23 Days

Yes, that is how long we have left until we become a family of 3 (and a half...including Bailey of course).  Cooper's estimated date of delivery is set for Thursday, March 10th.  We are scheduled to go in at 5:30 that morning, and the c-section is scheduled for 7:30.  I can't believe I'm actually typing that...23 days?!?!  That is not long AT ALL, and I feel like we still have a million things left to do.  We are sooo excited to actually have a day set that we can expect the little guy!!!  :)

My ultrasound and appointment went well today.  Cooper weighed in at 4 lbs., 14 oz.  His %-ile for weight did go down since the last time, but my doctor looked over the ultrasound pictures, and he said even though he is small, everything still looked fine.  He wants to keep a close eye on his growth though to make sure he continues growing, so we are scheduled to have an ultrasound at my remaining appointments.  He also did a non-stress test today, and he wants to continue those at my next appointments too.  I think he just wants to make sure Cooper stays healthy in the new couple of weeks, and the non-stress test today showed that things looked good.  If you're not familiar with that test, they had me lay on a bed, and they hooked me up to a monitor to listen to the baby's heartbeat.  Everytime I felt a movement, I had to push a button.  Apparently, they are looking for a movement or many movements close together, and then they watch to see if the heartrate increases. In our case, this happened several times (which was a good thing).

Did I mention how excited we are that we get to meet baby Cooper in 23 days????  

Now we've just got to work on getting this little girl as excited as we are...

The last leg of the race

So I really can't believe that the time has come where I've started my weekly appointments.  At times, it seems like I've been pregnant forever, but then again it also seems like it has flown by.  When we first found out we were pregnant in July, we thought March would never get here.  The first few months we were both busy with work, and I was starting a new school year, serving on jury duty, and on bed rest for a week.  The last couple of months we were busy with the holidays, and now we've been busy with getting Cooper's room ready (yes, I know...I have not posted pictures.  I will get to that soon!) and baby
showers.  Now, it is just about March, and our little boy will be here in no time.  :)

35 WEEKS

I went to the doctor on Thursday for my first "check", and to no surprise, Cooper is still breech.  This might be too much information for the blog, but my doctor said he thought he could "feel" a foot or two.  That means that either Cooper has put his legs down (YAY!) or the doctor was feeling something else besides a foot.  Anyway, I know for a fact that his head is still in the same place...right under my right rib cage.  I feel it everyday, and it's definitely very easy to tell that it's his hard head.  The big news we did get was that at my next appointment (tomorrow), we're going to have another ultrasound to check his position again, and if he hasn't moved, then we're going to go ahead and talk about scheduling a C-section.  Even though it is possible for Cooper to still turn in the next few weeks, my doctor is pretty sure he won't because of the way he is wedged in there.  As crazy as it might sound, Brad and I are both very excited about the C-section.  The recovery period may be a little longer and maybe a little more uncomfortable, but how great is it that we can schedule the exact day and time we get to go into the hospital and I don't have to go through the hours and hours of labor?  Sounds like a plan to me! :)  Hopefully after tomorrow we'll have more information and maybe even an exact day and time that our little guy will be born.  I'll be sure to post again tomorrow night with an update.

Growing like a weed...

That phrase describes our little boy and my growing belly! :)  If you remember back to an earlier post, we went to the doctor for my 28 week appt. at the end of December, and Cooper was in the 34 %-ile for weight (2 lbs., 7 oz.).  Also at this time, my amniotic fluid level had been around 7.8 or 7.9.  My doctor had said he didn't consider this low (3 or 4 would be low), but he likes to see that number at 8 or higher. Well, when we went back to the doctor a week and a half ago for yes, you guessed it, ANOTHER ultrasound, we were very pleased to hear that Cooper was weighing in at 4 lbs., 7 oz. (59%-ile)!  And, my amniotic level had increased to 11, which my doctor said was great.  Way to go buddy!  I guess he's plumping up from all the extra food I've been eating.  Brad thought I always ate a lot before, but now it feels like I'm always hungry.  I go to bed hungry, get up hungry, am still hungry after lunch...it never stops! 

We also went back to Precious View for our very last attempt at a 3D/4D ultrasound.  The lady did say we had set a record of being there a total of 6 times (from 15 weeks-33 weeks).  She was able to get some of the best pictures we've ever gotten.  The neatest thing that we got to see during this ultrasound (besides Cooper's sweet face) was that we got to see him hiccup for several minutes.  It was so weird because I felt every one, and then on the screen, you could see his little stomach bounce up and down at the same time. So neat!!!  At the time of this ultrasound and of my doctor's appointment, Cooper's legs were still up in front of his face and he was still breech, so Brad and I have pretty much told ourselves that a C-section is definitely a strong possibility.  The more I think about it, the more I am ok with a C-section.  It would be nice to know exactly when I have to go to the hospital and what day he will be born on.  The thought of not going through the many hours of labor also sounds pretty good right about now.  BUT, I know the recovery period is a lot worse.  So, we will take it as it comes, but we just want our little guy to get here and be healthy.

Enjoy what MIGHT be our last ultrasound pictures of Cooper (I can't believe I'm saying that considering we've had over 15 ultrasounds)...

Side view of his face.  I love his lips in this one.  It looks like he's puckering up! :)

Great shot of his foot in front of his face!  He was poking himself in the eye with his big toe.

I'm pretty sure he'll come out with a flat nose since his legs have been smashed in front of his face for several weeks.  His lips look plump in this picture too.

Look at those chubby cheeks!

Profile shot

Sweet baby feet

Attempt #3...unsuccessful!

Thursday afternoon we went back for our 3rd try to get a facial shot of our little guy on the 3D/4D ultrasound.  I'm at the point now where I would rather just wait to see what he looks like when he gets here in a couple of months, but since we paid for the session, the pictures, and the CD, the lady wants to make sure we get our money's worth. 
Every post I make is starting to be repetitive, so I'll keep it short and say that his hands were down, but his legs and feet were right in front of his face. As you can see from this picture of the side of his face, his leg is smashed against his nose and his toes are on top of his head.

She did worry us a little when she said she wanted us to come back one more time (this Thursday) to see if he COULD put his legs down.  She said he's getting so big now that he'll eventually run out of room and not be able to put his feet and legs down.  She even told me she wanted me to mention it to my doctor so that in case I went into labor they would know how he was positioned.  If he stays like this, it looks like a C-section could be in our future because I definitely don't want him coming out folded in half---OUCH! The good news is that he wasn't sitting on his butt this time.  He was actually almost completely head down! Yay!

Ok now little guy, we've given up on getting a good picture of you (for now), but let's just work on getting those feet down in the next couple of weeks!  :)

Bathroom Renovation

We've been in our house for a little over 3 1/2 years, and we have done a lot of updates....new siding, new windows, insulation, new lighting fixtures and ceiling fans, installed gas logs in the fireplace....but I must admit that we just finished a project that is on the top of my list as one of my favorites so far----THE BATHROOM!

When we first moved in, the bathroom was the one room in the house that I really didn't like.  It is really small and we can't do anything about that, but it was extremely outdated.  The tub was the original from when the house was built in 1940, so the finish on it was completely gone from 70 years of scrubbing.  I tried every cleaning product on the tub and tile of the shower surround, and nothing made the tub look clean.  So who did we call???  Bath Fitters!  They came in and installed their product on top of our old tub and shower and we went from this...

To this...

Amazing isn't it?  Well, this was were the total bathroom redo started.  The new bright white tub and surround didn't match the old dingy tile on the rest of the bathroom walls and floor, so Brad had the idea of redoing the floors.  I'll spare you all the details, but here's a before and after of the floor. 




I'm so proud of Brad for completing and doing such a great job on his first tile project!  I love it!!!  :)

After finishing the floors, we realized we had to do something with the tile walls, so we found a handyman to put up wainscoting.  2 or so months, a new tub/shower, floor, toilet, wainscoting, mirror, light, fan, and paint later, we had a completely new bathroom. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Did I mention how much I LOVE our new bathroom?  

Tick Tock....

Wow!!!  Time is FLYING!  I just realized today that my last post was on November 30, and I had no clue it had been a month and a half.  I don't make New Year's resolutions (I know I wouldn't keep them if I did), but I am going to promise that I'm going to do a much better job at keeping my blog up-to-date.  We have a very busy next couple of months ahead with getting ready for the arrival of our sweet little boy, and I want to make sure I write down everything from this point on.  Please forgive me if this post ends up being super long, but I'm going to try to cram the past month and half into one post.

Here's a recap:

• December 22- Brad and I, along with our parents, went back to Precious View for our last 3D/4D ultrasound to get some facial shots of Cooper.  Go figure that he had his little arms right in front of his face the whole time.  There was a split second where he did move them down, and she was able to capture this picture...

Isn't that amazing how clear it is?  Obviously, since we were only able to get one shot, she asked us to come back the following week, and wouldn't you know it that his arms AND legs were in front of his face (which means we didn't get any pictures on our second try).  The ultrasound lady decided that we should wait until he gets a little bigger so that hopefully he won't have enough room to put his arms and legs up as far as they were.  We go back for our 3rd try this Thursday.  I really hope he cooperates for once because we really want to see that sweet face again.  

• Christmas- Brad and I had a great Christmas with both of our families.  After the Christmas Eve service at church, we spent Christmas Eve with Brad's parents and grandmother, and we woke up on Christmas morning to this sight.

3 or 4 inches of snow made it look and feel so much more like Christmas.  We woke up bright and early Christmas morning so Bailey could see what Santa left her in her stocking.  She was very excited to get a Big Red doll and a couple of balls.

After packing up the car, we headed to Owensboro for the annual Christmas breakfast at Mamaw's.  We spent the next 2-3 hours opening presents at my parents.  Yes, it does take that long considering how many presents there are and the fact that we have to go around and open them one at a time.  That night, we went to my cousin's house to celebrate Christmas with my dad's side of the family.  By the time we got home, I'm pretty sure we were all exhausted from all of the festivities.  It's crazy to think that next Christmas we will have a 9 month old to share Christmas with.  It's going to be so much fun and completely different from what we're used to!

• December 28- We had our 28 week ultrasound and doctor's appointment.  I also had to do my 1-hour glucose test that day...which I passed!  :)  The ultrasound showed that Cooper was weighing in at 2 lbs. 7 oz.  I thought that sounded great, but the doctor said it was only the 34%-ile.  He said he wasn't concerned because he didn't expect me to have a big baby, but when we go back on my 33 week appointment, he's going to do another ultrasound to make sure that number is staying around 34% and not dropping.  During the past couple of ultrasounds we've had, the ladies have said that it seems like he has long legs.  So I guess he might be a long and lean baby like his buddy Carson! 
• We also had a scary experience on this day.  After I got home from my doctor's appointment, I layed down for a few minutes and got a really sharp pain in the lower right side of my stomach where I think my appendix is.  It was a constant pain that just got worse everytime I tried to move.  After about 20 minutes, I decided I would take a bath to see if that would help, but it didn't, and after about 45 minutes of laying in pain I decided I should call Brad and my doctor.  Brad immediately came home, and my doctor told me he wanted me to go up to the Labor and Delivery floor of the hospital just so they could check my appendix and check me for kidney stones, a urinary tract infection, or pre-term labor!!!  YIKES!!!!  This was not something I wanted to hear, but we made it to the hospital in record time, and thankfully, after hooking me up to all the machines, the nurse was able to tell me that I was not contracting, so pre-term labor wasn't looking like a factor (THANKFULLY!!!).  It ended up that my doctor was certain that what I was experiencing was just a severe case of round ligament pains.  By this point, the pain had subsided, and my side muscles were just extremely sore.  Our hospital trip only last about an hour and a half, and I felt so silly for going up there for round ligament pains, but I guess it's better to be more safe than sorry.  I was so happy and relieved to walk out of there and hopefully not go back for several more weeks!

Since the New Year, I've started back to work and celebrated my 27th birthday.  We've already had 2 snow days (yesterday and today) so I've been trying to enjoy them as best I can by laying around in my PJs and taking naps.  My birthday was great, and I can't believe I'm another year closer to 30. 

2011 is going to be the BEST year, and Brad and I have so much to look forward to.  It's still crazy to think how close we are to becoming parents.  This time last year, we were just beginning our journey to becoming parents, and now, we're decorating a nursery, registring, having baby showers, and gearing up for the biggest, most exciting change in our lives. 

Stubborn, Strong-willed, Uncooperative

Yes...these are all adjectives that describe our unborn child.  If you can remember back 4 weeks ago to my 20 week ultrasound, you will remember me saying that our little boy was not in the right position for the ultrasound tech to see his profile and spine.  This is what we saw 4 weeks ago...

Because of this, my doctor scheduled me to have another ultrasound yesterday (at my 24 week appointment) to try to get a view of the things we couldn't see last time. It took about 10 seconds for the lady to say something like "Well, the baby just doesn't want me to see what I need to see." She said he was sitting with his bottom down, looking face forward AGAIN. As soon as she turned the screen around, this is what we saw...

Looks very familiar don't you think?  Needless to say, I was very excited when she and my doctor told me we get to have ANOTHER ultrasound at my 28 week appointment!  He wants to try again to get those shots that he hasn't been able to get yet.  I was trying to figure it up today, and I think we've gotten to have a total of 9 ultrasounds so far.  Don't get me wrong, I am definitely not complaining.  We love seeing our little guy every few weeks, and I've decided he just likes having his picture taken.  :)

One of the neatest things about this ultrasound was that I got to see him blinking.  (Brad wasn't able to see it.)  It was the weirdest thing!  The lady captured this picture just as he was blinking.  I'm pretty sure his eyes are closed in this one...

We also got to see his nostrils, lips (of course he was moving his mouth...eating I guess), and his boy parts. 

It is still so surreal that this little baby is growing inside me.  Every time we see him, we get more and more excited (if that's even possible)!  My doctor said everything is looking perfect, and he would bet that I will have an easy delivery.  I sure do hope he's right about that! :)

Everyone I talk to always asks me how I've been feeling, and I can actually say that I feel great.  I have been extremely hungry...it's like I'm never full!  Those of you who really know me will probably laugh and say that me being hungry isn't anything new, but I promise...it is wayyy worse!  My eating consists of breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, another snack (or 2), supper, and maybe another snack.  Every night, as soon as I lay down to go to bed, I'm suddenly hungry again.  As for any other "symptoms"...I've had heartburn just a couple of times.  I never had heartburn before I was pregnant, and I'm still not 100% sure what I've felt in the past couple of weeks is heartburn.  Is it heartburn when your throat is burning?  That's the only thing I've felt, and I'm blaming it on heartburn.  I've also woken up twice over the past month or so with leg cramps.  My calf muscle is always sore for like 2 days after I get one of these cramps. 

Ohh...and a new milestone is that we can actually SEE my stomach move when Cooper moves and kicks.  On Friday, I could really feel him moving around, so I layed down for just a few minutes to feel it.  I pulled my shirt up just enough to see a small part of my abdomen, and sure enough, it looked like an earthquake!  I yelled for Brad, and he was quickly able to see it too.   We sat there and watched my stomach move for a few minutes, and now, every time I feel him moving, I want to look down at my stomach. I LOVE it!!!! 

We're planning on starting on the nursery in the next week or 2 once we get completely finished with our bathroom remodel.  I really can't believe that our baby boy will be here in just a little over 3 months!