PKU Test - 6/3/201

PKU Test – 6/3/2010

 

Thursday we had to take Mason to get his PKU test. First we took Mason to see the ladies at my Dr’s office. They’ve been following our pregnancy journey and wanted to see him when he was born. Nate, Ty, Mason and I were walking into the office and we ran into Derek Holland (pitcher for Texas Rangers). The Sports Rehab is on the first floor of the entrance to my Dr’s office. Nate said “hey” to him and asked for an autograph. Holland said, “Sure if you need one” lol. The only piece of paper I had was Mason’s card envelope from the hospital. So, he signed that and put his baseball jersey #. I wish we would have gotten a picture of him with Mason, darn it. Nate showed him Mason and said, “Look, he is already representing” (he had on his Texas Ranger’s onesie). Holland said, “Oh that’s cool” then he shook Nate’s hand and Congratulated us and wished us well. Totally COOL! If you know us at all you know that we are the BIGGEST Ranger fans.

Derek Holland's Autograph and pics

We went up to see the ladies and they were soo happy to meet him. They fell in love with him (of course). They went on and on about how cute he is. Hey, it’s my blog and I am a proud mama!! Haha!

 

After visiting them a while and telling our story of Derek Holland we went upstairs to get his testing done. This was the not so fun part of the trip. Luckily we got a girl that wasn’t so bad. She did the test pretty fast and Mason only cried for a bit. Still, it crushed me. I hope this is the last blood draw we have to do for a while. I can’t take it.

After the appt we went to visit Nate’s Grandmother in GP. It was a nice visit. She gave Mason a porcelain piggy bank completely full. She gave me a diamond necklace and earrings. They are really pretty!!! And one of her friends made Mason a blanket and birp cloth. Mason is so loved!!! Makes my heart happy.

Then it was off to Lockheed Martin to visit Nate’s coworkers. Travis, Molly and Tam came out to meet our little guy! It was great to meet Molly and Tam.

 

Busy, but good day. Mason did so wonderful and is such a trooper.

We sure are blessed.

2nd Pedi Appt - 6/1/2010

2nd Pediatrician appt – 6/1/2010

Before our appt we took Mason to Nana’s school to meet all of her friends. So many ladies came to the office to see him. Made us so proud to hear all of them talking about how perfect he is. Of course we know that, but it’s nice to hear other’s say that as well. One of the male principals made the comment, “You know, there are some babies that aren’t that cute and you have to lie and say they are…but this one is really cute”. It was a nice compliment. Mason scored some more Texas Rangers gear from Carol!! We visited a bit and then had to leave for our appt.

Pedi appt - First they weighed our sweet boy and he was up to 7lbs 4oz. Made us so happy to hear/see that our baby boy was gaining his weight back. He measured 20 inches long. Dr Gold came in and immediately complimented on him and his accomplishments. She said that he wasn’t the least bit jaundice anymore. She could tell just by looking at him. She also complimented Nate and I for doing such a good job over the last several days with our feedings and knocking the jaundice out. She’s such a sweet lady! She checked his breathing and his circ and said both were great. Dr Gold said unless needed she didn’t have to see him back for 2 months. So, we will see her again on August 6th. It’s weird – August 6th seems so far away…

Feeding Mason @ Dr Gold's office

Mason, you had a friend born today – Easton Peterman. Congrats to the Petermans and their new bundle of joy!

The Petermans:

1st Pediatrician Appt - 5/28/2010

First Pediatrician appt – 5/28/2010

We took Mason to the Kid’s Doc because those are the dr’s that work at MCA hospital. Dr Moyaad did Mason’s circumcision and was aware of his jaundice. We got to the pedi office and checked in. We sat in the waiting room for a few minutes and I told Nate and his mom, I don’t think I want to come back here. It just wasn’t like any place in Waxahachie, which we are spoiled to.

They called us back and had us strip Mason down to his diaper to weigh him. He weighed 6 lbs 9oz, which is lower than when he left the hospital. He weighed 7lbs 2oz at birth, and 6lbs 13oz when we discharged the hospital. She measured him and his length was 19 ¾ inches long.

Dr Gold then came in to see Mason and my whole opinion about the place changed. I instantly fell in love with her. I just got a really good vibe, which Nate and his mom did as well. She was very kind, patient and thorough with us. She was concerned about Mason’s weight as were we. She said that he was not getting full from breast milk alone and suggested that we supplement formula. She gave us many samples and even a bottle so that we could feed him on the way home. I just wasn’t producing enough to fulfill Mason. It really broke my heart, but was out of my control. I just want the best for my baby boy. But at least he is getting some from me. That is better than none, right?!?

Dr Gold checked his jaundice and agreed with us that he was pretty yellow. She went ahead and advised us to take him straight to the hospital for a billy ribbon test. Not fun for a momma and daddy, but best that we check. I just hate that the test consists of poking his little foot and draining the blood out. Makes me sad to hear him cry. His test came back at a 13.1. It was a 9 Thursday morning and then a 12 before we checked out of the hospital. Dr Gold called us before we even left the hospital parking lot. She said that she wasn’t worried about it and just told us to watch him. If he got any more yellow in color and went into a deep sleep to where he wouldn’t even wake to eat then we needed to get to the hospital. (since it was Memorial Day weekend).

We really like Dr. Gold.

Waiting for Jaundice test -

1st Night @ Home - 5/27/2010

Our First Night @ Home – 5/27/2010

I wish I could say we had a great first night, but I would be lying. It was heartwrenching as new parents to be quite honest. Mason was not a happy camper from 11:00pm to 4am. We thought he had a stomach ache. He wouldn’t settle down for anything and kept crying. Nate and I tried every trick we knew of and absolutely nothing worked. Finally Nate called Nana (his mom) to come to our rescue. She came over around 3am and helped us with Mason. She finally got him to calm down and he started to sleep. Nate and I were sitting on the couch, exhausted out of our minds and dozing off. Nana made us to bed for a few hours. It was so hard to leave our little guy and go to the bedroom without him. But we knew it was in our best interest so that we could take care of him the next day. We slept from 4-7 and then I woke up to feed Mason. I went to the living room and got Mason and then nursed him and he went back to bed. We lied down for a couple more hours and then we were up for the day. Mason was a little fussy the next day. I called the pediatrician to make him an appt. It was mainly for his jaundice and a follow up appt. Dr Moyaad wasn’t in the office, but Dr Gold was able to get him in that day. So Nate, Nana and I got ready and loaded up to head to Arlington again.

Leaving the Hospital - 5/27/2010

Leaving the hospital – 5/27/2010

 

We were discharged from the hospital around 5ish on Thursday. Nate and I packed up all of our things and called for assistance. 2 Volunteers came to help us downstairs. One volunteer went with Nate and carried all of our bags on a cart to the truck. The other volunteer took Mason and I in the nursery to match up our bracelets and to take the alarm off Mason’s leg. They gave Mason and honorary Texas Rangers certificate, a hat and 4 free tickets to a game! I love that the Texas Rangers sponsor our hospital. After we left the nursery the volunteer wheeled Mason and I downstairs to Daddy, who was waiting with the truck. It was such an awesome sight to see Nate getting the truck ready and then loading our son in. Real world, here we come. The Halls – family of 4 now (including Diesel, of course). Mason was wide awake and so bright eyed. He liked riding in his carrier and looking around. It was a great ride home.

As soon as we pulled out of the hopsital parking lot the George Strait song, “Best Day of my Life” came on. It was absolutely perfect for our situation and we will never forget that. Of course I cried.

We got home to Nana, Papa and Uncle TY waiting on us – cameras and video cameras in hand!! It was a really nice homecoming.

Day 2/3 @ the hospital

Day 2 at the hospital was pretty smooth, with the exception that I lost about 70% of my vision. It was pretty scary and I was kind of freaked out. But apparently it was a side effect of the magnesium. It was very frustrating not being able to focus on my nurses or visitors. Our first visitor was Nate's Grandmother and shortly after his family came up. We had a lot of time with just us 3 earlier that day. I was still feeling pretty crummy from the magnesium, but enjoying every second of being with our son. He's the sweetest ever and I love him so very much! They finally took me off the magnesium around 2:30 or 3 because my blood pressure was stable. I was so relieved, even though it took hours to wear off. That evening we had several visitors. It was hard for me to visit because I couldn't focus on anything. It was late that evening before my vision came back. That night we let the nursery keep Mason and they brought him to me about every 3 hours when I needed to feed him. When they brought him to me at the 4:30 feeding I kept him with me. I knew that he was going to get circumsized that morning around 7 or 8. I just held him, stared and cried for those few hours. I was really worried about the circumcision. But, it went really well and the Dr said that he did good. My poor boy! We had him with us the rest of the day. We took a couple small naps throughout the day. Dr Greve came and saw us around lunch time and said that I was doing well enough to discharge the hospital. We just had to get approval from the pediatrician. We told the nurse and she called the dr. Our nurse said that he had a touch of jaundice. That morning he was at a 9 and before we checked out he was a 12. They gave us signs to watch for at home and procedures to follow. We finally left the hospital around 5ish. Mason did so great on the car ride home. He liked the carrier and looking around. It was the cutest sight ever! Daddy was really causious driving with his precious cargo!

Mason's Birth - 5/25/2010

5/25/2010

Tuesday we had our sonogram at 1:45 and our appt following it. The sonogram went well and Mason passed his BPP with flying colors. At the end of the sonogram she weighed him and it showed him to weigh 7lbs 9oz. This kind of concerned me because 3 weeks earlier he weighed 7lbs 8oz. Didn't seem right that he only gained 1oz in 3 weeks. We went to our appt and Dr Greve checked my cervix. I was dialated to a 2 and 75 percent effaced. He started to review my charts and made the comment, 7lbs 9oz, he wont be too big. I said, well I am concerned about that because he is only showing to gain 1 oz in 3 weeks. Dr Greve looked back at my charts and had a very concerned look on his face. He said, you are right. Not that I am too worried about it but still could be that his abdomen isn't growing, we need to get you delivered. He and my nurse Odessa left the room to call the hospital to see what they could set up. I started having anxiety thinking that in a very short time we would be meeting our baby boy. Nate was so excited, it showed across his face. My heart just about beat out of my chest. Dr Greve came in and said, we are going to get you admitted today. Odessa was setting everything up and would be back in with the instructions. Nate called his mom and she couldn't believe it. He had to tell her about 6 times that we were serious! haha! Odessa came back in about 15 minutes later. And around 3:30ish we were making our way to the hospital (opposite wing we were on). We had to get the truck and pull around to that side. We went to the registration desk and checked in and then headed upstairs to labor and delivery. They walked me straight to our room and within about 3 minutes I was in my gown and in the bed getting things started.  The nurse hooked me up to the contraction monitor and within minutes we noticed that I was already having contractions. Then she started my IVs and the pitocin on slow drip. Sometime around 5:30 or so my blood pressure started spiking. It kept getting higher and higher. They finally diagnosed me with pre-eclampsia. I started swelling all over. So they started me on magnesium to prevent seizures. That medicine is the devil, let me tell you. It makes you feel like you have the flu. I got a bad headache, nausea and felt like I was running fever. The next day I lost about 70% of my vision. I couldn't see anything that wasn't about 6-8 inches in front of my face. Made it really hard to focus on the nurses and visitors. Anyhow, back to the birth story. When they started the magnesium they also upped my pitocin to make things run faster. Wasn't long after that and the contractions started getting really strong and painful. I asked for an epidural around 6:30, but had to let my IV bag finish first. It was around 7:15 when they gave me an epidural. Our anesthesiologist was pretty awesome and let Nate watch the entire thing. He explained everything he was doing and what I would be feeling. And to my surprise, the epi didn't hurt at all. The IV in my arm hurt much worse. The epidural kicked in about 10 minutes later and I was feeling great!! My doctor was not on call that night, so Dr Phillips took care of me. At first I wasn't happy about it, but it turned out okay. Dr Phillips was great!! He broke my water around 8:00pm. And that didn't hurt either!! Yay! He also checked me at that point and I was dialated to a 4. The Dr didn't expect me to deliver before midnight. So I just layed back and tried to relax. We had visitors, so we hung out and watched the Ranger game and talked. Around 9:45 I started feeling the contractions again and extreme pressure down low. I told my nurse that I was feeling them and she called for more medicine in my epidural. I told her I thought it was time and she checked. I was dialated to a full 10, time to start pushing!!! We started pushing around 10:30ish and Mason was born at 11:29pm. And in that moment I laid my eyes on the most perfect baby ever! And it was at that time my life was changed forever. It was amazing and I was finally a MOMMY!!!!! They laid him on my chest and the tears started flowing! I couldn't believe he was finally here.

Recap

1:45 - sonogram

2:30 - ob appt

3:30-3:45 checked into hospital

4:15 - in room getting things started

5:00 - blood pressure spiked, diagnosed with pre-eclampsia

5:30 - started magnesium for the pre-eclampsia, upped the pitocin

7:15 - got epidural

8:00 - Dr broke my water

10:30 - started pushing

11:29 - Mason is HERE!!!!

Around 12:30am they let the family come in and visit for a bit. After they all left I nursed Mason for the first time. That was an amazing experience. He latched on quickly and did really well. They took him to the nursery around 3:30 am to get weighed, measured and then he had to stay a few hours for the testing. They brought him back to us around 7:30 am and he got to spend the majority of the day with us.

We are so in love with our son! And absolutely loving being a family of 3. God has truly blessed us.

Dr Appt - 39w5d

5/19/2010

Our sonogram and appt went well. Mason passed another BPP sonogram! Yay! His movements and heartbeat were great! My fluids measured about a 20, so that was good. Not too high and haven't increased, thank God!

The appt went well too. I had to do an NST test to track his movements for a period of time. Everything went well with that too. Dr Greve came in at one point and said, your due date is Friday - we need to talk about inducing. I said, "Tomorrow"? half joking/half not joking. He said, I'm on call tomorrow and we can do it then, if you want. I was like really? He said, well we need to check your cervix because if you're not dialating that will change things!! So I sat through 20 minutes of the NST wondering if I was going to have our son tomorrow. It was 20 minutes filled of anxiety and excitement. After the NST Dr Greve checked me and of course I hadn't dilated at all, nor effaced. Mason is too happy in mama's belly!!! So we sat down and discussed plans. He said if he were to induce me that week it was about a 70% change I would end up in a csection. So we opted to wait a few more days. As of right now the plan is another sonogram at 1:30 on Tuesday the 25th with an OB appt following. He will check to see if we've made any progress and then we will make our decision then. It's either trying the cervix softening medicine and then inducing, or scheduling a csection! Either way I am at peace with because I know the good Lord will be watching over us.

He's getting so big it's harder to see him! Turn your head to the right to see his face!

40 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

How far along: 40 weeks (as of 5/21)

Total weight gain/loss: 32lbs still

Maternity clothes: Yep, since about month 6!

Stretch marks: Same two that I had last week!!

Sleep: Trying to get as much as possible. :) I know it's just a matter of days before I forget what sleep is. But that's okay with me!

Best moment this week: Hearing Masons heartbeat, seeing him on the sonogram, and having somewhat of a plan in place!!

Movement: Mason is still very active. Although he's running out of room he is not letting that stop him! He makes room :) Most of the time I feel like he's pushing outwards against my backbone. You can feel his little booty and feet poking out of my belly at just about any given time of the day!! And as of this weekend, he has started to drop...so it's kind of different feeling the movements in my lower belly!!!

Food cravings: Mashed Potatoes, Gatorade, fruit, sandwiches.

Food aversions: Not really

Gender: Still a boy. :) Can't you tell by his stubborness? At this point we are 3 days past due!

Labor Signs: He's dropping!!!

Belly Button in or out: Flat and sometimes out!

What I miss: my ankles!!!

What I am looking forward to: Tuesday's appt. We'll get a better idea of when Mason will make his debut!! We have a sonogram at 1:30 and an appt at 2:00 pm. Afterwards we are going to Pinkberry for frozen yogurt/fruit. YUMMO!!!

Belly Pics:

40w3d

5/24/2010

Pregnancy

Saw this on another blog and loved every word of it.

"The two of us have covered much ground in this sacred dance we call pregnancy" - Angie Smith

We made it!!

Sweet Baby Mason,

Thank you for teaming up with Mommy and waiting a few extra days! Dr Greve is back into the grind and we are good to go now. So, whenever you are ready...so is Mommy!!!

Daddy and I are so anxious to meet you and have been finishing up last minute things for your arrival.

You are due in just 4 short days. Mommy can't wait to talk to the Dr on Wednesday to see our plans for the next few days. That is of course, unless you have other plans!

I love you baby boy!

39 Weeks

39 Weeks:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath

 

What baby looks like this week:

 

 

How far along: 39 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 32lbs (I think)

Maternity clothes: Yeppers!

Stretch marks: Same two that I had last week!!

Sleep: Yes please! Been blessed to have gotten a lot of sleep lately. Yay!

Best moment this week: Hearing Mason’s heartbeat, how I live for that precious sound and seeing him on the sonogram.

Movement: Yes, and I can tell how strong my sweet boy is getting. I have so much pressure every time he moves.

Food cravings: Mashed Potatoes, Gatorade, fruit, etc.

Food aversions: Not really

Gender: Still a boy. The sono tech is very good about showing me his “testicles” in every sonogram. Makes me giggle! LOL

Labor Signs: Contractions! Back pain!

Belly Button in or out: Flat and sometimes out!

What I miss: my ankles!!!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting our son, very very soon! Can’t wait for our appt on Wednesday! Hoping for great news.

{ Sonogram, OB Appt } 5/13/2010

Well, the biggest blessing is that Mason passed yet another BPP sonogram! Yay! Poor guy isn't even here yet, and he already has tests he has to pass each week. :) The sonogram went well, and I had my favorite tech Diana again. First of all she watched his breathing, moving and checked his heartrate - which were all perfect. Mason's heartrate a the time of the sono was 137bpm. Then she measured my fluids (which is the main reason we have weekly BPP sono's) and low and behold, my fluids were back up in the 21/22 range. A normal amniotic fluid range is 5-19. So, I am just above that normal range once again. This happened around month 6 I believe, my fluids spiked and so Dr Greve started scheduling me weekly BPP (Biophysical Profile) sonograms to keep a close eye on my fluids. They remained in the 21 range for about 5-6 weeks and then went down to the 17 range. They have been consistent in the 17ish area for several weeks until yesterday. So, Diana viewed my charts and made some notes for Dr Greve. She then started watching his breathing/movements again. She said that Mason has a good set of lungs (hallelujiah). That was great to hear! He passed everything, so she wasn't too worried about the fluids. Mason didn't seem to be affected by them. Which is a blessing! After about a 20 minute sonogram we were done and I got 4 fabulous pictures of his beautiful face and chubby cheeks!! (that are being squished right now) :)

Then it was time for the lab. I could tell my fluids were higher because it showed that I gained 4lbs in 1 week. That is usually not the case. For the last several weeks it's been 0, 1/2lb, or 1lb weight gain. So, with the extra fluids I am carrying, I showed to have gained 4lbs. Eeeekkkk! My urine came back good, though. Another blessing! Last week I had a little blood in my urine.

Then it was time for the appt. I only saw Odessa (my nurse) this week because Dr Greve is on vacation all this week. Kind of frustrating! Doctors shouldn't be allowed to vacation! Only kidding! Everyone deserves vacations - just not 1 week before my due date!!!! hee hee! My blood pressure was good and Mason's heartrate was in the 140s. Odessa looked over my files and scheduled me my appt for next week. She gave me signs to look for and said I should get to the hospital asap if I notice any of them.

I have to start counting contractions. If they are 5-7 minutes apart and last for an hour, it's time to head to MCA!!!!! Hello Reality!!!

Sonogram pictures:

Oh and in the sonogram Mason kept sticking his tongue out!! It was hilarious. But I hope he wasn't saying, nanananana, I'm gonna hang out in here for a few more weeks! :)

{ Mommy's Shadow }

38w1day

Can't wait for you to become Mommy's little shadow! (and Daddy's too)

{ Oklahoma bound, contractions galore! }

Sweet baby Mason,

Last Saturday (5/8/2010) your daddy and I rode with your Papa Jacky and Uncle T.Y. to Oklahoma to visit your Great Grandpa and some other relatives. We were also going to pick up your uncle Ty's new truck!! It was a great trip and nice to see everyone. However, around 9am Mommy started having contractions. They were very consistent and lasted through the next morning. The car ride home was very interesting because I couldn't get comfortable with the contractions. We thought we might get to meet you on Mother's Day...but you had other plans! Nothing progressed from there.

Mason - get ready to cruise around town with your Uncle TY in this awesome ride!!!

See those donkey's in the background, they're waiting to meet you too!!

Watch out ladies!!!

(I wish I would have taken pictures in Oklahoma, but I was too busy concentrating on the contractions)

{ NeNaw's Birthday }

Sweet baby Mason,

A couple weekends ago we went to lunch to celebrate your Great Grandma's birthday! It was such a great time. We visited at their house, and then headed over to Babe's Chicken in Cedar Hill. YUM! This is one of mommy and daddy's favorite restaurants. You and mommy had chicken strips, sweet corn, mashed potatoes and gravy and salad. I think you loved it just as much as mommy!!

Here are a couple pictures from the day:

All of us are very excited and anxious to meet you!!

{ 38 Weeks }

How Baby is Growing

Hey, your little one isn't so little anymore, weighing close to seven pounds and measuring 20 inches long. Fetal development is nearly complete as your baby tends to a few last-minute details like shedding the skin-protecting vernix and lanugo. He's also producing more surfactant, a substance that prevents the air sacs in his lungs from sticking to one another once he starts to breathe. Most of the changes this week are small but important: He’s continuing to add fat (so he can take advantage of all those photo ops by sporting a round, cute baby look!) and fine-tuning his brain and nervous system (so he can deal with all the stimulation that awaits him once he makes his entrance into the world).

Pregnancy So Far

How far along: 38 weeks (when I was supposed to post this. I’m only 6 days late, oops.)

Total weight gain/loss: 31 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yeppers

Stretch marks: Just two, both above the waist. One on each TaTa. haha

Sleep: Sleeping pretty good these last several days, with the exception of the frequent potty breaks. But it’s been easy to go back to sleep. Hubby got us a new memory foam mattress topper and it’s been LOVELY! Wish we would have gotten this oh say about 6 months ago. But better late than never. Glad I am getting some good rest these last final days! I’ll take all I can get.

Best moment this week: Sonogram for sure and finally getting to see Mason’s estimated weight!!! 7lbs 8oz as of Thursday 5/6/2010. Wow!!!

Movement: Oh yeah! And they are getting stronger and my belly kind of looks crazy with things poking out everywhere!!

Food cravings: Gatorade – G2 the orange one is a favorite, but any Gatorade really!

Food aversions: Some meats

Gender: Still a boy – don’t think that’s gonna change. Maybe I should just eliminate this question. ha

Labor Signs: Lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, pressure and lower back pain.

Belly Button in or out: Flat most of the time, but sometimes it pokes out. Mason must throw me and elbow every now and then.

What I miss: My ankles!!

What I am looking forward to: Tomorrow’s appt and sonogram! We’ll see if there’s been any progression. Yall wanna take bets?

38w1d Pictures

38w4d  Pictures

{ Dr Appt - 05/06/10 } 37w6d

This week was very different than the last 6 or 7 weeks - I had both my sonogram and my Dr appt in one day!!! It was nice to not have to split the appts up into two different days. I got next weeks appts for the same day too, SCORE!!

My sonogram was first. I got my favorite Sono Tech, Diana. She's young and very nice. When I got to her room she said, okay we are doing a BPP today. I told her that Dr Greve also wanted Mason to be weighed at 38 weeks and that I would be 38 weeks the next day! She said, "No problem, we can do that". My other sonogram tech wouldn't have done it. So, I was happy to have Diana. And hey, it was true. Dr Greve told me that in my last appt! So I wanted to make sure it was done. Not for my own curiosity, but for Dr Greve too! :)

She took care of the BPP first. Everything looked great. Mason was moving like he should be for his gestational age and his heartrate was great - 140bpm. And my fluids measured good and stable. Yay!! We got to see Mason's mouth moving. That was really awesome! I love seeing him move!!!

After all the calculations, Mason's estimated weight was 7lbs 8oz. WOW! We have a good sized boy already. But that's okay. Bring on the chunky!!!! As long as he is healthy is all that matters to us.

Sonogram pictures:

Love our sweet boy!!

37 weeks

How big is baby??

Weeks 37-Delivery (Month 9): Watermelon

Average size: 18.9-20.9 inches, 6.2-9.2 lb.

Full term! Baby's finally ready for the outside world...

Your Baby: Month 9

At week 37, your pregnancy is considered full term, meaning baby is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world… meaning careful refinement of the blink, suck, inhale and exhale. Meconium, which you’ll probably find in the first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines. If (okay, as) you worry about giving birth, consider what it’s like for the little one. During the journey out of your womb, baby will produce more stress hormones than any other time in life.

My Pregnancy so far...

How far along: 37w3d (didn’t get to post this on Friday)

 

Total weight gain/loss: Same, didn’t gain this week. Woo Hoo! I’m sure I won’t be able to celebrate this week, though. We ate too good over the weekend!

Maternity clothes: Same

Stretch marks: One, but it’s above the belly?!!? Hmm! Been coco-buttering the belly several times a day!

Sleep: I guess I slept pretty good over the weekend! Friday I got about 7 hours, Saturday I got around 8 hours, but then Hubbs and I took over a 3 hour nap on Sunday. It was much needed!!! Felt great too. And woke up just in time to watch the Rangers beat Seattle!! We swept em’ this series. Yay!

Best moment this week: Sonogram, getting to hear Mason’s heart rate.

Movement: Oh yeah! Saturday within the span of a few hours Mason flopped from my right side to my left side over 6 times!!! It was crazy feeling/watching him!! He really knows how to push that little butt out!!

Food cravings: Not really

Food aversions: Certain meats

Gender: Still a boy!

Labor Signs: Didn’t have many Braxton Hicks over the weekend. Yay!

Belly Button in or out: Flat, and sometimes sticks out a little. My sono tech said that Mason’s elbows get me right there at the belly button. So I guess when he elbows me it makes my belly button stick out. hahahahaha

What I miss: My ankles!!!!!!!!!!

What I am looking forward to: Sono/Dr appt this week (Thursday) and maternity pictures with the hubster!!!

36w6d - Dr Appt

Thursday was a really good and interesting day. I woke up in a great mood with Mason moving around like crazy. I got to my dr appt early and said hello to all of my friends up there, lol. Went to the lab and chatted with the tech for a bit. Didn't gain any weight, woo hoo!!! I was sure I had gained a few pounds or more. I went to the waiting room and naturally grab "Sports Illustrated" to read. I'm reading and out of the blue I hear, "Are you Nate's wife??" - I guess I was caught off guard because I looked up and said, "Nathan Hall?" lol! It was a co-worker of Nates. :) Small world! Not sure if the Sports Illustrated gave it away or what?!?! Kidding. Nate had told her that I would be there that day! And she reads this blog, so I guess knows what I look like! We chatted for a bit before Odessa called me back for my appt. It was nice to meet her, since I've heard Nate talk about her.

Odessa checked my blood pressure, which was good and measured my belly. I am measuring on schedule 36-37cm, 36w6d. Mason's heartrate was in the 140's which is also good! She said that both of my Group B tests came back negative, which was good, means no strept or bacteria. Yay! Then Dr Greve came in and said that my BPP (sono) from Tuesday looked great and that Mason is still doing good. He checked me, and no surprise to me, I hadn't dialated one bit. He said that Mason was a stubborn baby and "way up there". LOL! He's content in mama's belly! Which was fine with me. I'd rather him wait until closer to his due date!! But of course, I would be completely fine with whatever day/time Mason chooses!!

I got to work and we had a mini baby shower (there's only 3 of us total in my office, including me). They catered in Panera Bread and had a yummy strawberry boston cream cake. YUMMO! They also got Mason a Baby Einstein Exersaucer! Super cool. I know it will definitely come in handy before we know it. It was a really nice time and I am so thankful for such thoughtful people in our life!!