Dr. Appointment

I had another doctors appointment today so here are the stats:

Weight: +6 pounds (holy macaroni!!)
Blood Pressure: 124/78
Baby's Heart Rate: 135-140
Dilated: 1 cm
Baby's Head: still down and touchable upon examination
Swelling: unrecognizable feet and ankles!
Comfort Level: pretty much non-existent

Everything still looks good. As far as the enormous weight gain, I really shouldn't be that surprised. When I think back just two weeks I can tell a difference in how big my tummy has gotten. It's almost like I just woke up one day and BAM! there was this great big thing! So I blame it all on Baby Lew (oh, and maybe a little bit on my nightly Little Debbie donut stick snack!). I had the test today for Strep B, so I guess I'll find out those results next week. (Not really a big deal - just have to see if I am a carrier.) They also examined my cervix for dilation and I am at about 1cm. She did say the baby's head is right there (she felt it) but there should be no worries about anything happening for a little while still. My feet and ankles have started to just stay puffed up like marshmallows all the time now (which again, she said was normal and nothing to be that concerned about because all my tests each week show that there is no high blood pressure issue or high glucose or protein issues). Mostly it is just really annoying and a little painful. I have had to buy new shoes a couple sizes bigger just so I can stuff my gigantic feet into them (real attractive!). Sleeping has become a challenge, and I spend the majority of most nights in the recliner instead of bed because it is a little more bearable. I guess that is just preparing me for what is to come. So overall, I just look and feel really pregnant. But that is okay...only a month left and it will be completely worth it!

36 Weeks

I am now 36 weeks pregnant...that means only a month to go! Wow! Here is a picture from today so you can see how Baby Lew (and Momma Lew) are growing.

Long Overdue Update

Apparently I have been really bad about updating this lately. I won't try to make up an excuse, except to say...this working full time thing again is taking up all my time and energy! When I was last working full time I was three months less pregnant than I am now, and I can really tell a difference! I am absolutely pooped at the end of the days! But, I really like my new job and I think it was worth the wait and worry of finding something here.

So...a run down of the past several weeks...I'll start with the most current and work my way back...

Right now Eric is somewhere in Oklahoma at a pig show and sale. To be honest I'm not exactly sure what town, I just know it's a big show with somewhere around 900 hogs. Doesn't that sound like a ton of fun?!? And I am at home and Eric's parents are here as well. They are in the process of putting together Baby Lew's dresser/changing table while I am sitting here not helping and doing mostly nothing. Moral support...that is what I am providing.

A couple weekends ago Eric was in the panhandle area (Amarillo, Sunray, Panhandle, Canadian, Lubbock, etc.) all weekend doing the same thing he is doing now...looking at hogs and going to sales. Unfortunately, that weekend involved a lot of cold rainy weather, a lot of time in the pickup, and not much luck with the purchasing of hogs. It made for a long, wet, cold, and mostly unproductive weekend for them. (Glad I was not along for all of that!)

The week before that (which was also my last week on "vacation") Eric had to go to the State Fair because he had some kids showing heifers, so I went with him one day. I had actually never been to the State Fair of Texas before, so now I can say I've been. Besides going to the heifer show and hanging out in the barn area, we did walk around some. However, it was warm and I am not really interested in walking much these days so I know we didn't get the whole "fair" experience. It was enough for me, though!

And going back even farther...the week before that my mom (aka Nanny) came and visited for the week. We did a lot of shopping (or rather "looking") and had a really nice visit for the week.

Okay...so maybe that will get me a little more caught up. Everything with Baby Lew is going well...he seems to be growing a lot these days. I can tell a pretty big difference in my stomach size in the past couple weeks (nothing fits anymore!). And I can also tell a difference in my own "comfort" level...which is pretty much non-existent. I'm not really sleeping much (or very well) these days, and spend most nights in the recliner instead of the bed, but I guess that is just good preparation for the sleepless days and nights to come! Baby Lew is moving all the time, which is quite entertaining to watch, and it makes me think he is getting anxious about getting out of that cramped little space. I am getting excited to meet him and see who he looks like and what his little personality will be like. How exciting!

Dr. Appointment

I had yet another doctors appointment yesterday so here are the latest stats:

Weight: +3 pounds (I seem to be gaining all the weight here at the end!)
Blood Pressure: 124/80
Baby's Heart Rate: around 140 (same as it has been all along)
Baby Lew's twisting/turning/flipping/kicking/rolling/etc.: All the time!!! (hilariously entertaining!)
Baby's Weight: probably between 4-5 pounds (approx. by the doctor)

The doctor said everything looks good and I am right on track. At my next visit in two weeks I get to have a Strep B test (?) just to see if I am a carrier, so that is something to look forward to (note the sarcasm here!). After the next visit I will have to start going in every week - that means it is getting really close!

Everything else is going well - just busy right now with the new job and trying to get in a routine. I will try to update soon about it all.

Gainfully Employed!

Yippee!! I finally got a job! And only 7 weeks before Baby Lew is due! (Nice timing, huh?) But, regardless, I can at least get started and learn as much as I can before he comes. So, where is this great new job you may be wondering...I will be working at North Central Texas College in Gainesville as the Institutional Advancement Accounts Coordinator. Basically I will be doing all the accounting for the NCTC Foundation scholarship program, as well as the Ex-Students Association. It should be a really interesting and time-consuming job (which is actually good for me...I like to stay really busy at work). My first day will be this coming Monday, so my "vacation" time is quickly coming to an end. I guess I will try to take as much advantage of these last few days as possible!

Dr. Appointment

Here are the stats from today's doctor's appointment:

Weight: +2 pounds
Blood Pressure: 136/78
Baby's Heart Rate: 140's
Baby's Head: Still down!

I am measuring right on track at 32 weeks and everything looks good. My blood pressure was a little higher today than it has been so I have to monitor it every day for the next two weeks to make sure it doesn't go up more, but other than that everything is okay. Sometime soon (as soon as possible according to the nurse) I need to go do all the pre-admission paperwork at the hospital so I guess that is on the agenda for sometime in the next week or so.