One month came too fast...or not fast enough, just depends on the day! :) There were some days that didn't seem like they would end, and then the next thing you know, it had been a week. As soon as I wanted time to go faster, I would have an immediate feeling of regret, as I know that these days will all go by way too fast and before you know it Remy will actually be able to read these blogs on her own. :(
The first month with our new little girl was amazing. We celebrated my 27th birthday and the next week my very first Mother's Day. Bryant out-did himself on both occasions. For my birthday he & Remy bought me a video camera; and for Mother's Day they gave me a beautiful necklace. I also had breakfast in bed and Bryant grilled for dinner. I am one lucky mama!
At 3 weeks old Remy rolled from her tummy to her back for the first time (okay, okay, so it was just a fluke - it still counts!) and both Bryant & I were able to witness it. We do "tummy-time" every day, but depending upon her mood, sometimes it doesn't last very long. She has great neck strength and can hold her head up for extended periods of time. She loves to do tummy time on her boppy. She especially likes it if I lay on the floor with my face close to hers and entertain her.
At one month old Remy is still sleeping in her Fisher Price Rock 'N Play Sleeper, which I cannot say enough good things about. We keep it in our room, next to my side of the bed. I love having her so close, even though she is a VERY noisy sleeper. She has learned to grunt and will make grunting noises alllll night long. She had a few break-through nights where she slept 6 or 7 hours straight, but normally she sleeps around 4 hours...from around 11pm to 3am. Eventually we will start putting her down earlier, but for now it works for us.
She eats 3 ounces every 2-3 hours during the day. Although she had a growth spurt around 3 weeks old and ate up to 5 ounces at a time sometimes. She was insatiable for about a week and it was hard to keep up with her, as I am still breastfeeding. At around 4 weeks old I started giving her an extra 2 or 3 ounce bottle of formula in the evenings to help fill her up. This gives me a break as she often wants to nurse every hour in the evenings and also lets Bryant get in on some one-on-one feeding time with her.
At around 3 weeks we started getting some "real" smiles. They don't happen very often, but they are definitely intentional happy smiles! The first time I saw Remy smile was while I was changing her diaper and it absolutely melted my heart. The girl loves having her diaper changed, especially if you talk to her in a funny voice while doing it! :)
Remy also enjoys her swing and bouncy chair. I can usually get laundry done or eat quickly while she hangs out in one or the other. She is a great baby and only seems to get fussy when she is bored. She still likes to be held and would sleep all day in my arms if I left her...which I often do. Bad mama! However, if I put her down during the day she seems to wake right up. She still does not "nap" very well.
She LOVES being talked to. If you keep talking she will stare at you forever. She has big blue eyes and is always very alert when she's awake. Depending upon who you ask she looks like me, Bryant, Hannah, Lyla, or my dad. I personally see alot of Hannah in her eyes, but Bryant in her nose. No matter who she looks like, she is absolutely the most beautiful thing we have ever seen. :)
I took her to the health office in Stockton when she turned 4 weeks old to get her height and weight since we didn't have a regular appointment with our pediatrician. At 4 weeks old she weighed in at 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 20.25 inches long. In other words, she is growing perfectly! :) Yay!
She is still wearing Newborn in both clothes and diapers. Occasionally she can fit into a 0-3 onesie, depending upon the brand. We love our headbands and I am going to keep putting them on her until she starts yanking them off! :) She has a nice little round head and hasn't lost any hair, although it is starting to get a little lighter in color.
She LOVES bath time now that her umbilical cord fell off and she can be submerged. She wasn't a big fan of the sponge baths. We love giving her baths as a team and enjoy the time as a family. Bryant entertains her while I bathe and then he is on hair drying duty while I do the lower half and lotion her up! Occasionally he has to hold her pacifier in while we're getting her lotioned and dressed (she doesn't like that part as much!) Side Note: The umbilical cord was not nearly as disgusting as expected. :)
She really likes her pacifier...and I would like to shake the hand of whoever developed the "binky!" If she is ever fussy, just stick in the plug and within minutes she will be sleeping. Magic. There are a few rare occasions where even the binky can't calm her down, and that's where mama steps in. I know how to knock her out in less than a minute! I always wondered what it would feel like to be the one that could comfort the crying baby. Love. Pure love.
I can't believe that my time at home with her is more than half over. I want to get back to work, but can't imagine leaving her at daycare. I am yet to go anywhere without her...and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Love,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
P.S. Belly has been VERY well behaved with Remy. He will occasionally stop and sniff her, but most of the time he ignores her. We think he is probably wondering when she is going to go back to where she came from! :) Hopefully one day the two will be able to interact!
Ticker
Monday, June 18, 2012
The First Two Weeks
I'm clearly behind on blogging...but I definitely have a great (and super cute) excuse! My laptop at home is junk and I have started relying on my iPad, so typing anything over a couple of sentences has been on hold. I will try to play a little bit of catch up now.
Wow! I cannot explain how intense the past 8 weeks of our lives have been. I think I have been through every emotion there is and back again. Remy has certainly changed both Bryant & I. I know I speak for us both when I say that having our sweet little girl has shown us both a new kind of love neither of us could have ever imagined. I am going to back-track and post about the first two weeks of our new life...here we go!
Like I said in my last post, we left the hospital after just 24 hours...this turned out to be a bad idea. Future moms out there, enjoy your hospital stay! Our first night home was somewhat of a disaster that ended in me calling in my own mom for help. :) I don't think either of us will ever forget what the first night of being solely responsible for another human being was like. Terrifying.
I had prepared for everything...well, almost. I had always planned on breastfeeding, but knew there was the potential for needing formula, so I bought a little just in case. After leaving the hospital with the nurses reminding me 31,274,123,804 time that she NEEDED to eat EVERY 4 hours I tried to feed her...didn't work. I waited an hour and tried again. Still didn't work. Again, I tried another hour later, still not eating. Now begin first-time-mom panic attack. I freaked out, hearing the voices of each nurse telling me that she MUST EAT EVERY 4 HOURS! Another few hours later and still no eating I decided that it was time to bring in the troops...my mom. (Keep in mind that this was around midnight) 20 minutes later Grandma Berland arrived ready to help (i.e. calm a hysterical mama down.) My mom then assured me that Remy would not in fact starve to death if she didn't eat every four hours. :) Turned out to be great advice - the kid knows when she wants to eat... Nurses- 0, Grandma- 1!
The next morning we had to return to Hays for a check-up for Remy. Again I was assured by the pediatrician (who I love by the way) that it was completely normal for a brand new baby to be a little tired and not want to eat in the first few days. Damn nurses. We also found out that Remy had only lost around 5% of her birth weight, so we weren't doing so bad after all.
The next few days were a blur. Bryant had to return to work and I began my life as a stay-at-home-mama, albeit temporary. It didn't take long for the exhaustion to kick in or for us to realize that Remy did NOT like her crib. In fact, in the first few weeks she only liked to sleep if she was being held. Uh oh. This realization started a buying frenzy to find ANYTHING that Remy would sleep in...which turned out to be the Fisher Price Rock 'N Play Sleeper. That thing is magic people. Chalk up another point for Grandma!
I'm not going to sugar-coat it...the first two weeks were hard. I mean really hard. I was hit with a wall of hormones, exhaustion, and a fear of not knowing what I was doing. What did I get myself into!?!? I had an awful time trying to breastfeed and an even harder time trying to get a certain little girl to sleep without being held. There were many tears, but oddly enough, even more smiles! Hormones are a crazy thing.
After two weeks it was like a light turned on. Breastfeeding got easier. The Rock 'N Play Sleeper bought me a few hours of sleep. I learned how to eat with one hand (without dropping food all over my baby). I finally started leaving the house again. My body was healing from labor. It was wonderful! Not that I didn't enjoy being a mom in those first few weeks, but being more comfortable definitely made everything more enjoyable.
At Remy's 2 week check-up, we were again reassured that everything was going great.
She was gaining weight like a champ. We also learned that she "shrunk" a half inch. How you ask? Well you see, after 2 LONG HOURS of pushing, Remy had quite the cone head. Turns out her height measurement at birth was not very accurate. :) We also found out that she was not your typical newborn. Most newborns sleep around 18 hours a day in their first month. Remy on the other hand doesn't want to miss a thing and sleeps much less...like around 12 hours a day. On a good day.
Anyways, to wrap up a long blog...those first two weeks were a whirl-wind. Learning to be a mom is such an un-natural, natural thing. If that makes any sense. (Keep in mind that even though she is now almost 8 weeks old I am still completely exhausted and a little crazy!) I guess what I mean is that while many things come naturally, like love and breast milk...there are so many things that we had to learn in that first few weeks that didn't just "come to me" like I expected. Becoming a mom is the most challenging thing I have ever done in my life. Learning to care for a helpless newborn is quite the task, both emotionally and physically. I can hardly remember what life was like before...although I am sure it didn't involve text messaging about whether or not Remy pooped that day! :)
I am so in love with this little girl and feel like I spend most of my time trying to memorize her sweet face, as I know it will change again too quickly. Remy Cakes, you are the best thing we've ever done and we couldn't be more in love with you.
First-Time-Mama Love,
Remy's Mama
Wow! I cannot explain how intense the past 8 weeks of our lives have been. I think I have been through every emotion there is and back again. Remy has certainly changed both Bryant & I. I know I speak for us both when I say that having our sweet little girl has shown us both a new kind of love neither of us could have ever imagined. I am going to back-track and post about the first two weeks of our new life...here we go!
Like I said in my last post, we left the hospital after just 24 hours...this turned out to be a bad idea. Future moms out there, enjoy your hospital stay! Our first night home was somewhat of a disaster that ended in me calling in my own mom for help. :) I don't think either of us will ever forget what the first night of being solely responsible for another human being was like. Terrifying.
I had prepared for everything...well, almost. I had always planned on breastfeeding, but knew there was the potential for needing formula, so I bought a little just in case. After leaving the hospital with the nurses reminding me 31,274,123,804 time that she NEEDED to eat EVERY 4 hours I tried to feed her...didn't work. I waited an hour and tried again. Still didn't work. Again, I tried another hour later, still not eating. Now begin first-time-mom panic attack. I freaked out, hearing the voices of each nurse telling me that she MUST EAT EVERY 4 HOURS! Another few hours later and still no eating I decided that it was time to bring in the troops...my mom. (Keep in mind that this was around midnight) 20 minutes later Grandma Berland arrived ready to help (i.e. calm a hysterical mama down.) My mom then assured me that Remy would not in fact starve to death if she didn't eat every four hours. :) Turned out to be great advice - the kid knows when she wants to eat... Nurses- 0, Grandma- 1!
The next morning we had to return to Hays for a check-up for Remy. Again I was assured by the pediatrician (who I love by the way) that it was completely normal for a brand new baby to be a little tired and not want to eat in the first few days. Damn nurses. We also found out that Remy had only lost around 5% of her birth weight, so we weren't doing so bad after all.
The next few days were a blur. Bryant had to return to work and I began my life as a stay-at-home-mama, albeit temporary. It didn't take long for the exhaustion to kick in or for us to realize that Remy did NOT like her crib. In fact, in the first few weeks she only liked to sleep if she was being held. Uh oh. This realization started a buying frenzy to find ANYTHING that Remy would sleep in...which turned out to be the Fisher Price Rock 'N Play Sleeper. That thing is magic people. Chalk up another point for Grandma!
I'm not going to sugar-coat it...the first two weeks were hard. I mean really hard. I was hit with a wall of hormones, exhaustion, and a fear of not knowing what I was doing. What did I get myself into!?!? I had an awful time trying to breastfeed and an even harder time trying to get a certain little girl to sleep without being held. There were many tears, but oddly enough, even more smiles! Hormones are a crazy thing.
After two weeks it was like a light turned on. Breastfeeding got easier. The Rock 'N Play Sleeper bought me a few hours of sleep. I learned how to eat with one hand (without dropping food all over my baby). I finally started leaving the house again. My body was healing from labor. It was wonderful! Not that I didn't enjoy being a mom in those first few weeks, but being more comfortable definitely made everything more enjoyable.
At Remy's 2 week check-up, we were again reassured that everything was going great.
She was gaining weight like a champ. We also learned that she "shrunk" a half inch. How you ask? Well you see, after 2 LONG HOURS of pushing, Remy had quite the cone head. Turns out her height measurement at birth was not very accurate. :) We also found out that she was not your typical newborn. Most newborns sleep around 18 hours a day in their first month. Remy on the other hand doesn't want to miss a thing and sleeps much less...like around 12 hours a day. On a good day.
Anyways, to wrap up a long blog...those first two weeks were a whirl-wind. Learning to be a mom is such an un-natural, natural thing. If that makes any sense. (Keep in mind that even though she is now almost 8 weeks old I am still completely exhausted and a little crazy!) I guess what I mean is that while many things come naturally, like love and breast milk...there are so many things that we had to learn in that first few weeks that didn't just "come to me" like I expected. Becoming a mom is the most challenging thing I have ever done in my life. Learning to care for a helpless newborn is quite the task, both emotionally and physically. I can hardly remember what life was like before...although I am sure it didn't involve text messaging about whether or not Remy pooped that day! :)
I am so in love with this little girl and feel like I spend most of my time trying to memorize her sweet face, as I know it will change again too quickly. Remy Cakes, you are the best thing we've ever done and we couldn't be more in love with you.
First-Time-Mama Love,
Remy's Mama
Friday, May 18, 2012
Remy Elise Muir
Well, I promised that the next post would be announcing the details of our little girl's arrival, I just didn't expect that it would take me almost 3.5 weeks to get around to! Remy Elise Muir entered our lives at 1:56 PM on April 24, 2012 in Hays, Kansas. She weighed in at 7 pounds 3 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. I will start the story from the beginning and I apologize in advance for the length, but I don't want to forget anything! :) Bryant & I decided to stay in Hays the night before so that as we didn't have to wake up so early, since we had to be at the hospital at 6 AM the next morning to be induced. We went out to dinner at Gella's, which also happens to be where our wedding rehearsal dinner was. We enjoyed our last night out as a family of two. Our last night of not worrying about whether or not we packed the necessities in the diaper bag. Our last night of eating a dinner without a baby in our arms. (At least for awhile!) It was a great dinner. We talked about how lucky we have been in our lives and how excited we were that the next day we would finally become parents! After dinner we went to the hotel, laid in bed, and watched "Cocktails." I tried to sleep, but was far too nervous and excited to even close my eyes.
We headed to the hospital at 6AM on Tuesday and made ourselves comfortable. The nurses started me on Pitocin around 6:30AM - and in case you don't watch "16 and Pregnant," Pitocin is a drug that starts the labor process...mainly contractions. At first it was all fun & games and I finally was able to feel what a contraction was. However, it didn't take long for these mild contractions to get uncomfortable, to say the least... More on that topic later... :) At around 8:30AM Dr. Hodny came and broke my water. While it wasn't painful, it made the whole thing very real - because it meant that I would have to deliver this baby within the next 12-24 hours. For a few more hours we just sat around waiting for things to get going. Around 10AM I started hinting to the nurses that I would like an epidural soon. The nurses told me that it could take anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour to get the epidural once I asked for one, so I told them to go ahead and get the process started...just in case I was the one hour scenario. Well, it definitely took longer than an hour and during that time I went from a 4 to a 9 in about 30 minutes. Not only did I progress quickly, but my contractions were coming around every 45 seconds to a minute and they were intense! (A side effect of Pitocin.) Once the anesthesiologist showed up and got the epidural going it took the epidural awhile to catch up to me since I was progressing so fast. At around 12PM I was dilated to a 10 and was given the green light to start pushing.
For whatever reason, I thought that I would push hard a few times and we would have a baby...turns out I was wrong. I spent approximately 2 hours pushing (hard!) before I was finally able to see my sweet baby. Thank God the epidural kicked in during the pushing because after the horrible contractions, I didn't know if I would make it through the whole process without some help. The whole thing seemed to go by quickly and was far less dramatic than expected. Bryant was amazing during the entire process and I think we both stayed fairly calm for the most part. (I did have a slight freak out moment when they told me I was going to start pushing and my epidural hadn't started to kick in yet.) Bryant was so sweet and encouraging, even if he did eat McDonald's WHILE I was pushing! :)
The last few moments of pushing were filled with some crazy emotions. I was exhausted, ready to see and hold my baby, and also worrying about whether she was going to be healthy. In the last few pushes the nurses had me stop in order to wait for the doctor to arrive. "Stop pushing" is NOT what you want to hear during that time! Then, right before my last push Dr. Hodny had me stop yet again because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck tightly. Scary! He quickly cut the cord and then apologized to Bryant since he would no longer have the opportunity to cut it himself. (Fortunately, I don't think Bryant had any plans on cutting the cord anyways!) :)
Finally, finally, FINALLY after what seemed likes years of waiting, our sweet baby arrived. She was absolutely perfect in every way and has the best set of lungs we've ever heard! The nurses cleaned her up and gave her to me to hold in my arms for the first time. There are no words to describe how that moment felt, so I'm not even going to try. Her little face was the most beautiful thing we had ever seen. After I held her, Bryant held her. I thought my heart might explode. There is nothing better than watching the love of my life hold the other love of my life. The next few hour were a whirlwind of nurses, paperwork, family, learning how to breastfeed and care for our new daughter, and taking picture after picture of the cutest baby in the world. We decided to go home after just 24 hours since I was feeling good and Remy was as healthy as could be. I will do another blog post soon on how we've been since bringing Remy home. Stay tuned! :) Love, Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
We headed to the hospital at 6AM on Tuesday and made ourselves comfortable. The nurses started me on Pitocin around 6:30AM - and in case you don't watch "16 and Pregnant," Pitocin is a drug that starts the labor process...mainly contractions. At first it was all fun & games and I finally was able to feel what a contraction was. However, it didn't take long for these mild contractions to get uncomfortable, to say the least... More on that topic later... :) At around 8:30AM Dr. Hodny came and broke my water. While it wasn't painful, it made the whole thing very real - because it meant that I would have to deliver this baby within the next 12-24 hours. For a few more hours we just sat around waiting for things to get going. Around 10AM I started hinting to the nurses that I would like an epidural soon. The nurses told me that it could take anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour to get the epidural once I asked for one, so I told them to go ahead and get the process started...just in case I was the one hour scenario. Well, it definitely took longer than an hour and during that time I went from a 4 to a 9 in about 30 minutes. Not only did I progress quickly, but my contractions were coming around every 45 seconds to a minute and they were intense! (A side effect of Pitocin.) Once the anesthesiologist showed up and got the epidural going it took the epidural awhile to catch up to me since I was progressing so fast. At around 12PM I was dilated to a 10 and was given the green light to start pushing.
For whatever reason, I thought that I would push hard a few times and we would have a baby...turns out I was wrong. I spent approximately 2 hours pushing (hard!) before I was finally able to see my sweet baby. Thank God the epidural kicked in during the pushing because after the horrible contractions, I didn't know if I would make it through the whole process without some help. The whole thing seemed to go by quickly and was far less dramatic than expected. Bryant was amazing during the entire process and I think we both stayed fairly calm for the most part. (I did have a slight freak out moment when they told me I was going to start pushing and my epidural hadn't started to kick in yet.) Bryant was so sweet and encouraging, even if he did eat McDonald's WHILE I was pushing! :)
The last few moments of pushing were filled with some crazy emotions. I was exhausted, ready to see and hold my baby, and also worrying about whether she was going to be healthy. In the last few pushes the nurses had me stop in order to wait for the doctor to arrive. "Stop pushing" is NOT what you want to hear during that time! Then, right before my last push Dr. Hodny had me stop yet again because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck tightly. Scary! He quickly cut the cord and then apologized to Bryant since he would no longer have the opportunity to cut it himself. (Fortunately, I don't think Bryant had any plans on cutting the cord anyways!) :)
Finally, finally, FINALLY after what seemed likes years of waiting, our sweet baby arrived. She was absolutely perfect in every way and has the best set of lungs we've ever heard! The nurses cleaned her up and gave her to me to hold in my arms for the first time. There are no words to describe how that moment felt, so I'm not even going to try. Her little face was the most beautiful thing we had ever seen. After I held her, Bryant held her. I thought my heart might explode. There is nothing better than watching the love of my life hold the other love of my life. The next few hour were a whirlwind of nurses, paperwork, family, learning how to breastfeed and care for our new daughter, and taking picture after picture of the cutest baby in the world. We decided to go home after just 24 hours since I was feeling good and Remy was as healthy as could be. I will do another blog post soon on how we've been since bringing Remy home. Stay tuned! :) Love, Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Friday, April 20, 2012
Due Date
Well...my due date is here and yet we still don't have an "outside" baby! I actually am a little surprised, I really thought I would go early...or at least I hoped I would.
At my appointment this past Tuesday, much to my disappointment, I was informed that I had not progressed any since the previous appointment. Dr. Hodny told me that until I am at firm "2" he would rather not schedule an induction. However, the next day I received a call from his office telling me that I am scheduled for an induction on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 6:00 A.M. I am getting more and more impatient by the day, and as long as Dr. Hodny thinks that it is safe to induce on Tuesday, I am all for it. Obviously I would prefer to have her naturally before then, but if I still don't have a baby by Tuesday, I'm not going to complain!
I think there are a few reasons that he has decided to induce me. The first reason being that there are concerns of her getting TOO big; the second being the possibility of depletion of amniotic fluid; but I think that the most likely reason is that Dr. Hodny will be going out of town from next Wednesday to the following Tuesday... While it is not a huge deal to me that Dr. Hodny is in fact the doctor that ultimately delivers Remy, it is preferable for obvious reasons. Although, it won't be the end of the world if Dr. Lloyd or Dr. Fort is the delivery doctor either. I would probably be more concerned if there had been any complications, but since everything has been so normal, I'm not too worried.
Over the past few nights I have had a few glimpses at contractions, but nothing that seems to be too painful and obviously none that have been productive. Every morning I wake up to a little disappointment that I made it through another night without going into labor...but we know that she'll be here soon enough. I seriously can't believe that she could literally be here at any moment and that she will likely be here within just a few days! Everything at home is ready for her and I know both Bryant & I are having trouble concentrating at work.
Our days (and possibly hours) as a family of two are numbered and we couldn't possibly be more excited! I think every conversation either of us have had in the past few weeks has been centered around when Remy will arrive. (And I mean EVERY conversation...between the two of us or with anyone that either of us runs into!) We cannot wait to see our Remy Cakes' beautiful little face and to hold her for the very first time. I can definitely say that Bryant & I have never looked forward to something so much in our lives. Remy, we have already loved you for months and can't wait to see how much more our hearts are capable of! :)
Unless I get really bored in the next few days I imagine my next post will be sharing the details of our little girl's arrival. Wish us luck! :)
Love & Contractions,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
At my appointment this past Tuesday, much to my disappointment, I was informed that I had not progressed any since the previous appointment. Dr. Hodny told me that until I am at firm "2" he would rather not schedule an induction. However, the next day I received a call from his office telling me that I am scheduled for an induction on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 6:00 A.M. I am getting more and more impatient by the day, and as long as Dr. Hodny thinks that it is safe to induce on Tuesday, I am all for it. Obviously I would prefer to have her naturally before then, but if I still don't have a baby by Tuesday, I'm not going to complain!
I think there are a few reasons that he has decided to induce me. The first reason being that there are concerns of her getting TOO big; the second being the possibility of depletion of amniotic fluid; but I think that the most likely reason is that Dr. Hodny will be going out of town from next Wednesday to the following Tuesday... While it is not a huge deal to me that Dr. Hodny is in fact the doctor that ultimately delivers Remy, it is preferable for obvious reasons. Although, it won't be the end of the world if Dr. Lloyd or Dr. Fort is the delivery doctor either. I would probably be more concerned if there had been any complications, but since everything has been so normal, I'm not too worried.
Over the past few nights I have had a few glimpses at contractions, but nothing that seems to be too painful and obviously none that have been productive. Every morning I wake up to a little disappointment that I made it through another night without going into labor...but we know that she'll be here soon enough. I seriously can't believe that she could literally be here at any moment and that she will likely be here within just a few days! Everything at home is ready for her and I know both Bryant & I are having trouble concentrating at work.
Our days (and possibly hours) as a family of two are numbered and we couldn't possibly be more excited! I think every conversation either of us have had in the past few weeks has been centered around when Remy will arrive. (And I mean EVERY conversation...between the two of us or with anyone that either of us runs into!) We cannot wait to see our Remy Cakes' beautiful little face and to hold her for the very first time. I can definitely say that Bryant & I have never looked forward to something so much in our lives. Remy, we have already loved you for months and can't wait to see how much more our hearts are capable of! :)
Unless I get really bored in the next few days I imagine my next post will be sharing the details of our little girl's arrival. Wish us luck! :)
Love & Contractions,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Friday, April 13, 2012
One Week to Go!
So we're finally at 39 weeks...FINALLY! I was crazy busy last week so I missed my 38 week update, but I will try to fill you all in on what's been happening the past two weeks or so.
I had my 38 week check-up with Dr. Hodny and everything still looked great; I was even dilated (but only to a 1...) He said that from the looks of everything he wouldn't be surprised if I delivered right on or slightly after my due date. At that appointment we started discussing what our options are as far as getting induced. We decided that we would wait until I got closer and see how I was dilating, but he said that we would probably schedule an induction between week 40 and 41. That seemed (and still seems) FOREVER away. He also told me that he was impressed at how little I complained so far...he obviously hasn't been talking to Bryant! :)
The day after my 38 week check-up I had my very first jury trial. What an experience! I may have mentioned before that the case was only a misdemeanor, so not a huge deal - but either way it was great experience. We had a 6 person jury and went through the whole process. It made for a long morning and afternoon, but at the end of the day, I WON! :) That's right, I am undefeated! haha
Last weekend we celebrated Easter with both of our families. On Saturday night we went to Grandma Muir's and had a great dinner with lots of family. On Sunday we went to church and had lunch at my parent's house. My sister and her family were in town and we had alot of fun playing with Eli. I can't believe he is getting so big! I am so excited that next Easter Remy will be here and we will be able to start our own family traditions! Holiday traditions are one of the things I look most forward to once Remy gets here.
This week I had my 39 week appointment on Wednesday. Unfortunately I woke up that morning feeling sick so I stayed home for the morning and went to my appointment that afternoon. After waiting in the exam room for what felt like hours, Dr. Hodny finally came in and said everything looked great and that he would expect her to weigh around 7.5 lbs by the time she is born. Whew! I told him I wasn't feeling well and he suggested Benadryl...like that does anything. I was clearly in a bad mood at that point, and it didn't help matters that I was still only dilated to a 1...maybe a 2. We again talked about scheduling an induction, and he decided that we would wait until my next appointment to actually put anything on the calendar.
After I left the appointment my symptoms seemed to get worse. Thursday was awful - I worked in the morning and went home for the afternoon and did the same thing today, Friday. I think it's allergies, but really have no idea. I have never had problems with allergies before, but I guess that doesn't mean anything. I have been miserable and irritated, likely due to not sleeping whatsoever for the past several days. :( My eyes, throat, and nose itch and I can't breath out of my nose - not that I would have a chance anyways with how much I have been sneezing. I also started coughing non-stop today which hasn't helped anything. I am actually a little concerned that one of these times that I cough or sneeze I might accidentally deliver a baby! (That is my only attempt at being funny today.) Unfortunately Bryant was feeling pretty awful yesterday too - so we both spent the evening laying around, complaining, and blowing our noses. Luckily he felt much better today. Hopefully my turn is coming.
I have been so impatient about Remy getting here, but now that I'm sick I am hoping that she hangs out for a little bit longer so that I am healthy when she arrives. I can't imagine having to go through labor while feeling like this. Yuck. So from now until she gets here I plan on taking it as easy as possible...if that's possible! Please keep us in your thoughts and pray that we are all feeling better by the time Remy gets here and that everything goes smoothly.
Hopefully my next post will be an announcement that Remy has arrived! :)
Love and Sneezes,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
I had my 38 week check-up with Dr. Hodny and everything still looked great; I was even dilated (but only to a 1...) He said that from the looks of everything he wouldn't be surprised if I delivered right on or slightly after my due date. At that appointment we started discussing what our options are as far as getting induced. We decided that we would wait until I got closer and see how I was dilating, but he said that we would probably schedule an induction between week 40 and 41. That seemed (and still seems) FOREVER away. He also told me that he was impressed at how little I complained so far...he obviously hasn't been talking to Bryant! :)
The day after my 38 week check-up I had my very first jury trial. What an experience! I may have mentioned before that the case was only a misdemeanor, so not a huge deal - but either way it was great experience. We had a 6 person jury and went through the whole process. It made for a long morning and afternoon, but at the end of the day, I WON! :) That's right, I am undefeated! haha
Last weekend we celebrated Easter with both of our families. On Saturday night we went to Grandma Muir's and had a great dinner with lots of family. On Sunday we went to church and had lunch at my parent's house. My sister and her family were in town and we had alot of fun playing with Eli. I can't believe he is getting so big! I am so excited that next Easter Remy will be here and we will be able to start our own family traditions! Holiday traditions are one of the things I look most forward to once Remy gets here.
This week I had my 39 week appointment on Wednesday. Unfortunately I woke up that morning feeling sick so I stayed home for the morning and went to my appointment that afternoon. After waiting in the exam room for what felt like hours, Dr. Hodny finally came in and said everything looked great and that he would expect her to weigh around 7.5 lbs by the time she is born. Whew! I told him I wasn't feeling well and he suggested Benadryl...like that does anything. I was clearly in a bad mood at that point, and it didn't help matters that I was still only dilated to a 1...maybe a 2. We again talked about scheduling an induction, and he decided that we would wait until my next appointment to actually put anything on the calendar.
After I left the appointment my symptoms seemed to get worse. Thursday was awful - I worked in the morning and went home for the afternoon and did the same thing today, Friday. I think it's allergies, but really have no idea. I have never had problems with allergies before, but I guess that doesn't mean anything. I have been miserable and irritated, likely due to not sleeping whatsoever for the past several days. :( My eyes, throat, and nose itch and I can't breath out of my nose - not that I would have a chance anyways with how much I have been sneezing. I also started coughing non-stop today which hasn't helped anything. I am actually a little concerned that one of these times that I cough or sneeze I might accidentally deliver a baby! (That is my only attempt at being funny today.) Unfortunately Bryant was feeling pretty awful yesterday too - so we both spent the evening laying around, complaining, and blowing our noses. Luckily he felt much better today. Hopefully my turn is coming.
I have been so impatient about Remy getting here, but now that I'm sick I am hoping that she hangs out for a little bit longer so that I am healthy when she arrives. I can't imagine having to go through labor while feeling like this. Yuck. So from now until she gets here I plan on taking it as easy as possible...if that's possible! Please keep us in your thoughts and pray that we are all feeling better by the time Remy gets here and that everything goes smoothly.
Hopefully my next post will be an announcement that Remy has arrived! :)
Love and Sneezes,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Friday, March 30, 2012
Full Term Baby!
At 37 weeks this little girl is considered full term! :) This means she has developed her most crucial functions. I really never thought this week would get here. While technically she is full term, it is probably better that she "cook" for a few more weeks, but if she were born right now there would likely be no issues (at least with regard to her development) and it would be considered safe. Whew! I know March of Dimes is doing a big push with how important it is to make it to at least 39 weeks because of brain development, but I guess at this point it's all up to her! Basically over the next few weeks she will just continue to get healthier and stronger.
Remy stats this week: She likely measures around 18.9 to 20.9 inches and weighs between 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. She is gaining about 1/2 ounce each day. What a minute??? 9.2 pounds!!! AHHHHHH! Please God don't be so cruel. Her food comparison is a watermelon this week, which sounds about right. :) At least it looks like I swallowed one. She still moves around all the time, although now it feels more like sliding than kicking. I really feel sorry for her and how cramped she must be. I have also noticed that she has been having hiccups more frequently. Poor girl! I really am going to miss feeling her move all the time once she is here...especially after I go back to work and don't have her with me all the time. :(
On Wednesday I had my check-up with Dr. Hodny. Again, everything looked as normal as can be and we are moving along schedule. I actually lost two pounds, which he didn't seem concerned about because my belly measured at 37 weeks - so I'm still getting bigger! (Seriously, I don't know how much bigger I can get!) My blood pressure is still great and her heart rate was 140, which is also great. I am not dilated and he thinks it will be awhile before she makes her debut. He also confirmed again that she is head down and ready to go. I will start going to weekly appointments from now on, so my next appointment is next Wednesday...the day before my first jury trial.
This week seemed to crawl by. Bryant & I have both been busy at work and now that it's light outside for longer, it seems like the days are never-ending. I love this time of year and all the sunshine, but right now I just want to get through as many days as quickly as possible!
I am still uncomfortable and getting more and more anxious by the day. I am trying to keep myself busy so I don't stare at the clock, but doing anything for too long just makes me exhausted. All of the books and websites say that I will start "nesting" soon, but I'm pretty sure I've been doing that since the moment I found out we were expecting. I am compulsively organized and clean most of the time anyways, so I don't feel like anything is different right now. I definitely am getting the "overheating" they talked about. While the weather has been great, I am hot. hot. hot. all the time! I know it's too early to turn on the A/C, but by the time I get home from work I can't get cooled down quick enough. I am also starting to get some swelling, mostly in my feet, ankles, and hands which is not enjoyable.
Here is the "bump" (and I use that term loosely) at 37 weeks!
Until next week,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Remy stats this week: She likely measures around 18.9 to 20.9 inches and weighs between 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. She is gaining about 1/2 ounce each day. What a minute??? 9.2 pounds!!! AHHHHHH! Please God don't be so cruel. Her food comparison is a watermelon this week, which sounds about right. :) At least it looks like I swallowed one. She still moves around all the time, although now it feels more like sliding than kicking. I really feel sorry for her and how cramped she must be. I have also noticed that she has been having hiccups more frequently. Poor girl! I really am going to miss feeling her move all the time once she is here...especially after I go back to work and don't have her with me all the time. :(
On Wednesday I had my check-up with Dr. Hodny. Again, everything looked as normal as can be and we are moving along schedule. I actually lost two pounds, which he didn't seem concerned about because my belly measured at 37 weeks - so I'm still getting bigger! (Seriously, I don't know how much bigger I can get!) My blood pressure is still great and her heart rate was 140, which is also great. I am not dilated and he thinks it will be awhile before she makes her debut. He also confirmed again that she is head down and ready to go. I will start going to weekly appointments from now on, so my next appointment is next Wednesday...the day before my first jury trial.
This week seemed to crawl by. Bryant & I have both been busy at work and now that it's light outside for longer, it seems like the days are never-ending. I love this time of year and all the sunshine, but right now I just want to get through as many days as quickly as possible!
I am still uncomfortable and getting more and more anxious by the day. I am trying to keep myself busy so I don't stare at the clock, but doing anything for too long just makes me exhausted. All of the books and websites say that I will start "nesting" soon, but I'm pretty sure I've been doing that since the moment I found out we were expecting. I am compulsively organized and clean most of the time anyways, so I don't feel like anything is different right now. I definitely am getting the "overheating" they talked about. While the weather has been great, I am hot. hot. hot. all the time! I know it's too early to turn on the A/C, but by the time I get home from work I can't get cooled down quick enough. I am also starting to get some swelling, mostly in my feet, ankles, and hands which is not enjoyable.
Here is the "bump" (and I use that term loosely) at 37 weeks!
Until next week,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
36 Weeks
Wow, I can't believe we are getting so close! At 36 weeks our baby is still in the 17.2 to 18.7 inch and 4.2 to 5.8 pound range and is continuing to gain weight. She's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on her own, which is a relief! Her skin is getting smooth and soft and her gums are rigid. Her liver and kidneys are in working order, and circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too. In just a few more days we will be considered "full-term" which makes me anxious and relieved at the same time.
I am feeling about the same: achy, exhausted, and impatient. I want her to stay inside as long as it takes for her to be healthy, but I am SO ready for her! I just can't wait to hold her and stare at her tiny little face. I am dying to see who/what she looks like and to have our very own baby that will call me "mama" and will look to me when she's sad/happy/scared/excited/etc. I know Bryant is just as excited and impatient as I am, but he's definitely not has whiny as I have been! :)
I've probably mentioned this before, but Remy's room is completely and totally ready to go! I am so glad that we did everything quickly and early - it has really made this pregnancy stress-free. I can't thank Bryant enough for helping me get everything ready without complaint (well, at least not MUCH complaint!) :) Bags are packed, car seat is installed, and I can't think of anything else left to do. KU is playing in the Final Four this weekend and Easter is next weekend. Hopefully since we are keeping busy the next 24 days or so will fly by! Bryant & I have both been busy at work which makes the days go by quicker. I have my first jury trial next week and am a little worried about what I will wear since I am getting pretty limited in my work wardrobe. After next week, work will slow down for me. As of right now I'm just trying to tie up any loose ends for when I go on maternity leave.
I have an appointment tomorrow and can't wait to hear if I'm showing any progress! Will keep you all updated! :)
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
I am feeling about the same: achy, exhausted, and impatient. I want her to stay inside as long as it takes for her to be healthy, but I am SO ready for her! I just can't wait to hold her and stare at her tiny little face. I am dying to see who/what she looks like and to have our very own baby that will call me "mama" and will look to me when she's sad/happy/scared/excited/etc. I know Bryant is just as excited and impatient as I am, but he's definitely not has whiny as I have been! :)
I've probably mentioned this before, but Remy's room is completely and totally ready to go! I am so glad that we did everything quickly and early - it has really made this pregnancy stress-free. I can't thank Bryant enough for helping me get everything ready without complaint (well, at least not MUCH complaint!) :) Bags are packed, car seat is installed, and I can't think of anything else left to do. KU is playing in the Final Four this weekend and Easter is next weekend. Hopefully since we are keeping busy the next 24 days or so will fly by! Bryant & I have both been busy at work which makes the days go by quicker. I have my first jury trial next week and am a little worried about what I will wear since I am getting pretty limited in my work wardrobe. After next week, work will slow down for me. As of right now I'm just trying to tie up any loose ends for when I go on maternity leave.
I have an appointment tomorrow and can't wait to hear if I'm showing any progress! Will keep you all updated! :)
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Thursday, March 22, 2012
35 Weeks...and 6 Days
Soooooo I'm a little behind this week. I don't have an excuse either (seriously, you would think that the fact that I'm about to have a baby would give me all kinds of excuses, but in reality I am finished prepping for Remy and have done nothing but sit around whining about my hips...and working of course!)
Anyways, I'll make this post short since I'll be posting for 36 weeks soon. Last week I had another checkup with Dr. Hodny. Again, everything looked perfect! I measured right at 35 weeks, Remy's heart rate was 147, and my blood pressure was solid. We scheduled my next appointment for 2 weeks later, which would be right before I am 37 weeks. He said I will probably continue to go every two weeks unless I start to show some progress at my next appointment...which I'm praying I do! Up to this point the doctor has never checked my cervix, but at the next appointment he will check to see if I am dilated. He will also do the Group B Strep Infection test at the next appointment. Apparently 1 in 4 pregnant women have this and never know or show any symptoms. He made it sound like it wasn't a big deal, but if I don't pass it then I will have to receive an IV during labor and delivery to make sure the baby doesn't receive any infections. Lets just hope that I don't have it!
Here is the giant belly at 35 weeks... It's outta control!
Until next week (or tomorrow!)
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Anyways, I'll make this post short since I'll be posting for 36 weeks soon. Last week I had another checkup with Dr. Hodny. Again, everything looked perfect! I measured right at 35 weeks, Remy's heart rate was 147, and my blood pressure was solid. We scheduled my next appointment for 2 weeks later, which would be right before I am 37 weeks. He said I will probably continue to go every two weeks unless I start to show some progress at my next appointment...which I'm praying I do! Up to this point the doctor has never checked my cervix, but at the next appointment he will check to see if I am dilated. He will also do the Group B Strep Infection test at the next appointment. Apparently 1 in 4 pregnant women have this and never know or show any symptoms. He made it sound like it wasn't a big deal, but if I don't pass it then I will have to receive an IV during labor and delivery to make sure the baby doesn't receive any infections. Lets just hope that I don't have it!
Here is the giant belly at 35 weeks... It's outta control!
Until next week (or tomorrow!)
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Sonogram Pictures from 33 Weeks
Here they are! Sorry for the delay, I know you've all been dying to see pictures of Little Girl Muir! :)
Here is her cute little face with her fat little cheeks! If you are able to see, her little fist is on top of her head. She likes to cover her face with her arms.
This is a picture of her arm (fist and elbow are pointed out).
This is her little foot. You could actually see that she has a fat big toe, just like her mama! :)
Here is her sweet little fist. She doesn't appear to be a thumb sucker...she keeps her thumbs in her fist.
Here is her cute little face with her fat little cheeks! If you are able to see, her little fist is on top of her head. She likes to cover her face with her arms.
This is a picture of her arm (fist and elbow are pointed out).
This is her little foot. You could actually see that she has a fat big toe, just like her mama! :)
Here is her sweet little fist. She doesn't appear to be a thumb sucker...she keeps her thumbs in her fist.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
34 Weeks (And Feeling Every Bit of It)
Well, I think I have officially hit a wall with this pregnancy. Everything up until this week seemed so easy and now I have hit the miserable stage. I suppose I should thank my lucky stars that it took 34 weeks to get to this point, but I think I'll go ahead and complain anyways! :)
My hips, feet, back, and stomach all hurt. The pain in my hips is relentless and is making it harder and harder to get any rest by the night; therefore I am e.x.h.a.u.s.t.e.d. I feel like I can't breathe most of the time and that my stomach is actually going to just explode if it gets any bigger! My hands, feet, and ankles have started to swell, which makes makes me uncomfortable and whiny during the day when I'm expected to wear "normal" clothes. Remy's position is now pinching a nerve in my back which makes my legs lock up throughout the day whenever I stand up. I have to consciously try to not act like a miserable jerk throughout the day, which I think actually makes me more miserable...
Okay, okay...I'll stop complaining. (But, I think that actually made me feel a little better!) :)
In Remy news, the little peanut is now between 4.2 pounds and 5.8 pounds, and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. No wonder I can't breathe! TheBump.com says that she can now recognize simple songs, so I'm probably going to have to brush up on my lullabys. I have also read that she pees around 1 pint a day...interesting. Other than that, it sounds like her brain is hard at work this week.
I have my next appointment tomorrow afternoon. I am really excited to see where we go from here. I think my appointment after that will be in 2 weeks and then every week for the remainder. I haven't had any labor nightmares yet, but I'm sure they're coming!
I promise to be happier next week,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
My hips, feet, back, and stomach all hurt. The pain in my hips is relentless and is making it harder and harder to get any rest by the night; therefore I am e.x.h.a.u.s.t.e.d. I feel like I can't breathe most of the time and that my stomach is actually going to just explode if it gets any bigger! My hands, feet, and ankles have started to swell, which makes makes me uncomfortable and whiny during the day when I'm expected to wear "normal" clothes. Remy's position is now pinching a nerve in my back which makes my legs lock up throughout the day whenever I stand up. I have to consciously try to not act like a miserable jerk throughout the day, which I think actually makes me more miserable...
Okay, okay...I'll stop complaining. (But, I think that actually made me feel a little better!) :)
In Remy news, the little peanut is now between 4.2 pounds and 5.8 pounds, and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. No wonder I can't breathe! TheBump.com says that she can now recognize simple songs, so I'm probably going to have to brush up on my lullabys. I have also read that she pees around 1 pint a day...interesting. Other than that, it sounds like her brain is hard at work this week.
I have my next appointment tomorrow afternoon. I am really excited to see where we go from here. I think my appointment after that will be in 2 weeks and then every week for the remainder. I haven't had any labor nightmares yet, but I'm sure they're coming!
I promise to be happier next week,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
33 Weeks
We're getting close! At 33 weeks, Remy is the size of a honeydew, which she means she should weigh around 4 pounds and is between 17.2 to 18.7 inches long. Her bones are hardening and she's beginning to coordinate sucking, breathing, and swallowing - all very important skills. She's keeping her eyes open when she's awake now and is going through some major brain development.
All the books say I should be having pregnancy symptoms such as: headaches, dizziness, and feeling overheated, but I haven't experienced any of those yet. I do however feel like I am short of breath often and have a hard time getting up from the couch. Sitting isn't very comfortable very long periods of time, mostly because I feel like she is squishing my insides, but it's usually goes away if I stand up for a little bit.
I said earlier that she "should" weigh around 4 pounds, but during our sonogram yesterday (03/05/12) we found out that she is closer to 4 pounds, 11 ounces - which means she might be a chunky thing. Of course this information can be off a little, so she could be more or less...but we won't know for sure until she's here! The ultrasound tech thought that she looked like she weighed more than average, but seemed to be shorter than average too...wonder where she gets that from!?!?
This sonogram was very different than the one I had at 19 weeks. First of all it was an educational sonogram so there were 2 students that each took a turn practicing on me. While the students practiced the teacher was explaining to them what they were seeing (in medical lingo) therefore I had NO idea what they were looking at or talking about. This went on for about 40 minutes. Finally, after the students were finished the teacher went back through and showed me all of the fun stuff and pointed out all of her body parts in English. :) The second reason this sonogram was very different was that at my last one Remy weighed around 10 ounces, so you could fit her entire body in the ultrasound window at one time. This time you could only see one body part at a time and she looked cramped! Here are some of the things we learned at the sonogram (some of which I already knew):
1. Her heart, kidneys, bladder and stomach look perfect! All parts are where they are supposed to be and in working order.
2. She has a cute little perfectly round head.
3. She still likes to keep her arms up over her face, making it difficult to see her face at all...but we still managed to get a few facial pictures.
4. She is DEFINITELY a she! :)
5. She has fat little cheeks.
6. She is in the head down position...ready to go!
7. She is mostly face down, but is laying slightly on her left side.
8. She is doubled over and her feet and hands are in about the same spot (when she's not using her hands to cover her face that is!)
9. She has a fat "big toe" - just like her mama.
10. She is the sweetest thing I have ever seen!!!!!
They gave me actual pictures, so I still need to scan them and download them before I can share them here, but I promise we'll do it soon. Bryant wasn't able to come to this sonogram, so my mom went with me. It was so much fun - I still can't believe she will be here so soon! Judging by how cramped she was, I'm sure she won't complain when she makes her way into the real world. The sonogram tech told me that from her weight she could come a week early, but from her length she could be a few days late. Only time will tell...
Until Week 34,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
All the books say I should be having pregnancy symptoms such as: headaches, dizziness, and feeling overheated, but I haven't experienced any of those yet. I do however feel like I am short of breath often and have a hard time getting up from the couch. Sitting isn't very comfortable very long periods of time, mostly because I feel like she is squishing my insides, but it's usually goes away if I stand up for a little bit.
I said earlier that she "should" weigh around 4 pounds, but during our sonogram yesterday (03/05/12) we found out that she is closer to 4 pounds, 11 ounces - which means she might be a chunky thing. Of course this information can be off a little, so she could be more or less...but we won't know for sure until she's here! The ultrasound tech thought that she looked like she weighed more than average, but seemed to be shorter than average too...wonder where she gets that from!?!?
This sonogram was very different than the one I had at 19 weeks. First of all it was an educational sonogram so there were 2 students that each took a turn practicing on me. While the students practiced the teacher was explaining to them what they were seeing (in medical lingo) therefore I had NO idea what they were looking at or talking about. This went on for about 40 minutes. Finally, after the students were finished the teacher went back through and showed me all of the fun stuff and pointed out all of her body parts in English. :) The second reason this sonogram was very different was that at my last one Remy weighed around 10 ounces, so you could fit her entire body in the ultrasound window at one time. This time you could only see one body part at a time and she looked cramped! Here are some of the things we learned at the sonogram (some of which I already knew):
1. Her heart, kidneys, bladder and stomach look perfect! All parts are where they are supposed to be and in working order.
2. She has a cute little perfectly round head.
3. She still likes to keep her arms up over her face, making it difficult to see her face at all...but we still managed to get a few facial pictures.
4. She is DEFINITELY a she! :)
5. She has fat little cheeks.
6. She is in the head down position...ready to go!
7. She is mostly face down, but is laying slightly on her left side.
8. She is doubled over and her feet and hands are in about the same spot (when she's not using her hands to cover her face that is!)
9. She has a fat "big toe" - just like her mama.
10. She is the sweetest thing I have ever seen!!!!!
They gave me actual pictures, so I still need to scan them and download them before I can share them here, but I promise we'll do it soon. Bryant wasn't able to come to this sonogram, so my mom went with me. It was so much fun - I still can't believe she will be here so soon! Judging by how cramped she was, I'm sure she won't complain when she makes her way into the real world. The sonogram tech told me that from her weight she could come a week early, but from her length she could be a few days late. Only time will tell...
Until Week 34,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
32 Weeks
At 32 weeks Remy is the size of a squash, which is between 2.5 to 3.8 pounds and measures about 15.2 to 16.7 inches. These are the same approximate measurements as last week, which is a little confusing. I am SO excited about my sonogram that is scheduled for next Monday so that we have a better idea of how big she is getting. So far everything seems very normal, so I am guessing she is average in size...one of the few times in life "average" is a good thing! :) The websites and books tell me she is likely in the head down position and is probably starting to get a little cramped. I would definitely agree with the getting cramped part, especially considering how short my torso is. Poor girl never had a chance at being comfortable!
Fortunately, I still feel decent...notice I am not saying "pretty good" anymore! I shouldn't complain (although that doesn't stop me) because I am still sleeping pretty good (even if I wake up at least twice a night to pee) and I don't have much swelling. One of my biggest complaints is that I am having a hard time bending over (whether it's to pick up Belly's toys or put on shoes). I also am having a hard time getting clothes out of our top loading washing machine... I guess that's what happens when you're as wide as you are tall! :( Bryant may need to starting assisting me with laundry duty. Rolling over at night is still uncomfortable and a little painful, but on the other hand, I also feel like I'm actually starting to be able to sleep for longer periods on each side, so I'm not rolling over as much...so I guess I'm breaking even. My waddle is more pronounced and I don't try to correct it as much as I used to. I have definitely entered the "I'm pregnant and I don't care if I walk like a 400 pound person who has one leg longer than the other" phase. :)
In exciting/mildly terrifying news, I scheduled my first jury trial today. It's set for April 5, 2012, so hopefully I will still be on my feet and working at that point. I am really excited about it, but am a little nervous about how I will be handling myself at 38 weeks. I have been joking that I would go into labor during court...but now it seems like it's an actual possibility. And it's not just "court" - but a full on JURY TRIAL. Did I mention that we are inviting the high school/junior high students to come watch?!?! No pressure...
This past weekend we finished up our baby shopping! Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know I'm obsessively organized... We have been so fortunate to each have a sister that has recently had a baby so we are getting LOTS of hand me downs! I have also started packing my bag for the hospital and we are planning on installing the car seat this weekend. Actually, we will be having my brother Jamie install it since he is a "Certified Baby Seat Installer" (I'm sure there is a more technical name, but I don't know it! Either way, he's a State Trooper and he knows what he's doing.)
Belly has been getting more and more inquisitive as to why we spend so much time in Remy's room and who all this stuff belongs to. We set up the baby swing last night and he was not too sure about it, especially once it started moving. On the flip side, he seems pretty respectful of her toys and seems to know the difference between what is his and what is hers. (With the exception of one of her toys that squeaks.) Lets see how long that lasts...
Until next week,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Fortunately, I still feel decent...notice I am not saying "pretty good" anymore! I shouldn't complain (although that doesn't stop me) because I am still sleeping pretty good (even if I wake up at least twice a night to pee) and I don't have much swelling. One of my biggest complaints is that I am having a hard time bending over (whether it's to pick up Belly's toys or put on shoes). I also am having a hard time getting clothes out of our top loading washing machine... I guess that's what happens when you're as wide as you are tall! :( Bryant may need to starting assisting me with laundry duty. Rolling over at night is still uncomfortable and a little painful, but on the other hand, I also feel like I'm actually starting to be able to sleep for longer periods on each side, so I'm not rolling over as much...so I guess I'm breaking even. My waddle is more pronounced and I don't try to correct it as much as I used to. I have definitely entered the "I'm pregnant and I don't care if I walk like a 400 pound person who has one leg longer than the other" phase. :)
In exciting/mildly terrifying news, I scheduled my first jury trial today. It's set for April 5, 2012, so hopefully I will still be on my feet and working at that point. I am really excited about it, but am a little nervous about how I will be handling myself at 38 weeks. I have been joking that I would go into labor during court...but now it seems like it's an actual possibility. And it's not just "court" - but a full on JURY TRIAL. Did I mention that we are inviting the high school/junior high students to come watch?!?! No pressure...
This past weekend we finished up our baby shopping! Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know I'm obsessively organized... We have been so fortunate to each have a sister that has recently had a baby so we are getting LOTS of hand me downs! I have also started packing my bag for the hospital and we are planning on installing the car seat this weekend. Actually, we will be having my brother Jamie install it since he is a "Certified Baby Seat Installer" (I'm sure there is a more technical name, but I don't know it! Either way, he's a State Trooper and he knows what he's doing.)
Belly has been getting more and more inquisitive as to why we spend so much time in Remy's room and who all this stuff belongs to. We set up the baby swing last night and he was not too sure about it, especially once it started moving. On the flip side, he seems pretty respectful of her toys and seems to know the difference between what is his and what is hers. (With the exception of one of her toys that squeaks.) Lets see how long that lasts...
Until next week,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
31 Weeks
Here is the "bump" at 31 weeks - or "road block" as Bryant would say...he's lucky I have a sense of humor!
So my post is a little late for 31 weeks as I'm only a couple of days from 32 weeks, but better late than never. This past weekend we had our baby shower, which was unbelievable! We cannot get over how generous our friends and family are. It is amazing to know that so many people already love our little girl. Remy is so spoiled dand has more clothes and blankets than she (or I) will ever know what to do with. We were very impressed with how talented all of our friends and family are also - who knew so many of them could knit, crochet, and sew! I have some serious skills to learn... I cannot thank Julie, Kinsey, Lindsey & Debbie enough for putting everything together. It was perfect and we couldn't be luckier or happier to have them in our lives. We love you & appreciate you all.
At 31 weeks, Remy is the size of a pineapple, which means she is between 15.2 and 16.7 inches long and weighs about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds. All five of her senses have developed and she is going through some major brain and nerve development - getting smarter and smarter everyday! She still moves around all day and you can actually see my stomach moving...kinda creepy. Bryant has gotten to feel/see her movements much more lately which is exciting!
I am still feeling pretty good, although I am getting more and more uncomfortable by the day. Sleeping isn't what it used to be due to my sore hips and c.r.a.z.y. dreams! The most recent weird one was that lions and coyotes were surrounding our house and Belly was stuck outside. Of course we had to save him! Scary stuff. I don't know much about dreams, but I wonder if this has something to do with my fears about how he'll behave once Remy gets here. Hopefully he takes the change well...otherwise we may have to throw him to the wolves, errr lions. (Just kidding! I'm glad Belly can't read!)
I had another check-up today with Dr. Hodny. Everything looks great, I measured right at 32 weeks (which I will be in 2 days) and my blood pressure was normal and her heart rate was strong - 152. Originally I was supposed to have my next appointment in 2 weeks, but since everything is going so well, we are going to wait until 3 weeks from now. Dr. Hodny said things couldn't be going better, which is always a huge relief.
In other exciting news, Fort Hays State needed pregnant volunteers for their sonogram class, so we will be getting to see Remy again soon! We are scheduled for March 5. I will be 33 weeks, so I hope she's not "too" big and that we can still see all of her little features. Either way, it will be fun to get to see her one last time before THE day.
I cannot believe that April 21 is coming up so quickly. Our world is about to be turned upside down and I'm not sure exactly how to prepare for that...so I guess we'll just feel our way through it! :) We can't wait to meet her, see what she looks like, and watch her personality grow. Soon all of the guessing about who she will look like will be over and all those cute little clothes folded so neatly in her drawers will be consuming my laundry room... We are heading to KC soon to shop and get the last of the necessities and then we will be sitting and waiting, patiently I'm sure!
Until next week,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
So my post is a little late for 31 weeks as I'm only a couple of days from 32 weeks, but better late than never. This past weekend we had our baby shower, which was unbelievable! We cannot get over how generous our friends and family are. It is amazing to know that so many people already love our little girl. Remy is so spoiled dand has more clothes and blankets than she (or I) will ever know what to do with. We were very impressed with how talented all of our friends and family are also - who knew so many of them could knit, crochet, and sew! I have some serious skills to learn... I cannot thank Julie, Kinsey, Lindsey & Debbie enough for putting everything together. It was perfect and we couldn't be luckier or happier to have them in our lives. We love you & appreciate you all.
At 31 weeks, Remy is the size of a pineapple, which means she is between 15.2 and 16.7 inches long and weighs about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds. All five of her senses have developed and she is going through some major brain and nerve development - getting smarter and smarter everyday! She still moves around all day and you can actually see my stomach moving...kinda creepy. Bryant has gotten to feel/see her movements much more lately which is exciting!
I am still feeling pretty good, although I am getting more and more uncomfortable by the day. Sleeping isn't what it used to be due to my sore hips and c.r.a.z.y. dreams! The most recent weird one was that lions and coyotes were surrounding our house and Belly was stuck outside. Of course we had to save him! Scary stuff. I don't know much about dreams, but I wonder if this has something to do with my fears about how he'll behave once Remy gets here. Hopefully he takes the change well...otherwise we may have to throw him to the wolves, errr lions. (Just kidding! I'm glad Belly can't read!)
I had another check-up today with Dr. Hodny. Everything looks great, I measured right at 32 weeks (which I will be in 2 days) and my blood pressure was normal and her heart rate was strong - 152. Originally I was supposed to have my next appointment in 2 weeks, but since everything is going so well, we are going to wait until 3 weeks from now. Dr. Hodny said things couldn't be going better, which is always a huge relief.
In other exciting news, Fort Hays State needed pregnant volunteers for their sonogram class, so we will be getting to see Remy again soon! We are scheduled for March 5. I will be 33 weeks, so I hope she's not "too" big and that we can still see all of her little features. Either way, it will be fun to get to see her one last time before THE day.
I cannot believe that April 21 is coming up so quickly. Our world is about to be turned upside down and I'm not sure exactly how to prepare for that...so I guess we'll just feel our way through it! :) We can't wait to meet her, see what she looks like, and watch her personality grow. Soon all of the guessing about who she will look like will be over and all those cute little clothes folded so neatly in her drawers will be consuming my laundry room... We are heading to KC soon to shop and get the last of the necessities and then we will be sitting and waiting, patiently I'm sure!
Until next week,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Happy Valentine's Day
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FRIENDS & FAMILY! Bryant & I have pretty low-key plans for the holiday and plan on having dinner at home...spaghetti (Bryant's favorite) of course! :) I can't wait to buy Remy a cute little Valentine's Day outfit next year. It will definitely include a red tutu!
I am currently at 30 weeks and I am still feeling pretty good. Rolling over in bed gets harder and harder everyday and I'm getting a little paranoid about getting on the floor with Belly out of fear that I won't be able to get back up. Shaving my legs is nearly impossible (which makes me (and I'm sure Bryant) dread the next 9.5 weeks or so!) :) I seriously have to hold my breath while I try to shave...it's sad really. My hips are about the same and the waddle is still there. I have been having some seriously weird dreams including one where I delivered Remy and she came out with a big bow on her head! haha I definitely have a case of "baby brain" and have to write things down consistently out of fear that I will forget to do something important. Turns out being forgetful isn't exactly ideal in my career...
Bryant finished up the new closet doors this week and the baby room is officially complete! :) It is unbelievably cute and I hope that she enjoys it as much as Bryant & I do. (And apparently Belly. I keep finding his toys in her room lately...)
In baby progress...Remy should be around the size of a cucumber...although I assume she is a little more proportionate than a cucumber (at least I hope!) She should be around 15.2 to 16.7 inches long and somewhere between 2.5 to 3.8 pounds. Her skin is getting smoother and her brain is getting wrinklier! She is also strong enough now to grasp a finger (or likely the umbilical cord since there's not much else to grab onto in there.) She moves all the time and sometimes her kicks are so strong that it surprises me I don't have bruises on my belly!
Our baby shower is this weekend and I am REALLY looking forward to it. Three of my best friends, Julie, Kinsey, and Lindsey are hosting it for me - they really are the best! :) I am so excited to have so many of my friends and family in the same place for a little bit. I am especially excited that Mandy and Whitney will be coming back too. I just can't seem to get enough of my nieces/nephews! Love 'em!
Hope you all have a LOVELY day and get to spend time with your favorites! :)
XOXO,
Bryant, Danielle, Remy & Belly
Monday, February 6, 2012
The End is in Sight
Well, kind of. At 29 weeks I feel like things are starting to speed up. I am a planner by nature, so I have stayed on top of my “to-dos” and have gotten pretty much everything organized around the house. This past weekend I went through and made room in the linen closet for her towels and bath supplies - cleaned out a cupboard in the kitchen for her bottles - made room in one of the kitchen drawers for her bibs - and I also washed all of the clothes, blankets, and bedding we have for her as of right now. It is surreal that we are making room for a new little person in our house, lives, and future. It was one thing to get her room prepared, but now her “stuff” is starting to seep out into the rest of the house, making it more and more exciting everyday. Things are starting to get real people!
I had the best time sorting, washing, drying, and folding her little clothes. I am positive that this attitude towards her laundry won’t last forever, but for right now I can’t help but smile every time I look at her tiny little clothes...especially her socks. Also, the smell of Dreft is unbelievable (even if ridiculously over-priced).
In baby progress, Remy is the size of an acorn squash. She likely measures around 15.2 to 16.7 inches long and weighs between 2.5 and 3.8 pounds. That seems like a pretty big gap, and I think she probably weighs somewhere right in the middle. Especially since my stomach is right on track for 29 weeks, I would say she is “average” in size. I am feeling lots of kicks and it almost feels like she is an octopus, as I feel lots of movement in different spots on my stomach all at the same time (as if she was playing the piano on my insides.) She has the hiccups fairly often. I also have noticed that she seems to be pretty lazy on the weekends, without much movement. Sounds about right, if she’s anything like me! :) I’m crossing my fingers that this is one behavior of hers that will stick around after she’s born...one can hope right?!?!
Bryant & I had a pretty low-key weekend. Bryant had to work Saturday morning, so I took Hannah shopping for her first prom dress in Hays. After several dresses and an equal amount of hours we found THE ONE! She looked gorgeous in the dress and it made me a little sad that she is growing up so fast. Not only did we find the dress, but we also found jewelry to match. (You’re welcome mom!) :) On Sunday we celebrated the Super Bowl by ourselves with wings and pigs-in-a-blanket. Nothing exciting, but it was just kind of a boring weekend (which was very welcomed by me).
Tonight we are going to the Newborn Care Class with Julie & Nate at the hospital. I am really looking forward to this one as it has been awhile since I took care of a newborn and Bryant really hasn’t had any experience caring for a newborn at all. I am sure we will learn a ton and I’m just hoping that we can still remember all the info once Remy gets here and we are sleep deprived messes! I suppose when in doubt - call one of the grandmas! :)
Until next time,
The Muirs
I had the best time sorting, washing, drying, and folding her little clothes. I am positive that this attitude towards her laundry won’t last forever, but for right now I can’t help but smile every time I look at her tiny little clothes...especially her socks. Also, the smell of Dreft is unbelievable (even if ridiculously over-priced).
In baby progress, Remy is the size of an acorn squash. She likely measures around 15.2 to 16.7 inches long and weighs between 2.5 and 3.8 pounds. That seems like a pretty big gap, and I think she probably weighs somewhere right in the middle. Especially since my stomach is right on track for 29 weeks, I would say she is “average” in size. I am feeling lots of kicks and it almost feels like she is an octopus, as I feel lots of movement in different spots on my stomach all at the same time (as if she was playing the piano on my insides.) She has the hiccups fairly often. I also have noticed that she seems to be pretty lazy on the weekends, without much movement. Sounds about right, if she’s anything like me! :) I’m crossing my fingers that this is one behavior of hers that will stick around after she’s born...one can hope right?!?!
Bryant & I had a pretty low-key weekend. Bryant had to work Saturday morning, so I took Hannah shopping for her first prom dress in Hays. After several dresses and an equal amount of hours we found THE ONE! She looked gorgeous in the dress and it made me a little sad that she is growing up so fast. Not only did we find the dress, but we also found jewelry to match. (You’re welcome mom!) :) On Sunday we celebrated the Super Bowl by ourselves with wings and pigs-in-a-blanket. Nothing exciting, but it was just kind of a boring weekend (which was very welcomed by me).
Tonight we are going to the Newborn Care Class with Julie & Nate at the hospital. I am really looking forward to this one as it has been awhile since I took care of a newborn and Bryant really hasn’t had any experience caring for a newborn at all. I am sure we will learn a ton and I’m just hoping that we can still remember all the info once Remy gets here and we are sleep deprived messes! I suppose when in doubt - call one of the grandmas! :)
Until next time,
The Muirs
Thursday, February 2, 2012
28 Weeks
So the 28 week mark is almost over, but I’m going to do a post anyways. This week Remy is/was the size of a rutabaga. Now I am really lost - I’ve never even heard of one of those! (I really need to get out more!) That means she is around 1.5 to 2.5 pounds and 13.6 to 14.8 inches long. Right now she is developing more fat, which means her wrinkly skin is starting to fill out. I can’t wait to squeeze her chubby little legs! :) The books also tell me that her lungs are mature enough that if he were to be born now (which lets pray she is not) she would likely survive with the help of medical technology. While I would obviously prefer that she stay safe in my belly for a couple more months, it is a relief to know that she is entering a less scary zone if she were to be born now.
This past weekend Bryant & I made a short trip to Kansas City to see our sisters, their families, and our friends that live in KC. We had SUCH a great time - even if it was exhausting! :) We didn’t get into town until late Friday night, but first thing Saturday morning Whitney & I went shopping for baby stuff - it is unbelievable how cute (and small) everything is. Remy is already spoiled rotten and I need to get a grip and stop buying everything that I see. I may need to attend Baby Shoppers Anonymous. While we were out shopping for baby stuff, Bryant & Shaun went to Cabelas to shop for their idea of fun stuff... On Saturday night we went out to dinner with Whitney, Shaun, Lyla, Mandy, Justin, Alex, Ethan and Eli - it was so great to have everybody in one spot! After dinner we went to John & Laura Schmidt's house to see all of our friends. We haven't seen most of them for at least 6 months, so it was great catching up! We ended up going to a bar/restaurant and staying out WAY to late, which resulted in me waking up the next morning with what felt like a hangover. Ouch! Turns out pregnant people, me in particular, need their sleep! That will probably be the last attempt I make at staying up til 2 in the morning.
On Tuesday I had my 28 week appointment with Dr. Hodny, but before the appointment I had to do the Glucose Test. I am sure many of you are already aware of what this is, but in case you don’t - you have to drink a VERY sugary drink and then have your blood drawn exactly 1hour later. I believe the main purpose is to check for gestational diabetes, but there may be some other things they test for too. Thankfully I passed the test and can keep eating sugar and carbs! :) Sugar would be REALLY hard for me to give up right now - it is definitely what I am craving. I have always liked sugar (who doesn’t?) but have never eaten a large amount of it, but lately I feel like I always want Lofthouse Sugar Cookies, Cookies & Cream Ice Cream, and/or fruit. I have been eating Cuties like crazy!
After getting my blood drawn I had my regular 4 week appointment. I still haven’t gained much and am one pound under my starting weight, but my belly measured right at 29 weeks (I was 28 weeks and 4 days at the time) - so we are right on schedule! Dr. Hodny checked my cervix and said everything looked good. While she still hasn’t moved up any, she doesn’t seem to be moving down any farther either. So we will just keep an eye out. I still feel pretty good, with the exception of my hips. It’s getting harder and harder to sleep on my side because of my hips and I may have to resort to sleeping in the recliner sooner than later. I feel like I waddle everywhere I go, which Dr. Hodny said is definitely due to how low I am carrying her. Dr. Hodny also told me that as long as everything continues to be healthy we will not have another sonogram. :( HOWEVER, Julie forwarded me some info on a program at Fort Hays that needs pregnant volunteers for their sonogram classes - so I signed up and it looks like we’ll be getting to see her around the beginning of March! WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HER AGAIN!
Bryant has been working on her new closet doors (with the help of Grandpa Muir) and we will hopefully have everything in her room done in the next week or so! Then it’s just time to fill it up with baby stuff! :)
Lots of Love,
The Muirs
This past weekend Bryant & I made a short trip to Kansas City to see our sisters, their families, and our friends that live in KC. We had SUCH a great time - even if it was exhausting! :) We didn’t get into town until late Friday night, but first thing Saturday morning Whitney & I went shopping for baby stuff - it is unbelievable how cute (and small) everything is. Remy is already spoiled rotten and I need to get a grip and stop buying everything that I see. I may need to attend Baby Shoppers Anonymous. While we were out shopping for baby stuff, Bryant & Shaun went to Cabelas to shop for their idea of fun stuff... On Saturday night we went out to dinner with Whitney, Shaun, Lyla, Mandy, Justin, Alex, Ethan and Eli - it was so great to have everybody in one spot! After dinner we went to John & Laura Schmidt's house to see all of our friends. We haven't seen most of them for at least 6 months, so it was great catching up! We ended up going to a bar/restaurant and staying out WAY to late, which resulted in me waking up the next morning with what felt like a hangover. Ouch! Turns out pregnant people, me in particular, need their sleep! That will probably be the last attempt I make at staying up til 2 in the morning.
On Tuesday I had my 28 week appointment with Dr. Hodny, but before the appointment I had to do the Glucose Test. I am sure many of you are already aware of what this is, but in case you don’t - you have to drink a VERY sugary drink and then have your blood drawn exactly 1hour later. I believe the main purpose is to check for gestational diabetes, but there may be some other things they test for too. Thankfully I passed the test and can keep eating sugar and carbs! :) Sugar would be REALLY hard for me to give up right now - it is definitely what I am craving. I have always liked sugar (who doesn’t?) but have never eaten a large amount of it, but lately I feel like I always want Lofthouse Sugar Cookies, Cookies & Cream Ice Cream, and/or fruit. I have been eating Cuties like crazy!
After getting my blood drawn I had my regular 4 week appointment. I still haven’t gained much and am one pound under my starting weight, but my belly measured right at 29 weeks (I was 28 weeks and 4 days at the time) - so we are right on schedule! Dr. Hodny checked my cervix and said everything looked good. While she still hasn’t moved up any, she doesn’t seem to be moving down any farther either. So we will just keep an eye out. I still feel pretty good, with the exception of my hips. It’s getting harder and harder to sleep on my side because of my hips and I may have to resort to sleeping in the recliner sooner than later. I feel like I waddle everywhere I go, which Dr. Hodny said is definitely due to how low I am carrying her. Dr. Hodny also told me that as long as everything continues to be healthy we will not have another sonogram. :( HOWEVER, Julie forwarded me some info on a program at Fort Hays that needs pregnant volunteers for their sonogram classes - so I signed up and it looks like we’ll be getting to see her around the beginning of March! WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HER AGAIN!
Bryant has been working on her new closet doors (with the help of Grandpa Muir) and we will hopefully have everything in her room done in the next week or so! Then it’s just time to fill it up with baby stuff! :)
Lots of Love,
The Muirs
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
THIRD (and final) TRIMESTER
Welcome to the 3rd trimester! It seemed like this portion of my pregnancy would never get here...but it's here, it's finally here! There hasn't been a ton of change since last week, but I figured I'd go ahead and update the blog (even if the only people reading are my sister-in-law and mother-in-law) haha!
Looking back on pregnancy thus far, I have been incredibly lucky. I have felt great almost the entire time, have had very little stress over baby stuff and pregnancy in general, have had an amazing husband who has complied with all of my (obsessive compulsive) requests to get "baby things" done around the house, very supportive and excited friends & family, and I have never had to take a day off from work because of any pregnancy symptoms...
And have I mentioned that two of my best friends are also pregnant?!?! Seriously, I couldn't have asked for two better friends to navigate through pregnancy with. (It also doesn't hurt to have 2 other party poopers around who can't drink wine either!) Lucky I am!
Anyways, at 27 weeks, Remy is about the size of a head of cauliflower. She is around 13.6 to 14.8 inches and 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. She is still practicing inhaling and exhaling and is officially showing brain activity! I am starting to figure out her schedule a little bit too. She likes to bounce around after I eat and moves the most at night when I lay down to go to bed...particularly if I lay on my right side (even though the books say to lay on your left to get her to move) I usually wake up a few hours later (to pee) and because she starting moving around again...alot! Her kicks are getting harder, although they don't seem much higher than they were last week. I'm still crossing my fingers that she is moving her way up a little by my next appointment (which is next week already). Taking stairs is getting more and more painful by the day, because of my hips; otherwise, I am still getting around pretty comfortably. I also learned my lesson about standing in heels for extended periods of time. Ouch.
I am getting really excited about our baby shower coming up in February, which Julie, Kinsey & Lindsey are throwing for us! It gives me something to look forward to and also a reason to ease up on the baby shopping! :) I am out of control. We are heading to Kansas City this weekend to see our sisters, their families, and our friends...so I'm sure there will be just a little more shopping in my near future - and then I'll stop until the baby shower, I promise!
We went to another child birth class this week and this one was intense. I actually started to feel nauseous and if the look on Bryant's face means anything, he wasn't feeling very good either. It was terrifying...seriously, terrifying. I know that I said before that maybe knowledge would take the edge off of the fear, but HOLY COW! Now I just know more things to be scared of. Although I don't think it helped that the videos they showed us were of un-medicated women. Why would you do that to yourself? Really, why? We have one more labor class, which is when we get to tour the labor & maternity ward. After that we are going to go to the caring for newborns class. I am really looking forward to that one - it can't be as scary as the labor classes! :)
Until next week,
The Muirs
Looking back on pregnancy thus far, I have been incredibly lucky. I have felt great almost the entire time, have had very little stress over baby stuff and pregnancy in general, have had an amazing husband who has complied with all of my (obsessive compulsive) requests to get "baby things" done around the house, very supportive and excited friends & family, and I have never had to take a day off from work because of any pregnancy symptoms...
And have I mentioned that two of my best friends are also pregnant?!?! Seriously, I couldn't have asked for two better friends to navigate through pregnancy with. (It also doesn't hurt to have 2 other party poopers around who can't drink wine either!) Lucky I am!
Anyways, at 27 weeks, Remy is about the size of a head of cauliflower. She is around 13.6 to 14.8 inches and 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. She is still practicing inhaling and exhaling and is officially showing brain activity! I am starting to figure out her schedule a little bit too. She likes to bounce around after I eat and moves the most at night when I lay down to go to bed...particularly if I lay on my right side (even though the books say to lay on your left to get her to move) I usually wake up a few hours later (to pee) and because she starting moving around again...alot! Her kicks are getting harder, although they don't seem much higher than they were last week. I'm still crossing my fingers that she is moving her way up a little by my next appointment (which is next week already). Taking stairs is getting more and more painful by the day, because of my hips; otherwise, I am still getting around pretty comfortably. I also learned my lesson about standing in heels for extended periods of time. Ouch.
I am getting really excited about our baby shower coming up in February, which Julie, Kinsey & Lindsey are throwing for us! It gives me something to look forward to and also a reason to ease up on the baby shopping! :) I am out of control. We are heading to Kansas City this weekend to see our sisters, their families, and our friends...so I'm sure there will be just a little more shopping in my near future - and then I'll stop until the baby shower, I promise!
We went to another child birth class this week and this one was intense. I actually started to feel nauseous and if the look on Bryant's face means anything, he wasn't feeling very good either. It was terrifying...seriously, terrifying. I know that I said before that maybe knowledge would take the edge off of the fear, but HOLY COW! Now I just know more things to be scared of. Although I don't think it helped that the videos they showed us were of un-medicated women. Why would you do that to yourself? Really, why? We have one more labor class, which is when we get to tour the labor & maternity ward. After that we are going to go to the caring for newborns class. I am really looking forward to that one - it can't be as scary as the labor classes! :)
Until next week,
The Muirs
Monday, January 16, 2012
26 Weeks
We are in the 26th week and time seems to have suddenly stopped! I don't know why but I feel farther from the finish line than I did at 20 weeks. Obviously I am getting closer, but it just seems like everything slowed down recently. I am still feeling pretty good, with the exception of my hips. Because of my achy hips, I think I have already picked up the pregnancy waddle...not pretty. While my belly is getting bigger all the time it still doesn't seem huge and my clothes all fit comfortably. I am trying to enjoy what may be my last few weeks of comfort!
In baby news, Remy is still the size of an eggplant this week and has pretty much the same stats as last week. This week her eyes are forming and she may start to open them soon. She also has eyelashes at this point! (Which I'm sure she will use in the future to get whatever she wants from her dad!) My books and websites also tell me that she is practicing taking breaths...of amniotic fluid. Sounds awful. She is as active as ever and Bryant was finally able to really feel her kick hard yesterday (1/15/12). I think she is starting to move up, as I'm feeling kicks a little higher than previously...WOOOHOOO! :)
Here is a bump picture at Week 26. I am terrible at taking/posting these pictures...but for good reason. 1) I hate comparing the size of my bump to other people's bumps...depressing 2) It is nearly impossible to get a decent picture in any mirror in my house (they are all either too high, room is too dark, etc.) 3) Bryant does not have the patience required to take an acceptable picture (by my standards), so I have to take self-portraits...not easy, and finally 4) I'm lazy and forgetful! :) Anyways, I am averaging one picture ever 3 weeks.
I ordered Remy's baby book and it is A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. Now that I have her actual book, I am considering forgoing the blogging and just starting to journal in her actual baby book. Bryant & I were talking about this the other day...is there anybody out there that reads this? Would my blog entries be missed? If you are in fact out there, post a comment & let me know! :)
In baby news, Remy is still the size of an eggplant this week and has pretty much the same stats as last week. This week her eyes are forming and she may start to open them soon. She also has eyelashes at this point! (Which I'm sure she will use in the future to get whatever she wants from her dad!) My books and websites also tell me that she is practicing taking breaths...of amniotic fluid. Sounds awful. She is as active as ever and Bryant was finally able to really feel her kick hard yesterday (1/15/12). I think she is starting to move up, as I'm feeling kicks a little higher than previously...WOOOHOOO! :)
Here is a bump picture at Week 26. I am terrible at taking/posting these pictures...but for good reason. 1) I hate comparing the size of my bump to other people's bumps...depressing 2) It is nearly impossible to get a decent picture in any mirror in my house (they are all either too high, room is too dark, etc.) 3) Bryant does not have the patience required to take an acceptable picture (by my standards), so I have to take self-portraits...not easy, and finally 4) I'm lazy and forgetful! :) Anyways, I am averaging one picture ever 3 weeks.
I ordered Remy's baby book and it is A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. Now that I have her actual book, I am considering forgoing the blogging and just starting to journal in her actual baby book. Bryant & I were talking about this the other day...is there anybody out there that reads this? Would my blog entries be missed? If you are in fact out there, post a comment & let me know! :)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
25 Weeks
At 25 weeks Remy Elise is the size of an eggplant. This probably tells you how much I hang out in the kitchen, but I have no idea what an eggplant looks like. I know what color "eggplant" is because I bought a shirt in that color, but I don't know that I've seen an eggplant in real life. :)
Anyways, our little eggplant is somewhere between 13.6 and 14.8 inches long and is between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds. Getting bigger and bigger everyday. Baby info tells me that she now knows up from down and has a sense of equilibrium. She is also getting more fat and hair everyday.
I have actually started sleeping better the past week or so. I am trying to avoid taking any evening naps after work so that by bedtime I am exhausted and sleep better...seems to be working. I also figured out that the expensive pregnancy pillows don't really work for me. I actually just prefer to use a regular old pillow between my knees - REALLY helps my hips!
On Monday night we started our child birth class. Scary stuff. Hopefully knowing what to expect in the delivery room will take the edge off of being scared. (Although I think that after the first class Bryant is more terrified than ever!) At the end of the class we went over massage technique - awesome and practiced breathing. We have 3 more birthing classes, one breastfeeding class and a newborn class.
Until next week,
The Muirs (all 4 of us)
Anyways, our little eggplant is somewhere between 13.6 and 14.8 inches long and is between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds. Getting bigger and bigger everyday. Baby info tells me that she now knows up from down and has a sense of equilibrium. She is also getting more fat and hair everyday.
I have actually started sleeping better the past week or so. I am trying to avoid taking any evening naps after work so that by bedtime I am exhausted and sleep better...seems to be working. I also figured out that the expensive pregnancy pillows don't really work for me. I actually just prefer to use a regular old pillow between my knees - REALLY helps my hips!
On Monday night we started our child birth class. Scary stuff. Hopefully knowing what to expect in the delivery room will take the edge off of being scared. (Although I think that after the first class Bryant is more terrified than ever!) At the end of the class we went over massage technique - awesome and practiced breathing. We have 3 more birthing classes, one breastfeeding class and a newborn class.
Until next week,
The Muirs (all 4 of us)
Friday, January 6, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Can you believe it's 2012?!?!
2011 was a great year, I graduated from law school, we moved back to our hometown, I passed the BAR, we both started new (and better) jobs, we began the expansion of our family, and spent many hours with our family and friends! Our little family is in a great place right now and we couldn't be happier. We have loved every minute of living in Stockton and know that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. Neither of us really made any "resolutions" but we both have goals that we want to accomplish this year...obviously one of the main goals is getting Remy here safely and then keeping her that way! :) We both have goals for our careers and for our personal lives as well. Becoming healthier is a goal that we are aware of now more than ever. We both want to be active parents and know that it's important to get back to a healthy and active lifestyle so we can keep up with our baby girl. We also want her to learn healthy habits and know that we can't expect her to form those without having those habits ourselves.
I had my 24 week appointment with Dr. Hodny on Tuesday. He said that everything looks great and I am measuring PERFECT! Great news! :) I got to listen to her heartbeat again, which was 157. She is definitely consistent. While we were listening to her heartbeat we kept hearing another weird noise and I could feel alot of movement - turns out she was hiccuping! After finding out that it was hiccups that I was feeling, I realized that she hiccups all.the.time. Poor girl! Here I thought she just never slept, but turns out it's not "movement" but hiccups that I feel all day and night. Although, her movements are getting stronger and stronger everyday - she is quite the kicker.
During the appointment I talked to him about how low she is and how much pressure I'm feeling. He did some measuring and said that she is in fact VERY low and that there's not much room for her in my short torso to move up. He isn't worried about it at this time, but said that if she's still that low at 30 weeks (when she is heavier) we may need to increase the frequency of my appointments. He also wants me to keep an eye out for any amniotic fluid that may leak. Gross. Hopefully she will just move her way up and we won't have to worry about it. Keep your fingers crossed!
My next appointment is scheduled for January 31st, when I will be 28 weeks. They sent me home with the special drink for the Glucose test, so I will be doing that next time as well.
On Thursday night I had some spotting. I called Dr. Hodny's office right away and the on-call doctor told me to go ahead and go to Labor & Delivery to get checked out. Scary! It was our first time in that section of the hospital and we were both pretty nervous about what was going on. They did a Fetal Fibronectin test, which checks to see if I'm at risk of having the baby preterm - the test was negative - GOOD THING! They also checked to make sure my cervix was closed - which it was - GOOD THING! (This is something Dr. Hodny was concerned about happening at the 30 week mark because of how low she is.) They also monitored her heart rate the entire time we were there, which was also steady and consistent - GOOD THING! She moved the entire time, reassuring us that she was just fine, which was much appreciated by both of us. Finally after a few hours of anxiously awaiting some news, the nurse said everything looked good and we could go home. No explanation for the spotting, but they didn't seem concerned. WHEW!
Remy, you are already making us a nervous mess and you're not even here yet! Please hang out for a few more months and cook. Even though we can't wait to meet you, we're not ready for you just yet... :)
In 24 weeks news, Remy is about the same size she was last week and is still being compared to a papaya. Not a whole lot of internal stuff going on right now, but it sounds like her skin is getting more opaque and is putting off a pink glow. :)
Happy New Year,
The Muirs
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