Ultrasound

Check out the video of our latest ultrasound.  I tried to label what you are looking at.  It is kind of hard to tell since she is so cramped.

Today's Dr. Appointment

This morning I had my 37 week doctor appointment as well as an ultrasound. Craig came along this time so we could both see our little girl one last time before she's here. This ultrasound wasn't quite as exciting as when we found out what gender she was, because now, she's so cramped up in there that there's really not a whole lot you can see. She's weighing in at 6 1/2 pounds and the tech said she had "a lot" of hair!! Yayy!!! Craig was worried about her head size because he had such a huge head when he was little and was bald until he was two, and she said her head size is normal and lots of hair so we won't have a huge headed baldy!! Perri was sucking her thumb again like last time and flailing her little legs and arms like crazy that the tech had a hard time checking things and listening to her heart beat because she kept kicking her umbilical cord and at one point shoved her foot up onto the doppler so all you could see was a her foot print on the screen. The tech commented on what a "little stinker" she was. I said, "you're telling me, this kid is killing me!!" We tried to see if she is going to have bent pinkies like me (runs on my dad's side of the family) and at one point it looked like they may be, but we aren't sure so we'll have to wait until she's here.

As far as meeting with the doctor, I am now 80% effaced (yay!!) and 1 cm dilated. She commented again on how incredibly low she was and that she was able to feel her head and that it is "right there." I knew I've been having a lot of painful contractions and cramping but while she was measuring my belly she felt it and said, you're having one right now! I had no idea because it wasn't like the painful ones I've been experiencing. Hopefully this little girl will be here soon!!!

This past weekend was so nice, Craig and I got up Saturday morning and took Emma on a long walk and then went up to La Centerra, an outdoor shopping area here, and got some coffee and sat outside at Starbucks with Emma. They were also having a car show there as well as the usual Farmer's Market and Emma was in heaven. So many people and kids and dogs, I think Saturday was one of her most favorite days ever. After that we went home and lounged around then watched the Razorbacks game.... no comment there. Anyhow, it was such a nice weekend and so relaxing, I know those are going to be few and far between here in a few weeks.

Here's a picture of Emma, she always looks like she's smiling. Such a goofy dog.

Updated- Perri's Room

Well, just watched the hogs give up the Kentucky game. Not cool. But on a higher note, Leah and I got stuff hung up in Perri's room. Still don't have her dresser. Still going to be a couple of weeks until it comes in. She will probably be here before we get her dresser but we'll make due. Anyway, check out the video below of her room.

Dr. Appt/ What I've been up to

Well I had my 36 week appt. today and it turned out to be quite uneventful. She didn't end up checking me, which was pretty disappointing, as I really feel like I need to hear SOMETHING to keep me going, but that's okay. Next week we get an ultrasound and she'll start doing the internal exams. GOOD NEWS though- she doesn't think I will make it to 40 weeks, but if we do, we've scheduled my induction for Nov. 12, which is a day before the due date. She was giving me options of when to be induced and the other options were a whole week after my due date. I yelled out, "November 12th!! Please!!" Haha. There's no way I'm going over my due date.. I feel like I can hardly go on as it is now. Glad to know that's taken care of though.

I can definitely tell she's getting big in there because these past few days my stomach has been so messed up, I am guessing due to her growing and getting cramped in there, shoving my stomach aside. I can't eat as much at a time as I was, and have been getting pretty nauseated as well...

So my newest project that's been keeping me busy is making burp cloths. I've already made 9 or 10 of them and they've turned out so cute, in my opinion. They're so easy to make and much cheaper and cuter than anything you'd find in the store. My stitching isn't the best, but the more I do, they better they look. Here are some that I've made so far..



Also, I think we've decided on Perri's coming home outfit. I've posted these before to show off, but she'll probably be coming home in one of the onesie gowns that my mom, Perri's Lu Lu made for her, a long with one of the beanies mom knitted. Depending on her size, we'll probably have her wear the light purple one. So cute!

Progress?!?!?!

35 weeks!!!

Well I decided for some reason I would rather use BlogSpot to do our blog than on our .Mac site, and I apologize for it being over a month since I've posted, oops. I haven't really been up to much but just kept forgetting!! Since the last post Craig and I went through our childbirth class which I think was more beneficial for him than me, since I think I've read about all there is to know. He is so worried about me getting an epidural and cracked me up when he raised his hand and asked the risks of it, etc, as he is so scared that I will be paralyzed. I told him I'm taking that risk, sorry.

I'm going to the doctor now weekly and had my 35-week appt yesterday. Not TOO terribly eventful. I got the Strep-B test done, which is a standard test given to everyone, but won't know the results until next week. Dr. Andrews checked me and said while I'm not dilated, I am 50% effaced and Perri is at a -2 station!! Woo woo!! I told Craig on Sunday while we were at church that I could literally feel her moving into my pelvis and how it felt like she was hitting the bones of the pelvis, and sure enough, she's down in there now! I knew well before that happened that she was already head down, though, because she gets hiccups 24/7 and I know just right where her little head has been from those! Also, at my last appt (not yesterday) Dr. Andrews also said Perri definitely won't be late. Praise the Lord!! I wouldn't mind her coming a couple weeks early so that's fine. She's starting to really, really hurt me and I actually had to call the Dr. on Monday because I had noticed that every time I bent over one of my ribs would literally pop and you could even feel it from the outside popping out. It hadn't been hurting but then it starting to be very painful, even just to laugh or breathe. They told me it was likely inflamed and to take Tylenol and use a heating pad and not bend over. So at my appt. yesterday I asked Dr. Andrews about it and she said that yes, that was actually my rib popping out because of them being stretched so far out and the cartilage is very stretched as well. Lovely. So I guess I just have to deal with it until she's born. Eek.

One more thing!! We also went and met with a pediatrician a few weeks ago and were extremely impressed with him and have decided to use him for Perri. He's with Texas Children's Hospital, which is very nice, and the office was so cute too! We were really impressed by how thorough he was, and he even spent 45 minutes with us just talking and answering our questions. Everything we asked he also had about 10 different sources to back up his thinking, it was amazing. Craig said, "This man must read the medical journals for fun," because he knew SO much. We were most impressed by how willing he was to work with us on things, especially Perri's vaccinations, which most pediatricians poo poo at and will only follow the AAP guidelines. We're definitely vaccinating her, but we are dong a delayed, alternative schedule to really space them out and not give some until she is a bit older, and he was perfectly fine with this. He definitely had his sources to back up why the AAP guidelines were fine, but then said he really wants to work with us and be a team and it is totally up to us with how we would like to go about vaccinating her. Yay!! He also let us know his 13-year old daughter has a rare blood disease and is on the list for a bone marrow transplant, and at any time he may be gone for 2 months or so if they found a match. Apparently they would have to go to Minnesota to get the transplant. It's really sad, though, because they've been on the list for 2 1/2 years and things aren't looking good at finding a match because of their race. They are from Pakistan and apparently it's very hard to find a match with them not being Caucasian. I'm very impressed by him through this, though, because he has really taken a stand about bone marrow donations and holds donation drives all over Houston and tries to raise awareness about the need for donors and the simplicity of donating. Craig and I decided we may even sign up with him after Perri is born to be on the donor list. All they do now is simply draw blood and can take the marrow from that. You don't have to get a needle in your hip anymore. So, anything to help his cause!!!

I apologize this is so long but I haven't updated in forever!! I'll try and update more often, especially as it is getting so close!!