Aiden: 1 Year Old

It's hard to believe it's been 1 year since I passed out from exhaustion (and that stupid Stadol - NEVER AGAIN) in that hospital room after pushing for THREE HOURS. Oh wait, I mean, I can't believe our son is a year old!! No seriously though, my dad has been sending us texts that Travis was sending out while I was in delivery, forcing me to relive the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. He saved those messages for a whole year!

Our swollen-faced new man (you should've seen his cone head!)

Here's a quick rundown of that crazy experience:

I was 41 weeks pregnant. They hooked me up to Pitocin at 8 am, then I sat for 9 hours. No food, but eventually they hooked me up to a glucose drip since I am hypoglycemic. Around 5 pm, the doctor broke my water - I was 3 cm dilated. The doc couldn't believe how much fluid I had. That explains why the belly was so huge! 5 hours later my contractions started to get strong. I stuck it out for an hour before I decided to ask for an epidural. Sadly, I was still only 3 cm dilated and they wouldn't give an epidural until I was 4 cm. Instead, I opted for Stadol. BAD IDEA. Basically, it knocked me out. I woke up with every contraction, writhing in pain. But at least I was sleeping? It was a horrible nightmare.

Around midnight, I was finally ready for the epidural. I slept HARD for about 3 hours, after which I had to start with the pushing. I could feel it was time. I needed to push. Of course, we had to wait for doctor approval. Thankfully that only took a few minutes. Travis held my left leg the entire time, counting along with the nurses. I have decided that next time there will be NO PHONES until after the baby is born. He had one hand holding my leg, the other was texting all our family in the waiting room. If I was awake enough, I probably would have thrown that thing into the wall!

After a couple hours, they turned off my epidural. As horrible as it was to feel everything, I think that was just the incentive I needed to give it my all.

Aiden was born at 6:07 AM on July 1, 2009.

For the last part, I was closing my eyes between pushes. I never fully slept, but I didn't really have much of a choice since I could not physically keep them open. The umbilical cord was wrapped around Aiden's neck twice, which meant Travis did not get to cut the cord. As soon as that mess was taken care of, they put him on my chest. I was so tired that all I could think was, "Wow, he is warm." That's it. Exhaustion was pulling me under.

After he got cleaned up and the stats were recorded I held Aiden, and attempted to feed him. I guess he was just as tired as I was, so we decided to hold off for a little bit. The family came in to meet Aiden and I arranged to have breakfast (oh sweet delicious food!) brought in. While I was eating, the lactation consultant came in to talk to me. I was delirious with exhaustion and just nodded at the two women who were standing in front of me, not hearing anything. Did I mention that only ONE consultant came in to the room?

The second that woman left, I PASSED OUT. I think I got two hours of sleep before they brought Aiden back. I felt SO MUCH BETTER. I had food, a nap and a chance for that stupid Stadol to get out of my system. Feeding was much more successful that second try. We spent a couple days in the hospital. It was great to have people bring me food, since I felt like I'd been hit by a train.

Despite that chaos, I would do it all over again. I cannot believe how lucky we are to have such a great son. He has his moments, as all children do, but he is the best we ever could have asked for.

Happy Birthday Aiden!

Presenting: Aiden Gregory from Nicolette Ward on Vimeo.

Nikki's Nutshell is Two Years Old

I can't believe it has already been two years since I started this blog. When I read my very first post, I am stunned at how little has changed and yet how much has changed.

The Beginning

We are still living in the same house. We are two months away from being in the clear of any fees if we were to sell our house. The market is miserable at the moment, though, so there is time until we can sell the place (I'm hoping for less time than more). Even then, we still have NO IDEA where we would like to move to. Illinois vs Texas is a constant debate for us.

We still have Callaway and he still licks EVERYTHING - which causes more problems everyday. I do have to give him props for not peeing in the house (except when he is on steroids for his skin) and not digging in the yard anymore.

The obvious change to our lives is Lil Wodie, AKA Aiden. There is no way I have enough time or space on here to mention all the ways he has changed my life. Here is one just for kicks: Now when I watch TV shows and movies and there is a mother with a child, I consider them so much more than I used to. I get honest-to-god mad when that mother does not immediately hold her son and cover his eyes while a crazed gunman threatens to shoot yet another hostage. WHAT IS SHE THINKING?! That boy is going to have some serious mental trauma after this situation without having to witness some guy's brains splatting on the wall. Seriously, what is wrong with her?

I almost forgot...

about the Babysite! I loaded some photos. I plan to get some more up there eventually and maybe a blog post. Oops!

1 Week

One week ago...

Ah, labor. It was hard, but not has horrible as I thought it would be. Ha! I was scheduled for induction Tuesday (June 30) at 7AM and I had to go into the hospital the day before for blood work. When I was leaving after the blood work, the nurse told me to call in the morning to make sure they had room for me. !!! I guess that between the already busy summer months and nine months after the power went out for weeks during hurricane Ike, June is turning out to be a busy month in Labor and Delivery.

I called first thing when I woke up Tuesday morning at 5AM and called right away. We planned to leave the house at 6:15 and were packing the car at 6 when I got a call from the hospital. The nurse said they just had an emergency arrive and I would need to call back at 8AM to see if they had room then. I hung up the phone, sat down on the couch and started crying. I was so ready for this! What if it didn't happen soon? This baby was only going to get bigger! I told Travis and my mom what they had said and we settled for watching some TV to take our minds off the looming possibility.

At 6:40AM I got another call back from the hospital. The nurse said to come in! We immediately jumped in the car, in hopes that if we were standing at the check in desk they would be less likely to turn me away. I was 41 weeks pregnant for gosh sakes! As soon as we walked in the doors, a nurse showed me to my delivery room. Lucky number 13! I was in a gown, hooked up to a Pitocin drip at 8:40AM and ready to wait.

It took about 12 hours for me to finally start feeling discomfort with my contractions. Family was in and out all day, so that helped keep us busy. Because of my hypoglycemia, they eventually put me on a dextrose drip to manage my blood sugar. The evening is where I start to get a little fuzzy. Everyone left in the evening so I could focus on the contractions. After about an hour, I decided to ask the nurse if I could start some sort of pain control. Unfortunately I was not dilated enough to get an epidural, so they gave me an IV drug called Stadol to hold me over and let me rest. IT WAS HORRIBLE. I never want that stuff again. I guess it did give me the ability to sleep. But waking up every couple of minutes to a contraction did not make for the most restful of sleep.

A little over an hour later (which felt like a lifetime in my drug-induced state), I asked if they could check me again. I wanted that epidural dammit! Thankfully, I was ready. Once I got that, I slept for several more hours. The Stadol was still in my system and I could finally sleep through the contractions.

Shortly after 2 in the morning, I was dilated enough to start pushing. They waited a little while for the doctor to get there and for the baby to drop a little more, but eventually I couldn't wait anymore. I started pushing at about 3. It was the toughest thing I have probably done to this point in my life. I had the epidural, but they only gave me enough medicine to take the edge off. I still felt every contraction and had use of my legs. By 5 I was exhausted and asking them to get the forceps because I didn't know how much longer I could go on. They gave me an oxygen mask so I could catch my breath easier between contractions.

At 6:07AM, Aiden was born! It was awesome. I was exhausted and ready to sleep immediately, but wanted to see my son first. I attempted to feed him, but he wasn't very interested. The doctor said he was probably worn out from the long labor (What?! He was worn out?!) and it turned out he had his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck twice the whole time. Poor little guy! Because of that, Travis was unable to cut the cord. That made me sad, but the experience was still awesome for the both of us.

Family came in to say hi and they left us to rest. I attempted to feed Aiden once more before they took him to the nursery for his check up. He fed whole-heartily that time. They brought me breakfast, I pigged out and then Travis and I passed out. We didn't wake up until the baby nurse brought Aiden back at lunch time.

That afternoon they had a recovery room open up. I got lucky and got a single suite, which meant no sharing space! The rest of my stay at the hospital was nice. Everyone was so great to me there. They fed me in bed, brought the baby to me when he needed to be fed and we visited with friends and family.

My only hiccup was getting bit by a fire ant three times in my hospital bed. Don't ask me how that happened. I have no idea. I didn't actually see the ant, but I know how my body reacts to fire ant bites. Because I didn't have enough discomfort already. I felt like I had run a marathon - half on my legs, half on my arms. I'm still sore, but I think it's different now. I'm constantly having to correct my posture because I stoop over to do everything with Aiden: changing diapers, feeding, picking him up, burping him. I'm getting better about it though.

I feel pretty good considering what my body has gone through. It is amazing what the human body can do. I didn't know how to grow a baby, but my body did. I didn't know how to push out a baby, but my body did. It's just amazing. I'm happy to say I have ankles again!! And to date, I have lost 28 pounds (out of 41). I'm pretty sure that's at least 10 pounds in each foot! ;)

Well, off to care for the little one!

Aiden's Arrival

Introducing Lil Wodie:

Aiden Gregory Ward
Born July 1, 2009
7 lbs, 12 oz
20 inches

Fresh out

Hanging out with Daddy right after his birth


Getting dressed for his hospital photos

Life is rough

Aiden and I

The Ward Family


Ready to go home from the hospital - so tiny!

The Weekend Before

It was another weekend filled with questions like "You're still pregnant?", "Are you sure you're not having twins?", "What's your due date?" and phrases like "we're all just waiting for you now." It's wearing me out! I want this baby to be born as much, if not more, than the next person.

It's frustrating the hell out of me that I made it up until about two weeks ago without stretch marks and now I have them. If the baby would have just been born a week early, then maybe the damage would not have been so significant.

Enough of the complaining... Friday I went with Brenda, my mom and Ariel to get pedicures at this awesome place that Jenna takes me sometimes. They give arm and shoulder rubs with the pedicure, making it totally worth the drive. Alex came along for the ride, but he refused to let anyone touch his feet. Someday we will break him of that.

After the pedi's, we stopped for ice cream at this parlor called Marble Slab. Their ice cream is ridiculously rich, so most of us were unable to finish our desserts. By most of us, I mean all of us except Alex. After he finished his mint ice cream with gummi bears (he's a teenager), he finished off both my ice cream and Ariel's. I don't know how he does that. Wait, yes I do. He runs 6 miles a day and has a heart rate of 57 bpm. That's practically dead!! He's been running once a day here in this humidity and heat and it sounds like it's pretty rough on him. At least he gets a nice view of the Gulf of Mexico while he runs off half his weight in sweat.

Friday night, we went for dinner at this new greek place in Galveston. It was a lot fancier than I thought it would be. The food was great. Turns out we know a couple people who work there, so we were able to get a free appetizer! I don't think I mentioned it, but when Brenda first got into town, we went out for dinner at another restaurant near there. Travis and I know one of the managers their and she gave us 50% off our meal. It pays to know people!

Saturday morning I hung out with my mom. She helped me go buy groceries and carry them to the car and house (Travis had to work). I'm pretty sure I've done everything possible to get ready for the baby. Our freezer, dry food and canned food cabinets are stocked. The house is clean (not as clean as I would get it if I weren't pregnant, but clean nonetheless). All the necessary baby items, plus more, have been purchased, cleaned and put away. Now we just need Lil Wodie (name to be announced soon!).

Brenda surprised us with a few new gifts: a humidifier, several additions to our Dr. Suess book collection and a bunch of 3-6 month clothes. We also have the occasional surprise package waiting for us on our doorstep when we get home from work. This week it was the second baby gate we wanted from Chrissie. Thank you ladies!!

Saturday afternoon I hung out at Ariel and Robert's new house. My dad planned a BBQ for us and my in-laws. We had pasta salad, potato salad, lettuce salads, BBQ pork sandwiches and ice cream for dessert. No wonder my stretch marks get worse as everyday passes! All I do now is sit with my feet up and eat. The strange thing is that at this past doctor's visit I hadn't gained any weight since the last visit. My books say this is normal. I just don't see how it's possible.

Sunday began Day 1 of Travis' paternity leave. We got super lucky and his boss offered to pay him for his week off. Travis doesn't usually get paid leave, so this was a relief to hear. Want to know how he started his first day off? He changed the brakes on his truck. Exciting, huh? Maybe not, but practical at least.

At noon, Travis and a bunch of my family and our friends headed to the disc golf course and spent the afternoon in this ridiculous heat. I just can't get myself to believe that disc golf is that much fun, but apparently it is. Everyone came back burnt and sweating their butts off. My mom and I had appetizers ready and the sides prepared. My mom wanted to grill out burgers and have the family over. When everyone was at the disc course, she pointed out that this will be my last childless party.

I know my partying days have been gone for months, but I didn't think about entertaining in general. I usually spend the entire beginning of a party in the kitchen preparing food. Now I understand the people on those house shows that want an island between the living room and kitchen with a cooktop on it. It would be so much easier to keep an eye on the child AND have people over. I know I have Travis to help me with everything, but usually he's outside manning the grill.

I guess this baby really is going to change our lives. Teehee.

Last Day

I'm super stoked. Today is my last day of work before my maternity leave. I am taking tomorrow off so I have a little more rest time before the big day. Plus, it will give me some more free time with all the family that is currently in town.

Travis has planned to take all of next week off from work in anticipation of the baby. Monday will be his rest day before the chaos ensues. I'm really excited for him to take time off from work, but he's sort of freaking me out. He's talking about doing all this work around the house next week. Not sure how much he will actually do, but just in case, I put in a request for some time spent with the baby and I. Isn't that what paternity leave is for?

Guess what? Nadya had her baby!!! After 24 hours of induction, she ended up needing a c-section (my worse fear - have I mentioned that?). Her little girl was born weighing 7 lbs, 10 oz. No name yet. The parents are having a little trouble in this department. I have faith they will figure it out soon enough. I'm hoping to visit them tonight at the hospital. I'll keep you posted!

5 days until the induction!

40 Weeks

I am full term now. I read that 50% of pregnancies go past their due date. Yay. The doctor told me to start doing kick counts. Basically, I have to lay still for up to 30 minutes and count the number of times Lil Wodie kicks. If it is under 10, I'm supposed to call the doc immediately. Fortunately for me, Lil Wodie performed 10 "kicks" in four minutes, so I didn't have to sit around for a whole half an hour. Although, I did still sit there and feel his kicks anyway. =) Travis and I attempted to get some video of my belly movement the other night. It was a little difficult. Turns out our video camera does not pick up light very well. Hopefully you can see the silhouette against the couch. Phage (my cat) is also a little distracting. Note: That's Travis' mom Brenda napping on the love seat in the background.

Belly Movement from Nicolette Ward on Vimeo.

Bad news. I've got stretch marks. =( They are forming around my belly button piercing scar. At first I didn't realize they were stretch marks because they are not red like I've seen in photos and videos. I'm pretty sure that's what these are. Dang it. So close! It's gross because I have limited feeling on that skin. Although whenever I scratch it on something, it hurts like hell. Doesn't make sense now that I think about it...

I can't remember if I've mentioned it on here or not that I have started drinking raspberry leaf tea. I thought it was supposed to bring on labor (old wives tale), but it turns out that's not what it's for. It's actually recommended throughout pregnancy to strengthen the uterus and therefore shorten the length of labor. I think I believe this "old wives tale". I have been having crazy strong contractions for the last week and that's how long I've been drinking the tea.

It doesn't take much to set off one of these hard Braxton Hicks contractions anymore either. Every time I get out of bed (which is about 3-5 times a night), walking to and from my car at work, putting away the dishes, bending over to pick something up off the ground. You name it, I'm contracting. My belly turns into a rock. The funny thing is, Lil Wodie is so big now, that he almost always has some limb or butt cheek poking out of my belly. When I have a contraction, it's like my skin suctions around his body like a vacuum. My "baby bump" looks like a lumpy bag of worms or something more endearing than that.

Sleeping has become increasingly difficult. Every night I spend about 10 minutes trying to get as comfortable as possible. Since it's not possible for me to be completely comfortable, I just try to find a position that does not pull or push on this gigantic basketball that I'm carrying in front of me. Travis even gave up one of his pillows to the cause the other night, putting me at five pillows. I don't know how there is any room left for Travis!

Travis has been such a trooper. I know he hasn't been sleeping well lately. I shake the bed like an earthquake every time I get in and out to pee throughout the night. Half the time I end up falling on him because I trip over Callaway, Callaway's toy or the comforter that has fallen off the end of the bed.

I haven't been sleeping all that great lately either. Although the weird thing is that I'm not miserably tired, except for around 2pm every day. This past weekend I woke up at 3:15am for a bathroom break. When I laid back down I just could not fall back to sleep. When the clock flipped to 3:45 and my stomach was growling, I decided to give up the fight and get up for a mid-night snack. I ate a bowl of cereal and played Mah Jong on my computer. At 4:45am, I decided I would have a better chance of falling asleep in my bed than I would sitting up at my computer and headed back to bed. Luckily it was during the weekend, so I didn't have to deal with getting up at 6 for work.

My doctor's office called me yesterday to let me know the details about my induction. It is scheduled for Tuesday, June 30th. If I am still pregnant by then, I will go in the Monday before for bloodwork and to fill out some paperwork. Then I have to be in the hospital at 7am to start the Pitocin drip. I hope, hope, hope that I go into labor before then. I do not want to wait until I am 41 weeks to have this baby! He's just going to grow more as the time passes.

The Giraffe

Remember back in March when Travis found this giraffe coat rack in the attic while we were doing starting the rewire on our house?

It was covered in roofing tar and the colors were not all that attractive. Well, the ever-talented Rachel repainted it for us.

Thanks Rachel!!!

Finishing Touches

A blanket my mom made for the baby (she's currently working on a second)

Ariel bought a picture book for me to use as art


A cute wooden zebra from the grandma-to-be



Travis wanted everyone to think he painted these wall decals in the nursery. So if he asks, tell him you believe he made them all by himself. ;)

New shelf and wall decals. We have another decal that is the first initial of his name that we are waiting to put up for now.

I'm thinking about dangling something mobile-like from the shelf as a distraction during diaper changing.

Progression Update

Lil Wodie's Baby Site - Journal Entry

Diaper Party

On Sunday, this past weekend, we went to a BBQ put on by Ariel and Robert. It was a party mostly for Travis and his friends to celebrate his impending fatherhood. What better way to do that than with disc golf, burgers and a keg?

We got to the park at 1pm to help Robert set up and to make sure we had a spot saved that was at least in partial shade. Robert borrowed this crazy set up from a Galveston restaurant for the keg that involved a tank of carbon dioxide and a tap.

Mike, Travis and the keg setup

Robert grilled some really great burgers while the rest of us sat around and enjoyed the day. There were a bunch of kids there, so it was fun to watch them all run around, getting into bubbles and playing in the ice.

Sara, Alexa and Blair

Robert tried out Alex's beer bong. I guess Travis did too, but I missed it. After the burgers, the guys went off to play a round of disc golf. They took all the dogs with, which added up to four canines.

Scott, June and Callaway

Travis breaking Callaway's neck. Not really. But it looks like it, right?

Rachel and I

The park closed at dark, so we packed up and everyone went home. Since there was still half a keg left over and a bunch of uncooked burgers, a couple of the guys came over to our house afterward. Travis got to use his Man Room, so it worked out great for me. We have satellite set up on the TV out there, plus the futon, a foosball table, then they added a keg and pulled out the grill. I went to bed at 10pm, but was unable to fall asleep until sometime after 10:45. I am so used to having Travis there when I go to bed that I have trouble when he's gone. Sounds like they had a good time all in all.

That next day I had to make the request that Travis stay sober for the next month. I woke up around 3 in the morning to a painful contraction. I stared at the clock for 10 minutes awaiting another contraction. When it never came, I finally let myself fall back asleep. It really scared me though. I was imagining me going into labor and having to figure out how to get to the hospital when my husband was probably too drunk to drive. That did not settle with me well, so I had to put my foot down. LOL! He seems to understand where I'm coming from.

---

Today I am officially full term. I had an OBGYN appointment yesterday afternoon and the doc confirmed that I am yet to show any signs of labor. She even went as far as to request that I hold it in for at least a week so she will be able to deliver the baby. This weekend she's not on call, so I would prefer to wait too.

Doc says I'm measuring between 37 and 38 weeks pregnant, putting me pretty much right on track. She also said that the baby is long and lean, meaning he's not a fatty yet. That was reassuring for the most part. The crappy part there is that means that most of this 168 pounds I'm carrying around is me. Explains why my feet hurt ALL THE TIME. You can see in that last picture with Rachel that I'm starting to swell up - let the edema begin! Another fun fact: Lil Wodie's heartbeat is down to 139 bpm.

We're rounding the final bend!

Infant CPR & First Aid

Today marks 36 weeks. I had a doctor appointment yesterday and doc says that at this point, if I go into labor, then I'm going to have a baby. They would do absolutely nothing to stop him from coming. SCARY. Although, I'm measuring back at 36 weeks, so I guess his growing has slowed a bit. Yay!

I have started my weekly exams which means that I will get a regular update on how I'm progressing. As of right now, I'm not progressing AT ALL. No dilation, no effacement. The baby is in a head down position, but he's still floating around - not fixed and ready to go. There were a few other things that I talked with the doctor about, but I'll save you on the gory details. ;)

Last night Travis and I went to our last scheduled infant class: Infant CPR and First Aid. Alexa had an incident with Blair choking that ended up fine because there just happened to be a trained EMS in the next department at the store. Seeing as I might not be so "lucky" if this situation ever arises with Lil Wodie, I dragged Travis along with me to a class.

I do feel much better knowing that I have these skills now. The main training was on babies birth to 1 year old. The instructor told us what to do for kids older than that, but we didn't do repetitive training for that. It was really sad to walk into a room full of baby mannequins ready for practice. I have to say that the thought of performing ANY of these skills on a real baby scares the crap out of me. I hope that I NEVER encounter a situation when I need to do CPR on an infant. Or child or adult for that matter.

The instructor went over what to do if an infant is choking or needs CPR and then there was a bunch of safety equipment laid out on the tables for us to look at. Stuff like, gun locks and cabinet locks. It is crazy how much safety gear there is out there. At this point, I plan to wait and see what Lil Wodie wants to get into before going out and purchasing a bunch of preventative measures. I remember living with locks on our cabinets when I was little, so my brother couldn't get in and it drove me nuts. I just want to see what we can get away with.

Oh and a plus: Travis learned how to do the Heimlich on a pregnant woman. So if I'm ever choking on a hot dog, Travis won't damage my uterus by trying the normal maneuver under the rib cage. Just so you know, it's the similar move, just on the rib cage.

Birthing Blitz

Saturday, Travis and I had an all day birthing class. It started at 9 in the morning, so we all were a little groggy first thing. The class started with informational videos and instruction from the nurse in a classroom setting. I felt a little bit guilty when the instructor said that she watched a bunch of us waddle into the building that morning and that we shouldn't be waddling that early in the morning. I wanted to scream, "I'm not waddling! I'm limping!" Stupid sciatic nerve.

Speaking of, I went to the chiropractor last night and told him about my fears of The Adjustor, so he didn't use it at all. He was able to do a little twist and get a pop out that way. Then he did some soft tissue massage that hurt a little bit, but nothing like the damage caused by The Adjustor. It feels slightly better this morning. I'm still trying to decided if it's worth it.

When I went into my doctor, she recommended using a heating pad and then a cold pack to ease the swelling around the nerve. Then use a belly belt to help take some of the pressure off my belt. The chiropractor wants me to go a step further and get this thing called a trochanter belt to help support my hips. LOL! I don't know if the cost is worth it. I only have a couple weeks left.

Back to the birthing class... After the informational portion, just before lunch, the nurse showed us some relaxation methods to use while I am in labor. We started by giving the "partners" a massage so they wouldn't feel left out from all the fun. When my dad asked me what I learned in this class, I told him that I found out Travis actually knows how to give a massage. I think that maybe after all these years he's been faking the fact that he sucks at back rubs. But now I know the truth!

We had an hour for lunch, so we went to this cute little French bistro. I'd been there once before with Rachel, but Travis had never been. I was very surprised when he actually liked the food. He's usually into more manly type places. Although I guess if you give him a good sandwich, he'll be happy anywhere. I told Travis that I felt really guilty about bringing back a cup of iced coffee to the class (you know, the whole limit your caffeine intake during pregnancy thing). That's when he informed me that most of the women had a cup of coffee with our morning snack during the class. Phew! I got out of that one!

We spent the afternoon watching birthing videos (YIKES) and touching up on c-sections and pain control. After watching those videos, I have absolutely no idea why anyone would want to have a baby WITHOUT an epidural. ALL of the births without pain control looked absolutely miserable to me. That epidural is the way to go. And I'm getting one as long as I don't have a super fast labor that leaves no time for drugs. If I am anything like my mother, that's not a "problem" I'll have.

We finished the class off with a tour of the hospital. I feel much better now that I know where everything is, and more importantly that Travis knows where everything is. I have a feeling that the next time I enter that hospital, I might not be fully aware of my surroundings. We also got to spend a few minutes at the nursery window staring at the teeny tiny babies. I could have stood there all day.

Now all we have left is the infant CPR/first aid class and we will be ready for Lil Wodie!

After the class, Travis and I went to Target to trade in the duplicate gift and pick up a couple more items for the nursery. Here's what we've got going on so far...

New boppy and bedding accessories. You can also see the little baby bath tub that we have absolutely no idea where we will store.

Pop Monkey crib bedding.


We put the rocking chair from Travis' mom in our bedroom for late night nursing sessions. We discovered that we might need a chair pad to put underneath because it doesn't rock very well on the carpet.

Showered with Gifts

First off, to anyone who has sent a gift or gave us a gift at the shower: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Second, to Alexa and Chris: Thank you so much for putting together this baby shower for Travis and I. The food was awesome and all the gifts are wonderful. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Chris and Alexa put together a baby-survival tool belt for the daddy-to-be. It came complete with diapers, Butt Paste, booger bulb, bottles, formula-to-go and toys. Oh and I can't forget the goggles for any messy diaper changes in his future.

I cannot even begin to describe how special that baby shower made me feel. Over 30 people made it to the party. Alexa did a great job of setting up the house and yard so that it never felt over crowded (the spacious home helped out). There were appetizers, punch and beer for the beginning of the party and a gourmet burger bar for the meal (thanks for grilling, Chris!).

I am so ecstatic that so many people were able to come, but I have found that the problem with large parties like that is that you can never make it around to have a good conversation with everyone. I keep thinking back to all the people that were there and how I didn't get a serious talk in with them. Its crazy.

Alexa pulled together a couple funny games. One was the melted candy in the diaper game. Just like last week, Nadya had to stand this one out - and leave the area. LOL! Then Alexa brought out beer in some baby bottles for the guys to have a beer bottle chugging contest. It's hard to tell who one for sure because the guys were biting the nipples to make the flow faster and I think the "winner", Jeremy, unscrewed the nipple and drank his remaining beer in one gulp. Ha! It was still funny to watch guys drinking out of baby bottles. Josh was milking his like a cow because he insisted it made the flow faster.

Chris chug-a-luggin

Travis threw on the goggles for that diaper

After the games, Rachel and Alexa carried out the presents for Travis and I to open on the back patio. While we opened our gifts, everyone had a slice of the flippin adorable cake the Rachel made. Travis and I sort of have a jungle theme planned for the nursery. And look! She welcomed Lil Wodie! =D

Alexa made this really awesome diaper cake. I guess she had some leftover diapers and an extra blanket, hence the "flower pot" in front. Oh and the monkey on top giggles like a child. It makes me laugh every time I push the button on his toes.

I'd like to report that I have been abdominal pain free for two full days now. I didn't have any problems during the shower - not even very many Braxton Hicks contractions!

Ok, are you ready for this? This isn't even all the gifts we received. There are more boxes that didn't fit into the shot.

Did I mention THANK YOU???

32 Weeks

UGH. Is it horrible that I'm ready for this pregnancy to be over now? Let's just say I'm a little uncomfortable. And I might still have two months of this ahead of me! I can barely bend at the waist - making picking things up off the ground slightly difficult. I have lower back pain that might be venturing into sciatica territory. Lil Wodie's kicks have reached insane levels of strength. It's to the point that it hurts sometimes if he jabs me in the ribs or pelvis just right. Today I'm suffering from a little round ligament pain on the right side. Oh, and for the past few days I've been having Braxton-Hicks contractions ten times or more per day.

I had my OBGYN appointment on Monday and I told her that I had five contractions in three hours. She wasn't concerned and I wasn't either, since they weren't at regular intervals. I also slept through the night without having a baby, so that's a good sign, right? Travis thinks I'm going to deliver two weeks early. I'm all for that except that it would fall almost directly on our anniversary. I would prefer (although this is not a decision that is actually in my control) that Lil Wodie's birthday be at least a week apart from our anniversary. It would make celebrating each occasion a little easier on us in the future.

Every time I go in for a doctor appointment, they ask me how the fetal movement is and I LAUGH. I asked the doc a few weeks ago if I should be counting his kicks to make sure he's up to par, but she said not to worry about it unless I notice a decline in his activity. None of that here! This little guy is ACTIVE. ALL THE TIME. I honestly don't think he sleeps but maybe an hour a day. I think we're going to have our hands full with this one. At the moment, he is kicking my right forearm that is touching my belly as I type. I think he likes attention.

At the Monday visit, they measured my fundal height and found that Lil Wodie is still measuring a week ahead of average. Doc said there is nothing to be concerned about until he gets to be more than two weeks ahead or behind. I told her that at least twice a week I've got someone telling me I look like I'm having twins and it freaks me out a little. She laughed and commented that it's funny how people think they can talk to pregnant women like that. As if we are immune to remarks about our weight.

Speaking of, the other fun fact I learned is I've gained 24 pounds so far this pregnancy. I still have two months left and Lil Wodie is expected to gain a minimum of 3 pounds on his own before then. I'm crossing my fingers that I don't get above +35lbs, as that is the maximum recommendation for me. Travis' new joke is "Watch out! Your about to pass me up!" That boy.

Doc also confirmed the head down position. Meaning Lil Wodie is ready to come out the chute whenever his organs are done growing. Yay for feet in the ribs!

This past Friday I stopped to get my hair trimmed at some little salon. The hairdresser saw my belly and says, "aw, how cute!" She asked how far along I am and then tells me that she is five months pregnant with a seven month old baby at home. !!! WHAT?! First thing that pops out of my mouth is, "Are you okay?" She said yes, but that her pregnancy is considered high risk since her uterus didn't have much chance to recuperate between pregnancies. No shit? I can't even imagine. She is essentially spending two consecutive years of her life pregnant or in recovery. (hello Jim Bob and Michelle!) Plus, she's going to have two kids under the age of 1 year. WOH. I feel for this woman. And I thought I was nervous...

Three days and counting until our coed baby shower. (I can't wait!) Then we have our birthing class the following Saturday. I think I will feel a lot more prepared after these two events pass. I'm hoping this kid holds out until at least May 27th because we have an infant CPR and First Aid class the night before. That's a class that I would like to have completed before the baby's big debut.

Ugh, seriously? I'm pretty sure his head is trying to find a home somewhere between my bladder and pelvis right now. If you'd like to see the insanity that is my internal anatomy at the moment, check this schematic out. Where are the lungs in this drawing?!?!

Just a few items I'm thinking about getting for Lil Wodie...

What's cuter than a mudflap design on my baby's feet?

This one is still in the works, but you can have a 3D SCAN OF YOUR OWN BREAST and then have it made into a bottle nipple. Psh, need I say more?

Nutty Professor pacifier? Don't we all want one of these?

To scare off all the creepy strangers at the grocery store who think it's ok to kiss someone else's baby on the face. (Keep your herpes to yourself, please and thank you!)

Daddy + Saddle = Daddle

This one's for Travis. Because kids these days are too good for bareback.

I will be able to pee hands-free at the grocery store/mall/restaurant.

What's better than spending less time cleaning and more time with my husband and child? It can all be mine with a little help from Lil Wodie!

Galveston County had a rough weekend

It looks like Travis and I picked a good weekend to go out of town. That storm that delayed our drive this past Friday came back again for a second hit Saturday. There was horrible flooding everywhere, including into many of the businesses in downtown Galveston that are still undergoing remodeling since they were flooded seven months ago in Ike.

Galveston as a whole took a beating. The island looked a little like it did after the hurricane in that dirt and mulch everywhere had been moved from their original home onto the sidewalks and streets. There was a gas station awning that fell over on Seawall, crushing a truck. Many trees that died in the saltwalter floods after Ike fell over in the combination of wind and flooding that ensued during the storms this weekend.

This island is being tested!

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In baby news... At 31-weeks pregnant, I think Lil Wodie may have flipped over into the head-down position. I was reading that this should be happening any day now and I think it happened. Over the last few days I've been able to feel feet! So far, it has always been something large and solid, like his back, head or butt. But starting Monday, there was a definite change. Something tiny kept moving across my belly, near my belly button. If he has flipped into the head-down position, this would explain why his feet have suddenly made a show. It was crazy because Rachel was even able to feel the foot from the outside and move it back and forth. Ha!

The reading says Lil Wodie should be at 4 lbs and 19 inches head-to-toe. Also very interesting, his skin is no longer translucent. So, hopefully no more crazy dreams about a see-through baby. His kicks are getting so strong that when Travis was listening to him slosh around the other night, his head was bouncing up and down from all the baby movement. It's going to be so crazy to finally meet the crazy arms and legs that have been punching away at me for the past few months. =D

The baby shower Alexa and Stephanie are throwing for me is less than 2 weeks away! I am soooo excited! Not only does that mean a bunch of baby gear in my future (I can't wait to go through everything), it also means I can start buying stuff for the nursery again. I have been postponing any purchases so that I didn't buy everything off my registry before the shower. Although that would probably be impossible - I don't know how people could have a child without a baby shower. At any rate, I would feel ridiculous if I spent all my money on decorative items right now, only to find out we still need to buy a couple more important items (namely the rocking chair and co-sleeper playard) after the shower.

I feel confident that the closets are cleared out the best I could get them. The plastic drawers are in place ready to be filled. Now all I need to do is wait out the next week and a half. Luckily, things should be pretty busy this weekend. Not to mention I have this intense need to dust the house from top to bottom...

Might be able to fill a hot air balloon

Travis and I have this running joke that he thinks I'm as big as a cow. I'm not offended at all, it really is a joke. It started when he honestly thought I was ten pounds heavier than I really am. Now every time I weigh myself, he says, "What, you're probably at about 200 pounds now?" Last night I was making note about how we are close to not having enough room for us to both brush our teeth in the bathroom at the same time because my belly doesn't fit. He made some remark about how big I am and I said, "there you go again, with the gigantic remarks." Then he says, "No, I think you're blutiful."

He totally meant "beautiful", but it came out wrong. I'm pretty sure I'm suffering from delirium from this cold. I feel HORRIBLE. My reaction was to laugh hysterically for five minutes. Don't know why that hit my funny bone so, but it did.

We were in bed by 9, reading our Mom and Dad versions of What to Expect When You Are Expecting. I couldn't get comfortable because I feel like I can't find a relaxing position in which I can still breathe. Then I got this pain in my right side (which I still have) that made it worse. Not sure if it's round ligament pain, or a strained muscle from coughing, or Lil Wodie's foot wedged around my kidney, or the beginnings of a kidney stone. I'm hoping for strained muscle.

Anyhoo, I was ready for bed, so I turned off my light and was, again, trying to get comfortable. I have had a ridiculous gas problem for the past few months. Another sexy side effect of pregnancy, I guess. Poor Travis. Well, I was relieving myself and Travis snaps his book shut and looks at me. "My book says you're having gas."

Bwahahahahaha!!!

The Third Trimester Begins

Yesterday marked the first day of my last trimester. Eek! Right on cue, the nasal drainage has increased 10 fold. I'm sure everyone is ecstatic to hear that, but seriously, it's bad. I don't know which would be worse, this being the result of a cold/allergies or the result of pregnancy. Honest, this is a normal and common side effect. I almost wish it was a cold, because this would probably go away sooner than three months (which is how long I have to wait if it's from being pregnant).

I have had issues with a runny nose for the past several months, but this is ridiculous. I couldn't breathe out of my right nostril Tuesday night. This resulted in me breathing with my mouth open, and therefore a sore throat first thing Wednesday. I'm still super stuffy.

Sara and Logan are sick. And Travis was sick all last week and a little this week. I don't know if Travis has a cold or if it's allergies, so it could be possible that I was infected. Awesome, huh?

Lil Wodie has begun kicking like CRAZY. His kicks are so hard now. They don't hurt, but some have been a little uncomfortable. It's a little annoying at night when I'm trying to go to sleep because he'll start kicking and it distracts me from being able to fall asleep. It doesn't wake me up, thank goodness, but it definitely makes starting the sleeping process difficult.

Supposedly these kicks should lessen in the coming months as he grows to fill the space. He'll still be strong, but won't have as much room to wind up those kicks. Here's hoping!

I think this shirt looks a little snug in the second picture. What do you think?

The first photo was taken at Travis' birthday party in August of last year. The second was taken last night at 28 weeks prego. The doctor's office weighed me in at 151 pounds on Monday. That puts me at +18 pounds. My recommended total weight gain is 25 to 35 pounds, so I'm doing great so far. If the baby really gains half a pound a week from here on out like he's supposed to, then I should gain a minimum of 6 more pounds, putting me right at the lower point of that range. Making plenty of room for wherever else pregnancy weight gain comes from.

The book I'm reading, What to Expect When You're Expecting, has started getting into some of the things I will have to deal with at delivery. SCARY. This is really going to happen. I'm starting to get nervous about the delivery. How horrible would it be if I crapped on the table in front of Travis?! I know the doc sees it all the time, so I'm not concerned about that. But Travis has definitely not seen someone poo on a table before. Ah, geez.