The countdown begins...

36 weeks has been an eventful week for us. The weekend was spent putting together the rest of her things together. Bouncy chair...check. Swing...check. Carseat...check. Curtains hung...check. All we need now is our little peanut!

Yesterday, was another doctor's appointment. During the appointment, Dr. Deka let me know that Baby H is in the 14 percentile for height and weight. At 10% they start to worry, so she is still in the "safe" range, but obviously close to the 10 percentile. So with that, Dr. Deka is having me do Non-Stress Test (NST) twice a week. With the test, they strap a band around the belly and monitor her heart rate. They are checking to make sure her heart beat is lower at rest and higher when she is moving. Another strap monitors contractions (not that I am really having them) to monitor her heart beat during a contraction. They want to make sure she is not stressed during them. I am also having to go in once a week to have my amniotic levels checked. If they go too low or Baby H's heart rate does not show a difference from resting state to active state then they will induce me. I am 37 weeks tomorrow, so I have reached full gestation, and the next 3 weeks are spent putting weight on Baby H...which she needs :) But if I do go in the next few weeks, everything will be developed on her! Right now everything is precautionary. They are just seeing if we are just having a small baby or is something not working right with her. A small baby is just fine as long as she is healthy...which everything right now points that way :)

I know they are doing this to make sure she is healthy, but it is still scary. It was not what I was expecting going into my appointment yesterday. I go back again Friday morning to do the NST.  My blood pressure and weight were good. I have put on 29 pounds during the pregnancy!  I really don't feel like I have put on that much weight, so that is a good thing. I did grow 2cm this week, so I am now 35cm, which is in the healthy range for how far along I am. I am feeling good...just a little anxious with all of the new developments, but getting excited to meet our little girl. It is crazy to think she could come any day...or it could be 4 more weeks (my doctor will only let me go one week past my due date.)

♥ Meggan

our little peanut

I went to the doctor this morning to get an ultrasound on Baby H. Of course they were running late, so I sat as patiently in the waiting room as I could. At least there were some good magazines to read while I waited. When I was finally called back, and they started the ultrasound the first thing the technician says to me is "Geez...look how big your bladder is! Do you need to pee?" I actually did not, but I guess it good to here something is big on me during my pregnancy :)

The technician measured everything on her...her head size, abdomen, leg and arm length, heartbeat, blood flow in umbilical cord, amniotic fluid, oxygen levels. Baby H took some practice breaths during the ultrasound, so she was able to record those too. She also told me that she has some hair on her head too...phew, she won't be bald until she is 3 like me! After the technician finished, she told me, "she is the 15% and still in the safe range. I am going to go talk to the doctor." So there I sat for what seemed like forever wondering what they were talking about. Do I need bed rest? Is she really okay? Are they going to induce me because she is not growing? The doctor comes in and looks at the information, and says "everything is healthy with her. She is small, but still in the safe range, and everything is she is doing is healthy." I kept asking, "so she is okay? she is healthy?" The doctor probably thought I was a crazy pregnant woman, but he is used to it. The technician was super sweet and told me, "wouldn't you rather deliver a 6lb baby as opposed to a 10lb baby?" As long as she is healthy...yes!

So overall, Baby H is safe, healthy...just small. She will be our little peanut! I don't think we will have a basketball center on our hands, but with her parents' height, I don't think too many people thought we would!

♥ Meggan

Hello Pregnancy Brain

I am 35 weeks!

Well my pregnancy brain has officially hit...Bill would probably argue it hit a LONG time ago! As I am looking at my picture, I realized I put that was 34 weeks not 35! Oh well...I am too tired to get up and take another picture. Just imagine that it says 35 not 34!

35 weeks has been uneventful until today. Bill and I are continuing to get things ready for Baby H. We got her bed set up in our room. Our room is definitely a little tight, but we are getting used to it...so is Kona. This weekend we are going to get the swing and bouncy chair all set up :)

On Friday, my students at school threw me a surprise baby shower! It was so sweet of them, and I was completely surprised. They bought us our high chair...Yay! We also received our exercise mat, some adorable clothes, and our first set of bottles! I am so lucky to have such wonderful families in my class. 

Today was the first of our weekly doctor appointments. And I am back to measuring small, and I did not grow at all since last week. So with that, I am going back to the doctor tomorrow AM to get an ultrasound. At least I get to see another picture of Baby H! I am sure nothing is wrong (she is moving a lot especially after dinner and before bed). But its always good to make sure! The good news is her head is down :)

♥ Meggan

Finally Feeling Pregnant

At 34 weeks, I finally feel like I am pregnant. My belly is definitely getting bigger (I am now 33cm!)...I grew 4 cm in the last two weeks! I went to the doctor today, and everything is looking good. It was weird hearing her say that in 10 days they won't stop my labor...10 days is not a lot of time! She doesn't think Baby H will bigger than 7lb 2oz, so we will see. I think 7.2 sounds like an excellent weight :) We will just have to see how big her head is...does she have Bill or my head???

 I am getting more and more braxton hicks, and starting to feel pressure in my lower abdomenal area. Last night, I had to just go to bed early to get them to go away. I never really got a ton of energy in my second trimester, but what energy I did get is definitely gone. If I could take a nap or at least lay down after lunch everyday, my life would be much better. I could go to bed by 8 every night (which I do most nights). I might as well get all the sleep I can right now.

Baby H continues to move all the time! I got my first kick in the rib Friday (3/2) night. Her head is down, but she prefers my right side. She continues to move the most after dinner and around bed.  She does let me know she is still is there throughout the day, especially during my guided reading time. She doesn't like being squished, so as I lean over the table to help the kids read, she always gives me some kicks to say "don't squish me mom!".

♥ Meggan