37 Weeks

37 Weeks 3 Days and no baby yet. We had 3 showers last week. The first was a wonderful surprise from my co-workers. They even had a "cake wreck" cake made! If your not familiar you should check out http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/ They gave us cash which we used to purchase the Pack and Play (which has a bassinet and changing table). Of course there was lots of food, you know we love and excuse to bring food and eat cake! The next shower was given by David's office. We got lots of wonderful things. We received a swing, changing table pad and a Johnny Jump Up. I remember Lauren LOVED her Johnny jump up, hopefully Eli will too. The last shower was given by my sister Lauren and my Aunt Tammy. Lauren made the CUTEST cupcakes ever!! I left my camera at David's parents but when I get it back I will post the pictures. She made whales from rolled fondant with water coming out of their blow holes. She also made rubber duckies and made the icing look like a bubble bath. Every thought they were so cute and two people even asked her to make cakes for them! I think she should get into the cake/cupcake making business. Beside making super cute cupcakes she is also an awesome cook. But back to the shower, it was so great. Every one was relaxed and laid back. Mom and Tammy made a ton of super good food. It was a brunch so we had spinach and cheese quiche, hash brown casserole, spinach salad, fruit salad and spicy grits. We laughed because people actually ate, sometime you go to showers and you get a little cucumber sandwich but Saturday we all ate very well. At the shower we received some great things. My Grandmother put together a basket of organic/natural diapers and California Baby body wash, diaper rash cream, and Caludeuda (that's not spelled correctly) cream. She wrote the bible verse about how to train up a child which of course I couldn't read out loud because I would cry. We also received some super cute outfits and Allie and Kristin gave me a certificate for a pre-natal massage (WHOO-HOO!).

I have yet to start on my thank you cards for those showers, I'm slacking! I go to the doctor tomorrow for the 37 week check. They normally don't check for dilation again until 38 weeks but I am going to ask her to check. I am ready to have this baby! Or at least I think I am. The ligament pain has gotten better but the back pain is still here. I took Monday off work due to my back. Today it is much better. It's funny how some days it doesn't hurt that back and others I feel as if I can't do a thing. We will see tomorrow, hopefully good news!

David and I have the nursery pretty much ready. We put the pack and play together this weekend and couldn't get the unit that attaches to the bassinet to work. It's supposed to have a night light, play music and vibrate. Monday Granny came up and we looked at it again and I realized that there are two different places for batteries. I swear David read the instruction manual front to back, I don't know how we missed that. After I put the batteries in the vibration unit would not work. We took the bassinet completely out and got it to work but as soon as we put it back in the pack and play it wouldn't work. David had mentioned that the directions said to use a D LR20 battery. We had a D R20, I didn't know there was a difference and size D batteries. So Granny drove me down to Harpeth and sure enough, L must stand for lithium. I picked up some lithium size D and that did the trick. The last thing we have to put together is the bouncer seat that my Grandaddy gave us. He picked it out himself! He picked a Graco bouncer seat with all the cool features and a cute pattern.

I am at work and going to make myself get up and walk around. Come on Eli!

With Love,
Mrs. Jones

35 Weeks

Yesterday started off as a normal Sunday, David got up early and went for a run and I slept in. We went to lunch with his parents, brother, Melanie and Aunt Elizabeth. (They were in town for my shower) As we were leaving lunch I stopped to use the restroom (surprise!) and (warning: not for the faint at heart!) lost part of my mucous plug. Since this is our first baby I didn't know what to do, I didn't think it was a reason to go to the ER or that labor would start. This past week I've been feeling a little funky so we decided to call the on call doctor. I left a message with the answer service. We waited an hour and no call back. So after talking to Mom I decided to go ahead and go to the ER. We thought if she calls while we are there we can leave but at least we would be waiting on the call back at the ER. We got to the ER, checked in and waited about 15 to 20 minutes before they came and took us up to the OB floor. Our nurse was super nice to start with. She hooked my up on monitors. The monitors monitor his heart beat and contractions. It was awesome to get to listen to his heart beat for more than a few minutes! I wasn't having an real contractions, his heart rate was great and I wasn't dehydrated. My nurse got a hold of the on call and apparently she got my voice mail and it's her policy not to leave a voice mail. Which I wished she would have tired again, I did not show a missed call on my cell. But moving on, after the nurse spoke with the on call they said I could go home. I felt a little silly but much better being checked out. The staff at WMC was great! It really made us feel good that is were we will be delivering at.

Today I had a normal appointment scheduled. After some scheduling conflicts at work I got to the doctor with in 2 minutes of the cut off time for being late. I was so glad they would still see me. I saw a new doctor today and really liked her. She was great! They tested for Group B strep but I we won't get the results until next week. She also checked to see if I was dilated. I am! Only to one but it's a start. She also said I'm just a little effaced. She said she obviously can't get a time line for when I will deliver but said they it was really good to be 1 cm at 35 weeks. Also the due date on my chart it 7-18-09 instead of 7-20-09. Just a few days earlier but from the way the doctor talked it could be soon! I want Eli to be healthy but I think we are ready for him to be here! Well not really....haha....we still need some things! At the ER they ask if you have a car seat and we had to say no! But we will before he comes. I order the stroller on Saturday so hopefully it will be here soon.

Also on Saturday was our family shower. It was so wonderful! The decorations were beyond cute. I will post pictures later. We got lots of good stuff including a bumbo seat and tray, lots of clothes, bath towels and lots of stuff for nursing. David and I had such a great time and got to see lots of his family we don't normally see. Of course I was excited to see Melanie! (David's aunt, his Mom's sister) She and her husband, Dave live close to Knoxville so we don't get to see them much. We had planned to take a trip this summer to visit them before Eli came but we have run out of time! Melanie teaches school so she will get to come when Eli is born!

Sorry this post kinda jumps around, we have had a busy weekend! I am going to make a list of what is left to do before Eli comes, I think we need to get a start on it!

With Love,
Mrs. Jones

Getting Ready for Baby

Grandaddy and David finished the shelves in Eli's room this week. I am very proud of David, this was his first carpentry project! I'm planning on going to pick paint out tomorrow. I'm thinking a very light yellow/cream that matches the trim in the room. I will post pictures when we are done. Next up, the crib. We have decided to use David's crib, I was hesitant at first since it's 25 years old. But after cleaning it up I think we can make it work. It's in great shape and it probably better built than anything we could afford now. I trust Grandaddy, David and Tom can put it together where it will be super stable. I've washed almost all of Eli's clothes and have separated them into piles by sizes. Tomorrow I'm also going shopping for more baskets. Granny got us some super cute white baskets with blue and white stripped lining. They are going to look so cute on the new shelves with his clothes, bibs and blankets in them. We have two showers left. One is a family shower with David's side of the family and the other is given by my Aunt Tammy. I am hoping we get some of our big items. We still don't have a car seat, stroller, pack and play/bassinet, high chair and a few other bigger items. I have changed my mind a million times about the stroller. At first I was happy with a basic travel system. The I saw a bugaboo in person and fell in love with it. The bee is their base model and would work best for us. The I found the Bumbleride which is less than the bugagoo and just as awesome. The only down side is there is no where close where we can test it out. We also looked at a Quinny in town and found a good deal online that comes with a Quinny stroller and a Maxi-Cosi car seat. Only downside to the Quinny is the basket under is tiny, basically non existent. So we really don't know which one we are going to go with. It will probably be the Bumbleride or the Quinny combo. We've decided to wait until the next shower and then choose. Of course I'm ready to buy everything today but I know I should wait! We also decided to leave the bed in Eli's room. After talking with My Mom, Kathy and my Grandmother they all suggested it would be nice to have a place to lay down or sleep if he is fussing or sick. I will be working part time so I don't want to wake David up. But I know him and I know he will be right there with Eli and me! He has been so incredible this pregnancy. From Day 1 he has treated me like a queen! I remember when I have morning sickness all day and night. Nothing was helping and it was before doctor gave me Zofran for the nausea. He looked EVERYWHERE for the Preggie Pops and couldn't find them but brought me sea sickness bands, it was so sweet and they really helped.

We had an awesome time at the beach. It was so great to be able to get away for a week. We didn't have to worry about a thing but make it down to the beach. The weather was wonderful, not too hot the first few days. I stayed under the shade most of the time but still got a little sun.

On a side note Eli is growing like crazy! As I'm writing this I swear he is trying to stretch his arms and legs as far as they will go!! Tonight I keep feeling an arm in the middle of my tummy and then some legs (hopefully he has turned) in my ribs. I have a feeling he is going to be tall like his Daddy. I am beyond ready for maternity leave. I said from the beginning I wanted to working up until I went into labor but I'm not sure I'll make it. I sit in a chair for 10 hours a day, no problem right? Wrong! Sitting puts lots of pressure of this ligaments I keep talking about and is pretty painful when I stand up. Plus my feet have begun to swell. I have done so good up until now. So even if I keep them propped up their still just sitting so I am get up to walk every 30 minutes to an hour. Either way I'm not having a blast at work. I am continuing to drink as much water as I can without peeing all over myself and trying to stay positive. I'm due July 20th and on the schedule till July 15th....we will see what happens!

With Love,
Mrs. Jones

Beach Pictures

33 Weeks

How far along? 33 Weeks 2 Days

Total weight gain/loss: 36 pounds, the doctor told me to slow down!

Sleep: Very uncomfortable and nauseated at night

Best moment this week: David and Grandaddy finished the shelves in Eli's room

Movement: Not many kicks anymore just moving around

Food cravings: Since I'm supposed to be watching what I eat any sweets

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out? Still pretty much in

What I miss: Same as before, laying comfortably in bed

What I am looking forward to: Still the same again, haha, crib still isn't together

Weekly Wisdom: To get up and walk every 30 minutes at work

Milestones: 47 days to go