My Belly...

I Just Love having a BIG, HUG BELLY!!!!  Just last night, Pat suggested that I retire or at a minimum take one of my few maternity shirts out of the rotation... as you can see from the the photo, I have out grown it... but with 12 days until my scheduled C Section, the last thing I am going to do is buy new maternity clothes... Pat thinks I look like a little old man with a huge belly... I have to agree... my rear is gone and thighs are in much better shape... I couldn't be happier with my new figure... hopefully I can talk the doctor into a bit of a tummy tuck after the C Section... if not, oh well... that's what the abdominal binder is for... Thanks Baby Kate!!!  I'll seriously always be grateful...


After Pat's and my conversation about my tummy, I wanted to see just how big it was on Christmas Eve 2009... I was just 34 weeks pregnant with Sarah and Anna... I measured a HUGE 46 inches...

Christmas Eve... 2009

I just love being pregnant and having a BIG, HUGE BELLY!!!

Today, at 38 weeks 2 days, with Baby Kate, my belly measures 44 inches... since Christmas Eve is 9 days away... I could reach 46 inches again... that is if Baby Kate stays put... which is just fine with me!!!!

38 Weeks!!!! We made it!!!

Baby Kate did GREAT, as usual, during her monitoring yesterday... I'm super proud of her!!!  She is a busy girl who seems to enjoy her womb time!!!  I got to watch her on the ultrasound which was amazing!!!  Baby Kate was head down, sunny side up with our spines lining up... she was busy licking and trying to get her fist into her mouth... she was also opening and closing her eyes... It looked like it was snowing inside as the vernix (white skin protectant) is flaking off her sweet body...her fluid measures 15 cm... her head is apparently right above my cervix, which is what is causing my feelings of pressure down below... I had two measurable contractions in 24 minutes...


My blood pressure continues to be great, no sign of protein in my urine, and my cervix really hasn't changed in two weeks... I've also gained less than a pound since last week, so I was up to 150.8... I think I started around 137, which was higher than I should have been, but was busy eating lots of nuts, taco chips, and enjoying the warm weather and my favorite beverage... never dreaming I was pregnant...

Just last night the thought of caring for a newborn in less than two weeks overwhelmed me... I'm worried about how I'm going to handle the other 7- not the newborn... I'm worried about Sarah's reaction... she is NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY... She is going to punish me by ignoring me and not paying me any attention... that is going to break my heart... I'm terrified I'll turn my back for a second and the twins will grab Baby Kate like they do their dolls...


Pat and I decided to let Baby Kate and God decide when her birth date should be... so as of this moment, I won't be trying any labor inducing recommendations this weekend... which I don't think "work" anyway...Listening to Lizzy talk to Baby Kate, begging her to make her appearance, may sway my overly emotional opinion in a few days, though....


I am beginning to be more at peace with the idea that there is a real possibility that we could spend Christmas at the hospital... if we do, I just have to realize that was all part of God's master plan... look how far He has gotten us in this miracle pregnancy!!!!


We love you Baby Kate!!!!  Enjoy your remaining 13 days in Mommy's womb....

37 Weeks and 6 Days...

Is it really true???  I never dreamed Baby Kate would stay inside so long... I'm thrilled!!!  I want her to stay inside as long as possible, but I also don't want to miss Christmas at home with the other kids, so she either needs to come this week or wait for her Scheduled C Section on the 27th... otherwise, we will spend Christmas at the hospital... which we will survive of course, but will not be the same as Christmas at home...


I just posted on Facebook:
I'm really ambivalent- one minute I want her here, the next minute two weeks sounds too soon... but I have a bunch of kids who want her here NOW and before Christmas... I hate the thought of being away from our other kids on Christmas... I wish she would be guaranteed to wait until after Christmas, but the suspense is fun as well... wondering if this is the night or not...


Baby Kate's scheduled C Section is two weeks from today... I don't want this pregnancy to be over... I want to keep her safe and warm inside of me...enjoying every movement... I also want to have the extra time I have at the moment to enjoy Sarah and Anna climbing all over my tummy and lap... I know I will need time to heal from a C Section and those knees, elbows, and feet will cause some serious pain...  I've been trying to sit down and snuggle the girls as often as they will... last night they spent over an hour sitting with me and playing with their toys on my lap... Sarah had tremendous fun shoving Albert Pulhol's statue in her Fisher Price cookie jar... both enjoyed playing with the pretend thermometer as well... Anna would take it out of Sarah's hand, run away with the most adorable devilish grin, and Sarah would yell, "Ann na, Ann na, Ann Na" then Anna would giggle as she brought it back...


I'm feeling great... recovered from my " insane hopping episode" on Saturday... which was just stupid and caused tremendous muscle pain in muscle's I didn't know existed... hoping she stays put for two more weeks!!!


This afternoon, we have our weekly appointments for monitoring and with the doctor, and do not anticipate any news that will cause today to be THE DAY... although it is the Feast of St. Lucy and her middle name IS Lucile...

Anxiety...

slept through the night for the first time that I can remember... it felt so good to go to sleep when it was dark out and wake with the sun out...I don't even think I got up to go to the potty...


I was still so exhausted that I took a nap in the late morning...


Now it's 11:19... I am nervous about getting an epidural... I'm nervous about being in the operating room and seeing all of the nurses in full operating gear... I don't want to go back to the hospital... I just want to wake up one morning and have Baby Kate next to me... I don't want for her to leave my body... I think I'm a mess... I hate the thought that she will be here in 16 days or less... if we put off the scheduled C Section, we will have to pay our $4,000. insurance deductible in January as it starts over on 1-1-12...

Pat has offered to hold me... hopefully I can fall asleep in his arms... 

Officially FULL TERM!!!!

Praise the Lord!!!!

We are super excited... Grow Girl, Grow!!!

It's 2:35 pm and I'm predicting I'm...

WRONG!!!  

That's ok, plenty of time to finish more projects... I just need to quit spending money on custom items for Baby Kate...  I just ordered 3 more hats, her Just Born-3 Week and Monthly Stickers, AND matching birth announcement long sleeved onesie...

Baby Kate did great during her monitoring and no contractions were noted... her fluid level was 19+ cm... our doctor visit went well... unless I suddenly develop pre eclampsia, Baby Kate stops doing well, or go into labor... we will not be meeting Baby Kate until her scheduled C Section date of December 27, 2011...

Will My Perdiction Be Correct???

As you may remember, I have been predicting this baby would be born on St. Nicholas Day, December 6, 2011... I also was confident and predicted it was a boy... well I have been told during at least 5 ultrasounds that Baby Kate is a girl- as recently as last Tuesday at her 36 week growth scan...

Although she is moving a ton, and tonight I would swear she kicked up with her feet and pushed down with her head as I could feel her at both ends of my uterus, not to mention the time tonight I thought she was reaching down my cervix... oddest feeling EVER, I have not had many contractions...

We do have her weekly Non Stress Test and fluid level check, followed by a visit with our perinatologist starting at 9:30 am... unless she breaks her bag of water... I'm guessing I will be wrong again...

Which is fine as I am not emotionally ready as I just love feeling her move inside of me... I also have some projects that I could use a few more days to complete such as adding ruffles and bows to her newborn onesies- just to ensure she is the best dressed newborn at the hospital...