34 Weeks

Welcome to the home stretch! Yaaaaay!!! That little munchkin is going to be in our arms soon enough.

This week has been a little rough at work. I don't know how the week after a little vacation/time off always results in a big ole mess. Busy busy busy this week! I was slowed down a little bit by the swollen feet. They've really taken a turn for the worse. (For those labor and delivery friends who happen to read the blog, I've been watching my blood pressure and my weight). I've tried compression socks, diabetic socks, herbal diuretic tea, herbal diuretic tincture, elevation, rest, super hydration...nothing seems to work. And I don't think I've had hardly any salt since 2012! The shoe of choice is flip flops. Thankfully, we have those blue surgical shoe covers at work so flip flops and shoe covers it is. Sometimes at the end of the day, it's just shoe covers! Six more weeks of pillow feet and cankles? Oye...

Jessica has been amazing. For the past few weeks, Jessica has been adding a freezer meal to her weekly dinner plan. I think she has three or four dinners stashed in the freezer ready to roll for post baby dinners. On Saturday morning, she also cleaned the crap out of the entire house. She chugged along on the baby's room, which had become a dumping ground for the past few weeks. I like that she's nesting too - teehee! Hopefully some nursery pictures will be coming in the next few weeks.


How far along: 34 weeks

Total weight gain: We're not going there now that we've got some water weight on board.

Maternity clothes: Scrubs are the main staple at work. I got some bigger pants from Walmart and my shirts still fit so it's nice to not have to worry about what dress casual maternity disaster should I wear today. I don't miss those mornings!

Symptoms: Swollen feet, big baby rolls, oh yeah - and a big ole baby belly!

Stretch marks: Still just the one pesky one

Sleep: So, I may have fallen asleep on the couch Friday afternoon from 6:30-9, woke up, ate dinner, and went to bed. Then took a 3 hour nap on Sunday. Sleep is good. I feel like it's first trimester all over again!

Best moment of this week: Coming home after work on Saturday to see Jess working away in the baby's room. And then spending some time with my love at the Durham Bulls game on Saturday night. Those moments are going to be few and far between after he makes his big debut

What's new this week: Let's see - he's about 4 3/4 pounds, 18 ish inches long and getting chubbier by the minute. His fat layers will help keep him warm after he's born - but he's got two mommies to help with that! His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are maturing as well! It's good to know that he'll do really, really well if he was born this early. Bring it on baby! Well, maybe a few more weeks.

Miss anything: I miss my engagement ring. And I miss alcohol. And I miss my old walk - this waddle is cracking me up!

Movement: Big baby rolls and occasional jabs. He's so cute already haha!

Food cravings: Watermelon is still high on the list

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing in particular

Have you started to show yet: Oooooooh yes

Gender: Still a boy

Labor signs: I had a good run of Braxton Hicks the other day and one actual crampy cramp. But nothing significant

Belly button in or out: The turkey timer is done! Time for baby to come out!

Wedding rings on or off: Off :(

Happy or moody most of the time: I'd vote for happy

Looking forward to: MEETING MY BABY!!!!!!! Hurry up little dude, I can't wait to see you!


And now...the feet and all their glory. Behold!

BEACH!!!!

We've been planning a beach weekend with some friends, for what feels like forever now, and it finally came this past weekend! YAY! Four couples, four doggies, and TONS of sunshine and laughs!

We got everything organized and headed down on Friday for the long weekend. We got a four bedroom condo on the second row from the water. As much as I like organizing trips, I always get a little anxious picking the place to stay - is it going to suck, is it going to be dirty, is it going to be all broken down and crappy? No, nope, and no way Jose! It was just the perfect size for everyone. If we had all king size beds, then we'd be in business. But the girls were so sweet - biggest preggo gets the biggest bed. And now Jess and I need to buy a new set of mattresses...

Saturday we got up early, because of the doggies and the full time job routine, ate yummy breakfasts (thanks Megan!), and moved the party down to the beach. And pretty much stayed there until the sun was almost down/we got hungry for dinner. Who doesn't love a rousing game of Catch Phrase!? I swear, I love that game. It never fails to be a good, loud, laughing time.

Sunday was a repeat of Saturday - and that was a-ok! There were maybe a few additional drinks and a pair of socks due to some burnt feet but overall, wonderful day! The girls were so sweet again - dinner that night was complimented with celebratory mocktails (YUMMM!), a thoughtful birthday card, and a cake in celebration of my birthday today.

Monday was whomp whomp. We had to pack it up and come home. During a long walk on the beach with my sweetums, we discussed how we felt about the beach trip. And by that, I mean that we both viewed the beach trip as a last hoorah before the baby comes. With us getting ready to go home, it sort of hit us (well, hit me) that I'm at the tail end of the pregnancy and he'll be here before we knew it. It's crazy to say that we're going to have a baby. It's crazy that he's going to be curled up in our arms soon. It's crazy that he could literally come at any point. It's crazy that our lives are going to be forever different because he is in it. I can't wait to meet that sweet little being and I can't wait to see him in my wife's arms.

And now some beach pictures and some swollen cankles. And no, we didn't make that big spot on the carpet...

33 Weeks

Shower number 2! This Little Man themed shower was throw by two of Jessica's best pals from vet school - and it was a book theme! They put mustaches on the lemonade glasses, had little mustache cupcakes, and even bowtie pasta salad. Molly and Ashley made stickers for the inside of the books saying "This book was given to you by ____".

We had a good time eating and drinking and socializing and got quite the collection of bed time stories! I can't wait to hold him in my arms and rock him to sleep while reading fun stories. Or to tell him to pick one and he comes running into our room in his footed jammies with three. Odd how most of the stories center around puppies and/or farm animals...silly vet students :) I love those girls! Now we need to figure out a book shelf situation...

How far along: 33 weeks

Total weight gain: I think most of the weight I've gained is in my feet - pictures next week of those bad boys

Maternity clothes: Si

Symptoms: Nothing much new - the swelling is the yuckiest part

Stretch marks: None additional

Sleep: More please

Best moment of this week: The book shower - duh!

What's new this week: 17+ inches and 4+ pounds! My goodness! Our weekly email is telling us all about the fontanels and suture lines in the babies head and talking about how he may come out with a conehead. Better bring a baby hat! He can tell the difference between night and day but those 3am bathroom trips and subsequent baby movement parties are leading me to think otherwise! I wonder what's going on in that little munchkin head of his!

Miss anything: Comfort. I greatly miss being comfortable. But it's going to get worse...

Movement: All day, every day

Food cravings: Watermelon please! Chilly cold watermelon and chilly cold beverages - water and milk

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nah

Have you started to show yet: The belly gets bigger and bigger

Gender: My tiny little man :)

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out: Still rocking the halvsie belly button

Wedding rings on or off: Off. That may be what I miss the most

Happy or moody most of the time: Trying to stay level headed and not be a nightmare pregnant wife

Looking forward to: The BEACH this weekend!!!!!

32 Weeks

Our first Mother's Day! ...well sort of. Ok, not really. Let's see, what did we do this very busy week!?

On Saturday, we drove to Tarboro to visit the mothers over there and had a lovely lunch with Grandma Betty and Mama D (Jess' mom Donna). They were very sweet and got us a card. And who doesn't love Olive Garden!? We tootled around the mall for a little bit and inevitably ended up in the baby section.

Then we went to Jessica's sister's graduation party from nursing school. Yay! Another new nurse in the world! Now, I've heard a lot of chatter about a pig pickin'. But I've never actually been to one. I can't say that anymore! Jess' dad got a whole hog and cooked it up on the biggest BBQ I've every seen. For those of you who don't live in NC, by "big" I mean tow behind a truck big. It was really, really delish!

Sunday we went to my mom's house for traditional Mother's Day omelets. My mom was very pregnant with my sister during her first Mother's Day and (as the story goes) my dad didn't do anything for that special day. Well, like any good hormonal preggo, she wanted a little recognition as she was waddling around with this baby in her belly...so she cried. The next year, with a one year old, my dad got up early to make her breakfast in bed. He did it up right with an omelet and other yummy b-fast foods and surprised her. Well, she went out to the kitchen to do something and there was the GIANT mess of egg shells, extra chopped up veggies, and other random omelet fixin's. She thought it was the funniest thing ever so that's how the tradition begun. My brother was the cutest little chef on the block. He made a menu and some "order tickets" and then had 4 omelets going at once. So cute.

Jessica did get me a card and wrote some sappy stuff about our new adventures as moms and all sorts of mushy stuff. She's so stinkin' sweet I can't even stand it.

Oh! And we have a pediatrician! I'm not sure if I wrote about that before but it is pretty awesome to check that bad boy off the list. Because we're having the baby at a birth center, they aren't going to do the circumcision. The peds office will do that for us (we've found that a lot don't seem to) AND they have a lactation consultant team on staff. Yay again!! They take our insurance and they're right around the corner. And have a nurse triage line for us crazy first time mommers!

OH! And we've settled on some things for the bathroom. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he's an infant and doesn't give two toots about the bathroom - but I do. And Jess does. We spent some of our Target dollars from the baby shower on a shower curtain, some towels, a rug, and a toothbrush holder. Yeah, yeah, yeah, toothbrush holder - I know. But it was SO cute!! It was an octopus - I blame it on Jess. She couldn't resist. It's not done but he won't need it for a long while.

How far along: 32 weeks

Total weight gain: 19.8 lbs

Maternity clothes: All maternity clothes, all the time

Symptoms: Feeling pretty ok most of the time, heartburn, swelling, the usual...

Stretch marks: I found the first one. On my boob. And I'm NOT happy about it. Trying to remember they're going to nourish my little sprout and provide him with all sorts of nutrients and antibodies and yummy calories and we'll bond and snuggle and all of that...ok, I guess one stretch mark isn't the end of the world

Sleep: Up two times in the night for the bathroom, it's getting old

Best moment of this week: Getting home and settling down after our busy, busy weekend!

What's new this week: 16.7 inches and almost 4 pounds! They say he's getting bigger - yes, I did catch wind of that. Snug as a bug in a rug in there! Still practicing breathing, working on all five senses, and listening to our voices - better start reading him books!

Miss anything: My shoes. I miss being able to fit into shoes.

Movement: Loving me some baby rolls!!

Food cravings: Watermelon is baaaaaack!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Have you started to show yet: Couldn't hide it if i tried

Gender: Still a little dude

Labor signs: Some Braxton Hicks here and there but nothing serious - I'm feeling a late June arrival for some reason. Wishful thinking??

Belly button in or out: Top half out, bottom half in. Whacked the top half on the laundry basket and that did not go so well!

Wedding rings on or off: Off

Happy or moody most of the time: Does heartburny count as an emotion?

Looking forward to: The BEACH next next weekend!

31 weeks

This was a big week for us! Saturday, G-ma...aka Mama D...aka Jess' mom Donna...threw us a baby shower in Tarboro. There was a great turn out, some cute games, and an adorable cake. And then they showered us in baby gear! I didn't think it was all going to fit in the car! Jess and I had so much fun laughing and "awwwwww-ing" at all the tiny clothes and socks. That baby is set up for life! Well, the first year anyway.


How far along: 31

Total weight gain:

Maternity clothes: I tried on a non maternity shirt a few days ago, that fit last week...it don't fit no mo

Symptoms: rocking and rolling in there! Approaching the feet in the ribs stage

Stretch marks: none

Sleep: this weekend was bad for sleep. Whomp whomp. Two leg cramps, then I had to go potty, then the second I stood up...wham, heartburn.

Best moment of this week: the baby shower!

What's new this week: He's about 16 inches and 3 1/2 pounds. His little downy coat of baby hair is starting to slough off and his bones are busy hardening and preparing to support him after life on the outside. He's still learning how to breath and is busy practicing. Nine more weeks to go!

Miss anything: not particularly

Movement: Big rolls and knees/feet poking out of the belly

Food cravings: Nothing too interesting this week

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope

Have you started to show yet: Oh yes

Gender: Boy!

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button in or out: Level with my belly

Wedding rings on or off: off

Happy or moody most of the time: Doing pretty ok, I think

Looking forward to: seeing that sweet face. I really just can't wait til he's in my arms for good

30 Weeks

30 weeks


Thirties!!!! The home stretch - 3/4 of the way there! Goodness.

So we had two options for maternity pictures. Option one was to do them at almost 31 weeks, in early May, when the belly is a good size but not huge, and the weather is mild. Or option two 35 weeks...in June, in North Carolina, with a big ole belly, and cankles. Well, guess what got my vote?

Here's a smattering of the best of the best:

How far along: 30!

Total weight gain: no weigh in this week

Maternity clothes: yup

Symptoms: Big ole preggo belly

Stretch marks: None

Sleep: One of these days I'll get all the sleep I want...oh wait, newborns don't really let that happen huh?

Best moment of this week: Baby pics

What's new this week: 15.7 inches long, about 3 pounds, with a pint and a half of amniotic fluid (now there's an interesting thought). Apparently his eyes are at 20/400 vision...I don't even know what that means.

Miss anything: Being comfortable

Movement: All day, every day

Food cravings: No

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Have you started to show yet: Oh yes

Gender: Boy

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out: Still in, barely

Wedding rings on or off: Off

Happy or moody most of the time: Meh, depends on the day

Looking forward to: Baby shower!