Mr. Graham is TARDY!!!

Well here we are at 40+ weeks! Yes, my due date has come and gone! I cannot believe that I am still pregnant. Due dates really suck. You look forward to this date, and it becomes etched in your mind for 10 months, only to get to that date and have NO signs of labor! I would like to change due dates to occur at the end of 42 weeks so that most women would have their babies early! I have learned that I am possibly the most impatient person I know, and this is perhaps why God has left the little guy in there for so long! I went to the doctor on Tuesday and of couse, I wasn't dilated, effaced, or dropped. I was really discouraged because I was having contractions in my back every 20 minutes for the past day, but unfortunately she thought it was just prelabor pains. The Dr. had already developed a plan for Graham's entrance into the world- I am to be induced on Tuesday (at 41 weeks) with Prostaglandins, followed by Pitocin first thing Wednesday morning. There is an increased risk of C-section because my cervix is unfavorable, and therefore the prostaglandins are supposed to help ripen me up! I am scared of the C-section route, partly because I have never even been in the hospital before, but I have forced myself to become ok with it just in case because I want my baby to be healthy. Thank goodness I have a Dr. who sincerely wants things to occur naturally, and said that she will do everything possible to avoid a c-section, as long as the health of the baby and myself remains great! Having an end in sight gives me a sense of peace that I have needed badly in the past month. I cannot believe that my sweet baby will be here in just a couple of days. On the upside, I feel great! Yesterday Eric and I went swimming which felt amazing to my tired body! I am going again this evening! I must admit, it was difficult stripping down to a tank top and little swim skirt (cannot fit into any of my suits lol) when little college co-eds were skipping around the pool in their bikinis. I even laughed to myself when I realized that as they sat there and sipped on their beers, they felt sorry for me and my cankles floating around in that water. Ahhh, those were the days haha! Just wait, I'll be a hottie again one day! I am so motivated to get my body back in shape.

I am super excited that yet another one of my Bham ladies is pregnant!!!!!! I love that Graham is going to have lots of buddies around his age to play with, and I will have lots of friends to relate to! Lesley's pregnancy is moving right along, she is 24 weeks and is looking absolutely adorable. Blakely Jewel is the prospective name for the little princess in her tummy, and we are so excited to get to meet and spoil her. Here is a pic of us last weekend grilling out at her house!

Last but not least, here is a 40 week belly pic of me. I have really enjoyed documenting everything about this pregnancy in photos and in this blog, and I am going to continue writing about life as a mommy so I hope y'all will still read! Thanks for all of the support and I will keep all of you posted on sweet baby Graham's arrival! Have a lovely weekend!

Belly Pics and A Little Whining

35 Weeks:

36 Weeks:

37 Weeks:

Finally, I found some time to post my belly pics for the past few weeks. I apologize that I am wearing the same thing in all three pics, but I REALLY enjoy putting on that outfit when I get home from work! I am getting rather large, and with large comes uncomfortable! I am ready to have this baby! REALLY ready! Unfortunately I am still not dilated at all! We had a Dr's appt and ultrasound last Thursday and Graham weigh 6lbs 14oz, and is head down, but isn't really getting serious about starting labor. We go back to the Dr. for our 38 week appt tomorrow so pray for progress!! This past month has been really trying on me, and my patience. If you are scared of what pregnancy does to your body then dont read any further because I am going to give some details! Seriously, the last month of pregnancy is by far the hardest. My body is so completely different than it was 9 months ago! My chubby little face looks like it is about to pop almost as badly as my sausage fingers and HUGE cankles. My humongous boobs look microscopic in comparison to the massive belly which is tatooed with streaks from my skin being maxed out. I cannot stand up without feeling like Graham is about to come out, and as a result have to run to the bathroom to avoid peeing all over myself. I never thought I would be seen in the "butt" isle at CVS, shopping for Tucks but that day has come and gone (TMI I know). I am sick and tired of googling 38-39 weeks pregnant to try and figure out the signs of labor and how to naturally bring on labor. Yes I am ready to have my body back. Yes, I am whining and complaining, but I really don't care about all of these issues. I really just want to meet him, and I want him to be a perfectly healthy little baby boy. Pregnancy is a crazy thing. God is in complete control, not me, and it is teaching me a valuable life lesson. I am so excited for Eric and I to fall in love with this new little human. Everyone keeps asking me if I am scared, and I really am not scared but anxious for the big day. Please pray for us as we go through this awesome yet crazy time!! I will update everyone on our progress after tomorrow's appt! Here is an awesome bible verse that makes me cry every time! Have a fab week!

Psalm 139:13-16
13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.

Down to the Wire!

I do apologize for not posting as often as I usually do but I have been very busy lately getting things ready for Graham's arrival. I have had baby showers and a bridal shower the past three weekends which have been SOOOO much fun! I have gotten to see great friends and family that I haven't seen in forever, and Graham loaded up on tons of goodies!! I have almost everything I need, and I am so grateful for everyone's generosity!! I will post some shower pics as soon as I get them all downloaded.



Last week, I went to the doctor for my 35 week checkup. My pregnant best friend Lesley went with me since Eric had to work. Dr Ingram did the Group B Strep Test, and I told her all of my symptoms that I have been having, like sporadic cramping and some pressure. She checked me as well and I am not dilated at all nor has he dropped down. I was happy to hear that he was still content and floating around, but at the same time disappointed that he hasn't really started getting serious about coming out! I am fine with him chilling out until April, but around week 38 I am going to be ready for him to be out! It is just amazing how God made the miracle of childbirth. We really have no control over this incredible time, and it is so neat how that precious little baby knows exactly how to make his exit. As frustrating as the waiting game gets, I am thankful to have a healthy pregnancy thus far, and all I truly want is a healthy happy newborn so I will be patient! I am having contractions pretty frequently now, but they are irregular and arent too intense. I have had some pretty bad swelling which is probably due to me being on my feet working, cleaning and travelling constantly. Heartburn has become a nightmare. I LOVE to eat, but I can take a couple of bites and my esophagus feels like it is on fire. Apparently when the baby drops, the heartburn eases up so I should know exactly when he decides to drop! I still have to pee every hour, and find myself in the bathroom several times a night. Eric is having a really hard time with my snoring haha! I never snored before I was pregnant so hopefully it will go away after delivery, but I just tell him he will have to endure this one symptom! The stretch marks have now migrated to the right side of my stomach as well, and although they could be worse, I try not to look at them. Graham is still very active and Eric and I can feel and see actual body parts moving across my tummy. His little feet have been right at my ribs for the past couple of weeks and as much as it sometimes hurts, I LOVE it! Other than those few issues( haha I know there are many) I am doing fabulous! My next Dr's appt is this Friday and I will let y'all know if there is any progress. My parents are coming in town on Friday as well, and my dad and Eric are going to make my yard look presentable for the family get-together at our house on Saturday. I cannot wait to visit with both of our families and show off Graham's precious nursery! I will post pics of my past showers and my belly soon! Have a wonderful week!

Nesting and Showers

So I never truly understood the concept of nesting when reading other friends' blogs and discussing how mommies get ready for baby in the past. Now I get why nesting is listed as a symptom in all of my pregnancy books because I have worn myself, and my husband, out this weekend organizing, scrubbing, and preparing my home for a new little person. Nesting really is a surge of energy, perhaps in fear that you will go into labor without having prepared for visitors and a baby in your home. In the midst of all of my OCD cleaning, I began to wonder how refolding all of our clothes in the dresser and going through our bathroom cabinets and reorganizing my lotions was preparing for baby. The lady at Aveda was snickering as I came in to purchase my travel sized shampoo and conditioner for the hospital and even commented, "it's not like you are going on an airplane". I thought, "lady, I am about to undergo a traumatic event where icky yucky things will be on my body. All I want is to enjoy my shower afterwards and smell like my favorite shampoo, not some industrial-grade soap, and I want it in those cute little handy bottles. Let me nest, dammit!" Speaking of showers, I had my first baby shower last weekend hosted by some of my best friends Lesley, Lena, and Kaylin. They did SUCH an amazing job, and I loved getting to see some old friends! I loved everything that was given to me for Graham. We got his diaper bag, diapers, bath sets including a tub, stroller system, crib bedding, grocery cart cover, clothes, several blankies and towels and much more! Here are some pics from the shower, followed by some pics of my FINISHED nursery! Yes, you heard correctly! My crib came in and Eric and Daddy put it together while we were at the shower. I even used the precious poms from the shower and hung them in the nursery!

As far as my health goes, I am feeling pretty good! I have to pee on the hour, and that only seems to be getting worse as Graham grows and drops more. The heartburn is back with a vengeance, and my swelling varies depending on how much I am on my feet! I have a strong intuition that Graham is going to come early. My family and friends feel the same way, but some people say don't bet on it! I don't know why, but I just feel "ripe" haha! My stretch marks are becoming more defined and Graham is an active little booger, but instead of kicks and punches I now feel rolling over and bulges. He is definitely running low on space, and so is my dinner! I can hardly eat a few bites and I am full as a tight tick! I am really excited about travelling to Florence this weekend for one of my baby showers on Sunday! I will post pics next week! I also have a Dr.'s appointment on Friday so I will keep you updated on how that goes! Here are some belly pics of me at almost 33 weeks!! Enjoy!

My little Riverdancer

Last night, I realized what my son's profession will be: a professional Riverdancer. Eric and I could not believe how wild Graham was acting! His legs/arms were going bonkers, and we both could see and feel them going to town. I have felt and seen Graham kick many times before, but to actually see a protrusion from my tummy in the shape of a foot is completely insane!!! Eric told me this morning that he felt Graham kicking him in the back all night long (my big ole belly must have been against him) and I did not sleep much at all because he was so active. I didn't mind though- it was fun laying there feeling him move all night. I am so excited because my first baby shower is this weekend!!! Yay!!! I will get to see many friends that have not seen me since I have been pregnant so I am super pumped. My family is coming down and bringing our crib which finally came in, Thank the Lord!!! Eric and my dad will be putting the crib together while my mom, my sister, and I are at the shower! I cannot wait to see the finished nursery- it will look complete once the crib is up. I feel like Graham has really dropped this past week. I have to go to the bathroom on the hour, and my stomach feels so heavy and low everytime I stand up. The swelling in my feet has improved so so much- I cut out most of the salt in my diet and it has done the trick! I caught a terrible cold this week, and have been struggling with a sore throat and major congestion so I had my Dr. call in some meds to get me feeling better before the weekend. I will let everyone know how our breastfeeding class and Dr's appt goes today- Wish us luck haha!! Here is my 31 week belly pic:

I Am Now Prepared.....

So this past weekend Eric and I spent our Saturday at St. Vincent's Hospital "Planning for Parenhood". This course basically covers head to toe all aspects of labor and newborn care. Aside from taking up my entire Saturday, I really enjoyed the class. I definitely learned alot about labor that raises my anxiety levels a bit (contractions, tearing, PAIN, to name a few) but I also feel more prepared to have a baby. It was hilarious when we took "potty breaks" and 24 VERY pregnant ladies were lined up to go potty haha. I feel like Eric got alot out of the class too- he is even more excited now! I think the meconium diaper freaked him out most, which was suprising because I assumed that the gruesome delivery videos would scare him! We got to tour the birth suites, which are really nice! Our teacher also taught us how to swaddle, bathe and diaper newborns, which Eric is still bragging about because his diaper skills were better than mine! I told him that he better remember this when he has to change poopie diapers in a few weeks. After the class, my mom and dad travelled down from Florence to bring us our glider that came in! We worked on the nursery for the rest of the weekend so basically everything is ready- we just need a crib and a baby! See pics below of the progress we made!

More exciting news: Lesley and Jake are having a baby girl! They got to have an ultrasound yesterday and they said that since Les is only 14 weeks along they weren't 100% certain, but that it looked very much little a little girl so that means Graham already has a wife lined up! I cannot wait to meet the little princess in a few months! Last night Lesley, Jake, Graham, and I went to see John Mayer. We got box seats through our work so it was super nice getting to relax and enjoy the show! I think Graham really liked the music because he would kick and move everytime a good song was played. He really seemed to jam out when Michael Franti played so I think he is going to be a little "rasta man" haha. I hope everyone has a great week! Happy Valentine's day- I will be spending it with my 3 babies as Eric has to work on Sunday!

Ring of Fire

Zantac 150 and Tums are my very best friends. I depend on them with my well being and sanity, and I don't even think about going anywhere without them! Seriously, the "Ring of Fire" also known as my esophagus has given me more grief than I could have imagined! I am getting desperate here! I don't want to eat because of the heartburn, but I am starving! I cannot finish meals because of it, but I am not full! Starting this week, I have been waking up in the middle of the night with my throat on fire, so now I have to figure out how to sleep sitting straight up! I definitely understand the scientific reasoning behind heartburn during pregnancy: baby is pushing all of your organs up to make room, therefore your stomach acid starts creeping back up your esophagus. Mark my words right now- This is the worst symptom I have experienced thus far! I am going to have to face reality in that Graham is going to double in size over the next 2 months and take any leftover room that my stomach has, so I guess I better suck it up and prepare to eat porridge and sleep in the dining room chair (haha I am exaggerating). I am doing great with the exception of the heartburn, the cankles, and the exhaustion that is slowly returning. Although sleeping at night is getting ridiculously uncomfortable, I have been given the best gift EVER: a maternity pillow. Words cannot describe how fantastic this candy cane shaped pillow is! Lesley bought it a few weeks ago at Babies R Us and hated it, so she gave it to me to try and I would pay big bucks for this bad boy! I have read other's blogs about how they liked their maternity pillow but I was trying to get around buying one; let me tell you it is worth it! Eric hates it because now instead of laying beside his wife every night, he is barricaded away from me with this huge tube of cotton. I love him dearly, but frankly for better sleep and comfort he will have to settle with spooning my pillow for a few more weeks! I cannot believe I have been pregnant for almost 30 weeks now! Only 10 more weeks left! We are continuing to get the nursery ready- our crib bedding and chair is on its way, our mobile arrived, and we purchased our dresser this past weekend. Here is a picture of part of the nursery so far (ignore the painters tape haha):

Apparently our crib still has not come in although I was told it would be here in 3-4 weeks and it has now been 6 weeks. I have heard from several people that the store I ordered from tends to procrastinate about getting things in and actually have gotten things in after the baby is born. I hope they know who they are dealing with here, and I will be nice for a period of time, but there is an expiration date on my patience these days. Just don't tell me, a psycho pregnant lady, that something is going to be in if it is not! Simple as that!

Here are some belly pics. I did slack off on taking pics for awhile there during the holidays but from now on I will take a weekly pic! Have a great week and wish Eric and I luck as we go to our Planning for Parenthood class on Saturday!

20 weeks:

27 weeks:

29 Weeks:

Maximum Capacity

So yesterday could have possibly been the most exciting day of my pregnancy thus far: the 4D Ultrasound!!!! Of course I have been super excited for Graham to get here, but seeing that sweet little man inside my tummy made everything so real! Since walking out of that ultrasound room yesterday, Eric and I have said to eachother over 50 times "I just cannot wait until he gets here". He was absolutely so precious, so perfect that it makes tears well up in my eyes! He loves his hands and had them balled up at his mouth for the first 30 minutes of the ulltrasound. His little fingers are extremely long and skinny, and everyone has said he has my nose. I have a honker, so I am not sure if the distortion from the 4D was making his nose look a bit large or if he really has a Looney nose, but I personally see some of Eric's features in his face. My heart melted when he grinned at us, and luckily we got that shot on one of the many photos the tech gave us as well as the DVD! As you can imagine, I have stared at these pictures all day today! Something as amazing as seeing your little baby overshadows any negativity that pregnancy brings, EVEN stretchmarks! Yes, it is true, I hit my maximum capacity this past weekend. I noticed a small patch of purple striations underneath the left side of my belly, and I was just sick! I don't mind being fat, swollen, and hungry for a certain amount of time but I just did not want to be permanently scarred from this. God definitely brought things into perspective yesterday; it was as if He was saying "Quit whining, look who is patiently waiting to meet you. A few stretch marks are a small price to pay for this beautiful baby". So now I will stop complaining about my pregnancy "badge" or whatever they call it!

I also had my glucose screening yesterday, or at least I was supposed to have it done. After peeing in the cup first thing yesterday, I was bombarded by all of the lab ladies. They demanded to know what exactly I had eaten for breakfast. I innocently replied, "Lucky Charms". They were like, "oh my gosh that is awful". Well EX-CUUUSEE me, but if I am not mistaken, I am pregnant, and pregnant ladies like weird and tasty things. Why is this so awful? Apparently, Lucky Charms are loaded with sugar and not very good for a glucose screening because my sugar levels were at 2+ which is supposedly very bad. How was I to know? They even gave me a diabetic diet to follow, which my Dr. told me to ignore until I actually failed the glucose test. So say prayers that the repeat glucose screening comes back normal, and don't worry, I will NOT eat Lucky Charms for breakfast this time! Have a fantastic weekend and enjoy the pictures!

Time is Flying!!!

Well it has been awhile since I have posted; I know I am slacking on my blog but things have really been busy! I am 27 weeks pregnant this week and about to begin my 3rd trimester! Graham is busy kicking as usual, and it feels as if he is getting stronger with each jab and kick. Eric and I love playing music and watching my stomach- he LOVES Kings of Leon! Seriously, you can actually see him kicking which is amazing! My symptoms haven't really changed- I still have awful heartburn and my swelling is out of control, but I feel fantastic for the most part! Still no sign of a stretch mark (knock on wood) but my belly does get itchy. I am counting down the days until our 4D Ultrasound which is scheduled for next Thursday! I also have to have my glucose screening test and my monthly prenatal checkup on that day, so it looks like I will be at the Dr's office all day but it is def. worth it!

This past weekend we went to Ikea in Atlanta with Eric's family and had a great time! We bought Graham's area rug, floor lamp and all of his shelf and drawer organizers for the nursery! I am getting very anxious to get the nursey finished- I feel like if I don't hurry, I won't get everything done before I get too big to function. I have ordered his glider and his crib and we are now just waiting for those to come in. I am having his mobile custom made by a lady from Etsy; she does adorable mobiles and is designing an owl/tree mobile to match his bedding. Mom and I are trying to order the crib bedding and as of now, it is still out of stock! I will drive to the Dwell Studio factory and manufacture my own bedding if I have to, but I WILL get the bedding I want! They surely don't want a crazy pregnant lady up at their factory! Although I am nervous about the bedding, I am so excited about my first shower coming up! Lesley picked out the cutest owl invitations for my Birmingham shower and I cannot wait to see everyone there!

Here are some pics of the stuff I have picked out for Baby Graham's nursery! Enjoy!

Mobile: (it will be the colors of my bedding rather than this: turquoise, brown, baby blue, green)

Bedding:

Crib:

New Year, New Baby

I am so excited about 2010! I am certain that this year will bring some of the best memories of my life. I did not make a New Year's Resolution this year- I didn't need to. I don't have to worry about losing weight or stopping habits that are bad for me, and I love that! Now don't get me wrong, I have set plenty of career goals for this next year! I also have some deadlines for finishing the nursery and financially preparing for Graham. I am just completely at peace with the way things are going in my life right now, and I am thankful that my anxiety levels are low! I have several exciting things going on right now: my baby showers are being planned, our preparing for parenthood class is coming up, and my 4D ultrasound is this month! Graham continues to kick and squirm around everyday and I am LOVING it. Eric has felt him kick once, and so now every night before bed I have to drink a coke so Eric can try and feel his little man! I still haven't developed any stretch marks but I have noticed a suspiscious vein on my stomach that looks as if it could become one. My belly button is still flat, but getting tighter everyday, and my swelling has gotten terrible but I got a great report from the doctor. My blood pressure has consistently been right on target and my protein levels are fine so Dr. Ingram is no longer worried about the possibility of toxemia. She says that I am likely just a "sweller" and unfortunately will swell throughout the duration of my pregnancy. Aside from the nasty cankles that I have, as well as the fact that none of my shoes fit anymore, the swelling doesn't bother me as long as Graham is healthy. Dr. Ingram also double checked me over after my little fender bender last week. To make a long story short, I was on my way to work and was yielding after getting off of the interstate. I thought that the Z4 BMW convertible in front of me had already gone during an excessively long break between cars, so I glanced left, and then took off! DONK! I slammed into that poor little convertible. I was absolutely terrified! I have never been in an accident and up until that moment had a perfect driving record. The sound of the collision exagerated the whole situation so I was shocked that I did not damage my car at all, and only damaged the BMW. I knew I was physically fine; I did not hit my stomach and Graham was moving around like crazy in my tummy, as if to say "its ok mommy Im fine! Dont worry!" Eric says he was saying "You dumba$$! You could have hurt me! Pay attention!" hahaha. In any case, we are perfectly fine, and now I am on high alert when behind the wheel!

My best friend Lesley's pregnancy is moving along perfectly, and I am just waiting on that tiny little flat tummy of hers to poke out. This weekend, we went shopping and went in Gap Maternity. It was hilarious watching her put on that strap on belly and try on clothes with me. She even got some maternity jeans that had a full panel, and since she is now 9 weeks pregnant, she will be wearing them in no time!!! She is doing great and is having minimal symptoms: tired, frequent peeing at night, but no morning sickness thank goodness! I wanted to update everyone on how she is doing, but I am encouraging her to start her own blog so you can hear it first hand!!

I will post some more belly pics soon! Have a great week everyone!