My Beautiful Niece!

Morgan and Daddy


Bath Time

I know look at all that hair! She is adorable. Her and Lily will be the best of friends. I cannot wait!

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Memorial Day-3 weeks to go!

Well on a brighter note I am full term now! Since Thursday's 48 hour bout with false labor I have been on pins and needles waiting to see if real labor would begin. The first false labor lasted until Friday evening the second lasted the majority of Sunday. And let me tell you Sunday was a lot more painful. I could not talk through some of the contractions and a couple made me cry (not that making me cry is that hard!) So needless to say this weekend has been miserable. I feel awful. Last night I slept only a few hours because my whole body hurts. I laid down, I got up and walked, I laid down, I got up to pee. It was an endless cycle. I am extrememly swollen. Even my face! Even my tongue. Yes my tongue. When I lay down the fluid flows from my cankles to my face, tongue and lips. Angelina Jolie ain't got nothing on my puckers! So yes in a nutshell...this sucks.

But on a more serious note. I have the best husband in the whole world. The past week while I have been almost immobile and miserable he has been amazing. He has been cleaning, organizing, fetching, whatever I need. He has been very patient with my complaining and moaning, and doing whatever he can to make me comfortable. I told him yesterday (here comes the cheezy love sap) that my heart was bursting with love, and just when I thought I couldn't love him anymore he does something even sweeter. Did I mention you are hormone crazy at the end of pregnancy? The only reason we are ready for this baby (in a clean, organized house sense) is because of him. I really wish I was in better shape so I could do something sweet for him, but alas I am worthless at this point. I have to say in my case at least I think pregnancy has brought us a lot closer. Our anniversary is next week...its funny we keep forgetting about it because of the baby, but we will have to do something fun for both of us.

My next appointment is Thursday so hopefully I have made some progress and all the pain has a purpose. Until then...

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No baby yet....

The contractions have died out a little. Just coming in spurts now. So we will see but it is not looking good a holiday baby.

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Memorial Day Baby?

Well I went to dinner with Brooke and Scott last night and there must have been something in the Cracker Barrell food. I started have contractions about 11 pm, accompanied by many bathroom visits. I suffered most of the night and went to the doctor first thing this morning. But the doctor had no encouraging words...it could go either way was exactly the phrase. So apparently they don't know if I am in real labor yet. A few days? A few weeks? Who knows. But on a brighter note I am 1 cm dialated, 50% effaced, and I have lost my mucus plug. She has also dropped because he could feel the baby's head. So progress but stayed tuned.

My orignal prediction was May 26th...so we will see if I was accurate.

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4 weeks to Go!

My oh My how time flies! Little Lily will be here before you know it. And as my sister in law put it: I will be initiated into the Mommy club by being peed on, pooped on, and finally vomited on (in the face if I am lucky!).

This week wasn't too bad. Still a lot of joint pain anytime I wake up from the small amounts of sleep I have had. I did start having some real contractions (vs. Braxton Hicks) this weekend, but with no regularity. I could have these for weeks apparently. She has dropped some, I can tell because I no longer have feet in my ribs. I have a "baby butt" belly instead of a "baby bump." Her butt is obviously sticking out. Which makes me think she has turned to face my back. Another good sign. Also my hormones are raging....aka I cried looking at the installed carseat this weekend. It is kind of ridiculous. Oh and then again on the way to work over some cheezy country song.

And last but not least....nesting has begun! I spent the whole weekend washing and organizing, then packing and preparing for her arrival! I even think Daddy got the nesting urge. Our house is the cleanest it has been in about six months. That's what happens when the woman of the house gets run down by pregnancy! Our yard is mowed and trimmed! And Lily's room is ready to go. We have the bedding washed. We got her essential home items washed such as towels, blankets, back up sheets, and onesies. I even made room in our bedroom for her pack and play in case she needs to stay in with us the first week or so. Although I would prefer her get used to the crib immediately. We bought batteries for the million contraptions that babies need batteries for. BJ's wholesale is an awesome place for this by the way. I even got our hospital bags started, and the waterproof mattress pad on the bed just in case my water breaks in the middle of the night. I love my bed and it must be protected!! So my goals for the weekend were accomplished.

Now in the next week I need to wash guest sheets for our helpers that will be visiting during her arrival, and make playlists for my calming labor music. I have a doctors appointment Friday and I will be receiving my first pelvic exam to check for dilation, effacement, station, etc. Maybe I will even get a weight guessimate. I also have a work shower on Thursday. I am getting excited!

Everyone repeat after me...."Lily move towards the light!"

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Middle Name Debate

We are some name challenged parents! We are stuggling to agree on a middle name, much like we did with the first. Of course Michael just started calling her Lily so that is how she got her first name. So you would think that I would have a leg to stand on for the middle but no! He is fighting me on everything!

So we need your help. Let us know if you have any ideas for Lily Eads' middle name!

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5 Weeks to Go!

More importantly only four more weeks of work! Whhhooohhhooo! I am taking the week before my due date off (assuming I make it that long) to relax before our bundle of joy arrives. It was a good week. I had a check up on Friday and for once had no complaints for the doctor. Told her oddly enough I was feeling better than I had throughout the whole pregnancy. I only gained a pound which is like a record!!! I have been putting on weight like a champ throughout the entire pregnancy and finally it is slowing down, yet another sign her arrival is drawing nearer. I had a little swelling over the weekend but nothing too unbearable. My only nuisance has been sleeping and joint pain. My body is really starting to hurt. My bones are hurting! It is odd. I think the hormones are loosening my joints so she can come out. I just don't understand why bones other than my pelvis need to ache. I have had bad finger, knee, back and foot/toe pain. It's more of an annoyance than anything. But the sleep is interfering with daily activities. It is getting hard to make my long work commute without crashing into the median. This morning I held open my eyelid to get here! The woman next to me gave me the strangest look. It is bordering on first trimester exhaustion.

Lily has been packing some deep punches that pretty much stop me in my tracks. Michael always gets so concerned, its adorable. Is it a contraction?? No its just that she is huge and doesn't have any room so some movements are just painful until she readjusts. A few have been some hard core braxton hicks. But if you move in a direction she does not like...oh she lets you know. Whabam! a kick in the ribs. Whabam a kick in the stomach. Oh you want to eat all the food on your plate mommy? I don't think so! Let me scooch up here into your stomach a little closer. I am seeing some personality coming through already. She did do a little dancing this weekend while we had some music playing. Almost to the beat! Maybe she will be the next American Idol or Dancing with the stars champ!

Michael got some preparation stuff done this weekend. We hung our chandelier in the nursery. He organized the attic/eve storage area to accommodate her stuff. We also did some shopping to get some birthing basics/tools over the weekend. Stuff like hospital night gowns, socks, tennis balls to help relieve back contractions, and travel size bottles for shampoo, etc. Basically some hospital comforts. I am going to get my bags packed this weekend and start washing stuff. That is the goal of the week.

My group at work took me out to lunch on Friday and surprised me with a bag of gifts. It was really sweet! Plus the food was good. MMMmmmm PF Changs. It was nice since most of my group is guys and I was surprised they chipped in for something like this. It was a good time.

Stay tuned....

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6 weeks to go!

A really good week, and a so-so weekend. After some much needed rest last weekend I am feeling a lot better. Very little swelling, or a least little compared to previous weeks. I still can't wear regular shoes but I have seen an occasional ankle bone. I have had a lot of energy over the last week. I have also noticed a drastic increase in potty breaks. Think once an hour at minimium. Actually any time I go from a sitting to a standing position I have to go. The sense of urgency associated with the little bit of volume that comes out is uncanny. Also a lot of pressure down there. Just little signs that her arrival is inevitably drawing nearer.

But this weekend wiped me out. We made a new rule this morning. Until Lily arrives one day a weekend must be made for doing absolutly nothing. If I don't do this I push myself to far. This weekend we had our birthing class. EEK! The video was mild so not too graphic or scary. But it was a long day of 8-5 in very uncomfortable chairs. It included a tour and new born basics. Very informative and definatly made me lean towards some decisions for my birth plan. I would state them but I don't want to look like a complete failure if I don't accomplish them! haha! But know this I think Michael has agreed to them all, so they can't be that bad.

Sunday we went to Charlotte for the day to see Michael's sisters baby that was born on Saturday. So again another long day (six hours of driving). I will make that a seperate post when I get some pictures of the little one.

Baby update: I think she is getting into position! I can feel where her legs are just by rubbing my tummy. They feel so little. I actually saw some hiccups this past week as well. Seeing the baby this weekend made me very anxious of her arrival but very excited and a little sappy.

At this point we are just hoping the next month goes by fast.

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