Time is just flying by

For some reason I thought this pregnancy was going to drag and everyone else did too, but that's just not the case. It's FLYING! and I can't believe in just a few short week/s I will be a mommy.

I sit here and think about how one year ago Tom and I were serious in starting a family, we were trying before that but no luck, so we turned to infertility drugs and I had to be in my current job for one year before we could do anything and March 1st was 2 years so last year around this time we were just figuring out our options. Never did I think we've have to go through IVF, this is definitely a miracle baby!

Having such a nice winter, never thought I'd say that, but we hardly had any snow and if we did, it didn't seem to last long because it just didn't get real cold. And now today, it's 80 degrees out, I don't remember that last March where we had 80 degree weather but I'm not complaining, it's awesome!

I have all my work assigned to other people here at work so that's all taken care of, it's going to be so weird being off work for 12 weeks. I think my last day is going to be next week, unless Cooper decides to come early and I'd be OK with that. There are just a few things I need to do before I leave and that's clean my desk and make sure what I need to take home, I do. I can take off  up to 2 weeks before my due date which will be Wednesday. I think I will take advantage of the great benefits we have and relax, because the way my feet have swelled up, I need the rest. This is the only complaint that I can think of during this whole pregnancy and it really just started in the last week or so. I try my hardest to lay on my left side with my feet propped up but boy its hard. I'm a right side sleeper but I'm getting much better. I hear the swelling will go down once the baby is out. I even thought a pedicure would make them better but last night after our pedi I had my flip flops on and wow did they swell. Check them out! This is after I was lying on the couch on my left side with my feet propped up.

For some reason my left foot is always bigger then my right, I don't get it and it seems my right hand is always more swollen than my left. Needless to say my wedding ring is not fitting and has been put away for a while, I sure do miss it though. My hands feel as though I've been out for a walk and they're stiff. Oh the joys of pregnancy, but it will all get better soon! I can live with it!

This weekend I want to finish up organizing the baby's room, maybe find a couple of shelves to hang up and finish packing our hospital bag. OH and get the car seat in my car! That's a definite one we need to do! Then we'll be all ready for the big day. Oh and at my NST this morning, I got to finally feel and see a contraction, now I kind of know what I'm looking/feeling for and they seem to be popping up here and there, but nothing big yet. But boy does he like to move around and there just isn't much room to move anymore!

37 Weeks! Full Term

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant - 3 weeks to go (but hoping for 2)!

Whoa belly!

Pregnancy Highlights:

Size of Baby:  He is now over 19 inches long and now weighs about  6 1/3 pounds about the size of a Swiss chard! He's gaining about an ounce a day!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Well, I had my tennis shoes on at my appointment yesterday and it looked like I gained about 4 pounds of so from last week, but I'm guessing it's because of the shoes. LOL I think I've gained about a total of 25 pounds all together so far. I keep forgetting to ask though.

Baby's heartbeat at last visit: Baby's heartbeat is beating like a champ! All my NST's are looking great. I'll be glad to be done with those, I'm saying this for 2 reasons, one my baby will be here and two I don't have to be at the doctor's office twice a week!

Maternity Clothes: Oh yeah, this belly just keeps on growing!

Gender: Boy - Cooper Thomas Hillebrand (I love saying that name)

Movement: Lots and lots of movement. I think his butt was poking at me the other night, it was so hard I would push on it and he would push right back. It's still the most amazing thing I've ever felt. And those darn hiccups, they are too funny and sometimes annoying but I love it. My mom always said "when you have hiccups it means you're growing" so that means my baby is growing!

Sleep: This is another sore subject, sleep and me are just not getting along these nights.

What I miss: I can honestly say sleep this time, I've hit another wall and I feel tired a lot, especially at work. When I'm not up moving around I feel like I could just take a nap. When I get home I have so much on my mind that I want to do I just don't seem to have the energy.

Cravings: Nothing really, but I splurge on a chocolate shake yesterday. I figured one every once in a while wont hurt us right???

Symptoms: My feet! They hurt so bad, I'm going to get a pedicure sometime within the next week. I need a good foot soaking and a foot massage. This is one thing I can't stand and it's driving me crazy. And now that the weather is starting to get warmer its killing me I can't get out and walk, well I can but then I pay the price, my feet will burn and sting and I just want to rip them off. And my fingers are about the same way but not quite as bad. I had to finally give up my wedding ring last week, it was getting way to hard to come off and I would start panicking so for now I'm just Tom's girlfriend. LOL That's what he says!

I'm also getting these weird back spasms or something, not quite sure what it is I guess I should have asked the doc the other day, but it comes and goes, I'm taking they are braxton hicks. They are not painful but they definitely make me catch my breath and hold onto something, but they only last a couple of seconds or so.

Best moment this week: Getting Cooper's room painted and furniture up and everything put away. There are few things left to do, like wall decorations and such but I need to figure what I want. I think I want a couple shelves in the room, something to bring it all together. We also had to pick out all the remaining items for the basement, such as the carpeting, tile, cabinets and a few other things, so that's all coming together. I'm hoping this time next week they are about done!

Looking forward to: Tom and I are getting massages Saturday and I can't wait, I need to be pampered one last time before this baby comes and what better way to do that then a massage. I think the one thing I'm really looking forward to is lying on my belly. Where we are going they have a special table for pregnant women so I'll get to lay face down! I'm also looking forward to getting our house in order before the baby comes, I'm thinking next week will be my last week of work, it's getting harder and way more uncomfortable to come to work and I can take up to 2 weeks prior to my due date so we'll see how I feel next week. This way I can relax at home and still get a few things done if I need to.

Nursery pictures!

This weekend was the weekend to finally start painting and get everything ready for Cooper to come. All that I really wanted to do was paint but we decided, what the heck, let's just get it all up and ready.

So Thursday night I asked Micayla to come home and start cleaning her room out not just move stuff from one place to another to actually CLEAN it. She's a hoarder you should have seen the stuff this girl keeps, let's just say we got rid of a lot! While we were at it we decided to move the furniture from her room into Brandon's and all the clothes in the closet into Brandon's as well. He has the bigger room if you didn't know all ready. She did a great job and I'm glad I was home to help.

Here are the before pictures:

Micayla's room with just her bed, I didn't get a before pic with everything in it. oops.

 

 

And here is everything in Brandon's room, not much room left in there. 

 

Here is Tom painting, once Ellen got here he was fired, he doesn't like to paint and she had to go over everything he did, not that he did much but his dad got here earlier than Ellen so they started. Friday, Tom and his dad had everything taped off and the holes filled in, it was great to have everything ready.

This is from the hallway looking into the bedroom.

 Ellen came in and took over, I can't be more thankful for her helping, it was awesome! While they were painting Tom and I had to do something, and of course, I was all ready to clean, so we started with the refrigerator, I don't think this has been cleaned since we've moved in and it was very dirty, let's just say it was a job well done. After the refrigerator we cleaned off the ceiling fans, one in the kitchen and the other in our room. It's amazing how dusty things get especially since they are working on the basement.

Ellen going to town!

 

 

 

 

Taking a little break.

 

 

Tom's mom and Grandma came up to see what was going on and as I was trying to Iron, Linda came in and took over. As I was seeing the progress that was being made in the baby's room, I thought we're going for it all, the dressers, crib and new fan is all going up, so I had to get my butt in gear and get the bedding all washed. Thank God I did, but a few things needed to be ironed and I don't have a good iron or ironing board, but Linda came to the rescue, she got it all ironed for me! Thank you Linda!

And the final product, we couldn't be happier with the colors and everything in this room.

We had some special visitors stop by, Chris and Kristi. She helped put the bedding on the crib and get some things organized. We decided to put the bed on the wall it's at, we originally were going to put it on the wall with the changer but it just didn't look right. We are happy right were it's at!

Chris and Kristi got to put the the gift they got Cooper together, I bet he didn't think he'd be put to work. LOL

We are so happy how everything turned out, it's hard not to go in just to look around. I can't imagine he's going to be here any day. We are SO ready for him. I have a few things left to do, but everything is about ready. I got our bag packed for the hospital and the car base ready to go in my car, that's the next thing I want done! I think I might have to go out and get our little guy a new coming home outfit, I don't have many newborn clothes and I think I will need that size. I have lots of onesies but I just don't know. We'll see!

36 Weeks!

Today I am 36 weeks pregnant - 4 weeks to go!

Pregnancy Highlights:

Size of Baby:  He is now over 18 1/2 inches long and now weighs about  6 pounds about the size of a crenshaw melon! He's gaining about an ounce a day!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still the same as I was since I started "watching" what I eat. I guess GD has one good thing going for it, I'm not gaining like I probably would if I didn't have to watch my carbs and sugars.  Maybe in the long run I'll be thankful for not gaining so much. But I still have 4 weeks to go too.

Baby's heartbeat at last visit: At my NST yesterday everything looked great. His heartbeat gets as high at 160 - 164 then drops and goes back up, just like he's exercising!

Maternity Clothes: Heck yes! And I've been wearing Tom's t-shirts while lounging around the house and they seem to be getting tighter.

Gender: Boy - Cooper Thomas Hillebrand (I love saying that name)

Movement: Oh my yes, it's getting pretty intense too, if I sit up in my chair and lean over while working, he doesn't like that, he kicks me until I sit back in my chair. This boy is already ordering me around!

Sleep: I'm not sure how to answer this, good and bad. A few night a week I seem to wake up to go to the bathroom and can't fall back asleep then other nights I wake up more often to go to the bathroom and I can fall right back asleep. I don't know, it's so confusing! But I can't seem to go longer than 4 hours with out having to get up or move from side to side. Speaking of sleeping on my side - it sucks! I'm so ready to be able to lay on my stomach again. My hips will start to get sore and I just have to roll over to the other side. OK I'm exhausted talking about it.

What I miss: My breathe! I always seem to be out of breath. I think this will start to get better, the more I read that's what I'm seeing. But the other day I walked up the steps, one flight, at work and I was exhausted. Then last night Tom and I went for a walk and I couldn't even make it to where we normally walk to. I'm so ready to be able to exercise again and get my strength back.

Cravings: Not really, but I seem to be hungry all the time and can't figure out what I want. I did break down and have a chocolate shake last Friday! Oh and I had a glass of milk with dinner last night. Those are the 2 most things I miss.

Symptoms: Oh my feet have ballooned out! My calf muscles are super tight and I feel like my feet are burning. I'm not liking this because there is so much to do before the baby comes. And it's really getting harder to take my wedding ring off :( Also I've been having some lower back pains on my right side usually from doing to much around the house or something. I just really need take it easy. My husband is always yelling at me to just sit down and relax!

Best moment this week: My baby shower! It was the most amazing thing I've been apart of and it was all for me and our baby. Him and I are truly blessed to have the most amazing family. And with all the goodies we got from the shower I spent all day Sunday going through it all and washing some of the clothes so that will be already when he comes.

Looking forward to: I'm adding this because I do have a lot to look forward to. I just booked a massage for Tom and I for this coming weekend, even though we have lots to do around the house I think we need this time for ourselves as well, the basement is not quite ready so we can't move a whole lot yet so I'm taking advantage of some free time and getting a massage. I really need my legs and back massaged.And one other thing I look forward to everyday is going home to see the progress on our basement. I will take pictures tonight or tomorrow and show you the progress. I don't think it's going to be much longer!

Just a few random pictures:

Here is what part of our living room looks like! LOL

See my hangover chair? I was sitting in it the other day, love to put my feet up and have the heat on my back. I just had to move a few things.

And the temperature yesterday, this was a reading from inside my car, it was absolutely beautiful out. I love when I can feel the warmth of the wind and that's what it was like yesterday!
I'm so ready for spring!

Baby Shower!

Saturday was my baby shower and words don't even begin to describe all the details both my sister-in-laws put into this event. It was way beyond my expectations and something that should be on display for everyone to see and be a part of. I'm still in awe at everything, from the moment I walked into the place till I went to bed that night. It was something out of a fairy tale or something you see on TV that you just wouldn't think it would ever be you, well it was all about me and Cooper.

Here are just a few pics of the day.

Me walking into the room!

 

 

 

 

Little Inara, she's the best baby and everyone wanted a piece of her. 

And here are some random pics of everyone at there tables.

 Kristi explaining to everyone that 3 years ago we were all in the same building across the room for my wedding shower and the room we were in for my baby shower was where our wedding reception was. Crazy how time flies!

Taylor was my big helper, she kept things moving!

 

Again, it was the most amazing baby shower I have ever seen or ever been to and I can't believe it was mine! Kristi and Stephanie, like I said before, words can not describe how blown away I was. I'm so glad you both are a part of my life. I love you two and thanks SO SO much!