38 week appointmen

Today I went in for my 38 week appointment.  Braxton is still doing well (strong heartbeat) and is still squirming around in there.  I have been feeling more tired and uncomfortable, but I guess that is to be expected.  I am almost 2 cm dilated, and am 50-60% effaced.  Dr. White said that his head is really low in my pelvis so he is getting ready :-).  She thinks if he comes in the next week, he will be about 6lbs and 15 oz.  Nothing else new to report.  My next appointment is on Monday, June 14th, so I'll update again then.

37 week appointment and nursery pics

Today I had my 37 week appointment.  His heart rate is still strong and he is still measuring appropriately.  He has dropped even lower into my pelvis and he is head down (of course I will have her confirm this with US closer to the date.... she said that she would).  I am now dilated 1 1/2 cm and am 50% effaced, so he is getting ready to come! (last appt I was fingertip and 40%).  Dr. White has set up an induction for me on June 21st if he does not come before then (but she thinks he will come early).  I'm still feeling well and he is still gyrating around in there.

This weekend we finished the nursery, bought the remaining necessities off of my registry, and put together his pack n' play and bouncer (when I say we put together, I mean "I"!! I was so proud of myself!).  Mom and dad were a huge help in finishing the nursery.  It is so cute.  Check out the pics.  We are officially ready for Braxton's arrival.  I have my hospital bag all packed too.  I feel so much more at ease now that it is all done.  I guess it is just a a waiting game from here on out :-) My next appointment is on Tuesday, June 8th, so I will write more then!!

36 week appointment and baby shower

So this weekend I had my Clemson/Charleston friend baby shower. It was at Poogan's Porch downtown Charleston. It was so much fun and the food was delish!! I have the best friends in the world and really appreciate everything they did to make the shower so special! Braxton got tons of great gifts too! Now I just need to figure out how to organize it all... mom, help!! Here are a couple of pictures from the shower.

Today I had my 36 week appointment. I cannot believe that I only have 4 weeks to go. His heart rate was in the high-normal range (171). Nothing to worry about, he is just very happy incubating right now I guess. He is measuring appropriately again (probably b/c momma has packed on a few extra lbs). And he has dropped into my pelvis. She said his head is pretty low already. My cervix is continuing to thin out (about 40% effaced) and I have dilated to a fingertip! She said I could be induced around 39 weeks if I wanted to because my cervix will be favorable at that point.... but she thinks that probably won't be an issue :-) We shall see. My next appointment is June 1st so I will update again then.

34 week appointment

Today I had my 34 week appointment.  He continues to have a strong heart beat.  This week I am measuring slightly smaller than I should be (33 1/2 cm instead of 34 cm), but this is nothing to worry about. Hopefully this means that he will not be a huge baby :-)  The books say that he should weigh about 5 lbs and be almost 20 inches in length.  My OBGYN checked my cervix today and said that it is thinning out, but is still closed (to be expected at this point).  He is still moving a lot..... I wouldn't call it kicking.... it's more like gyrating!  I think he is dancing around in there (Griff thinks he is practicing his surfing moves).

This weekend Sid and Griffin assembled the crib (huge help!) and on Mother's Day, my mom and dad came over and we put the nursery together.  It is not finished, so I am not posting pics right now, but it is very cute so far!  I just need to buy a glider and hang his quilt above the crib and we will be done!  I can't believe in less than 6 weeks that room will be occupied by our little boy.  For those of you who do not know, we have decided on the name Braxton.  We are still working on the middle name, but hopefully will have that soon as well.

My next appointment is in 2 weeks on May 25th.  After that, I will start going every week until delivery!

Summerville Baby Shower

Saturday, May 1st I had a wonderful baby shower in Summerville.  The hostesses were Penny Merriman, Adelle Chellis, Denise Byrnes, and Susan Gamble.  Our little man got lots of great presents!!  Here are a few pics from the shower.  Thank you so much to the hostesses!! The shower was perfect and I had such a great time!!

32 week appointment

I had my 32 week appointment yesterday.  I can't believe that I have reached the 8 month mark!  Time is flying.  The baby's heartbeat is still nice and strong and I am still measuring appropriately.  The books say that he is about 4lbs and 19 inches long.  He sure is growing!

A couple of weeks ago mom and I painted and designed the furniture pieces for the nursery.  It was so much fun.  Thank you so much mom!! Everything looks great!  The carpet was installed today, so as soon as we (again I mean they) put the crib together we can start organizing and decorating the nursery.  I can't wait!

No other real news.  I'm still feeling good.  I have a shower this weekend in Summerville, so I will update with pictures again soon.  Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of the page to watch my belly grow!  My next appointment is on May 11th.

30 week appointment

Today I had my 30 week OB appointment.  I am happy to say that I passed my 3 hour glucose tolerance test!!  It was not the most pleasant experience (I mean who wants to spend 4 hours in the lab), but I am just glad that it is over and that everything is ok.  Our little one is doing well.  I am still measuring appropriately for his gestational age and his heart beat is strong.  He continues to move around a lot!  The books say that he should be about 3lbs now and 17 inches long!  Griff says that's the size of a pretty nice trout :-) I can't believe how big he is getting.  What is even harder to believe is that I will have a baby in 10 weeks!!!

We completed all the repairs around the house and have touched up the paint.  The new carpet should be in by the end of the week.  After that is installed then we can get the nursery together.  I'm so excited.  The Lawn Rangers came yesterday and cleaned up the yard.  It looks so much better.  Griff and I plan to plant some bushes and flowers over the next couple of weeks for the finishing touches.  This weekend mom and I are going to have some "arts and crafts" time and paint/decorate some furniture items for the nursery (luckily she has artistic talent).  I can't wait to see how everything is going to look when it all comes together.

I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful husband, parents and in-laws.  I couldn't do any of these things without yall.  Thanks for all of your help and support during this time and for putting up with my "nesting." You'll never know how much it all means to me.  I love yall!!

My next appointment is on April 27th, so I will update everyone again then :-)

28 week appointment

Well today I went in for my dreaded Glucola test. It is the test for Gestational Diabetes. Forty-five minutes before my appointment, I had to drink this lovely fruit punch (see photos). It actually was not as bad as I thought it would be.... tastes kind of like slightly expired Hawaiian Punch with 2 sugar packets added. Unfortunately...... I failed the test :-(  Now this does not mean that I have Gestational Diabetes. I have to go to the lab next week and take a 3 hour glucose tolerance test. Yes, I have to sit in the lab for the full 3 hours while they test my blood 4 different times. Not the end of the world, but a pretty big inconvenience! If I pass the test, then I am perfectly fine and do not have to undergo any more blood work. If I fail the test, then I have what is called "glucose intolerance." And yes, this is technically Gestational Diabetes.  However, I would most likely just be managed with diet. Gestational Diabetes is not like regular type 2 diabetes which is usually brought on by obesity and poor diet. In Gestational Diabetes, the baby's placenta produces a hormone that puts my body in a state where I cannot break down sugars like I should be able to (ie: glucose intolerance). It is not caused by poor diet or excessive weight gain. I will keep you updated. Hopefully, I'll pass and I won't have to worry about it anymore.

On a happier note, both the baby and I are doing great! He is measuring appropriately for his gestational age and he has a nice strong heart beat. The books say that he probably weighs about 2 1/2 lbs now. He is still moving around.... A LOT! He is my little wiggle worm.  I am still feeling good. It seems like I have more energy now then I did.  I'm still able to exercise regularly and am enjoying the pregnancy.

We are also starting to make headway in preparing for our new arrival. We are getting new carpet in the next week, and then we will be able to start putting the nursery together! I can't wait! I have been in major nesting mode these past couple of weeks. My wonderful father-in-law and his handy man A.V. came over this weekend and fixed all of our little repairs around the house that had accumulated. They also put up some shelves in one of the baby's closets in preparation for his gifts that will be coming soon ;-) Then Sid and Griffin put together the changing table. We are going to wait until after the carpet is installed to put together the crib (I say we... I mean they).

I also got my diaper bag this weekend!!  Griffin didn't think this was very exciting, but he doesn't quite understand that this is actually a big deal for a new mom.  I love it!! It is bright and fun and I can't wait to start putting stuff in it.  It came with a matching bottle insulator and pouch for wipes.  Then I bought a matching pacifier holder.  You can see for yourself, it is too cute.... well I think so at least.

So my next appointment is on April 13th. That is when I will find out the results of my glocose tolerance test. I'll write again then.......

24 week appointment

Today I went in for my 24 week appointment.  We had another ultrasound to get a better look at his lips and nose (he wasn't too cooperative at the last appointment).  The ultrasound tech said that everything looked perfect.  It was so much fun to see our little boy again.  He now weighs 1 lb. and 11 oz, which puts him in the 56th percentile.  It is amazing how fast he is growing.  However, he will grow the most during my 3rd trimester.  His heart rate today was 156, which is normal.  Grandma Lynne accompanied me to this appointment so she got to see our little one again as well.  At my next appointment (28 weeks), I have my glucola test (the test for gestational diabetes).  This appointment also marks my entry into my 3rd trimester! After that appointment, I will start seeing the doctor every 2 weeks.

So far I am still feeling great.  I'm trying to eat healthy (well as healthy as I can with the constant cravings for sweet stuff) and exercise (usually about 5 times a week).  Our little boy has turned out to be quite the "mover and shaker."  There are very few periods during the day when I don't feel him moving around.  Last night Griffin finally got to feel him kick.  He was so excited! It was also a special night because we were celebrating our 3 year anniversary.  It's so crazy how time flies.  Griffin has been such a great husband throughout this pregnancy.  He is always there when I need him and has been very supportive.  I feel so blessed to have him in my life and know that he is going to make a wonderful father.

In nursery news, we have purchased our crib and changing table as well as the bedding and accessories for the room.  We still have a couple more furniture items to buy, however. After we get new carpet and put everything together, I will post pictures.  I think it is going to be too cute!  Our little one has also acquired more camouflage clothing (carpenter shorts and pants and a fleece shirt), so I think he is good to go for now (hint hint Griffin) :-).  Well I will continue to post my weekly belly pics and will write again when something exciting happens or after my next appointment.

20 week US

Today Griffin and I went in for my 20 week ultrasound.  Much to Griffin's relief, our baby is STILL A BOY!!!  The ultrasound tech said that everything looked perfect (this ultrasound is used to look for any anatomical abnormalities).  She had a little trouble getting him to cooperate long enough to get a good luck at his nose, lips, and back of skull, so we will get another ultrasound at my next appointment [which of course, I don't mind a bit :-) ] Today he weighs 13 oz (like Griffin said, "Just a little bigger than a Coors Light").  His heart rate was 154 and strong.  During the ultrasound he was kicking his legs and waving (like his father, he has difficulty staying still).  He even shot us a peace sign (see picture).  It was so amazing to see him again.... and to see how much he has grown in 5 weeks!  I am starting to feel him move more and more each day.  Yesterday I actually felt him kick with my hand!  It was very cool.  This week I also finally started wearing maternity pants.  It was a difficult adjustment at first to leave behind my old clothes...... but man are maternity clothes comfy!! 

So in summary, Baby Boy Allison and I are doing great and I will keep you posted on our progress.  My next OB appointment will be on March 4th (at 24 weeks).

How It All Began.....

Our story begins on a warm September night in Mount Pleasant, SC.  It was a special weekend because the calendar revealed that the “window” had arrived and the time was right… Oh, I guess I should probably leave this part out (this is a PG rated blog after all).  So let’s skip ahead a couple of weeks…..

It was October 8, 2009.  Day 26 on the calendar.  I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and prepared for bed.  I couldn’t help feeling both excited and scared as I laid the pregnancy test out on the counter and set my alarm for 7:00am (yes, I have a type A personality… what, you think I got through med school on my good looks?)  As I prepared for sleep, I prayed, “Please let it be positive.”  I tossed and turned for a while, but finally drifted off to sleep.  I was awoken the next morning by that feeling…. You know the one that lets you know that “you gotta go.”  I looked at the clock… it was only 5:00 am.  I laid my head back on my pillow and thought to myself, “Please, please let me just sleep for two more hours.  This feeling has to pass” (as if waiting for two more hours would miraculously change the outcome of the test).  Another thirty minutes passed and I couldn’t take it any longer. I got up and proceeded to the bathroom.  I read the instructions on the test (AGAIN), followed them to a tee, and then placed the test back on the counter.  You know, it is amazing how 3 minutes can feel like an eternity when you are waiting for something like this.  I closed my eyes and picked up the test.  When I opened them, I read the beautiful 8 letter word….PREGNANT.  It said pregnant!!! I screamed to myself and danced around the bathroom.  I couldn’t believe it….  It was positive!!

Deekoy was actually the first one I told…. I know that seems weird, but I hated to wake Griffin up that early (he is NOT a morning person and I knew that there was a strong possibility that he would not be able to express his true excitement if I told him this early in the morning…. which, would probably make me cry).  So I let him sleep.  In the meantime, I proceeded to take pictures of the positive test in several different rooms and then outside (yes, this is odd, but I had to find the right lighting).  I needed evidence.  I was so worried that I would go back to sleep and wake up to find that this was all a dream.  And…I was also planning out creative ways to tell our parents and friends.  Deekoy and I celebrated over breakfast: one bowl of Cheerios for me and one bowl of Kibbles N’ Bits for him.  We ate in silence while watching the morning news, but on the inside we were both jumping for joy (for those of you that don’t know, Deekoy was a person in another life… he has expressions and emotions just like you and I).  It was actually also an eventful day in the world.  Obama found out he won the Nobel Peace Prize and NASA blew up a part of the moon in search for ice.  Yes, it was an exciting day.  I couldn’t stop smiling… and I think I went back to look at the test at least 100 times. 

Finally, I heard my alarm.  It was 7:00 am.  I rushed back into our room to finally share the good news with my husband.  “Honey, are you awake?” I whispered.  He grumbled as he rolled over in bed to face me.  He still wasn’t quite the perky person that I was hoping for, but I couldn’t wait any longer.  This moment would have to do.  “Guess what?  They just revealed that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize,” I announced.  “What? No way,” he replied.  “Yeah,” I said.  “They just talked bout it on the news.”  He looked at me with just one eye open as he said with a yawn, “Well that’s stupid.”  “And,” I continued, “NASA just sent explosives to the moon to blow up a chunk of it in search of ice.”  With both eyes closed now, he said, “Nuh-uh.  That’s crazy.” “No, it’s true.  I just saw that on the news, too.” I replied. “And… I’m pregnant.”  He opened both eyes this time.  “What? You’re lying….” “Nope,” I said with a huge smile. “I am… I’m really pregnant!!”  He sat up in bed, smiled, and gave me a big hug.  “That’s great honey!  I love you!”   We lay beside each other in the bed, looking up at the ceiling.  We didn’t say much, but we didn’t need to. We both knew that we were about to embark on a wonderful journey… one that would be extremely exciting, but also terrifying... one that would change our lives forever.

Important Dates Thus Far

October 9, 2009 (3 ½ weeks):  Positive pregnancy test and shared news with both sets of parents

October 30, 2009 (5 ½ weeks): First US.  This was actually done because of some spotting, but everything looked fine.  It was so awesome to see our baby for the first time (although it looked more like a lima bean than a baby)

November 12, 2009 (8 weeks): First OB appointment and follow up US.  It was so cool to see how much our baby had already changed.  It had a strong heartbeat and all of my prenatal labs were normal

November 26, 2009 (10 ½ weeks):  Shared the news with the rest of the Leary family over Thanksgiving in Greenwood.  I think Mimi had the best reaction of all time.  I never knew she could scream at such a high octave.

December 11, 2009 (12 weeks): Second OB appointment.  We heard the heartbeat for the first time!  It was such a wonderful sound.  After this, we told the rest of our friends and family (although I came to find out that most of them already knew…. Turns out mom and Griffin have a little problem with keeping secrets…. Who would’ve thunk it???)

December 26, 2009 (14 ½ weeks): Felt the baby move for the first time!  It felt like a butterfly in my stomach.

December 28, 2009 (15 weeks): Found out we were having a boy.  My mom and I drove up to Uncle Jukie’s office in Greenwood for an US.  I was only 15 weeks, but apparently his US tech has never been wrong.  He already looked like a little person…. And he was moving, A LOT.  Mom and Mimi were in the room for the US.  Neither of them had ever seen one.  Their expressions as we watched him on the screen were priceless.  I called Griffin to tell him the news… he was so excited!  When I got home, he gave me the baby’s first camo set: a onesie, booties, bib, blanket, and bottle…. all in camouflage.  I have to admit, it is pretty cute.  He also revealed that he had searched the internet for camouflage bedding.  Sorry, buddy, I gotta draw the line somewhere.

January 5, 2009 (16 weeks): Third OB appointment.  Heart beat was still strong.  We had our quad-screen drawn and it was normal (tests for spina bifida, downs syndrome, etc.)

January 16, 2009 (18 weeks):  First sign of a baby bump.  This was the day of my friend Evelyn’s baby shower.  Right now, 5 of my sorority sisters from college are all pregnant (Evelyn, Lindsey D., Kelli, Me, and Missy (in order of due dates). 

January 21, 2009 (18 ½ weeks): First kick.  It was so faint, but I knew exactly what it was