June 29, 2010

Getting really close now. Yesterday was Chris and mine 2nd year anniversary. We went to Roy's Hawaiian fusion restaurant. The food was really good and they put a special greeting in our menu. They were able to make me a medium well steak that was still super tender and flavorful. I also had my first and only glass of wine. I haven't had a drink since we got back from Vegas. The wine was great too. Even though we were not exchanging gifts because of the nice dinner, Chris still showed up with these beautiful roses.

We are coming up on 38 and 1/2 weeks pregnant and I am getting very excited to be not pregnant any more. At our doctor appointment last week the doctor said that Layla sounded good and was a good size. We are also right on schedule for our due date of July 11, plus or minus a few days. This was great news to us since a lot of Chris's dads family will be traveling out of town this week for a wedding. Layla and I have mostly stopped growing and are just enjoying these last few weeks getting prepared to meet each other. I know that my belly is getting pretty cramped for her and I am not sleeping very well at all. I also have some uncomfortable swelling in my knuckles and fingers in the morning and then my feet at night. But overall I really feel good and have been getting a lot of last minute things done.

My big focus in the next two weeks is to get Mali ready for the baby. I think she will do great but we have some behavior problems that we wold like to work on before the baby comes home.

So overall there is not much to report. Things just seem to be moving alone. My next doctors appointment is this Wednesday.

June 20, 2010 Father's Day and 37 Weeks

I know I have been slacking on keeping everyone up to date. I just don't have the energy or time to come home and write. The last few week have been filled. Chris started softball again on Tuesday nights, I have been getting together with my girlfriends at least every other week, which has been great, and I had another baby shower last Thursday.

So 37 weeks means full term. It s so awesome to make it to this point. I am ready to hold Layla and be a mom. I am not however really ready for the labor part. I am still nervous and anxious. That is why it is really nice to still be at work. When I get nervous or cant stop thinking about it I can talk to my aunt or co workers and that makes me feel better or I will get a customer call and forget all about everything about the baby. Its nice to have distractions right now. I also bought a bunch of non baby books to read. The only problem is I already finish two of them in a few days. But that helps too.

One of my biggest faults is being to prepared for things and then not enjoying them as they happen. When Chris and I went to Walt Disney World I planned every thing down to the hour over and over again. Then when it came time to leave I told my boss at the time that I wasn't as excited to go. And she knew me really well and said, "Well Whitney you've already been there for the past year." It was so true. But the wedding engagement and the surprise parade ride made the trip even better than I had planned. My other friend at work thinks it hilarious that I plan all my surprises. So because of this I am trying to take these llast couple of weeks to get a few things done, but also enjoy Chris and Mali before Layla gets here and not put too much thought into what it will all be like.

I hope Mali will be able to deal with the Layla taking her spot with Chris. She has been getting pretty spoiled lately.

So I will be trying to post every few days to let everyone know of any progress. I start seeing the doctor every week now. This last weeks visit was fast and he didn't say much. I asked a couple of questions about the hospitals protocol for delivery and then he was gone.

I have however been getting pretty strong practise contractions, but she has not dropped at all yet.

June 4, 2010 34 Weeks!

The 34th week has been very eye opening. Layla is now around 17 to 18 inches long and weighs about 5 1/2 pounds. She moves around a lot and has the hiccups at least 3 times a day. It is getting a little snug in there I think. She is definitely stronger and her pokes and movements do hurt sometimes. I have also been gaining weight right a long with her. I am a little above where I wanted to be, but I expected that once I had to stop working out. I feel really good and have a lot of energy. The only problem has been the very constant heart burn. But I am learning to deal with that too.

We have our day care situation all figured out. It has taken a load off of my mind. The women comes highly recommended from family and friends. We will even have a family friend's son there at the same time as Layla. She works right down the street from us and was very reasonably priced. The only thing that still needs to be worked out is when Layla will be going there. Plan A is for me to go back to work Monday through Thursday from 7:00am to 5:30pm and have Fridays off with the baby. Layla would be in day care Monday through Thursday from 8:00am to 4:00om. My mom would be in charge of picking her up. Plan B is working Monday through Friday 6:00am to 2:30pm and Layla in day care part time, Monday thought Friday 8:30am to 2:30om. Neither situation is ideal, but I have to go back to work full time for us to afford to live where we live. I have spent a lot of time talking to other moms and friends about the idea of day care and I am pretty happy with the two plans I have. The day care person will be teaching Layla sign language and Spanish and she seems to love what she does and is very up to date with the demands of social services.

We have also picked a pediatrician. She also came by recommendation of family. We met with her on Wednesday and she seemed very nice and very knowledgeable. It is an other thing I no longer have to think about.

Next week will be our last week of Lamaze class. The instructor is so funny and we have really learned a lot. I have decided to stay with my original plan of no drugs. Chris and my sister Macky are going to be in the room with me. Macky is going to be there to keep the mood light and take pictures and video tape. Chris has been practising his massage and helping me with my breathing. I am really nervous but so excited. I cant wait to hold Layla for the first time.

Last weekend was memorial weekend. We had so much fun and relaxed almost the whole time. On Saturday we went to my moms for a BBQ and swam in her pool all day. I took a picture of my belly compared to my uncles. I would say that mine might not be the biggest but it certainly is the firmest. On Sunday we went down to New Port to have dinner with my dad. That was nice too. We just sat in his back yard and talked and then he cooked us an amazing BBQ dinner. Monday I slept a lot.

Yesterday was my moms birthday and we went to The Counter. The best burger place ever.