36 Weeks!!

I am officially 9 months pregnant!! Only 4 or so weeks left to go! I had my first weekly appointment today and things still look great. My doctor said that based on my progress, she doesn't think that the baby will be late! She also said that we wouldn't try to stop labor if it started at this point. She thinks the baby is big enough and I am far enough along to deliver a healthy baby. It is good to know that things are progressing, but it is crazy to think that the baby could come at anytime! The room is getting close to being finished, but there are definitely more things I want to get done before the baby comes. I was planning on getting the carpets in the house cleaned and other organizational things like that! I still need to pack the hospital bags and get the car seat installed in the car! I guess after the news today those sounds like a project for this weekend! Here is a belly picture from today for those of you who are interested. Sorry I have been so bad about taking them!!



Last weekend Matt and I attended our Childbirth Prep classes. I think we learned a lot! It was good to get an overview of our options and the decisions we have to make when the time comes. I don't think anyone can be completely prepared, but at least we kind of know what to expect. This weekend is my best friend Rachael's wedding (I'm the Matron of Honor!) and on Sunday we have a class on Newborn care. So it will be a busy weekend! We are really looking forward to the wedding and seeing lots of old friends. The baby needs to stay put at least until Monday and then it can come whenever it wants!! ;-)  Have a great weekend!!

32 weeks and Family baby shower!

Summer is here!! I am all checked out at Metzger and ready to enjoy the last 8 weeks of pregnancy! What a weird feeling to know I won't be back at Metzger this fall. I'm sure after the baby comes I will be so busy that I won't notice it as much, but right now I feel like I'm going to miss teaching a lot. It will be a year full of new adventures, I guess!

I had my 32 week appointment last week and everything is still looking great. The baby is measuring right on schedule and my iron levels are back up. I now have appointments every two weeks until the middle of July. Then they switch to every week. I have been having nerve pain in my right hip because the baby seems to like to stay on my right side most of the time. Some physical therapy and exercises help it a little, but there is no real relief until the baby is born. I have had a pretty easy pregnancy so far, so if this is as bad as it gets, I am very lucky!! This weekend it is supposed to be in the 90's here in Portland, so I may go enjoy my aunt's swimming pool! That should take a little pressure off as well!

Grandma Janet was in town this past week to attend a joint bridal/baby shower for my future sister-in-law Lauren and I thrown by 3 of my aunts! It was so nice that she could come out for a shower! The shower was amazing, I'll post some pictures and there are more on our photos page. Thanks everyone for your generosity and excitement for this baby! We really feel your love and support!

While Janet was here we also got a little more done in the baby's room. We got the pack & play and the swing set up, the clothes organized by size, and the valance (that Joni made, thanks Joni!!!) put up. I'll post some pictures of putting the swing together! It was quite a process!! We also had a great time shopping and hanging out! 

Time is flying by! I'm glad summer is here so I can have lots of time to get organized and ready for the baby. What a fun summer it will be!! 



Beautiful and delicious cake for Lauren and me!



Bride-to-be and Mom-to-be!!



Look at all those parts!! Cass wants to help!



Consulting the directions!!



Grandma Janet helping!



All ready for baby!!

Master's Degree and the end of school

June has arrived, and with it, the craziness that is the end of school. Field Trips, Field, Day, Report Cards, Kindergarten Celebration, End of the Year Parties and cleaning out my classroom all await me next week! I survived OMSI today with 109 Kindergartners! We all had a great time, but it wore me out. I'm glad it is the weekend so I have time to regroup before the craziness of next week! Tomorrow my mom and I are hosting a bridal shower for Rachael which will be fun. Other than that, I am hunkered down doing report cards!!

This past weekend was my own graduation ceremony from Lewis & Clark College. It was fairly anticlimactic because I was done with my coursework last summer, but it was still a good feeling of completion. Here are a couple pictures from Sunday:





In other news, my leave from teaching was approved by the district this past week. I am taking Maternity leave through December and then Personal leave through the end of the year. It will be great to stay home with the baby for her whole first year. And with my acquired sick days and disability leave, I will get pay and benefits through about December, which will be great! I'm glad it worked out, however I find myself wondering what I will do with all that time!! I'm sure, come August I will find SOMETHING to keep me busy! I will miss teaching though, and I plan on finding lots of time to volunteer and stay involved at Metzger and in the district.

My doctors appointment this past week went well. Baby's heartbeat sounded great. She is about 3 pounds and 16 or so inches long. She is measuring right at 30 weeks. It is hard to believe in 10 short weeks (or less!) she will be here with us! We have lots to do to get ready, so I guess it is a good thing it is almost summer vacation!

Well, think good thoughts for me surviving next week! It will be lots of work, but lots of fun as well. And it will be my last week of teaching for over a year! That is a crazy thought! ;-)

28 weeks

Wow! Can you believe it is the start of the third trimester?! I had my last monthly doctors visit on Monday. Now I move to appointments every two weeks! Time is flying by! I passed the 1 hour glucose test at my appointment on Monday (so no gestational diabetes! Whoo Hoo!), but they did find that I am anemic, so I have started taking iron supplements to counteract that. Other than that, everything else looks good. I heard the baby's heartbeat again. The doctor said something about having a loud baby because every time she listens to the heartbeat, it is right there and very loud! I took another belly picture tonight and posted it to the web album (Pregnancy Pics) if you want to see it. It is a little bigger than the last one! 

We had a nice trip out to Denver last week. It was great to see Matt's parents, his Uncle Jeff, and Aunt Sally, Scott, Lauren & John. It was a very sad occasion, but getting to spend time with family is always a good thing. We got to drive around and visit the different houses that Matt and his grandparents used to live in in Denver. I posted a few pictures on the Picasa website if you want to see them. I feel like I learned a lot about Matt's grandpa and what he meant to a lot of people. It was fun to have a glimpse into Matt's childhood!

Thank goodness for 3-day weekends! I am looking forward to enjoying the calm before the storm. Next week the countdown to the end of school begins. It will be a crazy, but fun couple of weeks!

First Shower!

Last weekend, the baby and I received a shower from the "Beach Mamas" and other neighbors on Pinebrook St! It was amazing! There was a book theme and everyone brought the baby some great children's books. The shower was hosted by the Pasteris girls, Rosemary, Julie and Karri. The food,games and company were all terrific. I will post more pictures to our album soon (I need to get some from mom's camera.) For now, here is one picture of me trying to figure out what flavor the baby food is!! 



We got so many amazing and thoughtful gifts. This is going to be one spoiled  little girl!!

In sad news, Matt's Grandpa Bob Hughart passed away on Sunday. We are headed to Denver tomorrow to attend the funeral. He was 84 years old and a great man. I'm so glad he was able to come out for our wedding in 2005 so I got the chance to meet him.  

I will post more when we get back!

Belly Picture!

Ok, ok!! Several of you out of town blog watchers have asked for a "belly shot" to see how the baby is growing!! I guess since I am 24 weeks along now, or 6 months, I should at least take a picture for you to see!! It is not a great photo, but you can see the little belly!! I feel her moving around a lot now. Matt has felt her as well! My next Dr. Appointment is Thursday. Enjoy the picture!!

Janet & Jim's visit!

This past week, Matt's parents were visiting from Houston. We had a great time! It was almost 80 degrees last weekend, so we went to Silver Creek Falls for a short hike. It was a beautiful day! I posted several pictures on our photo album if you want to see them. We also got a lot of stuff done in the baby's room. The grandparents put the crib together and helped us purchase a mattress and some sheets. I decided on a bedding and color scheme that I like. Here are some pictures of the crib put together and the bedding:



Proud Grandpa with the finished crib!



The final bedding choice!



The crib made with the new bedding.

 

Also, Amanda was nice enough to give us another ultrasound so Janet & Jim could see the baby! The baby was a little uncooperative. She was face down most of the time, making picture taking difficult!! We did get to see her sucking her thumb, but we didn't get a picture. Here are a couple god shots from the ultrasound:







A little hand up by the face!! Can you see the lips and eyes??!

All in all it was a busy but fun week! We are looking forward to Janet & Jim's next visit..... in August when we have a little one!! The months are flying by!!