40 weeks: Definitely Ready

40 weeks

Hopefully this was the last full week of pregnancy!  It has been both more eventful than I would have liked (a trip to the hospital) and also less eventful than I would have liked (Baby Mildren missed his due date!).

Head Over Heels

On Tuesday, while talking to someone as they were walking by me, I tripped over a bench at work.  I hit the bench right at the knees and naturally fell onto my stomach.  It wasn't a far fall, the bench caught me pretty easily, and I wasn't that concerned.  Just to be safe, I called the doctor's office to see if I could come in at the end of the day for them to hear the heartbeat to make sure everything was in working order.

Apparently, they take any blow to the belly after 22 weeks pretty seriously, because I was ordered to come right into the Labor & Delivery unit at the hospital so I could be monitored -- for the next 6 hours!  I thought this was a slight overreaction on the hospital's part, but I guess I would rather be bored for an afternoon and know everything is fine with the baby rather than go home and wonder about his health.  There was also the complicating factor that I am Rh-, which means Will and I have different blood types, and they needed to make sure there were no internal tears that would cause any blood to mix.

All's well that ends well, and the fetal heartbeat was totally fine the whole time, with no blood mixing issues.  Sadly, I did not go into labor while there (which would have been convenient!), so I was home by dinner.  The only lasting effects were my banged up knees from the cement bench!

The Due Date Comes....

and the Due Date Goes...

January 14, 2012 

This is a date that James and I have really had in our minds.  It isn't very encouraging when people ask you when you are due, and you have to say, "Yesterday." It's the first question people ask when they know you're pregnant.  It's when you think "That's the big day!"  But while it was still fun to celebrate James' mom's special birthday on January 14th (without her having to share it with any pesky new relative ;)  it was a very uneventful day in Lawrence.  Not even a Braxton Hicks fake contraction to get us excited! ha!  And, since we obviously didn't make any social plans for that day, it seemed somehow longer and slower than if we would have had something to do or somewhere to be.  Oh well, we enjoyed another weekend as a twosome, and of course, enjoyed getting that sleep!

Only 5% of babies are born on their actual due date, and since Baby Mildren didn't make an early appearance, we should have assumed he would run a little late...which is ironic, because we consider ourselves very punctual people!

A girlfriend told me that once you no longer have tons of anxiety about labor and just want to have the baby, only then are you really ready. That's me these days!

....And if all else fails this week, the induction is scheduled for this Saturday, Jan 21.  Let's hope that isn't necessary!!!!

39 Weeks: Ready or Not!

Side View

3/4 View

(see?! I really do look full-term!)

It struck me this week.  I'm going to have a baby.  Give birth to a baby.  Be in labor.  Be in a hospital.  Ask for an epidural.  Hold our child in my arms.  The eventuality and reality of starting a family sunk in -- this moment is basically within days of happening.  It will happen before February 1 arrives.  Will is going to be here!  WOW!!

...our last hurrah?

We spent the weekend relaxing, sleeping in, visiting friends, and we squeezed in a date on Saturday night in downtown Lawrence.  It was very nice to have both days to ourselves to get everything in order in case Baby Mildren arrives during the work/school week and we would be less prepared.  We cooked a big pot of chili for the week, I baked some cookies (every new mom home from the hospital will want cookies!), and cleaned the house.

I took some pictures of the nursery, too, while it is as clean as it may every be, who knows!  We really haven't "decorated" much beyond some small things on the walls, but we are okay with that.  There will be plenty of years to add to the room.

Lots of generous friends and family helped make the baby room special.  Some nursery highlights: 

Linden made us a baby quilt, which is adorable and perfect!  

We love it, and we're sure the baby will, too!  

Liz gave us a most prized possession, Baby Mildren's first white noisemaker, 

the Sleep Sheep!!!  

James and I swear by our noisemaker, so we are so happy that Will gets his own :)

Betsy got us the (only truly jungle-themed) wall decoration of a cute monkey.  

My Aunt Diana gave us a cute vibrating baby rocker.

Kathy and Brad gave Will a cute jungle baby play mat for lots of future entertainment.  

James' parents are lending us their rocking chair that Lynda used with James when he was a baby.  

They also gave us Baby Mildren's crib!!

My parents are responsible for the jungle mobile on the crib,

and will hopefully be responsible for his love of classical music, 

since the mobile plays songs by Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven!

They also got us a pack and play that is super cute!

We have had so many generous gifts for the nursery and the baby, we feel blessed beyond measure to have so many friends and family celebrate in Baby Mildren's arrival!!  Coming attractions: Mandi and Aaron also got us a cute baby quilt, which we are taking to the hospital for baby pictures during Will's first few days (you'll see this later in a Baby Arrival Post!)  And our friends Erika and Matt sent us the 'coming home outfit' that we'll want Will to wear when meeting Mia for the first time...first impressions matter, after all :)

***

Upon reflecting on my pregnancy, it has been overall very easy and healthy.  I've managed to have minimal swelling or discomfort, continue to see my feet, put on my own shoes, and get in regular exercise and sleep.  I haven't had to miss work due to nausea or illness, and the commute has not been hard on me.  If the worst of my complaints has been heartburn (thank goodness for Prevacid!) and a daily 4:30 a.m. baby kicking to wake me up, I think that's pretty great overall.  I don't feel miserable or like I'm soooooo done being pregnant, I just feel excited to meet my boy!  (Okay, and I'm excited to sleep on my stomach again and have a beer or eat some sushi... there are some perks to not being pregnant!)

The End?  .... or Just The Beginning?

Since today is the start of Week 40 (technically your final week, though some women go overdue), this may be my last pregnancy blog post!  It's been an exciting time in our lives, and we have enjoyed the anticipation and celebration of starting our family.  James and I are super excited for what the immediate future will bring -- our Baby Mildren!

38 weeks: Happy New Year, 2012!

At 38 weeks, I was very excited to make it into 2012 still pregnant!  

Since I did not have to work this week, I spent lots of time at home relaxing and doing last-minute baby chores, such as putting together baby gear and organizing the nursery.  It was wonderfully uneventful and restful. 

We did celebrate the New Year in Kansas City at the Flying Saucer with some friends, and had a great time! I'm not much for new year resolutions, but I'm resolved to learn how to be a good mom in 2012 :)

We celebrated with our friends, Ben and Karla

 James won a gigantic bottle of impressive beer, he was pretty excited!

Happy 2012! 

This week it will be back to work and getting up early... I feel well rested and ready for Baby Mildren, though, so it can't be all that bad!