Any Day Now

Tomorrow I will be 39 weeks! I have mixed emotions. I am super excited to have him, to see him, to hold and kiss him and to not be pregnant anymore. On the other hand I am worried about who will watch our boys if I have him before my Mom gets here in 6 days, if he will be late, and if the labor will go as I hope it will.
I feel like I have been waiting for this day F O R E V E R. Honestly, this pregnancy has been like 2 years has it not?!
I keep praying that he won't come late, but that he will come when he is ready and that God will have all the details worked out.
I do have 3 people who can watch our boys if he comes with in the next 6 days. Repeat: everything will be ok. Everything will be ok. (Talking to myself!)

I am S U P E R excited about my day today! I am getting a prenatal massage thanks to my sweet friend who bought me one! Then going Christmas shopping, then my Midwife appointment where hopefully she will say I've made some progress. I did have good strong contractions all day on Sunday. Then grocery shopping, which, yes is fun if I don't have toddlers with me.

I'm hoping with the massage, my midwife maybe encouraging things along, and walking while shopping that tonight will be the night!!! This whole pregnancy I've wanted him born on Dec 1. I just really like that day...it makes me think of snowflakes. I don't know why. ;)

So the unexpected thing I can't talk about, well it's been a bit postponed so I can't talk about for a few more weeks. But God is working things out and He is leading and He is good!

Thank you all for your encouragement and comments. They mean so much!! Hopefully a post follows this with a baby picture! :)

Love, The Curvy Housewife

Stressed

That about sums it up for ya!

Thanksgiving was good, lots of work but good. I spent the day before cleaning non-stop. My sis, her hubs and three kids arrived that night. The next day I cooked, and hosted all day. My sis helped me out. All 8 ranch guys were over so we had a total of 17 people in our home. It was fun!

Might I just say though that I was T I R E D when it was all over.

Back up to Tuesday: Did I mention the dentist thing? Tuesday I went to my dentist appointment because I have had pain in my tooth for months. I saw one several months ago and he said one of my tooths fillings or the tooth itself chipped. I didn't want an X-Ray while pregnant so I waited it out. Well two weeks ago while flossing I felt like I hit a nerve! I cried like a baby...so much pain. So I went in to have it filled. With out the X-Ray the dentist just did what he thought was right, which was laser remove part of my gum that grew in where it was chipped (which is what hurt so bad). While in the procedure he says he can see the nerve and I may need a root canal at some point. Oh Great. But hopefully in the meantime this take care of it. Re-assuring.

Well I get home, numbing wears off, and OH MY WORD. Pain. P A I N!!!! So bad!!! Crying, terrible pain! I was not expecting this!! I tough it out an hour or two, then take some medicine. Doesn't help. Oragel, doesn't help. I call the dentist, the assistant says, "Oh yeah, hon that was a surgical procedure. It will hurt for 3-5 days." F A N TA S T I C.
"How will I get through a natural childbirth if I can't handle this?" I moaned.

Then I said with confidence, "No. I much rather be in labor, while running a marathon, in the rain than have this excruciating pain."

Pain subsided through the night and next day. Still a little sore.

Oh and the day I went to dentist we had tornado warnings all day. Fun stuff.

I am still sick with a cold, and it won't go away!

Ok so here's what I am getting at............

Sick + Toothache + unexpected event + hosting 17 people + kids loud, playing, bickering at each other for 4 days = S T R E S S E D.

Last night and this morning the baby has not been moving much at all. I began to get worried so I called my midwife. The OB doctor on call said to come in. So I did.

I was hooked up to the monitor and baby's heart rate was good. But no movement still. So we waited about an hour, then she buzzed my tummy right by baby's ear...and OH BOY! Did he move :) He got quite the startle! Baby was perfect, all we wanted to do was make sure of that, so we headed home.

My blood pressure was 135/80 which is VERY high for me. I am usually 100-110/70. Stressed? Yes. So, rest for me for a few days with my feet up as much as possible.

Praying Baby comes soon, I am so excited & ready for him!!!

Love, The Curvy Housewife

Unexpected

Oh boy. What to say?

The hard thing is I can't say anything quite yet. Something very unexpected happened to us on Friday. I can say, God is good. My husband is amazing, faithful and godly. My boys are happy and healthy (well except for this cold we have) and Baby O and Mama are just fine.

Sometimes curve balls are thrown our way in life, and it's all part of the journey. We certainly did NOT see this coming, we know God is in control, and it's all part of His divine plan. Big things are happening with my family and I will share soon. We have total faith in God that He has an amazing plan!!

Another unexpected event was waking up very sick yesterday. Blah! I tend to always get a terrible cold in the last month of pregnancy..but with only 18 days left until EDD it's a major bummer. Now I am hoping he stays in until Mama is better. Even though I was sick yesterday I made the mistake of going out and we did a bunch of ministry stuff all day, and it was cold outside. Now I am worse.

Sleep is TERRIBLE. I can not sleep. Baby seems to have gone back up, all into my rib cage, making it very hard to eat, breath, sleep, sit, lay down, you get the picture!!! I need to sleep! Zzzzzzzzz.
{Pity Party I know}.
My boys and I stayed home from church today because we are so sick. My husband has to work today even though he is getting the cold too. Poor guy.

On a pregnancy update: I have been getting tons of contractions. STRONG ones. Still not painful, but enough to take my breath away. I told Davey to be ready for an unexpected home birth because unless my water breaks (like usual) I won't believe it's the real thing until I'm in transition and it's too late. =D Hope that doesn't happen!

I have a midwife appointment tomorrow for my 37 week. Hopefully she will check me again and I will have made some progress....but right now with all that recently happened I am not as* anxious for Baby O to come early. I'll update soon with more details.

Love, The Curvy Housewife

Baby Shower & 37 Weeks

This is me on Sunday in front of our barn :) Almost there!
My friend Ginger and I. Church through us a combined shower, both having boys, she is due the day after me!

Today I am 37 weeks. Full Term baby! Whoot! My prenatal appointment went good yesterday. Ultra sound looked great, amniotic fluid was up 3 points to a very healthy level. Praise the Lord. My blood pressure was higher (it was low last time). And baby's estimate weight is 6lbs 5 oz! Perfect size for 3 weeks to go. U/S tech said he'll probably be 8 pounds at the most. Of course the U/S can be off a pound either way.
Midwife checked me, I was dilated barely a dimple. Meaning not even 1cm yet. She said it wants to open, but it's not yet, and I am not effaced at all. Boo on that. I asked her when she can sweep my membranes and she said not until 39 weeks. Still praying this guy will be on time or a little early!

I no longer want to do Wednesday's weigh in. I am up 31 pounds total now. 3 weeks to go. The scale is not my friend. I am swelling, so I'll make myself feel better and say some of the weight is water. ;)

The baby shower went great! I am so humbled that all these ladies came for me and my friend Ginger to enjoy this special time with us. A lot of them made us both home made toys, blankets and clothes. So sweet. I did get some stuff off my registry too! Very exciting. I've had fun putting it all away and REALLY being just about done preparing for the baby.

I've got the baby's hospital bag all packed. His car seat is all set up in the car now...can't believe there are 3 car seats in the car!! My bag is partically packed, everything is set up and clean. We are ready to go people! Did you hear that Baby O? Anytime now is ok with Mommy!

Love, The Curvy Housewife

Counting Down

I have been counting down for this whole pregnancy. But now the real count down begins. On Thursday I will be 37 weeks, which is considered full term {according to doctors, not necessarily babies}.

I AM praying Baby O will be early. Not too early, of course want him to be completely ready! I am not too hopeful that he will be early, although I am doing all I can to encourage my body and mind to be ready. (I.E. walking, squatting several times a day, using Evening Primrose, drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea [actually waiting for this one to come in mail, couldn't find any where!] and having all our stuff ready for his arrival.) BUT, with God all things are possible!!!

Last night our Pastor preached on God's divine appointments. He preached that although we as humans may think WE are in control of our time, days, weeks, events, God is ultimately in charge. He orchestrates things we can't see. {Acts 8:29-36} For instance, have you ever thanked God for running late? Maybe, he just protected us from an accident. We never know. Anyways, that got me thinking, then isn't it, or shouldn't it definitely be up to Him when our baby is born?

I do believe God has plans for some women to be induced. If there are medical reasons for the induction, then that is God's will. It's very tempting to be induced, especially as I get so uncomfortable at the end and CAN NOT sleep. But more important I want a natural and healthy birth and baby. I can do all things through Christ.

I spent Friday all day shopping with ladies from our church, and we spent the night near the outlets we shopped at. It was a beautiful town about 3 hours away from us. All the ladies were convinced that I was going to go into labor there from all the walking! By noon on day 2 of shopping I was getting pretty worn out.

I am starting to swell now, and the baby feels very heavy!! I really really REALLY feel like I have been pregnant FOREVER. Is it just me or has this pregnancy really dragged on, and on, and ON!?

Tomorrow is my baby shower the church is throwing for me!!! I am SO excited. I'll have an update post on that and my prenatal appointment on Wednesday. :)

Matthew 7:7 Ask and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you..
Love, The Curvy Housewife

Wednesday's Weigh In & 29 days

We are in the 20's now people....29 days until Baby's Due Date!!! Although we know DD's are just a guess anyways...

Weighed in on Monday and it read I was up another 2 pounds...that would be 4 in ONE week! But today I was back down 2 pounds so it's the regular +2 in a week I've been gaining. Still not happy with it, and I know I very well could have actually gained 4 pounds. The last 2 months of my pregnancies I gain a lot of weight. Even though I got a head start with not gaining hardly anything until 6 months...my body knows to gain...and gain...and gain. I am OVER stressing about it. It's gonna happen...it's keeping my baby healthy...and Lord willing will come off quickly.

36 Weeks pregnant tomorrow = 26 pound total weight gain.

Pregnancy Update:
* Low blood pressure. I've been getting faint and weak here and there. Last prenatal appointment my blood pressure was 100/70. Border line low.
* Had an ultrasound last week (yay!). I really wanted one and asked for one. I told my Midwife I may be leaking fluid, so she checked vaginally but couldn't see any leaking, (also said I didn't look dilated at all..boo) but ordered a ultrasound just to be sure. Fluid level was OK, but it can't go any lower. I've been staying very hydrated trying to avoid this. We don't need any reasons to induce!
*Braxton Hicks. I walked 2.5 miles on Monday {pic above of me on my walk} , and since then I've been getting BH much more often. I also walked 1.33 miles yesterday with Davey :)
* UNCOMFORTABLE. Yup that sums it up. Sleep...not much, walking=waddling. Back hurts a lot.
*More pressure down there, and I think he's dropped a little bit.

Looking ahead:
I was sad my pregnancy is almost over....not because I want to stay pregnant, but because this huge event I've been waiting and looking forward to for eventually 10 months will be suddenly over. And of course I am super excited to have my baby in my arms, kiss and smell him, I am also scared and overwhelmed as to how I will be with 3 boys 3 and under!

I had bad baby blues with both Shane and Cody. It's normal. But it's not fun. I hope having a natural birth will help some with that, also going to California soon after he's born (Lord willing!), but how about when I get home from CA? Suddenly my husband is back at work right away, I have not had much time adjusting to life as a Mom of 3, my Mom will be home, and I will be ALONE....with 2 toddlers and a newborn.

Certain things really helps the baby blues:
1. Getting enough sleep.
2. Having help
3. Setting goals, something to look forward too.

Which brings me to the point that I am already preparing for what I will be looking forward to: losing weight again, training for Country Music Half Marathon, getting Baby on good schedule, having a solid routine, ect.

Of course I will be no doubt enjoying my new baby boy, and enjoying his big brothers and daddy being all googly over him. But I know it truly helps to have a goal set. I am excited for these goals and to see the scale go down again.

Did you have the baby blues?

Love, The Curvy Housewife

Blending for the Babies

Here it is....all laid out....This week I have been eating TERRIBLE!
There I said it. No wonder I've gained another 2 pounds this week. Blah. More than my weight, I hate the way all the junk is making me feel. Sure I can "blame" it on the Halloween Candy my boys got tons of. But truth be told, I am eating too many sweets, {cough* donuts...cough cough*}, not enough fruits and veggies, and I am getting full off of foods that are not nutritious. This has got to change! I only have 5 weeks left of my baby growing and getting all the nutrients he needs! So......

I have been wanting to try juicing veggies and fruits so I can be sure to get them in for little Baby O. I got V8 juice from WIC but it isn't very good, and it has sodium. I do chew 3-4 kids gummy vitamins a day as well (suggested by nurse since prenatal vitamins hurt my tummy this time).

I don't have a juicer, and I thought I could juice with a blender. I got carrots, spinach, apples, pears, mangoes, and more to try to make juice combos. Well turns out you can't juice well with a blender, so I went with a smoothie. I want my boys to have more veggies as well myself. I don't know if it's just us, but I struggle getting all our veggies in! I am responsible for 3 boys health, plus my hubby's and my own!

Well, the boys weren't too fond of the smoothy. Probably because they are too full off candy. Sigh. But Shane has been munching on carrots since I got them out. Yay. :)

2 Carrots
1 Apple
1/4 cup Mango
2 tbsp sugar (really needed something sweet)
1/4 milk
1 cup water
Ice

It's pretty tasty! Carrots don't blend well so there is a bit of a texture, but besides that I am pleased. I am excited to try one with bananas, spinach, and more.

Do you juice or blend? I need ideas!!!!

Love, The Curvy Housewife