Cast Your Vote

I want to know when ya'll think I am gonna give birth (date and time). At my last doc appointment I was 2 cm dilated and 90% effaced, if that helps. I have another tomorrow and hopefully I have progressed even further.

I also want to know how much you think she will weigh and how long she will be.

AND what color hair do you think she will have...you can guess on eye color too, but we wont know that for at least a couple of months when they change.

I'm thinking I will give a prize to the person who is closest on all of these...even if it is just something little. So go ahead...guess away!

Rounding out the 37th Week

I officially only have 2 weeks and 1 day til my due date!!!! HIP HIP HOORAY! It is getting so close, I can't believe it. People are still amazed at how little I look, but I went to the doctor today and I am measuring right on schedule. I am still feeling really good and the little one is moving like CRAZY. She officially takes up my ENTIRE abdomen. Everywhere I push, I can feel her...so fun.

Today at the doctor's office, I found out that I am 2 cm dilated and 90% effaced! I'm pretty excited about that. The more I progress now, the less I will have to progress when I am in pain. Clark wants me to go into labor tonight because then we will have a long weekend to spend together, but the doctor said she will probably come at the worst possible time, which is my due date and Clark's finals. We shall see.

Here is my bare belly at 37 weeks and 5 days. After taking these pictures, I realized that I kinda still have a waist...cool.

Sorry to blind you, but I think my belly is cute. I still haven't gotten stretch marks (hallelujah) and let's hope it stays that way.

In other news:

Clark and I set up our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I really want the house to be decorated for Christmas when the baby gets home, so we did it a little early. It is so fun to get into the Christmas spirit. We still have to put up our garland, stockings, and make our wreath.

Clark gave me one of my Christmas presents early...tickets to the midnight showing of NEW MOON! It was a sacrifice for Clark to be in a theater with a bunch of teeny bopper girls, but he pulled through. I did really well and didn't even get tired, but I was pretty swollen when I woke up the next afternoon. Clark is team Jacob, but I am and will always be team Edward...even if I did marry a man who looks like he could be in the quillette tribe.

Baby Shower Dos

This past Saturday, my visiting teachers in my ward threw me a baby shower. It was so fun!!! Everyone was so generous and thoughtful. There were a lot of people that couldn't make it, but so many brought over gifts anyway...how sweet is that. I got a lot of stuff that I needed. One thing in particular was a baby carrier, which Clark has been dying for because he wants to take the baby hiking as soon as the weather gets warm again.

The shower was really laid back. We ate and talked and I opened presents. It took me almost the whole 2 hours just to open presents because I am so OCD about keeping the wrapping paper nice and folding all of the tissue paper.

The food was soooo good...let me tell you. A couple different people made breads. We had plain zuccini bread, chocolate chip zuccini bread, and cherry bread. YUM!! They also had cupcakes, cookies and veggies. The drink was spectacular; it was sprite mixed with crystal light. I loved how everything was baby pink.

We played a game where we guessed how many m&m's were in a bottle. I actually was one of the closest guessers, but I didn't get to win since it was my baby shower. I got to have the bottle with the m&m's though...so much better than any other prize ;)

Here are some of the wonderful ladies in my ward. I wish I had a picture of everyone that came. Especially Gentry and Sara who threw the shower...darn them.

I had so much fun...I wish I could do it again. Well, maybe I will get another shower when I have another baby...we shall see. Thanks Hillside Ward!!!!!

36 week Doc Appointment

I went to the doctor's on Tuesday, when I was still 36 weeks. I was so nervous because it was going to be my first internal exam. I really wanted to hear that I was starting to dilate, and it is just uncomfortable being under that paper towel. Well, the doctor checked the heartbeat and said that it sounded fantastic, he said I was growing well, did the group B strep test (yuck!), and then said that I was 1 1/2 to 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced!!! Yay! I was so excited to hear this. He said he thinks that she will come early if anything, but he also said we could be surprised and she could be a week late. I'm hoping more for the week early thing, but I guess I'm not really in control of that.

Now I am 37 weeks and FULL TERM!!! I was always so nervous that I wouldn't ever carry a baby to full term, but here I am. She is definitely getting big and taking up every inch of space in my abdomen, but I LOVE it! I love being able to feel her body and know which parts are what. Her head is down and the doc said it is getting low...yay yay yay!!! I just can't wait to meet the little girl that's been living inside of me for the past almost 9 months.

Oh and Clark just loves to tease me and say that the baby is gonna come out a boy. Not that I wouldn't love to have a son, but I just have EVERYTHING for a girl and would not know what to do if a male came out...so let's hope that doesn't happen.

Shower

This last Tuesday, my cousin Emily, cousin Mandy and Aunt Linda threw me a baby shower. It was so fun! I have been looking forward to it for weeks and weeks. They are always so sweet and giving and thoughtful. It's nice to have such great family.

I will start off by telling about my wonderful guests, because it wouldn't be much of a shower without these great folks.


Here's my sis-in-law Tami, Aunt Vicky, and Aunt Angie.

My cousin Emily, cousin/aunt Lisa, cousin Maryann, and Aunt Linda.

Two of my best friends Emily and Noelle. I love how excited they are for the little one. They are the best...and they are giving good lovin to the little bug.

My Aunt Anita, cousin Katie, and Great-Aunt Nancy.

I am so grateful to everyone who came and supported me and my babe. I felt so loved!

And then there were gifts. Everyone was so thoughtful and generous. My favorite gift had to be the blessing dress that my Mother-in-law made for the little one. It is GORGEOUS!!! This picture doesn't do it justice, but oh man! She got the material in L.A. and then sewed it so perfectly. I love the little bonnet. I totally cried when I opened it, so sweet and the little one will always be grateful to her Grandma Tutu.



Here are some other guests. In the back: cousins Jamie and Mandy
In the front: an extatic me, Aunt Denise, cousin Danielle, Momma Varner.


One of my favorite parts of my family baby showers are the games. The memory game has got to be a fav. There are all sorts of different pregnancy and birth related words and phrases, and we had to find the ones that matched. If you found a match, you get a candy bar that relates to the word or phrase. I won two! I got breastfeeding (Milky way) and bottle feeding (Milk Duds). I'm hoping I am more of a Milky way...we don't want no duds!

The guests also guessed :) how big my belly was. I was excited to see what they guessed because everyone tells me how small I look. Almost everyone's string was way too big, but my Aunt Angie guessed right on! I am proud.


Here I am showing off her string skills.

Measured perfect!!!


Sorry about the duplicate picture...they are just so cute.

Here is Lisa guessing her string size. They had to do it before they could see me and the belly.

Here is my beautiful cousin Emily...the hostess with the mostess. She seriously is the most thoughtful girl I know.

Loved the cute pink balloons. Bring on the PINK!!!!! This baby better not come out a boy.

Mmmmmm...I loved the chocolate covered strawberries. My cousin Mandy made all of these by hand!


I wasn't expecting food because the shower was at 7 pm, but I was oh so pleasantly surprised. I was starving...so it was perfect!!!

Oh how I love baby showers. Stay tuned because I am having one with my ward on Saturday.

I am the Biggest Loser!!!

Ok so that probably isn't a true statement...in fact it is for sure a false statement! I am probably the biggest gainer at the moment. But I am supposed to be right? Re assure me people...it's ok that I gain like a pound a day...right? Well it probably doesn't help that I am obsessed with Halloween candy, this will have to stop. Anyway, here a picture of me at 35 weeks and 1 day. Don't you love the Betty Boop pjs...my grandma has a matching pair. :)

Oh and about the biggest loser...I LOVE THAT SHOW!!! I watched it online last week cuz I didn't feel the greatest and became obsessed. It is so inspirational. I actually picked up our weights and lifted them while watching the episode...something I have not done in far too long. Today I watched another episode and drank a whole 44 ounces of water cuz they said to make sure to drink enough water. I definitely need like the seasons or something for after I have the baby when I can really get down to business. Oh, and I cry at least 2 times each episode. This season is so touching...are they all like this?

Farewell all my losers!

Pumpkin Carving

Clark and I had fun carving our pumpkin this year. It was our first Halloween as a married couple and our first time carving a pumpkin together, so it was quite an occasion! We bought one big pumpkin that we could carve together...it only cost a little over a buck! This made for a fun Family Home Evening.

Here I am digging out the goop. Since one of Clark's favorite treats is pumpkin seeds...I decided I would try my hand at making them. I carefully separated all goop from seeds. I burned the first batch, but did better on the second. Clark ate them all anyway :)

Since Clark is the artist in the family, I had him come up with the design and draw it on. I am ok with a normal ol Jack-O-Lantern face, but Clark is much more creative.

Clark started out the carving while I worked on the pumpkin seeds. I did carve though...the whole right side...and I kept the design mostly intact...Clark had a little more mishaps than myself. I am proud.


And here is our scary Jack-O-Lantern....

I thought we did a mighty good job for our first go around. We shall see what next year brings.

My eggo is prego.

Well today I had my 34 week doctors appointment. I will be 35 weeks on Thursday, so I kinda see it as my 35 week appointment, but alas it is not that big of a deal. The baby is doing great. Her heartbeat is strong and I am measuring 34 centimeters. I think I have started to drop because when i walk around, I can feel downward pressure and I feel as though I am going to pee my pants. I know, not fun. I am glad if I have begun to drop because hopefully that means that she will come on her own and I wont have to be induced. My doctor had me schedule an induction date for a week after my due date, so if she doesn't come on her own, I will be induced December 17th. I wouldn't mind having her a week early so then I wont have to worry that she wont come on her own.

Some weird things have been happening lately in the pregnancy world. I have started to lose my appetite. I think it has something to do with the lack of room for my stomach and intestines. Before, I couldn't go a couple hours without eating...now I have to force myself to eat. The only thing I dont have to force myself to eat is candy, but that's not good cuz it makes me sick and I'm sure it's not good for the little one. I make a commitment now not to eat only candy.

I also started to swell!!! YIKES!! No thank-you. I do not like swelling. It totally freaks me out. I'm pretty sure it was due to all the standing I did on Halloween, the lack of healthy food, and the surplus of sugar that I ate. My legs have gone back to almost normal so that's good. I just hope they stay down.

I also started having insomnia. This was full blown insomnia too. It wasn't due to being uncomfortable, but just the inability to sleep. I would be so tired, but sleep was not happening...I couldn't even take a nap in the day. I finally took Tylenol PM one night and that put me out, but I dont want to rely on that. It seems to have gotten better because the last 2 nights I have slept pretty well...hopefully this keeps up.

Pregnancy dreams...they are strange aren't they? I have dreams all the time that I forget to feed my baby or that I take her out of me and then put her back in. I have noticed that most of these dreams have to do with feeding her...I guess that can tell you what I am most nervous about. I really hope that she is a good eater, and that I get nursing down quickly.

Well I am getting so excited for our little one to arrive. I am so curious as to what she will look like. I am most curious about her coloring, but we wont really get a feel for that for a while after she is born. Oh, I had my first painful contraction...only one though. It felt pretty much like I thought it would, but I'm sure real labor ones will be way more intense.

We had some fun Halloween happenings and i will have to post about those when I get the camera back from my hubby.