28 weeks/3rd Trimester!!

God is good! We have made it to 28 weeks and the THIRD TRIMESTER! My days have mainly consisted of laying on the bed or laying on the pullout in the living room.  We have been so blessed already through this crazy time.  It is amazing to me to see how our friends and family have been so quick to serve us, and to show God's love to our family.  And my husband has been incredible.  He has stepped up in so many ways and taken on a new role.  

We go back to the doctor on Wednesday and will find out more of what things are looking like.  I have not seen him since all of this began, so it will be nice to talk with him.  I am still having contractions, but the medicine seems to be stopping them so far!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Size of baby: 14.8 inches, and she should be around 2.25 lbs, about the weight of a Chinese Cabbage...Although she measured at 2 lbs. 11 oz a week ago!

Weight gain: +18

Maternity Clothes: My new wardrobe consists of shorts, pj pants and tshirts

Gender: GIRL!!! Ashlynn Marie!

Movement: She is still super active (PRAISE THE LORD!) Mark will put his face next to my stomach and start talking to her and she will start punching/kicking his face! 

Sleep: Sleep seems to be ok for now!

Symptoms:  Now that I have been on bed rest, my ribs don't hurt anymore.  My back has been hurting more though.

What I miss: Walking :)

Cravings: Chocolate milk, Chickfila, fruit

Best Moment this week: Making it another week with baby girl still safe. Every day she stays in is a blessing!

What I am looking forward to: Going to see Dr. E on Wed for a check on how things are looking

Bed-Rest

I though the events of the past few days deserved a "mid-week" catch up!

Wednesday morning, I helped take a group of our kids bowling.  I noticed I had a contraction or two before we left.  I decided to time them just in case.  Well, the entire hour and a half that we were there, I had contractions. Every ten minutes.  No bueno. When we got back to school, I called Dr. E and they sent me to triage.

I was at triage until about 6 Wed. night.  They were picking up my contractions, which hadn't happened on Sunday.  Ashlynn is looking great (they monitored her the entire time). It took 2 shots of terbutaline to stop the contractions. They sent me home with a prescription for when contractions came back.   My cervix was also soft, and they told me to follow up w/Dr. E on Thursday.  I was so thankful Mark was able to be there...it was a little scary!  

Well, when I talked to Dr. E's nurse on Thursday, she told me that I am on now on bed rest....Kind of a shock to my system, but I want to do whatever it takes to keep baby girl in for as long as possible! I have had contractions a few times in the past 2 days, but the medicine seems to be stopping them!

It is crazy to think that if she stays in until January that I won't be at work again until March!  The Lord is already using this situation to show Mark and I how much we aren't in control and how much He is!  

Please join us in praying that our sweet baby girl stays in for as long as the Lord wills, and that she grows healthy and strong in the meantime! 

27 weeks!

Oh where to begin! This week has been yet another adventure with sweet baby Ashlynn!  Saturday, we went to the fair. I may or may not have walked ALOT.  Saturday night I started having Braxton Hicks about 10 min. apart.  I decided to be stubborn and not share this w/my husband, or call the doctor.  Sunday, I got talked into calling the doctor when I was still having 3/hr. after 24 hrs.  So, off to labor and delivery we went!

Thankfully, L&D was not busy, and we were only there for 1.5 hrs.  They monitored me and everything was looking great! Thank goodness!! Apparently I just don't need to walk 3 miles in the heat anymore :)

We also had our 4D sono today! It was INCREDIBLE! We got to see her for about 30 minutes! She was moving around a ton!  She loooves having her hands and her feet up close to her head, and loves sticking her hand in her mouth.  It is amazing seeing her sweet little features, and watching her squirm around! She is also still measuring big (About 9 days!) and looks SO healthy! Praise the Lord!

Chubby cheeks and big lips!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Size of baby: 14.5 inches, and she should be around 2 lbs, about the size of a head of cauliflower...Although she measured at 2 lbs. 11 oz today!

Weight gain: +18

Maternity Clothes: I need to go get a few maternity shirts...

Gender: GIRL!!! Ashlynn Marie!

Movement: All over the place! At L&D last night, she kept kicking the monitor! And at our 4d today, she was ALL over the place! 

Sleep: Sleep seems to be ok for now!

Symptoms:  Hormonal, Sore ribs :), tiredness has returned a bit, and my appetite is GROWING!

What I miss: nothing really

Cravings: Chocolate milk, Chickfila, fruit

Best Moment this week: Finding out baby girl was ok at L&D, and seeing pictures of her on 4D Sono!

What I am looking forward to: Starting to get things ready for her room! (Slowly but surely!)

Hands, feet AND face all in one picture!

26 weeks!

One more week down! This week went by pretty quickly, and was problem free as far as the pregnancy goes! We are so excited that we have reached viability, although we do not want baby girl to join us anytime soon! We also hit double digits until she is due to arrive! 

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 26 weeks

Size of baby: 14 inches and she should be around 1.75 lbs (Although she was already at 2 lbs a week ago!)

Weight gain: +18

Maternity Clothes: All maternity pants...trying to stretch my regular shirts out as long as possible!

Gender: GIRL!!! Ashlynn Marie!

Movement: I just have one word to describe this child...ACTIVE!

Sleep: Now that I have found a comfortable position with the body pillow, sleep has been better

Symptoms:  Sore ribs :), tiredness has returned a bit, and my appetite is GROWING!

What I miss: nothing really

Cravings: Chocolate milk, Chickfila, fruit

Best Moment this week: Enjoying a nice relaxing weekend with my better half :)

What I am looking forward to: Our big 4D sono is next Monday!!

I survived week 25!

Week 25 has been a crazy one to say the least.  The first part of the week was not to exciting.  And then on Thursday night, I started spotting.  It was not a lot, but alarming nonetheless.  Dr. E said to rest and drink water, and then to go into L&D if it got worse, otherwise to go see him on Friday.

  Fortunately it did not get worse, so I went in on Friday morning.  After checking out baby girl (with a few bonus 4D pics!!) it was determined that everything looked ok, and it was just a superficial vein. But...he still wanted me on bed rest for 48 hours! I am in awe of ladies who are on bedrest for months.  2 days was a KILLER! Fortunately, my husband,friends and family took excellent care of me and made sure I followed doctor's orders!

look at those lips!!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 25 weeks

Size of baby: 13.5 inches and she should be around 1.5 lbs...but that is not the case! Last Friday she was weighing in at 1 lb. 15 oz! Dr. E said she will be an 8 pounder for sure!

Weight gain: +18

Maternity Clothes: All maternity pants...trying to stretch my regular shirts out as long as possible!

Gender: GIRL!!! Ashlynn Marie!

Movement: She is still loving my ribs! At the sono on Friday, she was still breech and her arms were moving all around her face.  She also likes to bring her feet up to her hands. I think she may have had the hiccups yesterday in church!

Sleep: Now that I have found a comfortable position with the body pillow, sleep has been better

Symptoms:  Sore ribs :), hungry, and the "moodiness" started rearing its ugly head this past week

What I miss: Lemonade, Pizza (it just hasn't sounded good!)

Cravings: Chocolate milk, Chickfila

Best Moment this week: Seeing our sweet baby girl in 4D on Friday and surviving bedrest

What I am looking forward to: Getting my gestational diabetes test out of the way and a fun wedding weekend

sweet girl was asleep for all of her pictures!

SIX months!

SIX months?! Wow! I cannot believe I have been pregnant for 6 months and that I only have 4 left to go!  This week, I headed to Canton with some friends. I got a few headbands and bows, but decided I want to try my hand at making bows! We went to visit my grandparents this weekend, and my Granny had gotten some adorable clothes for baby girl...and her first toy! She got her the sweetest stuffed lamb!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Size of baby: Slightly over 1 lb. and 12 inches long (Head to toe), about the length of an ear of corn

Weight gain: +13

Maternity Clothes: All maternity pants...and some of my shirts are getting too short

Gender: GIRL!!! Ashlynn Marie!

Movement: She is one active little girl! Her head seems to always gravitate to my right ribs, but I just love feeling her move around!

Sleep: About the same, some good nights and some longer ones!

Symptoms:  I have been pretty tired, but a nap during the day normally helps a lot! My indigestion has returned a little.  And my back hurts here and  there.  Oh, I am also wearing compression hose to work now which helps with leg cramps at night.

What I miss: OJ/Lemonade (Acidic drinks make my bladder pain come back, so I am staying away from them!)

Cravings: Rolls, Chickfila, fruit

Best Moment this week: Going to visit my grandparents and seeing all of our Malakoff friends

What I am looking forward to: Going to register with Mark on Saturday!