Eric and Krystal

38 weeks was Christmas so let me begin by saying a belated Merry Christmas.  I hope everyone had a wonderful day with family and/or friends.  I had to work the day before and the day after, but Eric and I were able to drive to my mom’s and spend Christmas day with my family.  It was really nice!  On the 26th, Eric’s parents came so we got to have some Christmas time with them as well!

Happy New Year!  We rang in the new year with Eric’s parents!  We didn’t go out, but we could see the midnight fireworks from our upstairs window!  It was nice to have a relaxing night at home!  

This week has been pretty busy!  On Tuesday Eric and I had our infant carseat inspected to make sure it was properly installed.  The hospital won’t let you leave with the baby unless it is correct…which I can understand for safety!  After the inspection we went to the doctor.  Still nothing happening yet!  I have to admit I was a little disappointed!  I am feeling ready for this little one to be here!  I go back to see the doctor next Wednesday and he said that if I am still not progressing then we would schedule an induction for the following week.  That would put me at 41 weeks.  I was really hoping for the first baby of the new year too!!!  = )   One good thing about this week is that tomorrow is my last day of work!  I have been pretty tired so maybe I can rest up before the baby comes!!!

Nothing too exciting happened during 36 weeks, but my belly continues to get bigger.  Which means Baby M and I are both running out of room! 

We went to the doctor on Thursday of this last week.  He still says that we are not ready for labor.  He encouraged us to go walking and that will help move things along.  So now I need to find a warm place to walk!  It is too cold to walk outside!!!  The doctor also said that he thinks it will be after Christmas before I will be ready.  That sounds pretty good to me since my doctor will be on vacation over Christmas!  At my last visit the doctor was easing my fears about him being gone, but this time he came in and said that it would not be fair if I went into labor while he was gone because he had taken care of me this whole time!  I thought that was pretty funny!  We heard a nice strong heartbeat and the doctor said it sounded like one happy baby!  The doctor also said the head is down, but it still has to drop a lot more.  I see the doctor again on December 30th and he said he has a pretty good feeling about that visit.  I guess we will have to wait and see!  

Things have still been pretty busy around here!!!

Week 33 included baby shower #3 given by a couple of friends from church.  It was very nice and had a wonderful turnout!  We played a couple of fun games and had some laughs!  Someone at the shower made a good point about us not finding out what we are having.  She said that if we knew what we were having we would have gotten a lot of clothes, but since we don’t know we actually got things we need.  I have to agree! 

Week 34 was Thanksgiving!  We were able to go to my mom’s house for Thanksgiving.  It was a great day!  The weather was slightly warmer and the food was delicious!!!  I felt like I ate a lot, but pretty much anything I eat now feels like a lot!  The baby and I are both running out of room!  That weekend Eric helped me put up the Christmas tree while we listened to Christmas music!  It was a lot of fun!

During week 35 I went to the doctor.  The appointment went really well.  He is happy with my weight gain…which makes me feel really good!  He said that it is not time for the baby to come yet.  I have only had a few contractions that were days apart.  I go back to see him in 2 weeks and I will see him weekly after that.  The doctor helped to ease some of my fears as well.  He is on vacation Dec. 24th-29th so I have been thinking a lot about what will happen if I go into labor while he was away.  He said that all the doctors he works with are wonderful physicians and will definitely take good care of his patients. 

I forgot to mention in the last post that we received more anonymous gifts!  My mom came to baby shower #2 and she helped me bring the gifts home.  As we got to the door we saw a pad for our changing table, a boppy pillow and a bag full of various items like outlet covers, travel size body wash and desitin gift sets, and window shade clings for the car.  I am still in awe that someone has been giving us all of this.  I wish that we could tell them how truly truly thankful we are to them!!! 

I also updated the belly pictures!  

Ok…so I must have reverted to my old ways of not posting!  Things have been really busy, but the bad thing is that there are things that I could have posted about!!! 

The first weekend of November (week 30) we went to Hermann, MO and stayed in a bed and breakfast, using a gift certificate we got earlier this year.  They call it a "babymoon" because you go and have a mini vacation before the baby comes.  We only stayed on night, but it was really nice.  It was great being able to spend time alone with Eric!  We also used that get away as an excuse for our birthdays!

The second weekend of November (week 31) was baby shower #1 given my mom and sister in Woodlawn.  It was really nice!  It was decorated beautifully with fall colors, leaves, and pumpkins.  The theme was "Our Lil’ Pumkpin."  There was a game called "Old Wive’s Tales,"  were guests had to match the old wive’s tale to the sex of the baby.  Some of the wive’s tales are really funny!!!  There was also a game of measuring my belly just by looking at me.  A friend of mine, who is also pregnant, won…she measured me exactly!

During week 31 we went back to see the doctor.  We ended up seeing the nurse practitioner again because my doctor had an emergency c-section.  I decided that if it was me with an emergency I would want him to be there too!  She measured my belly and said I am right on track.  She also found Baby M’s heartbeat really easily.  It sounded nice and strong to me!  She wanted me to come back in 3 weeks, but that fell on the week of Thanksgiving.  One of my co-workers is taking vacation that week so I couldn’t  take a day off.  So I am going back the first week of December.  I will be 35 weeks then!  It is so hard to believe…time has just flown by!  After that visit I will be going weekly!

During week 32 baby shower #2 was given by girls I work with at the hospital.  It turned out nice as well.  I feel really blessed to have so many baby showers given for us!  Last weekend Eric and I went to our childbirth class.  We both feel like it really helped us.  We learned breathing techniques, labor positions and we got a tour of the labor/delivery room.  We also saw the nursery and a postpartum room.  I am still a little nervous, but I know that we both feel more comfortable for when the time comes! 

Nothing super exciting happened during 26 weeks except more baby movement and increased abdominal size…at least I can tell that my belly is getting bigger!  More belly pictures posted in the gallery.

Today we went to see the doctor.  I had to do my glucose test so I had to drink 10 oz. of pure sugar…at least that’s what it tasted like!  It wasn’t completely disgusting, but it was not very fun either!  Seeing the doctor went well and he easily found the heartbeat this time!  The doctor after feeling for the baby said the baby is still in the breech position…meaning the head is still up near my ribs on the left side.  This explains why I have been feeling movement all over the place!!!   Eric was finally able to really feel the baby move this week!!!  It was great to see the look on his face! 

So I go back in 4 weeks to see the doctor again!

So 6 months have passed…Wow!  This time has gone by so fast!!!  With the baby moving more and more and my ever-expanding belly I am really starting to get excited and scared at the same time.  Is that normal?  Sometimes I am looking forward to the day that I get to hold the little one in my arms.  The next moment I worry about him/her growing up in this world and I want him/her to just stay in there forever!

New during these two weeks:

We have signed up for our childbirth class and I am looking forward to that. 

 Details seem to be coming together for my baby showers, my mom and sister are giving one in Illinois and a friend at church is having one here in St. Louis.  I am super excited about both of these!!!

 The anonymous gift giver has struck again!!!  We came home two Fridays ago to find more baby presents outside our door.  This time it was our "Little Lamb" baby swing.  These new swings are so cute and highly recommended by a couple of our friends.  We registered for this swing, but I didn’t think I would be getting it because it is kind of expensive!  We also got the baby animal bouncy seat that was on our registry!  We still don’t know who this secret person is, but we do feel truly blessed that someone has done all this.  We don’t know why someone has chosen to do this, but we want to thank them for everything!!!