37 Weeks and A Girls Dinner

Well once again, I left my doctor's appointment upset. I think for the past 7 weeks I have left there upset about something different. Today everything was great with baby boy, I am now dilated 2cm and still about 50% effaced. Sounds like everything is great and moving right along, right? Then my doctor tells me she doesn't think that she will be able to induce February 9th and my mood totally changed. Since 30 weeks she has said that would be the date, I have planned for people to come in town, arranged help with Reagan, Darrin has booked his flight here and I knew that I wouldn't have to worry about the labor because I would be under watch. I know these types of things you can not plan, but I am very much type A and I like, okay have to have a plan.

I knew it was hard to get the hospital to allow you to induce before a week before your due date, but since my doctor seemed to have no concern about them allowing me to do it, I had the date set in my mind. So leaving today unsure and with doubt, I was upset.

After my appointment I headed over to April's house, we had planned to take the kids to the Children's Science Museum for a play date. While the kids were playing, Darrin was trying to get ahold of me, his work wanted to send him to the Dominican Republic until Sunday. He needed to know if the date was going to be set or if we were going to have to push it back. Why he didn't go the past few weeks and they waited until this week, I don't know, but nevertheless, we had to decide if he would go or not.

My doctor called and she was able to approve the induction date. Everything is set for 7:30am on Wednesday February 9th!! Phew, what a huge relief! Now I just have to make it until Sunday and I will be one happy girl. Being away from Darrin for 3 weeks is way to long, I miss him so much and I am ready for the traveling part to stop. I ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers this week as he travels to the Dominican Republic and I wait out the last few days of being pregnant.

37 Weeks

Last night we got together for one last girls night (for me) for a little while. I love these girls and don't know what I would do without them. We talked for hours about hair, kids, fashion, life, play dates, work and more. I had such a wonderful time and I am so grateful for each of their friendships. Thanks for such a fun night, at our next dinner I will be able to have a drink with y'all! Wa-hoo, love you girls!






Now I plan on staying in all week in my pj's waiting for this cold front to pass. Rain, sleet and snow? Yuck, no thanks!

No More Naps

Well, it's official. Reagan is no longer taking naps during the day anymore. I thought I would dread the day, but it's really not that bad. I might be saying something totally different once her baby brother is here, but after a rough couple of nights, I decided to see what it would be like if I didn't let her nap. It seemed now matter when I would lay her down 2, 2:30, 3:00 and no matter how long I let her sleep 1 hour, 1 1/2 hours, 2 hours she was always up all night. It wasn't that she was terrible at night, she was actually happy and full of energy which was the problem, I couldn't get her to wind down, she just wasn't tired.

So I had to decide, either I let her stay up until 11pm every night and go to bed when we do (since she is still sleeping with us) or take away her nap, deal with a few fragile moments in the evening and put her to sleep around 9pm. I chose an earlier bed time.

I keep saying she is sleeping with us and that I will blog about that in another post, so let me explain (as best I can) for why she is in bed with us. Over the summer we went to visit family for two weeks in St.Louis and Iowa. We really didn't feel like taking a pack n play on the plane and Reagan had never even slept in one before, so we decided not to take it. Therefore she spent 2 weeks in bed with us. Then we stayed a while in Texas for the summer and even though she had a crib at my parents, she didn't sleep in it, she slept with us. So after 2 months of sleeping with us we had to try and get her back into her own bed. Once we got back to CA, we tried for a week getting her used to her crib again. She would scream and cry for over 2 hours a night before she either got to worked up, or before she fell asleep. We kept thinking, "ok tonight won't be so hard, they say it takes at least 4 days," but she never gave up. Then the next day she was a total grouch because she was tired and would fight me to take a nap. (in her crib) So, we gave up, and since then she has been co-sleeping with us. Or I guess really me since Darrin has been traveling so much lately.

Back to the naps. So for about a week now, we have done away with the naps and night time is wonderful. I start winding her down around 8ish, she takes a bath, we lay in bed and watch one episode of Super Why, she drinks her milk and before the show is over she is out. Usually it's around 9 and it's heaven. I then have some time for myself in the evenings and I'm not exhausted from the usual bed time routine. She is still sleeping in in the mornings and is usually up between 8:30 and 9, which I love.



Yesterday my dad and I took Reagan to the park, it's finally warming up a little outside. She loves to swing, it's the only thing she wants to do when we go. Doesn't she look so big? It's hard to believe she is just a few weeks away from being a 2 1/2 year old.

36 Weeks

Today we had yet another little scare. I went in for my sonogram and I didn't pass a section. The 4 main things they check for are: blood flow through the cord, fluid levels, heartbeat and breathing or diaphragm. Normally everything looks okay and we pass all the tests, but today he failed the breathing part. He is needs to be using his diaphragm and today after about a 30 minute sonogram, they couldn't see him using his.

I met with my doctor and she seemed concerned. Of course, they try not to worry you, but they have to tell you everything involved. Best case, he was just not cooperating and after more testing everything would be just fine. Worst case, he would have about a week to survive. I think she has me under really close watch due to my cord insertion, I read that still born is a high risk in these types of pregnancies.

She had me go over to the Baylor downtown for a stress test and to be monitored a little closer. They had me on a monitor for a little over 20 minutes doing a stress test. The were just checking the heartbeat, listening for movements and seeing how he responds to contractions. (I was having small contractions while in there. I couldn't feel them, but they told me I was contracting.) They did another sonogram and everything looked just perfect. He weighs around 6 pounds, they could see his lungs and diaphragm moving and the fluid looked great. I was concerned that this would be something that I would have to watch daily, but they said as long as I am feeling movement, no pain and everything remains the same with me, that weekly appointments are just fine. A good reading will usually give you reassurance for a week, so I will just see her again next Monday for a sono and a check up.

Today I did the GBS testing and she checked for dilation. I am about the same I was with Reagan at this point, about 1 cm dilated: 50% effaced and -3 station. He has dropped, she could feel his head, but still room to push him up.

We are still scheduled to induce February 9th, she said 38 weeks is long enough for her. That leaves just 16 more days! Ready to see this little guy who keeps giving us all these scares.

Gully

I have been meaning to blog about Gully for about a month or so, but I just kept forgetting. I know I used to blog or show pictures of Reagan and her baby, but since we moved back home in November, she hasn't paid any attention to that baby. For a week or so she played with a different one, (one that she could take in the bath) then she got a 2 babies that were twins that she played with for a while and still does take along with her, but once she got Gulliver he has been her favorite.

My mom came home from Christmas shopping one day and said to Reagan, "I got you something." She gave her this new baby, we now call Gully. It stared out because my mom was asking Reagan what she thought he should be named. I guess there is an old movie called Gulliver's Travel and Jack Black just remade a new one. In the movie he is big compared to everyone else on an an island, something like that, not really sure. Since this baby was so big, she said, "let's call him Gulliver." Which then in time turned into Gully.

This is a 0-3 month onesie that my sister got for baby Snider and it fits Gully! Since it said little brother, we thought it was perfect and now that's what he wears.





"Shhhh Gully's sleeping."











She talks to him daily. I will catch her and start listening to her conversation. "Gully, I can't carry you, you are to heavy. You have to walk. Gully, you ok? Your belly hurt? What's the matter Gully, why are you crying? Gully, go to time out.



She loves to carry him around and take care of him. The only problem is when she wants to take Gully into stores with us. Can you imagine the looks I would get if I let her carry this baby around in public? He is huge!

Big Girl on the Potty!

Reagan is not actually going potty in the potty, and I am not even totally ready to start the whole process. But sometimes she does ask to sit on it and we will sit for a little bit, but it is usually right after she has just gone in her diaper. I am ready a potty training book and I am sure it will be here before we know it, but for right now we aren't pushing it. I thought she looked so big and so cute I had to get a picture!

35 Weeks

Today I went in for our normal sonogram routine. She usually starts checking for dilation at 35 weeks, but since I saw her last week we decided to wait until next Monday. All is looking great. I asked the sono tech if she was able to tell me if he had dropped. (I wasn't sure if that was a dumb question to ask her or not, but I did it anyway) She said she wasn't able to tell, but that she could tell me he was really, really low. If that meant he had dropped, then maybe, but I will know more next Monday when I actually see my doctor. Other than that he looks great, she still said he was still a little small, weighing about 5.3 pounds. Of course I got home and looked at the baby center website and they said at 35 weeks they weigh about 5 1/4 pounds, like a honeydew melon. Not quite sure what she was talking about, looks like he is perfect to me!

Can't wait to go in next week to check the progress. At 36 weeks with Reagan I was dilated to a 1, 50% effaced, at -2 station and she had dropped already. It's getting close!

The Dallas Aquarium

Darrin came in town last night for the weekend and we wanted to try and do something fun with Reagan today. Lately I feel like I haven't done anything fun with her. I think it's just because I am 8 mths pregnant and I don't have the energy to get out an do things for very long, especially when its just her and I. But since I felt like this was one of the last times it would be just us, a family of 3, I wanted to get out and do something. Of course, the weather was nasty so we had to try and find something indoors. We decided to try out the Dallas World Aquarium since we have never been, or never taken Reagan, and we had a great time.

Reagan missed her Daddy SO much!

"Hi shark!"

Checking out all the fish.

"Hi penguin, you eating cheetos?"

And her favorite, the octopus! She kept saying, "I can't see. I can't see him." She wanted him to be open and when he would close up she "couldn't see him." It was so cute. We must have stood and watched him for 10 minutes.

We had such a great time, I can't believe that was one of our last outings as a family of 3! Darrin leaves on Sunday and next time he comes back there will be just a few days before baby boy is here! We are so close to being a family of 4!!

34 Weeks

We made it! Everything looks good, no changes. Now, no news is good news. She said that if I was to go into labor she wouldn't stop me, that 34 weeks is her cut off. I will continue to go in weekly for the sonograms and then in 2 weeks she will start checking for dilation. Other than that, everything is the same. Oh, besides somehow I gained 3lbs in 2 weeks. My goal was to deliver at 136 lbs, which was 10 under what I delivered Reagan at. If I want to reach that I better lay off the Chick fil lay, that's only 2lbs from where I am at now and I have 4 more weeks!

Baby Shower!

Today my sister and April hosted a baby shower for us and it was perfect. All of my closest friends were there and it even snowed!

Huge thank you to my sister who worked so hard on all the food and decorations. Not to mention drove from College Station just to be there and had to fight the rain and snow to get back home. I am so grateful for everything you do for me and I love you so much.

Also, to April for for all the help and allowing us to have it at her home. What would I do without you here to hang out with during the day, I love you.

And to all my girls who fought the rain and snow to make sure I had a wonderful shower, thank you so much. I am so grateful for all your friendships and I can't thank you enough for all that you do.


34 weeks!


Aunt Tricia who is like 14 weeks pregnant and still buttoning her regular pants!

Thanks mom for helping me make the adorable burp cloths, all we need now is to get a name so we can monogram them!



































Reagan's first time in the snow! I think she loved it!









I think everything is pretty much set and we have all that we need. We just need to nail down a name and for him to be here! One month from today!