38 Weeks!

Another Saturday has come and gone which means another week on the ticker has passed. I'm officially 38 weeks along, I can't believe it. However, as the days go on I'm getting more and more sorer. I'm sure it's due to contractions and her trying to find her way out of there (lets hope).

I went to the doctor last Wednesday and I was 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated. I go back this Wednesday and I'm hoping for more progress. If no progress is made I want to know what in the world all of this pain is for :)

This Wednesday's appointment will determine if we will really go ahead with the induction or not. I'm pretty sure with me already being dilated the doctor is going to say it's a go. She really hasn't dropped too much however I can tell she's lower mainly because I haven't had to use my breathing machine in 3 weeks now. However, the reflux has still not wavered.

Rex is ready for her to be here (or so he thinks). From what I gathered there are lots of people in Iowa betting on April 1st as the day she'll make her appearance. I'm not sure having an April Fool's Day baby is a good idea with a father like Rex. The poor girl will be tortured for life. Bree thinks she'll come on the 6th just so that I won't be there for TAKS on the 7th. The family in Oklahoma an I are hoping for the 9th :)

Spring Break!

Unfortunately, spring break is now half over. It's been a great week! Mom, Mere and Olivia came down to Texas to help us continue getting our house ready for baby. The days were busy as usual when they come to visit. Saturday we visited IKEA. I love that place. Sunday we went to a quilt show with Rex's mom. It was fun but a lot of walking. Luckily Mere and I found a great place to sit and people watch. Monday, hmm, I can't even remember what we did on Monday, that's bad, oh wait we filled the newly constructed shed Rex got finished. I just about have a garage once again! This next weekend will be spent organizing all of the tools we've acquired. Tuesday we cleaned out my kitchen since apparently Astoria will be needing her own cabinet. Then a doctor's appointment and a much needed pedicure for Meredith and I. Today we actually slept in till 10 and then went to goodwill to drop off all of my discards from the kitchen and garage. They finally got on the road about 1:30.

As for the doctor's appointment everything is going fine. I'm still measuring big which we think is still due to all of the fluid not really a big baby (hopefully). I'm officially 36 weeks as of Saturday and they have scheduled an induction date for April 9th. However, since she is still sitting so high that date is really up in the air. I'll be checked on the 8th and we'll see if she's ready to make her way into this world, if not, and she's still just hanging out likely I'll let her go until the next week. I'd rather not attempt induction if it might lead to a c-section. My doctor will allow me to go up to a week past our due date of April 11th. After that she gets booted one way or another. April 9th is only 2 days before our actual due date but would allow me to go back to school the last week. If she goes later I may decide not to go back that last week. It's all up to her at this point!

My feet are doing a little better (although in the picture taken this morning by Mere (above) they don't look so hot!). These next few days will be spent relaxing at home and keeping them propped up.

We might have found a caregiver for Astoria starting in August. I'm hoping to get to meet with her this weekend and Friday morning I'm going to meet with a pediatrician. Things are starting to line up!

Astoria's Room

Well at 35 weeks things are slowly getting finished. Mom has the blanket done (she's quickly finishing the curtains, dust ruffle, and bumpers). I've bought nearly everything my sister has told me I'll be needing and my shower was amazing. I got lots of wonderful gifts. My sister really out did herself in preparing for the wonderful day. I also have wonderful friends who supplied me with lots of great things. Meredith even sent out a note with the invitations to have people include a book with their gift instead of the usual card since books will last a lifetime. She also sent out onezies and bibs for people to decorate. We had two winners in the onezies category: the one with the bikini top and the frog in an Easter Basket. The bib category was all about Astoria's Aunt's bib! Here are a few pictures of the day.

I went to the doctor last week for my 34 week check up and everything is pretty good. I'm suffering from a edema in my feet. She said I needed to stay in my seat as much as possible at school, come home and let Rex fix dinner, increase my water intake, and decrease my salt intake. None of which I'm going to like doing but all of which I have done since the appointment. I do not want to be on bed rest! I also mentioned I'd experienced what I believe to be some Braxton Hicks contractions. She checked me (ouch!) but everything still looks like it should (cervix is not dilated and is still high). She said likely the contractions were due to fatigue and I needed to slow down a bit. UGH!!!!

Anyway I've been trying really hard to do that but the nesting stage I believe is here. I worked on her room some today as well as went shopping to get a few little things. I'm so proud of her room. I love that my mother passed on her creative gene to me! This is one wall with the letters I made as well as the layette mom made. She is wonderful!

Much Awaited Pictures!

This past month, I can't believe how fast time has flown, has been very busy. The last weekend in January I took my principal certification exam. I'll know around the end of February how I did. We also planned a special event for the grandparents that weekend as well. Mom and Dad we're on their way down with Astoria's new dresser so we planned a special surprise for them and Rex's parents. At the time I was 30 weeks along so we decided to go and have a 3D/4D ultrasound done.

The results were amazing. We even witnessed her yawning at one point. I think she already has my nose and she's as limber as Rex. Her cheeks are very chubby! But you can see all of that for yourself:

On my 31 week check up we did a non stress test and Astoria passed with flying colors. Her heartbeat was normal (between 120-170) and I even experienced one contraction while lying there, I couldn't feel it, thank goodness (amazing how sensitive those monitors are). However, the doctor mentioned that I'm measuring at 33 weeks already. She was not real concerned. It could be due to how Astoria is positioned inside me or it could be the fact that I'm carrying so high (she's literally in my ribs). Just to be on the safe side though she has scheduled another sonogram for this coming Thursday (I'm not complaining about that part of it, I love looking at her inside me). I'm trying not to be too concerned but it's hard. The doctor said since nothing has presented itself in either ultrasound or any blood work it's likely all fine, easy for her to say.

We also got pregnancy pictures taken at JcPenny's this past week. The actual pictures aren't in yet but here are some of them. They are in low resolution, meaning a little blurry, but you'll get the idea. They actually turned out pretty nice for neither of us really being too photogenic. The lady kept commenting on how nice my belly still was. I informed her that's why we are here now and not waiting another two months.

Yesterday marked the 8 month mark! Only 8 more weeks to go! I hope she can hold on in there!

Almost There...

Almost there in many ways. I'm only 11 weeks out from seeing my precious Astoria and I'm 6 days aways from taking my certification test to become a principal. Time is running out on a lot of things to get done and the stress has been felt in our house. Poor Rex has become the brunt of a lot of my stress, even with the flu wrecking havoc on his body for the past week. Thankfully enough, my mom and dad are on their way down next weekend. Mom always seems to show up when she's needed most. So just as I'm either celebrating or crying over the test next Saturday my mom and dad will be waiting for me at my house. Dad will likely pat me on the head (whether I'm crying or celebrating) and mom will want to know all of the details. Did I mention on that day, January 31st, I'll be 30 weeks along and it will be my 29 1/2 birthday. What a day it will be!

With the test behind me it will leave me to deal with summer school and yearbook, oh and a baby on the way. I can almost feel the relief!

Procrastination

I've found myself procrastinating about everything these days which is very unlike me. As you can tell I've even procrastinated about writing on this blog. I've got lots to say but I find I'd rather be sitting on the couch doing nothing or sleeping. I think it's a minor case of being overwhelmed with too much to do. Here's my list of things to do:

1. Finish my application for a Vice Principal Position (I just need a letter of interest, that's it but for the life of me I can't get started).
2. Start studying for the TExES exam, which is January 31st, which will allow me to become a principal or assistant. Without the exam I can't even apply.
3. Start working on Summer School Curriculum. I'm not changing that much about the actual curriculum just adding power points to go along with the daily activities that I developed last year.
4. Develop a reading log for a new reading program we're starting on Wednesday of next week across the entire school.
5. Reread my CHAMPS books to get prepared for a presentation 5th grade has to give on February 16th.
6. Start the yearbook which I've been taking pictures for but have not completed a single layout yet.

So as you can see I have lots to do and no real desire to do any of it. One thing at a time my mother would say :)

Anyway, enough moaning. So what's been going on in our lives since my last post you ask? Well Christmas Eve I found myself in the emergency room not being able to breathe. Even after 8 breathing treatments in 3 hours I left there wheezing with a prescription of prednizone. Breathing, thanks to the prednizone got better about a day later. Christmas was good. It was great seeing all of the family together (although I missed Rex being there with the family a whole bunch). Grandpa was thought about a lot and we sure do miss him. New Year's Eve mom, Mere, and I headed back for Texas to start planning out the baby's room. Only first we drove to Plano's Labor and Delivery because I couldn't get rid of a headache for 3 days. The doctor said it was a tension headache and sent me home with Vicadin (sp). I slept the whole next day but the headache was gone. I was given strict instructions to take it easy (yeah, right). That Friday I still wasn't feeling up to par so I went in to see my primary care doctor who discovered I had a bladder infection and most likely fluctuating blood sugar levels from the prednizone. She started me on Macrobid, and antibiotic, and sent me on my way. Two days later I was feeling a lot better. A week later I was in the OB's office with a rash all over my stomach. She thinks it was caused by the antibiotic. Who knows, it just itched really bad.

While the family was here we picked out fabric for Astoria's layette and curtains. Mom is going to make them all herself and I'm so excited. I can't wait to see what she comes up with. I've realized Astoria has more clothes from Meredith and my little purchases here and there to last until she's 6, of course that would be a problem since they'll all only fit until she's about 9 months old. We'll of course be in need of lots of diapers and wipes if anyone is wondering :)

Rex and I started Childbirth classes a few weeks ago and boy are we learning a lot! I think our discussions after the class are probably just as scary as the class itself.

Other than all of that, things are going good. I'm now in the stage of going to the doctor every two weeks. Until I'm 32 weeks (about a month from now) and then we'll start going every week. It's amazing to me that I'm already 28 weeks along. I've entered the 3rd trimester and I have to admit I'm feeling it. There are days where I feel like a house on legs but I guess that's the fun of it right?

An Email from My Dad

A Violinist in the Metro

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work. The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people.

The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

This email really made me begin to think on this day after Christmas. Although if you know my family well enough Christmas doesn't really come until about 3 days after the real date - we have lots of family members with other extended familys and meeting on an actual date (say December 24th or 25th hasn't happened in a long time) but what is an actual date, when you are together with family celebrating the birth of Christ?

Anyway, back to the email. Here are some of the things I think I miss or don't readily see as each day passes us on: The beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the cry of a baby (even if at the moment it doesn't seem real beautiful), a new leaf on a spring tree, a cat lying lazily in the sun, a smile from a mom, nana, pops, aunt or granny when they see their little one becoming more independent every day, a smile exchanged between a husband and wife that only they know the true meaning behind, a family laughing or crying together. Although there shouldn't be just one time of the year to stop and hear the beautiful noises or see the beautiful things around us it should remind us what this time of the year really means to all of us.

I hope you and all of yours have a blessed holiday season!