Swollen and not moving

Oh goodness am I swollen. I cannot imagine women who go through July and August in Tennessee. How in the world do you do it? I do not even recognize my feet.

Are you kidding me? Total cankles (is that how you spell it? is it actually a word?) Anyways, I think you see what I mean. I had a few people who see me regularly tell me that I looked like I had dropped and I had a lot of pressure the past few days so I thought for sure he had done something, but no! Dr. Macey does not think this guy is coming on his own. He actually went ahead and scheduled a c-section for Monday, April 18th if something does not happen before then. He has scheduled the c-section because he is so big and I am not progressing at all, which with that combination does not make for a good induction and 9  out of 10 times when they do induce someone like me, it turns into a c-section he says. I guess we will see? I am trying to coax him out. I think Casey actually likes the idea of the scheduled c-section. A guy he works with, his wife had two scheduled c-sections and he has convinced Casey that is the way to go. Plus Casey likes the idea of not having to wonder if this is it, the drama and the waiting that comes along with a vaginal unscheduled birth. I am not sure how I feel? except I just want him to be healthy, which Casey wants too, don't get me wrong, but the scheduled c-section sounds like a better option he thinks. So I am just trusting that whatever happens is what is meant to be. I go back next Tuesday, April 5 for the 3rd of my weekly visits. Guess we will see what is going on with him then. It really is hard to believe that no matter what happens, in 17 days (at the latest) our little guy will be here! How exciting!!

Cole, please drop!

So I went for my appointment yesterday, which was the first of my weekly visits. At my last visit he checked me and said Cole had not dropped any and usually they have already (at least a little), but we will just wait and see in two weeks, which was yesterday's appointment, and nothing! Apparently Cole likes his home up high and does not want to drop. I have a little over three weeks left so he still can drop, but Dr. Macey seemed sceptical that he would if he has not moved at all yet. So what does that mean? That means that Cole may not come on his own and Dr. Macey is not going to take me early just because he is big and he is out of town the week I am due, so he said we would schedule a c-section for April 18th and we would have a 10 or 11 lb baby!!! Are you kidding me? I thought I was going to cry. Mainly because I have hit that stage of I am over being pregnant, I am big, uncomfortable, swelling and just exhausted. So he is saying another month!?! Holy Moly! So please pray that Cole decides to drop. I talk to him all the time and tell him he needs to go to the light. When he is kicking I tell him to kick a little harder and break my water! Well, whatever happens will be fine. I am in good hands and I trust that whatever happens is meant to be.

On a fun note...I had a baby shower at church for Cole. It was so wonderful. I have been blessed with so many wonderful people in my life who came out and celebrated Cole's arrival with me. It could not have been any nicer. The hostess' did a wonderful job and it was just great. I had a lot of friends and family come out and share in the celebration. It is fun to see how much this little guy is loved already :)

The wonderful hostess'
Mrs. Cindy, Anna, Me, Jana, Cathey Brown, Mrs. Donna, and Delana

The table and set up at the church

The diaper cake made by Delana

Some of the wonderful girls from my Sunday school class.
Jana, Cara, Me, Lynda, Rachel and Tonya

The wonderful gifts we got from everyone :)

Mom and I (and Cole :)

Me and my big ole belly!

Alabama Baby shower at 35 weeks

Julie and I

I went down to Alabama this past weekend for a baby shower. It was so much fun! The girls really did too much. I was completely spoiled and overwhelmed with everything, but it really was wonderful. We got lots of great stuff for Cole and I was able to see friends that I have not seen in a while. It was very special. A huge thank you to Julie, Shea, Elizabeth, Whitney and Amber, you guys are the BEST!

The invitation

The table with the cute diaper cake made by Angie

Opening gifts!

Whitney, Me, Julie and Amber
I forgot to take a group picture of the wonderful ladies who did all of this for me. So we are minus Shea and Elizabeth :( I obviously remembered after the shower, notice our change of clothes! :)

Ultra Sound at 34 weeks

So today was my ultra sound since I was measuring big last time, which it seems like I say that every time I go to the doctor. Anyways, it is always fun to see him. You could tell that he was a little chubby thing :) His little profile was so cute and she didn't even take a picture of it for us :(  she thought she did and then after she was done, she felt bad that she had not. He was measuring on the ultra sound around 36 and 36 1/2 weeks, which was 6 1/2 pounds. At 34 weeks he should be almost 5 pounds. The ultra sound technician was laughing and saying things like "Look at that belly, look at those cheeks! oh it looks like he has a lot of hair. She said he was already storing up his baby fat in the belly and she said his cheeks looked like a squirrel saving up for winter with nuts in his cheeks". It was fun to watch him. After she saw how big he was-she said "you are all belly girl". That was nice to hear since everyone tells me how huge I am all the time. Now I can say I have a reason, I have a big boy in me!
It gets a little more real every time we see him. The doctor said I look great and so does Cole. He was head down with a heart beat of 144. The technician said he would most likely stay in that position since he is so big. He is running out of room to move around. We are on his time, but I am really hoping he decides to come on his own around 37 or 38 weeks. I really want to try and have him naturally and if he goes full term and continues to grow the way he is that is not looking possible. Dr. Macey has already mentioned C-section could be a possibility, which I guess it always is, but he said as long as he is ok and I am ok, he will not induce just because the ultra sound is saying he is big. I guess we will just have to wait and see. I go back in two weeks, March 21st. Then I will go every week after that appointment. Whoo Hoo!!! I can't believe how close it all is; it is a little overwhelming. Something you have wanted and prayed so long for to be happening is just an amazing feeling. We truly have been blessed.
Look at this cute little outfit we got for him...

Cole is ready for KK's, Friend Shower and College Friends

KK is my mom's name, well that is what she has come up with for Cole to call her. I just had to share (I wish I had pictures). My mom's 3rd grade class had a grandmother shower for her. Yes, a grandmother shower. She called me a few weeks back and asked me if I had ever heard of one, I had not, but the idea was great. She has a great class with the sweetest parents. One of the mothers hosted the shower at her house. The whole class was invited, but only one boy was there (his mom is the one who hosted, so he was stuck:). All the girls came with their mothers and a few grandmothers even came. It was so sweet! We had punch, pettifor cakes (my favorite cake ever), fruit, cookies and nuts. Then it was time to open gifts! She got the perfect variety of things that she would need. I sat their as she opened all the presents and forgot to take pictures, not even one. I was so disappointed. It was just the sweetest thing. She got diapers, wipes, shampoo, lotion, sippy cups, a diaper bag (monogrammed with KK on it), some onesies, a gown to sleep in, hooded baby towels, a little baby seat with tray to sit in chair for him to eat at, a tummy play mate, a photo album, a frame, an infant seat, and a grandma bracelet she can gave monogrammed with his name and birth date after he arrives. She was over the moon with joy! It was so fun to see her so excited. So now Cole is ready to go to KK's, which she announced to everyone at the shower she had her first baby sitting gig. I have been asked to speak at a conference, so I asked her if she could watch Cole for a few hours on June 2nd while I go speak, of course she said yes. I will tell you one thing, my mom is SO excited for this little guy to come. I love seeing her so excited!

Onesies from Natalie, of course some Arkansas ones! :)

I also had some friends from college come in for a mini-baby shower. It was so nice. It was really great to just seem them and get to spend time together. It really meant  a lot, especially with everyone's busy schedules. They all came to Nashville and we celebrated Cole and Kyndal (Nneka is pregnant and due about two weeks behind me). Here are a few pictures of the showers...

The yummy strawberry cake Angela brought for the shower.

Cute basket of goodies from Angela. The bib says "Chicks Dig Me"

Heather, Me, Jennifer
Nneka, Natalie, and Angela
The pregnant or nursing moms!
Something we realized after we all got together.

Everyone who came to the friend shower.

This was a friend shower that my dear friends (Lisa, Beth, Mrs. Purkey) and family (Pam) gave me. It was beautiful and so sweet.

February 21st appointment

So I have been going ever two weeks since about 26 weeks because Cole has been measuring so big. So I was not surprised when Dr. Macey measured me and then walked over to my chart and said "have we already done a weight measurement ultra sound of you?" I said yes, I had one at 28 weeks. He said, oh yeah, I see...and he was measuring big then too, I think we need to schedule another ultra sound. I laughed and asked what did I measured? he said "I don't want to tell you" and I said come on, I am sure it will not surprise me since he has been big the whole time; then he said almost 36 weeks. Now for some that may be shocking, but my big guy has been measuring big since they started measuring me at 23 weeks.
Everything was good with me (weight, sugar level, blood presure, etc...). Cole's heart rate was 135, which is the lowest it has ever been. Dr. Macey said it was good. I said why is it so low? he said it is not low, but it is lower than it has been because this is the biggest he has ever been. The heart rate goes down the bigger the baby gets. So I go back in two weeks, March 8th, for my next appointment and an ultra sound to see about how big he is now.
He is kicking like crazy as I type, he must know I am talking/typing about him! :)
I am getting brave...here is a picture of the bare belly!!!!

The front view...

...and from the side

9 weeks and 3 days....left!!!

Can you believe it? That sounds so crazy. Well, that is until his due date, I guess he could come sooner! I am now going to the doctor every two weeks. I had an appointment this afternoon. Basically you come in for them to check your weight, blood pressure, urine (sugar level), listen to baby's heart rate, measure you, check for swelling and ask how you are feeling. We checked out good :) Cole's heart rate was 152, I measured 33 weeks and everything else was in the normal/good range. The only issue I have been having is heart burn, which I have had everyday for the last two weeks. Ugh! I have had heart burn and acid reflux a few times during my pregnancy, actually heart burn was one of my first symptoms, but didn't realize what it was until Casey told me. This is very common and typical for third trimester women. There does not seem to be an end in sight until delivery. On what to expect it says "the muscle at the top of the stomach that usually prevents digestive acids from splashing up into the esophagus relaxes, allowing digestive juices to back up.That's the burning sensation you feel when heart burn strikes." So apparently that is what is happening to me. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat, which I am not a spicy food person anyways. Oh well, I will just continue with the Tums and Maalox.
So if you did the math, I am still measuring big, but only about 2 weeks now. I asked Dr. Macey about that today. I asked him when 38 weeks came did he see them inducing me? He paused and said there is a lot that goes into deciding what to do. Things like is my cervix thinning already, have I dilated any? how much effaced is he? Basically we just have to wait and see, but for right now he is not planning on doing anything to me as long as everything is going well. It is very exciting being in the home stretch. I cannot wait to see him. He is a busy little man these days. He moves all the time. It is a very strange and amazing thing to experience. It blows Casey's mind every time he feels him. We are excited and praying for everything to go smooth for whenever this little guy does decide to come. I will keep you updated as my visits are more frequent :) Here is a picture of me being silly showing you how big my belly is getting.