Day 19: Alex's Co-workers throw us a baby shower!

Again, I am overwhelmed by the generosity of others. The conference room was full of people celebrating the coming of our daughter. They were so nice, offering many congratulations. I realized that we may have a few visitors after Adara is born, since she will be born where Alex works. That's fine with me, as long as I have a little bit of my own recovery time! Here are some pictures I took while we were there:

Minnie Mouse Diaper Cake

 I love that the burp cloth has Adara's name on it! I remember when I was younger, that I was super bummed that nothing had "Calista" on it. I cherished the personalized items with my name on them. Now Adara will have some, even though her name is also unusual!

diaper/wipes baby

 Alex's co-workers told him that he had to hold this baby, since I've been holding one for so long! They said people around the office had taken turns "holding the baby."

Cake!

Super-cute cake! There were some other table decorations that were also functional. Someone at the shower took pictures with a real camera, so I'll share those when I get them. Alex's manager got us a gift that we opened, and everyone else pitched in for gift cards! Yay! Now we can order what we need, as we need it! Such a great idea! Like I said, very thoughtful, and so appreciated.

Day 20: Doctor's appointment

Weight 151 lbs. Blood pressure looks good. Other signs look good. Before I saw the doctor, I was hooked up to a monitor that checked the baby's heartbeat for a while. This was the non-stress test. It was kind of boring, but at least there was another lady and her mom in the room for a while. The other person being monitored is due around the same time I am, so that's pretty cool.

The doctor says the monitoring looks great! She asked also about my blood sugars, and I told her they were fine, as long as I remember to eat at night before I go to sleep. If I don't, I sometimes wake up in the night not feeling well. She also asked how my levels are after meals, and I said they are fine. Technically, I haven't been checking them this week, since they were so consistent before. She didn't ask to see specific numbers, so I didn't tell her that I hadn't been checking. By this time I can tell by how I feel if I've over indulged in sugar, or if I need to eat something. I may check my sugar every once in a while just in case, but it's been so nice to not worry about checking it this week.

Progress: Doctor says I'm this same as last week-2cm and 70% effaced. She said the head is still down. She said baby can still come at any time, and that I am further along that what she expects from a first pregnancy. She said to go to the hospital if my water breaks and to call or come in if I start having regular, painful contractions. She asked if I've been having any contractions, and I said that I've only had very mild Braxton Hicks, but nothing serious.

I almost left without asking about the Strep B test. The doctor says my test came back negative! Yay! One less thing to worry about!

Although it's exciting that going once a week to the doctor means Adara is coming soon, I'm already tired of going to the doctor. It isn't particularly enjoyable being checked for progress, and it's pretty boring sitting in one room or another waiting to talk to someone. I'm glad this part is almost over.

Day 21: Week 37 photo

37 Weeks

Considered full term! My belly reaches the corner part of the rectangle on the door! Only three weeks left!

Day 22: Appreciation

Apparently October is Pastor Apprecation Month, so the church had a surprise reception for Alex and Pastor Frank! Just another of the wonderful blessings on our lives!

Lots of comments on our big I am. People are genuinely excited for us, and have said that they are keeping us in their prayers. Much appreciated!

Day 23: Family Time

This morning Alex and I met my mom and dad for breakfast at Cracker Barrel! It was so wonderful to see them again! We had good conversation, and yummy food. I'm bummed that I forgot to take a picture.

On our way back we saw a truck with a huge amount of wood for sale, so we called about it. After Alex's parents agreed to let us store most of it at their place, we bought the whole truck full of wood! This wasn't a pick up truck-it was something like a small dump truck. We brought a small amount of it back to our apartment. Apparently this stuff burns for a long time, so we got a good deal!

We also had lunch at Alex's parents house, and had a good time talking with his dad. Alex's brothers helped us unload the wood both at his parent's house, and at our apartment. When we brought his brothers back home, they cleaned our vehicle inside and out! Our Escape hasn't been this clean in a really long time.We rewarded them with snacks, chocolate, and coffee.

Since we've been out for a lot of the day, we're planning to spend the rest of the day chilling at home. Too much activity in one day makes me tired and kinda grumpy. I'm looking forward to having a fire in our fireplace tonight!

Day 24: Freezing something

Thanks SO MUCH to those of you who've offered suggestions for freezing and simple meals! They have all been super helpful! I use my crock pot often but don't always think to freeze the extras. I also love the idea of just having frozen meats on hand to thaw and toss in spaghetti or some other dish. The suggestion I put into practice yesterday was freezing muffins:

I got the recipe from here. I used flax seed+water instead of eggs. Not because I don't like eggs, but because I'd rather eat the eggs with the muffin and get some extra fiber in the muffin. I also added some nuts and chocolate chips, and omitted the sugar. They aren't sweet, but make a great breakfast/snack food. When I eat them, I either have them with eggs or spread peanut butter on them. I doubled the recipe, and ended up with more muffins than I originally planned-yay! I kept one dozen out to eat now, and froze another dozen and the mini-muffins. I've already eaten three of them today.

Thanks for some inspiration! Feel free to send more ideas anytime-they are always welcome and appreciated!

Day 25: Stocking up

I've started stocking up on some of our essentials! Some are non-food items, like soap. Others times I'll buy enough meat to make double-like burgers-and then freeze half. I've also frozen some bread dough, so we can still have home made bread. I'm hoping that my grocery shopping will be minimal after Adara is first born-then it will be easy for me, or anyone picking up a few things for me. I'm hoping to fill my freezer up before Adara is born! That shouldn't be too difficult, considering it's already pretty full (it's a top freezer and isn't very big).

I've read that it's good to freeze meals, but so many of them are casseroles that have some kind of dairy involved. Dairy makes us feel sick, so I'm trying to just buy staples for our simple meals. Does anyone have good freezer/simple meals that don't have any dairy in them? What worked best for making meals with a new baby in the house?

Day 26: Movement motivation (updated)

Y'all were super helpful with some tips for exercise motivation. I especially like one friend's comment (thanks Freya) about exercise should make me feel better, not worse. Rest is good too! So, I still try to do stretches and some strength stuff like squats, but if I'm tired, I give myself permission to take a nap.

Today, I feel great! However, I straightened my hair yesterday, so every time I looked in the mirror I thought, "Aw man! If I exercise, I'll need to shower, which means I'll have to wash my nicely-straightened hair!" After my morning snack I braided my hair; so it's pulled back and ready to get dirty! Can't use that as an excuse now! Gonna get my move-on to help keep blood sugar regulated, increase oxygen flow and so many other reasons to exercise!


**Edit update! Perks of taking a walk to the mailbox:

Day 27: Doctor's appointment progress report

Fun exciting things to tell you all!

Weight: 149 pounds. Doctor says I'm right where I should be now. Yay for eating lots of little meals!
Blood pressure good. Baby heartbeat good. She's moving around plenty. Doctor told me that my urine sample is the best she's ever seen, and should be an example to others because it's so clear. This made me laugh. Guess I'm just that good at drinking lots of water. She said I'm as good as I can be right now!
The doctor checked for Group B Strep, which wasn't nearly as bad as I'd anticipated. I'll get my results later.

She then checked me to see if/how I've progressed. She said the baby is head down, that I'm at 2 cm and 70% effaced! Now, I KNOW that doesn't mean that she's coming sooner rather than later, but my doctor did tell me to go ahead and have my bags packed, because she could come at any time.

I asked her about still checking my blood sugar. She said all my other indicators are looking great. I told her that I've been checking twice a day, and that they were fine. I said they are still a little low in the morning, but I just need to remember to eat before I go to sleep. She said that I'll have a non-stress test next week, and another ultrasound in two weeks just to make sure. She said these precautions are only taken because I failed the three hour test, but I'm doing great otherwise. Good to hear. Also, because she didn't say I needed to, I'm not going to be checking my blood sugar levels anymore. They've been consistent so far, so I know that I just need to keep eating well and at the right times throughout the day.

The appointment ended with the advisement to be prepared for labor symptoms, and to call/come in with concerns. I did some rescheduling at the front desk, and was on my way.

I spent the afternoon packing as much as I could. I think I have the essentials. I've looked at lists online and in my "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book, and have almost everything needed. Actually, we probably have everything we absolutely need, but there are a few things I'll probably throw in before we actually take the two-minute drive to the hospital. Now we're just waiting for her to come!

Day 28: Week 36 Photo

36 weeks

Kickoff to month nine! One month/four weeks/28 days left! Been feeling pretty good. Usually a little tired, but nothing unbearable. Afternoon naps help, and so does eating plenty of protein.

Organizing our little apartment has been so encouraging! We've had to move stuff around, but we have more room than I thought we did! Thank goodness for closet space above where the clothes hang.

Mondays are always cleaning days. The biggest challenge right now is cleaning the shower/tub-my belly gets in the way of scrubbing the bottom of the tub very well! 

Continued prayers are so welcome right now. Prayers are powerful!

Day 29: countdown continues!!

LESS THAN 30 DAYS LEFT!!!!!

Day 30: Couponing dinner

Burger King coupon used for dinner. The receipt said we saved like $11 on these three meals-we split them between the two of us. Grossest chicken nuggets ever, but live and learn I guess. At least I wasn't hungry when we finished!

Day 31: Keep on keepin' on

Recent pregnancy-related story: Last night Alex and I decided to get Chinese food. I put on a maternity sweater, which has horizontal stripes, and definitely shows off my baby bump! Not that there's any way to hide it at this point.....
Anyways, we went to the Chinese place and got our order. The girl there asked if I am having a girl, since I am carrying high. Not sure how accurate that is, but I do think it will be pretty obvious when she drops!

Today I got dressed in exercise clothes, hoping it would help motivate me to get up and actually exercise. I haven't been to good about that lately. Yesterday my exercise was carrying groceries and jugs of water up to our apartment. Maybe today I'll get on my elliptical while watching something.....guess I'd better start soon if I want to get it done before lunch time.


Do any of y'all have ways to stay motivated to exercise, or any advice for me to exercise while in the last month of pregnancy?

Day 32: Prepared to feed baby

I went shopping at the lactation boutique at the hospital today! The lady, Angela Lee, is a lactation consultant, and owner of the shop. She is one of the lactation consultants for the hospital, but she also does in-home lactation consultations, and private childbirth classes. Her email is: angelaleelc@yahoo.com, if anyone would like more information for her. She was super nice, extremely helpful, and didn't pressure me to buy anything. I only have a couple things left to pick up (somewhere other than the boutique), and I'm all set! I got a pump, extra bottle, cleaning wipes for pump, storage bags, cream, nursing pillow, and multiple kinds of nursing bras/tanks. Not cheap, but a big relief knowing that I will be well-equipped for this task. I'm taking a breastfeeding class in early November, and I'm sure that will also help me feel more prepared. Another big section to cross off my list of items needed!

Day 33: Closet space

We've started making space for baby! It was so much fun putting stuff in these drawers, and hanging up dresses! By the way, the clothes are all in the left side, and they are all zero to three months-the bigger stuff is in a tote for now! The right side is burp cloths, swaddler blankets, towels, and wash cloths. Thanks everyone who has blessed us so much already!

Now the rest of the room is a mess, but we're making progress! Today I'll probably go through some of my stuff and see if there is anything else I'm willing to toss. 

Also, I feel a nap coming on this afternoon.

Day 34: Bragging on Alex again

I know I've bragged about him before, but I really do have an awesome husband! Prime example:

Yesterday was rough. I'd eaten too much sugar over the weekend, and I felt tired and sick ALL DAY! Every task felt like it took twice the effort to complete, and I felt emotionally depleted. I kept telling myself not to have a pity party. God has blessed us so much, and I've had such a good pregnancy experience. Still, I felt apprehension about going through labor, breastfeeding, having what we need, and being a mom. I also just felt huge.

Later that evening, I fell apart. I was sitting on the floor combing through my tangled hair, and started crying. Alex stopped what he was doing, lay with me on the floor, and held me while I sobbed. He finished combing my hair for me. He told me everything was going to be okay, and not to worry. He reassured me that I am doing great carrying our child, and that I'll be a great mom. He told me I am beautiful. He helped me up, and told me that he'd take care of everything so we could go to sleep. I'd washed our sheets earlier that day, and he made the bed and tucked me in. He got me a snack, and we cuddled and watched Netflix.

This morning, I feel 100% better! I feel relaxed, more energetic, and happy. I have the day to do things at a leisurely pace, and we're going to work on the side room/baby room this evening.

I thank God often for such a wonderful, loving husband. He cares for me, even in my emotional and physical mess. I'm sure I'll brag on him again soon.

Day 35: Week 35

Huh. Just realized that I have 35 days left, and I am at week 35. Makes sense mathematically, I just hadn't thought about it before today. Cool. 5 weeks left!

Week 35

Day 36: Adorable baby shower!!(different from yesterday)

Today we were Nashville bound! My wonderful friend Bethany threw me a baby shower with many of my Nashville family and friends. I am impressed-this girl had a baby of her own this past June, works a full time job, does photography part time, and still planned a baby shower for me! We got so many cute things, and a bunch of books! I'm looking forward to reading to Adara, and instilling the love to read early on. We also got a sleeper/rocker, so now baby has a place to sleep when we bring her home! Thanks so much to everyone who came and supported us!

Thanks Bethany for taking this photo!

One of the ladies who came is a long time family friend of ours, and is also a nurse part time at the same hospital where I am giving birth! She works on the labor and delivery floor, so I'm praying-and y'all can join with me-that she'll be working the same time as when Adara comes into this world! It would be such a relief to have the nurse working with me be someone I've known and trusted my whole life. We exchanged numbers, so I'm going to text her when I'm heading to the hospital. God works in amazing ways, and I hope that this is one things that works according to His timing!

Day 37: Super cute baby shower!!!

Check out this super-cute cake! Unfortunately, I didn't get any other pictures, but other people did, so I'm hoping to see them on facebook soon! My in-laws threw us a baby shower, with Minnie Mouse all over! It was so incredibly cute, and I loved it! Also, there was some super-yummy food. So many of our friends in the area came and showered us with love and support for Adara! We got some more clothes and other essentials, and I got the purple Minnie Mouse car seat! I'm so excited to bring her home in it! Being at this shower makes her coming feel even more real. Thanks to everyone who came today!

We have another one tomorrow-can't wait!

Day 38: A few of my favorite things (dessert)

You know when a recipe combines chocolate chip pan cookies, Reese's cups, and brownies, that the dessert is going to be delicious! I've seen the idea all over Pinterest, but here's the source that I used for baking temperature and time.

I bought mixes, because they are easier and not very expensive:

Yum, yum, and yum

I used two packages of cookie dough, then put the layer of Reese's. I may or may not have eaten a Reese's while making this recipe.

I then mixed the brownie mix and poured it over the cups and cookie mix.

Then I baked it! I had to leave it in a little longer than I expected. I also was careful to test an area in between the cups. This is what it looks like finished:

I cut in between the Recce's cups, so the result was 12 large pieces:

I also cut out a piece so you all could see what the inside looks like:

I have not eaten a slice yet, but I have stolen a few crumbs that came up while I was cutting-yum! I put this slice back in the pan. I may end up cutting all the pieces in half, because they are huge!

This dessert is for the kick-off of our Young Adult small group tonight. So, if you are between the ages of 18 and 35 and would like to come to our house at 6:30 pm tonight, feel free to come and enjoy a time of Bible, fellowship, and food :) 

Day 39: Yesterday's ultrasound and doctor's appointment

Good news all around! First we had the ultrasound. The tech printed a couple of pictures, but it is the back/side of her head and part of her spine, since she was looking at my back. That's where she is supposed to be, so that's great! I'm just a little bummed that we didn't get to see her face. Oh well. Tech measured her and said she's approximately 5.3 pounds! She also confirmed that our baby is definitely a girl :)

Then I had a doctor's appointment. Doc looked at the ultrasound, and said everything looks great. Adara is in the 50% growth rate, so no worries about too big or too small. She also looked at my blood levels and announced that I "have gestational diabetes in name only." She said I definitely won't need medication, and that my levels are actually too low sometimes. We talked about good snacks and eating good protein/fat before I go to sleep, so that my fasting sugar level isn't too low in the morning. She still wants me to check my sugar levels, but only my fasting level and then one other time during the day! She told me this is what she expected my sugar levels to look like, and why she was surprised that I failed both tests. Doc said she'll still see me a little more often as the due date gets closer, but that she's not worried at all.

Praise God for good results! He had blessed us over and over and over again.

Day 40: Pedicure on our toes

Mom and I got pedicures today! Fun and relaxing :)
I'll post about my doctor's appointment tomorrow.

Day 41: No Judgment

I need to check myself before I get on my high horse on any issue. The issue of gestational diabetes is one such issue. Whenever I heard of people getting it, I thought "Well, it must just be their diet/exercise/lifestyle/something that I will most definitely avoid." Sometimes I think God brings things into my life just do bring me down a few notches. He shows me that sometimes things happen to our bodies, and it may or may not be a lifestyle issue. There were things in my diet that I've had to change, but I thought I was fine. I was even a little proud that I'd gained a minimal amount of weight. I kept thinking, "Well, I"m doing so much better than all those other people eating processed junk food all the time."  If you've shared a pregnancy malady with me, I've probably passed some self-righteous judgment, and I'm sorry. Please forgive me.

I'm learning that when I read about a particular issue, I shouldn't automatically assume I'm immune. I should commit my entire body, mind, and soul to my Savior, who is the Author and Creator of life. He's the one that calls the shots.

Day 42: The answer to life, the universe, and everything

That's the answer to life, the universe, and everything: 42. Small tribute to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Anyways, here's a week 34 picture:

week 34

Notice how my belly almost reaches that long rectangle on the door! Lots of excitement-only 6 weeks left!

Day 43: church

These are the youth we chilled with today. We enjoy having them around. Never a boring moment for sure!

Day 44: Snack Mix

Snack Mix: Corn Chex, pretzels, and Fritos, only it's all Aldi brand. I grabbed some walnuts from the freezer so that I'd have some protein to throw into my processed carbs. We used to have a mix that was cheesy, so this is progress :)

Day 45: Which doctor we picked and why

We've decided to go with Dr. Mulder at Cool Springs Family Medicine. It's worth the drive to have the welcoming environment, and understanding about our vaccine concerns. I realize that plenty of people get vaccines and are fine, but I'm not convinced that it's a good idea for our baby. I was watching this video, and felt the need to share it. Click here to see it. It's long-I've watched it while exercising and doing laundry.

Day 46: Too many store trips

I don't mind last minute runs to the store, but since Monday I will have gone to Hobby Lobby, Walmart, a mall, the bank, Walmart, another mall, Walmart, Aldi, someone's house to pick up eggs, and then Aldi again.Not all of those trips were just for me (some were hanging with friends), but most of them were. We ran out of water yesterday, so I got refills yesterday, and finished what I needed to get today-I probably could have planned that better. Although it seems silly to go to the store so many times, I realized I am so thankful that we live close enough to make last-minute runs as needed. We're close to stores, and Alex's work-which is also where I'll be giving birth. I'll go visit people out in the country, but I think I enjoy being close to so many places we frequent.

I also just thought about how these store runs won't be quite as easy once we have a tiny child. Hmm....maybe I should start planning my trips a little differently...

Day 47: Out and about

Today I went to the bank, got some jugs of water, some makeup at WalMart, and then got to see Angie and her little angels. She had to got her hair cut, so Lacey (sis-in-law) and I helped watch Jayden and Jenna.

Lacey and Jayden

Me and Jenna

Adara sometimes kicks while I'm holding Jenna-I like to think she's say hi rather than "get off me!" haha.

I can definitely tell my belly is getting bigger! My belly button is continuing to disappear,  and I expect it will be gone before I give birth.

Day 48: More visiting

Today I got to hang with family and friends. My mom, my aunt, and my grandma and I are lunch at Chick-fil-a, and it was yummy of course. I got my grandma's gift early, since she will be out of town for my baby shower(clothes, diapers and wipes, money-awesome!). I saw another aunt earlier in the day, and then mom and I went over to the Musgrove house to visit! It was super fun talking to Bethany about upcoming newborn photos! Check out her facebook page-she's great at what she does! Plus, I'm excited about her baby boy and my baby girl growing up being friends, just like we did.

Also, check out this present I got in the mail today-Yoda had and ruby slippers:

These came from my cousin who's in college in Chicago! Alex and I have decided they're awesome and we can't wait to see Adara in them!

Day 49: 33 weeks!

33 weeks

Rabbit Rabbit! Welcome to October! Only 7 weeks left until the due date of our wonderful baby girl!

Things I'm looking forward to in October:

• Ultrasound before my appointment next Wednesday. The doctor wants to check on baby's growth because of the whole gestational diabetes thing.
• Hanging out with my mom-she has fall break, so we get some time together!
• TWO baby showers in the same weekend! One on Saturday, and one on Sunday. I'm so excited to see all the people who are coming to celebrate (and help us prepare for) the coming of Adara!
• Cooler weather. Not only can I continue to wear my cute maternity pants, but I'm also excited to wear a scarf-something that fits no matter how big my belly gets!
• Trunk or treat at church: It was fun last year to pass out candy to the kids who came. Plus, I'll be huge, so I probably won't be cold at all that night! I'm thinking about getting a giant orange shirt with a pumpkin over my belly...
• The end of this month means we're that much closer to Thanksgiving, and holding a tiny child in our arms :)