Baby Weekend!

So I intended to give an update earlier this week here in Cleveland, but the internet was down at my hotel. I'm here in Cleveland for some work training, but will return home tomorrow evening. The weather here is perfect this week and I'm enjoying the class for the most part!

Well James and I had a weekend FULL of baby-related stuff!

Saturday was our Childbirth Education class, which lasted all day (which was fine since it was raining outside!) James and I both enjoyed the class. The instructor was GREAT, laid back and quirky and shared a lot of personal experiences (she is pregnant now with her fourth child and has experienced nearly all types of births, including a couple preterm labors and an emergency c-section when her girl had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck). She gave a lot of great tips about parenting, including what not to waste our money on! She also covered specific things about how the St. Cloud Hospital deliveries go. I thought this was so helpful, because pregnancy/birthing books and websites are so overwhelming with information, when not all hospitals offer or allow certain things!

Sunday was our baby shower with James' family, my mom and sister and nieces, and with our friends! It turned out great and I thank everyone that had a part in making it come together for a good time and I thank everyone who traveled to attend the shower! The gifts were all so great and we will enjoy getting to use everything when the baby is here! Thank you!

We also watched a couple baby videos that I picked up at the library. This included the Dunstan Baby Language video, which teaches universal sounds that babies make when they cry to help us decipher what each cry means (ex: hunger, burp, tired, gas, and discomfort). We also watched a video called "The Happiest Baby on the Block", which discussed certain ways to sooth a crying baby --> The 5 S's: Swaddle, Side/Stomach Position, Shushing Sounds, Swinging, and Sucking. Supposedly these five things will automatically "turn on the baby's calming reflex" and make the baby stop crying almost immediately. They sure make it look easy in the videos, but we will have to see how it all works for us!

I have my next doctor appointment next Tuesday, so I will probably have another update for you all then!

Baby Belly Movements

Just out of boredom today, I videotaped my belly. Then figured why not post it here. This is pretty much what baby is up to all day/all night!




Also due to boredom, I was playing with different layouts for my blog so it has a new look!

Until we meet again, soak up some sunshine!

30 weeks and counting!

I hope Mother's day was wonderful for all of the moms and moms-to-be!

I now have my first Mother's day under my belt (I think it counts even if I'm still pregnant...right?)  30 weeks seems like a big moment to me for some reason.  The remaining ten will go by super fast, I'm sure!  I'm still not sure if it has hit James yet that we ARE going to have a baby.  While I'm reading books/researching online almost constantly, James has yet to open a book or prepare for this at all.  I think he will be in for a rude awakening when the baby comes!

James and I went on our "babymoon"...or so we've been calling it.  We spent two nights in the Minneapolis area.  We just did a little shopping at the MOA and IKEA, had two date nights at nice restaurants, including the Melting Pot...which we both LOVED.  I did not work all of last week and I will go back to work tomorrow, which will be hard to do!

I have had some trouble recently renewing my DOT health card that allows me to drive a commercial vehicle for work.  After working with human resources and employee health at work and with my doctor, I finally received a new DOT health card that allows me to continue with our mobile service to outreach hospital sites.  I hope to continue driving as long as I continue to feel good. 


I will also be leaving two weeks from today for Cleveland for my work-related training class.  I'm still working on getting a "fit to fly" letter from my doctor to allow me to fly at 32 weeks. 

New with baby/My last doc appt: 

She remains crazy active...such a weird feeling!  Some movements literally make me squeal as she tickles me under my ribs.  Her heart rate is still 150.  I had failed my first glucose test, but passed the three-hour diagnostic test for gestational diabetes...yay!  And to everybody that warned me about the glucose drink for the three-hour exam, thanks for the warning...but really, it was not bad at all.  Maybe I was just prepared for the absolute worst!  Hiccups now occur about 3 to 4 times a day, which is normal (just her building up her lung and diaphragm strength).  I can tell her position from where I feel the hiccups.  Her head is down 90% of the time, so hopefully she chooses that position for delivery!  Weight gain to date=18 pounds, not bad for everything I've been eating!  However I can tell my stomach has less and less room and my meals have been getting smaller or else I'm left with a miserable "full" feeling!

After receiving our crib as a gift from James' mom, our nursery is all set up!  All we really need is baby to complete it now (and lots of diapers, I guess)!  Here are some pictures:

Sleep has gotten worse again for me...with the horrible dreams, my mind going wild with thoughts and worries, and lacking comfort in bed, I've been getting more sleepy and moody during the day!  I still feel like I shouldn't complain because every other aspect of this pregnancy has treated me very well. 

That's it for now I think!