9 weeks left...

Can that really be right? 9 weeks and she'll be here. After waiting 4 years, she's really coming? I'm in awe of this every single day. I was just telling Patrick this morning that I'm in a bit of a panic. While I feel completely ready emotionally, I don't feel physically ready for her (getting the house in order, getting her stuff, learning to use the stuff, etc.). I'm completely lost. I can tell you absolutely everything about getting pregnant, staying pregnant, being pregnant...but the cold hard truth is that I don't have a freaking clue what to do with a baby. Am I really going to figure all of this out that fast?

Anyway, moving on from my panic of the hour, here are the pics from last week at 28 weeks. I just posted the mini-progression here because the big progression is getting too big and really you can see the big changes pretty good with just these pics. Boy do I look pregnant now!! It's actually kind of funny. I'm constantly running into things and when she gets active, I swear it looks like that thing from Alien is about to pop out of my stomach. But I love every minute of it.


Next on tap is an all day Breastfeeding class on Saturday. I've excused Patrick from it because that just seems like pure torture, and I'm not that mean...today at least. ; ) Also, the showers are coming, more appointments, you name it, and every step along the way just makes it more real. The craziest moment for me in the past week was when I opened my own shower invitation. To see my name on that invitation...finally, after all these years, well I got a little emotional. I'm really having a baby, and I have to repeat that to myself several times a day so I can finally start believing it.

POP! The 26 weeks update way late!

OK, so it took me forever to post this update! Below are the last round of pics, but believe it or not, it's time to take more pics this week. I think we can finally agree that I've popped! What a strange experience it is to carry around this belly. I look at myself in the mirror, and it's just so hard to believe this is really me...I guess I'd dreamed of looking pregnant for so long that it's just so surreal to actually see it. The good news is that so far I actually look the way I imagined so I can't complain. : )

Here's the running pooch-o-meter.




And here's my latest pic...I think that's the last time you'll see this shirt...it's not stretchy material...LOL!

No sex til Summer! and other reasons I love my husband

No sex til summer....(say it like you're singing "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" by the Beastie Boys)
I just wanted to point out that little fact. Since we conceived...there has been no action. This is what happens when you're in a high risk pregnancy coupled with spotting, followed by a cerclage, etc. Seriously...it's been since July, and following the usual post-delivery rules, we're looking at May....freaking MAY!
That trooper of a husband of mine has been absolutely wonderful about it, so much so that even my mom commented on it (which was awkward...LOL!). I on the other hand am going CRAZY! My dreams...don't even get me started on my dreams. I need to change the subject...LOL!

Anyway, I was talking about how wonderful my husband is. He called yesterday and asked if I wanted to go to a movie. I said yes of course, but assumed that we were going to see something he wanted to see (National Treasure I thought). Low and behold, he caught me completely off guard when we stopped in front of the theater playing PS I Love You. Seriously, I have the BEST husband ever.

Continuing in his praise today (it is his birthday tomorrow after all), he said the most amazing thing the other day. We were standing at the kitchen sink, and he reached over and rubbed my belly (which he does constantly these days), and then said "What if we'd given up after the last one?"...meaning what if we just hadn't tried again after the last miscarriage. I couldn't even answer, I just teared up, and he hugged me so tight. He's never stopped telling me how strong I was for making it through everything we've endured these past few years, he's always given me more credit than I deserve for getting to this point, but it wasn't until he said that that I truly realized that reward I'm getting for seeing this through...the prize I get for not giving up...when so many other people would have given up...given up on their strength, their faith, their bodies, given up on each other even. I spend every day being thankful that this journey only ever succeeded in bringing Patrick and I closer. With every loss, with every bad test result, every frustrating day, we only clung tighter to each other. He was always just as frustrated to hear about someone else getting pregnant, just as hurt by stupid comments, and he was so tormented by the pregnant teenagers he had to see everyday at school. I have NEVER felt alone on this path, and I am so unbelievably lucky to have him by my side as we start this new chapter.

OK, so apparently I needed to get that out...LOL!
In other news, I passed my glucose tolerance test YAY!, but I failed my anemia test BOO! So I started iron pills last week, what a freaking horse pill! Anyway, I really do feel like I have more energy, but it's probably just psychosomatic.

And we've now succeeded in completely overscheduling ourselves for the month of February including: 9 high school soccer games (Patrick's coaching), breastfeeding class, hometown shower, local shower, maternity portraits, 4D ultrasound, and childbirth classes. We don't have an open weekend until mid-March at this point!
I promise my 26 week pics tomorrow (even though I'm already at 27w). Boy am I growing!!!

Post Holiday Updates!

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's celebration!! We did a lot of visiting, worked around the house, made some time for fun (see the movie Juno...LOVED it!), and managed to put our house in shambles (more on that later).

First, Christmas brought us to 24 weeks which of course means new pictures! I definitely look pregnant now, but as usual, I'm already bigger than when we took these pictures last week!!
The latest progression...



24 weeks (oh and a new hairdo..heehee)


All went well at my appt last week. Much to my surprise, my appointments will now be every 2 weeks, another "perk" of being a problem child (although Dr. Swaim keeps telling me what a boring pregnant lady I am these days!! : ) ). Next week's appt will also include my glucose tolerance test, and I hear that lovely liquid I get to drink is just yummy...not. In other news, she said I'd be switching over to heparin (twice daily shots instead of once daily Lovenox) at about 36 weeks in preparation for delivery. Also, we have a window!!! This little girl will arrive somewhere between April 1-4th! That's our induction window! We'll most likely be looking at April 2nd, exactly 38 weeks. That's exactly 3 months from today and a fairly terrifying thought...LOL!

Referring back to my mention of our house mess...we decided to go ahead and put in the same wood flooring we used for the nursery in the living room. So currently my living room furniture is spread between the breakfast nook and dining room and the piano is blocking one entryway making for a creative escape route from the kitchen to the front door. Turns out I can't slip through those tight spots that I used to ; ) But of course, the floor will be completely worth it once it's done. I can't believe how much dirt and dust was under the carpet, and I'll be much happier with it gone!!