How far along: 39 weeks
Weight gain/loss: Gained half a pound this week to put me at 14.5 pounds total.
Sleep: Not too bad, but I'm definitely not sleeping like I used to be able to!
Rings: On.
Showing: Yep!
Cravings: A couple random things this week- hotdogs and ice cream. I promise I'm not craving them at the same time though haha!
Gender: Girl.
Best Moment this Week: I had another dream of Madison! We were at home (well at my parent's house, not our house) and it was time for church. We had no clothes for Madison, but Eric was able to somehow find some. I got to see her big, brown beautiful eyes, and I was even able to breastfeed her! I hope I keep having these dreams with her.
On Thursday I had another doctor's appointment. I'm dilated to a one- woohoo! I know that doesn't really mean anything, but as the nurse practitioner said, it's better than not being dilated at all. I guess miss Madison is doing what she is supposed to be.
And can we talk about the weather this week- it has been perfect! I don't remember the last time it's been in the 70s in February, but I'm not complaining. At least I wasn't complaining until Friday, when it turned cold and rainy. I was pretty over the day. I've been having a harder and harder time as Madison's due date gets closer. There's so much unknown and to tell you all the truth, I'm completely terrified. I'm terrified that when the time comes, I won't be able to do it. I'm terrified that I won't get to spend as much time with Madison as I want to (because let's be honest, I'll never get to spend as much time with her as I want to). I'm terrified that nothing is going to go right. But then I looked outside. And I saw the most beautiful rainbow, a double rainbow even.
I have never needed a sign of God's everlasting love and eternal promise more than I needed it now. A promise that even though I am struggling now, I can place my hope and faith in Him and He will help me through it all. I guess that's why I picked my chalkboard verse this week. Now more than ever, I need to remember that he has it all under control, and because of that, I shouldn't fear. (Not saying that that will be easy, but I'm trying.)
Looking Forward To: It's getting harder and harder to think of something I'm looking forward to. I can't say that I'm looking forward to Madison being born, because that means that I will have to say goodbye to her. And I'm definitely not ready for that. But I am looking forward to meeting her, to telling her that I love her a million times, to memorizing every inch of her little body, and to be reminded of God's everlasting love.
How far along: 38 weeks
Weight gain/loss: I'm back up to gaining 14 pounds total- I'm really not sure where those 4 pounds went last week, because I don't think I actually lost 4 pounds last week and gained them back this past week.
Sleep: I slept really well this past week, even getting up all the time to go to the bathroom!
Rings: On.
Showing: Yep!
Cravings: Hmm, nothing really this week.
Gender: Girl.
Best Moment this Week: Well let me start with a moment I forgot to write about last week! Last Saturday I met with Laura, a woman who lost her first daughter shortly after she was born. Even though our losses are different, it's amazing how similar our emotions are and how we could talk for over an hour without any dead space in our conversation. Our conversation only reinforced an idea that I've had in my head for quite some time- a bereavement support group for moms (and dads) who've suffered a pregnancy or infant loss. In fact, on Wednesday of this week I met with Melissa Semple, a local professional counselor, to toss around that idea and what things would look like. I left that meeting feeling rejuvenated that this is something I really want to pursue. I'm not sure when I will be ready to get things up and running, but when I am, I will definitely let you all know!
Valentine's Day was this past week, but we never really celebrate it because my birthday is on the 17th. So I'll just talk about my birthday! I had a doctor's appointment Friday. Baby girl has a heartbeat of 125, and doctor said that things are looking good. After my appointment I met up with Ashley and two of my favorite kiddos for some ice cream. Ashley gave me the most beautiful present- a bracelet for Madison! She wrote in my card that once we become moms, it stops being about us and all about our babies- how true!
Eric and I enjoyed a nice dinner at Joe's and a relaxing evening cuddling on the couch watching a movie. Eric's present for me still isn't in yet, but I told him that Madison gave me the best gift of all-lots and lots of kicks and movement all day long. I couldn't have asked for a better present. On Saturday we went to Effingham to plan an adventure for this summer- an Alaskan cruise! I'm pretty dang excited about it! Then this morning I got to see Kaci for about an hour before she had a family breakfast. I'm so glad I was able to meet up with her in the short time she was home. This afternoon my Grandma Blievernicht stopped by for a bit. It was nice to catch up with her and show her the house and barn.
I was talking to Kendra and mentioned that I'm really starting to get overwhelmed with the idea that within the next 3 or so weeks, we will get to meet and then have to say goodbye to our sweet Madison. I get anxiety just thinking about it. Kendra sent me a Bible verse that I thought fit so perfectly, I used it on my chalkboard this week! Continue praying for strength for us as we get closer and closer to our due date.
Looking Forward To: No school tomorrow! I have another doctor's appointment on Thursday. And this weekend is my last weekend taking pictures until April.
How far along: 37 weeks
Weight gain/loss: So the scale at the doctor's office said I somehow lost four pounds since last week- there's no way that's true! Not sure what was different, but hopefully next week I'll have a more accurate reading.
Sleep: Can't get enough of it. Getting up all the time to go to the bathroom. Same old story.
Rings: On.
Showing: Yep!
Cravings: Salty salty salty. I might have stopped by McDonald's two times this week for fries (and a sweet tea) after work.
Gender: Girl.
Best Moment this Week: So many good moments this week! On Wednesday, I had an ultrasound and doctor's appointment. Eric's mom Theresa was able to come to the ultrasound to watch Madison hold her hands in front of her face the entire time- ha! Good golly she is such a stubborn baby. We did get some good pictures of her feet and her little hands curled up on her cheek. Little miss had a heartbeat of 135, and they tell me that she weighs 5 pounds 2 ounces! And we found out that she is head down, which is good. The ultrasound tech joked that if she was breech we would have probably gotten better pictures, but I think I'd rather have a head down baby, we can get real pictures once she's born.
After my appointment we went to visit Eric's Grandma Flood. It was so nice catching up with her! Then that night Eric and I met up with an old friend from high school, Nick Matson, and his wife. Nick is in the air force and is currently stationed in Germany. Needless to say it'd been ages since I'd seen him and we actually had time to talk. It was so good to catch up. Until you come home again, Nick!
I finally got our hospital bags packed. I think the biggest bag is for Madison! We have so many things to make keepsakes for her in there. Eric and I won't need much, so hopefully all of our stuff fits into the small shoulder bag that came with our luggage!
Looking Forward To: My birthday this week! I absolutely can't wait until my present from Eric comes in (he let me pick it out so I could get just what I wanted). Too bad it probably won't be in in time. But I can't wait to show you all what it is! And to make my birthday even better, I get to see Kaci and Ashley for some celebratory ice cream-yum!
How far along: 36 weeks
Weight gain/loss: Well I gained back the pound I lost and added another one! Up 14 pounds this week.
Sleep: I haven't slept well this past week. I've been up a ton to use the restroom, and then it seems like I've been waking up for every sound I hear (especially Eric's early alarms which I used to be able to sleep through).
Rings: On.
Showing: Yep!
Cravings: I feel like a broken record, but I've been craving drinks again this week. I drank over half of a big Gatorade on my way to work Thursday morning...
Gender: Girl.
Best Moment this Week: This past week started off on a bad foot. Monday I left work early because I wasn't feeling well. It wasn't long after I got home that my lunch came back up. I tried sleeping, taking little sips of water, a small bit of cracker, but I couldn't keep anything down. Eric stayed by my side as soon as he got off of work. He kept making me try to drink little sips of water and sprite, but nothing worked. Around 9, I was finally able to drink more and more water. But about a half hour later it all came back up again. Eric wasted no time and grabbed my shoes and a coat and took me into the ER. I got an IV of fluids and some Zofran to help with the nausea, then they sent me up to the OB floor to monitor Madison. I was having mild contractions, but they must have only been Braxton Hicks because after a few hours of monitoring me up there they sent me home. I think we got home a little after 4 in the morning. Luckily after I woke up the next morning I felt tons better. I took that day off work to recoup and get some strength back. Eric did go back to work, but he didn't get going until about 11. I'm still not sure what was wrong with me. They swabbed me for the flu, but never told me that I had it. I didn't have diarrhea either. I'm just thankful that I'm feeling better now and that Madison is doing ok.
I had a doctor's appointment on Thursday. Miss Madison's heartbeat is going steady in the 130's, and Dr. Haller said that everything is looking good. She even said that at my appointment next week they would give me an ultrasound so that we could see Madison again- how awesome is that!!
Then for a funny story: Thursday night Eric came to bed with songs playing on his phone. It was quite the interesting array of songs- John Legand's "All of Me", Seal's "Kiss from a Rose", Miley Cyrus' "7 Things", and ending with Soulja Boy's "Crank That". As Soulja Boy was playing, Eric starts tapping the rhythm of the dance moves, moving left and right across my stomach. He tells me he's "teaching her the dance moves" ha! I haven't laughed that hard for a while!
And then Friday night we are in the barn watching a movie. I'm laying on the couch on Eric's lap and I feel this pulsing in my lower stomach. I move Eric's hand there and ask if he can feel it, and he says that he can. It's way to rhythmic to be kicks, and it usually lasts longer than her kicks do too. I've felt it before, but always thought it was just a muscle twitch or something. We were talking about what it could be, and the idea of hiccups was brought up. After a little research, I've decided that it had to have been hiccups, which is a really good sign if they are! Hiccups mean that her lungs are working correctly and that she can swallow amniotic fluid, which hopefully means she will be able to swallow breast milk after she is born. Only time will tell!
Looking Forward To: Another ultrasound on Wednesday! Have I mentioned how much I love my OB?! I hope we get some more good pictures of our little miss.
