tired and weary

Lily Madelyn Bruns was born on November 21, 2007 at 8:22PM. She weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces and was 20 inches long. A cutie pie but wearing mom and dad out! I will post more pictures at a later date once I am functioning!

Scheduled Induction

Today we went for my non-stress test since I'm past my due date now and also to see the midwife. Our little girl didn't cooperate for a long time on the test - so it ended up taking about an hour and a half just for that! The test was good though.

My midwife did another cervical exam which was a LOT more promising this week! I was 80-90% effaced, baby's head was at station 0 (good and low), and 1CM dialated. The midwife said I was a good candidate now to be induced if we were interested - so of course we said yes to that. They have scheduled me for induction on Wednesday (21st). I will either be going in to the hospital tomorrow (Tuesday) night or Wednesday morning. I will find out tomorrow. They want me to come in again in the morning to be checked to see if I am anymore effaced/dialated at that point.

The midwife also did what is called "sweeping the membranes." Basically they put their fingers between the amniotic sac and uterus and sweep around. This helps to release prostaglandins which help to prepare the cervix. It wasn't as painful, thankfully, as last week. This is probably due to the fact that I was a lot farther along than last week.

I can hardly believe that in 2 days we will have our baby girl!! I have had a bit of every emotion I think today. Even though I knew it was near - it's becoming much more reality. Scared/nervous/excited/happy - you name it! Which I believe is quite normal.

We will keep everyone posted and of course post pictures once she is here! Be in prayer for all 3 of us!!

39 and 40 weeks pics

Here are some pictures of my still growing big belly!

39 Weeks

40 Weeks

40 weeks and no baby

Well, my due date has officially come and gone now. Our baby girl must be liking it too much in there and doesn't want to come out. I can hardly believe that I am 40 weeks pregnant now and can technically go into labor at any point. Each day feels like an eternity and even though I know that we will definitely have a baby by next week at the latest, it still feels like a long time. We are just trying to enjoy our last few days as just the two of us before our lives change a lot!

I have been SO miserable the past few days at night. Sleeping has become no fun anymore because of how often I wake up and the pain that I have in my hips and back. I feel like they are going to crush. I will definitely be glad to not have those aches and pains anymore!

Besides that, nothing much else new. Just awaiting our little arrival! I will be going tomorrow for an appointment and a non-stress test. I will also try to remember to take a picture of me and my enormous belly to post.

False Alarm

Sunday evening at about 6PM, Matt and I were talking and laying on the bed. Well when I started to get up I felt like I had peed on myself - so I went to the bathroom. I put on a pantiliner and got up again. That time a WHOLE bunch of fluid came out of me uncontrollably. So Matt and I of course start freaking out because we think my water has broken. I put another pad on and it happens again in a little while. I called the midwife and she said that it sounded like my water had broken but to just come in to the hospital in the morning at 6AM because they would sleep me through the night anyways if my water had broken to see if I would start contractions on my own. Of course she said to try and get some sleep but that didn't happen. Matt and I were up the whole night.

Went to the hospital Monday morning at 6AM as instructed - all prepared and expecting to have this baby. Well, they did 2 tests to see if your water has broken and both came back negative. I hadn't leaked any since probably like midnight. They had me hooked up to the monitor and while I was there I did have some contractions but they went away and of course weren't painful yet. Nancy (the midwife) was already there with 3 other people having their babies - busy night for her! She came in and did a vaginal exam too - I was 1 cm dialated and the cervix was still thick - so she said it wouldn't work well to induce at that point anyways for the PUPPP rash because the cervix hadn't started thinning well. She said that this happens a lot and that certain ways the baby can push on can activate your bladder so you don't have control and urine can come out. So after an hour and a half at the hospital, we were sent home.

We got home around 8AM at which time I had to call the doctor's office to find out if they still wanted me to come in for my regular appointment this afternoon - to which they said yes. So we slept until about 1PM and then headed to the office. Talked with the midwife there too about it and she also said it's very common for women to come in like that and it's always better to be safe than sorry. Both Nancy and Tami (the other midwife I saw at the office) said that they themselves had that happen to them when they were pregnant - so I didn't feel so bad or stupid! I had some spotting but Tami said that is due to the vaginal exam they did at the hospital. Man - I did not realize how BAD vaginal exams hurt when they are checking you - HOLY COW! And then I hear this one woman screaming in pain from labor - I was like, oh man what did I get myself in to! :) They should have soundproof walls! If I don't go before next week, then on Monday morning I have to come in to see the midwife and have a non-stress test done and then Wednesday morning to have an ultrasound. That is routine once you are past your due date. Tami said they won't let me go past 10 days beyond my due date (Nov. 28th), about 2 weeks from now. So at least I have that end in sight - she is going to come eventually!

My work plan is to go in for the rest of the week full days for this week. Then next week I will work half days in the afternoon Monday - Wednesday since I have those longer appointments and Thursday is Thanksgiving. Then I will just be done until the baby gets here if she doesn't come by then. So for now, just trying to enjoy our rest, peace, and quiet! Because in two weeks or less, our lives will be changing a lot!

PUPPP Pictures

Here are some pics of the awful PUPPP (Pruritic Uticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy) rash that I have. I like how this one lady puts it on this webpage she had regarding her PUPPP rash: "uncomfortable is the understatement of the year. THIS THING SUCKS. Bites. Blows." Exactly - you can't even describe it. Anyways - let's all pray that baby girl gets here soon so this rash can go away! Since that is the only thing that will cure it!

38 Weeks Appointment

Went for my appointment yesterday afternoon. They did say my rash looked bad -not that it's harmful to the baby or me, but that it really looked like it would be giving me a fit! Which, of course, it is! She talked with one of the physicians and they prescribed me 2 medicines that should take care of the itching until I am ready to have the baby. They said it should help within 24 hours and if it doesn't, to call them. So that was good news!! She said it can continue to spread - down your arms and legs -so I'm hoping it doesn't get to that. But she said NO scratching - that makes it worse. And not to rub lotion on it cause that will make it worse too. The two prescriptions are for Atarax and Pepcid AC. They apparently are both some form of antihistamine blocker. The Atarax should really help the itching but it can make you drowsy. They are also running one other blood test to make sure the rash isn't from something else. I can't remember what the other thing is called but I think she said it's kind of like having jaundice inside. But they are 99% sure it's the PUPPP. I weighed 138.6 - 24 pound weight gain. Guess we'll see whether I hit that 140 mark or not. Everything else is going great. I think next week at my appointment they might do a vaginal exam for dilation, effacement, etc.

On a follow up note as of this morning... I took the two medicines last night at about 4:30PM, Matt and I went to dinner, and then after I came back I took another baking soda bath. Well, after that I was feeling SOO drowsy. I laid down on the couch at about 6:30PM and was out until this morning. So there is no way that I would be able to take that during the day or I would not be able to function. It also didn't relieve the itching unfortunately. When I would rouse, I still felt it. So I have put in a call to the office this morning to let them know and see if there's any other recommendations for me.

Only 11 days now until my due date though. So that is VERY exciting!!

PUPPP and an Ultrasound

Let me start off by saying that PUPPP (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy) is the most awful itching you will ever experience in your life! It is a hive-type reaction that usually begins in you third trimester and first is noticeable on your abdomen. It can also spread though to your legs and butt. It isn’t dangerous, thankfully, but it will drive you crazy. The only cure for the rash is to have the baby too.

Last week I talked to the midwife about solutions for the itching and she suggested several things (Aveeno lotion, hydrocortisone cream, and Benadryl). Well since then, the itching has really set in HARD. I’ve tried all 3 of those, nothing helps the itching. I’ve also tried cold, heat, blowing air on it, etc. Everything I could think of! The benadryl has helped me to fall asleep at night. I got to my breaking point though last night and ended up calling the midwife to see if there was ANY other things I could try. The only other thing she suggested besides those was taking a baking soda bath. Besides that, having the baby is the only thing that’s really going to help. She said that if the itching is still really bad by next week (39 weeks), that we could talk about medically inducing me. The hospital won’t let them induce before then though unless there is a true need. They are also going to have one of the doctor’s take a look at it this afternoon at my appointment. So that has been my life – itch, itch, itch. You’re also not supposed to scratch it because that makes it worse and can spread it even more.

We went for an ultrasound on Friday. Everything looked great – amniotic fluid levels were good, baby was in good position and low down in my pelvis. They estimated her weight at 6 pounds 3 ounces and said that if I went full term (40 weeks), I would probably have about a 7.5 pound baby. So right on target.

Besides that, time is just dragging by. We are both very ready for her to get here, especially me! I can hardly believe that I am 38 weeks now. It really is very close even though it doesn’t seem like it! Matt can’t believe how big my belly is now – it’s weird seeing this huge belly hanging off my little body!

Dropping

I think I definitely have “dropped.” My belly feels like it weighs A LOT more and so much heavier lower down. I’ve had two times this week where I felt like a menstrual cramp – which is a good sign I guess that my body is getting ready. And my belly tightens up at times which I *think* are Braxton hicks – I have a hard time telling whether it’s just the position she’s in or not.

Sleeping is SO miserable – just trying to turn over is like the hugest chore. You wouldn't think that something that simple would be such a huge task! I think I wake up whenever I have to turn over and then of course to go pee at night!

On another fun note. My friend Alicia (who was due after me!) had her baby on Tuesday. Matt and I got to go and visit with them at the hospital yesterday. They named her Andi Grace and she weighed only 4 pounds 13 ounces - SO small and SO adorable. She had a planned c-section due to some other complications she was having. It was so great to get to hold a little brand new baby. Definitely made me want to hold ours! We're so excited! Only 16 more days until my due date!

I go tomorrow for an ultrasound so I will post again to let everyone know how things go with that! Keep praying for all of us!

Belly Pics at 37 Weeks

37 Weeks and Full Term!

Had my weekly appointment this morning. Matt was able to go as well since it was in the morning. I still weigh 136 (haven't gained any the past 2 weeks) but she said this was fine cause I'm smaller and my total weight gain is still pretty good (22 pounds). I measured 35cm (down one from last week) but the midwife said this could be due to the baby coming down lower in my pelvis - so that would be a good thing.

We talked about my itchy stretch marks. They are SOOO incredibly itchy - I literally could not get to sleep last night for a long time because they itched so bad. She said there's unfortunately not a lot you can do for that. She suggested using Aveeno lotion that has oatmeal in it. She also said I could rub a little hydrocortisone cream on there as well if I needed to.

I am full term now (although my due date isn't for another 3 weeks) so I can go anytime and it will be fine. We talked some about things you can try to help soften the cervix and release the hormone that supposedly helps to bring on labor. She said that taking evening primrose oil has really helped a lot of women and also rasberry tea leaf (helps to get some contractions going). So I can start trying both of those.

I asked about whether they do vaginal exams and she said they don't really unless there's a need because there is no way to indicate how far away labor is from that. She said some women can be 3-4 cm for several weeks and others who aren't dilated at all can literally go the next day. So there's really no need to do them. At 39 weeks (2 weeks from now), she said that they can start doing membrane checks. Basically what they do is stick their finger up inside the cervix and rub around underneath the amniotic sac which will help to also soften the cervix and help with bringing on more contractions. They don't let anyone go beyond 2 weeks past their due date.

Once I turn 40 weeks, they will have me come in twice a week to see the midwife and also to have a non-stress test and ultrasound to make sure amniotic fluid level is good and baby is in no distress.

The baby's head is still in place well - right down in the center of my pelvis. I'll be having an ultrasound this Friday - they want to check the baby's actual position, amniotic fluid levels, and fetal growth. Matt is taking the day off on Friday so he will be able to go too.

Well - I think that's about it - enough for one appointment, right?!

Time is slowing...

Time just seems to be dragging now but the end is in sight - 25 more days to go! Went to see the midwife again yesterday. Everything was great. I weighed in at 136 (same as last week so no weight gain) and measured 35cm (1 week less but that's normal). Baby's heartbeat sounded good and steady. My Strep B test they did last week came back negative so I don't need to have antibiotics during labor/delivery. Besides that, nothing new. I go back again next Monday. Hopefully only 3 more appointments would be nice! Let's hope she's on time or a little early!

Last week we had our last childbirth class and got our certificate of completion - yeah for us! Apparently we are officially ready for childbirth now - guess we'll see! We also took a tour of the birth center at the hospital. It is really nice and the rooms are great - all private. I get room service with whatever I want to eat off the menu 24 hours a day - yeah! I'm also the geek who asked if there was wireless internet available in the rooms. There is so that means Matt can bring the laptop and hopefully post a few pics and news of her birth! Her picture will also be posted on the hospital's website: http://www.ohlooknps.com/vbh/.

All I can say is I am ready to have her! Ready to get rid of all the aches and pains in my hips/lower back. Ready to get rid of my heartburn. And most importantly, ready to see her and hold her! She's been so active and her movements at times are REALLY noticeable. You should see my belly jumping out and her contourting it in all these weird positions! It's SO crazy to really think that there is a real baby living inside there!

35 Weeks and Car Seat

Update from my appointment today: I gained 2 pounds this week (up to 136) and I measured right on my week (35cm). I had the Strep B test done today and will have the results of that next week at my visit. Nancy, the midwife, said that the baby is head down right in my pelvis where she should be. She also said that the baby weighs about 6 pounds right now and she expects I will probably have about a 7.5 pound baby. We also talked a little more about what I am planning to do in regards to pain medication/epidural and whether I am planning to breastfeed. I am planning on having an epidural but don't want to have it done too early if possible so as to not slow the labor down and so I can be able to get up, walk around, get in the tub, etc. as long as possible. So my goal is to probably have it done around 5-6cm. That is all subject to change though seeing as I have never done this before and don't know what it will feel like! And I've decided to attempt breastfeeding and see how that goes as well.

We got the car seat installed this weekend at the fire station. It makes us realize the time is drawing near now when we see the car seat back there! Only 5 more weeks to go!! Here are some pics of our baby girl's room (my sister made the canvas paintings hanging above the dresser!) The bigger canvas painting has Isaiah 43:1 on it - I have called you by name; you are mine!

34 Weeks

Had another appointment yesterday with the midwife. I am SO glad that I had to by accident see a midwife last time because I absolutely love seeing them! I have definitely decided to switch over to them so they will be delivering our baby. I talked with her this week about the differences between midwives/doctors, what if there is complications they can’t handle, need a c-section, etc. She was very informative and said they work closely with the doctors in the practice so if there is anything that goes wrong they are always right there on call (which hopefully nothing will!). She was very reassuring and willing to take the time to talk with me. The midwives are also there during your labor as well as delivery, not just like a doctor who will come in at the last minute to deliver your baby. She said that they are there for you and will do whatever they can to help you through everything – rub your back, help you get in the whirpool, etc. So that will be wonderful to have that extra support – after all I am paying them a bunch of money so they should! J They are totally neutral on epidurals too – she said that they support whatever the woman feels is best and what they want – they’re not all like “oh you need to try to do it natural.” Matt and I just feel really good about them. There are 3 of them that rotate on call – Nancy, Mary, and Tamra. Mary is newer to the practice and young but she is absolutely fabulous. I will see Nancy next time.

The appointment went well. I made up for the 2 pounds I didn’t gain last time – I gained 4 pounds the past two weeks so I know weigh a whopping 134 (total gain of 20 pounds). My uterus is growing well too – measured 33cm this week – so only one week off my actual time (34). Mary said that I am definitely just having a smaller baby which will have part to do with that – and that on both ultrasounds the baby was on the 22nd percentile – so smaller but she said still completely healthy and fine. She felt around to see what position the baby was in again – man, does that feel uncomfortable! Her head is down but is off to my right side/pelvis area. So she still needs to move around and have her head in the center but she has a little time to do so. I start going every week now – so another appointment next Monday (it’s getting much closer!).

On a side note, sleeping through the night is now a distant memory for awhile I guess! There’s always something that keeps waking me up in the nights – and that then usually wakes Matt up too. We decided that it must be getting us ready for having the baby and not getting straight through sleep!

My Prayer

This past weekend my friends from college had a baby shower for me here in town. It was wonderful to have everyone together and of course for Tara to be in town. I had a great time and got good stuff for the baby! My friends took pictures so once I get those I will post some from the shower.

One of the gifts that I got though from Tara was a cd called "Sing Over Me: Worship Songs and Lullabies." Most of the songs are worship songs you have probably heard but in a lullaby form/sound. It is just SO beautiful and peaceful to listen to. You should definitely check it out. One of the songs I had never heard on it was called "Hold on to Jesus." What a beautiful sweet song - it makes me want to cry listening to it because it is our desire for our little baby girl. There is nothing more I could ask for then for our little girl to love God and want to hold on to Him through the good and bad times. There will be hard times for her because of the fallen world we live in and I can't protect her from those, but God can ALWAYS be there and help her through. I pray for our baby girl every morning on my way to work and this has become part of my prayer. I'm posting the lyrics to the song but you should listen to it if you get a chance! Thank you to everyone who already remembers our little girl in your prayers - that's the most important thing you can do! I'll post again later because I go for another check-up today with the midwife. Here's the lyrics:

You’re a little piece of heaven
You’re a golden ray of light
And I wish I could protect you
From the worries of this life
But if there’s one thing I could tell you
It’s no matter what you do
Hold to Jesus He’s holding on to you

The world will try to tell you
That might is more than right
That beauty’s on the outside
And being good’s a losing fight
But remember what I’ve told you
Because the world will make you choose
Hold to Jesus He’s holding on to you

Hold on to Jesus
Cling to His love
Rest deep in His mercy
Whenever things get rough
Don’t lose sight of His goodness
And don’t ever doubt this truth
That when you hold on to Jesus
He’s holding on to you

Hear me dear Jesus
Rock this little one to sleep
Keep her close when she’s scared
And give her grace when she is weak
I know she’ll stumble
But I know she’ll make it through
If You hold to her just like You said You’d do
Hold her, Jesus
So she’ll hold on tight to You

Heartburn, Backaches, and Class

So my life now consists of a lot of heartburn, backaches, and hip pain. Sounds like fun, huh? The growing belly is definitely affecting my body now. Sleeping isn't too bad except for the nights when I have heartburn - the reflux is awful and keeps me awake. My back and hips by the end of the day are hurting because of sitting at my desk. I believe I'm putting on a little more weight again though unlike the previous 2 weeks where I didn't gain any. I will find out more at my appointment on Monday.

We have finally finished up the nursery (well, almost). The only thing left I want to do is to buy wall letters for her name to hang up. I'll take pictures soon to be able to post of how everything looks. I just love our bedding set and I am glad we decided to do the "girly" option!

We had childbirth class again last night. We reviewed everything we had talked about so far and the stages of labor. Then she talked about your water breaking - how it can happen, what they do if they need to break it. Watched 4 more live births - AAHH! :) The video was discussing the different types of birth - natural, epidural, c-section, twins, etc. Then we did breathing exercises and talked a little bit about epidurals. Next week is when we will really get in to that discussion and she will talk about the pros/cons of epidurals. It kind of stinks that you can't get out of bed and move around if you have an epidural, but I think the benefits of pain relief will definitely outweigh that factor.

On a side note, my sister had two embryos implanted in her uterus yesterday for the IVF process. Be in prayer for her and that at least one of these embryos will hang on and attach to the uterus! I would LOVE to have another niece or nephew! Results will be in two weeks.

Our baby girl is moving around a lot still and we're just so excited for her to get here. I can't wait to see what she looks like and hold her. It seems like the next 6 1/2 weeks are going to go by slowly!

Class and Pictures

Last night we went to our second childbirth class of the series. I think Matt is now scarred for life. :) She showed us a video of a live birth - and you saw everything! They even showed the placenta being delivered - that thing is gross. We talked about the stages of labor, reviewed lamaze principles, when to go to the hospital, and practiced breathing on our floor mats. It was interesting to note that the normal amount of time that a woman pushes for during her first labor is 1-3 hours. Yes, that is correct. So those of you who watch baby story on TLC and think it comes out after just a few pushes is wrong - they deceive you! I kinda already knew this because my sister pushed for two and a half hours (!) when she had Ava but I thought it was interesting to note. We also got some more freebies which is great!

Still feeling tired and my back and hips are starting to really bother me. It's hard to sit in one position for too long! I got around to taking some more pictures of my growing belly this week. So these are of me at 32 weeks - enjoy! And yes, as you can see from the last picture, I still have my figure from the front and back thankfully!

32 Weeks

Yesterday I just felt awful during the day – weak, lightheaded, short of breath at times. I was scheduled to see the doctor on Wednesday but called to see if I could get in sooner sine I wasn’t feeling well. The OB doctor’s didn’t have anything available but they got me an appointment with one of the midwives at the practice. So I went in yesterday to get checked out for my normal visit and to address how I was feeling yesterday. The midwife was excellent! She took a lot more time with me and explained things in more detail to me. Matt was able to go and he really liked her as well. So on that note, I think we have decided for me to see the midwives the rest of the time and have them deliver our baby. From what I understand, the midwives are usually much more involved at the hospital versus just showing up at the very end. If there was any complications or I had to have a c-section, then they would call one of the doctor’s in.

They tested my iron levels again and they actually were back up to normal – all the way to 11.9! So that was excellent and I don’t have to take the supplement anymore. I haven’t gained any weight though from my last visit (2 weeks ago) and when she measured my uterus it was still at 30cm (what it was 2 weeks ago). It’s supposed to gradually grow of course and measure according to about what week you are (I’m 32 right now). So she said that if at my next visit in two weeks, there hasn’t been noticeable growth they would want to do an ultrasound/non-stress test to make sure the baby is doing okay and growing like she should. The midwife said that it could just be due to the fact that I am a smaller person and could be having a small baby – so I guess nothing to worry about at this point. She also encouraged me to eat a lot of small things throughout the day versus just 3 regular meals. With my stomach being crunched up and smaller, it’s important to keep it full all day long since it can’t handle huge amounts at one time. We’ll find out at my next appointment how the size is going though. Then the midwife felt around my belly to determine the positioning of the baby. This was the first time they started doing this and said that if she wasn’t in the right position they could do things to encourage her to change. I should rephrase when I said they “felt” around – it was much more like painfully push all around! She really dug in to feel all the parts – it hurt! The baby is head down though which is what she should be at this point.

I think that about covers everything about the appointment. We go again this evening for our childbirth class. My list of complaints is increasing – having to pee all the time and during the night, hips/back hurting, reflux is awful during the night, and the baby always seems to kick during the night and wake me up. But despite all my complaints, I’m so excited for her to get here!

On a side note too, my hormones must be raging. I can easily cry at anything! For example, Saturday I spilled a cup of water on the floor and just starting crying because I was upset about it. Matt thought it was funny and I get a laugh out of it too! Matt's been so supportive though and helpful especially as things are getting more uncomfortable now. I have a great husband! We celebrated our 2nd anniversary yesterday and I am so happy that our children will have a great dad like him!

Childbirth Class

Last night was our first childbirth class out of five sessions. Even though they teach the Lamaze technique with the class, I took it more for educational purposes about the whole birthing process. I had a great time and it was nice having my friend Alicia and her husband taking it as well.

We talked about a lot of different topics last night so it would be hard to remember everything but some of the things we covered was the basic principle of Lamaze, true labor vs. false labor, things to expect in the final trimester, the husband’s duties during labor (things for them to say and do), what to pack for the hospital, and what the hospital provides. Lamaze is a lot about the mind – not just the breathing. The instructor talked a lot about the importance of being able to relax even through the pain.

She also assigned us our daily homework/exercises that we should be doing from now until the baby comes: relaxation technique, Lamaze breathing, kegels (20/day), and squats. I didn’t realize this – but guys are supposed to be doing kegel exercises too. Even though you’re supposed to be doing kegels all the time, they’re apparently especially helpful during the birthing process if you have strengthened those muscles. And I didn’t realize this, but the instructor said that about 70% of women deliver their babies in the squatting position. She said it’s the easiest and helps you to open up even wider for the baby to come through. Besides those exercises, she wanted us to do a “bottom check” this week – HAHA! That was hilarious when she was talking about this. She wanted the women to get a mirror and sit down on the toilet this week and really look at our crotches – all the parts, how everything looks. She said most women don’t even know what they look like down there. This will be helpful for next week when she has a diagram and is drawing the different parts so you can know how you compare. I'm sure Matt will get a kick out of that. :) She said it’s also good to know how things will change and what it should return to looking like after you have the baby. Then, the funny part, she said she had a guy ask one time – “can this be a group activity?”

Matt and Alicia’s husband, Andrew, were hilarious. During the times we were practicing kegels, breathing, and the relaxation technique, it was all quiet and we were supposed to be looking at a focal point in the room while practicing. Well Matt is cracking up during it and couldn’t keep his focus on one place in the room. Which, of course, made me end up laughing. Then the guys were supposed to be looking at us while we were practicing the relaxing thing so Andrew and Matt were staring at us trying to make us laugh. It was hilarious – but you might have had to be there!

All in all, it was really good and I feel like I learned things that I didn’t know before. We go again next week and I think we will be talking about the different stages of labor. Hope this didn’t bore you too much but hey, it’s my blog isn’t it? :) Only 9 more weeks until baby gets here!!

Baby Shower and 30 Week Check-Up

So many new things have been going on the past week! I am 30 weeks now - only 10 more weeks to go. This past weekend we went back home to Virginia Beach for my baby shower there which my sister hosted. She and my mom did an absolute fantastic job!! It was beautiful and I got lots of stuff that I needed and items that I didn't need (including AT LEAST 10 blankets, and not even the get dirty kind, mostly fancy). Most all of the clothes were pastel pink too - really, it would be nice to have a little variety! :) We really don't have to buy too many more things and no "big money" items which is wonderful! My sister made us canvas paintings for the baby room that match our bedding set - SO beautiful! I was hoping that she would be able to do that for us. Then my parents got us a glider rocker with footstool which will definitely come in handy! Matt's parents got us the travel system - stroller and car seat. And of course there were lots of other gifts but too many to name here. I will try to post some shower pictures at a later date!

Then on Monday, we went to have a 3D/4D ultrasound done with both sets of parents there. Matt's mom had offered to pay to have one done because insurance doesn't cover that. It was SO neat getting to see what our baby looks like now - she is really growing and is so adorable!! I am putting up a few pictures but if you want to see all of them you can go to : http://babybruns.shutterfly.com/.

On another side note, Matt had an interview for a part time position at a church in Chesapeake over the weekend as well. I think it went great and I could see us liking the church and fitting in there. The pastor and worship pastor were great. So I guess we will wait and see! Matt would have to have a full time job though besides that position and we were worried some about him finding something. God gave us a huge blessing though - Matt's dad will be starting a new job in November for a navy contracting company and the man that his dad reports to is also a family friend from church. He has told Matt's dad that he can hire Matt on to his team to handle some entry-level things. So we have a job opening for Matt full time if he wants it back in Virginia Beach - crazy! We are praying over everything and asking God to give us guidance as we make this big decision.

Overall, the weekend was wonderful and it was nice to have our family together, including my extended family from Maryland! We had a blast!

Yesterday I went for my 30 week checkup and finally got to meet the 3rd doctor (Uray) who is a woman. She was wonderful! Everything except my iron checked out fine. I am measuring right at 30 weeks and my weight gain is perfect. I weighed 130 in the office. They tested my hemoglobin again since it was low when they last tested and had me start on an iron supplement. Well, it was still low and actually had gone done even a bit more. So they are having me take even more iron now to try and get that level back up. Besides that, I'm doing great! My back is starting to hurt more from the weight but overall I can't complain too much. I go again in two weeks for another check-up.

I think that about covers everything here. We are working on sorting through all the many things we got from the shower and trying to get everything washed for the baby. It's crazy how many things a little baby needs! We are so excited for her to get here though and can't wait to see her and hold her!

28 Week Check-Up

This past Tuesday I went for my 28 week check-up to the OB. I am officially in my 3rd trimester with only 12 more weeks to go! I had a great report. I have gained a total of 14 pounds which the doctor said was textbook perfect. He listened to her heartbeat which was wonderful and always good to hear. Then he measured my uterus again. The uterus' length should measure in centimeters how far along I am. He said it was measuring 28.5-29 which means I am right on track. So everything looks great! I asked a few questions that I had and that was it. We talked a little bit about epidurals and then how labor/delivery works with the doctors. Whichever doctor in the practice (there is 3) is on call will be the one that delivers. Unless there is complications, the doctor usually isn't there until the end when the baby is ready to be delivered. The nursing staff handle checking me and everything else. He said that the two midwives that are in my practice are around a lot too there so they will be available at times. I have two of three doctors - Shuwarger and Robertson (both males). I definitely like Robertson better - he is my regular GYN. I see the female doctor next time and I have heard she is really great too. As long as the baby comes out healthy, that's all that matters though! I now start going every 2 weeks for the next 2 months and then the last month I will see them every week until I go into labor. Here are some belly pics for this week:

On an exciting note, Matt's mom told me that if I wanted to get a complete 3D/4D ultrasound done that they would like to pay for it. My practice is the only one in Lynchburg that has the technology so far and they still aren't scheduling appointments because they still have more training to complete. So we have decided to just have it done in Virginia Beach when we go home for the shower next weekend. That way our parents will be able to go too. I am having it done at the same place that Matt's sister had hers. I'm really excited because our baby girl will be chubbier this time and we'll get to see her moving all around! I also caught our baby girl on video this week kicking my belly. She starts doing it around 30 seconds into the clip so keep watching!

Falls and Urination

Yes, you are most likely intrigued by the title of this blog post. Don't worry - there are stories behind both...

I am 27 weeks now - time sure is flying by. This past weekend we went to North Myrtle Beach for a last mini vacation before the baby gets here. We met up there with my sister and her family. The resort was absolutely beautiful - right on the ocean and on the 19th floor. There was a great lazy river and pool there too. We had a great time with my niece, Ava, too! Ava says to me - "your belly is fat!" It sure does feel that way more and more now! Here is a few pictures from the trip:

On the way back from Myrtle Beach, I started crying in the car because we had to leave vacation (yes, the waterworks are going off much easier now a days!). So Matt starts laughing because he doesn't know what to do for me to make me feel better. Thus, I start laughing at myself - so I am crying and laughing at the same time and then it happens.... I pee on myself! This of course makes me laugh even harder. My bladder has gotten much weaker! It was a great moment though!

Then this past Monday I was at the grocery store after work picking up a few things. When i came out of the store I got caught on like a ledge in the parking lot and the cart starts to fall forward and I am going with it. All I could think was "just don't hit the belly." It was a very scary moment as I'm headed towards the ground. Luckily I was able to catch myself on my hands and legs. I have a few bruises and a bump knot on my shin, but besides that I'm okay. Thankfully I didn't go down on the baby!

My weight gain is still on track I believe. I've gained about 14-15 pounds now. I can hardly believe it when I step on the scale at times. Even though I'm still small in comparison to most people, it's still weird seeing these higher numbers that I never have before. Luckily it is still all staying in my belly and growing breasts! :)

That's about all the news for now. My sister is letting me borrow a whole bunch of Ava's clothes to use - which is WONDERFUL - she had really cute stuff. So I have been going through those and putting them away in the dresser this week. I go again to the doctor on Tuesday next week so I will update again after that. Our baby girl is kicking as I write, so she must want me to say hi to everyone!

25 Week Belly Pictures

25 Weeks and OB Visit

Last week I went for my 24 week check up with the OB. First I had to go in and drink this REALLY sweet stuff to test for gestational diabetes. So after getting that down, I had the ultrasound done. They were able to get good shots of the heart this time that they needed and said everything looked great. She weighs about a pound and a half and everything is on track for my due date. She was all curled up like last time and low down. She couldn't get any good profile shots to print out because she was turned over looking towards my back. We did get a cute picture of her with her hand up in the air waving hi! The second picture is her curled over with her face downwards. You can see all of her little spine.

Then they took blood to test for the diabetes after an hour and I was fine for that. My hemoglobin (iron) levels were low though which means anemia in familiar terms. So the doctor told me to start taking an iron supplement in addition to my prenatal vitamin to bring that up.

Besides that, the doctor said everything looked great. He started measuring my belly this time too and that was on track as well with my due date. At the appointment I had gained 10 pounds.

In other news, this past week we signed up for a childbirth class at the hospital. My friend from college, Alicia, who is pregnant and due a few days after me is going to take it at the same time with her husband too - so we'll have friends there! It's been great getting to share our experiences and know that someone else is right there along with you! The class is a 5 week series and you go every Tuesday night for 2 hours. Hopefully it will be beneficial for me and Matt! It starts in mid September and finishes up in October.

The furniture for the baby's room is also supposed to arrive this week sometime. I'm very excited to be able to get it in the room and start getting things ready for our baby girl. Time is flying by fast - only 15 more weeks to go! I will post new belly pictures soon since I haven't done that in a few weeks.

23 Weeks

So.... I noticed I hadn't posted anything in the past few weeks. Things have been very busy in the Bruns' household.

In regards to baby news, our little girl is kicking more and more! I can tell the difference now between kicks, turning around, and hiccuping. It's so wonderful to be able to feel her moving around inside! I continue to be amazed at the whole pregnancy/birth process that God designed. He is forming our little girl right there in my belly!

I have gained a little more weight now for a total of about 7 pounds. The belly (although it has a lot more to grow) already feels very big to me! It's harder to get up from the sofa and bed. And it gets in the way of being able to prop my legs up to shave. I also am having pain on the right side a lot when I sleep at night. So I keep playing around with pillows trying to figure out what will work best and make me the most comfortable.

We have done our registries. Our main one is at Babies R Us since my big shower will be back home in Virginia Beach where they have this store. There is just a lot more options there. We have also done a somewhat duplicate registry at Target for people in Lynchburg that don't have access to a Babies R Us. I'm still working on editing it a bit but for the most part it's completed.

We ordered the crib and dresser for the baby's room this past weekend. It should be here the 2nd week in August. You can check the crib out at: http://www4.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=42249&CatID=42332&GrpTyp=STY&ItemID=11c1ba1&attrtype=&attrvalue=&CmCatId=405254233142332. The picture shown is in a white finish but ours will actually be in the honey finish.

I am also trying to decide on bedding. It is down to two. The first one is at Babies R Us: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2415206&cp=&pg=2&f=Taxonomy%2FTRUS%2F2255957&sr=1&origkw=alphabet+soup&kw=alphabet+soup&parentPage=search. The second one (which I think I am leaning more towards) is at Baby Depot: http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Section_Id=45144&pcount=&pn=1&Product_Id=462752&SearchedProduct=t.

I can hardly believe that there is only about 4 more months until our little girl is here. I just fall in love with her more and more everyday even though I haven't even seen her yet! We have still been working on a name and I think we finally have decided on what hers will be. It is going to be a surprise though for when she is born.

I think that about covers the past few weeks. I go for another appointment on Tuesday morning. They will be doing another ultrasound, blood glucose test, and the normal visit with the doctor. I will post afterwards to let everyone know how that went. As always, continue to pray for our little baby girl. She is in our prayers everyday that God would protect her and keep her healthy.

Fireworks

Just a funny happening for the week... Matt and I went to see the fireworks at Liberty last night. They, of course, are very loud plus with the echo coming from the mountains it was even louder. Well it definitely woke our little girl up in there! She was kicking up a storm during the fireworks - probably wondering what's going on out there!

My Sister

My sister's IUI (artificial insemination) didn't work this month. :( Continue to pray for her and that God will give her peace and hopefully a child very soon! I know that God can work miracles and bless her with a child - so my prayers continue to be for that blessing from God for her and Chris.

Movement and Sleeping

Our little girl is being quite the active one now! She is definitely getting stronger. Thursday evening she was kicking pretty hard and was the first time I could see her kicking by just looking at my belly. That was crazy - seeing my belly raise up in different places! It was really exciting though.

And on another note... trouble sleeping and achiness has come into my pregnancy vocabulary this week. The past few nights I have been so sore on my right side when I wake up in the morning and just achy. I tried last night sleeping strictly on my left side and that did help although my shoulder got sore from being on that side all night.

We've been working again on looking at names. What a difficult decision that is! I told Matt he might have to choose. There is one name I think I like but I'm not quite sold on it yet. We are keeping the name as a surprise until the baby is born. Plus I want to be able to change my mind and not hear any "comments" from other people about our name selection.

It's a GIRL!

Today we went for the halfway point ultrasound. What an exciting day!!! Matt of course was able to be there as well. When she first put the probe on my belly and I saw our little baby girl it was SO amazing to see this formed kicking baby in there! Yes - we are having a girl! At first she was all curled up but then she got moving around and stretching out. The first half of the ultrasound was checking different parts/sizes (brain, spine, legs, arms, etc.). Then finally she got in to a position where we could see whether she was a boy or girl. The ultrasound tech said "see those 3 white lines? That's her labia." And I said "that means it's a girl right?" Haha, silly me. I teared up some and just looked at Matt cause we were in such shock we finally knew what we were having and that this little baby moving around was ours! Matt's going to be such a great dad and I told him she will be daddy's little girl. She weighs 10 ounces and has a good heartrate (142) as well.

Then the tech said that since they just got the equipment for 3D ultrasounds and they were just trained, she was going to do that with me for FREE because I was a good candidate (smaller build). So we got lucky today!! The 3D stuff was amazing - just seeing her little face even though it's still so small was incredible. Matt's mom thinks she's got Matt's nose and I think her lips look like Matt's too. She kept putting her arms over her face though making it difficult to get a good shot. One time she even put her little hands up over face like she was saying "I've had enough picture taking now." :)

So far I have gained 4 pounds - and all of that really within the past few weeks. I have really grown a lot this week. Then we saw the doctor and he looked at all the ultrasound pics and said everything was fantastic and I was doing great. He said I was the model picture of a good healthy pregnancy!

Another plus: Our insurance only covers the one ultrasound which we had today unless there is a medical need for another one. Well, because of the baby's positioning, the tech couldn't get good shots of her heart which is imporant. So when I go again the end of July I will get to have another ultrasound!

Matt and I are both SO excited about our little girl! We went out looking at clothes tonight and had a celebratory dinner. Matt got her a little onesie that says "apple of daddy's eye." Now we just have to work on picking a name!

The baby's moving!

Some exciting news for the week... I clearly felt the baby moving/kicking on Sunday. It's like all of a sudden I can feel it a lot. The movements are even strong enough sometimes that you can feel it from the outside. Matt got to feel it and he was SO excited! What an INCREDIBLE feeling to have a baby moving around inside you! It was huge for me as you can tell. It's active in the evening hours especially after I eat and am laying down. Only one more week until we *hopefully* find out whether we are having a boy or girl. I can't wait! So hopefully the next post you see will have that news and the ultrasound pictures.

17 Weeks

As of yesterday I am now 17 weeks! Just an update on how everything is going. I was sick this week with a virus or something. I am still working on getting over that but feel much better than I did. This week I have been able to really feel the top of my uterus in the morning. It's just under my belly button now. When I wake up in the morning and lay flat on my back is when I really feel it. It's so crazy and feels so firm and hard. I can still hardly believe that we have a miracle of a baby living and growing inside of me! Once or twice this week I have felt a different feeling in my belly - not sure quite yet if it's the baby or not. They say that most people start feeling movement between 18-22 weeks according to the book. Matt can't wait to be able to feel him/her too! Only about 2 more weeks now until we go for our next appointment and ultrasound. I am so excited about finding out whether it is a boy or girl. Then more fun can start occuring - shopping, registry, decorating nursery, etc. We're planning on registering in July when we go to see our families in VA Beach since we don't have a Babies R Us here. Well, that's all the big news for the week! Here is a picture of Amanda at 16 weeks pregnant:

15 Weeks Appointment

Today we went to see the doctor again. Got to meet the 2nd doctor in the group (Shuwarger) who was great! They took some more blood for another blood test. The doctor felt around and said that I was growing good. Then we got to hear the heartbeat - SO COOL! It's reassuring to hear that little heart beating away. He had to keep moving the monitor to find the little one because the doctor said he/she was really active and moving around. So everything checked out great. Our next appointment will be in another 4 weeks (19 weeks for me). That will be the exciting appointment where we see the doctor and get the ultrasound. We will have video from that one as well as pictures and.... hopefully get to find out whether it's a boy or girl! Exciting!!

On another side note... I went shopping this weekend to get some maternity clothes. That was lots of fun and I got some really cute stuff. We had a great weekend back in VA Beach and enjoyed spending time with our families and of course our nephew! They grow SO fast!

I say it a lot... but continue to pray for our little baby. We pray that God will give us the wisdom and strength to be wonderful parents and most importantly teach our children about Him!

He/she is growing!

I haven't updated in awhile, seeing as not too much "action" has taken place. I will be 15 weeks on Saturday and go again for my next appointment on Tuesday. Matt is planning to come as well since we will be able to hear the heartbeat. Over the past two weeks, my belly has started growing. I haven't actually "gained" any weight but for those who know me, my belly is not it's normal small size anymore. My pants started fitting tighter last week. Today I took out all my summer clothes and tried everything on to see what fit - wow was that a shocker. More than half of all my clothes for summer don't fit. It made me sad not being able to fit into all my cute boy shorts, but on the other hand I guess that should be reassuring since I do have a baby growing inside of me! This weekend we are headed to VA Beach to see our families. My mom is going to take me shopping on Saturday to get some maternity clothes (or as I like to call them, "fat clothes"). Matt and I have been working on names and have narrowed down the list quite considerably! We are both so excited to find out what it is - boy or girl. They will do the ultrasound and hopefully we can find out when I am 20 weeks - so not too far away! That is an update from the Bruns'. It is still hard to grasp that I have a little baby growing inside of me and that we are going to be parents! I get scared and excited but I know that as long as we are praying for God's guidance, He will give us the strength and help make us great parents. Continue to pray for us and that our little baby will continue to grow and be healthly! I will update again after our appointment next week!

Appointment

Amanda went today for another prenatal appointment. This time it was with one of the doctor's in the group which is regularly her GYN. Nothing really "new" to report from this appointment. The doctor just did a pap smear and breast exam and felt around on her stomach. He said everything was great. The next appointment will be in another 4 weeks. Amanda hasn't really gained any weight yet although over the past several days she has definitely noticed her pants feeling tighter than normal. She will be 12 weeks on Saturday. Only a little over a week more until her second trimester - crazy how the time flies! Matt bought Amanda a baby name book so we have started looking through all the thousands of names to choose from - too many choices! We have also decided to stay in the apartment we are at since we love it so much there and just make the 2nd bedroom into the nursery. It will also be less of a hassle since we won't have to deal with moving. Well, I think that is all of the updates for now! Continue to pray for both of us and the baby!

First Appointment

Amanda had her first prenatal appointment with the OB nurse today and everything went great! They first did an ultrasound to determine the baby's due date and how far along Amanda is. Matt was there too and was stunned most of the time! :) We were both amazed at seeing this little baby being formed and it's heart beating - you can't put those emotions in words. Our "little peanut" as we refer to him/her (since that is what it looks like right now on the ultrasound) is due on November 17th. It is 1.4 centimeters long and has a heartbeat of 162 which the technician said is exactly what it should be. Amanda will be 8 weeks pregnant on Saturday. The OB nurse then went over a ton of information about the whole process, things to watch for, eating habits, medications, etc. We got a little gift bag to take home. :) Amanda's next appointment is on April 27th in three weeks. At this time, she will see one of the doctor's to have her overall health evaluated and have a pelvic exam. The next ultrasound is done at 20 weeks at which time they can hopefully determine the gender. Well, I think that about covers everything. We are so happy that God has blessed us and that the results today were excellent so far! Continue to pray for Amanda as fatigue is a constant struggle and that God would continue to protect and grow the baby!

We're having a baby!

For those of you who don't know yet, we are having a baby!! Our first doctor's appointment is scheduled for April 5th. We are scheduled to have an ultrasound that day as well - so we might have pictures then! Amanda is now 2 months pregnant (8 weeks) as of today. This past week she has started having morning (and afternoon) sickness, headaches, and just a general lack of energy. She usually naps in the afternoon after work and then goes to bed much earlier! We are both still a little in disbelief but are SO excited! Here is a picture of Amanda at 6 weeks pregnant with no belly.