Mei Tai

Mei Tai... doesn't that sound like a tropical alcoholic drink!!?! :P

http://www.twomommasdesigns.com/

I just sent in fabric to this company and they're making me a mie tai! ... it's a front or back carrier for baby!

Mine will have natural color straps and the fabric is blue/brown/white stripes :) I also ordered a baby carrying sling from them!

Now the only thing we really ~need~ before this baby comes ... is a carseat!

Will it keep up at this rate until I deliver?

Take a guess... how much do I weigh now???

Just had my appointment this morning and the scale read 175! That's up another 7 pounds this past 2 weeks... puts my total weight gain at 43 pounds!

Maybe she should have weighed me after checking my blood pressure...because after I got weighed, my blood pressure was 150/52. That's the highest it's been, but Kate didn't seem concerned. I've been getting a few headaches here and there, but everything else looks great so no concern yet.

Baby girl is still head down!!! Yay!!! (please stay that way!) Her butt is on my left side still - which goes along with all the movement I'm feeling on my right side still - her legs and arms are all squirmy on that side :) I love it... she moves ALL THE TIME (except in the middle of the night).

Her heartrate today was about 150. Just perfect. And my belly is measuring 35 weeks. Just perfect.

At the end of the appointment, Kate told me I'm a boring patient. Ha ha ha! Boring because everything is so perfect :) Boring in a good way!

I go back in 2 weeks and see Graham again. Then I start weekly appointments. I'll see Gay and then Kate - and then I'll be full term!!!

What happened to my cute feet?

It's hot (97 outside right now) and I think the picture pretty much speaks for itself... ouch!

...off to go soak in a tub of cold water!

5 more!

Yep, had my appointment today and I'm up another 5 pounds. They say in the 3rd trimester you should gain 1 pound a week... I'm gaining 2.5 pounds per week. Oops. Marie (midwife) did ask what my typical diet during the day is like and she said it doesn't sound bad at all. She then said maybe I'm getting too many extra calories from sugary drinks (sodas and juices)...but then I told her that I ~only~ drink water. (Well, except I allow myself at most 1 soda per week.) I also told her that I have been having a small glass of calcium fortified OJ with my breakfasts the past week to help combat the night time leg cramps.

She noted the swelling in my legs, but still no BP issues or headaches or vision changes or spilled protein, so no concerns at this point. BP was 130/70.

Baby girl is still head down! YAY! Her back/butt is on my left side so the movement I'm feeling under my right ribs is her feet and knees. That's definitely where I feel the most active movements.

We got our "white packet" today... contains all the info needed for filing for the birth certificate, preregistering at the hospital, info on breastfeeding, discharge info for after delivery and that kinda stuff.

Next appointment is on August 30th with Kate. Then the next one after that is on September 13th with Graham. ... and THEN... I move up to weekly appointments!!!

32 weeks

8 weeks to go...!

The web update yesterday says that she's just over 4 pounds and a little over 17 inches long. From 32 weeks to full term... babies should double in weight. So IF she's textbook perfect at 4 pounds now, I'm looking at an 8-9 pounder...

Painted the dresser yesterday. I just have to find new knobs for it. Then we'll move it in and start filling it up with her little outfits :)

Updating the To-Do List (and adding more stuff to it!)

Updating the To-Do list... BOLD is done!

Clean out the rest of the nursery.

Rip down the shelving units.

Buy and stain and hang new moulding and doors (both bedroom and closet doors).

Still have to buy the mirrored bifold door for the closet.

Paint the room.

Buy material for my mom to make crib skirt, window valence, and teething rail.

Have mom make said things :) <---Megan's wedding is next weekend and then she'll get to these.

Register.

Also need to find a glider/rocker. <--- this is all set up in the room.

Buy NB cloth dipes. <---I'm waiting on a shipment.

Wash clothes we already have.

Make meals for the freezer.
Have: 6 desserts, 4 sloppy joe, blueberries for muffins, 6 pie crusts (for pot pies, pies, quiche)
Still would like to make: Tex Mex Potato Boats, meatballs, stuffed peppers, hamburg/barley soup, meat loaf, chicken/broccoli casserole and a spaghetti pie <---I went through the recipes and wrote out a grocery list so I can buy what I need next time I'm at the store.

Deep clean the house so it's at least at a good starting point when we get home. <---main bathroom is done, master bedroom is close enough to be called done (still should wash the window though!), master bath is 99% done

Sign up for and take birthing class. <---they told me they'd send registration paperwork but I haven't seen it and it's been about a month. Better call them!

Find daycare.

Meet with the daycare lady and discuss details. <---YAY! We liked her! We met with Lynne she's a perfect fit :)

Meet with HR rep to discuss maternity leave/disability/FMLA.

Preregister at the hospital.

Pack bags. <---I made a list of what needs to go in it, so that's a start.

Make a "who needs to be called" list. <---I wrote out the list of names - just need to make sure I have all the phone numbers in one place now.

New to the list:
Paint dresser for nursery. <--- plan to do this today!

Paint shelves for nursery.

Clean out car - so I have room for a carseat in there!

Really enjoying my weekend :)

Last week was busy...
On call for the last time before Laura arrives :)
Then the state survey team showed up Wednesday morning for 2 full days...
But they're gone now and we did well!

Yesterday my mom and I took a trip up to Syracuse. We stopped at Baby Depot and I made a registry there. I got lightheaded and woozy after only a short time in there, so we gave the lady the scanner gun back and jetted over to Panera Bread for lunch. YUMMY! Then back to Baby Depot to finish up. After that we went to David's Bridal to exchange my gown. The lady there asked when the wedding was... (next weekend). Then when we were leaving she asked if we needed to set up an appointment for alterations... um... I don't think they'd get them done and back to us before I leave town on Wednesday! Good thing my mom is a very talented seamstress :)

Came home and mom went right to work on the dress. Got the top sized down so it fits perfect. My belly still has a little room to grow this week if it needs to. Next was the hem... and the whole thing is done now :) Phew! Cross that off the to-do list!

Actually, I've got a few things I can cross off the to-do list :)
The glider and ottoman are set up in the nursery.
I made a list of who needs to be called once Laura is born... just need to make a hard copy with the phone numbers on it in case the cell phone doesn't work well/dies or if we want to pass the list off to someone to help make calls.
I bought a roll of 100 stamps for thank you notes and birth announcements.
I went through the recipes for the freezer meals I want to make and figured out what I have and what I need to get so I can make them in the next few weeks.
I made a list of what I need to pack in my hospital bag.
Mmmm...I think that's it...

A little bit of relief...

Well, I found a pool that was open today and got to take a 30 minute swim before the rain came. Groton pool... it's free too :) Rich and I went down to the TC3 pool last evening, but they're all closed up - renovating the rest of that building so I wonder if they'll have that pool closed for all of August? Bummer if it is! But at least the Groton pool is nice enough and close enough.
Amazingly, this evening after the swim, my feet were a little less puffy... although, now 4 hours after getting out of the pool - they're starting to puff back up and get uncomfy again.
... 9 more week... 9 more weeks... 9 more weeks...

31 weeks and the nursery is almost done!

Look how round my belly is! I only get to see my profile in the mirror so I'm loving seeing these pictures as I get bigger...and bigger...and bigger...

Oh, speaking of getting bigger... Did I mention that I don't fit in the dress for Megan and Matt's wedding!?! Yep, the size 14 that we thought I'd be swimming in... is about 2 inches shy of being able to be zipped! I tried it on last Wednesday and that morning called David's Bridal to tell them I got too big. They're express shipping me a size 18 in exchange... So, either Thursday or Friday this week I'll be making a trip to Syracuse to exchange dresses. Then my mom will be out maybe Friday (?) to do the alterations... because, of course... the top I still only need like a size 6!!!

The nursery is SO close to being done! You can see the colors in the picture :) Greens and yellows and stripes. I LOVE it! Richie is putting the cover plates and new switches in now. I cleaned the window and sill earlier this evening. I will do some touch ups to the stripes probably tomorrow evening. Then there are only 2 things we need to do to finish it up... Vacuum up all the glitter, and buy/hang the closet door :)