Introducing....Camber Douglas Taylor

     On Saturday, January 4th I meant to write up my "39 week blog post," but the morning I spent finishing a puzzle I had started and then that afternoon we went to Panora.  I never had the chance to write the blog post because I went into labor that night.

Baby to come later that night...

     On New Year's Day I decided that I was ready to have this baby and every day after seemed to drag on as I waited for contractions to start.  I tried to stay busy, but it was hard to get around much and I had already done everything on my to-do list.  I was just waiting and was worse than a small child waiting for Christmas morning.  Finally on that Saturday I was reading some articles online and came across one about waiting and how waiting for the baby is a stage of labor. I finally decided that day that I didn't have control over the situation and that I was fine with the baby coming whenever he decided to come.  Doug had to work that morning and I finished a puzzle that had been keeping me busy for a few days.  We got ready and headed to Panora where Doug went to a pond hockey party and I was able to go to school with my mom to look through some of her things.  I had a few contractions while we were at her school, but nothing regular or too intense. We ate some potato soup for dinner at my mom's and then decided to head home.  Usually we stay and hang out for a while, but on this night we decided just to head home.  I drove Doug's truck home, because on the way out Carly Moe kept climbing all over my stomach and it was so uncomfortable.

    I parked the truck in the driveway, and Doug got in to pull it into the garage (he didn't trust me to do it).  I went in and let Carly outside.  I realized I needed to use the restroom and ran straight there where my water broke.  I yelled for Doug and told him what I thought happened.  He asked if I was sure and I said, "Yea, pretty sure."  We both just kind of laughed, saying "We are going to have a baby in the next 24 hours" and "I'm so excited, we get to meet our baby."  We were also a little worried, and I even remember saying, "I hope I don't have to have pitocin because I haven't started contractions."

   I called our on-call Doula and Tiff answered the phone.  I let her know what happened and she suggested laying down to get some rest and wait for contractions to start.  This was around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 4th.  I went upstairs and got comfy while we were watching T.V. and within ten minutes my contractions started and they were coming every 2-3 minutes.  I would tell Doug when one would start and he would look at the clock and write it down (I couldn't see the clock from where I was laying).  In the beginning he wasn't keeping track, but as I kept saying I was having another one I think he got a little worried.  I kept asking how long it had been in between contractions, and he wouldn't tell me. I knew they were close, but didn't realize they were that close.  It was impossible to sleep between contractions because they were so close together.  After a few more we talked about how close they were and if we should be heading to the hospital sooner rather than later.  We decided to wait until 9:00 before doing anything so Doug kept writing down my contractions and I tried to rest (although that was pretty impossible).  At 9 my contractions were consistently coming 2 to 3 minutes apart so I called the on-call Midwife (Sea was on call) and she said that I needed to come to the hospital by 10:30.  We called Tiff back to let her know we were going to be leaving around 9:30 to head to the hospital because my contractions were so close.

  The car ride to the hospital was like torture.  I couldn't get into a comfortable position to work through the contractions and every bump and turn seemed to make it worse.  We arrived at the hospital and met Tiff in the lobby as we were walking in.  We were set up in triage, where the nurses weren't very nice!  I was checked at was only at a 1-2 cm and 90% effaced. I was devastated, but stayed positive.  I really thought I was going to have a fast labor like my mom's (who had a 2 hour labor), because my contractions were so close together so quickly.  They got us set up in a room and the next few hours were spent sitting on the birth ball, walking the halls, or leaning over the bed and rocking.  Sea, our midwife, checked me at 2:00 and I was at a 3 cm. I tried to get some rest from about 5-6:30 and I was in the bed and all I remember is literally seeing the clock every 4 minutes as I would have a contraction. Needless to say I didn't get much rest in between contractions.  She checked me again at 6:30 and I was at a 4.  It was somewhat frustrating because I felt like I was really working through some intense contractions and then to only be at a 4. I got in the tub (which was amazing), but this ended up slowing down my contractions.

    Susan came on call at 7:00 and it was a definitely a God thing :-)  Earlier when I met Susan I remember thinking she was a little scatter-brained, and was worried she might be the one to deliver. I mentioned it to the Doulas throughout the pregnancy and they always reassured me that she was great and was really the most "natural-minded" of the midwives.  I couldn't have been more thrilled that Susan was the one there.  She would baby me when I needed it, but was also very honest with me when we reached some complications.  Susan checked me again at 10 a.m. and found that I was still at 4 cm.  At this point she suggested pitocin to get my contractions really going and progress more.  I was hesitant and didn't want to, but knew I didn't have any other option.  I broke down crying, because more than anything I wanted a natural birth and this was the start of interventions.  After talking with Doug and Tiff we decided it would be best to get the labor moving along. I got on board and was really positive that this was going to help speed up the process and that I would be getting to meet my little baby soon.  Susan said that she would check me again at 12:30 and so now I had a goal in mind.  Tiff talked with me about how my contractions would get even more intense and that I needed to really focus on my breathing. I was determined to work through them.

   We spent the next two hours on the birth ball and walking the halls.  I remember just walking through the contractions and having Doug and Tiff put counter pressure on my low back.  I would walk around and around those halls, with my eyes closed most of the time, always thinking positive thoughts.  I knew this was going to work and that we would be meeting the baby soon.  At 12:30 I was checked again and was at 6-7 cm.  This was such a rewarding thing to hear and so we set another goal of another 2 hours and I knew that when I got checked again at 2:30 p.m. that I would be ready to push.  We continued walking the halls and trying other positions to work through the contractions.

   Right before I was checked I had some of the worst contractions yet.  I really had to focus on working through them, but they were getting intense.  I remember thinking that I had to be getting close.  I was sure that they would check me and tell me I could start pushing.  I remember saying that I just couldn't do much more of this.  I was checked again and was at an 8 which was again frustrating, because I wasn't sure I could get through another 2 cm. with pain like this. Susan suggested I get in the tub again, but I was nervous that it would slow my contractions like it had done that morning.  I went ahead and got in and it felt great for awhile, but then all of a sudden my contractions were unbearable in that position.  I got out and was checked and found that I was at a 9.  I was so excited, but so exhausted.  They started talking to me about using Fentanyl to take the edge off my intense contractions and possibly getting some sleep.  They were really worried I wouldn't have the energy to push. We discussed how big they thought the baby was and said that I would probably be pushing for 2-3 hours to get it out.  The idea of that exhausted me even more. I broke down again, because this was not what I wanted, but I didn't see any other option.  I went ahead and got a dose of Fentanyl and they said it would work within 2-3 minutes.  After 15 minutes of intense contractions I was sure that it was not going to work.  It kicked in with a vengeance and I was able to get some sleep for about 45 minutes.  After the 45 minutes I got another dose of Fentanyl and they talked to me about getting an epidural.  At this point I had been in labor for 24 hours and was still not completely dilated.  They were really worried that I would be too tired to push and so after many tears and prayers we decided that the epidural would help keep me from having a C-section.  I decided that it was what needed to happen in order for me to have a vaginal birth.

   The doctor came in to give me the epidural and was shocked that I had labored to a 9 for 24 hours before getting an epidural.  He said I was definitely not the norm!  As the procedure was happening Doug had to sit in the corner of the room where he looked worried.  I told him not to worry about me, I wasn't in pain and I was really at peace with the decision.  He was just worried about me and the fact that we had worked so hard to not get to this point (of not using these interventions).  Our amazing Doula reassured us that these interventions are important for times like this and that we were doing what was best for our baby and situation.  I got the epidural around 6:00 p.m. and was able to sleep for a couple of hours.  I was ready to push around 8:45 and starting pushing with my nurse around 9:20 p.m.

   The nurse I had wasn't very positive and kept making some negative comments about how this was going to take awhile because I had such a big baby and I got really frustrated.  I decided to wait to continue pushing until Susan (our midwife) came. Once Susan came I was able to push in some different positions, but because of the epidural I had to stay pretty flat (on my back or sides). They turned off the epidural and set up the squat bar so that I could get vertical to push. Susan left to go check on another mom and I continued pushing.  My doula noticed that they head was coming out and so she told me to stop so they could get the delivery team back in.  Susan rushed back in and within minutes the head was out.  Not knowing what was happening, I continued to push through contractions.

   It all happened so fast, only a few pushes and Susan was pulling on baby's head.  They placed the baby on my stomach and I remember looking at Doug and then the baby.  I remember the baby's head being really misshapen and it's body limp. Susan instantly cut the cord and the baby was whisked away to the table in the corner of the room. As baby was lifted away from Doug and I we both saw at the same time it was a boy.  We turned to each other and cried.  I remember saying, "Camber, we love you."

   Susan looked at me and told me they had to call a code pink and that a lot of people would be coming into my room to take care of the baby. Doug looked at me and said, "What do I do?" I instantly replied, "Go with him; I'll be fine." Doug went over to the corner of our room where they were working on baby!  I would see glimpses of him, but never got a good look.  I would turn to Tiff and beg her to tell me what was going on.  After a few more complications with me they got me taken care of.

   During all of this tons (30-50 people) came into our room some to help me, but mostly for Camber.  I remember nurses coming over to me to briefly update me on what was going on, but not really telling me anything.  The look on Doug’s face was that of pure torture.  He had to watch the things they were doing to our son and listen to me bawl, because I was so scared.  They instructed Doug to hold his hand because he was so strong that he kept pulling at the cords they were trying to put in him.  After a little while they were getting ready to transport him.  Tiff took my phone and took a few pictures of him so I could see them while he was gone.  They rolled him to me so I could see him before they left.  Dr. Bzdega came over and introduced herself to me (as the Dr. no one ever wants to meet) and updated me on how Camber was doing.  She sounded very positive, but it was so overwhelming after the last few days we had been through.  Doug went with him and as fast as my room had been filled with people it was empty.

   At one point I couldn’t stop bawling and for an instant I let my mind wonder to the worst.  After that I wouldn’t let myself go back to that point, because I couldn’t handle the thought of the worst.  I called my mom and begged her to hurry. Tiff waited with me until my mom and Mark got there. 

   While sitting and waiting there were nurses and Tiff in the room with me helping me get comfortable and set up on the breast pump so that I could begin pumping breast milk right away.  The feeling in the room was one of emptiness.  My heart was gone. This baby that had been inside of me for so long was not only on the outside of me, but was gone from the same room as me.  Doug texted me a couple of times to tell me things like his weight and height.  My mom arrived around 1:00 and Tiff left.  Around 1:45 I was able to go up and see Camber.  Doug came back just before that and updated me a little bit.  I was put in a wheel chair and rolled up to his bedside where he was covered in traces of blood, wires, and cords.  He had an oxygen mask in his little nose, an IV in his hand with a cast holding it in.

  I was able to hold him for a few minutes that night and all felt right in the world when he was in my arms.  Putting him back in that bed and leaving him was one of the worst feelings in the world.  He was supposed to be with me, supposed to be in the same room as me, supposed to be able to breastfeed when he wanted…it was not supposed to be like this.

 

The last 28 hours had been nothing like I had expected them to be or planned for.  I knew it wouldn't go exactly as I had envisioned it, but no one could have told me it would be like that.  Having my son in the NICU was the scariest thing I have ever gone through.  Through my entire labor and delivery my faith and positivity were strong.  At one point during some really intense contractions I was listening to a Christian station on Pandora and three songs came on about faith, strength, and miracles and they were just so perfect.  I knew it was God letting me know he was there to support us the whole way.  

   I will write more about our experience after labor and delivery in the NICU, but this post is getting extremely long.  Many thanks to my amazing husband for being there the entire time, never complaining about how bad his feet hurt or how tired he was.  He held countless heating packs on my back, walked the halls for hours, and was always encouraging and supportive.  The look on his face when our baby was placed on my tummy is forever etched into my mind and the love that poured from his eyes during those first few minutes of Camber's life lets me know that Doug will be the most amazing father to our son.  

  One last thanks to our amazing Doula, Tiff.  I can't imagine going through this experience without her.  She was an angel during this experience and I am forever grateful that she was a part of the most important event in our lives.  

Camber just 2 1/2 hours old

Mommy got to hold him that first night

Camber 10 hours old

First Family Picture

Now we wait....

    We are 38 weeks and everything seems ready for Baby Taylor to come.  Hospital registration has been sent, nursery is finished, essentials are bought, bags are packed, food is made and frozen, house is clean....now we wait.  I bet, because I have all that stuff done, that we will wait for another 3 weeks :-)  I am now going to make a fun to-do list with all kinds of books I want to read (not baby-related) and things I want to do to keep me busy and my mind off of having this baby.

  Last Thursday after our ultrasound I wasn't feeling great and since then developed a severe ear and sinus infection.  I tried fighting it as best as I could, but getting only about an hour of sleep for a few nights in a row wore me down even more and I wasn't able to get over it.  I went to the doctor and they were able to give me some meds to help.  I feel better; still not 100% but I definitely have more energy.  The thought of going into labor while feeling so sick was scary!

     We have had a busy week with the holidays!  We had a great time with family this past week and are so excited about next year and having an "almost-one-year-old" to share the holiday with :-)  It will be so different than this year!

   I have been trying to schedule in as much time with family and friends this week before Baby Taylor comes. I had breakfast with my cousin Chelsea at my grandma's yesterday, where Grandma made us some yummy pancakes! I then met Shelby for lunch, and it is always so much fun catching up with her! We always seem to pick up right where we left off!  Today I am headed up to Ames to meet Lizz and hopefully see her baby bump!  Kevin and Greta are back in town so we will plan to meet up with them later today!  I still have so many of you that I want to sit down and catch up with before Baby Taylor comes :-)

   Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!


How far along: 38 weeks
Sleep: Well with my sinus/ear infection I didn't really sleep at all!
Best Moment this week: Christmas!
Miss Anything: Nothing that I can think of this week!
Movement: Like crazy!
Food Cravings: Nope-Christmas dinner was satisfying :-)
Gender:  I'm hanging out in the boy camp now :-)  Doug has had two dreams that it is a boy -I haven't had any!
Labor Signs: Just some Braxton-hicks here and there.  Nothing to get concerned about!
Symptoms: All kinds of them ....
Wedding Rind on or off?:  Off
Belly Button in or out: Well it isn't out, but it isn't really in either
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Looking forward to: Baby Taylor coming!

38 weeks

Belly on Christmas

Carly Moe (38 weeks)

Carly Moe loves hanging out with Mama over Christmas break

Last Christmas as a family of three  (yes Carly Moe counts as a member of the family)

One of our awesome Christmas presents!

Full Term & Another Ultrasound

         Thirty-seven weeks, full-term, could-go-any-day; where did the time go??  I swear I was just typing about being tired (well I'm still tired) and morning sickness (or all-day sickness).  At my 36-week appointment our midwife said that I/baby continued measuring big and so she ordered an ultrasound to just check on baby and fluid levels.  I was at 36 weeks and was measuring 38 weeks.

        We had our ultrasound yesterday and got to see a very plump, filled-out baby, much different than the tiny, skinny, skeleton-looking baby at week 20.  We saw Baby sucking, holding on to his/her feet, and moving all around.  The ultrasound tech said our baby has an average sized head and legs, but has a big belly :-)  She also said she could see a double chin.  Guess Baby Taylor will look more like Doug did when he was a baby.  

       We got some cute pictures of Baby Taylor's face, but it put tears in my eyes, because now all I want to do is see his/her face for real! I can't stop picturing it and wanting to see it more clearly!  Everything else looks good from the ultrasound and by ultrasound Baby is only measuring about a week big. She estimated he/she was about 7 pounds.  

      Now we wait:  it could be tomorrow it could be a month from now.  Only Baby gets to decide (which is really hard for this mama).  

      We have hired a Doula Collective: they have 3 doulas that work together on an on-call basis so that way someone is always available. You meet with each one so that you are familiar with them all. We met with our third doula this week.  She was great and offered some great suggestions for laboring at home for a while to decrease our time at the hospital (where interventions would be offered).  One of the nice things about these doulas is that they will come to your house and help you labor at home. It will be a nice reassurance to know we are doing things correctly :-)  

   I have an amazing class of students this year.  They planned a surprise baby shower for me yesterday where they gave me the stroller we had registered for.  I was shocked: first about the surprise, because I literally had no idea, and second about the gift! Wow!  Earlier in the week my Dad, De, and the girls gave us our Christmas presents a little early which included an extra car seat base and stroller.  We will have to return one of the strollers, but will definitely use the money for all the baby essentials that we need (or don't even know we need yet).  

     I think that I would really like to wait until January to have this baby, for lots of reasons, but I also just can't wait to meet him/her.  I want to see who he/she looks like and if he/she really does have a double chin :-)  Over Winter Break I plan to finish up my Baby-To-Do list and sit and wait for Baby to come.  Updates to come......

    We were able to celebrate on Christmas so far with my step-mom's side of the family! We will do a small Christmas brunch with my Dad, De, and my sisters this weekend and then next week fill in all the rest :-)  Doug scored another goal in hockey last week and made a few great plays; he is getting too good :-)

Merry Christmas everyone-we hope that you can spend your holiday with all those that you love!

How far along: 37 weeks
Sleep: I haven't been feeling great the last couple of days (I'm starting to get a cold) so that makes sleep, which didn't come easy before, even more difficult.
Best Moment this week: Seeing our baby's face on an ultrasound picture and knowing everything is going just fine in there!
Miss Anything: Being able to move, especially at night.  I am so exhausted by the time I get home, just getting up is hard to do :-)  Not sure how anyone has a second kid because being this exhausted and having to chase a toddler around sounds impossible!
Movement: Yes even though he/she is running out of room!
Food Cravings: Nothing this week!
Gender:  I have switched to boy now.  I thought the ultrasound picture of Baby's face looked like a boy :-) Who knows?!
Labor Signs: I'm pretty sure I have been having a few Braxton-Hicks contractions, but since I haven't ever done this before I am not really sure.
Symptoms: Oh there are too many to list ...
Wedding Rind on or off?:  Off
Belly Button in or out: In -but I don't have much time left before I get an "outie"
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy and so anxious!
Looking forward to: Christmas!

This is a picture of Baby Taylor's face! Isn't it just the cutest thing ever!

This one is hard to see, but Baby Taylor's hand is holding onto one of his/her feet!

Nursery is Done...all except for the baby!

    We have put all the finishing touches on the nursery and it is finally completed! All we need now, is the baby.  We certainly don't want to meet our little one yet, but we are getting closer and closer to that time.  I knew before even getting pregnant that I wanted to do a Dr. Seuss theme for the nursery, but didn't want the traditional red, white, and blue Cat in the Hat decor.

    After finding the furniture we liked I enlisted help from Casady (Doug's Cousin-she is awesome) to help me find some fabrics that would look good.  She is amazing and really helped steer my visions into reality!  I ended up ordering the fabrics online and making the bedding, curtains, and pillows myself, because I couldn't find anything in stores that I liked.  It took many hours of thinking, visualizing, cutting, ironing, and sewing, but it all came together and I couldn't be happier with it.

    We then had to find the final decorations and again Casady came through for me by printing the Dr. Seuss sayings and putting them in frames for me!  Doug had the last saying printed by Kness Signs and we hung it up this week.

    Everything really fell into place with the nursery and we just love it.  Sometimes I will just stand in the doorway, stare at the room, and try to picture what our lives are going to be like in just a few short weeks.  I can't ever seem to picture it :-)

    I am sure in a few years our new little one will want something completely different for his/ her room, maybe Dora, Thomas the Train, or the next latest Disney character, but for now the thought of having Dr. Seuss surrounding our little one is perfect! It takes me back to my childhood when my mom and dad would read to me each night before bed and Dr. Seuss was always a favorite (even though his books are really long and I think both my mom and dad skipped pages).

    It is crazy to think that we are at week 36 this week.  Only a few more to go. I have had people tell me that I look like I have "dropped," that I look "done," and that I could have this baby "today."  Everyone has an opinion I guess :-)  I am still feeling really good, although a few more "third trimester symptoms" have blessed me with their presence.  I am more tired and having trouble sleeping much more than a few hours at a time, which is all just cruel practice to get me ready for a newborn, I am sure!  I have experienced some heartburn lately (can you overdose on Tums?!), but other than that I really feel great.

   I will have to say that this baby is going to run out of room very soon. There are times he/she will kick and it feels like it's in my back, throat, or ribs.  Supposedly (according to BabyCenter.com) he/she is over 18 1/2 inches long and weighs close to 6 pounds.  I have my next appointment on Tuesday, where I will do my Group B strep test and make sure everything looks/sounds good for the coming weeks.

    I am always so busy writing about myself and the new baby that I forget to update you on anything else.  Not that much is new besides getting ready for the new baby :-)  Holidays are just around the corner, we have our first of many Christmases tomorrow with my step-mom's side of the family.  We are excited to spend Christmas Eve with Doug's side and then Christmas day with my mom's side. Doug has been busy with working, helping me run errands and get ready for the baby, and his weekly hockey game.  He scored his first goal two weeks ago and it was pretty cool!  He was really excited and I was glad I was there to see it!  He has team pictures and a game tomorrow afternoon as well.



How far along: 36 weeks
Sleep: I sleep for a few hours and then wake up to go to the bathroom. I lay awake for 1/2 hour-hour at a few different points during the night.  Again just cruel practice for the newborn coming!
Best Moment this week: My mom had her 6 month check up and remains cancer free.  With Christmas coming up, what better gift could I ask for!?  Now she is down to yearly check-ups! Way to go Mom (Grandma).
Miss Anything: Anything that involves bending over-it is really hard to pick things up and I swear I drop things more often now than ever before!
Movement: It's coming from every direction now!
Food Cravings: Woody's Smoke Shack (craving satisfied-it was yummy) and some hot chocolate (I plan on getting some tonight while we drive around to look at Christmas lights)
Gender:  It's funny because this week alone I had 4 people tell me they think it's a boy.  Doug has now confidently switched to the "girl" camp, but I am still sitting in no-man's-land right in the middle going back and forth depending on the day.
Labor Signs: nothing so far
Symptoms: heartburn, not sleeping, a giant belly, it's pretty hard to miss the fact that I am pregnant :-)
Wedding Rind on or off?:  Off for now.  I can still slip on my ring if I have to, but I would say from here on out I will probably just wear my cheap Pandora ring :-)
Belly Button in or out: In -but I don't have much time left before I get an "outie"
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy- I am so excited for what's coming and really trying to enjoy every minute of this pregnancy. I have a feeling I am going to miss being pregnant and feeling the baby move inside of me!
Looking forward to: Christmas!

This is the bassinet the baby will sleep in for a while in our room .

This is the nursery (it's a little dark sorry

Our glider with the home-made pillows and baby's new stuffed elephant

The little bench seat with some of baby's soon-to-be favorite books.

Crib with saying and elephant above it

Look at all that amazing bedding :-)

Saying and Elephant above the crib.  A person's a person no matter how small. -Dr. Seuss

Dresser with sayings above it (the "S" in the orange picture frame stands for "skeeterbug" which is Aunt Sherrie's nickname for the new baby.  It has nothing to do with the baby's real name, girl or boy)

Perfect gray and white lamp

Sayings above the dresser (thanks Casady).  "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you."  "You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose." -Dr. Seuss

35 weeks

36 weeks

Maternity Pictures/ 34 Weeks/ Thanksgiving

   We have an incredibly talented, amazing family friend that did our maternity pictures for us last weekend and we couldn't be happier with the pictures.  She is so reasonably priced and makes taking pictures really comfortable and relaxing!  Check her out: Lauren Campbell at www.laurencampbellphotography.com

  Here are a few of the pictures that I just love.  Now I can't wait to see what she does for newborn pictures for Baby Taylor.  I know they will be perfect!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Hope you had a day filled with family and good food.  We were able to spend the day with my step-mom De's side of the family, also stopped by my mom's side as well, and ended the day at Doug's side at The General Store.  They were all so conveniently located within just a few miles of each other and our house, which is kind of nice.

Wednesday, I rode with Kyle, Jamie, and Jaxson up to Story City for Lizz and Jordan's gender reveal party.  I am so excited for their big news!!  Now to wait and see what we will be adding to the bunch as well! It was so nice to get to catch up with friends and talk "baby."

Usually my mom and I do some Black Friday shopping, but this year we didn't really need much.  I couldn't resist and did go out about 8:00 this morning to the mall and Kohl's.  I bought myself a few things.  We have decided that this baby is everyone's Christmas present (so don't be disappointed when you don't get a present from us!), so there isn't much that I need to go buy!  Just a few more baby things needed and we will be ready!

We had our 34 week appointment this week and everything is looking good.  Baby Taylor is definitely head down which is a good sign, although we aren't quite ready to meet him/her yet.

How far along: 34 weeks
Sleep: Some nights are better than others.  I think I am actually sleeping better than I did in my first or second trimester, although some nights I get up 5 or 6 times to go to the bathroom.  I have a lot (I mean a lot) of pillows that I sleep with. Sorry Doug :-)
Best Moment this week: Lots of things: getting to see our amazing maternity pictures, Thanksgiving, Jordan and Lizz's gender reveal, great 34 week midwife appointment, having a few days off from school and getting to cuddle with my puppy dog Carly Moe!
Miss Anything: I currently am only able to wear about 3 different pairs of shoes, because my feet are swelling, which is so sad!  I have been wearing some compression socks which REALLY seems to be helping! I highly recommend them!
Movement: I don't officially do the "count the kicks," because he/she moves so much that I don't need to count them :-)
Food Cravings:  Nope
Anything making you sick or queasy: I don't know why I don't just take this one off of here; just the grilled chicken breast (which has been the same since I got pregnant).
Gender:  I still don't feel that motherly instinct that just knows one way or the other.  I go back and forth depending on the day.  For today, I'll pick girl.
Labor Signs: nothing so far
Symptoms: Swollen feet and hands (especially if I get hot), big belly :-), a little more crying (although not a freakout)-thanks mom for listening and trying to hide your giggles (I did hear one!)
Wedding Rind on or off?:  I officially went and bought another ring (just a small silver band from Pandora) to wear in place of my wedding ring on some days.  At school when I am up and moving around my fingers get hot and so I was taking my ring off and setting it on my desk. I decided to get another ring to wear so that I didn't lose my real one.  I can still wear my wedding ring for certain things, but it is definitely getting a little snug.
Belly Button in or out: still in-I am wondering if I can make it the whole time without it popping out.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Haven't had any more all-out-pregnancy-freakouts so I would say happy!
Looking forward to: Getting the final touches put on the nursery and winter break :-) Only three weeks away (winter break that is)-crazy how time flies!

All-out-pregnancy-freakouts: They are real :-)

   This time of year is so busy with parent-teacher conferences and the holidays coming up.  It is hard not to get a little stressed with just those things, and then the added element that we are going to be bringing another little human being to the world (the coolest human being I might add), can put you over the edge.  This week I had one of those all-out-pregnancy-freakouts.  The kind where you are crying, almost completely out of the blue, with no end in sight.
    Looking back on it, I can laugh but at the time there was no laughing.  I had just got done working out and was pretty hungry.  I was starting dinner and was going to broil some pork chops in the oven.  Doug had put the broiler pan in the drawer under the over (it doesn't go there) and because the drawer was so full it slid down under the oven. I pulled the drawer all the way out and grabbed the pan, but couldn't get the drawer back in and totally lost it.
   By lost it, I mean sat in the middle of the kitchen floor surrounded by pans and that damn drawer and just cried; I bawled.  Carly Moe, who usually wants to snuggle up and lick tears if you are crying just stared at me wondering what in the world was going on.  To make matters worse (actually he made it much better), Doug walks in from work.
    This is the reason I can now laugh about it, because I picture myself walking in from Doug's perspective: Lights are all on, the dog is staring at something in the kitchen, as he walks around the corner he see the kitchen covered with pans and his wife rolled in a ball crying.
    At first his face was,  "OMG what happened? Are you hurt?" (sorry honey if I gave you mild heart attack), and he instantly asks, "What happened?" to which I responded through sobs and tears, "I can't get the drawer back in and I am so stressed!"  I sat there and listed about thirty things that I was stressed about-all of which started with "I can't get the drawer back in."  After a few more minutes of crying (sobbing really), not being able to breathe, and all of my mascara running down my face I pulled it together enough to explain what had happened (as best as I even knew).
   Doug took over making dinner and everything seems to be ok since then; I am still a little stressed, but with the help of Doug we were able to get a lot of things taken care of: I did some more research on my maternity leave, we have a consult scheduled with a pediatrician, and I am completely ready for parent-teacher conferences.  Thank God for my amazing, understanding husband; I have no idea what I would do without him, and can't even imagine what life would be like without him!
    As I shared my story with my team at school the next day it appears that most women have one of these all-out-pregnancy-freakouts at some point in their pregnancy, so I don't feel quite so crazy! Do you remember yours? Do you wonder what yours will be when you're pregnant?
 
   Other than that, I am just getting some holiday shopping done.  Doug let me put up the Christmas decorations last night (he was probably afraid I would start crying if he didn't give in) and so our house is a magical, winter wonderland.  We finished our basement last winter/spring so one of the things I wanted was a Christmas tree for downstairs, which I also got my way on (again probably because Doug was scared of more all-out-pregnancy-freakouts= see above).  Every floor of our house now celebrates the Holiday Season!

   Only two more things for the nursery are needed (decoration related at least) and then I will be posting pictures.  Maybe at the 34 week post I can show off our little baby room :-)  It is perfect and I am so happy with how it turned out!

How far along: 32 Weeks

Maternity clothes? Yes, but even those are getting a little tighter now.
Best moment this week: Had my 32 week appointment, which was nothing out of the ordinary, but I am measuring right on track for a change and everything looks/sounds good!
Miss Anything? Shopping like I used to.  My mom and I went shopping both weekends that the boys were in Vegas and I just can't do more than a couple of hours without my feet completely killing me.  Doug and I ran errands yesterday and today and my feet were swollen and aching.  I still have a lot of shopping to do before this baby comes, so I guess it will be in lots of mini-trips instead of one big shopping trip. Movement: He (or she) doesn't just kick anymore-he pushes.  We are getting close to figuring out which body part is pushing out, but are still guessing at this point)
Food cravings: I haven't really had many "cravings" with this pregnancy.  I thought some Monkey Bread sounded amazing, but the last time I attempted to make monkey bread was a couple of years ago on Christmas morning and I started a fire in the oven (not just a little burnt smoke, I am talking a real fire-flames and all). So if you know how to make Monkey Bread I would love some :-)
Anything making you queasy or sick: Still can't stand plain chicken breast (or the smell of it!)

Gender:  If only we knew :-)  I can't wait for that moment
Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Swollen and achy feet after a day of shopping-haven't gotten them yet from school, as I try to sit as much as I can, but I am sure they are on their way.
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On for now-when I get hot it gets pretty tight.  I just don't want to take it off until I absolutely can't wear it anymore. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Except for my all-out-pregnancy-freakout (see above) pretty excited. 
Looking forward to: Thanksgiving Break

30 weeks, only 10 (or less) more to go

Oh my goodness.  Week 30!  This is the week that always seemed like the "end" to me.  I know that I obviously have over two months to go, but I always said around 30 weeks I would have most things done. Ha! Yea Right!  I have a to do list with at least 23 things on it (just baby related things).  On the top of my list is finding a pediatrician, sending our registration to the hospital, and checking with our insurance about a breast pump.  All really fun stuff :-) I have at least typed up a to-do list and hospital packing list.  I won't pack a bag for a few weeks still, but I have a list ready to go.

We have had a busy couple of weeks, Doug left for Las Vegas for the SEMA car show.  He has to take his truck out there as it is a featured vehicle for a couple of companies.  My stepdad, Mark rode out their with him and they will fly back to Iowa on Sunday.  Then they will go back out on Thursday next week and drive the truck back next Saturday/Sunday.  I sure miss him on the weekends, but know that he enjoys the car show!

Yesterday I took a personal day and went shopping with my mom for her birthday.  We met with Doug's insurance agent to get insurance for the baby. We didn't buy much on our shopping day, but I did get a couple of people crossed off my Christmas list.

On Thursday night Doug and I celebrated Halloween by going to see Wicked. I had seen it a couple of years ago, but wanted to go again.  Doug and I really enjoyed it!!

We got our chair for the nursery! It takes up a lot of room, but it looks amazing and I love sitting in it; I can't wait for the baby to sit there with me :-)

I had been so nervous for my glucose test, because since week 12 they have been saying our baby has been measuring a little big and I didn't want that to be related to gestational diabetes.  I passed my glucose test so nothing to worry about!! Just a little bit bigger baby.

How far along: 30 Weeks

Maternity clothes? Yes, but it's funny because I have been wearing a bunch of sweaters that aren't maternity. When I was 12-16 weeks I couldn't wait to wear maternity clothes, and now that I need them I can't find much that I like :-)
Best moment this week: So many things: shopping with my mom, passing my glucose test, and getting our chair.
Miss Anything? I can't really think of anything
Movement: Lots :-) It's so fun!
Food cravings: Nothing this week
Anything making you queasy or sick: Still can't stand plain chicken breast

Gender:  I'm back to "I don't know"
Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: I have had some heartburn lately (no fun!)
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Excited!
Looking forward to: Getting lots of things crossed off my to-do list

30 Weeks

Carly getting used to the carseat.  She will sniff it a lot. 

Doug and I at Wicked!