b.o.b. bump @ 38 weeks

Two weeks left (maybe)!  Everything has continued to progress smoothly!

We had an appointment today.  Talked with the doc about our birth plan.  Still a few things I am debating, but I am getting good information from reliable resources.  So, I should be making an informed decision soon. 

School has been going well.  If we just could get some air-conditioning in the school!  My first long-term sub has been with me since the first workday.  This has been so helpful and I couldn't ask for a better person to take over when I have to be out.  I am quite exhausted by the end of the day.  This has led to me taking only one walk in the past week.  Oh well, I figure I have done well enough with exercising for the majority of the pregnancy!

Also since the weight gain has been minimal, 23 pounds thank you very much, I have decided to indulge in cookies and ice cream as often as I wish!  What's a few extra pounds at this point anyways :)  I will also be indulging in Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks almost daily with their debut on Friday!!!  There is no doubt that this child will have a sweet tooth!

b.o.b. bump @ 37 weeks

Last Friday I was given a shower by the school.  And man were we showered!  We received many gift cards to Target and Wal-Mart, which will really be useful.  Another gift certificate was given to us for a photography studio that we will have her newborn pictures taken at.  We also were given some outfits.  One of which that was picked out by the assistant principal's son.  He is one of my students too!  We decided that would be the going home outfit.  :)

This week began with a trip to the doctor's office.  We got to meet the new OB and he seems very nice.  So we have now met every midwife and OB at the office.  Everything continues to measure correctly, baby's heartbeat was a strong 135, and I continue to feel excellent.  After that appointment we went to the Birthplace to do our preregistration.  Which wasn't as painful as I thought it might be.  Just some paperwork that I could see being a pain if you were in labor.

That night we watched a video called Orgasmic Birth.  Wow!!! What an eye opener.  At the beginning of the pregnancy I was really set on having a home birth and now I know that is what we will do when we decide to have another child.  Mike even looked at me during one point in the movie and said, "Should we go ahead and just have her at home?"  Well the logistics of putting that together this far in the game seem a little too overwhelming.  But it made me feel wonderful to see that Mike was understanding why I have longed for such an experience.  I am excited that even though we will not have a home birth experience this time, we have a doula!!!  We absolutely adore her and know that she will help us in achieving the birth experience that we want to have in a hospital.  It just blows my mind how we have been brainwashed by the medical professionals to believe that we have to have babies in a hospital. Especially here in the United States.  I have also been reading quite a few books that are good reads.  Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and The Doula's Guide to Birth. These books are also very good eye openers about what birthing is really about. I want everyone to know that I have been set on a natural birth from the beginning and I plan on sticking to that and for so many reasons.  And yes I understand that some people may not feel the same way as I do.  That's your choice. I think we have to be educated about what we do with our bodies.

OK, now that I went on my little rant.....

Tuesday was the first day that students in PK, K, 6th, and 9th grades attended school.  So the rest of us teachers had another day to get prepared.  I have been very blessed because the sub I have for the first six weeks I am out, has been coming in everyday to help get the classroom ready and get to know my routine.  Today my students came and I must say we had an excellent day.  I have the same students that I taught last year for first grade.  It gave me a feeling of peacefulness to know that I could get the year started and not have to really introduce everything again.  The students know how I run the classroom and they all were excellent today! They were very good listeners and seemed happy to be back in the classroom.  I was exhausted at the end of the day.  Actually it was more like 1:00 when the little kiddos went home.  I came home at 4:00 to take a little rest.  I have never been a nap person, but being able to just lay down for an hour seemed to give me a little more energy. 

I have been having a lot of people lately tell me that I look like I have dropped.  I guess that is all in the eyes of the beholder because I feel like I have been low the whole time.  Who knows?  Only time will tell when this little munchkin decides to make an appearance!  

We can't wait to meet our lil' Miss, but I keep reminding her that another 3 weeks would be good!

b.o.b. bump @ 36 weeks

One month to go!

We have been busy around our house.  The remodel of the bathroom began last Friday.  Mike's mom came up to help me do some cleaning around the house on Saturday.  Another baby shower was held for us by our great friend Brittany, who will also be watching our lil' Miss once I return to work.  And I went back to work on Monday.  I feel as though things are going to get really busy from this point on, now that work is back in session.  We are looking forward to these four weeks passing by quickly because we are so ready to meet b.o.b.  I have a prenatal checkup tomorrow and will continue to go once a week from this point until birth-day. 

Continuing to feel great, except for those darn hiccups!  She has had them three times today!!!

b.o.b. bump @ 35 weeks

As we inch closer and closer I am feeling quite comfortable still!  This past week was kind of a down week, as I didn't want to get too crazy with the up and coming beginning of school days.

I went and picked another 7lbs of blueberries to freeze.  I still don't think I have quite enough.  Another trip will be in the future...possibly this weekend. 

I wrote some more thank-you cards for the many gifts we have received.  We are so wonderfully blessed to have such loving family and friends to support us.  We pretty much have everything that we think we need.  Only the future will tell.

I began filling out the memory book for our lil' Miss.  Hopefully I will keep up with this.  

I completed washing more clothes, blankets, and sheets.  We received the new cushion for the glider rocker in the mail and I must say it looks lovely.  I love that we have gone with a neutral look in b.o.b.'s room.  I am not big on themes.  Pictures to come very soon.....just waiting to get the artwork (made by family) up on the walls.

On Monday I went to the school to work on my classroom a bit.  Three hours was about all I could handle.  It won't be long and I will have to be there for 7 hours a day, so why push it now.  I got some cleaning done. Massive amounts of dust were everywhere.  I also unpacked books to put on the shelves of the classroom library.

We worked on our birth plan over the past couple of days and I feel quite happy with it.  Positive thoughts that all will go well!

I set up our appointment for preregistration at the hospital.   Then I called to check at the police department when they do the car seat checks.  Installing the car seat is on the list to do within the next week.  I don't think you can be too early on this one.
 
Mike and I went to Lowe's tonight to pick out the items we need for our bathroom remodel.  This will be taking place within the next couple of days.  My step-dad's company is going to be completing the project for us.  I am so excited to have a bathroom that doesn't look like it is out of the 1970's (maybe even older) and to fix some of the current problems we have in there.  

Here is to the enjoyment of my last days of summer vacation!  I will surely miss you, but I am now looking forward to the 12 weeks I will have off when our lil' Miss arrives!!!! Those weeks will surely be better than any summer vacation :)

My Top 3

As the pregnancy is drawing to a close there are some things I will miss and things I am really looking forward to. 

I am really going to miss the following:

1.  The movement of our lil' Miss inside me.  This is something that brings me joy everyday!  It will be very weird to all of a sudden not have that feeling anymore.

2.  The compliments I receive.  I have had such a wonderful pregnancy and everyone has been so kind.  I will miss hearing "you have the pregnancy glow."

3.  The ability to eat "for two."  Although I have done quite well with not over induldging.  It has been nice to eat a meal and not worry about the stomach being bloated because guess what?  It already is!

I am most looking forward to:

1.  Drinking caffeinated coffee.  I have stuck to the decaf during this pregnancy just because I wanted to do what I felt my child deserved.  Although I won't be able to go crazy with it right after her birth because of nursing.  However, I will be requesting a Pumpkin Spice Latte ASAP after I pop her out!

2.  Beer.  What I wouldn't give for a Red Stripe Light in my hand right now!  Summer is a time when you just want to grill out with friends and enjoy a cold one.  It was pretty easy for me to give it up, but I sure do miss it.

3.  Running.  I began running about a year and a half ago.  I thoroughly enjoy it.  I ran at the beginning of the pregnancy but had to lay off it about halfway through because of the need to pee during a run.  I can't wait to lace up my running shoes as soon as I am cleared.  The best part will be that I get to bring our lil' Miss with me in her sweet B.O.B. jogging stroller!!!