Waiting for baby

We have made it safely to 37 weeks :) hooray!! :) I am able to continue my day to day activities now. I still stay home as much as possible, but sometimes it's nice to be able to walk around. My doctor is back this week, so if we went into labor tonight she would be there to deliver :)

I really feel like he could come any day now. Friday night (early Saturday morning), I started to have contractions around 2:30am. So I monitored them to see if we needed to head to the hospital. 3 hours later, they stopped! Then last night... around 2:30am I started to have contractions again. This time they were a little stronger, enough that I needed to breathe through most of them, but 3 hours later they stopped! Little guy is just teasing me! So I am hoping that tonight might be the night... maybe I'll have contractions again at 2:30am, and they will be stronger than last night so we can go to the hospital and deliver our baby boy. :)

If he doesn't come, that's ok. I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, so she can tell me how close I am to going into labor. I am still two and half weeks from my due date, so I really cannot complain. I am getting pretty uncomfortable, so it would be nice to finally hold our baby boy in my arms and not in my belly.

Couch rest

I had another doctor appointment today. My doctor is out of town this week, so I saw another doctor in their practice. Baby's heart rate is a strong 147, and I have gained 29 pounds this pregnancy. The nurse told me that it's routine for the doctor to check me at 36 weeks to see if I am dilated. After she walked out I thought... "won't she be surprised!"

The doctor told me my test results from my Group B Strep which turned out negative. I was a little surprised because I was positive with Kaitlyn. I was told by my doctor two weeks ago that it varies by pregnancy, and I guess she's right. All that means is that I won't need an antibiotic during labor. I am still planning a drug free delivery, and we will see if that ends up happening.

When this doctor checked me she was surprised to see how low baby is positioned, just from belly measurements. This doctor, seeing me one time, said to me "You won't make it to July," and told me there are 13 other doctors in the practice that will be on call this week for my doctor. Hopefully I won't need them.

I am now 4cm dilated, 90% effaced, and baby is at 0 station. This little guy needs to make it to 37 weeks, Monday, to be considered a full term baby. So we will be praying he stays in there 7 more days! So... I will be on "couch rest" for the rest of the week. It's going to be a challenge for me because I am such a busy body; I have to be doing something. Looks like I will have plenty of time to finish my book. :)

We can make it

I went to the doctor today. I was able to move my appointment from Friday to this afternoon. Our prayers are being answered! 6 days since my last appointment I am still 80% effaced, I am now 2.5cm dilated, and the baby actually moved up just a little (sitting at 0 station). That is a mini miracle! Not being on my feet I think has really helped the baby's position. The doctor says the "magic day" for us is June 28 (which is Grandpa Landis' birthday too). If we make it to the 28th our baby won't need to spend time in the NICU, but any time before that he may need to be in the NICU for a few days (he would be considered pre-term).

I actually feel really good after this appointment. I feel like we can make it two more weeks. I'll go to the doctor again next Monday. Until then, we will continue to pray for the little guy to keep growing strong in my "tummy".


I have started to tell Kaitlyn that her baby brother won't be inside Mama's tummy much longer, and that pretty soon she will be able to hold him. I asked her "How will you hold your baby brother?" and she puts both her arms out in front of her body level to the floor. I think the more we talk about him being here, the more she will accept the change. I don't know how much she fully understands, but it doesn't hurt to explain :)

I love her laugh

Kaitlyn has the sweetest little giggle, and some days the simplest things make her laugh. Here she is laughing at a silly noise I was making.

Keep him in there

I had my 35 week appointment this afternoon. Right before my appointment, I called Kaitlyn's pediatrician to see if he comes to the hospital we will be delivering at to check the baby, and he sure does! I let my doctor know the pediatrician to notify when our baby is born, and she was excited when she heard it was him. She said he's a very good doctor. I guess I asked the right mom for a pediatrician recommendation when we first moved here :)

Baby boy was quite active during the appointment today. His heart rate kept changing because he was moving around in there, it was between 140-150. My doctor checked me to see how I am progressing, and boy was she surprised. Baby is engaged (in labor position), I am 80% effaced (you need to be at 100% to deliver), and I am 1cm dilated.

My last day of work is now... yesterday. I have to take it easy til he arrives. I have been given many "don't-s" to keep from going into preterm labor. She said that you want baby to make it to 37 weeks, so we will do everything we can to keep him in there for at least two more weeks. If he were to come early, he may need oxygen (as his lungs wont be fully developed). The doctor will see me again next week to check my progression. We will be praying for him to not be so anxious to arrive, and to be full term.

First week at the pool

We went to the pool nearly every day last week! Kaitlyn loves to be in the water. This year we got her arm floaties so she can learn to swim. She is doing really well after one week! We are working on blowing bubbles and getting comfortable getting our face wet. She's got the kicking part down pat! Kaitlyn loves to jump in the water right into Daddy (or Mama's) arms. Every day she asks about getting her "swim soup" on to go swimming. It's a good thing we have the little pool in the backyard for the days the pool closes for cleaning. It's hard to explain to a 2-year-old why we cannot swim even though its really nice and sunny. Here's a few pictures from the pool :)

On our way

all smiles in the pool :)

Daddy enjoys swimming with Kaitlyn

Here's future Olympic swimmer, Kaitlyn :)
This was the first day that we let her "swim" on her own