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Monday, June 29, 2009

Cutest thing ever!

So daddy has been reading to the baby pretty much everynight now. He snuggles up to my belly and reads her stories or just talks to her, and she freaks out! She starts kicking, moving, and squirming around evvvery time! My belly looks like it's having an earthquake! I'm trying to think if when she is born, is daddy's voice going to be soothing to her, or is he going to get her all riled up lol? We will soon see!

~Ashley

P.S.
Baby's ETA- Only 42 more days!! Ahhhh! Let the freaking out begin!

34 weeks and counting...


Well last Thursday we had a scare at my OB appt. Here I was worried the baby already dropped because I was having some new pressure & pain and a slew of other symptoms -and she tells me that all those were normal (I wanted to slap her for some reason lol- All these things are normal?! Why dont you tell me ahead of time what to expect so I dont freak out for 2 weeks before I can get in for another appt!?)

Then we listened to the heartbeat and it was 136, which was perfect and sounded stronger than it ever has. Here was the scary part- when the Dr. went to take the Fundal Height, the baby was measuring only 30 weeks. So she scheduled us an ultrasound right away. All the while, Brandon was stuck at work that day so I was by myself. I call Brandon at work and tell him the baby is measuring small & I need an ultrasound right away. Then I get Brandon all shaken up so he called in reinforcements at work so he could leave and try to make it to my ultrasound. On his way from WI to Duluth, his car breaks down! So he didnt get to make it for the ultrasound- I was on my own! (And poor Brandon was stranded in the boonies and freaking out!)

So the creepy Ultrasound guy calls me back and starts measuring away all the little weird looking shapes that apparently are an arm or a leg...He tells me her head is measuring 34 weeks (a week a head of schedule), and her various other parts were measuring 31, 32, or 33 weeks. He says she is 4 lbs and 6oz. and is measuring normal. He says that if I deliver her on her due date she will be 8lbs and 6oz! So I have to deliver an 8 lb baby with a giant head lol?! At least she will be smart? I also made him double check that she is in fact a girl, and he says that he is 90% sure it's a girl lol... lets not even go there with the possibility of the other 10%!

Needless to say, our Dr. is horrible & measured wrong, and got all of us freaking out for no reason....next time I see her she will probably say that it's normal.....
~Ashley

Monday, June 15, 2009

Woah!

So last night Brandon and I were laying on the couch and playing the "guess that body part" game trying to figure out what part of baby was poking out of my belly- elbow, knee, hand, foot?? Brandon had his hand on one side of my belly and I had my hand on the other, and then all of the sudden the baby kicked out as hard as she could on both our hands and Brandon and I both screamed and then looked at eachother and started cracking up! What a stinker!

I think it is so cool how she is reacting more and more to noises (like Daddy's voice) and loud movies/music, and to touch (if I poke one of her elbow, knee, foot, hand parts- she pokes back!) Oh and she loves car rides, she always moves & kicks a ton in the car. So cool and so blessed!!

~Ashley

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Daddy's perspective

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for the great gifts we received at Ashley's first 2 baby showers. With that much baby stuff, and still 2 baby showers to go, I think we'll have to give Payton the master bedroom with the larger closet! There are only a few moment's in life where you loose your breath, your heart pounds out of your chest, and you are overwhelmed with happiness. So far in this whole process I've already had plenty of those moments. The most amazing one had to be at the 16 week OB appt. when I heard my little angel's heartbeat for the first time. She was so tiny, yet had such a strong, healthy heartbeat. I didn't think there would be any more moments that could live up to that one. Then came the 20 week ultrasound. Seeing my little girl for the first time was unlike anything I have experienced in my life. There's this beautiful little baby who I have never met, and I'm already thinking to myself, wow I love her. She is perfect. Nothing can live up to this moment, right? Then came the first time I felt my little girl kick. Our little girl started kicking early and often, and boy can she kick! She already has Daddy's wrapped around her little finger, when I talk to her through Ashley's tummy she goes into a kicking frenzy. Must be just like her mother already ;). And what an amazing mother that is. Ashley has been nothing but incredible for this whole pregnancy, just when you think you can't possibly love anyone, anymore something like this happens. Well, that's some perspective of a soon to be Daddy. Thanks again to everyone for being part of this whole process with us.

-B

Friday, June 12, 2009

A little scary...

So we ended up having to call the hospital last night because I was always told to call if I had more than 4 Braxton Hicks contractions in an hour & I had about 7 in an hour and a half. Too many Braxton Hicks can be a sign of preterm labor. So I talked to the on-call nurse at St. Mary's and after asking me a million questions she said I dont have to come in unless my symptoms don't go away or I have 6 more contractions in an hour. So I drank lots of water and laid on my left side and only had maybe two contractions the rest of the night. So we are in the clear! Just a little scary of the thought the baby could come that early & we are no where near prepared! Hopefully that little baby hangs in there at least 5 more weeks then she will be full term.

~Ashley

Directions to St. Mary's Birthplace

I-35 North
Right exit onto Mesaba Ave.
Once on Mesaba Ave. stay in the R lane
Turn R onto 2nd st. w
Go 10 blocks (stay in the L lane)
The St Marys 3rd st parking ramp is a L turn after St. Annes residence & after 4th ave w (it is right under the skywalk).
Parking fee is 2 dollars per day

Once in the ramp you will either park on level f, or park on any level and take the elevator to level f which is where the skywalk is.
Take a L out of the elevator and turn R onto the skywalk.
Walk to the 4th St. building & take the elevator to the 5th floor E(The Birthplace).
Cafeteria is on 2nd floor.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Ange Lindell

OB Appt. 31 1/2 weeks

Just got home from my OB appt. Doctor said everything is just perfect- her heartbeat was 140, she was measuring perfectly at about 32 weeks, and she is still in the head down position (please stay there!) The Dr. said that some women's bellies get big and filled with lots and lots of amniotic fluid, but she said that I am all baby. She said that was good because then she could feel the baby really well :) After this I have two more appts at 2 week intervals, and then I start seeing the Dr. every week until the baby is born. Can't beleive how fast it is going!

~Ashley

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

31 weeks

Well I had always wanted to keep a pregnancy journal but never got around to it, so I figured I would keep a pregnancy blog-journal instead. I regret not doing this earlier on in my pregnancy but better late than never!

Only 9 more weeks until baby arrives, and I couldnt be more excited (and scared, nervous, anxious, overwhelmed, and overjoyed)... I can't wait to meet our little girl, but I CAN wait to go through the contractions & yucky stuff.

I've entered into my 3rd trimester so I am back to feeling verry tired as I was in the 1st trimester. I feel like every move I make takes extreme effort and I waddle when I walk now! Typical pregnant lady... Belly button has officially turned into an outtie, leg cramps at night, nose bleeds. I've been crying at commercials or anytime there is a commercial/show/movie involving babies- it just makes me think of our little bundle & us going through the daily activities and all the firsts.

We went to childbirth education class this past weekend and to infant safety class last night. Didn't learn too much at the first class; we had to watch lots of birthing videos which were fine in my book- until they showed the birthing of a placenta (gag). Infant safety was actually an interesting class, and we both felt like we learned a lot. We learned how to properly install a car seat (80% of car seats are installed incorrectly) and learned about all the different products that interfere with safety of baby in the car seat (which are a lot- we are going to have to return a couple things already, including our Bundle Me & baby head support). Made us think of all the loose objects in a vehicle that if in an accident could fly around and hurt baby (there was a baby in the ER after a car accident & a corner of a kleenex box punctured its head! So imagine what all the bigger objects could do!)We got some training on infant cpr & choking. So I feel a little more prepared after taking these classes.

Also had my first baby shower this past weekend with all my girlie friends which was very fun! Opening all those gifts got me sooo excited for the baby to come! I love imagining her in all those cute little outfits :)

9 weeks couldn't come soon enough, but Brandon and I are trying to enjoy our last months alone together & soakin up all the sleep and relaxation we can before the chaos begins :)

~Ashley