15 Weeks!!

15 Weeks

The past two weeks have seen major improvement for this Mama! When mommy is happy everyone is happy!! It give me great pleasure to say I am not longer nauseous, the smell of food does not turn my stomach, and my energy levels have picked up quite a bit. This is all fantastic for my family as I can now cook actual healthy meals again and I no longer pass out in the middle of afternoon. Tough when you have two little ones at home to get a decent nap too! My belly is huge compared to my other pregnancies and my weight gain is more as well. I'm sure the two most likely correlate (hoping). I guess this is what happens with a third pregnancy especially so close to the last one. I still work out everyday and am resuming a more healthy eating style so hopefully that weight will stay under control! In the past week I dug out old maternity clothes which are unfortunately, for now, all spring and summer. My winter clothes from Jude's pregnancy are all a little too big. So it looks like a shopping trip will be in order!! I secretly can't complain! :)

15 Weeks with our Little Firecracker

15 Weeks with Miss Daphne. I totally miss my long hair!

Doctor's Appointment

I had an appointment with Dr. Ott on January 5th . A simple check up to make sure baby and I are doing fine and dandy. The day definitely did not start as planned to say the least. Snow blew in that morning and Jude's preschool was canceled. So here I was needing to head to my appointment with two kids and snow coming down. My thoughts went as followed: We are so going to fall from the parking lot to the building for sure.  Ugh! We are going to annoy every person in the waiting room. Please be on time Dr. Ott...please be on time.  How am I going to pee in a cup while holding Daphne on my lap?  How do I keep two kids from destroying the doctor's office? Is there enough room for Daphne and I to both lie on the table at the same time? I know Jude is going to fly right off that spinning chair as he always does!

Luckily none of these thoughts became reality as my  husband was kind enough to be late for work and go with us. He may not realize it, but it was a serious blessing to have him there. Health wise I am doing great, yea!! As we waited to listen for baby's heartbeat, as always, I was nervous. Even after 3 kids this never goes away. Dr. Ott stayed very calm letting me know that it can take a while to find the baby's heartbeat at 14 weeks. I knew this. But with Jude and Daphne the heartbeats were instantly found. This 3rd little one was being a little turkey for sure. It took minutes to find the heartbeat! It was awful! Dr. Ott was great and kept smiling and talking to Jude the entire time, but even she admitted that she was beginning to get nervous. Jeff was even starting to worry and that's saying something. Finally on my right side the heartbeat came though! It was beautiful and perfect. My conclusion is that this little one is either going to give us a run for our money (hence hiding while searching for heartbeat) or just be totally and completely chill (hence relaxing very still in a very cozy spot inside mommy). I'm gong with the latter.....:)

Life with the Littles

Preschool has started up again since Christmas break and both littles are in Kindermusik this semester. It is fantastic to be back on schedule. Jude was thrilled to be back in Kindermusik and Daphne was a blast to watch for her first time there. Lots of giggles and smiles. We've spent the past week stressing where to send Jude next year for Pre-k. Keep him where he is which is great but a long drive, or move him to a preschool here is Newburgh which I also think would be great and a closer drive. Let's hope we made the best decision! Lastly, construction is still going strong in our home as we remodel the master suite. The downstairs is an absolute disaster and will take us days to clean. However, we are going to have a beautiful bedroom and bathroom by the time it is all said and done!!

We've spent a lot of time with friends the past two weeks as well reminding us how loved we are!!

Fun with our besties!!

Celebrating a new year with friends!

How far along? 15 Weeks

Size of baby? Our little firecracker is the size of a navel orange!

Total weight gain: 6 pounds

Stretch Marks: Nope. 

Maternity clothes? I'm still managing to somehow button all my pants but I am beginning to push it....looks like belly bands are in my very near future!

Symptoms: allergies and sinus pressure, discomfort when sleeping, sore breasts, increased need to pee, still a little more tired than normal

Sleep: I toss and turn for sure.

Movement: Sometimes I think I feel little flutters...

 

Wedding Rings on or off? Still on and loose. 

 

Miss Anything? Not being out of breath my entire work out!

Food cravings: None at all.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No, I'm doing pretty good.

Gender: Just our little firecracker, but we find out at our next appointment!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy when not overly tired.

Best Moment this Week: Best moment last week was hearing our sugar baby's heartbeat. Best moment this week was definitely Kindermusik classes with my littles! Oh, and Jude just says the cutest things! He swears up and down that the baby in mommy's belly is a boy and we are naming him Jude! No talking him out of it either. We are going to have one disappointed little boy when a.) it ends up being a girl or b.) it's a boy we are NOT naming it Jude!
 

Looking forward to: Our construction being complete and finding out the gender on February 2nd!!

Closing out the 1st Trimester!!

I am finally getting there! The homestretch! About to cross the finish line! And no I'm not talking about the delivery of our baby, but instead wrapping up this 1st trimester. Ugh. Anyone who knows me well knows that I love being pregnant for many reasons. First off knowing that I'm carrying my baby and feeling it move is amazing, no longer feeling bloated or worrying about my belly sticking out, special treatment (sometimes), buying baby clothes, planning a nursery, the overall happy hormones I feel....the list goes on. That list however begins in the 2nd trimester as the 1st is simply  nothing that more than feeling like ick!! As I write this I am my last day of being 12 weeks pregnant. That's right. It means one more week left and I am hopping right along into the 2nd trimester. Already I am feeling significantly better than I was just a week ago. Lots has happened since my post at 10 weeks so it's time to catch up!!

How has Mama been feeling??

I would have to say that week 11 wrapped up my "awful" 1st trimester ickiness. It was that last week I remember being very nauseous. As week 12 started I continued to be very tired and can pass out almost instantly in the afternoons and an 8 pm bedtime is no longer surprising. I still am not a fan of cooking and smells can turn me my stomach instantly. I have noticed that I am peeing more often as well and my allergies are at an all time high annoyance. Essential oils help some but I am hoping my new salt crystal lamp will do the trick!

13 Weeks with Daphne

13 Weeks with Jude

Sharing the News

We waited until Christmas to tell family. I had these sweet ornaments made to share the news with everyone. A little snowman family with all of our names on the hates and my belly stating "baby 2017". Needless to say all grandparents were shocked but once that wore off there were many congratulations and hugs. The shock is still continuing to strike Jeff and I but the more I think about and pray about it, the more I understand that God is 100% in control of our lives. He chose us to be this child's parents and who are we to argue or have unbelief??

The Holidays

I love Christmas. My absolute favorite time of the year. This year however I am glad to start heading back to normal. It was tough trying to celebrate and be a part of everything that is Christmas when not feeling well and just wanting to sleep. We managed and I truly believe our children had a magical Christmas. Jude is just amazing! He is learning so much about Jesus in preschool and from  home and you can tell he is getting the basis for understanding what Christmas is really about. If you ask him, he knows Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, he knows the Christmas story and can repeat and recite names and important events. He understands that Christmas is about celebrating Jesus and we give gifts in celebration of Him. Even more exciting was to see how thrilled Jude was each time he had a a chance to sing a song about Jesus (specifically Oh Come Let Us Adore Him), read a story about the birth of Jesus, or see a nativity scene. When looking at Christmas lights at the 4H center is main concern was going through it again to see the Nativity Scene. I pray and hope that Jesus continues to open Jude's heart as he grows and gives us opportunities as parents to continue to teach him about the love of our Father.

Last Christmas as a family of 4!!

Now on the other side of Christmas....Jude is just now 4 years old. To say he loves presents is an understatement. Dealing with greediness right now and selfishness has been tough to say the least! He was always wanting more presents to unwrap and was never quite satisfied with what he had. I'm sure this will be a work in progress for years to come.

Jude opening his birthday present that he has been asking for all year!

John  Deere 4th birthday party!!

How far along? 13 Weeks 1 Day

Size of baby? Our little firecracker is currently the size of

Total weight gain: 3 pounds

Maternity clothes? Nope. Still wearing all my same clothes although I am concerned for how much longer.

Best moment this week: Celebrating Christmas and Jude's 4th birthday.

Symptoms: fatigue, allergies, food aversions, needing to pee

Sleep: I tend to wake up with a stuffiness nose and needing to use the restroom.

Miss Anything? Energy!!

Food cravings: None at all.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Feeling hungry makes me queasy. Sweet potatoes are gross!!

Gender: Just our little firecracker!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy but very tired.

Looking forward to: My next appointment on January 5th.

A Shocking Surprise only God can Give

God is truly amazing isn't He? Since I accepted  Christ into my life over 7 years ago I have come to realize just how in control of my life He is. I get so much peace and joy from knowing this. With both of my pregnancies I always kept a journal documenting everything from the size of my bump to how I was feeling. It has been great fun going back and reading these journals and reliving the precious moments of pregnancy and birth. After giving birth to Daphne almost 14 months ago I was unsure if that would be my last baby. I didn't know our plans and of course I did not know God's. But here I am getting ready to begin my 3rd pregnancy journal. The overwhelming emotions I have felt since finding out about this "surprise" pregnancy have slowly been replaced with excitement, joy, and a sense of calm as I know this is ultimately God's plan for us. He chose Jeff and I again to be parents to another precious child .  We have been chosen to help teach and guide another child towards Christ. What a blessing that is! If also a bit scary!

My biggest bump yet at this week!

10 weeks with Daphne. A bump...but not as noticeable!

10 weeks with Jude...pretty much no bump!!

                                                    
The Story of Discovering our 3rd Pregancy

I knew I was pregnant several days before taking a test. The same first symptom I have had with previous pregnancies reappeared; hunger! I just cannot get enough to eat throughout the day. I still cannot eat a ton at one time but I'm hungry almost every hour it seems. From there nausea sets in if I'm not eating enough. My next symptoms we're exhaustion and shortness of breath. I knew without a doubt that I was pregnant. So November 16th I took my pregnancy test and sure enough I am expecting my third! I was a day short of 7 weeks pregnant surprisingly. It took us so long to realize it because my cycles had been on the very long side for months. Apparently this cycle was normal. :)

I made an appointment with Doctor Ott for December 9th before leaving on our Polar Express trip. During the weeks leading up to that moment we kept quiet waiting to see our first ultrasound. Each week I became a little more nauseous and exhausted than before. Late afternoons and evenings seemed to be the worst for me. I struggled to get up off the couch at all (could be having two little ones running around all day causing the even more extreme fatigue)! Once again I can't stand the thought of cooking and the smell of meat is just awful. There is also something about sweet potatoes...anything sweet potato...disgusting!! Right now I like to stick to pretty dry and starchy food. Salads and apples are okay too and going out to eat doesn't bother me at all. This pregnancy has been a bit more frustrating as I cannot have milk due to Daphne's milk allergy. Makes it difficult for me to find simple meals for us to have as a family. Aside from just being tired and my belly not feeling right, I cannot complain too much about the 1st trimester thus far.

First Appointment

We left Jude with a friend for our first ultrasound as we knew his big mouth would spread the word pretty quickly! :) At this time we have only told my sister and a few close friends. We are surprising family at Christmas so keeping mum is important! The excitement of seeing your baby through an ultrasound never fades. Watching our little firecracker actually move and hearing the heartbeat was just perfect! At 154 beats per minute, it is definitely lower than the first two. However Daphne's first heartbeat at 179 was at 8 weeks instead of 10. Jude's first heartbeat was also close to 170 at 14 weeks. So inclusion, the heartbeat myth for gender has currently proved nothing for us! :) The most shocking news during this ultrasound was that the baby was actually measuring 10 weeks and 1 day. I honestly thought I was 8 weeks at the most. Blood work all went well as did our first meeting with Dr. Ott. In 8 short weeks we get our first anatomy scan and can decide if we want to know the gender. I'm feeling like it is a boy....but we will see!

Jude and Daphne

Oh these two keep me so busy!! Jude is in preschool two days a week and he loves it so much. He is learning  more about Jesus and His love for us and it just melts my heart! Our little man turns 4 on Christmas. So hard to believe that I began this journal over 4 years ago! Jude is obsessed with John Deere, anything automotive, fixing things with daddy, and music. He loves to sing so we will be starting Kindermusik again in January. He is such a smart boy and is actually learning to like art. As a big brother he is learning. He can be very helpful and loving towards Daphne (when he's not jealous :)).

Daphne is growing up so quickly. She will be 14 months old on Friday already. She is walking and getting into everything!! You cannot turn your back for a second with her. In a matter of 15 minutes the other day she managed to dump her plate of pizza for the dog, Kasey, and then empty a bag of marshmallows for her too! Daphne loves to play and is very intentional when doing so. Like her brother, she enjoys being outside, taking baths, and eating. She has quite the little attitude at times and can be overly dramatic!! She is also going to begin Kindermusik in January and hopefully this will help her with learning basic social skills.

With Christmas right around the corner, I have been trying to enjoy the holidays with my little ones despite how I have been feeling. So far we've had some Christmas parties, volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House, rode the Polar Express, and met Santa. The next week provides us with even more fun! Jude fully understands Santa now and is just thrilled to know he is coming. Even more exciting is that he is understanding the Christmas story too. He truly gets that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, and this is where I want all of our hearts to be when we celebrate every year. And just think....we will have 3 little ones to celebrate with next year!

I have to mention quickly before ending today, that Jeff has been great as always. It's been tough as he has been working a lot since finding out we are expecting. I've been moody and sick and not easy to deal with. He has done his best to help me out especially with the kids and never makes me feel bad because I can't handle making a meal and need to be in bed by 9 p.m. He's truly a fantastic guy :).

How far along? 10 weeks

Size of baby? Our little firecracker is currently the size of a strawberry.

Total weight gain: That's debatable as I wasn't 100% sure on my starting weight, but we are going with 2 pounds.

Maternity clothes? Nope. Still wearing all my same clothes although my bump is quite visible.

Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat and watching sugar baby move. The Polar Express trip was a great time too.

Symptoms: queasiness, fatigue, allergies, food aversions

Sleep: Sleep is pretty good as long as Daphne sleeps through the night. Sometimes I do wake up nauseous/hungry or unable to breathe due to allergies.

Miss Anything? Having energy to keep up with my kiddos!

Food cravings: None actually. My first food craving was of course Mexican just like the first two pregnancies.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Feeling hungry makes me queasy. The thought of cooking sets my belly off. I find meat and sweet potatoes gross!

Gender: Just our little firecracker!

Happy or Moody most of the time: I am tired which can make me moody, but I am actually happy on the inside!

Looking forward to: Jude's birthday party, my birthday, and Christmas. My next appointment is January 5th for just a check-up.

Miss Daphne Kendall has Arrived!!

So Precious!

Daphne's Birth Story:

Bright and early we arrived to the hospital on Thursday the 15th to begin the induction process and bringing Daphne into the world. I was surprised at how quickly everything fell together and I am thankful for that. I must say that was the theme of the entire hospital stay for us: quick and efficient!  I chose to have my water broke first by  Dr. Ott, and that was NOT a pleasant experience. Then again I suppose much of the labor process would not be considered pleasant :).  She had a difficult time breaking my water leaving me nervous that it was not going to happen. After much trying it did FINALLY break only to be followed by Daphne not appreciating the intrusion. Her heart rate decided to drop so I was bedridden for the first 20 minutes until her heart rate became stable. At that point we were finally allowed up and able to walk around. Jeff was a fantastic walking partner as we made approximately 6 to 7 laps throughout the hospital. Good news? I did start contracting more! Bad news? No, I did not dilate any further than a 3 during this time.

Bring on the Pitocin!

At this point my anxiety started to get to me a bit because I quickly remember what happened when I got Pitocin with Jude; strong pains that come on forcefully! Once again as with Jude, Daphne was very finicky with how I was positioned so I was stuck on my right side just to maintain her heart rate. It didn't take long for the contractions to get more painful although they never seemed to remain consistent. I could have contractions just 2 minutes apart and then would not get another one for 5 minutes. Some were definitely stronger than others as well. Unfortunately, I started to feel most of the contractions in my lower back. I have always been warned of back labor and how awful it was, and I must say those warnings were spot on! Needless to say the back labor helped me to make the decision quickly on an epidural. I know how my body and my mind works and I was never going to relax enough with this pain to dilate to a decent amount in a swift amount of time. I did NOT want to do what I did with Jude and tire myself out waiting and waiting to dilate enough. The epidural quickly sped things up with him; I just prayed it would happen for her too.

The epidural was administered around noon and thankfully they let Jeff stay with me during that time unlike with Jude. At this point I just wanted to nap and relax and hope my body would just do it's job. I was dilated to a 5, and figured I still had all afternoon before anything would happen :). Jeff proceeded to leave for a bit to grab some food and talk to the family knowing we had plenty of time to kill. When Jeff returned he sat down to eat and I had yet to fall asleep but I was relaxed. While in the middle of trying to eat his burger, I noticed that Daphne's heart rate was becoming erratic Jeff assumed my belt had slipped and was trying to reposition it but with no avail. The nurse comes in at this time immediately asking if I felt any pressure and checking for dilation. I remember what the pressure felt like with Jude and I was absolutely not feeling a thing. I still just wanted to sleep! As she began to check her response was a good indication that I would not be resting anytime soon. She said Daphne's erratic heart rate gave her a hunch that I was most likely ready to push. We started with a practice push just to see how ready I was, and apparently it worked. She gave Dr. Ott a call and informed us that our baby would be on the way shortly! I couldn't help but to laugh at Jeff's response when he asked her how much time we had. She looked at the clock (it read 1:10) and informed us that Daphne would be here at 1:25. Jeff's face was in shock (I think he was more upset that he wouldn't get to finish his lunch though)! He left to tell the family what was about to happen leaving me afraid that he was not going to make it back time; Dr. Ott was there quicker than I would have ever expected and we were ready to go!

I could not believe Daphne was about to make appearance and I was fully aware this time. With Jude I was so beyond tired that I almost felt like I wasn't even a part of his delivery.  I was so mindful of what was about to occur, that I started shaking with nerves. Uncontrollable nerves! Ready or not it was time! I started pushing at 1:20 and Miss Daphne was here at 1:22. Unbelievable!

6 pounds 5 ounces, 19 1/2 inches long

Jeff and I spent the next 2 hours alone with Daphne holding her skin to skin. She was already showing her personality and true colors my pooping on me as soon as she was given to me. I'm sure it was quite a sight to see with her yet to be cleaned up, both of us covered in poop, and her learning to nurse! On a positive note, she came out rooting enabling me to nurse her right away. She was a pro from the start! After that we quickly realized that she must have been sucking her fingers and thumb in the womb as she was sucking her thumb at just a few minutes old! We had to end up giving her the paci the next day just to satisfy her beyond nursing. Family started to trickle in and she was showered with much attention!

First Family Photo

Jude loved Daphne from the beginning!

The rest of our time in the hospital was truly relaxing (as relaxing as possible with almost hourly nurse visits). We got to give Daphne her first bath that evening and then we both actually slept some that night! Where Jude refused to be swaddled, Daphne loved it. Where Jude refused to sleep at night, Daphne loved to sleep! Amazing how opposite they are already. We had some wonderful visitors the next day and gifts from loved ones as well.

Daphne passed all of her screenings and tests allowing us to go home Saturday at the 48 hour mark. I was so ready. I really needed to see and feel the sun!

First Bath

Jude in his Christmas outfit 1 day old

Daphne in her Halloween outfit 1 day old

Ready to head home!

Already a Daddy's girl!

Final Days Before Our Little Pumpkin Arrives!

38 Weeks

We spent the week having our high risk pregnancy tests for our Little Miss. She passed them both with flying colors! My non-stress test was Monday the 5th. Within the first 5 minutes she had already moved enough that she passed perfectly! I always said she was quite the tumbler. It was amazing to lay there for 20 minutes doing nothing but listening to her heartbeat and feeling her move. It so difficult to find the time to just enjoy her inside of me when I have a toddler running around too! Thankfully Papaw Jim came down to watch him for me during this time.

Thursday the 8th we had another biophysical profile that she once again was able to breeze through. Her heart rate was steady around 153 bpm. She is still down pretty low but we were able to get some AMAZING pictures of her face this time! My heart was so full as we watched her stick her tongue out and move her lips up and down. Just fascinating.
The ultrasound tech provided us yet again with another picture of her hair! Yes, hair. We do not believe it either since hair is not something that runs in our family for babies. My guess is that this hair will all fall out and she will be our bald little princess for a while. I could be wrong though! :)

38 Weeks!

 

 

38 Weeks with Jude!

She is so sweet!

39 Weeks

I had my final doctor's appointment Monday the 12th before we get to welcome home our Little Pumpkin! It was another non-stress test and once again she passed perfectly. I'm still dilated to a 3 and nothing else going on! Just a waiting game. My conclusion is that my induction is definitely going to happen tomorrow. I am going to start with having my water broke as opposed to starting with Pitocin. Hopefully my body will just kick in and do what it needs to do.

We ask for many prayers for tomorrow that all will run smoothly with delivery and we will welcome our beautiful little girl to our family. We have had so much support and love during this pregnancy that we could not be more grateful!

39 Weeks!

 

How far along? 39 weeks and 3 days

Total weight gain: 26 pounds

Maternity clothes? Still in them and ready to be done!

 

Stretch marks? None! I am thankful for my mother's genetics!

Sleep: I want to sleep and I do off and on. I'm up a lot tossing and turning, unable to breathe, and needing to use the bathroom.

Miss Anything? I am going to miss not being able to feel her move in my belly everyday!

Movement: Still a mover!

Food cravings: Nothing at all. I have a tough time even cooking for lunch or supper. I don't really want anything.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No.

 

Gender: Girl!!

Labor Signs: Dilated to a 3, occasional cramps and contractions....that's really about it. Not much to brag about!

Belly Button in or out? Out.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy, anxious, and tired. 

 

Best moment this week:Getting to relax all by myself for 20 minutes during the non-stress test just listening to her heart beat. 

 

 Looking forward to: Bringing our little girl into the world tomorrow! Can't wait to have pictures of her and Jude together! :)

36-37 Weeks

36 Week Appointment:
We had another weekly visit to the doctor. They are beginning to know Jude and I very well! :) Our little pumpkin passed her biophysical profile with flying colors, and my fluid levels are normal as well. Praise the Lord for another wonderful appointment with good news! Next week Jeff will be attending the appointment with us as it will be big one and full of many decisions. We will have another biophysical profile along with a growth anatomy scan. I am so excited to see how much she has grown! In addition to that, she will check me for further dilation and have the discussion on induction. As mentioned before, I do not want to be induced at 39 weeks just simply to be induced. On the flip side, I do not want to go much past 40 weeks as I know more complications can arise. So please pray for the decision Jeff and I need to make on either scheduling an induction at 40 weeks if I have yet to go, or to wait.

Yes, we have been told this ultrasound pic is creepy. You have to admit it is pretty neat though to see her eye like that!

Fall Fun:
I feel like I have a bucket list of fall activities I want to complete with Jude before our little pumpkin arrives, and such little time to do so! We started with a trip to the apple orchard where Jude got to help us pick his favorite fruit. He definitely loved pulling the apples off of the tree! We made applesauce and caramel apples together as well. Later in the week we headed to the park on a leaf hunt so we could do some leaf rubbings. Jude loved the leaf hunting part....not so much the coloring part. Pretty typical for our little man. From the picture below you can see he was absolutely proud of his leaf rubbings regardless! This week we will be headed to the Fall Festival here in Evansville as well as the pumpkin patch.

Holiday World fun for the Toyota Family Picnic

Apple picking

Learning to make applesauce. Pants are not required!

Showing off his leaf rubbing

37 Week Appointment:
On the 2nd I had my 37 week appointment which included the biophysical profile, anatomy scan, and regular check-up.  Little Pumpkin passed with an 8 out of 8 again and a heart rate of 138. On the downside she is measuring on the small side still in the 13th percentile. This shows she has actually gone down in ranking. She was 5 pounds 14 ounces. Now to me this did not seem like a big deal; she was almost 6 pounds and I was almost 38 weeks. Jude was born at almost 41 weeks and was 6 pounds 12 ounces and perfectly healthy. Dr. Ott agreed that I likely just have small babies due to genetics, but (there is always a but) it could also mean that my placenta is deciding it is nearing it's time to be done and possibly not providing the nutrients she needs. To be honest I was a little concerned too with the fact that she dropped so much in percentile. In my heart I know that God has a plan and He is watching over the both of us and I feel confident she is a healthy little girl. Just a petite healthy little girl! Due to all of the nervousness, Dr. Ott has me coming in on Monday to do a non-stress test, on Thursday for another biophysical profile, and again on the 12th for another non-stress test. We are remaining cautious due to her size and want to continue to be sure she is progressing inside of me. With all this being said, the doc assured us she was not nervous as of Friday for there being any serious problems occurring as of right now. She did say she was not comfortable with allowing me to go full-term with a baby who is continuously measuring smaller. She was ready for us to be induced on Monday the 12th at 39 weeks. I simply was not. Jeff and I did agree to meet in the middle with her and set up an induction for Wednesday the 14th. Truth be told neither one of us is thrilled with the idea. I still prefer to let my body do what it needs to do and trust in God. I am hoping that after my tests this week I will have a better feeling towards keeping the induction or not based on how our little pumpkin is doing. The only thing I can continue to do now is pray and have faith it will all work out perfectly and in the end we will be holding our precious baby girl!

Love comparing pictures! The one on the left is with our little girl at 37 weeks. The one on the right is with Jude at 37 weeks. 

Yes, she has hair! Not a lot, but it is there.

Nursery:
Nursery pictures are finally here!! I am very happy with how it all turned out. It is light and airy and full of vintage and family touches. Jude loves her room too as he will often announce to people, "Welcome to ________'s room!" I have included pictures of Jude's big boy bed as well as he is pretty thrilled with it! :)

The beautiful family quilt made by my great-great aunt.Also in the picture you will see a blanket made by Aunt Jennifer, a painting made from a friend, and the old night stand (belonged to Jeff's grandparents) refurbed by a friend.

This little wicker rocking chair was mine as a little girl.

Jude's big boy bed!

How far along? 38 weeks today!

Total weight gain: 26 pounds...I lost a pound this weekend though to 25. I did this with my last pregnancy too.

Maternity clothes? Same old story...I am getting really tired of wearing the same things over and over again!

Stretch marks? So far so good.....

Sleep: Difficult! I wake up a lot and am usually uncomfortable especially now that I am cramping and contracting off and on.

Miss Anything? Being able to breathe when I go on walks, go up the stairs, just sitting down... ha!

Movement: She still moves a lot. Seems even more so the past few days.

Food cravings: No. In fact I do not have much of an appetite at all. I do crave a Coke quite often which is odd since I never drink Coke or soda period anymore.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing particular. The past couple of days I am queasy off and on but that is mostly just from my body preparing for labor. 

Gender: Girl!!

Labor Signs: Wow, have the labor signs started this weekend! I am dilated to a 3 now which is crazy since I wasn't even a 2 when my water broke with Jude. Our pumpkin has dropped VERY low and is in position. The ultrasound tech could barely get a measure of her head and could not get a picture of her face. She did say that she had some hair and took a picture of that! I have been cramping a lot this weekend and contracting off and on. Nothing regular. I am super super exhausted. All of these symptoms are new for me as I never had any of them with Jude. A brand new ballgame so to speak!

Belly Button in or out? Out.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy but tired.

Best moment this week: Seeing our little pumpkin again and knowing that she is healthy. The realization that we will be meeting her in less than 2 weeks regardless!

Looking forward to: Relaxing and waiting for her arrival. I plan to have fun and play with Jude as much as I can this week.