again. A month ago you were estimated to be just over 4lbs. I wouldn't be surprised if your'e right around 6lbs today, we'll see. A lot of people have commented on how big I've gotten over the last couple weeks, so you're definitely growing enough that people are noticing.

Thankfully, I'm still feeling pretty good. I have to waddle whenever I walk, but I'm really not that uncomfortable while at work. I've been pretty good about balancing my sitting, standing and walking around which helps. I just have to make sure I wear comfortable shoes, otherwise my back does begin to hurt after a while. Sleeping hasn't been too terrible - I think I'm just getting used to having to turn over several times a night. It's very uncomfortable if I wake up on my back, so I try my best to stay on my side all night. I just have to flip (which is a process!) back and forth all night because my hips get sore. My contractions are still very inconsistent, but I've noticed over the last day or two they are getting a little lower in my uterus and a little more uncomfortable. Brother is also getting so big that he sometimes stretches and/or kicks way down in my hips which does not feel good. Really though, these are all pretty small things. I am very happy that I am still able to work and plan to work up until I go into labor, basically. I've even joked with my coworkers about my water breaking at school! I'm going to start keeping mine & Brother's hospital bags in my car, I think, just in case that really does happen.

Friday, January 19 - 36w, 1d
We had a good appointment yesterday, Brother! I've gained about 16lbs this pregnancy and it seems like a good portion of that is you right now! You passed your biophysical profile - you were moving a ton during the ultrasound, practicing your breathing and you had a good level of fluid. The ultrasound tech also took your measurements and you're estimated weight is already over six pounds (6lbs 8oz, 64th percentile)!! Now, I know that ultrasounds are not the most accurate, and I did ask for a tech who could speed through my ultrasound yesterday because I had to get Anna to swim. I'm guessing you're closer to just six pounds right now, but we'll see. Either way, you're growing very well and the doctor said that you'd be just fine if you were born any time now.

After the ultrasound, they did my Group B strep test (a swab down below) and then she checked my cervix. She said it was way back there, but it's about half way thinned out and about one centimeter dilated. She said if she pushed a little harder, she probably could have felt your head, but she didn't want to make me too uncomfortable. You were way head down during your ultrasound, so that's good, too.

There's been talk of inducing me a little early due to my gestational diabetes, but I'm still on the fence about it. Although it would be nice to have an "ending date", I'd really like you to come on your own when you're ready. But, on the other hand, the doctor said that if we wait too long, it could cause some complications due to the gestational diabetes...plus, you're already getting big (but they are not concerned about your size, you are not "too big" right now). So, it's a discussion that we will continue each week at my appointments and just kind of see how things are going. I was scheduled for an induction with Anna and never ended up needing it because she came on her own, and I'd really like the same for you, but we'll see. Either way, you'll be here in just a matter of weeks!! :)

Friday, January 26 - 37w, 1d
37 weeks seems so close to the end, yay! As usual, I had an appointment yesterday and, as usual, you're doing great. Your head was way down low so there was no chance of seeing your little face. Your booty is up high and always wiggling around. Your fluid level still looked good, you were moving like crazy and practicing your breathing -- everything you're supposed to be doing.

I'm still hanging in there, luckily, still not terribly uncomfortable. I'm big, I'm waddling, but I'm not in pain. I'm just inpatient and ready to hold you!! My contractions have continued, but still irregularly. A couple days this week, I thought I might have been dripping some fluid, but it turns out I might have just been dripping some pee instead...oh the joys of the end of pregnancy!

My group B came back positive (did with Anna, too), so I'll be sure to get a round of antibiotics during my labor to help keep you healthy during delivery. We have an induction date set - I reluctantly agreed. Originally they wanted it to be at 39 weeks, but I pushed back a little and we compromised for a few days later. Doctors do not want me going past my due date because the risk of you being stillborn increases because of my gestational diabetes and my need for insulin. As I've mentioned before, as much as I can't wait to see you and hold you, I really don't want to have to be induced. I'm worried it'll not work or lead to a c-section. I voiced my concerns, but my doctors feel I'll do well with an induction because my body is already (very slowly) beginning to prepare for labor and because I've had a successful vaginal delivery in the past. So, if you could come on your own any time now, I'd be totally okay with that! :)

I'm very lucky to have an awesome maternity leave sub who's going to fill in for me while I'm gone at work. She's been coming in to watch me, get to know the kids better, and see what we're doing for the last week or so. It's wonderful having an extra set of hands around sometimes, and it's been really nice getting everything set for her. Unfortunately, I'll only be able to take six weeks off because that's all I have sick time for. So really, the later Brother comes, the better for me because it'll get my maternity leave that much closer to backing up to spring break.

Wednesday, January 31 - 37w, 6d
Tomorrow is officially baby month! I am so ready! Last night I was having inconsistent contractions for a couple hours, but eventually they slowed down and disappeared overnight. Brother felt a lot lower this morning and I was pretty uncomfortable at work today for the first time. I'm hoping the contractions keep up so that he can make his appearance soon. :) Tomorrow I am going in for my scheduled appointment and the NP should be checking my cervix. I'm hoping that'll help get things moving along, too.

35 Weeks

Friday, July 11 - 35 weeks
Today, Rhonda and I met at school to set up my classroom furniture. We made a lot of progress, but I'll have to go back at least once more before the school year starts. I also met with my sub to start figuring out everything for the beginning of the year. Thankfully she told me that my maternity leave time is my time to relax with you, and that she wants to do as much as she can on her own while she's in my room...yay! I'm glad she's willing to jump right in this year.


Monday, July 14 - 35w, 3d
Developmentally, this week you're about 'ready'. Your kidneys are fully developed and your liver can now start to process waste. Your hearing is fully developed (although you'll respond best to high pitch sounds right now), your circulatory and musculoskeletal systems are complete and your lungs are still maturing a bit - the longer you stay in there, the better it is for your lungs. Since most of your developing is complete, you're main job is to keep gaining weight so that you're able to regulate your body temperature here in the outside world.

Today one of my coworkers bought a book shelf that Daddy made, so that freed up some space in the living room. As soon as her and her husband left, I pulled your pack n play into the living room, added the changing pad attachment and stocked it with a few diapers and wipes. Now your room is a bit less cluttered. :) I'm trying to wait on packing my hospital bag until after my appointment on Thursday, just to see what they say. Being a day shy of 36 weeks then, I'm curious if they're going to check my cervix yet. I'll most likely pack the bag Thursday after the appointment because we're going to be out of town the next two weekends, so I'm going to try to convince Daddy that I'm not crazy for wanting to bring our bag and your car seat....just in case. It wouldn't do us any good to just have your base in the car.


Thursday, July 17 - 35w, 6 d
Just got home from my appointment today and it went well. They did not check my cervix and said they don't think I'll be going into labor any time soon because I haven't shown any signs and haven't had any contractions. I'll be bringing all of your stuff with this weekend, anyway, but I'm thinking we probably won't need it.
They did the Group B strep test which was just a quick swab down below. If I test positive (which one in four women do), then they'll give me antibiotics through my IV during labor & delivery so that you don't catch it. If they didn't treat me for it, you could catch it and end up with meningitis or pneumonia which could be very dangerous on your new little body.
You did great for your ultrasound today, the tech said you were being "very cooperative". We saw you do lots of movements, you practiced your breathing and I still have a good amount of fluid, so I didn't have to do a non-stress test. Your heart rate was 171bpm and my weight was 127.8lbs. I asked the doctor if they were concerned at all because I haven't gained any weight pretty much my entire third trimester and he said, "I don't care. As long as the baby is growing, that's all that matters." I was very glad to hear that. Now we'll see what Dr. Dowell says about it tomorrow from the CF side of things...
I'll be seeing her tomorrow, I'm assuming for the last time before I have you and I'm curious to see what my PFTs look like. Coming off of Tobi I didn't feel so hot, but now that I've been on Cayston for a week, they're feeling a little better. Even with you being head way down now, I never really felt that "dropping relief" the some pregnant women get, but that's okay because I know you'll be out soon and then my lungs will have much more room to expand again.

Life in General

It's been too long since I've posted a non-pregnancy related post, but it's pretty hard when that's constantly on my mind! Last "normal" post was in February, I think...oops!

Anyway, we've been keeping extremely busy over the past few months. I'm pretty sure Tim started

nesting as soon as we found out I was pregnant. He's been a working machine! He completely refinished all of the hardwood floors in the house which look fantastic. He redid the ceiling (scraped the popcorn, sanded, added drywall and painted) in the living room and added a fireplace and mantel to the living room, as well repainting it all. The nursery is finished construction-wise, but still has lots of organizing and decorating to do once we get more baby supplies/furniture from our showers in June. We just had a new roof put on our house last week. Tim's also planning on adding a patio and pond to the backyard, as well as repainting the ugly blue siding on our house. And if he can get all of that done before August, I know that the kitchen is next -- which includes repainting the cabinets, extending our pantry, laying new hardwood floors, installing a new countertop and knocking down a wall...and he says there's not much to do in there... :)

I've tried to help out as much as possible but with being pregnant and not super handy, I've only done some of the painting, helped scrape the ceiling and helped move things when I could. Tim has been excellent at getting everything done even when he works full time doing the exact same stuff for work everyday...I don't know how he has the energy!

This last weekend we had our second Great Strides walk! Our team has raised around $1,200! We had gorgeous weather and had a great time visiting with all of Tim's family for the weekend. I did one of the opening speeches about my life with CF and how I had to kick my butt over the last few years to get my body ready for a pregnancy. The speech was a little scattered (pregnancy brain!), but I always enjoy sharing my story with others. Afterwards, I went to join my family and our almost 4 year old nephew gave me a high-five and said, "that was awesome!"

My biggest fan :-)

In other news, I've been pretty busy wrapping up the end of the school year with my little boogers and preparing for maternity leave in the fall. I recently learned that next year I'll be teaching Kindergarten again, so I'm really looking forward to that. It'll be much easier coming back from maternity leave to a grade that I've taught before instead of third grade like it was before. We're down to ten days of school left! This school year has flown by, thankfully, because my class has a couple (four to be exact) handfuls that I'm am definitely looking forward to getting a break from....lol. This summer I'll be moving rooms, again. Thankfully my principal and custodian are wonderful at accommodating all of the pregnant teachers who have to move this summer and doing our rooms first. I'm hoping to have all of my bulletin board fabric and boarders up the day after the last day of school. Then all I'll have to do when I come back after the room is cleaned is arrange the furniture, hang posters and organize. Anyone willing to come down this summer to help me out with that is more than welcome!

Speaking of summer, ours is full! Between baby showers, friends' weddings, family parties and a weekend trip to St. Louis for a Cardinals game, Tim and I will be super busy! Luckily I'll have still have weekdays to put my feet up and relax, :-), but my poor hubby is going to be going non-stop! Hopefully he'll get a few relaxing weekends this summer before the sleepless nights begin in three months! :-)