30 Weeks

Dear Baby G,

Not a lot has happened this last week. I have spent a lot of time in my classroom, and in the evenings, your daddy has come up there with me. I finally have all of my things organized and put away. That was no small task!! My bulletin boards are finished and you can finally see the wood on the top of my desk! Your daddy has been busy cleaning the kitchens for me, as that is not something I can do yet. This is proving to be a long process, though, as we (by we, I mean he) are only finished with one of the three. Hopefully a couple more nights will be all it takes! After that is finished, we will start painting. And again, this is something I can't do, but your daddy graciously offered to do it for me. Meanwhile, I am going to start working on lesson plans for my long-term sub. That will definitely not be exciting, although the reason I am doing it is exciting!

I feel like you have doubled in size recently! I'm sure you haven't, but it sure feels like it. You have some strange sleeping patterns just like I do right now. I definitely need to work on getting back in a routine, because I only have 6 weeks left until school starts. That doesn't even seem possible! Then, two weeks after school starts, you will make your arrival! I have more clothes to wash and put away, and I'm pretty sure you will have to change clothes about five times a day to have a shot at wearing all of them!

We are anxious to see how much you have grown when we go to the doctor Monday. We are also praying to see no fluid or dialation. We still have 8 weeks to hear that news, but hearing it next week would be wonderful! We are also ready to leave Friday and ready for the 4th of July. It hardly seems possible to me that we will meet you in less than 2 months, but we are ready!

Love,
Mommy

How your baby's growing:
Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

29 Weeks

Dear Baby G,

We've been pretty busy this week, but it made the week go fast! It seems hard to believe that we are just 9 weeks away from meeting you. We are excited and ready! We still have a few little things to finish before the time comes. We did get the new window put in your room. We went ahead and did it now so that we don't have to make a mess and worry about it after you are here. Now if all the other windows in the house were already changed out, that would be amazing! I know it will get finished soon, though!

We go to the doctor today. Two doctors actually. I am hoping to get some answers about my abnormal liver function tests. I will also have more labwork done. After three years of being a pin cushion, I can actually say that it doesn't phase me anymore. Having labwork done is just a part of life for me I guess. I am a little anxious about getting my IV started when you are born. We have been told that most likely the anesthesiologist will have to start it for me. I was blessed (ha!) with deep, uncooperative veins. I know it will all work out and in the grand scheme of things, the IV is just a minor blimp.

This is a big week for your daddy and I. Friday is our 5th wedding anniversary.



We have been through a lot of challenges in five years, some that a lot of people don't have to face until a lot later in life. When we got married we were both still in college and we were young, but we were in love and knew what we wanted. Five years later we have both finished college, your daddy has a career that he loves and I will be teaching in my "dream" position this fall. Has it been easy? Not all the time, but it has been worth it. He was my strength when I literally and physically had none, and although that is under control now, he is still my strength. He only wants what is best for he and I, and now you too. He's not afraid to stand up for his beliefs or make tough decisions with our best interests at heart.

Originally we were going to go on a big trip for this anniversary, but after a year, you finally changed those plans! So, we were then going to go on a short trip this week for our anniversary. However, since we had all the complications come up, that can't happen either! So next week we will stay over the 4th of July and have some time away from home and then go to our doctor's appointment. I would gladly cancel any plans we had or have for you, as it is definitely worth it!

I can't wait for you to meet your daddy! You are already at the center of his universe and you have not even arrived yet! I know you will be blessed by him just as I have.

Love,
Mommy

How your baby's growing:
Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

28 Weeks

Dear Baby G,

Another week has come and gone! Yesterday's appointment was good, however the fluid is still in your kidney. We will continue to monitor this and pray that it is gone by the time you arrive. Speaking of the time you will arrive... we only have 10 weeks left!! Because of all of the different conditions, and due the the fact that we are 2 1/2 hours (on a good traffic day) away from the hospital, your delivery will be scheduled. And yesterday, our doctor told us for the last week of August. We don't know a specific date yet, but I do know that that is only 10 weeks away! That doesn't seem like much time at all!

Also, I can start doing "normal" things again. I do not have to be "resting" all day anymore! However, I still can't do anything too strenuous, or lift anything, or over-do anything. But it will be nice to have a little bit of freedom! You weighed 2 pounds, 14 ounces yesterday. You are still measuring two weeks ahead. Your heartrate was 140. Everything but your kidney looks perfect. Also, I took the one-hour glucose screening test again. After I drank the wonderful (yea right!) tasting drink, you went crazy! This created quite the challenge for our ultrasound as you would not stay still! I have been blessed with incredibly difficult veins, and the nurse was not able to get any blood from me. So... since I had already ingested the wonderful drink, they pricked my finger to do my test that way. My number was 97, and it needed to be under 135, so no repeating the test or worrying about that again!!

We got more pictures yesterday, but you were hiding your face the entire time with your arm! I rolled on my side to try to get you to move, but that did not work! Above this post is a slideshow of your newest pictures.

I also found out that I will be able to start the out the school year. I will be there for two weeks and then start my maternity leave. This will be close to enough time to get things established and meet my students. I have some work to do this summer because I am moving classrooms and teaching an entirely new subject! All of my things have been moved, but they are nowhere near organized! Also, we (and by we, I mean your daddy) are going to paint the classroom. It was actually his idea, but I'm not going to argue with him! I just went and picked out paint samples and I'm excited to get everything finished and ready!

We bought your changing table yesterday and it is put together and in your room! Also, we got the closet system for your closet, but it's not in there yet! We have to go back to the doctor next week and then to my doctor in Enid in the afternoon of that same day! I think these next 10 weeks will probably fly by because I can actually do something now! We are anxious to meet you!

Love,


How your baby's growing:
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

27 Weeks

Dear Baby G,

27 Weeks! I feel like this is a major accomplishment. It doesn't seem possible that about 6 weeks ago, we were hoping for 6 more weeks, at least. Now, six weeks later, we're hoping for another 6 weeks! Our "big" goal is 32 weeks, but we'll take every week after that we can get. As of right now, it does not appear that we will be meeting you too soon. If everything stays the same, which we are trusting that it will, we look forward to meeting you in late August or early September, depending on your growth and how my doctor thinks it will be necessary to proceed.

I am working on designing a book that will have all these letters in it. I found the website and it allows me to design every aspect of the book and then it is printed and will be an actual hardback book. I am excited to see what it will look like when it is printed, and excited that we will have this book to forever read and remember this time! I know we were very fortunate to be able to experience this, and because we are not guaranteed another chance, I am glad we will be able to look back on this time and remember everything about it!

I discovered last night that Mountain Dew makes you go wild! I seldom drink it, but for some reason last night I did. You were flipping around and kicking and who knows what else for about an hour! If I ever have doubts about you moving enough, I know what will do that trick!

There are several little "friends" waiting to meet you at our house. Bruiser and Daisy are dogs and I think they are oblivious to the changes that are about to happen! Charlie is a cat, and he is oblivious as well. Those three are pretty much attached to your daddy's side at all times, so really, they could care less about what is going on with me! However, meet Roxie:



For the first year and a half we had her, she was miss independent. She still runs and hides behind the washer when the doorbell rings, but at any other time, she is no further than ten feet away from me. At night, if she doesn't make it under our bed (or on top of it), she will sit at the door and loudly let us know she expects to be let in. I will let her in most of the time, because I don't want to listen to it ALL night! This has only gotten progressively worse since I have been home all day, every day for nearly six weeks. She is awaiting your arrival, and there is no doubt in my mind that she knows exactly what is going on!

I have officially hit the point where sleeping "good" is no longer an option. Most nights it is hard to fall asleep before 4:00.... a.m. Then, about 4:30 p.m. comes around and it is hard to NOT fall asleep. Not being on a schedule has totally messed with my sleeping. Throw in 4-5 trips to the restroom a night, and it creates some un-restful sleeping! We go back to the doctor Monday. We have another ultrasound, and of course, we will be hoping to hear that the fluid is gone from your kidney! I will repeat the glucose screening test that I did back in March, I believe. We are hoping for the same results as last time! I am also having some issues with my liver function. Not sure when this means at this point, but the lab work I had done last week in Enid showed some issues. So, we go in two weeks to my rheumatologist and back to Enid to my doctor there for more lab (oh joy!) and appointments. We are anxiously waiting to "see" you again on Monday!

Love,
Mommy

How your baby's growing:
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

26 Weeks

Dear Baby G,

This has been another uneventful, boring week! Although your letters for you wall are finished and hung up! We also got a few other things finished in your room. All that is left is to decide on a changing table and then add a few more little things that have been purchased but not put in there yet, and we are finished!! I am also hoping to talk your daddy into getting a closet organizer system because we are out of room to hang your clothes in the closet... which is absolutely crazy, I know!

Today marks 100 days until we meet you. I would looove for you to make it the entire 100 days. We need all the time we can get so that your kidney can clear up on its own. I have to remind myself how lucky we were that we made it 21 weeks without any problems. I will never forget that day in church when I realized something was wrong. Nor will I forget your daddy and I running out of the church and going to the hospital. All I can remember from the ride was that I kept saying no, no, no over and over again. I was absolutely terrified. We waited so long for this, and I just couldn't stand the thought that it could end badly. So luckily, although it a serious complication, it has stayed stable to this point. Throw the kidney issue in on top of it, and it's just a little added stress. You are worth every bit of it, and we can't wait to hold you and be told that you are perfectly healthy. So, we pray that that happens in no less than 100 days. :)

Yesterday we told our family the names we have chosen for you. I like them more and more each day. Your daddy picked them both out, so I think it is extra special for you. Our cats are well aware that you are on your way. If I forget to close the door to your room for 30 seconds, I can guarantee that both of them will be in there sleeping next to your crib. I have also caught this a few times:







Your bassinet is awaiting its permanent home in our bedroom, and has been in the living room for a couple of weeks. Charlie has decided it's a wonderful place to nap, but also a wonderful place to hide out and then pop up to surprise Roxie. They may have a not-so-pleasant discovery when they realize the bassinet does not actually belong to them! :)

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday in Enid. By committee, we got me there and back. Because I'm not driving right now, and in order to save all of your daddy's leave time that we can, it was a marathon chauffeur day! My grandparents picked me up and took me to Medford. When my mom was finished with summer school at noon, she took me to Enid to my appointment. Everyone was asking if we had found out what I was having yet because last time I was there, we didn't know! They also wanted to know your name, so it was fun to get to tell them that, also! My mom also had an appointment, so as we were on our way there, we just happened to see Pam and Shirley. Since they were already in Enid, I ended up riding home with them to save my mom a trip here and then back home to Medford. It sounds like a long, eventful day full of switching vehicles, which it was!

We have started to see "little" bulges on my stomach where you are pushing with a hand or foot! We are anxious for our next appointment and to see how much you've changed in this short time! I'm sure it will be here before we know it!

Love,
Mommy

How your baby's growing:
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.