BJ and I were talking about Italy the other day, and I realized that I was pregnant when we went! That seemed like such a long time ago that we went on that trip, I can't believe I am getting to the end of this long 9 month journey and going to start motherhood so soon! We had a doctors appointment this last Monday. Since he had checked my dilation and effacement the week before, he didn't need to check me this week. He asked me if I was having contractions and I said, "well, I have been having menstrual cramps on and off for the past couple days?" He then told me that those were contractions. Now can I just say I am grateful that theses cramps aren't excruciatingly painful but they sure do get old fast. I have been so use to not having a period these past months that I forgot how annoying cramps were...especially when they drag on for days. But as I keep saying, I really can't complain too much cause I have had a pretty good pregnancy thus far. So these minor aches and pains I can deal with.
Well we now start the big waiting game! Our little girl just keeps teasing me with these contractions. I will start to get them stronger and lasting longer but then they will go away. Last night I kept dreaming that I was going into labor, and when I got up to use to restroom BJ told me this morning that he thought I was going into labor and got excited. We are just both so anxious for this bundle of joy to join our lives. We both want her to be healthy and make it to full term, but sometimes the wait is hardly bearable. Only three more weeks.....only three more weeks...we can do it!!

Here are a few pictures of the finished nursery...well pretty much finished (I have a few pictures still that need to be hung up). My mom and dad bought us a brand new crib! We can't thank them enough. The crib we had sanded and painted ended up missing parts that we were unable to find so they suprised us with this gift. Thanks mom and dad! We also purchased a stroller and car seat, it took me awhile to find one I liked that was also gender neutral but I am pretty excited about this one. I also finally figured out what to put in the squares of the wall with the help of my mom and it only costed about $6. The picture of the diaper changer looks pretty cluttered in this picture but it is because I haven't bought a diaper bag yet and am still trying to organize how I want to put the clothes away.

WAHOO it is finally coming together! After the shower, BJ and I went through and was organizing the clothes and can I just say, doing that got me soo excited!!!

Yesterday was week 4 into our pregnancy class. We were supposed to have a pediatrician come and talk with us, but he couldn't make it. So we played a jeopardy game and practiced swaddling a baby doll. The jeopardy game was very informative and interesting. But my favorite part of the class was watching BJ swaddle the baby doll. It was so cute, he did a great job! I just had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude and love for BJ and realized once again what a great father he is going to be. I just feel very blessed to have him in my life and appreciate all that he does for me and everyone around him.

I had my first baby shower this last saturday. My mom and a few of my aunts were so kind to organize the party and prepare some yummy goodies! It was so fun to see everyone and oooooohhh and awwww at all the cute girly outfits.

For those of you that are sick of reading about baby stuff- sorry that is just what is going on right now. I keep trying to get BJ to do a post about the deals he gets on a weekly basis cause some of them are freakin awesome. But he is staying so busy with work and dealing with my emotional rollercoaster that he just hasn't had time yet :) poor guy. I mean girls have it bad with the aches and pains that come with pregnancy, but husbands have it bad too. They have to deal with the achy onry pregnany woman! Shout out for the patient husbands out there!

SOOO.....yesterday was week 3 in our pregnancy class. We have had 6 couples in our class but we just lost a couple this week. We just found out that they lost their baby. Mom was just over 20 weeks and delivered a still born baby. It just broke my heart. :( I can't even imagine what they are going through right now but we have definitely been praying and thinking a lot about them.

On to a lighter note, the focus this week was on the different stages of labor and epidurals. Our teacher had a doll, pelvis, fabric placenta, and an umbilical cord that she used to show us the process of delivery. It was freakin awesome. What cool props. We were planning on leaving early so BJ could go play basketball but BJ was so facinated with the tools and the epidural kit that we ended up not leaving early at all. They showed us forceps, internal monitor, vacumn extraction cup, and a few other random things. We then watched a video of a women getting an epidural. BJ eyes got huge when he saw how long the needle was. It was cute. The teacher then talked about the process of delivering the placenta which brought up a pretty big discussion of placenta's that I was NOT expecting. WARNING- if you have a weak stomach avoid the rest of this paragraph :)A couple from China asked where they put the placenta's after it is delivered and wondered if she could keep her's. The teacher didn't look at all suprised. She said, "We send it to the incinerator to be burned but you are more than welcome to ask for your placenta to take home with you." This couple then told us how when she was younger her mother went to the hospital and asked for a placenta, took it home and cooked it up for her and forced her to eat it. A placenta has a lot of nutrients and her mother told her that she was weak and needed to eat it. She compared it to the taste of Liver. The teacher then said people use their placenta's all the time to help grow trees and plants. They bury the placenta and then put the tree on top of it. I mean it totally makes sense that it would help things grow because it is growing our baby right now, they are full of nutrients but ugh that is gross to eat it! I about lost in when the teacher and this lady were talking about how to cook it up and comparing it to liver and onions. NO THANK YOU!
Can't wait to see what next weeks adventure has in store....

I just got back from the doctor's office. Last night I started having what I thought was "round ligament pain" where it hurt really bad when I would get up and then whenever I was walking. We were at my parents house and I was feeling anxious and told my mom that I wanted to have the baby right then and there. She told me I had to be patient and that she would come when she was ready. I said, "No I am going to get BJ and we are going to induce this labor right now!" So I went downstairs and grabbed BJ's hand and pulled him upstairs. He was in the middle of watching the jazz game and wondering what I needed. I said, "I am ready to have this baby RIGHT NOW! Lets Go!" He told me that I am not in labor yet. I said, "Ok, then lets go on a walk." So I started walking around my parent's house for a good 20 minutes and dragged BJ along with me until BJ headed back downstairs to watch the rest of the Jazz game and I got tired.

Needless to say I was having a hard time walking today without looking silly and hunched over, because the pain got worse. So I was really curious to see what the doctor was going to say at our appointment today.

Well.... I feel a little bit justified for hurting and taking it easy today. I am dilated to a 2, 80%effaced, and at a -1 station. The doctor told me he doesn't necessarily think I will have her this week but wants me to pack my bags and get ready just in case. He said that I am making good progress and the baby is faced correctly. (Ok so maybe the walk wasn't what started my dilation but I like to think it helped) Anyway, they tested me for GBS or beta strep and the results will be sent to Labor and Delivery just in case I don't make it till our next appointment next week. The doctor also said if I haven't had the baby by 39 weeks then he would induce me if I wanted, but he personally doesn't think I will even make it to 39 weeks!!!

WOW! This is good news..I am trying not to get to excited, cause I could be dilated to a 2 for a LOOOONNNNNGG time! Especially since this is my first. But it is still exciting cause BJ and I were not expecting to hear that from the doctor today.

As far as emotions go....SUPER ExCiTeD and at the same time scared out of my mind! I just hope and pray that all goes well with the delivery and our baby girl comes without any complications.

**** Also....forgot to mention. I PASSED MY NCLEX!!!! I am officially an RN!!! Phew, finished that just in time for this baby to come :) **********

Last night was the second week of our pregnancy class at Lakeview hospital. It was a pretty fun night. BJ was making me laugh the whole time. We talked a little bit about braxton hicks contractions and pre-term labor..but most of the class was focused on different breathing techniques.
The teacher gave us all a cloths pin and told us to put it where it would hurt so we could practice not thinking about the pain and work on our breathing. Then the teacher put on this annoying music that was supposed to mimick contractions. We practiced breathing...breath in 1...2...3....4..out...1....2....3....4.. and then as the music or contractions got worse then we would change up our breathing to match it. What was so funny about this; was how focused BJ got. It was seriously as if he was having a contraction himself. I would look over and he would have this total focus on his face and breathing in 1...2...3.....4.. and out 1...2...3...4.... it was as if no one else was in the room. Gosh I married a freakin awesome husband :) We also worked on relaxation techniques. The teacher put on some music and had us tense and relax all the different muscles in our bodies. I am sure some of you know the technique. Well this teacher was kinda funny about the things she said. She said, "Picture your hair folicles on your head closing and relax your head." Lol BJ looks at me with a funny look and points to his bald head. I could barely keep my laughter in.

Then the last thing we did was watch a video that showed different pregnant women breathing through their contractions. A few times it showed a mom breathing through pushing and showed the baby coming out. We also talked about the mucous plug and different warning signs to watch for such as spotting, dark blood, and increased drainage. Well while we were talking and watching these things...BJ looks at me with a disgusted face and put down his cookie that he was eating. He later told me, "ugh that is gross. All that blood and drainage. How can people eat while we talk about that?"

But all in all it was a great class and I was having a bad day so I needed a good laugh and I think BJ knew that..so he tried extra hard to make it a great class day! Thanks BJ. I am excited for next week......

This is kinda a downer so be warned! Like I said in the last post that I am feeling very emotional lately. I am happy one minute and sad the next- gotta love theses hormones that come with pregnancy. Well today is a downer day.
I am totally a to-do list person. If I don't write down things to do then I dont get anything done and feel depressed and lazy. Well, I have been having a few problems with my list making. First, my energy is totally gone. I get soo tired so easy and get frustrated when I don't complete the things on my list to do. Then there is my knee problems that have been acting up again which makes it even harder to get anything done.
I have a ton of time to do things around this house and plenty of projects that I can work on...then why do I still get down and feel like I haven't accomplished anything? Why do I feel trapped in this house and want to go somewhere else as soon as BJ gets home. Poor BJ works all day and wants to rest when he gets home and by the time he gets home I have been couped up in the house so long and going stir crazy that all I wanna do is leave or play or do something crazy with him and he just wants to rest and watch sports.
Ugh I am just feeling frustrated....
I want to be a stay at home mom with my kids, but how do mom's do it?