Week 35

Baby Mussetter is still about the size of a honeydew melon.  From now on, his growth is mostly in the plumping up department - though he won't get much longer, he'll put on a pound or more of baby fat before birth.  His hearing is totally developed (according to thebump.com).

This has been a pretty uneventful week.  I have been having a lot of contractions but I am still taking the Terbutaline to help and stop them.  After tomorrow (Christmas - when I am 36 weeks) I won't take the medicine anymore.  So, I guess Brayden can come anytime!  I am getting very anxious about Brayden's arrival!  I can't wait to hold my little boy!!!!

My mom finished sewing my hospital gown.  Here is the finished product:

Here are this week's baby bump pictures:

Love ya!

Merry Christmas

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Week 34

Baby Mussetter is still the size of a honeydew melon!  He can recognize and react to simple songs and after birth he will recognize frequently sung tunes and probably find them soothing (according to thebump.com).

I had an appointment with Dr. Miller on Friday.  Brayden's heartrate was in the 140's and I measured right at 34 weeks.  I have gained another pound, but that is to be expected!  I had a lot of contractions throughout the week, so I have been having to take my medicine (Terbutaline) pretty often.  Dr. Miller checked and I haven't dilated any, but Brayden's head was very low.  I have to continue taking the Terbutaline for my contractions up until 36 weeks (which happens to be Christmas - next Saturday).  I wonder if I will have a baby before the New Year??!! 

Here are this week's baby bump pictures:

Love ya!

Brrr! It is cold!!!



Baby Shower #2

On Saturday, December 4th, my best friend, Ashley, and my sister, Shandi, hosted another wonderful baby shower for me and Brayden. 

We had a lot of yummy food and a beautiful cake made by Angie at Sweet Thing Bakery in Statesville, NC.

I got A LOT of nice things that I will get to use with Brayden! 

We played a fun game where the shower guests cut off a piece of yarn to match the size of my belly.  It was funny to see how big people thought my belly was!  My mom and my friend Amy were both the closest in their guess!

We forced Jason to come out and participate in another game where we had to guess the type of baby food in the jar.  If you know me, you know that I am a VERY picky eater, and I do not easily try new things.  So, it was up to Jason to "taste" the baby food and determine what it was.  I smelled a few of them and I nearly threw up!  Hopefully I won't throw up when it comes time to feed Brayden his first jar of baby food!!!

I am so thankful to have such wonderful friends that came to the shower despite the wintry mix!

Love ya!

Week 33

Baby Mussetter is now the size of a honeydew melon!  He may grow up to a full inch this week alone, and his brain is developing like crazy.  Pretty soon, he'll be able to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing.  Also, his bones are hardening, and he has started to keep his eyes open when he's awake (according to thebump.com).

I had an appointment with Dr. Miller today.  Brayden's heartrate was in the 140's and I measured right at 33 weeks.  I have gained about 5 pounds since last week. :(  Dr. Miller said I should try and eat more "filling" foods.  HaHa!  My blood pressure was back to normal, but I still have a little bit of swelling.  I go back to the doctor next Friday for another appointment. 

Here are this week's baby bump pictures:

Love ya!

Week 32

Baby Mussetter is still about the size of a squash.  He is head down and preparing for delivery (according to thebump.com and confirmed by Dr. Miller at my appointment). :)

I once again started having contractions on Monday night.  They started at about 8:30 pm.  I was finally able to fall asleep at about 10:00 pm and slept until about 12:30 am.  When I woke up, I was still having contractions every couple of minutes.  I finally called the doctor's office at about 2:00 am.  The doctor on-call, Dr. Melvin, said for me to just wait and come into the office first thing in the morning, because I had just had a fetal fibronectin test done a little less than two weeks ago that was negative.  I think I got a total of about 4 hours of sleep Monday night, so I was EXHAUSTED!

I went ahead and went into the doctor's office on Tuesday morning and saw Dr. Miller.  He performed another fetal fibronectin (fFN) test and checked my cervix, which was still closed.  Dr. Miller gave me a prescription for a medicine called Terbutaline that is used to help stop contractions.  He told me that whenever I started having contractions I should lay down and drink a lot of water - which is hard to do when you are working.  I got a phone call after lunch that my fFN test came back negative, which means Brayden will probably stay in for another two weeks.  The test puts me to 34 weeks, at which point they "are not as aggressive with stopping labor" (according to Dr. Miller).  Unfortunately, the Terbutaline makes me very jittery and shaky, but Dr. Miller said that my body would get used to the medicine and the shakiness wouldn't be so bad.  My blood pressure was a little elevated (compared to what it usually is) and I have a little bit of swelling.  Hopefully, that doesn't become an issue!!!  Brayden's heartrate was in the 140's and I am measuring right at 32 weeks. 

Here are this week's baby bump pictures:

Love ya!

Happy 30th Birthday, Jason

Week 31

Baby Mussetter is still about the size of a squash.  He is going through major brain and nerve development these days.  His irises now react to light, and all five senses are in working order (according to thebump.com).

Our week has been pretty uneventful.  I got a phone call from the doctor's office on Monday letting me know that I passed my second glucose tolerance test!  I was so thankful!!!  I also started getting a cold Friday and I have felt pretty sick all week.  The worst part about having a cold and being pregnant is that you can't take any 'good' medicine.  So, you pretty much have to let the cold run its course.  Hopefully I will start feeling a lot better soon!  I have a regular doctor's appointment next Friday.  I am anxious to see how Brayden is doing!

I hope that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  We spent Thanksgiving at my mom's and ate a lot of yummy food!  I had been CRAVING turkey, dressing, and other Thanksgiving foods!!  I just wish I would have felt better because I would have probably eaten A LOT more!!!  But then again, maybe that was a good thing! :)

Here are this week's baby bump pictures:

Love ya!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Brayden Paul's 3D/4D Ultrasound

On Friday afternoon, we went back to Watch Me Grow Ultrasound for our second ultrasound of Brayden.  I was SO excited to get to see our little boy again!  We got a DVD of our entire ultrasound session and a CD of all of the pictures from the ultrasound.  I think that Brayden looks just like his Daddy!!

Here are some pictures from the ultrasound:

Love ya!