The furniture saga continues

This week Robb and I have started working on our nursery. On Monday, Robb moved all the major pieces of furniture out of the room. Monday evening we transferred a lot of books from the floor to the new bookshelf position. Tuesday we had to go to Wal-Mart and buy a new 5-shelf book self so we could actually fit all our books on a shelf instead of double stacking and having some lay on the floor. So Tuesday evening we hunkered down and put it together (which is a big accomplishment for us). After the shelves were together there was more book moving. Finally the room was semi-clean for me to vacuum. Last night we decided to put our new baby furniture together. We decided we would start with the crib because it looked the easiest and was the most exciting. Things were great as we were unpacking the pieces. The dark wood looked beautiful! I was so excited and then Robb handed me one of the main end pieces and the top part was cracked in two. Grrrrr....so we decided we need to contact Burlington and get a new crib. I'm not accepting a brand new crib that has a broken pieces that is the main part of the crib. So that was a let down. However we didn't let that little set back knock us down. We moved straight to the dresser. While the crib said no tools required the dresser required a hammer and screwdriver. We dived in organizing the numbered pieces and alphabetizing the other parts. I would say the whole process took 2 hours with the break we took. We had a few bumps along the way (crafty people we are not) but the dresser is together and it looks very nice. We are confident that it will hold the baby's clothes and will allow us a place to change the baby safely.



So we will see what happenes with getting a new crib or piece for the crib. I really wanted to get that room set and ready but that will have to wait.

Happy New Year's to everyone!

3rd Trimester!

Hello 28 weeks! We are now done with the 2nd trimester and coming into the home stretch. However I feel like I've been pregnant forever and can't imagine I'm only 2/3 done. I am enjoying the total experience.

Christmas is over and it was wonderful! We spent 3 days in Franklin County with my family. Robb is wonderful and continues to make me very happy. Christmas Eve we played for the Antioch CoB Christmas Eve service. Then on Christmas morning Robb and I woke up at 5:30am and went to the barn to help my dad milk. This is becoming our Christmas tradition. It is always helpful to have a few more hands to get the milking done faster.

Robb also did very well in the present department. He got me 4 30 minute prenatal massages. Also the massage therapist office is very close to my midwifes office so I can schedule massages after I have a check up. I am very much looking forward to using these! Robb got everything he had on his list: toaster and a golf lesson. He also got other golf accessories and some Pampered Chef products that he likes. We had a great Christmas.

The day after Christmas Robb took me shopping at the Motherhood Maternity store in Roanoke. I got several lovely sweaters and a vest to wear in this cold weather. He was a great help in the fashion department!

Now we look towards New Year's, birthing class, baby showers, setting up the nursery and so much more. March 21st will be here soon!

Another good Appointment

Yesterday Robb, baby Shipp and I had another appointment with our midwife group. We met the 3rd midwife in the practice, Nancy. She was rather nice and as Robb said he wouldn't mind if she delivered us. While the main appointment was quick and precise there were a lot of other things happening. Since Robb and I didn't have any questions Nancy measured my belly which is normal for 27 weeks and then listened to the baby's heartbeat (in the 150 range).

My appointment was at 1:30 but we got there early because I was doing my glucose tolerance test. With this test, I had to drink this sugary version of orange soda rather quickly and then an hour later they took a blood sample. The tech who took my blood said no news is good news. If I pass this test I don't have gestational diabetes but if I fail that doesn't mean I do have it. If I fail I have to go to the hospital and take a longer glucose tolerance test that is more precise. So hopefully we don't hear anything. While our appointment was quick Robb and I had to sit around for quite a bit waiting on this test.

After my blood was drawn I had my RhoGam shot. I have O negative blood (yes the RedCross is calling me all the time) and Robb has A positive blood. So this baby has the possibility of either having positive or negative blood. If the baby's blood is positive that could cause my body to develop antibodies to attack this baby or the next pregnancy that I have. We don't want that so this RhoGam shot is to stop the formation of antibodies against this positive blood that might get in my system. Let me say I get stuck with needles quite a bit. During college I sold my plasma and that was a stick 2 times a week. I got my H1N1 shot earlier this year and it wasn't a big deal. This RhoGam shot hurt! The needle prick wasn't bad but the actually injection burned and there was a lot of it so it took some time. Oh well....its what had to be done!

So now we are heading into the 3rd trimester and we will be seeing the midwife every 2 weeks. I think that will make this last 3rd of the pregnancy go much faster!

Welcome to a Winer Wonderland!

We are starting 27 weeks and I just looked at the little countdown and it says 90 days until due date! That is crazy!!!! Really when I say March 21st it seems so far away, but when you actually count the days 90 doesn't seem like that much. However I'm thinking its probably more like 98 or something like. This baby is going to be late....well it would work out better if it was a little late. Lets say not before March 26th!

This past weekend we had a lovely covering of snow. Robb thinks we didn't get nearly as much as they said we were suppose to. However he did a great job keeping our porch and walk way clear. He was very worried that we might be snowed in and then have to get to the hospital rather quickly. So he was very diligent with the snow removal. We have a lovely path from our front door to the end of our driveway (where our cars are parked). He is going to be such a good daddy!

As for the baby, the books say the eyes may now be open. The lungs are developing and getting ready to take that first breath once born. And the ears have finished developing. The baby should be 2lbs.+ but we will see.

We have another appointment tomorrow. I get to partake in the glucose tolerance test. I am feeling this test will go fine. Then we also have our regular appointment. We are meeting yet another one of the midwives in the practice. There are only 4 but we want to meet them all seeing as any one of them will be delivering us in March. I am heading into my 3rd trimester which means more frequent appointments. That will probably help the time go by quicker.

We are looking forward to another wonderful Christmas at the farm! Now if I can my Christmas shopping done!

Date Night

Last night Robb took me on a date! It was wonderful! He picked me up at work and we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. After dinner we went to the mall and walked for a while and then went to the movies. We saw The Blind Side! Now this date is a big deal because we paid full price to see this movie. Lynchburg has a movie theatre that plays movies that are usually 2 months old and it cost $1 to get in. This is where we normally go. Sometimes we will see 2 movies in one day just because it is so cheap. So it is a rare occasion that we actually pay the $19 (that is what it is up to in Lynchburg) to see a new release movie. However I must say The Blind Side was great! It was a touching story told in a wonderful way and I really did feel good as we were leaving the mall. Last evening showed me especially how much Robb and I will have to work on being a couple once the baby is born. I don't want he and I to get lost in being parents. We talked about it on the ride home and feel we will both make a concerted effort to remember us as well as our family. It was a great night and we hope to repeat it many times before the end of March!

26 weeks with a side of cold

The weeks just keep rolling along. However this past weekend has been a mix of fun and not fun. I currently have a cold. Thursday I developed a sore throat. I took Friday off because it was painful to swallow. So I spent that day resting and recovering. By Friday afternoon I was feeling much better. Friday evening I traveled to my parents and I was feeling fine. Saturday morning my dad and I went to pick out and cut down my parents Christmas tree. We had a good time with this annual tradition. Saturday afternoon I went in to Roanoke and had my hair done and then attended Amy's reception (more to come on that)! Saturday night I went to bed and Sunday morning woke up feeling terrible again. I was very congested Sunday. Not really a sore throat but I couldn't breathe and it just wasn't fun. I tried to rest yesterday but sleeping isn't fun when laying down makes it harder to breathe. Now today I feel better but I have a slight cough and keep blowing my nose a lot. Hopefully I will be over this soon.

As for the baby.....not a lot new is going on. From this point on I think the baby's job is to get fat!

Now of to the fun party from Saturday! Amy & Dirk's reception was a wonderful time. Robb and I looked very dashing and had a great time eating and dancing! It was fun because there were a lot of people there that didn't know I was pregnant. So we got a lot of congratulations and what not. I didn't make it to the end of the party but I'm sure it was lovely til the end. The picture is of Robb and I as we are leaving.

Quick funny story. Before going to the party Robb and I stopped at another of my friends (Kelly) townhouses. She lives in Vinton very close to where the party was. Kelly was having a Christmas party that we were unable to attend. There were already some guests at Kelly's (girls I hadn't seen since college). One of the ladies asked me, "Are you going to get any bigger?" It was an ok question. Kelly is an OB nurse and told this girl yes I was going to get much bigger because I had another 15 weeks until I was due. We left and headed to the party. In the car Robb said, "You just scared that girl. She was looking at you and think that she was never going to get pregnant." We had a good laugh!

25 weeks and getting ready for Christmas!

I remember back in the summer my friend Amy was planning her wedding reception for December 12th. When she and I were looking at save the date cards I was barely pregnant. Very few people knew about this little baby. However Amy knew and had already sent me a pregnancy book. At that time I counted up the weeks and told her "I will be 25 weeks pregnant at your party." Thinking back on that it seems so long ago but at the same time when I made that statement I felt (at the time) 25 weeks would never get here. Well its here and the party is less than a week away. I have a party dress but need to find some shoes!

25 weeks means we are well over the half way mark. Only 15 weeks until full term. 15 weeks doesn't sound like that long when you think we've already been 25 weeks. However, March 21st sounds like a long way off. It is only Dec. 7th. Plus we have so much to do! Christmas, New Years, birthing class, baby showers, getting the nursery ready....and the list goes on and on!

Speaking of getting the nursery ready...my parents delivered our baby furniture this past Friday evening. We had a time with Burlington Coat Factory but everything worked out in the end. Its a beautiful convertible crib and dresser/changer. It is still in the boxes but once we get it up I will put up pictures.

Enjoy the picture of me in front of the Christmas tree!