update

I just got back from my doctor's appointment. As I suspected, the baby's head is lower. I am also a bit more effaced, but she said I'm still between 3 and 4 cm dilated. I can go back to being a normal (pregnant) person. My plan tonight is to take a walk around the neighborhood once it's cooled down. I'm really looking forward to that.

We now have a car seat and stroller. The bassinet is set up. The birth plan is written. We will see how long this boy decides to stay in now.

btw... I still have photos from the beach to go through and post. I'm hoping to do that tomorrow.

36 weeks!

How your baby's growing: Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position. But if he isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying he'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating him from the outside of your belly.

Yay! 36 weeks! I am SO happy to have made it this far. I feel really good that if Asher makes his appearance now he'll be healthy and strong. If I go one more week, he'll be full term! How great is that? The past few days I've had more cramps and contractions. Last night I even thought we might have to go to the hospital. I was having strongish contractions under 10 minutes apart. We cleaned and called our neighbors in case we had to leave in the middle of the night. But things calmed down I was sound asleep by 10:15. Today I have not had as many contractions. It does seem that my body is slowly gearing up though. It will be interesting to see how long active labor lasts since I've had so long of a warm up.

I go to the doctor tomorrow and should get orders to resume all normal activity. I'm really excited to take a long walk and do some yoga. Asher's car seat also should arrive tomorrow too, which means he can come since now we'll have a way to get him home. :-)

park day

Yesterday the high was a balmy 83 degrees. It was wonderful! I was able to take the kids out to the park--our first sans Daddy excursion. It could not have been a more beautiful day. Here are a few photos. I had fun messing around with Pioneer Woman's PhotoShop actions on these.

he's a dad

This is a post I started on Father's Day and never finished due to a hospital visit, bed rest, family coming, etc. It is for Jared.

I married a father. A father of three even. I'm wild and crazy like that.
But look how cute he is. How could I resist?
The kids are pretty cute too.

I love them.
Even though they drive me crazy sometimes.

Jared is a really great father.
I knew that before I married him. Not many women can say that.
Because he's been a student (he was a wee undergrad when Olivia and Isaac were born and PhDs take a long time) the entire time he's been a dad, he's always had a flexible schedule. This has allowed him to spend a lot of time with his kids.

He has really special relationships with each of his children.

Olivia and he are probably the most alike. They are both too smart for their own good sometimes but can also be totally clueless in other areas. They both think outside the box. They both know how to get what they want.


Isaac is a little blond version of Jared. He looks so much like his dad. Isaac is Jared's "Buddy". They both love all things super hero. Isaac loves helping his dad do guy things like taking out the trash and hooking up the dryer. And was really excited to pick out these socks for Jared's birthday last year. :-)


And there is Grace. Jared has a special little place in his heart for funny Grace. She is full of spunk and personality. Plus, she's been the baby for nearly 5 years now. The youngest always gets a little spoiled. ;-)

These three kids adore their dad. The past couple years have been hard since they moved to Utah. But Jared has made seeing them as much as he can a priority. At Halloween, he was in Utah and even made their costumes.

Soon, Jared will be a father for the fourth time. (wo!) I can't wait to see him with our son. Jared adores babies, and I know my love for him will grow even more once I see him with the little life we created together. He is already a great dad to our little Asher. He has taken such good care of me during this pregnancy. The past 5 weeks have been hard--I've been in the hospital twice, been on bed rest, we moved, Jared had to finish revisions on his thesis, the kids came, he started teaching, plus his RA work and a hundred other things that are part of life like paying bills and cooking meals, all while dealing with an emotional pregnant invalid for a wife. It's been really stressful for him, but he's done it. I am so very grateful for him. I don't have the words to express my gratitude.

I married a wonderful man and an extraordinary father. I feel so blessed that he is the father of my little baby. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world that I get him as my eternal husband and that my children get him as their dad.


Happy Father's Day, Jared!

Sorry it took so long to get this posted!

diaper contest

One more contest to check out for any cloth diaper fans:
Win a Bum Genius 3.0 Starter Kit from Nature's Child - Wholesome Goods for Mothers and Babies

contest at along for the ride

Check it out:
Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Man would I love to win this one!

35 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

I am so relieved to have made it to 35 weeks! I feel like I don't really need to worry anymore and can get back to more or less normal. I won't be doing anything crazy, but I feel like at this point I can do what I want around the house and take trips to the store again. In another week, I'm going to start exercising again and doing whatever I want.

I'm pretty sure Asher dropped lower yesterday. There is quite a marked difference in how I looked last week and how I look this week. (See photos) I'm definitely poking out more. And I also got my first pregnancy stretch marks this week. Thursday I woke up with a couple on my hip and this morning there a few on my lower abdomen. I feel initiated now. :-)

Belly close up at 34 weeks and belly close up at 35 weeks--
Quite the difference a week can make! (And I actually have a little tan from the beach!)

back from the beach

I am back from the beach and still pregnant. The plan was to come back this morning, but I had a few strongish contractions last night so Jared and I drove home last night to be on the safe side. Things calmed down about an hour into the drive and we just came home and went to bed. I feel much better being home and so close to the hospital again. But I am also SO glad that I was able to go to the beach and spend time with my family. It worked out really nicely. It was very relaxing. I love my family so much and am really grateful that my parents are so generous. The rest of the family should be on their way back here from the beach fairly soon and then they all fly home tonight. I will miss them. I promise to post photos from our trip next week.

what i've been up to

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. It has been brought to my attention by more than one kind soul that I've neglected my blog for too long. But I do have good reason: my family is here! Sunday, despite orders to be on bed rest, I went with them to the beach. I figure I can lay around there just as easily as I can lay around here. My dad drove me back home yesterday for my doctor's appointment. If I'm still feeling well tomorrow then me, my dad, and Jared (who has been teaching this week and so stayed home) will drive back to the beach until Saturday morning. For any concerned parties out there, it's actually been very relaxing to have my family take care of everything and to lounge about the beach or pool. In fact, I think I had fewer contractions than normal while there. I will be sure to post some fun pictures next week.

Today my dad has been helping get things more organized around here and is right now on his way to Home Depot and Target to pick up a few things. I love dads!

As for the update on my rebellious tenant.... He has definitely grown recently. I even gained 5 pounds in just two weeks! I am still around 3 or so cm dilated and now about 80% effaced with Asher as -2 station. He's in a great position for birth, so when the time comes I shouldn't have any issues there. He is still very active and doing well.

Because he is a boy, and preemie boys tend to have a harder time, my doctor would still like to see me go at least a couple more weeks. But even if he came now, there is a very good chance he wouldn't have an extended hospital stay, especially since I had the steroids last month to help his lungs mature. My OB was actually on call last night, and we joked about just having the baby then, but I'm happy to keep him in there a couple weeks longer. My goal since this all started has been 36 weeks; that is now just 11 days away.

34 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his 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.

I am very happy to have made it to 34 weeks! This is a big benchmark week, as most babies don't have many issues if they are born at this point. Each week means so much more now... on to 35!