Progress!

People, we have progress! I had my LAST doctor's appointment today and I am thrilled with my progress. Dr. Seligman said I was 2+cm and 80% effaced. That's major progress in just over a week! He also swept my membranes so hopefully that speeds things along. If not, we will go in Tuesday morning at 5am for my scheduled induction!! Here is a 38w belly picture!

Update!

It’s a bit surreal to sit here, 10 days away from Gavin’s birthday (if he doesn’t come earlier)- to know that after over 2 years of working toward this day, that our baby boy is finally scheduled to arrive…. In just 10 DAYS!. It’s been a long time. It’s been hard. It’s been happy. It’s been sad. It’s been a little bit of everything, but here we are. Just 10 days. 1 more OB appt. We’re ready. We have everything packed, washed, cleaned and set to go- now we just WAIT. We are scheduled to induce on Tuesday, January 31^st if he doesn’t make his appearance earlier. My gut is that he won’t. I fully expect, have prepared for and am ok with just waiting it out until the 31^st. At my last drs appointment I was dilated 1cm. Whoopty doo dah! LOL! Im feeling pretty emotional these days and it seems that the smallest things can set off feelings of wanting to cry. I suppose that is to be expected. I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the pressures around delivery, how it is going to proceed, how I’m going to feel, what I’m going to be comfortable with, etc. I think I’ve finally convinced myself to just relax and let it play out. I think my family and friends are going to understand and go with the flow of whatever I want. I’m a control freak. I like things to be very planned out, detailed, down to the last dotting of the I and crossing of the T. Unknowns make me nervous. And right now the whole delivery scene is a huge unknown to me so naturally I’ve been nervous about it. Starting to feel better though.

I am excited though that 1.WEEK.FROM.TODAY is my last day of work until Tuesday, May 1^st. Holy cow!!! That is crazy to think about. Since I was 16 and started working at Stanley’s I haven’t had more than a few weeks off at a time. It’s absolutely mind boggling to me that I will be off for 13 weeks. I feel very blessed my company offers this benefit but I am still apprehensive about how I will feel with 13 Mondays rolling past where I don’t go into the office. However, every Mom has told me that I’ll be so busy I won’t miss it, so I’ll take their word for it.

This whole process has humbled me so much, to see my body transform and incubate this little human for the past 10 months. I’m sure it’s nothing compared to the awe Ill feel after Im able to actually get him out of my belly and here with us. It is certainly an experience that I will never forget. I feel incredibly blessed that after everything that happened last year, this pregnancy has been so flawless and uneventful. I’m very thankful for that and I hope and pray that the delivery and birth is just as uneventful. I think one of the things that Im most excited about is to see Jason become a dad again. Before Christmas I put together a gift for him that included pictures of Ally from birth -12 years and it was so emotional for me to see the pictures of Jason with Ally just after she was born. I just loved him even more seeing the sense of total adoration on his face in the pictures where he was holding Ally just hours after she was born. I can’t imagine what I’ll feel when I see him with our son. I also think a lot about what this all means for Ally and how I can’t wait to see her with Gavin. Jason and I are giving her the gift of a sibling. Even with the gap in age, it’s a friendship that she will have for the rest of her life that can’t be duplicated with any other friendship. They’re going to have each other, someone to depend and lean on long after Jason and I are gone and I’m very happy they will have each other. Can you tell I’m emotional? LOL!

This will probably be my last pregnancy update so here are some of the details:

Total weight gain: 18-19lbs

Belly button: completely flat, pretty much non-existent these days
Size: at my ob appt 2 weeks ago (36w2d) he was 6 ½ lbs and over 18 inches long
Movement: VERY dramatic- when he moves I feel it everywhere- his head is down with his spine laying on my right side. I do feel like he has slowed down in the last 2 days though
Symptoms: lower back pain, major Braxton Hicks, a little more heartburn, definite shortness of breath and of course PEEING ALL.THE.TIME!!!
Sleep: has gotten much more difficult, but with the help of Tylenol PM I’ve been able to combat it pretty effectively  J
 

… and here is one of the last pictures of this big belly.

.... and because none of this would be without him, the last picture of Gavin before we get to see him in person

35 Week Update and Belly Picture!

How Far Along? 35w2d

Size of baby: Over 5lbs and 18 inches- size of a honeydew melon!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +17lbs

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes – luckily I still have plenty of items that fit and should last through the remainder of my time

Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler Ramey

Movement: He is still moving a lot- he prefers my right side and is constantly sticking his butt up near the top, it gets very distorted and very hard when he does this, still freaks Jason out.

What I miss: I miss being able to get up off the couch without issues- lol!

Sleep: Getting up multiple times to go potty, but for the most part I’m able to go right back to sleep!

Symptoms: Peeing ALL THE TIME! Fatigue has made a comeback, I’m also experiencing quite a bit of Braxton Hicks and I definitely am not able to breathe as easy as I once did.

Stretch marks: No sign of any stretch marks- moisturizing with this super greasy BB tummy butter TWICE a day!

What I am looking forward to: Hopefully an ultrasound really soon to figure out how big he is!

Belly button (in or out): Mostly out

Milestones: 99% of babies born after 35 weeks require no additional medical assistance because the majority of physical development is COMPLETE!!!

Baby Ramey’s Progress

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete – he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Merry Christmas to All!

I’ve done such a poor job keeping my blog updated as of late so Im going to have a vast amount of updates to include in this post. Its been such a fun few weeks. I had my last baby shower at work December 14th and I have to admit it was crazy, overwhelming. I was/am overwhelmed by the generosity, friendship and support of my co-workers. We got so much baby stuff. Basically they just went through and got all the last minor things that I had on my list of items to buy- bumbo seat, blankets, pacifiers, changing pad, extra car seat base, pack ‘n play sheets and on and on! We were also able to get our video monitor. Thanks to all those wonderful gifts we have absolutely everything we need for baby Gavin’s arrival!


It’s the night before Christmas Eve and I can happily say that I am done with my Christmas shopping and 99% of my wrapping is done as well. It’s a great feeling. The last week off has been used very wisely. The only major item left to handle is the grocery shopping for Christmas Day dinner. Im very excited that although Jason and I cant travel for the holidays, we will still get to be with a large group of family. Itll be a lot of fun to have everybody together at our house. In an effort to try and reduce some of the work for me, we’re going to do non-traditional Christmas food for dinner. We’re going to do lasagna, salad, garlic bread and some appetizers. I just can’t fathom standing on my feet in the kitchen for hours slaving over a turkey, ham, stuffing, side items, bread, etc at 34 weeks preggo.

Besides Christmas shopping, I also spent a large portion of my week off marking “to do” items off my list to prepare for Gavin’s arrival! I managed to get EVERYTHING washed with the, must be gold because of the price, baby detergent Dreft! I also got his room finished for the most part and all his clothes are now put away. Its such a relief to have all that done. The only things I think we still have to do are to get the car seat installed and get our hospital bags packed! Before I finish up with my weekly update below, I have to share a few pics of the nursery. Those bookshelves are my favorite part- thanks to my MOM for helping me to get them hung. Wow, that was a total cluster! LOL!

33 Week Update

How Far Along? 33w5d

Size of baby: Over 4lbs and 17 inches- size of a pineapple!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +14lbs – still very happy with my weight- should be able to keep my total weight gain around the 20lb mark. That’s my hope, its going to make it much easier for it to come off after baby Gavin arrives.

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes plus I’ve graduated to some of Jason’s tshirts 

Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler Ramey

Movement: He moves a lot! When he pushes on my stomach now the whole thing becomes distorted- very alien like! LOL!

What I miss: I haven’t missed alcohol at all up to this point, but right now, maybe because of the holidays and cold weather, I’m really missing red wine!! I’m plotting my first drinking expedition.

Sleep: I slept so wonderfully through most of the pregnancy; however that has definitely changed over the last few weeks- its much more difficult to find a spot that is comfortable it’s impossible to sleep through the night without getting up to pee!

Symptoms: Peeing ALL THE TIME! Heartburn and fatigue have made a come back

Stretch marks: No sign of any stretch marks

What I am looking forward to: Gavin’s arrival- I feel like its close enough now (no more than 5 weeks) that its within reach!

Belly button (in or out): Mostly out

Milestones: Upcoming 34 weeks- I’ve read that any baby born at or after 34 weeks very likely wouldn’t require a NICU stay!

Baby Ramey’s Progress

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Weekly update, belly picture, etc!

Its been quite awhile since Ive posted an update. So much has happened. I had an ultrasound the day before Thanksgiving and it looks like we're going to have a big boy on our hands. He was measuring ahead 1 week, weighed over 3 1/2lbs and over 15 inches long. Ut oh! LOL! It was so weird because Im used to seeing his whole body on the screen; however he is too big now. You see just one body part at a time, it was actually a little disappointing but very happy to see he looked good.

Last week we lost Grandma June. Very good lady and we are so sad to see her leave us but Ive taken great comfort in knowing she is finally reunited with her husband Dennis and her son Russell! Jordan and I drove down Wednesday to attend the rosary and funeral. Glad that we could be there!

I had my first and hopefully last visit to L&D until Gavin is ready to make his appearance! Thursday I started spotting a bit and of course I freaked out. The timing really sucked because we had to miss Jason's Christmas party, but I would have never forgiven myself if it had turned out to be something bad that I had ignored. They hooked me up to the monitor and I was definitely having some contractions; however they attributed most of that to me being dehydrated. They sent me home with instructions to drink lots of fluids and REST! I seem to have a difficult time with the second part. The spotting did stop! Whew! I need to keep him baking in there a bit longer- at least 5 weeks!

Here's my 31w update plus belly pic. Enjoy!

How Far Along? 31w1d

Size of baby: Over 3 ½lbs and 16 inches- size of a butternut squash!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: down 2lbs this morning for some reason, +12lbs

Maternity Clothes: Im now finding that some of the maternity clothes I wore early in pregnancy aren’t going to fit the whole time :/

Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler

Movement: Constantly feeling him move

What I miss: Being able to sleep without all the CONGESTION and gunk! Uuuugghhh!

Sleep: I slept so wonderfully through most of the pregnancy; however that has definitely changed over the last few weeks- its much more difficult to find a spot that is comfortable!

Symptoms: I’m attributing all this winter sickness mess to being pregnant, other than that I’d be feeling pretty great

Stretch marks: No sign of any stretch marks

What I am looking forward to: Definitely my vacation time around the holidays-2 weeks and counting until Im off for 10 days! Woohoo!

Belly button (in or out): Halfway out

Milestones: No major milestones to speak of, just very thankful for every day that he stays in there, at least for the next 5 weeks and then he gets an eviction notice!

Baby Ramey’s Progress
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Belly picture- 29w3d!

27 week update

We had such a busy weekend trying to get ready for all the family visiting this weekend for my 2^nd baby shower. I’m so excited to have everybody here! We had to put the finishing touches on our upstairs living room, get Christmas lights hung, clean the upstairs, grocery shop, volleyball game and wash 4 rooms full of bedding linens. We were busy little bees, but got it all done.

This morning I had my monthly ob appt and my glucose test. Ive been dreading this test for weeks, but it really was pretty uneventful. It required I fast from the night before so I was starving by the time it was over, but I can’t complain too much. Now let’s hope I pass. J I mentioned to Dr. S that I was getting antsy to see how much Gavin has grown since it has been almost 9 weeks since my last sonogram. He took pity on me and scheduled a growth scan in 2 weeks- the day before Thanksgiving. I am sooooo excited. I thought I would have to wait another 4-6 weeks before I got to take a peek again. He has gone above and beyond to ensure this pregnancy has been as stress free as possible. I’ve posted my 27 week update and a new belly pic too! Enjoy!

 How Far Along? 27w2d
Size of baby: 14 1/2 inches and about 2lbs- size of a cauliflower!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 13 1/2 lbs
Maternity Clothes: Pretty much everything is maternity at this point
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Feeling him move every hour
What I miss: Being able to easily get off the couch or out of a chair!!
Sleep: Still sleeping great
Symptoms: started getting nighttime leg cramps, which they say is normal

Stretch marks: Nope, still none
What I am looking forward to: 2^nd baby shower this weekend and family visiting from out of town!
Belly button (in or out): Halfway out
Milestones: Getting the 1 hour glucose test done and behind me

Baby Ramey’s Progress
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

 How your life's changing:

The second trimester is drawing to a close, but as your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs.

Late 24w Pregnancy Update!

How Far Along? 24w4d
Size of baby: 12 inches and +1lb
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 11 1/2 lbs
Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity bottoms, mostly maternity tops but still some non-maternity shirts fit
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Feeling him every day now, all throughout the day
What I miss: Having all the energy Im used to having- I wear out a bit more quickly
Sleep: Starting to have my sleep impacted for the first time!
Symptoms: Heartburn!!!! (seems that people think he will have a lot of hair!!!)

Stretch marks: None- slathering on belly lotion daily
What I am looking forward to: First baby shower next weekend, ssssooooo excited for that
Belly button (in or out): Still halfway out
Milestones: Hitting the 24 week viability point this past Sunday and the impending 3^rd trimester- now been pregnant for ½ year! WOW!

Update:

People are really starting to notice how “pregnant” I am. There is certainly no way to disguise it at this point. My drs appt a week and a half ago was really uneventful. He listened for the heartbeat and I got my glucose test scheduled for my next appt on November 8^th. After that next appointment I will start going to the dr every 2 weeks. I expect it will start going fast after that. I’ve started thinking a lot about what Gavin will look like. I’ve seen some baby pictures of Jason and if Gavin looks just like Jason then he will have a dark complexion, loads of curly hair and really long eyelashes. I told Jason that when I take Gavin out people are going to think I either stole him or am  his babysitter, because we will look nothing alike with my light hair and pale skin. Jason thinks that is very funny!

 Baby Ramey’s Progress

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

23w Update plus the Weekend Wrap-up!

We had a busy weekend. We had the kiddo plus Jason had class Friday & Saturday night so I didn’t see much of him. Friday night Ally and I just ran some errands, got some Soup ‘R Salad and took her to the mall to spend some of her birthday money. Saturday morning we had to get up and hurry off to Ally’s volleyball game. Ally’s team’s height seems to have tripled in size over the summer and they took 2 out of the 3 games Saturday afternoon. I can happily report that they built a new Taco Casa right near where she lives so we had our lunch after the volleyball game there. Love that place. Saturday night Ally and I headed over to watch my nephews so that Jordan and Ashley could enjoy Ashley’s sister’s wedding. I love watching those two and I can’t wait for the time when Gavin gets to participate in their fun. We went to be late Saturday night because after we left the boys I had to stay up to finish watching the rain delayed Rangers game. Happily we came out with the win. Unfortunately the STL Cardinals got beat yesterday by Milwaukee so they have to win today! This is going to be a very, very long week for me at work. We have our BIG upgrade over the weekend. We have been working toward and planning for this event for about a year now so this week leading up to it is sure to be stressful. Then we will actually perform the upgrade and testing starting Friday night so there won’t be much of a weekend coming up for me. However, I will not complain- I will just be thrilled to have it successfully completed! Squeezed in with everything else going on this week is Jason and I’s wedding anniversary too. I can’t believe it’s been 3 years!!!!!

How Far Along? 23w1d
Size of baby: 12 1/2 inches and between 1 1/4 & 1 1/2lbs in weight– the size of a large mango
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 10 lbs
Maternity Clothes: For the most part yes, all my jeans are maternity but Im still able to wear quite a few non-maternity tops
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Continue feeling him every day
What I miss: Being able to eat without getting heartburn!!!!
Sleep: Still feeling pretty lucky- am able to sleep fine
Symptoms: Heartburn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What I am looking forward to: Drs appt Tuesday, baby shower in 3 weeks!!!!
Weekly wisdom: Every pregnant person grows at different rates. I cant compare myself to anyone else.

Belly button (in or out): Still halfway out.
Milestones: Still anxious to get to the 24 week mark

Baby Ramey’s Progress

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Your Body This Week

You may notice that your ankles and feet start to swell a bit in the coming weeks or months, especially at the end of the day or during the heat of summer. Sluggish circulation in your legs — coupled with changes in your blood chemistry that may cause some water retention — may result in swelling, also known as edema. Your body will get rid of the extra fluid after you have your baby, which is why you'll pee frequently and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery. In the meantime, lie on your left side or put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, and avoid sitting — or standing — in one place for long periods. Also, try to exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning) and roomy, comfortable shoes. You may be tempted to skimp on liquids to combat swelling, but you need to drink plenty of water because staying hydrated actually helps prevent fluid retention. While a certain amount of edema in your lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Be sure to call your midwife or doctor if you have severe or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, swelling in your face, or puffiness around your eyes.

22w (22w4d) Belly Picture!

18w4d Belly Shot and Weekend Plans!

I apologize for the darkness of the picture below but you get the idea. We have a busy weekend ahead of us. We are headed out to Austin tomorrow morning for some family time and football. Itll be a good time, even if I do have to spend my hard earned money and see a t.u. football game. It’s a quick trip. We will be back Sunday. Then Sunday night the Cowboys kick off the regular season. Can we say woohoo for some non-pre-season crap football?!?!?! YEAH! Monday Jason and I are both off and have tons of errands to run. We will also be registering and going to my ob appt. It will be the last big ultrasound to see baby Ramey. After this we wont see him on u/s again for 2 1/1 more months, when I’m in the 2rd trimester! Hope everyone has a good weekend!

16 Weeks!

How Far Along? 16 weeks

Size of baby: The size of an avocado

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 2 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Maternity Jeans, yes, but still wearing mostly non-maternity tops

Gender: BOY!

Movement: I actually think I have started feeling this baby move but its very sporadic

What I miss: Nada, not a thing

Sleep: Still sleeping very well

Symptoms: VERY thirsty lately

What I am looking forward to: Baby bedding and crib coming in this week

Weekly wisdom: Its very important that I drink plenty of water. I didnt drink enough on Saturday and experienced some uncomfortable cramping, probably from dehydration.

Baby Ramey’s Progress

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Your Body This Week

The top of your uterus is about halfway between your pubic bone and your navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. You're probably feeling a whole lot better as you settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.


Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, many don't feel their baby move until about 18 weeks or more. (And if this is your first baby, don't be too impatient — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so.) The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll be able to feel them much more frequently.

15"ish" weeks comparison picture