Baby Watch 2011

A Baby Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a baby within the watch area. Those within the watch area should remain alert for approaching babies.

A Baby Warning is issued when a baby is imminent. A baby may have been spotted or detected by baby radar. 

We saw the doctor today to see how Baby Charlotte is doing. All good news! The amniotic fluid looks good, she's put on more weight (approximately 6 pounds, 8 ounces), and her belly continues to grow at a steady rate. I'm doing well, too! The doctor said I was about 60% effaced, 1.5 centimeters dilated... which isn't a huge change since my appointment on the 12th (two and a half weeks ago). But, I've been taking it super easy these last couple of weeks. I'm free to try any & all of the old wives tales to try to jump-start labor! I figure jumping jacks & hula hooping should be a good start! 

I'm going back Monday morning (my birthday!!) mostly because that is the last day my doctor will be working in that office - she's moving to a new office in a different part of town that week. She doesn't want to put off my next appointment for a full week (or longer), so we're headed back in just a few days. Since I'm due on the first day of school, and will be burning through precious maternity leave starting August 9th, I asked about the possibility of being induced on August 8th if I haven't had her by then. She said if I can get to at least 3 cm dilated on my own, she'll entertain the thought of inducing me. The further along your body progresses on its own, the better an induction works with you instead of against you (lowering your risk of c-section). Ben and I are pretty excited that we'll get to meet this sweet baby in just 10 days or fewer!! 

In other news, my shipment of diapers FINALLY arrived this morning! They look fabulous!! I can't wait to get them in the wash & get them all nice and fluffy and absorbent!  Ben was skeptical when I first suggested cloth diapering, but after showing him how they work (a dry-run on a teddy bear), his opinion has changed! 

Adjustable fit, easy preparation & care, and absolutely adorable - - let's hope Charlotte likes them as much as we do! I only ordered 12 (I have 5 of another brand, too), so my stash is small, but  I'll probably order more once I see how these work. We're going to start with disposables until we get the hang of the diapering routine and then move to the cloth diapers after a few weeks. Once we've had a chance to use them, I'll share the name and website in case you're interested in trying them out! :o) 

Keep On Keepin' On

This, my friends, is what 38 weeks pregnant looks like...

I made it another week, and it looks like the baby is really taking advantage of these last few weeks of growing time! For all of you (mostly strangers) who keep telling me I "don't look that big" for how far along I am... I'd like to thank you. You really are too kind. HOWEVER - I believe you less and less with each passing day, so please excuse my eye rolls and snarls. 

It's getting harder and harder to get around these days. Shortness of breath, uncomfortable pressure while standing, Braxton-Hicks contractions, swollen hands, ankles and feet, and itchy skin are on my list of complaints this week. As you recall, though, I'm fine with all of this. After all, what do I expect? There's another human being living inside of me! 

My list of blessings is much larger than my list of complaints! Air conditioning, the ability to sleep, precious days of growth and development for my little one, time to finish up baby preparations around the house, air conditioning, minimal stretch marks, having Ben home, food & shelter, income throughout the summer, and air conditioning!!  Also, I got to hang out with my whole family last weekend. We're usually only all in the same room two days every year - Christmas Eve at Midnight Mass and Christmas Day at my parents' house. Ben and I hosted the "Staley 7" plus Becky (my brother Ken's girlfriend), my Aunt Carol & Uncle Rod, and my Aunt Jeannie and her two adorable grandkids - AJ and Emma. Ben worked his magic on the grill and everyone else brought a side (or two or three). Pretty much all I did for the whole event was vacuum the carpets! Thank you to everyone for coming out and pitching in!! 

Why were we all in one place in the middle of the year, you ask? My sister is moving to Mumbai, India this week and we wanted to wish her safe and happy travels! She will be teaching at an English-speaking school there at least for a couple of years (perhaps longer if she likes it)! My sister has been living in Houston, TX since I was in high school (maybe 12 years?), so I'm used to only seeing her about twice a year, but it will be hard not to be able to pick up the phone at any given time and tell her about my day! 

The Internet and ability to communicate with loved ones on the other side of the planet need to be added to my list of blessings! 

Ben and I toured the Mother-Baby unit of the hospital on Sunday, the car seat has been installed, and I finished cutting the tags and washing all of the baby's clothes. We've also timed out a few different routes to the hospital! I think the only thing left on the to-do list is pack a bag. I'll update again after Friday's checkup. Until then... we wait! :o) 

One Week Closer

Ben made it home from Taiwan before the baby came! Let's hear those *HUGE* sighs of relief!!

I'm 37 weeks - technically "full term." I've noticed she's starting to head south, although I wouldn't really say she's "dropped" yet... what do you think?

I had another check-up today. After a week of being a sloth who drinks more than a gallon of water a day, I'm very happy to report that Baby Charlotte gained approximately 9 oz (estimating 5 lbs 12 oz now) and the amniotic fluid level looks much better! She's still measuring kind of small, but still within the "normal" ranges. The doctor had great things to say about her growth and my hard work being lazy over the last week. She said to keep it up for another week and I'll see her again next Friday. 

The ultrasound tech printed several pictures for us - including some face shots! They're kind of hard to make out in the prints, but Ben and I were "awwww"ing all over the place watching her on the screen. I asked the tech if she could tell if the baby had any hair and she said she does! I honestly couldn't tell, and the tech did say it was kinda patchy... I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Side profile shot

Charlotte's face - with a hand tucked under her chin

Sweetie!

Yawning with her head tilted back

Yes, I realize she looks like some kind of hamster or rat in that last picture, but it was cute when we were watching!

I'll continue to take it easy, stay cool, drink plenty of water, and eat a lot of protein until next week's appointment. Ben will resume cat litter duty and all other tasks as assigned! :o) 

By the way - have you heard? We're in the middle of a heat wave! It's hot, but I'm not really any more uncomfortable than I usually am this time of year. My car's thermometer read 99* this afternoon... not sure what the heat index was. If I could survive 2 summers in Vegas with 115-120* temps, I'm pretty sure I'll survive this, too. Just don't be too surprised if you get a call from me requesting a dip in your pool! :o) 

Hits & Misses

Top 5 Things I'll Miss About Being Pregnant
1. Feeling the baby wiggle and squirm inside. I've always felt that her little flips, turns, nudges, jabs, pokes, and kicks have been some kind of secret language she uses to communicate with me. I know that she doesn't like it when I lay on my back or left side for too long because she squirms and jabs until I change position. I know she enjoys a good meal because she snuggles around for 10 minutes after I eat and then naps quietly for at least an hour. Pretty soon (any day now) the movement I feel from her will tell me she's ready to meet me face-to-face!

2. Guilt-free eating. Although I'm not thrilled with the weight gain, it has been pretty nice eating pretty much what I want, when I want it. Fruit Loops morning, noon, and night? Don't mind if I do!!

3. Strangers (and everyone else) tossing around more warm smiles than usual. Not to mention door-holding, lifting heavy stuff, and giving me my choice of seating!

4. Extra sleep! I may wake up more frequently to use the bathroom or just to turn over, but overall, I think I've been getting more sleep than usual. Especially since school got out - I've been averaging 8-10 hours each night!

5. Comfy clothes 24/7. No one judges sweatpants at 3:00 in the afternoon at the grocery store nearly as much when your baby bump leads you down the aisles!

Top 5 Things I Will NOT Miss About Being Pregnant
1. Not feeling comfortable in my own skin (my own stretched out skin). It hasn't been much fun trying to find clothes that fit properly. And it really hasn't been fun watching the numbers climb on that scale. I outgrew my wedding ring months ago and even my flip flops are starting to feel tight!

2. Not being able to exercise. I know! I was surprised to hear myself say this, too! I kept working out for as long as I could, but unfortunately, I had to give it up sometime in April. It became really uncomfortable and I was worried I'd hurt myself or the baby with a shift in balance and weird blood pressure changes.

3. Heartburn. Doesn't matter what I eat, when I eat it, or what I do right after eating it - heartburn and acid reflux keep striking without rhyme or reason. I've been told, though, that heartburn during pregnancy means the baby will have hair. I know it's just an old wives tale, but supposedly, it's one of the most accurate ones...

4. 196 trips to the bathroom each day.

5. The loss of independence. While it's nice to have people help out, sometimes I feel like people treat me like I'm completely helpless. I'm usually quite independent and used to doing things on my own. That all changed right around the time the belly bump appeared. I really appreciate all the help people have given me (especially with packing & unpacking my classroom and moving to IL), but it's been really hard for me to hang out and watch other people do my hard work.

Four Years Ago...

We stood in front of our friends and families...

and promised to love each other forever.

Our best friends and families stood with us!

My brothers and sister got along for a whole day!

And we celebrated! 

There were toasts...

and laughter...

and dancing...

and silliness...

and good times!

Thanks to everyone who made our day special, supported us with prayer and well wishes, and continue to cheer us on in every phase of life! We love you all - - almost as much as we love each other! 

Love,

Ben & Bri

36 weeks

Here's an update from my first appointment with my new doctor in IL... at 36 weeks.

My mom went with me to the appointment since Ben is in Taiwan (he made it there in one piece!) and I'm glad she did! After 8 months of "everything's perfect" appointments, I was bombarded with not-so-perfect news about my little bun in my little oven. Overall, everything is fine, but here are the details (please excuse yourself now if you don't want to read all about it)....

After being asked the same 769 questions I was asked at 8 weeks, the doctor checked me - I'm one centimeter dilated and 50% thinned. She said this is pretty normal for 36 weeks and some women walk around a centimeter or two dilated for a couple of weeks without going into labor. She also used a doppler to listen to the baby's heart rate - sounded lovely in the lower 140s.  Then, she ordered a sonogram since it's been 16 weeks since my last one. The tech measured the baby's heart rate again, measured her head, femur, and torso to get a feel for how big she is. Turns out, she's measuring small - about a week behind schedule. They estimated she weighs about 5 lb 3 oz - - putting her in the 25th percentile. They also measured my amniotic fluid and found it to be on the low end of normal, too. Finally, they looked at my placenta. The doctor said it looks like it's getting "old" - and she said this is normal, but sometimes it doesn't look that way until 40 weeks or beyond. Oh - and they checked to make sure the baby's still a girl - and she is! :o)

After the ultrasound, I was hooked up to a couple of monitors for a non-stress test. They basically measure for contractions and the baby's heartbeat for a longer period of time. I didn't have any contractions, and her heartbeat sounded great for the duration of the test (maybe 10 - 15 mins).

The doctor sent me home with instructions to drink more water than I've ever drank before and to be as lazy as possible for this week until she sees me again next Tuesday. She said I'm not confined to bed rest, but I really should take it easy... really easy. She also suggested I add more protein to my diet. She said that next week, if the baby isn't gaining more weight, if my fluid hasn't improved, or if I'm dilating more, we'll start talking about full-blown bed rest or even inducing me a couple of weeks early. Right now, she doesn't seem to think I'm gonna make it to my due date. I want her to be as healthy and plump as possible, and I really really really really want her to stay put until Ben gets back from Taiwan.

So none of this is necessarily bad news... it just wasn't the "everything's perfect" news I was used to hearing. After the 2 hour visit with the doctor, we went to Steak n Shake for lunch, I ran a couple of errands, and then I brought some lemonade over to my brother at his shop. It's been super hot the last few days and I feel bad for everyone who has to work outdoors!

For those of you who've never been to central IL... check out what you're missing!

Just like when Moses parted the sea! Only this is more like the Green Giant parting the fields of corn! 

The Big Move

Greetings, loyal readers, from hot and humid central Illinois! We made it!

2 weeks ago, my father- and brother-in-law came down to Lexington to help us move. While Ben was working, they helped me take almost all of our "storage" items to our storage unit. They also took a load of our "Illinois" stuff back up with them to IL - along with Ben's old Ford Ranger. They gave it to us when we moved to Vegas, and now that we have the Rav (which STILL needs a name), we're giving the truck back. It took 6 or 7 hours, but we got the stuff in storage.

At 34 weeks pregnant, Jim and Joey were a godsend.

Later in the week, my mom and dad came down to Lexington to help us finish up the cleaning, packing, and driving. We left Lexington around 2:00 Friday, July 1st. We all agreed it might be best to take "the long way" back to IL to avoid the horrible disgusting mess that is Indianapolis. On a map, "the long way" is only about 60 or 70 miles longer than our other usual routes - no biggie - just one more hour. Except when you're traveling with 8-months preggo Bri, a Budget truck that doesn't comfortably travel at 70 mph, and hit stupid traffic jams for 90 minutes... then it takes you 10 HOURS to make what should have been a 7 or 7.5 hour drive. GAG.

We arrived shortly after 11:00 PM CST. Ben's whole family was waiting for us at the country house we're renting from his grandparents.  Everyone worked together to get the bed, our suitcases, and the cats into the house. The rest could wait until morning!  The next day, Ben's wonderful brothers came over to help us unload the truck and unpack boxes. Ben's grandma even helped me unpack the dishes! It was a daunting task, but we got it done!

That night we went to our 10-year high school reunion... we're old!! It was great catching up with old friends! Although, I think Facebook is kind of ruining the whole reunion vibe - we all kinda knew half of everyone's updates. It was still fun to see everyone in person and meet the girlfriends and wives of my old high school buddies. Sadly, I didn't take any photos. Trust me when I say that everyone looked great!

With no food in the house on Sunday, Ben and I drove to Busy Corner for breakfast - only to run into friends from the reunion with the same idea! I'm sure that will not be my last trip to Busy Corner...

Last week we bought a washer and dryer (Ben, his dad, and grandpa worked hard getting it all set up), went to the fireworks in Peoria, unpacked and assembled all of the baby's furniture, shopped, and hung out with 2 of my brothers. I also spent an obscene amount of time trying to hook us up with some internet... only to find out that it's basically impossible to get it here. I ended up buying a "Galaxy Tab" from the Sprint store that acts as a "hot spot" for our laptops through the cell phone towers nearby. Averaging 2 bars of service at any time, the cell phone service and internet connection are kinda spotty and slow, but it will do!

Are you all as excited to see photos of the nursery as I was to set it up and photograph it?? I'd been denying some serious nesting instincts for weeks months and couldn't wait to get cracking! Ben assembled and arranged the furniture while I unpacked and washed 6 loads (in my new W & D) of baby laundry! I'm pretty sure the nursery is now 98% complete. I'm not sure what the 2% missing is, but I'll figure it out soon enough.

The closet looking as organized as it ever will

Changing table and Charlotte letters

Crib and glider (needs something on the wall)

Glider and books (waiting on a lamp & needs something on the wall)

We're so grateful to Ben's grandparents for letting us rent their house - it is the perfect size for us! The yard, on the other hand, is proving to be a little out of our league. It's really gorgeous and peaceful property, but we're not used to this much grass!

Standing < half-way up the drive

Same spot as above, turned around facing the road

And then there's the back yard...

Quite a bit of property! It's full of wildlife, too! We've seen plenty of birds, squirrels, insects, a family of cats, and a family of raccoons that lives under the back porch. Today I thought I hit the jackpot when I found this guy out in the yard... 

But then later on, my parents came out for dinner and a majestic doe pranced her way across the back yard. Ok... so she really just kind of sauntered around for a bit and then took off in a mad dash after a few minutes. Either way, I was able to snap a shot from the kitchen window! 

For those of you wondering about the other wildlife on the property... perhaps you noticed them hanging out in the nursery??? :o) Donny and Marie seem to be settling in nicely here in IL. They're still exploring all of the new creaks, squeaks, and every square inch of the house, but they seem to be enjoying themselves. I think the move really helped bond them into being besties again. Here they are lounging in a sunbeam together this morning!

Of course, with all of the new sounds and smells and different people coming around this week, they have also found plenty of places to hide until the coast is clear... 

I have an appointment Tuesday morning to meet my new doctor - usually only crazy people switch doctors at 36 weeks! I've been feeling good and have no reason to be concerned, so hopefully the doctor will have good things to say. 

Ben is leaving in the morning for a week in Taiwan, so please keep him and his safe travels in your thoughts and prayers. And send all of your positive vibes that the baby stays where she is until he returns next Monday! :o)