Week 40: Pumpkin

Yesterday marked 40 weeks of pregnancy...40 weeks of growing a human and preparing for becoming a mom.  It absolutely flew by!!

 Tomorrow we get to meet Baby C.  I am feeling many different emotions today.  Luckily I had work to distract me in between good luck emails, instant messages, web calls and phone calls.  I am feeling very loved.  The support I have gotten throughout this special time has been amazing.  I am so blessed.

Finally, on the last pregnant entry, my husband made the blog.  He's not a fan of the camera, but I appreciate him humoring me.  

I've thought about what I might say in this last post before Cash's arrival and I wish I had something moving and inspiring to write.  I never knew what this time in my life might feel like.  I honestly am still not sure what I am feeling besides being very anxious.

I know many of you cannot wait to know the gender and name.  I have my feeling on the gender but I am looking the most forward to seeing the little person we created.  Taking in their tiny breaths and their sweet smell.  Knowing what love at first sight feels like.  Learning a new life lesson by becoming a family of three.  Ever growing and changing...and always loving with all of my heart.

There will be more to come in the next weeks from the talented Brooke Kelly (there will be a newborn in our photos!!) and some snapshots from me.  I am pretty sure Cash is going to know the camera. :)

I have loved sharing the pregnancy journey with you (even if we have never met).

Until tomorrow...

much much love~

CC

**I never thought we would find a pumpkin in August.  Thankfully my garden flourished with them this year!!  

Week 39: Watermelon

Holy crap--we made it to WATERMELON!!

Cash may weigh a bit over 7 pounds and 20 inches long.  The belly is heavy this week and I am feeling pregnant.  I will be happy to not have fat girl feet.

I started off my week with pedicures with my 3 of my favorite ladies (so glad you are home Nicole) and Tuesday night got in a hair cut/color.  Wednesday night was relaxing and Thursday my fabulous co-workers had a cake for me and gave us a nice gift card to Target.  It will be helpful when we start buying formula.  That night we had some friends over to grill out and cause some mayhem.  What's a grill out with out having the Sheriff stop by, right?  ;)  

Friday morning we had our last OB appointment before Cash's arrival.  I was super emotional but we made it though.  Dr. E wheeled in the ultrasound cart to take one last look.  I had no idea why she taking so long until she said "that's what I was looking for" She found a nice pocket of fluid so she would let me stay pregnant one more week.  She said my cervix had softened but I had not dilated.  It was much easier for her to check me than her partner last week so it is clear I have dropped some.  We got our orders for the C-section, made my 2 week follow up appointment, and were on our way.

The weekend started with birthday celebrations and Saturday I had the whole day with my husband.  It was a treat!  We finally had the time to see The Dark Knight Rises and went to check out his old band that evening.  Last Saturday before becoming parents....super surreal.  I am already feeling more in love with that man than I ever have these past few days.  We are both anxious and excited.  And like I have said before scared but there is no one else on the planet I would rather be traveling this journey with.  We may be lost but we can learn together.  

5 days until we meet the little human we created.

More posts to come!

**Happy Birthday Nicole and Welcome to the World Cadence!!**

xoxo~
CC

Week 38: Leek

We are down to 12, count them 12 days until we get to meet our first born!!  We are still of course scared shitless of becoming parents but this is something only he and I will share - this child.  No one else could create he or she.  It is all ours in this great big world.  

Our little Cash is getting plump - approximately 6.8 pounds and 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek)

This week was a whirlwind.  Work feels stressful since I am trying to transition everything before I am on leave.  But I have a great support there so I know all will be ok.  I just like to be on top of things.  This is also true for the house.  I am trying very hard to keep all clean and in order.  I want to be doing more than I am but also not waiting to go into labor.  Thank goodness for a hubby that tries to make me happy by not leaving his shoes by the door and a mom that I feel like I am slave driving when I sit a cut fruit while she cleans my bathrooms :)

On Friday I had my week 38 visit with Dr. E's partner. She was really nice and I am so glad since she will be on call the weekend of my C-section.  I had lost 2 pounds, blood pressure is great (114/62 for anyone that cares - haha) and just trotting right along.  Well starting to waddle per BK.  My belly is measuring 39 centimeters, baby's heart sounded wonderful, and she thinks I am dilated about 1 cm.  She said if she checked any higher she would be in my tonsils because the Cash is still very high, and breech.  So until next Friday we are hoping all just stays as is...

It was very bright out today.

My weekend has been pretty easy.  It started off with breakfast with one of my best friends at the yummy Cracker Barrel, did a bit of necessity shopping with my mom, lounged in the pool and watched the Olympics.  Today I did my normal weekly grocery trip, made a few frozen meals for post baby, about to jar some pickles, and more Olympics...flying my Olympic freak flag and staying cozy on the couch wrapped in my Team GB blanket (courtesy of the dear Jo)

Only a few more posts left *tear*

Have a marvelous week!

l.o.v.e.
CC

Week 37: Swiss Chard

This week Cash is officially "full term" and is approximately 6 1/3 lbs and 19 in long (the length of Swiss Chard)  I cannot believe we are so close now...

We tentatively have an arrival date of little Cash…we have a C-section scheduled on Aug 10 and should be going home on Aug 13 with OUR BABY!!!

I have not dilated at all and Dr E is happy with this since Cash is still breech.  Blood pressure and weight are all good.  I’m at 30 pounds total.  She just wants me to keep up the “good work” while she is gone to the beach next week.  I will be meeting her partner next Friday and she is who is on call the weekend I will be in the hospital after the C-section.  Logistically I have not discussed anything with the doc on how everything goes down.  There is always a chance Cash will not want to wait until this day.  But I do know that no one is holding the baby besides the hubby (and any nurses/docs) before I do!!  I know I will be groggy for a while so I am not sure how long this all will last but everyone has waited this long, they can wait a few more hours while I come out of surgery and we have time as a family.  I don't want to have to call Bert ;)

Now is the “relax and wait” time of pregnancy.  I feel “ready” in the sense the house is in good order thanks to my mom’s help.  It will definitely be nice to come home from the hospital to a clean house.  I am feeling a bit overwhelmed of the idea of bringing home the baby but I think we can handle it.  I am looking forward to having the hubby on a break from school for 16 days before he starts his fall semester.  It will be a great time for the 3 of us to be together without distractions.  

My weekend was pretty relaxing.  Friday evening started with a massage and mom and I did a bit of cleaning but nothing too strenuous for me.  Saturday the hubby and I slept in, went to breakfast, ran some errands for the nursery and did a bit of housework before we sat on the couch together before his weekend of working.  I couldn't get enough that I went and had lunch with him today even though I was tired and it was a bit of a drive just for lunch.  But he is so worth it...just taking in all the moments I can.


I hope you found some moments with someone you love this weekend.


xoxo~
CC

Week 36: Crenshaw Melon

This week Cash is approximately 6 pounds (of the weight of a crenshaw melon) and more than 18 1/2 inches long and gaining about an ounce a day now.  As you can see from my belly!!

It took a few days of the week to feel rested from last weekend...guess that is a sign of a good time!!  By mid week I was feeling rested and ready to start being productive around the house.  Thursday night we had dinner with my old boss and his awesome wife.  As always it was fun to catch up and we had a good round of what should we name Cash - but we came away empty handed in that department but full from the tasty food and good company.  Thanks again Walter and Jeni.

On Friday I had my weekly checkup with Dr. E.  I found out I tested positive for Strep B which made me feel gross until doc made me realize that she did not just tell me that I had cooties - haha. Just something to be prepared for if indeed Cash is delivered vaginally.  She brought in the ultrasound cart right off and took a look at Cash's position which I knew had not changed.  We are still breech and in a pike position, so butt down.  We discussed turning but I told her I just wanted to wait and see if a turn will happen, although she said from the pike position it will be difficult.  At this point I am over worrying about it and as the doc said, babies are so unpredictable.  As long at the end of this journey we have a healthy baby I do not care how he/she arrives...

I spent the majority of the weekend with my mom cleaning the house.  We are calling it spring cleaning although we are in the heat of summer but with the rain on Friday and Saturday it was easy to be indoors.  My little brother was also in town so we all had breakfast together before he had to be at the wedding he was in town for and the hubby had to go to work.  I know it doesn't sound like an exciting weekend and to some this might be nesting but it's pretty normal for me.  What can I say, I like to clean.

Hope you have a lovely week.

xoxo~
CC

Week 35: Honeydew Melon

**Sorry for the delay.  I was out of town this weekend.**

Holy Honeydew Batman!  Cash is approximately 5 1/4 pounds (the weight of a honeydew melon) and 18 inches long.  My checkups now are weekly.  This week everything was good.  I had gained 2 pounds since my last visit 2 weeks ago making total weight gain 25 big ones.  I am not dilated yet and Cash is still breech.  I did not see Dr. E this week, but a partner.  She said Dr. E would talk options about turning the baby at my next visit.  In the meantime I am going to look into some holistic methods to present to her as the procedure to turn does not sound like something I want to do.

 As already mentioned I was out of town over the weekend and therefore weekly pics were not possible.  We have had such a busy summer and not a lot of time to have fun on the weekends as we have had in the past.  So the hubby and I took off to Centerhill Lake for the weekend on Thursday night.  A storm had blown through and the power was out when we got to the cabin.  It was pretty awesome at first but we were starting to get nervous due to melting ice on the food in the cooler and being too hot to sleep.  We made a run to the local Wal-Mart for some ice and Tiki torch oil and were entertained by the lovely people of Smithville.  Luckily after 5 hours the power came back on and we were in bed with a fan by midnight.  Friday the hubs did some clean up with a leaf blower and took another trip to town (which concluded with a stop for garden fresh tomatoes for me - yippee) while I prepped food for the weekend.  Then we just lounged around until a few friends arrived for the night. 

I cannot think of a much better time between uninterrupted time with my love and relaxing on the lake with friends.  It was a different kind of weekend as there were new and old friends but everyone meshed well.  Sometimes you never know how something like that will go, but what is to complain about when there are boats, sun, booze (of course none for me) music, great conversation, and just general loving of life going on all around.  To be honest I was afraid with the fact I would not be partaking with all of the merriment that it might make me a sour girl, but it wasn’t too bad.  There is always next year :o)

Now we are on the homestretch with the husband starting his last summer class this week and I having my weekly checkups and keeping the house in order with some help from my mom until the big arrival.  And don’t worry – I have had my hospital bag packed since May!  But now Cash is pretty much nameless as we are having difficultly deciding.  Maybe this all would have been easier to have known the sex.  And I have promised that if we have another I would find out the sex as this is not the way my husband wanted it.  Hopefully at the end of this journey we have a healthy baby and the sex will not be so much of a big deal - well until teenage years - haha.

Off to rest my tired and swollen feet.

xoxo~

CC 

Week 34: Cantaloupe

Cash is approximately 18 inches long and 4 3/4 pounds (the size of an average cantaloupe)  It is crazy just how big that is inside my belly.  Movements now are not so much kicks as waves of Baby C shifting into a more comfortable position.

With it being 108 degrees plus this weekend, my wedding rings are not fitting as they should.  Friday night I had to soak them off in ice water so today I decided to wear them around my neck.  They are closer to my heart this way, right? hehe

This week has been fairly low key but the out pour of love I was feeling from last weekend has carried over to this week.  I had some nice at home time with the hubs and feeling more in love than ever.  I know just how precious these last weeks are for us preparing for becoming a family of three.  The last month or so had been hard for me.  I was more emotional and experiencing thoughts I should not about whether becoming parents was the right thing for us.  I was feeling disconnected from my husband.  I love all of the people in my life but of course my husband is number one and feeling that was not what I thought would ever happen.  I expressed my feelings and I am feeling so much better.  Not much really has changed and we can laugh most of it off now instead of me crying at the drop of a hat.  I realized that just because I am the one carrying our child does not mean this is not difficult for him.  No one asks how he is and once Cash is here no one will ask how I am - it's all about the baby ;)

Today my amazing BFF and photographer did some maternity pics.  Not that there are not enough of this belly but we had some images that we knew we wanted to do (that didn't include food).  So tonight we played around a bit in the heat and then a cool refreshing pool.  True friends can wear soaked to the skin white clothing and not feel modest.  I am certain it was not pretty.  We had a great time and soon her Sunday's will be free to be with her family.  I cannot put a value on what these weekly progression shoots have meant to me and how lucky I am she has tolerated it.  Cash will thank you I promise :)

You can view the pics here.

Life is unpredictable but the one true constant thing I have in life is the love for my husband, my best friends and family.  Love really is all you need...

xoxo~

CC