My LITTLE cheerleader

Yesterday I had my 36 week doc. appt. First I was scheduled for an ultrasound to check baby's weight and size in order to make a determination about the c-section. Then I met with the doctor and did the usual stuff. I fully expected to have the ultrasound, they tell me she's already 7 lbs or more and say, we're going to schedule you for a c-section. INSTEAD... I find out Emma Grace is 5.5 lbs! She's in the 22nd percentile for babies at this age of gestation! She's below average?!!!! So then of course the doctor is like, hey it's a perfect combination, small baby small mom.

The main thing is there is no way for them to predict anyone having a c-section. Yes If I said I want one, by law they have to schedule me for one. But maybe I can have her regularly and that would be great! I know there is still a chance I'll start to labor and then they have to do a c-section anyway. Why in this day and age isn't there a more precise way of figuring this stuff out. Guess b/c God isn't figurable. Is that a word??

I think in the back of my head I figured if I have a c-section I can have this baby sooner. But when I asked, the doctor said the earliest they'd schedule is the 18th and most likely it'd be closer to the 25th. So..... even with a c-section there would be no Emma Grace sooner anyhow. She needs to gain a bit more weight anyway if she's only 5.5 lbs.

Bottom line is she's healthy, I'm healthy and she'll come when she's good and ready.

DWTS commentary

So Dancing with the Stars is one of my favorite shows. First off Jason Taylor is HOT HOT SMOKING HOT! And so is the foreign actor guy. HEllo!

Who is this Marissa Hairspray chic? I mean I know who she is, I saw the movie Hairspray. But she is WAY too bubbly. Her 3 minute routine got on my nerves, basically b/c of her cheezy smile. And why do they keep flashing to Rikki Lake? What b/c she was once a fat short girl and Marissa is a fat short girl, they are showing her? If I was Rikki Lake I'd be offended. There are plenty of people in the audience to show. It wasn't like the camera only showed her once, but 3 freaking times! WE GET IT!!!

But perhaps my biggest "are you kidding me" is Pricilla Presley. Seriously, her face doesn't move. She's like what, 65? She looks HORRIBLE!!! What's very odd though, is her boobs obviously are not done. FYI- if I EVER get a face job I will be getting my neck done too. nothing worse than a tight face with a wrinkly old woman neck. If you have as much $ as PP GET YOUR NECK DONE!!!

On a final note- I want to look like Samantha 6 months after I have a child. GEESH!

Happy Birthday Steph!

Everyone join me in wishing Steph a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Ssshhh.... I won't tell how old she is :) You'll have to ask her yourself when you send her a birthday wish on www.crazymarbles.blogspot.com

35th week

Birthing class

This morning we attended a birthing class. It was us and 3 other couples. Very informative. A little overwhelming. I still have no idea what expect, but now have an inclination of an idea. There are so many side effects of it all, whether it's a vaginal birth or a c-section. I guess it really wouldn't be an issue if I knew that I was definitely going to be doing it vaginally. But at this point it's still a strong possibility that I might be scheduled for a c-section. So it's very confusing. It's all out of my control anyway, so I don't know why I'm working myself up about it. And a zillion women do it everyday...

So just sitting here trying to figure out what to eat for dinner. Bradley and I ate at Two Guys in Raleigh after the class. Yummy... but now I need to eat something healthy tonight. We're having severe storms here right now. So sitting here listening to the thunder.

Emma Grace update :)

Yesterday I had my 34 week check. Everything looks/sounds great. When the doc. listened to the heart I could hear it was faster sounding, then it slowed down to regular. The doctor said, "oh she got excited. Did you hear that? It was faster then got slower. That's called acceleration and that is a sign of a very healthy baby!" YEA!!! Then she felt around on my stomach and said, her head is down here (meaning in my pelvic area) and her butt is poking out here (on my left side) and the right side poke out might be her knee or other limb.

My next appt. is Mar.26th (36 weeks). I'll get an ultrasound that day to check her size. They'll have a better idea about c-section at that time. The doctor I have it with is the one with no personality. But I recently learned that she delivered my sister n laws baby and that this doctor is world renown. Apparently she was hired here from California. So regardless of her personality, if she is that good, I don't mind having her. But I hope she isn't one of those freaks that says, oh you should labor then have a c-section. I'm a bit nervous about that. The doctor that I love, Dr. Martin, had told me to schedule with her for my 36 week appt. But she is now unavailable when I go in March 26 week. Oh well... we'll just have to see I guess.

Busy day ahead of me today. I need to get in the shower and get off this computer!

Fun Weekend

I had a super busy weekend! And today I am chillin' out. In fact, it's 10 a.m. and I just got up and ate some breakfast.

Friday night, my best friend Steph and her mom drove down from VA. They came down b/c Steph and my sister Hannah were throwing me a baby shower on Saturday. So Friday night we had Steph, Mrs. Cuddy, Hannah, my brother Jarrod and his wife Calli over for dinner. Then Saturday morning we headed over to the compound (nickname for my parents 47 acres in the country) for the baby shower.

The shower was perfect! Most all of my friends were able to attend. There were about 20 of us. It was a luncheon, so my mom made mango chicken salad-yum!- and the Hannah and Calli made Sprinkles cupcakes- yummy! Emma Grace received tons of great gifts. We got a travel system stroller from my aunts & uncles. My mom and dad bought us a glider rocker for the nursery. It's black with black & white gingham cushions. Perfect! And SO many diapers! Steph's great idea of bring a pack of diapers, get registered for a door prize, worked!!! I know these won't last forever, but it's a really great start. After the shower I took a little snooze and then we all ate pizza and hung out.

Sunday morning my family met my brother Alexander in Raleigh for breakfast. He was catching a flight out to Colorado for a skiing trip. After breakfast we drove back to the compound and got ready for another shower! This was a bridal shower for my mom's friend's daughter. So we got all set up for that- shower was from 2:30-4:30. Then clean up and then I headed home!

I got home about 6 and sat in my chair and fell asleep until 8:30!!! Holy smokes! :) Probably could have just gone back to sleep for the rest of the night.

And so you see why today I'm taking a chill. Now for the regular person not pregnant, that weekend would have been nothing and being tired today probably wouldn't be much of a factor. But for me and Emma Grace- we're pooped!

Letting Go- A new day

I haven't really used this blog as a therapeutic approach- I know many do. Journaling is extremely therapeutic and many do so in written form. I have a client who is recently divorced and blogs instead of keeping a written journal- which in turn is all the same. I have to admit that pretty much my whole pregnancy I have been consumed by fear. In the early stages it was fear of miscarriage, around Thanksgiving we had to go for a level 2 ultrasound b/c they doctor thought they saw something that caused them concern (after that ultrasound however, baby was given an A+ bill of health), and here recently fear that I'm going to lose her before she's born or after she's born. I know why rationally where this fear came from- because I have several friends who have experienced the loss of a child, friends of friends who have sick babies or had still borns, clients who have lost babies almost full term. So all of these stories weighed heavy on my mind. And honestly thoughts like, why am I any different, why would I be one to escape a tragedy? Most all of the above are good people, believers, trust God, etc. And to say well I have faith that God will protect us, well so did they. Anyhow- fear, this all consuming fear is what I've been carrying.

Last night at First Wednesday at my church, C3, two things impacted me. First a scripture, Psalms 139:13-14. This is how I read/heard it: "Sarah, I (God) created Emma Grace after my own being; I knit her together in YOUR womb. She is fearfully and wonderfully made because I God of all creation, God alone created her." Hmmm.... as I heard it that way, a peace fell over me. Then Pastor Matt had put a few crosses around the worship center and he asked us to write down a sin or burden we've been carrying on a notecard provided and put it at the foot of the cross. I knew exactly what I was giving- my burden of fear which is also a sin to carry, as we have no fear when we know the Lord. So I put into action what I've been praying all week- giving my fear for my unborn child to the Lord. I've been praying all week, Lord take this away I don't want to carry or feel this. But I know I've been hanging on to it anyway. Last night was completely freeing! I really and truly know that after last night, physically and spiritually laying my burden down, that the fear is gone.

Early this morning after a routine bathroom trip :) I laid awake for quite a while, so I began praying and thanking God that the burden is gone. I just feel different. And while I was praying I just saw the color white. Which reminds me of peace and purity.

So this morning, Thank you Jesus that I can focus the rest of my pregnancy without fear and free from a burden or worry. You alone are God.

43 Inches

Well I'm in week 33 now and measuring 43 inches. The other night when I couldn't fall back to sleep at 3:30 and got up to eat around 4:30, then ate several more times that day, I thought... Emma Grace must be having a growth spurt. Crazy as it sounds- I really think she did. Because Saturday morning I measured... 43 inches. I knew I was hungry all day long for a reason.

This is random, but yesterday I'm driving on I-40 and this car passes me on the left and it was an old man smoking a stogie!!! I about died! It was pretty hilarious- I mean really, you see people smoking cigarettes in their cars all the time, but a stogie? That was a first for me! :)

Last night I was driving back from my office and was talking to my little girl, and I told her I loved her, when I suddenly realized... I already love her more than anything else (besides Bradley) in this whole world... period. I haven't even met her yet. That's such an odd realization. Really hard to explain...

It's My Burfday Ya Know~

Ah, the infamous words uttered by a sleepy 4 year old- my brother. Of course that was 20 some years ago when he said them. And so, today my 4 year old, Zeusypoo says the same thing to everyone reading! IT'S MY BURFDAY YA KNOW- ARF!