The Pampered Mama Giveaway and The Birth Survey

Nothing like waiting until the last minute which I love to do. During the month of September any mama that's given birth in the past 3 years is eligible to win this prize. Or, if you blog about it! I could really use the massage and gift certificate to PF Changs!!

Once I give birth I'll fill out the birth survey. I don't know much about the BirthNetwork NWA, but I do know that they are big advocates for a natural and satisfying birth. It's also a place for women to get information about doctors, hospitals and maternity care.

Check it out if you are here in NWA! And, if you read this post by this afternoon sign up for the giveaway :) www.birthnetworknwa.org

37 week appointment

The Group B strep was negative, yay! No antibiotics during delivery :)
Lost 1/2 pound.
Baby was at -3 station last week. He won't check me again until I'm in labor.
I'm starting to get antsy and excited now!!!!

My body is starting to ache all the time now. It was just at night and now it's constant. My knee has been really hurting lately and I know it's cooler weather and weight gain starting to take a toll. Plus the fact that I have a 75 year old's knee. UGH

The floors are still drying. Blake will check them this afternoon to see if he can do polyurethane tonight. I guess the cold at night and the high humidity is causing them to dry slower.

Today is a surprise shower for Blake at work. Grace, his nurse, is throwing a diaper and wipes shower. She asked me to make cookies. It will be fun and it's always nice to surprise him with something because usually I blurt out the news or he figures that something is up. :)

Car Seat Inspection

I got the car seat inspected today by Corporal Christman with the Fayetteville Police Department. Our car seat was not installed correctly and he said the majority of car seats aren't installed correctly. Since our cars are older than the 2002 models we don't have the latch system, which can make the installation a little more difficult. We're good to go now :)

I only have 3 doctor's appointments left!! I can't believe it. Time has just flown by (except the last 3 weeks)!

YAY!!

The floors are stained and almost dry. Blake says the polyurethane will be the easiest part of the project and he can start that tomorrow, hopefully. If the floors still need to dry some more he will wait until Tuesday. We're both so ready to get the house back in order. It is hard to be so disorganized!!!!

Prayer

There are handful of people in our life right now that are having health problems. Not just colds or the flu, but serious problems that could be life or death. Please pray for them and remember to be thankful for each morning we wake up with our good health.

36 week appointment

Today I had the Group B strep test. Hopefully it comes back negative. I have been taking the probiotics everyday, so we will see if they worked! I am not dilated, but I'm 70% effaced which is normal for this stage. I really don't want to have this baby early because we are not ready. See the picture? This is how we live right now :)



Blake had to use wood filler on parts of the floor, tomorrow he will do another fine sanding, and then it is time to stain. I didn't realize all the little stages of this.

My cousin Rachel and I are due very close together. She is due Oct. 18th. I'm glad we got a preggo picture together because we didn't get one at the shower. She's such a cute pregnant lady!!

Bedroom Update

Blake has been sanding all day with the drum sander and now all he has left is some hand sanding. He thinks that by Monday or Tuesday he can start staining and then putting on the polyurethane. Each of these last steps take several days to dry. We are in the home stretch of getting it finished! He has done such a great job and the room looks completely different. I can't wait to post before and after pictures.

Right now I don't have any of the baby stuff washed. I don't have anywhere to put it until we move the furniture back in the bedroom. Hopefully, Blake can finish the bedroom and the baby won't come early!

Not feeling so good....

It seems like I'm having more pressure and pain in my back and pelvis lately. My sciatic nerve is killing and I wake up gagging on my own vomit caused by the acid reflux which in turn makes me throw up.

That's my complaint for the day. Last night I told Blake (as I was lying on the bed in pain) "I haaaate being pregnant!!!!!" His wise words, "Let me get this recorded for the future."

Thorne Family Luau!!

The Thorne Family Luau was so much fun! The whole family that was there pitched in. The theme was so cute and we had a great time just being together as family. We got lots of great gifts for Gavin. Thank you everyone for making it so special for us. The food was delicious..lots of yummy appetizers, burgers, punch and cake!! It was fun to announce his name to people that didn't know what we were naming him. I kept it a surprise as long as possible, hah!

Birth "Preferences"

Dr. Crownover said that everything looked good on the birth plan. Of course, this is all contingent on a normal and uncomplicated delivery. It is also flexible in the fact that I know I can change my mind at anytime :)
Our plan is to stay at home until 6 or 7 cm's if everything is going well. I want to be at the hospital as little as possible!!

.....................................................................................................................................................
I would like to be able to give birth in any position. (Dr. C discussed at our last appointment a good position that works with gravity. There is also a squatting bar at the hospital that Blake is in charge of making sure it is available, clean, and easily accessible! Apparently it was stuck in a closet last time Janessa was there as a doula.)

Dr. Crownover and I have discussed and he understands that I do not want an episiotomy or an IV. I understand that I will be required to have a hep lock.

I have decided before hand to not have an epidural. My request is that pain medications are not offered. (Blake knows my code word and if I use it then I'm serious--I want drugs!)

It is important to me to have access to liquids. (I'll be eating at home when labor first starts for energy and drinking water, gatorade, juice..whatever sounds good. No ice chips for me, please!)

Please keep the lights dim.

I do not wish to have the amniotic membrane ruptured artificially unless signs of fetal distress require internal monitoring.

I want to follow my body’s lead on when to push and not be instructed when and how.

Please wait until I am ready to receive baby before handing him to me. I would like to unbutton my labor gown before receiving him.(They will wipe him down before I get him)

I would like the cord to be cut after it has stopped pulsing.

I’d like to wait for spontaneous expulsion of the placenta instead of being administered pitocin or have it pulled out.

I’d like to see the placenta and have it explained to me by Janessa. (I might change my mind on this one--I might be too grossed out!)

I am open to pain management after labor if needed. (Yes, definitely!)

Baby:

I would like to breastfeed immediately.

Please leave the baby with us at least 30 minutes to an hour before his cleanup/bath so that we can bond.

Blake and I would like to give the baby his first bath in our room. (We need to ask this question on the hospital tour--if they don't allow it in the room we'll just do it in the nursery together. I know that they allow that. If I'm unable to go with Blake, then he will give the baby his first bath.)

We do not want pacifiers, sugar water or formula offered to the baby.

Please hold off of the eye ointment and the Vitamin K shot for as long as possible, preferably at the end of the alert time.

We would like to circumcise on the eighth day and not at the hospital.

We plan on having vaccinations at a later date.

Baby Shower pictures!

My feet hurt...

Ok, so I haven't had a chance to post pictures from the baby shower and I haven't had a chance to write about the Luau either or post those pictures (except to Facebook). It has been non-stop here for 2.5 weeks. I have had one day off to just lay around and do nothing and that day I slept most of the day. Between 2 baby showers, family in town, cooking 5 batches of chicken spaghetti (20 hours!!!), dealing with the plumbing situation, to our yard sale tomorrow, spa getaway this weekend with Crystal, shopping in Tulsa sunday afternoon/evening for the rest of the baby stuff..I just haven't had time in forever to update the blog. Next week I start to slow down (except finishing the painting and getting our bedroom back to normal after Blake does the floors), but for the next 4 weekends we are doing something or going somewhere..well, then the baby is here! hah! So, our plans might change if he decides to make an early appearance.
So, next week I really do plan on posting about the amazing pictures and writing about the fun Luau!

33 weeks pregnant on Blake's 33rd birthday!!!

Happy Birthday sweetie! I know you had to spend most of your day digging up the sewer line, but I hope that the last half of your day made for a good birthday! You are an amazing and wonderful husband and soon-to-be daddy. I am thankful every day that God gave me such an awesome friend to be married to. Love you bunches!

Baby Shower!!!!!

I had an awesome baby shower last Saturday...Crystal and Cindy did an amazing job decorating, the food was so good, the cake was delicious, the flowers were pretty..I couldn't have asked for anything more. My photographer friend took the pictures and I will get those back on Sunday so I will post pics then.
Thanks to Shivaun and Sarah for their contributions too! Everyone made the day so special for me and the baby.

It was great to have my closest friends there. I felt very supported and loved. Blake's mom invited some of her friends and I really enjoyed seeing them again too.

We got lots of goodies. Practical gifts and several things that are just cute--but useful!

Grandma T had her 85th birthday party so we got to see several family members that were visiting from out of town. We had a good time and it's always sad when people have to leave!!

Blake has been working diligently on the room...we then encountered ANOTHER plumbing problem, so he started digging up the line. Fun Fun.

We graduated our childbirth class, hah! It was a really wonderful class and I feel like we learned a lot about all kinds of topics. From hospital procedures to breathing, breastfeeding to comfort measures during labor. We met other couples and we're all ready for our reunion class to meet each other's babies!

Next post: Pictures from the baby shower!! And, the family Luau/cookout/babyshower next weeekend.