Nursery Progress

We have a widdle house so we've had to get creative with our things in order to make room for Tad. We have some electrical work and moving of furniture still left to do so the nursery progress is slow-going. However, Matt has painted the walls yellow:And this week Dadd came in to town with his truck and he and Matt picked up the crib and dresser so those are now in place... (Stripes on the crib wall, squeee!!!):Also note the light above the dresser. Matt installed that today after having lived here for many years with no functioning light in the space that was fitted for it, hee.

I finished washing all her clothes tonight. She has a few pieces that are her own but for the most part they are hand-me-downs from Dottie's girls and the granddaughter of friends of my parents. Tad is totally blessed and needs no more clothes for quite some time...

Drawer #1: bibs, sleepers, hats and socks:Drawer #2: Newborn size clothes:Drawer #3: 0-3 Months size clothes (omg this drawer is stuffed and I need to move some stuff around so I can expand it to two):Drawer #4: 3-6 Months size clothes:Drawer #5: 6 Months+ size clothes:I'll update soon with the finished product!

Our First Family Photos

Yay! This weekend Nick took our first family photos with the help of the lovely assistant Sabrina! Nick and I planned this a couple months ago and we've been super excited--him to shoot and me to have stellar fotos since Matt's and my last portraits were from our wedding five years ago. I wanted ubercool urban scenes and Durham really has evolved to accommodate plenty of great venues for such. We went to Duke's East Campus and then to the American Tobacco Campus. It was freeeeeeeeeezing cold on Saturday morning and I'm so thankful for Nick and Sabrina braving the weather for us! Here are some favs:All of the pictures are on my Flickr account, here. © Nick Tripp, 2009.

34 Weeks

I don't think any professional diagnosis is necessary. I definitely have carpal tunnel syndrome. My hands fall asleep multiple times every other night. It's really annoying because it wakes me up and I have to switch positions and pump my fists to make the pins and needles go away. *sigh* Every morning when I get up, blood has pooled in my feet so they hurt in a prickly way like I've been standing all night. *sigh* I actually feel really great and I've had annoyances, sure, but I know a lot of women have it so much worse. Here's hoping it will go this smoothly for the remainder!

I've noticed in the past week that when Tad moves she now feels very spread out and like an actual little person. I can feel her move two or three body parts at a time so she moves two or three parts of my stomach too and flattens it out and protrudes it at the sides whereas before she seemed like one solid mass.

At my last doctor visit I got my first kick count card. The instructions were to take time each day to lay on my side and count flutters/movements/kicks. If I count four in an hour I could stop keeping count. It takes me about a minute and a half. This is my first card:On Wednesday we had our 34 week heartbeat appointment. Jan and Caroline attended with us:

The doctor measured my uterus at 35cm. Now, last time the doctor measured 33cm and time before that 35cm. Yes, I know. Weirdsville. So I inquired and she said she must have had a brain fart. And she also no longer thinks Tad will be giant (I was, so we'll see) as 35cm is average at this time.

We had family portraits made yesterday. I have seen one of the images and I absolutely love it and can't wait to share the rest.

Matt finished painting the nursery. We get the furniture on Tuesday (weather permitting, grr) and once it's all set up I will post documentation:)

I actually took a picture this week. My shirt officially does not fit anymore, haha: How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. This information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing: By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond). If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.

If you notice itchy red bumps or welts on your belly and possibly your thighs and buttocks as well, you may have a condition called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP for short). Up to one percent of pregnant women develop PUPPP, which is harmless but can be quite uncomfortable. See your practitioner so she can make sure it's not a more serious problem, provide treatment to make you more comfortable, and refer you to a dermatologist if necessary. Also be sure to call her if you feel intense itchiness all over your body, even if you don't have a rash. It could signal a liver problem.

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Childbirth Class

Last week and the week before we attended a series of four childbirth classes. They were really enjoyable! Our instructor was very nice and informative and the other couples were all great and also having their first child. Everyone seemed very happy and in love--which I love to see:) And of course, it was great to spend all that quality time with Matt.

The first night we had an ice-breaking activity where we had to mingle and then introduce each other. Then the instructor split us up and had the boys go in one room and the girls stayed in the main room. We each had to compile lists, the boys: their birth concerns and what they knew bothered us during pregnancy, the girls: our concerns and what our gripes have been. The guys took a long time and we thought they were just goofing off but then one stuck his head out and asked for another sheet of paper! We got to do some stretching and practice positions on the floor and on the birthing ball. This was all done with our husbands/coaches massaging us--w00t!--and then she flipped it and had us massage them:) Nice touch!

Throughout the rest of the course we did more activities together (made more lists, sorted out symptoms and matched them to the correct stage of labor), watched a birthing video (she didn't actually show us a birth, which I appreciate) and another video on newborns, and we practiced lots of positions and learned simple breathing techniques.

I'm really glad we went and feel like we've had adequate preparation. Now it's just a matter of getting her here! ;)

33 Weeks

How your baby's growing: This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. This information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing: As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.

You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Try wearing a splint to stabilize your wrist or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or on an assembly line, for instance), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks — which should be frequently.

Many women are still feeling sexy at this stage — and their partners often agree. You may need to make some adjustments, but for most women, sex during pregnancy is fine right up until their water breaks or their labor starts.

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