33 Weeks!

Today marks 33 weeks, which means 7 more to go.  I just can't believe it.  She did good on the NST today, she didn't start kicking it off til right at the very end.  We have another ultrasound on Thursday, and mom's coming with me since Joey's going to be out of town.  This is the last week of his travelling like a crazy person for a little while, and I couldn't be more relieved. 

This weekend was definitely a lazy one, I have just not had any energy!  Daylight savings time really kicked me around, therefore, I will be going to bed as soon as I can test my sugar.  Next weekend will be a lot more active since I have one last shower on Sunday.  I know the girls at work will not disappoint.  The invites were super cute, so I know that the shower will be cute as well.  I'm glad to be sharing the day with Sharon, who is due about six week after me with Miss Evelyn Grayce.  It's so much fun to be sharing this experience with such cool people.  

Well that's all I have this week, here's the 33 week update!

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Week 32, so happy to see you!

As you can all see, posts have been a little sporadic over the past few weeks.  Being a CPA during busy season is bad enough, but being a preggo CPA during busy season is so much more difficult.  Between the long hours, Bradley classes and baby showers, the past few weeks have been absolute mayhem!  Luckily I’m done with the majority of my busy season work, so hopefully I will be able to give you all some more updates on me and Baby Girl.  Busy season definitely wreaked some havoc on my blood sugars, but they have since calmed down and hopefully I won’t get any more lectures from the doctor and the diabetes counselor.  I have started twice a week visits to the Dr. to monitor Baby B’s heart rate and her growth, which is sometimes a pain, but most of the time cool because I love to see her kick at the NST and I get to see her every week on the ultrasounds.

This past Sunday, my awesome sis in law and baby girl's favorite aunt to be Diana, threw a wonderful shower with the help of Joey’s aunt Karyl and cousin Abigail.  We had a wonderful turnout, and got so many great things for the baby.  Grandma Barbeauld came up from Florida, so it was great to see her as well.  One more shower to go next weekend, and then we should be all set and ready to go for baby girl’s arrival.  The nursery is pretty complete, so I will try to get a picture post up this weekend to show it off. 

One major event that occurred at the baby shower was the official release of baby girl’s name.  We have decided to go with Aubrey Lea Barbeauld.  Lea is my mine and my mom’s middle name, which is about as close to a family name that we were going to get.

The twice weekly visits are going well, and we got a good 3D picture of her face this week.  I can’t wait to see her in person here in the next few weeks.  Not long at all to go!

Here’s the 32 week update:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Thirty One and Counting! Single Digits Baby!

I have finally made it to 31 weeks, which means that the countdown is down to the single digits, 9 more weeks to go!  I just can't believe that this is the first week in March and that our little one will be here in May...luckily we have decided on a name, but you all will have to wait just a little longer until we tell a couple more people in person.  So far, the reactions have been pretty decent.  Not that it matters what others think, but it is good to have people that are at least somewhat supportive of your choice.

We had a great weekend this past weekend, as we got to spend a lot of time with our family and friends.  The Transcontinental gals (college friends of ours) threw a beautiful shower on Saturday in Baby Girl's honor.  I just feel so blessed that Baby Girl is going to have such strong female role models in her life and it was great to have them all in one place.  We got so many wonderful gifts, and I can't wait to get started on thank you cards to let everyone know how thankful we are for our friend's and family's generosity.  We have another shower next week, which I'm also excited about since some out of town family will be coming in to visit us.  It took 2 loads to get all of Baby Girl's laundry done, but it was nice to get everything cleaned up and put away since it looks like we will have another round coming this weekend.  My heart is just so full of gratitude and happiness right now.  Here's a couple of pics from the big day, ripped off my friend's facebook profiles just for you:

This has been a good week and a week of reflection for me in a way as I begin to see how real everything is.  The closer we get to May, I'm realizing that as hesitant and unsure as I was of myself about bringing another life into this world, I'm realizing that this was what I was meant to do, and this is why God brought Joey and I together.  It's not as hard as I thought it would be to make changes and sacrifices to the things I'm accustomed too, because I know that what I'm sacrificing for is going to be so worth it.  I had always said I was going to be ready for a child when I wasn't so selfish, and I feel that I am finally in that place.

Enough of the mush, now onto the most annoying symptom of pregnancy this month.  Holy stretch marks, Batman!  It's bad enough that they are rather unsightly and look like a dinosaur or something else with claws has attacked my stomach, they itch like no other. I'm up to lotion application 3 or 4 times a day, and they still itch to high heaven.  I'm going to follow the nurse's advice and "keep 'em greasy", and hopefully I will get some relief.  My grandmother suggested castor oil, and I might just try it if I get desperate enough.

Here's the 31 week update!  Only 9 more of these to go!

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

30 weeks down, 10 to go!

I can't believe that I'm 30 weeks this week!  This pregnancy has just flown by, and I'm not sure whether to be excited or scared to death!  We have only a couple more finishing touches on the nursery, and it will be all ready for Baby Girl.  I'm so lucky to be having baby showers both this week and next week, and I couldn't be more excited to be seeing some family and friends.  There are even some friends and family coming in from out of town, which makes it even more special.  It's been a long week without Joey here at the house, his college friends took him to Disney for a "you never got a bachelor party, it's your birthday, you're gonna be a daddy" weekend.  Plus he's been working out of town for a few days, so I'm definitely ready to have him back home for a few days.

This weekend, I got to meet a great couple and their little girl.  Turns out they used the Bradley method and also dealt with gestational diabetes.  It was so great to be able to talk to someone who has recently gone through what I'm about to go through.  I came away from dinner feeling very positive and optimistic that even being labeled "high risk" won't get in the way of working toward having the birth that we have been wanting.  I understand that there are still all kinds of situations that can happen that would lead us in a direction other than we are planning for, but I feel so much better knowing that having diabetes isn't one of those things.  On that note, everything on the diabetes front is going pretty well.  The are mostly good days and a couple bad days, but overall it really hasn't been that bad.

We went to the Dr. on Monday for the bi-weekly check up, and the Dr. informed me that I will now be going to her once a week.  The weekly appointments have come a little earlier than I expected, but it's what we have to do in order to make sure that she's growing on target and still healthy and strong. 

Speaking of growth, here's the 30 week update:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

High-risk What????

So here I am so close to 30 weeks, and I can’t believe it!  It has definitely been a wild ride, and we are so grateful that Baby Girl is healthy and growing at a perfect pace.  I went to the high risk doctor on this week and got an ultrasound and also spoke with the diabetes counselor.  Baby girl is measuring right on target at 3 pounds and was yawning away.  I got some great news while I was there – the Dr. said that he doesn’t need to see me again unless there’s an issue or if my OB feels it's nessecary, so all I have to do is send my sugars to the counselor once a week, and I’m good to go.  I can control the diabetes with diet, so there’s no reason for meds or any other interventions, which has made me extremely happy.  I really haven’t adjusted my diet, so I really think the diabetes diagnosis was just a little wake up call to get my nutrition in check, which I’m more than happy to do to make sure Baby Girl is healthy and happy.

Speaking of food, I thought I had avoided cravings, but as I analyze my behavior, I realize that I in fact have developed some food cravings/tastes that I didn’t previously have.  I have been eating a lot of breakfast burritos lately, as well as Italian subs.  These are 2 things I never ate before pregnancy.  It will be very interesting to see if these tastes stick around once baby gets here.  I have also been eating a lot of Chick-Fil-A.  I definitely liked Chick-Fil-A before, but I’m there almost every day for either breakfast (a burrito of course) or for dinner.  It turns out their nuggets are low carb, so going there is definitely a safe place for me to be able to get something delicious, and still keep my sugars in check. 

Well, I’m off to check my sugars and head to bed, I’m getting to work early in the morning so I hopefully won’t have to work to much this weekend.  I will just leave you all with the 29 week update (just a few days late J):

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because her bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Like many mothers out there today, I will also struggle with trying to maintain the best “work/life balance” for myself and my family.  Joey and I come from families of two extremes.  My mom worked full time for my entire childhood, and Joey’s mom stayed at home until Joey was in middle school.  When I talked to my grandmother, I found out that she even went back to work full time in the early 50’s!  So, when it came to the question of whether or not to stay home or go back to work, I honestly struggled for a couple of months to decide what would be the best for me and my family.  I would like to preface this with I respect women who choose staying at home or going back to work, and I am not preferential to either way.   I’m a big advocate of making the decision that works for your personality and situation and family.

I have worked since I was 16, and I couldn’t have imagined it any other way.  Work is something that I have always valued and I like to think that I have a pretty decent work ethic thanks to the values that my family holds and has passed down to us kids.  I worked hard in college to get the education for my career and then worked hard another year and a half studying for and passing the CPA exam while getting my footing at a CPA firm here in town.  Now, almost 5 years out of school, I have made this giant life decision that is going to change everything.  From the moment I saw the positive pregnancy test, my life was no longer my own.  My focus has now shifted completely from “me,Joey,work” to “baby,baby,baby”. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am still putting in the long hours until the baby comes (as hard as that is and will be over the next couple months), but I know in May things are going to be drastically different and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to maintain my current work situation with a little one at home, and feel like I was really being there for my family like i want.  Joey travels several days out of each month for work and although we have a wonderful support system around us, I want to be a very hands on parent.

I was dreading going to talk to my boss, but I knew that I would have to make some career sacrifices in order to obtain the family life that I’m looking for.  Fortunately, I have the option to stay home if I chose, although it would be pretty tight, but still doable.  I decided to take 6 months off after Baby Girl gets here and then I will go back part time, which means set hours during busy season and non-busy season times of the year.  It will be a big change for me in both the hours worked and the types of work that I’m doing, but I think it will be the best thing for me.  It allows me to get some adult time with co-workers and some extra cash for our savings and fun money, and it also allows me some more time at home to soak in every moment of this new little life that we are about to be blessed with.  My firm has been more than cooperative and supportive with everything and I’m so grateful that I’m working for such a great place.  We have also found great childcare that is affordable and right down the road, so we have definitely been lucky in regards to the plan that we have set in motion.

Even with all the decisions made, I still face a personal struggle in regards to if I am in fact making the right decision.  I am notoriously hard on myself in regards to my personal and professional accomplishments (just ask my mom), and jumping off the career track, even to the small extent that I am, is still somewhat distressing.  I was raised to be a strong independent woman who could take care of herself, and I find myself losing a little bit of that financial independence and professional identity by stepping back and making my family my main priority.  There have been several days lately when I am really into what I’m working on and enjoying the fruits of my labor that I worked at to get to my position, and I get a little sad because I know that it’s all going to change in just a couple of months. 

I honestly think it will all be worth it in the end, and I will be happy with my decision, but the not knowing definitely causes a little bit of second guessing on my part.  I know it will all work out in the end though, and I’m positive that I can accomplish anything with the wonderful family and friends that I have behind me every step of the way!

Hello Third Trimester!

I officially hit 28 weeks today, which is the beginning of the 3^rd Trimester.  I have to admit, it has hit me like a ton of bricks.  The stretch marks are on full force and I’m starting to get tired again like in the first trimester.   Also, I start going to the doctor every 2 weeks, so things are really starting to become real.  She will be here before we know it!

We went to the doctor today and baby girl had a great check up.  She’s weighing in at 2lbs 11 oz, and her heart rate was averaging at about 135.  She actually cooperated with the heart monitor this time.  The Dr. took some measurements during the ultrasound and said everything was right on target.  She is measuring a little over average at the moment, but the doctor said she was still in the normal range.  I actually got into a little trouble for losing a pound over the last 2 weeks, so I have to work on gaining this week.  It’s hard to gain when you are avoiding carbs J, but I will do the best I can.  I also got the Rhogam shot, which was not cool at all, it goes in your rear and really burns.  I’m definitely glad that part is over.

We also had a little talk about when baby girl decides to make her arrival.  As you all know, we are using the Bradley Method, which encourages drug free labor with minimal medical interventions.  I became a little concerned with the new “high risk” diagnosis due to the gestational diabetes, and how that was going to affect our plans for baby’s birth.  The doctor said there was no reason that we couldn’t wait at least until her due date to make any decisions regarding speeding things along with an induction.  Of course, after 40 weeks, due to baby’s safety, we might have to look into alternatives.  That made me feel a little better about possibly not being able to experience what we wanted, although I understand that we just have to go with the flow and make sure everyone is safe in the process.

Here’s the 28 week update:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.