Audrey Elizabeth Larson has arrived!

It's what we had been preparing for and waiting for the last 9 months. Audrey Elizabeth Larson came into this world on a Saturday morning, October 15, 2011, at 5:58a.m. She weighed 7lbs 6oz and was 20 inches long. She is a healthy and beautiful baby girl. To sum it up in one word... perfect. Here the story of the labor and delivery...

As you read in my 38-week update, I had a feeling that I was getting close to having Audrey. We had a really busy week, and I saw a lot of signs that it wasn't going to be much longer. Even though I wrote that I thought she might come soon and wondered if Audrey would come before my 39-week update, I was in denial about what was going to happen very soon. I was convinced throughout the whole pregnancy that I would go up to my due date, if not after. Well, Audrey had a different plan, didn't she?

Here is the whole story...

I worked all day on Friday, October 14th (9 days before me due date). We finished up the 2 remaining training sessions for our department and my boss "gave me her blessing" to have the baby since that was over. I have a feeling we will laugh about that timing for many years. Also, Carl had an important meeting/interview after work on Friday for a really good job with an engineering firm that he works alongside at O'Hare. I knew I had a little time after work before Carl got home so I went out to buy Carl an anniversary present (mind you, our anniversary was the day before on the 13th and I hadn't found what I was looking for yet). I went to a store in Orland Park, and as I was walking around, I just kept thinking "this baby is going to fall right out of me." If only it were that easy, right? ;) I really felt pressure in my pelvis, really low. She was getting heavy to carry around! I left the store very soon after getting there and just headed home. I felt "lazy" because I really wanted to show my appreciation for Carl and make sure our anniversary was "special" and not neglected this year. Especially this year because Carl has really been so supportive of me all throughout the pregnancy and as we prepared for Audrey to arrive.

So I went home and waited for Carl to get home.  I had the general feeling that I needed to go to the bathroom all the time.  I was nervous that I might be leaking amniotic fluid, even though I didn't feel like my water bag had ruptured.  When Carl got home, we he started making dinner.  It was shrimp tacos for us and black beans and rice.  Yummo!  Carl was filling me in on his interview, which went really well!  And I started to notice that my belly was getting kind tight and my back was hurting about every 10 minutes.  Time is about 6:45pm.  We commented on how much "space" I had between my boobs and my belly, which we just noticed for the first time on Friday.  Audrey had really dropped and was getting ready for her upcoming "journey".  We had talked about going to the hospital that night, even if my water hadn't broke, just to have them check me out and make sure I wasn't leaking amniotic fluid.  And then I said to Carl, "Scratch that.. let's go see Footloose". That's right, they made a remake of one of my favorite movies of all time and I really wanted to go see it.  I've heard really good things!  We laughed at that suggestion because I wouldn't make it but 20 minutes at a time before I have to go to the bathroom to pee.

Soon after that, dinner was finished and we made our plates and headed upstairs to the loft where we eat in front of the TV.  I finished one of my tacos and all of a sudden I felt a snap.  It was kind of like there was an elastic band around my uterus that snapped.  I said "Oh my God".  And Carl looked over at me and I explained what I felt and that I thought that was my water breaking.  There wasn't a huge gush of water or even a trickle, even when I stood up.  I walked over to the bathroom and sat on the toilet and all of a sudden... a huge gush of water.  I confirmed that my water had broken and Carl rushed around getting his things together for the hospital.  This was it.  Carl was excited.  I was apprehensive, and in denial still.  Time is 7:30pm.

As we were driving to the hospital, Carl was talkative, keeping my mind off of what was coming up.  We laughed and had a good time.  Once we got closer to the hospital, my contractions started to get more intense.  And they were coming about every 4 to 5 minutes.  Carl dropped me off at the main entrance to the hospital so I could head up to Labor & Delivery while he parked the car.  Time is 8:30pm.

Now, this is where everything started happening really fast and I just lost track of time.  That's good that I felt like everything happened pretty quickly, especially because I was in labor 10 and a half hours (between the time that my water broke and Audrey was born).  Apparently, there were a lot of babies born that Friday (the 14th) because they didn't even have an exam room ready where they could evaluate me before they transferred me to a birthing room.  They told me to wait in the waiting room.  I walked into the waiting room and didn't dare sit down.  My pants were soaked and I didn't want to ruin their couches (even if it was just water).  So I was pacing around the hallway and nurse's station.  We waited for an exam room to be cleaned and when it was finally ready, they told me to change into a gown and go to the bathroom before they hooked me up to the monitors and such.  I had this feeling that I just needed to have a bowel movement.  I was having some back labor, so I felt a lot of pressure in my lower back.  This was all happening and Audrey was coming that night or early the next morning.  I told Carl I didn't want to call our parents and let them know until the nurses confirmed that I was in labor.  Really?  Confirmed that I was in labor?  See, I was in denial.  While we were in the exam room, they hooked me up to a monitor that tracked Audrey's heartbeat as well as my contractions.  My contractions started coming about every 2-3 minutes while I was in the exam room.  And they were getting a lot more intense.  I remember counting the details in the wallpaper in the room to keep calm.  My body was doing what it needed to do, which is really great.  I am really thankful that I didn't have to be induced.  They talked about giving me pitocin to keep me moving along, but I really didn't want it until after I got my epidural.  In the exam room, they also confirmed that Audrey was head-down and told me I was between 2-3 centimeters dilated.  I had a ways to go yet.  Oh brother.

They transferred us to the birthing room where we were greeted by our nurse, Kathy.  She was really great.  As soon as we got to the room, she asked what my pain level was.  I told her the pain was about a 6 or 7.  She asked if I wanted the epidural now, and I quickly accepted.  She said if my pain was a 6 or 7 right now, we should get the epidural going because sometimes it can take awhile for the anesthesiologist to get there.  My contractions were intense.  I was really looking forward to the epidural.  And it was an immediate change when I got the epidural.  I was really quiet during contractions before the epidural, and I was so much more relaxed and a lot more talkative after the epidural.  They talk about feeling a poke and a burn with the epidural.  I didn't feel any of that.  I kept focusing on how much this would relieve the pain of the contractions.  They nurse told me that I must have a high tolerance for pain because I didn't even flinch when he put in the needle.  And I responded with, "Well, I thought I did until those I experienced those contractions."  We laughed.

After the epidural (I can't even tell you what time it is at this point... maybe around midnight?), Kathy told us to get some rest.  She told me I would need my strength and need to be rested when it comes time to push.  I thought I had the epidural so I would be fine!  We shut off the lights and tried to sleep.  Carl was sleeping on a little couch in the room, and I think he was able to really sleep for a couple hours.  I maybe slept on and off for about a half hour.  I was anxious and apparently intrigued by House Hunters on HGTV.  I couldn't sleep.  But I was really relaxed and didn't feel any pain.

At about 2:00am (October 15th), the resident came in to check my progress.  She looked at me and said I looked comfortable and didn't think I was very far along.  Then she checked me and said I was 7 cm dilated. She wanted to get a second opinion from a nurse because she didn't think that was possible.  The good news about the epidural was that it took away my pain, but I was still able to move my legs.  I certainly wouldn't have been able to walk, but I could at least move my legs which was good.  The nurse came in and confirmed that I was 7-8cm dilated and that my cervix was "squishy", which all means that I was ready to have a baby!  They called my doctor (Dr. Butler, who had just gone on call that night..another example of perfect timing!) to have her make her way to me.  She came in to see me about 3:30am and said that we were getting really close.  At 3:50am, Kathy and Dr. Butler had me do a couple preliminary pushes to see how the baby was moving down.  I was thinking that it was a cake walk having the epidural.  I didn't really feel much pressure, but everything was still moving along.  Yeah...

After 2 or 3 rounds of pushing, I wanted to sit up a little more in the bed so I put my hands behind me and pushed myself up.  I felt one of my cords or something pull out.  I told Kathy and she looked to see what it was.  Yup, it was the epidural.  I pulled out the epidural.  Not what I wanted to hear.  That epidural was my best friend during this process up until this point.  And I needed it.  I hadn't prepared to give birth without pain medication.  She said she couldn't insert the epidural catheter again because since it was pulled out, it wasn't sterile anymore.  She said the options were to have anesthesia redo it or not have the epidural the rest of the labor/delivery.  O.M.G.  I already was feeling some tingling in my legs and could feel a little more pressure with each contraction.  Could I really do this?  We decided we were going to push like hell and get this over with as quickly as possible and do it without the epidural.  So that's what we did.  Pushing was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.  They were telling me that every time I would push, Audrey would move further down; but then between contractions, Audrey would retract back a little bit.  That was not encouraging because I felt like I was really working really hard.  At about 5:45am, I asked Dr. Butler how close we were and told her to "reach in and pull that baby out... please".  So she made a decision to use the vacuum.  It's funny because during our birthing class, I decided I was against the forcepts and vacuum.  In the moment, I was a big fan of anything they could do to just get the baby out.  Seriously.  So after just a couple more rounds of pushing, Dr. Butler said "Abby, look at this. You don't want to miss seeing your baby being born."  I looked up and saw a full head of dark hair.  My baby was being born.  It was the biggest relief and a sight I will never forget.  How incredible that Audrey was here!  Carl cut the cord, then they took her away and we heard her crying and it was all very real.  Carl and I were parents.  She was here.  This is what we had been waiting for.  I was excited and overwhelmed with emotion.  The way I expressed it?  I looked at Carl and said, "Oh my God, it's over."  Really, it was just beginning, right?  The delivery is just the beginning of the true journey of raising Audrey.

Our little angel had arrived!

I'm so lucky to have Carl to go through this experience with.  I can't wait to raise Audrey with Carl.  He was such a great support to me during the pregnancy and during the labor and delivery.  He would remind me to breathe through the contractions, comfort me, give me massages where I was really feeling the pain.  He would just look me in the eyes and let me know how strong I was and that this pain was only temporary.  Carl is such a great person... someone I truly respect and admire and love.  He is going to be a great Daddy!

Funniest quote from Carl during the delivery... Between pretty intense contractions and pushes, I looked at Carl and said I didn't know if I could do this.  He looked at me with a straight face and said, "Abs, just think how many calories you're burning."  I don't think I laughed then, but we laugh really hard about it now.  He was trying to lighten the mood and make a joke.  I was thinking "F- the calories. F- a good workour. Get me out of this pain."  I think this Carl quote was the funniest not only of the delivery, but of the entire pregnancy.  What a funny guy!

We were in this birthing room only another hour or so.  They bathed Audrey (I will post pics soon), I got up to the bathroom, and I nursed her for the first time.

Amber was our first visitor.  I think the hospital workers thought she was a resident and they let her up to see us while we were still in the birthing room.  Visiting hours weren't until 12noon, but she was able to come see us at about 7am.  She was up early and so excited to meet Audrey!  Then, when we moved to the "post-partum room" Carl's parents and my parents came to visit and meet their granddaughter.  When they arrived, Audrey was down in the nursery.  They needed to get her blood type and the darn resident threw out the placenta.  Since they couldn't draw the cord blood, they had to stick Audrey and get her blood the hard way.  And this was important since my blood type is A negative.  If Audrey's blood type was positive, I needed to get another Rhogam shot.  Audrey was down in the nursery for about 3 hours while they tried to draw her blood.  It was really hard being away from her.  So strange to have just "met" her, but really miss her not being with us.  Carl took his parents and my parents down to the nursery to see Audrey.  They came back up to the room so excited!  We all couldn't wait until Audrey was in the room with us!

They finally brought her up to be with us.  The lactation consultant helped me while I fed her this time which was really helpful.  And then after Audrey was fed, everyone was able to hold her for the first time.  Early that afternoon, Ashley arrived at the hospital.  It was so nice having our family there... so supportive and so excited.

This was one of the best and most memorable days of my life.  Really, it is only comparable to our wedding day.  But it was just all different feelings, so I guess not at all comparable.  Both really exciting and life-changing days.

We are now a family of 3!

The newest Illini fan...

Speaking of the Illini, Oct 15th was the Ohio St game in Champaign.  Carl and his friends decided to sell their tickets kind of at the last minute.  I kept telling Carl I thought he was fine to go (see, I continued to think Audrey would come after her due date), but good thing he didn't!  And that's all I'll say about the game... we won't talk about the outcome.  ;)

Baby Shower in Tinley Park

September 18, 2011

I am so fortunate to have so many generous and caring people in my life.  Carl and I both are.  And the baby showers that were thrown for us (and Audrey!) prove just how thoughtful and generous our families and friends are.  My mother-in-law, Carl's Aunt Janet, and Joyce's good friend Kathy Moran threw us a shower in Tinley Park on September 18, 2011, for family and friends up in the Chicagoland area.  It was at the cutest restaurant called Isabella Cafe in downtown Tinley.  They had the best Italian food - so delicious!  This is the invitation and the menu:

Here is a picture of me (at 35-weeks) and the hosts:  Aunt Janet, me, Joyce, and Kathy 

Just check out all the little details.  So much work went into this shower.  They are a creative bunch!

Kathy Moran made this diaper cake.  Check it out.  Illini cap (that we are taking to the hospital with us for some of Audrey's first pics), a softball glove, softball bat going through the middle, socks, onesies, headbands, toys, even a cupcake ornament:

There were about 30 people total who attended, which is quite a turnout!  Carl and I both are so thankful and appreciative of all the gifts we received.  We really did get everything we needed from our registry plus some other really cute things.

Look at all these gifts!

I have many more pictures, but I'll leave you with just one more... Carl and me, the parents-to-be:

It was a Sunday in the Fall, the Bears played the New Orleans Saints hence Carl's jersey.  Unfortunately, the Bears lost.  

38 Weeks!

How far along:  38 weeks and 2 days (only 12 more days til my due date!!)
Size of baby:  My updates say she's 7 pounds and is as long as a leek (more than 19 1/2 inches head to heel).  My mom thinks she's going to end up being over 8 1/2 pounds.  We will see!
Total weight gain:  Last week at my 37 week checkup (I know, I didn't do a 37 week update!) I had gained a total of 39 pounds.  I just had my checkup tonight and I had lost about 1/10th of a pound from last week.  That's a sign that I'm getting ready to deliver soon!  I've had a couple signs actually.  It's going to happen pretty soon!
Maternity clothes:  I've packed my bag for the hospital so I have some of my comfy clothes packed in there.  Now I really feel like I don't have any clothes.  I'm just better off wearing dresses.  They changed the dress code at work to include "dressy jeans" Monday through Thursday... that's right, jeans every day of the week (we've always had casual Fridays).  But I'm still wearing my dresses.  I don't really like jeans these days!  Plus the weather's been really nice... and for a pregnant lady that means I am always hot and constantly sweaty.  So my dresses are the best option for me!
Gender:  GIRL
Movement:  I don't feel her moving around as much these days, but I do still feel her moving periodically throughout the day.  On Friday, I was pretty busy all day and that night I was thinking that I hadn't noticed her moving, so I sat down on the couch and really focused on her movements.  Amber stayed over that night after running a practice and a private lesson near our house.  I called her over to feel Audrey moving.  Amber really felt a lot of movements and she was amazed!  It was pretty cool.  Audrey was really rubbing and kicking around up near the top of my belly near my rib cage.  It was really strange for me, though, because every time Amber would feel it up top, I was getting a sharp pain down in my bladder.  She really is long in there and covers a lot of area!  Right now, as I type this, Audrey is putting on a show... getting her daily exercise I guess.  I feel her on the left side of my belly today.  This past week, it's all been on the right side.  She must have shifted a little bit.
Sleep:  Last night we had our tour of Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, where I will be delivering.  I swear, my advice to pregnant women is not to wait until you are 38 weeks to go on a hospital tour!  We were walking around the hospital for 90 minutes straight!  Seriously, way too much activity for me.  39 extra pounds is a lot to be carrying around for that long.  I was pretty grouchy when we got home because I was just exhausted!  It's also been a really busy week at work.  I'm training our department on a new software that we are going to start implementing.  There's a lot that goes into that, and it's been pretty stressful.  So, last night I was wiped out!  I climbed into bed and my back was just killing me, so it was a "2-extra-pillows night".  I had one pillow long-ways across the front of me wedged between my belly and the mattress and kind between my legs, just like always.  Then last night, I had a pillow behind my back, too.  It really helped take some pressure off my back and I slept pretty well.    I still get up at least 3 times a night to go to the bathroom.  Even Chief is used to it now... he doesn't even lift his head when I step over him in the bathroom.  He's lucky I still have my balance, otherwise he'd be crushed.  He sleeps either right in front of the toilet or across the doorway in the bathroom.
What I miss:  I feel like I'm nervous all the time.  I just want Audrey to be healthy.  I just want to know what's going on with my body and when exactly I will know that I am in labor.  I feel like I'm going crazy with this coming up so soon!  Carl's really nice and reassuring.  Everything will go really smooth with the labor and Audrey will be healthy.  I just have to keep believing that!  I'm healthy and she's been really healthy, and I'm just hoping it will stay that way.  I have been feeling really good, but yesterday and today have kicked my butt.  I'm feeling a lot more tired and uncomfortable.  Mom said to me on Sunday that I didn't look miserable, which is good.  But I've wondered how I've looked to other people yesterday and today.  This morning when I came into work, I'm pretty sure I looked pretty miserable.  I'm getting really ready!  I know I'm going to miss being pregnant and sometimes I'm not quite sure I want to give it up yet.  But other times, I can't wait to have Audrey here and not be pregnant.  Soon enough!
Cravings:  Gosh, I've been craving cinnamon rolls again.  What the heck?  That's like the 4th time during this pregnancy that I've said I've been craving cinnamon rolls.  And if I've only said it 4 times,  you know I've craved them even more than that!  :)
Symptoms:  So I've already said that I've seen some signs that labor is fast approaching.  One big thing...  ALERT:  This is going to be TMI, so read at your own risk.  Yesterday, I lost my mucus plug.  For some people, they go into labor within 24 hours of losing their mucus plus.  For others, it's more like 2-3 weeks.  So, who knows.  But things are moving and getting ready down there.  All that means is that my cervix is "ripening" (that sounds weird).  Basically, my body is preparing for everything to take place, so that's really good!  Also, I didn't gain any weight from last week, which they say happens near the end of pregnancy.  One of my friends at work told me today that I was flushed.  She referenced the malar flush (I think that's what she called it).  Apparently it means that you are going to give birth within the next couple days.  And to top all of that off, it's a full moon tonight, October 11, 2011.  Who knows when little Audrey will make her appearance!  And just another symptom that I have to mention is that my lower back has been killing me lately.  It's not lumbar back pain either, kinda in the middle of my lower back.  It's mainly on my right side, right near my kidneys.  I especially feel the pain when I need to go to the bathroom or have gas.  I know it's not back labor because it doesn't come and go, it's just there.  The doctor said that back pain is inevitable at this stage in the game.  The baby is big and growing, I weigh the most I've ever weighed before, and my center of gravity is majorly shifting.  And my back is carrying all of that load and pressure.
Best moment this week:  Carl and I are getting really excited.  Carl probably more than me only because I'm held back a little by fear of the unknown.  ;)  It's really crazy to think that our daughter will be here in 2 weeks, if not before.  We are so excited for our family to grow.  Our 4-year wedding anniversary is this Thursday, October 13th.  It's really crazy how much has changed in the last 4 years.  Those 4 years have just flown by.  They have been the best 4 years of my life... so far.  I have a feeling the upcoming years are going to be pretty interesting.  I keep thinking of the Alan Jackson song Remember When.  He sings:  Remember when the sound of little feet was music, we danced to week to week, brought back the love, we had trust, vowed we'd never give it up, remember when.  I can't wait to have little feet pitter-pattering across our house.  This past weekend, Keely and Chloe (16 months) came up from Indy to visit.  It was really fun having a little kid in the house.  She is a riot, so easy going and so happy and so curious.  I was fun to have them stay over. Chief really took to her, too.  He couldn't quit licking her.  Ha!  And then she would give him a run for his money and start chasing him, which was hilarious.  Also my parents and Grandpa Hahn came up for a quick visit on Sunday.  Mom and I went to Ikea and bought some more things for the nursery while Dad, Carl, and Grandpa stayed at home and watched baseball and football on TV.  Grandpa hadn't been up to our house yet, so that was neat that he got to come up and see a part of our life up here.  It's always so great having family around, especially when they don't live close by.

We are getting close!  What do you think my next post will be?  Do you think I'll have a 39-week update?  Or do you think it will be a Labor & Delivery update?  Only Audrey knows when she's going to be ready.  :)

36 Week Checkup

This week started my weekly doctor visits until Audrey is born. I was really looking forward to my appointment on Monday, but it didn't exactly go as planned.

Ever since Saturday, my right foot and ankle were MUCH more swollen than my left. So I asked the Doctor about it and she was very concerned because pregnant women are very susceptible to blood clots. She sent me to the hospital right away to get an ultrasound of my legs. She said it was probably just the way the baby is positioned in my pelvis, but she didn't want to take any chances. And I'm really appreciative of that. I was really nervous going to the hospital, but I felt better knowing that the baby is fine and healthy and they are not concerned about her at all.

We got to the hospital around 8pm. We had to wait a bit, but then they got me in for the ultrasound. I didn't really think about what was going to be involved, but the only way I can describe the ultrasound of my legs is "brutal". I know it probably doesn't compare to childbirth, but I feel like anything would have been better than this. Only because I am SO ticklish, the experience was really horrible. The ultrasound tech had to put pressure on my upper leg/groin area. Brutal. And when I say I'm ticklish, let me clarify that I am not a "Haha, that's ticklish" person (like it's cute and fun to be tickled); I am a kick-and-wince-in-pain-when-tickled type of person. I told Carl I would rather be stabbed than go through that again. I may be a little dramatic about this...I'm going to blame it on the pregnancy horomones. :)

We got the results right away and they were negative. My Doctor called the hospital on her cell and explained the results to me and that there was nothing to be concerned with. The baby is really just laying weird in there. I'm good with that. Relieved.

There was a lot of good news in the appointment...Audrey is head-down and I'm a "fingertip" dilated. People at work today were telling me that I look like I've dropped. But I don't believe them. I just need a couple more weeks.

And that's about it for all the drama this week. Well, unless you would call gaining 5 pounds in the past 2 weeks drama.  Yeah, that brings my weight gain up to 37. Oh Lord. How many calories do you burn while nursing? I'm going to need to jog WHILE nursing. Oh well. It will all be worth it in the next few weeks.

I really can't wait to meet this little girl!  ... in at least a couple weeks... :)

Week 35 Update

Today is September 23, 2011.  Baby Audrey is due to be born one month from today.  Yowzas!  I can't wait to meet that little girl.  And I know there's a lot that we want to get done before that happens.  Hopefully she waits until close to her due date to make her debut.  We want her to fully develop and take as much time as she needs to grow and develop.  I have a feeling this month will just fly by!


How far along:  35 weeks and 5 days
Size of baby:  She's 5 1/4 pounds now (the weight of a honeydew melon) and over 18 inches long
Total weight gain:  I weighed myself at the beginning of this week and I had gained 33.5 pounds total. 
Maternity clothes:  I hate wearing anything now besides yoga pants and dresses.  Seriously.  Today at work (for casual Friday), I didn't even wear jeans!  I'm wearing tights with a shirt-dress over it.  That's a first for me to pass up jeans.  Last week I joked that they needed to change it from "Jeans Friday" to "Workout pants Friday".  :)  By the way, speaking of work, they closed the bathrooms on my floor and the floor above me.  Closed them!  So I had to keep going downstairs to the lower level to go to the bathroom.  Seriously.  I feel like the bathroom already keeps getting farther and farther away now that I go so much, but now this is ridiculous!
Gender:  GIRL
Movement:  They say that the baby is now big enough to where she doesn't have as much room to move in my belly.  I still feel her a lot, but it's less flipping and flopping around and just more pressure from her kicking out or pushing out her butt. 
Sleep:  I've been tired at night and still fall asleep almost every night on the couch.  And I am still waking up about 2-3 times per night to go to the bathroom.  But I'm still feeling pretty comfy and can sleep pretty well. 
What I miss:  Diet Coke... I would chug a 2-liter right now if I could.  Yum!  I also miss wearing my wedding ring. :(  Last week, I was concerned because I would take it off at work without realizing it, and I was afraid I would lose it.  So last week on Friday, I wore a ring that we got on our Honeymoon.  It's a beautiful ring and I love it, but it's just too big for my left ring finger.  So this week, I've just been ring-less.  I did wear my wedding ring to our shower this past Sunday, but took it off immediately after.  I get claustrophobic so I know I will freak out if I get to the point where I wear the ring and it gets stuck on my finger!
Cravings:  Still craving a lot of carbs.  I think my fruit cravings have really subsided.  I've also been craving chocolate or another dessert/something sweet after I eat.  This includes lunch.  I haven't been giving in everyday, but I do crave it!  
Symptoms:  Yesterday, I was having low back pains.  I think it can be contributed to gas?  (TMI for the blog?? Oh well!)  I was just generally uncomfortable.  But I was wearing pants at work and you know how I despise wearing pants these days.  I also was still a little sore from walking on Wednesday night.  We walked 2 miles exactly, which is kind of weird that it was exact.  We just did one of our normal routes around our neighborhood.  I was wearing my support belt, but still I was really sore in my pelvis after the walk and much of the day yesterday.
Best moment this week:  Yesterday, our glider and ottoman were delivered!  Right now, they're sitting in the upstairs hallway because I still need to write thank you's for shower gifts and put the clothes and toys in the nursery away.  I hope to get a lot done tonight, but we'll see if that happens.  The shower this past Sunday was so much fun!  I will have a separate post with details about the shower.  It was in the cutest little restaurant and it was a lot of fun to see family and friends that I haven't seen in a long time.  And everyone was so generous!  Did I mention I still have to write thank you's and put away all those clothes and toys.  What a good problem to have.  :)  And this weekend, we have a big weekend.  Cynda's shower for her son, Colby due in December, is tomorrow down in Springfield.  I am riding down with Katie and Frank, then Carl's going to meet us at Cynda and Andy's later tomorrow night after the Illinois football game in Champaign.  This very well may be my last "trip" before the baby comes.  We'll see how I feel next weekend... I may be going down to Champaign for Homecoming, but that's still up in the air.  We really go down to Central Illinois a lot, don't we.  It's kinda crazy.  I wonder if having Audrey will keep us rooted more to our house?  I guess we'll see!
Best husband quote of the week:  I don't know that I have a specific quote, but I just have to give a big shout out to Carl for this week.  He has worked so much this week trying to get a lot of stuff off his plate at work so he can focus a little more on stuff around the house before Audrey comes.  He was up working until almost 3am on Monday night, past midnight on Tuesday night, then to be honest I just lost track.  I know the alarm's been going off before 5am every day and he's out the door headed to the office before 6am.  He had a really stressful week, but it will all pay off.  He's such a hard worker and so reliable at work.  He takes so much pride in the work he and his team does and that really shows.  I really believe that it will all get done... including the stuff around the house like installing car seats and finishing the closet doors in the nursery.  We still have 1 month, right?  (Maybe.)

Week 34 Update

How far along: 34 weeks (and 6 days)
Size of baby: She weighs as much as a cantaloupe, about 4.75 pounds. I definitely feel like she is taking up quite a bit of room in there!
Total weight gain: At the doctor on Tuesday, I had gained exactly 32 pounds since pre-pregnancy. I joked with the nurse and the doctor that I thought it was going to be much worse because of all the good food and extra helpings of cake I ate over my birthday weekend. And they both told me to live it up...this is the time to eat all the good food. Whew! What a relief...I am 4 pounds over the max of what my main doctor told me I should gain during the whole pregnancy. I think the main thing is that the weight gain has been steady and they're pleased that I'm healthy and so is the baby. That's the main thing!
Maternity clothes: I think I can probably take this question out of future updates...it's pretty clear that I am ONLY wearing maternity clothes these days. :)
Gender: GIRL
Movement: She's really been active this week. Especially when we were at the doctor's office. She was going nuts in the waiting roo, and Carl said when I laid back on the table so we could check the heartbeat (which was in the 140s by the way), he could see my belly moving. The doctor wants me to really pay attention to her activity because that's the only way she can communicate with us right now. I've read about "kick counts" and I asked if she wanted me to keep track to that extent. She said it wasn't necessary since she's so active, but if I notice that I haven't felt her in awhile, I need to sit down, relax, get something to drink, and really focus on her movements. I need to feel at least 3 kicks in an hour.
Sleep: I'm still sleeping pretty well at night. I'm very used to the frequent bathroom breaks by now, and I'm so lucky that I can fall asleep pretty much right away after getting back into bed. The weather has been AWESOME this past week. It's been really cool at night, so it's so cozy in our bed. I'm even sleeping witha sheet covering me this week. That didn't happen at all this summer! I did wake up about 5 this morning, not able to fall back asleep, but that's okay because I needed to write this blogpost anyway. :) I'm going to yoga at 8am, so I can probably sneak back to bed for a bit before then.
What I miss: Having a "normal-sized" bladder. I feel like the bathroom at work keeps getting farther and farther away.
Cravings: I had pretty specific cravings for my birthday brunch, which I think everyone would admit turned out to be a really good brunch (thanks to my Mom!)...coffee cake and soup. I also crave sushi quite often even though I can't have it and Diet Coke too.
Symptoms: Overall limited mobility and still bad heartburn. I did have a few meals this week with marinara sauce which is high in acidity, so that probably contributed. Also, for the past month or so, I've noticed that my right shoulder feels strained. It's really sore when I lift it over my head. My only guess is that it's from sleeping on my side. I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again!
Best moment this week: Yesterday, my department at work surprised me with a baby shower!!! My supervisor, Kathy Schwiesow, planned the whole thing for me and Sapna Wilbanks, who is a Supervisor in Education Services and due 3 weeks after me. It was so nice and it made me feel so special! I got a lot of great gifts...adorable clothes, onesies, socks, and toys. And the big groupmgift...the convertible car seat we registered for!  Everyone was so generous.  What a nice surprise!!  They're putting together a scrapbook with pictures and baby advice for me, so I'll add pics when I get that.  And I have another shower in Tinley Park on Sunday.  There will be a lot of people there including friends and a lot of Carl's family.  I cannot wait to see everyone!
Best husband quote of the week:  When we were at our checkup this week, I was asking the Doctor what she felt about me traveling down to Champaign at 37 weeks for the Homecoming Football game.  Ashley and her boyfriend and maybe Amber will be there tailgating and going to the game.  Sounds like fun! Bascially, she said, "I'm sure you'll be fine... but just so you know, you'll be full term at 37 weeks, and a lot of women have babies at 37 weeks."  We were laughing and joking that her son plays football and her son and husband would be mad at her if she told me that I couldn't go to the football.  She was funny!  Ultimately, she told me to see how I was feeling and go if I was comfortable with it.  So, when Carl and I got home, I brought it up and we were joking about it some more.  And Carl says, "Wait a minute, can we talk about this?  You might have a baby in 3 weeks??"  It was one of the funniest things ever.  It really hit him that this baby is going to come, and it could be soon.  I think he's thinking of all the things that we still need to get ready before she gets here.  Today (Saturday) is my baby clothes laundry day and organizing her room and her bathroom. I'm actually looking forward to washing her clothes and putting them in the closet and in her drawers.  I bet the only times you'll hear me say that are before she's born.  I anticipate that after she's born, I won't be able to keep up with the laundry.  :)  I do hope to keep her room and bathroom organized so she can grow up knowing that everything should have a place, but we'll see how that goes.

As a side note.... I just have to mention how much I really really like the Doctor I saw this week, Dr. Butler. She is in the same practice as my main Doctor and this is the second time I've seen her in a checkup. She is very thorough, makes me feel very comfortable, and just gives me time. I don't feel rushed in any way with her. And she has children, so she has been through this process as a patient so she knows what her patients are going through. I hope that thei on-call schedule works out so that she delivers our baby. For future, I want to switch to her permanently, but for now it all just depends on when I have appointments and who's on call or in the office at that time. Dr. Butler is awesome!

Oh, and today is September 17th... 5 years ago today, Carl took me to the Morton Arboretum in Lisle (near where I lived) and asked me to be his wife.  It was the easiest decision I ever made to say yes.  And now look at us, planning for our growing family.  Love it!

My 29th Birthday Weekend Celebration

This past weekend, I celebrated my 29th birthday.  It was a really really fun weekend!  It was a busy weekend, but really that's all we have these days.  :)

Saturday, I met some friends down in Champaign for the University of Illinois football game.  These were girls that I went to college with and their husbands/fiances/boyfriends.  We all were in the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority together and lived together in the house Sophomore and Junior year.  Junior year, we all lived in what came to be known as "the hallway" in the house.

From Left to Right:  Kelly (Roberts) Kroening, Kates (Gleason) Wenzel, Lindsey (Boyer) Graff, Laura (Carson) Smith, Me (and Audrey), Casey Parsons, Lisa Kellogg.  We were missing 2 members of "the hallway":  Nicole Haase and Mandy (Thompson) Vaughan

 A lot of us got together for Lindsey's wedding back in December 2009, but this was the first time all of us girls have all been together since college!  We had tickets to the game...Illinois won by the way by A LOT.  They played South Dakota State.  I think the final score was 56-3 Illinois.  But staying true to our college days, we left at halftime to go tailgate.  :)  C'mon, it was something like 35-0, so we stayed for the halftime performance (including the 3-in-1, even though there is no Chief anymore) and then walked over to the lot to tailgate.  It was so fun to hear what everyone is up to these days.  Although, since Facebook, we can really stay up on each other's lives even if we don't get to see each other that much.  But we also had so much fun just sitting around and telling stories.  I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!  I also was just so impressed by everyone's significant other.  This really is a good group of girls, and everyone's husband/fiance is so cool, such good guys.  Love this group!  By the way, I'm wearing Carl's shirt in the above picture.  All of my Illinois shirts are belly shirts on me now.  :)

Sunday (Sept 11th) was my actual birthday.  And I tell ya, it was a packed day!  I stayed at my parents house on Saturday night, so when I woke up on Sunday, Mom was already in the kitchen cooking/baking for my birthday meal.  Earlier in the week, Mom asked what I wanted to eat on Sunday... if I wanted to eat out or have her make something.  I really wanted her to make something, but I couldn't make up my mind as to what exactly I wanted.  So, on Friday I emailed her and said I couldn't decide and that she would have to decide for me... I felt like both cinnamon rolls/coffee cake and Zuppa Toscana.  She emailed me back saying "We can do brunch, we'll make it work!"  And that's exactly what she did.  It was the best!  She made an Italian Sausage Quiche (soooo good!), Coffee Cake (my fave!), Zuppa Toscana (the best soup ever!), and fresh fruit.  It really was the perfect brunch.  But of course we stuffed ourselves so full.  And that wasn't it... Mom made homemade cake just for me.  It was just like Portillo's Chocolate Cake!  I can't even describe how rich and moist and delicious this cake was.  The most perfect birthday ever!  And Mom and Dad were so generous and got me PJs and a nice robe (Juicy Couture!) that I can wear at the hospital after I have Audrey.  Love!  

Note:  My birthday, 9/11/11, was the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in NYC.  As we were eating brunch, we were watching the live broadcast from the Today Show on Tuesday, 9/11/01.  I didn't really watch the live broadcasts much on the morning of the attacks 10 years ago.  Not to say that I ignored what had happened and I didn't respect the victims, their families, and the service men/women who proved to be heroes that day... it was just hard for me to deal with because it was my birthday.  It was really bizarre watching 10 years later, knowing what was going to happen, and listening for Matt Lauer and Katie Couric's reactions.  Ok, enough of that... back to the birthday celebration details.    

That afternoon, I drove home and was greeted by Carl and Chief who both gave me a big happy birthday greeting!  Carl had my presents sitting out.  All I asked for was a case for my Kindle, but there were a couple packages on the counter.  First, before I get into that, I have to mention the card that Carl gave me.  It was the most touching card ever.  He made me cry.. like really cry!  The card itself was very meaningful, and then what he wrote it in was so touching.  He of course wished me a happy birthday and thanked me for giving him the greatest gift in the world.  Aw!  Seriously meant so much to me.  And at the same time, I feel like Audrey is the greatest gift in the world he could have given me.  So, I opened the first package and it was in fact a case for my Kindle... perfect!  Then, I opened the 2nd package.  It was a case for something I couldn't quite tell, then I big box.  I opened the box and revealed a Lenovo Ideapad Tablet!!!!  It is a tablet similar to the iPad but with an Android-operating system.  Here is a pic of it from Amazon:

I love it!  I can play Words with Friends, check my email, check Facebook, read the blogs I follow, etc. all from my couch!  Love!  I love it so much I told Carl that we can just cancel my smartphone data package because I really don't need it anymore.  And good timing with this present because the screen on my Droid (cell phone) broke this weekend.  He really spoiled me this year.  Oh my!

Then, Sunday night, we went to dinner with Carl's parents, sister, and his Grandma and Grandpa Bockelmann.  We went to White Fence Farm for fried chicken dinner.  It was delicious!  They had these corn fritters that tasted like cake donuts, the best fried chicken, and really good mashed potatoes.  Then, we came back to our house and had more cake!  Carl went out and got a cake and candles for me.  How special!  Here is the obligatory picture of me blowing out the candles:

Notice the Portillo's cake (that my Mom made) on the table.  Everyone loved both cakes!  Oh, and more gifts!  (Did I mention that I'm spoiled??)  Carl and Joyce gave me a much appreciated gift certificate to Mario Tricoci for a pedicure or some type of service after Audrey comes.  And they said babysitting is included!  Time to myself - yeah!  And Jennifer got me an Amazon gift card, which is perfect so I can purchase books for my Kindle.  I anticipate being up late at night needing to keep awake while I feed the baby.  She joked that she didn't really know what to get me because normally she gets me clothes.  Ha - I told her it was a good choice not to go with clothes this year!  :)

And that sums up my wonderful birthday weekend...or should I say marathon-eating weekend.  But it's always that way the weekend before I have my doctor's checkup.  I wouldn't trade this weekend for anything.  Even though I was exhausted and I still (on Tuesday) have mad "cankles".  

Thank you to everyone who made me feel so special.  29 is really going to be a great year.