Things I will:

Miss about being pregnant:
*the intimate feeling of having her move and being the only one to feel it (most of the time)
*rubbing or resting my hands on my belly :)
*not having to clean the kitty box - hehehe
*how NICE people can be when they know you're pregnant lol
*her not being here yet (does that sound bad?? I hope someone out there knows what I mean ROFL)
*the whole "preparing for something wonderful" stage
*eating pretty much whatever I want (going back to WW once she's here ROFL)
*imagining what she's going to be like

NOT miss about being pregnant:
*the clothes - I am SICK of the same 5 shirts ..since they're the only ones that fit ROFL
*the insomnia
*the exhaustion
*the achy feeling that I ended up developing from my pubic bones separating
*the peeing every 10 minutes
*the fear of the unknown - i.e. labor and delivery and having this little person to be responsible for.
*her not being here yet :)

Thoughts at 36 weeks

Okay .. so I am pretty much ready to be DONE with this entire pregnancy. I'm not sleeping well at all. .I feel horrible all the time.... LOL glad the beginning *actually up till now* was so wonderful because this last month seems like it's going to be a nightmare.

I feel horribly guilty complaining - there are tons of people who would KILL to be complaining about what I am - John says I can't think like that. . . . sigh.

I'm just so anxious to meet our little Ellery and quite honestly I'm getting SCARED of the labor and delivery part of things

Our Christmas was wonderful. . tiring but wonderful! It's astonishing to me that next Christmas we'll have an 11 month old!!! holy moly!!! :)

and without further adieu here is my 36 week picture taken last night (man i'm looking rough!!!) I saw it and immediately said to John "do i REALLY look like that??!!!" holy CRAP i'm HUGE!!!!!

36 weeks

From Babycenter:

How your baby's growing: Your baby is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is a little less than 19 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected her skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in her bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term; a baby born before 37 weeks is pre-term and after 42 is post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery, but if she isn't in the next week, your provider may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position manually, by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

How your life's changing:
While your baby continues to grow and crowd your internal organs, you may find that you're not as hungry as you were a few weeks ago. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to drop down lower in your pelvis. This dropping — called lightening or engagement — is more likely to happen before labor if this is your first baby. When it does, though, you may feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, making walking increasingly uncomfortable. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs, or as if the baby is going to fall out. (Don't worry, she won't!)You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are a little more frequent now. Be sure to review with your practitioner exactly when and where to call her when you think your labor has started. As a general rule, you should call when you start having regular contractions coming every five minutes for about an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you're not yet 37 weeks and have signs of preterm labor. You should also call without delay if your water breaks (or if you even think you're leaking amniotic fluid), if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, severe headaches, abdominal pain, or changes in your vision.Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying during your final month, when you're more likely to go into labor. In fact, many airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within seven or sometimes 30 days of the flight.

35 week thoughts (and doctor's appt. update)

Now that I'm going to the doctor's every week. . I'll just update about that when I do my little "journal" for the week. :) bet you're excited now :)

so....35 weeks. .. . I think that I've personally reached a turning point. Up until 2 weeks ago I was wishing and hoping that the pregnancy portion of this journey could last forever. . . even though I'm pretty uncomfortable. .it's been a fantastic pregnancy overall and quite frankly. . I'm scared to death of becoming someone's mommy. Odd huh? Anyway. .as of Sunday I think that all changed. I told John that I'm done with pregnancy. .I want the payoff. ..I want our baby. I want to hold her and see her and cuddle her. ... . I'm still a little scared. .but more excited than anything! I know that the longer Baby E cooks in there the better it is. . .but I'm impatient. .what can I say?? :)

Had a doctor's appt. yesterday. .. . .so I wanted to update about that since I asked for all your good thoughts for Baby E and I.

So here's the scoop:

blood pressure was the same as last week 120/90 but since my labs were fine he's not concerned
YAY!!!

he said that my platelets were on the high side of normal (which is 250 and mine were like 250-something) he didn't explain what it meant though. . does anyone out there know??

I did however gain a pound and suffer the indignity of having my nether regions (yes that's plural!!) swabbed for strep b. .and "while he was there" he did an internal (do they always hurt like that?? owie)

we also had a quick ultrasound to check baby E's position - head/face down!!! guess she's getting ready for her debut!

saw her heartbeat and her (apparently full) bladder she's so cute . . . . . or. . . maybe not ROFL

so that's it from here. . .just getting ready for the holiday . . . I'm all done shopping and wrapping (mostly). Saturday I'm baking. . . and then it'll be time to enjoy! Hard to believe that NEXT christmas. . Baby E will be almost a year old!!! yikes!

35 weeks - from Baby center

Your baby's getting big. He weighs a tad over 5 pounds (think bag of sugar) and is just over 18 inches long from head to heel. Of course, he's still curled up inside you: It's getting so snug in your womb that your baby isn't really floating anymore and he isn't likely to be doing somersaults. But tighter quarters don't mean less frequent movement; your baby should still be kicking at the same rate he always has. If you notice a decrease, call your healthcare provider. Your baby's kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — the next few weeks are all about putting on weight.

How your life's changing:
Your uterus — now up under your ribs — has expanded to about 15 times its original volume, and you may feel like you've run out of room! If you could peek inside your uterus, you'd see that there's much less amniotic fluid and much more baby in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your internal organs too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and have heartburn and other digestive problems. If you don't have these problems, you're one of the lucky few.Your doctor or midwife will probably want to start seeing you every week until you deliver. She may ask you to count fetal movements, to track your baby's activity level. Between now and 37 weeks, she'll also do a culture to check for bacteria called Group B streptococci (GBS). This is done by swabbing the lower end of your vagina and your rectum — the swab is the size of a regular cotton swab, and it won't hurt at all. Group B streptococcus is usually harmless in adults, but if you have it and pass it on to your baby during labor and birth, it can cause complications (like pneumonia, meningitis, or a blood infection). Because 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women have the bacteria and don't know it, it's important to be screened. (The bacteria come and go on their own — that's why you weren't screened earlier in pregnancy.) If you're a GBS carrier, you'll be given IV antibiotics when you're in labor, which will reduce your baby's risk of infection by 70 percent.This is also a good time to fill out your birth plan. Using our form will help you focus on specifics — like who will be present, what pain management techniques you want to try, and how long you want to stay in the hospital. It will give you a starting point to discuss your preferences with your medical team. Labor and delivery are unpredictable and you probably won't follow your plan to the letter, but knowing ahead of time what choices you have to make can take some of the anxiety out of the process.

baby dream

Had a dream last night about Baby Ellery - although I don't remember most of it. I remember though that she weighed 6lbs 4oz. :)

I have another doctor's appointment today . . .because of my high(er) blood pressure last week.....I'm kind of nervous. .which I am so SURE is helping the old blood pressure ROFL. . it's a vicious cycle.

Anyway. .I'll update how the visit went probably tomorrow. . just continue keeping us in your thoughts!!!

Thanks!!!

34 weeks and a doctor's visit

34 weeks yesterday - only 6 more to go. We're in the home stretch now :). I've still been feeling okay. . .mornings are tough. . getting out of bed is becoming a struggle and I'm pretty tired through the day. I'm surviving though.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon - I was up 3 pounds - not too bad I guess LOL

Ellery's heartbeat was great. . everything was fine - or so I thought.

My blood pressure has been relatively low throughout my entire pregnancy like 110/70. Yesterday it was 120/90 - which isn't THAT high but I think in part because it's been so low, Dr. F was concerned :(

I had to have more blood taken and another urine test and instead of coming back in 2 weeks I have to go back again this coming Tuesday.

He told me that I have to start taking it easy or he's going to put me on bedrest. I absolutely CANNOT go on bedrest. If he puts me on bedrest 1 month before my due date I'll pretty much have NO maternity leave.

UGH - my mom ratted me out too lol she told him I've been running around etc. . . well YEAH. . . lol it's Christmastime.

ARGH.

SO - as a result we're pretty much cancelling all our plans this weekend - minus going to my father in law's for Christmas this Sat. and my parents for my birthday on Sunday. . . :(

makes me sad. . .and I'll confess - I am more than a little scared.

So if you're the praying type. . . say a prayer. . if not. . keep me (and Ellery) in your thoughts.

from Babycenter

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is probably almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her central nervous system is still maturing and her lungs are well developed by now. If you've been nervous about going into preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 percent of babies this age can survive outside the womb — and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity.

Hey look!!!

we have a crib :)

John put together the baby's crib tonight - excuse the lighting and the fact that the crib is FULL of stuff right now

right now he's in there putting her bureau together :) I'll have to post pictures of it when it's done :)

One bad thing - Belle the Wonder Cat has already been in the crib once :( how the HECK am I going to keep her out? :(

From Daddy

Ellery,

I'm sitting here in my office on the 20th floor of an office building on my second day of work at my new job. As I look out over the boston skyline as the day dawns, I can't help but think of what your future will bring. Life is filled with possibilities, chances, and opportunities. The reason I'm here was to give you, mommy, and me the greatest chance at those options. I believe I made the right choice. So as I sit waiting for my day to start, I wonder; "Are you sitting waiting for your life to start with me?

Love, Daddy

What's in a name??

I wanted to blog about how Ellery became Ellery - it'll definately be the journaling for a layout in the not-so-distant future....so I figured other people (i.e. the 2 people who read the blog) might be interested.

The summer before I got pregnant John and I went to a Gaelic Storm concert. They are an awesome band . . all guys except for their fiddle player - she's a girl :)

They introduced the entire band and her name is Ellery - I just loved it. I even said to Kerrin "I love that name". There were other names I loved more and at that time I wasn't even really thinking about getting pregnant. . so why worry about it right??

Fast forward about 9 months or so and John and I are talking about going off of birth control and trying to get pregnant. Then I start thinking more and more about names. We can't agree on ANY girls names - my list included Addison, Avery, Kennedy, Reagan. . .on and on and on. . . every name I liked John had a reason NOT to like. . . and no alternative suggestions (save Cassandra - and no offense to anyone who does like this name. . I HATE it!!!). Onto the back burner girls names went - we settled on 2 boys names we liked: Aidan and Gavin.

SO - the 2 lines show up on the test and immediately the names discussion picks up again in earnest. Of course. . we didn't know what we were having but I feel it necessary to be prepared. I brought up Ellery and John didn't hate it. . but definately didn't love it either. I set out to talk him into it :) See, I've always been into very "unique" names and John was very concious of not naming our baby something "odd" (he's JoHnathan - so he's always spelling his name ROFL). Ellery seemed "okay" to him.

One night we were out to dinner "arguing" about it (as usual) and John said "FINE - you can have Ellery if I can have Gavin". We shook on it and from that night on we had a little Gavin or Ellery flavored jellybean :)

Of course - you know the rest of the story. . she's an Ellery - so I won :) John's hoping the next one is Gavin flavored :) ROFL

NOW. . .

I'm apparently saddling my child (my girl baby) with a boy's name. Every single baby name site has a different meaning for her name. . but most agree that it's a boys name

Here's a sampling of different meanings etc.:

Ellery:

German- one who lives near the elder tree,

English - dominant

Tuetonic: From the Elder tree

Cornish: A Swan

but I think I'll be going with this one :)

The boy's name Ellery is pronounced EL-er-ee. It is of Latin and Old English origin, and its meaning is "alder tree." May be related to Hilary, (Latin) "joyful, happy." Familiar since the 1930s due to the fictional detective Ellery Queen.