New Low Point

I had a new low point in my pregnancy earlier this week.  I was getting back in the car after lunch with my girlfriends and popped the seam in the caboose area of my pants.  I know that it isn’t necessarily my weight (this is my story so don’t start) but that the seam wasn’t strong to start with or many (maybe 1) other reasons.  It wasn’t a huge deal, I had to have Clark bring me out my computer and notebooks from my office so I could go home and change before I had to go out to a client meeting. However, there is a sense of defeat with the busting of seams, no matter how it happens.  Clark was so good about it; he said it was definitely the pants fault.

The good news is that at my check up this morning, I found that I had passed the glucose test with flying colors and I hadn’t gained any weight since my last appointment (which helps with my story from the previous paragraph.)  I am however measuring on the mature side. I know this is not an exact science, but experience is experience. My doctor wants me to really start considering the possibility of a C section.  We are having another sonogram at 36 weeks to see if they can make a good estimate.  I have always just envisioned me doing it the natural way, and the thought of me laying on a table with my large intestine laying outside of my body alongside me to pull the baby out doesn’t really sit well with me, yet.  None the less, it is something to start thinking about.  So I have heard from a few friends already on pro and con on each type of delivery option, but it is always good to hear more.  So please send me your stories, good, bad, and most likely, not glamorous.

On the status of the home front, we have completed the painting in Hannah’s room.  I have put up new shelves and hanging rods in her closet, so I can start putting away some of her loot.  The new carpet for upstairs has been ordered.  As soon as we get an installation date, we’ll order the dresser (thanks again Mom and Dad for the help) and Clark’s Mom and Grandmother got us the crib and that is supposed to be ordered shortly.  I am really starting to feel the pressure of the pending due date and am starting to knock things off the list while I can.

So send me your stories.  I hope you are all making through the extreme heat of this summer.  It has to cool off eventually right? (Clark has promised a cool off…..in October)

Shower Season Kick Off

We had a wonderful time at the shower in Northern Virginia this weekend.  It was a quick turnaround.  We left after work Thursday night, stayed in Knoxville and then drove the rest of the way on Friday.  The ride Sunday was a little harder doing it all in one day.  Nixon enjoyed the ride with us.  She is never excited to get into the car, but mainly goes to sleep once in the car.  Her only quirk just started in the past month.  She will put her nose right up to the vent that goes to the back seat and inhale deeply and then snarf it out through her nose.  She will do this until I close the vent.  We assume it is just air she is sucking in and not some portion of coolant that she is getting a high from.  Clark’s explanation was that she thinks so much; her brain is overheating and needs to cool off.  The jury is still out.

The shower was thrown by my best friend and Hannah’s middle name sake, Grace.  She always goes above and beyond any expectations and is one of the most generous people I know.  It was wonderful to see all my friends from all parts of my life, family friends, some who have known me since birth, high school and colleges friends (Erin and Meghan rep’ed Sigma Kappa and WVU) and Arlington friends.  I am truly blessed to have such an incredible group of women in my life to support me.  Everyone was so generous with their gifts and time.  Clark was overwhelmed with all the gifts but has decided he’ll have to go shopping because Hannah can’t have more toys than him.  This could be a problem.

We got to catch up with my brother and sister in law.  Their son Brock is growing fast and has really gotten into that interaction stage where it is fun to see what his reactions to things are and what he is going to do next.

Hannah has really kicked up her movements.  On Saturday afternoon after the shower, I was sitting with my parents and she must have been trying a break dancing move.  She pushed so hard on my tummy that she knocked off the toy I had balanced on there.  I can now just lay in bed and watch her kick and push at my stomach.  It just makes me giggle and it really shocks Clark.

I had the glucose test yesterday which took way too long.  I don’t have the results yet, but I’m not worried.  I have always been told I was sweet.

The 4D Ultrasound Pics

The Creature from The Black Lagoon

We had the 4D ultrasound this morning.  She was a little sleepy, but we got some great pictures for the most part.  The last one posted is of her yawning, but i will say, it looks like the creature from the Black Lagoon!  Technology is just amazing!  She definitely has Clark's nose (thank goodness) and my chubby cheeks.

My doctor did say that she is looking to be a big one.  I have another ultrasound around my 36th week to make sure we don't overgrow her in there.  Guess we should really get a move on to get those last minute projects done around the house!

4th of July, Living with Dissapointment, and Hot Boobs

We spent the 4^th of July, as we do every year with our friend Brannon Byers and his family at their lake house in Plum Branch, South Carolina.  We had a wonderful time.  It was a perfect weekend of good food, good friends (especially those we only get to see once a year), good advice (thanks Ivey and Mrs. B), good stories and conversation.  Nixon took to the water again like a fish.  She hasn’t yet mastered the art of fetch in the water, but for the most part, was a fun addition to lake time.  When she started to get tired, we would pull her up to rest on our floatie.  We did learn that there is a difference between waterproof and water resistant (although my friend Margo says both are a Myth).  Nothing too dramatic, but a little more color on both of our shoulders than we had planned.

This past weekend was supposed to be spent with my friend Lisa in Atlanta with our BFF Taylor Swift, but she got sick and had to cancel the concert.  Yes, I know we were probably both spared the embarrassment of being the only grown women there without children, but we don’t care and celebrate her whole collection.  The sad news is that the rescheduled date for the concert is Oct 1, which is about a week after the expected arrival of Hannah, so it is a no go.  There is always next year.

The weekend at home was actually a really nice break to all the travel that we have been doing in the past month.  I was able to run some errands, get some stuff done around the house, provide motivation to Clark to get Hannah’s room painted, and get some much needed nap time. 

We came across a small phenomenon Sunday afternoon after church.  There is no delicate way to describe this so here goes (sorry Dad, Clark, and Cory), my boobs became red hot.  I could feel them radiating heat when we got home, but when I changed out of my church clothes, I touched them and decided they were at least 300 degrees each.  Clark confirmed this.  His diagnosis was that lady, pregnancy stuff must be going on and something has been activated.  After talking with some new mom friends, they said this is common and most likely have increased hormones or whatever it takes to get the ol’ udders started in order to feed the wee one after her arrival.  They did not stay at that temp for any length of time, but it was interesting while it lasted.

The pictures are of our 4 legged child enjoying her lake time and my nephew Brock dominating the 4th of July Parade in Wellsburg, WV.

I hope this provided a good giggle for everyone and this finds everyone having a safe and fun summer.

Visits, Visits, and More Visits

Clark finally got to feel Hannah kick the other night.  He was pretty excited about it.  I think it made it a little more real for him.  I can understand that I have a different experience with the pregnancy.  Mine is a daily relationship, whether it be, feeling the kicking, or just bending over and finding out it is harder than it used to be.  His is more of watching my midsection grow and occasionally getting to see a black and white figure moving around on a screen.

My parents came down from Virginia for a visit 2 weekends ago.  That was the first time that they have seen me in person in full blown baby bump.  It must be strange and awesome all at the same time to see the little girl that you carried in your tummy and raised, pregnant with her own little one.  It is hard to imagine now that one day, I will most likely be experiencing the same thing, when our little one starts her own family.

Last weekend we went to Charleston, SC to visit Clark’s sister, Debbie, who is due on September 22.  We had a wonderful visit.  It was my first trip to Charleston and it lived up to everything I have been told.  What a beautiful, romantic city.  We spent a lot of time chatting and catching up and ate some great food.  Debbie looked fantastic and is dealing with the same heat I am in AL, but with an extra bonus of high humidity.  Her husband JF was back in France managing his business there, but we were able to Skype with him and catch up.

The travel stretch of this summer for us has begun, we will be in Plum Branch, SC this weekend at the Byers lake house.  I will be in Atlanta next weekend for the Taylor Swift Concert with my friend Lisa (don’t judge, we understand we may be the oldest there without children, but don’t care.)  The weekend after that we will be up in Northern Virginia for our Baby Shower there.  Needless to say, we’ll be travelled out soon.

Enjoy the picture of Clark and his sister.  I will start posting pictures of myself once I find a way to deflate the size of my face in pictures, say around October.

Hope this finds everyone well.

Hannah must have and iPod and Poison Ivy Face

For the past couple of weeks, I have been waking up every morning with a song in my head.  Normally, these songs would be something I heard the day before, or a jingle from a commercial that gets stuck in your head, but not these.  These songs have been everything from songs from musicals ,Bye Bye Birdie, and Stingiest Man in Town, to Oasis Wonderwall.  There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to the songs.  This mornings diddy was a song i don't even know the title to.  I think it is an old Train song, and sadly not even my favorite Train song, Meet Virginia.  I asked Clark what he thought and he said he definitely thinks that Hannah has an iPod in there.  He said you never know with kids these days.  She might even have a laptop.

On to Poison Ivy Face.  Clark and I did a lot of yard work this past weekend.  On Tuesday morning, I woke up with a large patch of poison ivy on the right side of my face.  I can only assume since it isn't on my hands, that it either got on the tshirt I was wearing and when I took it off, spread it to my face.  The alternative is that Nixon got into the poison ivy and then laid on my Snoogle (my pregnancy pillow).  Nixon is a big fan of snoogling, but either is a very good assumption.  On the upside, the poison ivy stops just below my eye, which is a small blessing.  At this mornings doctors appointment, my Doc gave me a Rx for some steroids that are safe for me to take.  So hopefully I will be on the mend as we head into this weekend which is for casted to continue to 90+ temperatures.  I believe we are going on 19 days and counting on days over 90.

While our electirc bill is sky rocketing, my acid reflux has been suppressed which has made a huge difference in my mood, just ask Clark.  Relief, thy name is Prevacid!  Thank you everyone for your emails and comments/suggestions.  Keep them coming.

Ma and Pa Fuller are coming to town this weekend.  I will try to take some pictures to add to the blog for next week.  I am not super excited about taking pictures at this size, but I know I will eventually want to capture some of this time on film.

Hope this finds everyone well!

Pregnant Lady Kryptonite

I believe that I have discovered the perfect formula for Pregnant Lady Kryptonite:  10+ consecutive days of 95+ degrees (with a heat index of over 100), severely bad allergies, constant acid reflux/heartburn.  The deadly combination of the three elements has had me down for the last couple of days.  I plan on asking for a prescription for the acid reflux at my next appointment.  There is currently no end in sight for a reprieve from the temperature.  I am at least hoping for a good rain storm sometime this week to wash some of the pollen away.

Part of me thinks I might be over the hump or at least building up some kind of immunity to this Kryptonite.  But until then, here is the stock tip of the week: buy Tums and Energy Stocks.

To end this on a positive note, my employer graciously provides several different pain killers and other aliment suppressants to keep us working through the day, including Antacids (pictured).  I guess you could consider this "perk", part of my salary, so unlike the continuing education money I am not taking advantage of, I making the most out of the antacids in spades.