Belly Pics and Pregnancy Stuff

Now that there is a light at the end of this pregnancy tunnel, I have been attempting to gather the random cell-phone belly pictures I have snapped since September.  I look back at the 12 week pic and think "Wow...who IS that girl!?" Its been so long since those pre-belly days that I forget what its like to slip pants on, put socks on without grunting or needing assistance from Eric, and let's not even talk about my inability to get out of bed  (which is a giant issue when I have to pee 92871 times a night)! 

For the looooongest time, I could not picture myself pregnant.  Now? I cant picture myself UNpregnant! I had to hunt through face.book to gather the following pictures, because despite my dreams of having cute monthly belly pics to go along with the kids' monthly chair pics, I was never organized or energetic enough to make pictures happen with a "real" camera.  My cell phone was quick, easily accessible, and a way to document the belly without needing a cord or a brain cell. Thus, all the pictures in our bathroom mirror whenever I randomly decided my belly had grown enough to take note. 

And here is the little guy who started all this growth and excitement :) 

Let's all note the curves, hips, small tatas, and unswollen legs and feet, shall we? Sigh....

Oh, regular jeans! I dont even know where you are anymore!! :(

I thought I was starting to show....bwahahahaha!

Seventeen weeks and regular jeans...seems like 100 years ago!

I look at these pics now and think, "People must've thought 'why does this chick keep posting full-length pics of herself in the mirror?!'"

Halfway home and FINALLY showing, but I still remember recognizing that there would be some people who stared at my belly and wondered "Is she? No. Wait. Is that lady pregnant, or just chunky?"

Oh, how proud I was to wear maternity pants for the first time! I thought I looked REALLY pregnant :) 

At Christmas, I felt great but really large.  I remember my dad said, "You're gettin' big, kid!" the day after Christmas and I definitely FELT big.

Starting to realize I sort of live in these maternity jeans. I bought two pair from Motherhood Maternity and secretly loved that they are size "medium/long". Im soooo glad I bought two pairs. Im just now getting to the point where I wear jeans or shorts when we are out in public, but as soon as we get home I throw on sweats or yoga pants. Even my favorite jeans are a struggle to get on and stay comfy in lately.

I didnt even think I looked pregnant when you look at me straight-on, but then I would turn sideways and make it obvious :) 

And then THIS happened.  Grady mustve had a pretty massive growth spurt because this baby bump is more of a boulder!

And this morning before bringing Whitney to school....I dont want to jinx myself, but I have remained free from stretch marks thus far, and Eric is convinced my belly button will pop out, but I am not too sure. I had two scars inside my belly button (one from a piercing and one from a laproscopic surgery), and they are both definitely outside my belly button now. Weird. 

As of today, I am up 23-25 pounds, depending on where I am weighed. I like my home scale the best since I can weigh first thing in the morning, in the same clothes each time. At the doc's offices, I am fully clothed with shoes...so it varies depending on whether I am in shorts/flops or jeans/sneakers. I have been either staying the same weight or losing weight according to the doc's scales, but Im certain that is all clothing-related variances.

I had my first Non-Stress-Test today, and Grady cooperated nicely. I had some pains followed by short/small contractions but Grady handled them well without any major decreases in heart rate. Dr. Z. just said to "take it easy", put my feet up as often as possible, and that the pains are related to the scar tissue I have from the surgeries Ive had in the past. (Which, while Im keeping notes I might as well mention, is exactly what the Emergency Room docs said when we made a trip there last week.) At my last appt with my regular OB, Dr. Z mentioned that the High Risk doc, Dr. B, had written a 38 week induction into my chart.  He said he didnt love that idea (nor did I) and told me to ask Dr. B. what his thoughts were at my next appointment.  Of course we want to meet our little dude SOON, but I have several concerns about being induced and about being induced at 38 weeks in particular.  "Soon" is great, but "healthy" is more important.  Besides, the last ten days of April are some pretty exciting dates in our lives as a family, so while we would be thrilled to add to the excitement, we are already jammed up with events! 

*Tuesday, April 17th - 38 weeks

*Saturday, April 21st - Whitney's 3rd Birthday!

*Sunday, April 22nd - Whitney's Birthday Party!

*Tuesday, April 24th - Whitney's Homecoming Day!

*Also Tuesday, April 24th - 39 weeks

I have heard great things about siblings who share birthdays, but I want to avoid it if possible.  Although, my SIL is doing a "Pirates and Princesses" shared birthday party for my niece and nephew this Summer, and I can NOT wait! Im already planning the kids' outfits and loving all the fun Pins Lynzie is finding on Pinterest! So I know it wouldnt be AWFUL for Whitney and Grady to share a birthday party when they are little.  I just hope they can each have their own day.  I wish the docs would agree to just let me go to May 1st, my due date, or until Grady decides to arrive on his own...but the blood clotting factors I have apparently present an issue during and after delivery, so they want to monitor me and have as much control as possible. I think, if I continue to have a relatively drama-free pregnancy over the next seven weeks (ie, no more ER trips, no preelampsia, no concerns on my weekly stress tests, etc.), my docs might be willing to let me go on my own...but for now we have a plan in place.

  After Dr. Z. mentioned the note in my chart, I thought I could wait to talk to Dr. B. in three weeks at my next high risk appointment, but everyone started asking questions and I didnt like not knowing answers, so I gave them a call yesterday morning.  To my pleasant surprise, Dr. B. called me back himself to explain why he wants to follow protocol and go ahead with a 38 weeks induction.  I said that I would, of course, do whatever he recommended, but that we were hoping to meet Grady AFTER his big sister's birthday on 4/21.....and after her party on 4/22.   Dr. B. completely understood and said he felt comfortable pushing me to 4/24, when I am 39 weeks.  I laughed a bit and said, "wellllll, that is Whitney's Homecoming Day and I was sort of hoping that could always be HER special day..."  He laughed and said, "OK, so not the 17th, not the 21st or the 22nd....how about YOU pick the date and I'll let you know what I think!" So I tossed out Wednesday, 4/25 and he said "That works!" Then he laughed some more and said, "You do realize that we are going to plan all this and then that baby is going to decide on his own entirely different day, right?!"  And if Grady decides to come early on his own, GREAT! We will, of course, love meeting him whenever he arrives!  But I dont think anyone really thinks this baby will come early on his own. :) (Unlesssssss, we have his due date wrong,...but all the ultrasounds have been right on track for his size, weight, etc. He has measured "large" and "long", and he has definitely measured ahead, but not by enough to make anyone suspect my due date is incorrect.)  

I was not excited about being induced since I know it comes with its own issues and dangers, but I think those dangers and risks are less dangerous and risky than the potential issues that could arise if I am left to go into labor on my own. Obviously, Im not a doctor, so I am trusting my docs and they know what kinds of interventions we do/dont want and have agreed with us and supported us completely.  I am STILL finding it difficult to believe we will have a son in our arms in less than seven weeks.  His room is almost ready.  I have every pregnancy ache and complaint in the books. And I can certainly feel him moving, shaking, PUNCHING, and wiggling his way around my abdomen. So you would think I would have wrapped my  head around the idea. Nope. Not yet.  I think it will all sink in when we are holding him in our arms for the first time. Then it will feel REAL.  (Although, as I said on Face.book, I am sure the whole pushing/labor situation wont exactly feel "fake". Ha!)

So that's the latest on the pregnancy. I will be back with LOTS of pics and details from the AWESOME Sprinkle Eric's Dad's side of the fam threw for us last weekend! It was SO fun to have "my turn" in the shower seat at Aunt Carol's house, and I cant wait to share all the pics and fun! We are truly blessed!