So, I guess I have Cholestasis... Here comes Zoey!

Update from my doctor's appointment today! My test results came back, and my bile acid levels are VERY high, so it seems that the answer to all of this insane itching is definitely Cholestasis. Guess what the solution is?

INDUCTION!

They sent me for a non-stress test, in which Zoey looked absolutely wonderful! They also saw that I'm having mild contractions that are pretty unpredictable at the moment... But I am 1.5 cm dilated and 70% effaced! He stretched my cervix (OW!), and said that he wants to schedule an induction for this Thursday morning!! The downside is that the Maternal-Fetal specialist wants to do an amnio to make sure her lungs are mature enough, so I have that scheduled on Wednesday at 10am. Yikes! But my nurse assured me that all will be fine, and that the worst that will happen at this point is that the amnio could make me go into labor. Hah!

I can't believe I will be holding my little girl by the end of this week! IN THREE DAYS! I can't believe it! I'm so relieved that there is finally an answer to my itching problem, and that there is a solution!! So the next time you see me, I'll be showing you a picture of my sweet baby!

Wish me luck!!

37 Weeks Pregnant!

FULL TERM!!!!!

How far along? 37 Weeks

Baby is: 6 1/3 lbs, and just over 19 inches (like a swiss chard)

Total weight gain: Lost 2 lbs since last week, so 25 now.

Maternity clothes? Yep, but lots of PJs lately.

Stretch marks? The ones on my hips are getting worse... On my left hip, I have a few small purple ones. :(

Sleep: Terrible. The itchy-ness is still really bad, and I've talked to my doctor and had blood tests done. More on that later.

Best moment this week? Getting and setting up Zoey's swing... which was officially the last item needed! 

Miss anything? Sleep without being itchy :(

Movement: Lots! Her feet are on my left side, so she constantly pokes out her little baby feets and her knees. Although, she's developed a habit of twisting her upper body around, which I feel in my lower stomach, and that really hurts.

Cravings? Nope.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Labor signs: My BH are getting a bit painful, and starting to feel mildly what people say "real" contractions are like. Ow. 

Symptoms: I feel big. And very pregnant.

Belly Button in or out? Out!

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :(

Happy or moody most of the time? Not feelin' it this week... Probably the lack of sufficient sleep. 

Looking forward to: The end! We can't wait to meet Z... and I  have personally officially reached the point where I'm ready to be done. Come on, baby!


Now, about this itchy thing that's going on. Last Tuesday, after my 3rd consecutive night of extreme itching all over and being up all night clawing my skin off, I called my doctor's office in tears. I had an appointment the day before, and had mentioned it then, but not much was said about it.... And it was just too much to handle. I had done some research (Dr. Google to the rescue!) and came across a condition called Cholestasis. Basically, your liver stops working well, bile backs up into your blood stream and causes some pretty brutal itching. I didn't think too much about it until 2 friends mentioned THEIR friends that had it during pregnancy. Got me thinking, so I called and mentioned it to the nurse. She called me back and said that my Doctor requested for me to come in to get some blood work done. They tested my bilirubin levels and my bile salts levels, which will tell us if I have Cholestasis or not. Bilirubin tests came back normal, but the bile salt test isn't back yet, and that is the one that will conclusively tell us if that's what's wrong. It is possible for me to still have Cholestasis with normal Bili levels... So we'll see. Hopefully the test will be back this week... Maybe by my appointment tomorrow? Here's hoping. If it's positive, it can be quite risky to Miss Z, so I'm obviously hoping it's not... But at the same time, if it's negative, I'll still have no answer for this horrible itching issue. My doctor also called in some medicine for me, which I've been on for 3 days now, and it hasn't helped any. Please keep your fingers crossed that we get some answers!!

See you soon! 

36 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 36 Weeks

Baby is the size of a: Crenshaw melon?? Almost 6 lbs and 18.5 inches. 

Total weight gain: Still 27 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yep! And maxi dresses, and yoga pants. Mostly yoga pants.

Stretch marks? None on the belly, but some new ones popped up on my butt.

Sleep: Awful. I've been really itchy for the last 4 days or so... Like, my entire body! I've had to take Benadryl to get any sleep. :(

Best moment this week? Getting our carseat finally, finishing the bathroom, and just being able to relax!

Miss anything? Sleep. Wine. Core strength.

Movement: Tons! :)

Cravings? Still nothing weird. I haven't really had any uncontrollable cravings. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Labor signs: Still lots of Braxton Hicks. Getting more crampy, but I don't know if that's impending labor, or just regular pregnancy stuff. Also, *TMI*, I've lost a few pieces of my mucus plug over the last 2 days. Progress!

Symptoms: Same old, same old. 

Belly Button in or out? Out!

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :(

Happy or moody most of the time? Happy and much less stressed!

Looking forward to: Zoey! I can't believe she'll be here in less than a month... Only 26 days left until my due date!!

Doctor's appointment today was great. BP is still normal, and Zoey is officially head down! I'm on weekly appointments now. The only thing I'm nervous about is.... My doctor is going on vacation in 2 weeks! He'll be gone from 8/3 to 8/10... so, my 39th week. EEP! Here's hoping she doesn't decide to come that week!!

As I mentioned before, we finally got our travel system in the mail! I put it together all by myself, and it's SO CUTE!! We ordered it from Target. I love it because we wanted something NOT pink... The colors are white, black, and different shades of purple. The stroller folds REALLY easily, and it truly is one-handed! Also the storage bin under the stroller is really roomy, compared to some that I've seen!

Graco Dynamo Lite travel system in "Paige"

At my doctor's office, one of the nurses is certified in car seat installation... so I took the car seat and base, and she showed me how to install it! We also brought a teddy bear (remember her bear that Thomas and I made her at Build-a-Bear?) so she could show us how to adjust the straps.

Pinky made a really good stand-in Zoey!  I'm really glad she was there to show us how to install it... Now I just need to remember how to do it so I can install the other base in Thomas's car!

See you next week! :)

35 weeks pregnant and baby shower pictures!

Hey guys! Sorry this post is a bit later than normal... I had a very busy weekend! For starters, I quit my job of almost 7 years on Friday. I was supposed to work until the end of this week, but the foot swelling was getting out of hand, and my boss agreed that it would be better for me to go ahead and go. It was really emotional, and I'm really sad to leave, but I've felt (physically) much better since then! My feet are even back to normal-people-sized feet! I also had my 2 baby showers this weekend... one on Saturday with my family and friends, and one on Sunday at my boss's house with all of the work girls! Since then, I've been busy doing baby laundry and putting away all of the awesome gifts that Zoey got! She is totally set on clothes, diapers, wipes, and other necessities, and I feel a TON better and more prepared! We ordered her swing and carseat/stroller set yesterday, so those should be coming sometime toward the end of this week or beginning of next week. Then, we'll be totally ready!

Picture at my baby shower on Saturday

How far along? 35 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Honey dew melon in weight... 5 1/4 lbs and 18 inches long

Total weight gain: I don't remember what I was exactly at 35 weeks, but as of right now, I'm up 27 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Now that I'm not working, I'm mostly in either nightgowns, or yoga pants and tank tops. So much more comfy!

Stretch marks? Still none on the belly, just other places. 

Sleep: Better this week... I realized that I was kinda forgetting to eat, which was really interfering with my sleep. Once I started remembering to eat dinner, I started sleeping a lot better! I just don't get hungry anymore, which is really frustrating. I have to make an effort to remind myself to eat meals and snack regularly.

Best moment this week? As emotional as it was, leaving my job was a really great thing this week. It really feels like the start of a new chapter in my life... I'm glad I have this time to really get ready for our little girl! And, of course, my showers were amazing! Pictures in a sec!

Miss anything? Walking without being out of breath, being able to sit up on my own, or get up off of the floor without help... I can't wait to get my core strength back! lol

Movement: Lots and lots! She's either really happy, or really frustrated with the lack of space. 

Cravings? Nothing out of the ordinary.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Labor signs: Lots and lots of BH, and they're getting strong. I got a bit dehydrated earlier this week, and they got pretty intense. Yet another thing I have to make a conscious effort to remember... Drink water! 

Symptoms: Still waking up with numb hands... Kinda over that, and I hope it leaves when pregnancy does! The foot swelling has eased up a lot since I've started staying home, thank goodness!

Belly Button in or out? Out!

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :(

Happy or moody most of the time? Happy this week, but emotional about everything. Mostly happy... I think it's had a lot to do with the cooler temps this week!

Looking forward to: Getting the last few necessities before Zoey gets here! I can't believe that I'll be full term in just a week and a half!!

Now for the shower pictures!

My best friend, mom and little sister threw me a shower with all of my friends and family on Saturday. We had a great turnout, with over 30 people!

The presents! This was taken early... There were lots more by the time it was time to open them! Everyone was SO generous!!!

The beautiful diaper cake that my sister made!

My sweet baby sister!

My friends and family made the day so special for me, Thomas, and Zoey!

My sweet best friend did a great job throwing the shower!

My good friend Desiree! :)

The next day, I had a baby shower/going away party at my boss's house! 

The sweet girls that I work with! I will truly miss these crazy ladies!

We had a pool party!

This man has put up with me since I was 19! Or did I put up with him? ;)

Once I got home, the organizing began! And it was nuts! Here's the aftermath of the shower on Saturday:

Notice the somewhat overwhelmed kitty in the mayhem.

My mom, Nannie, and Aunt Cindy all went in together and got Zoey a pack n play! This was essential for us, because she'll be sleeping in our room for the first few months. Thomas and I got it all set up that night, and it's adorable!

See you next week!

34 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 34 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Cantaloupe in weight... 4.5 lbs and almost 18 inches long!

Total weight gain: 22 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yep, and lots of dresses and skirts. 

Stretch marks? Same as always... Hips, and the inside of my thighs. Not getting any worse, and still none on my belly.

Sleep: Bad.

Best moment this week? Nothing fantastic this week... Just still getting everything ready for our little girl!

Miss anything? Decent sleep. Unswollen feet. Doing anything without being out of breath.

Movement: Still lots!

Cravings? Lots of fruit this week... especially watermelon! 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Labor signs: Still lots of Braxton Hicks, but nothing out of the ordinary. 

Symptoms: Pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel syndrome... SUCKS. I can't do ANYTHING without my hands going numb, and in the morning my joints are so tight I can barely move my fingers. :(

Belly Button in or out? Out!

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :(

Happy or moody most of the time? Happy this week... It was a good week! I got a nice, long break from work, and we finally got some rain! This week it's supposed to cool down a lot, so I'm sure that will help. 

Looking forward to: My baby showers are next weekend! I really can't wait! I hope I can finally feel prepared, and at least if I'm not, I'll be able to buy whatever else this little girl is going to need! I've put myself on a buying freeze because I know I shouldn't buy things this close to my shower (but I will admit, I  got a few things last week at Target on Clearance!)... I can't wait to have everything ready and in place for our baby girl!!

Also, I did get a bit crafty yesterday.... I made 2 burp cloths and a "taggie"! For pictures, check out my Instagram, over there to the right! :)

33 weeks pregnant!

It's official... We're having a baby NEXT MONTH! In only FOUR weeks, I'll be full term... which means Zoey will be making her grand entrance very soon!! It just got real. :)

How far along? 33 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Pineapple... 17 inches long and over 4 pounds!

Total weight gain: 20-ish

Maternity clothes? Yes, but to be honest, even those are starting to get uncomfortable! I'm wearing yoga pants to work from now on :(

Stretch marks? I've got a new one this week as well... on the part of my belly button that was pierced! Weird.

Sleep: Getting worse... I'm having a hard time getting comfortable now, and I wake up at least twice every night with numb arms and hands. Not to mention the bathroom trips....

Best moment this week? Well... I went into the guest bathroom (the one that will be Zoey's bathroom), and I found a loose corner in the wall paper that needs to come down so I can paint.

I think I won the battle. :)

Miss anything? Bending over, doing anything without getting exhausted, climbing the stairs without feeling like I ran a marathon, being on my feet for more than an hour without feeling like they'll bust from the fluid retention.... I can keep going if you'd like!

Movement: Lots! She squirms around a lot, I guess because she's running out of room.

Cravings? Nothing weird this week.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Labor signs: Having more and more braxton hicks contractions, but nothing painful.

Symptoms: Still the swollen hands and feet, and heartburn has been rearing it's ugly head. Tums are my friend! 

Belly Button in or out? Out!

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :(

Happy or moody most of the time? Starting to get kind of miserable... I think that's probably got a lot to do with the horrible heat we've had for the last week. The highs have been up toward the 110s, and it doesn't look like we're getting any rain any time soon. (20% chance 5 days next week, but that basically means "wishful thinking".) 

Looking forward to: I have 6 days off after the 4th of July, so I'm excited to take those days to rest, go swimming, and paint/decorate Zoey's bathroom. My shower is in 2 weeks and I'm really looking forward to that as well, along with my last day of work in 18 days! I'm ready to rest and finish getting everything together for Zoey! 

Zoey's nursery reveal!

Okay, okay... I can't wait any longer. I am SO ready to show off my work on our baby girl's room! Like I said in my last post, it's almost done... save for just 2 more projects. I decided today that it is done enough to finally show off! So, here it is!

The crib! We got her crib at Target for $300, and it converts into a toddler bed, day bed, and full sized bed. We also got the matching dresser! I still need to finish sewing her crib skirt, which will match the curtains.

Her mobile! I saw this idea on a few blogs, and just had to do it for Zoey's room. It's made with tissue paper and yarn. The tutorials I used are here and here! The "Shhh.... baby dreaming" wall decal came from Michael's.

These 3D flower canvases were my most recently completed project. I found 3 big flowers at Joann's that matched the colors of her nursery, and I popped the stems off. I painted 3 8"x8" gallery canvases in coordinating colors, and used the end of a paint brush to  paint white polkadots. Then, I poked a hole in the middle of each canvas, and hot glued the flowers onto each canvas! 

Her closet! We opted to take the doors off (because sliding doors are not very nice to tiny fingers!), and we painted her closet a pretty avocado green! 

The frame collage. This is one of the projects that needs to be completed. I'm going to paint a tree for the bottom right frame, and I'm working on a cross stitch birth announcement for the bottom left frame. As for the top 3 frames, they're still to be decided on. The big funky mirror in the middle was purchased at Target for $20, and painted white. The oval frame on the bottom has my hand print and Thomas's hand print, and will be finished off with Zoey's little tiny hand print after she's born. I would love to take credit for that wonderful idea, but I totally jacked it from Kate! I fell in love with her sweet African-themed nursery for her baby girl... Who just so happens to also be named Zoey!

Dresser/changing table. The blue flowers came from Michael's. The canvases were decorated by me.... The birds were pulled from her crib quilt fabric (which you'll see in a minute), and the letters were done with my Cricut Expression 2 and the "Straight from the Nest" cartridge. The letters came from Hobby Lobby. They were unfinished wood, and I painted them with the same paint used for the closet.

Curtains were made by me with 2 of the coordinating fabrics from the collection that I used as inspiration for her room. The collection is called "Baby Birds" from Joann.

Crib pillows! I used the nursery fabric, as well as some odds and ends that I had laying around the craft room. I found the tutorial on Pinterest... You can find it here!

Crib quilt, made by mommy! Also, the shaggy rug came from Target!

Bow board! My friend Krystal and I found the frame for $7 at Goodwill.. We de-constructed it, spray painted it, covered the cardboard backing with bating, fabric, and ribbon, and hot glued the crap out of it! I also made all of her flowers... I think she needs some more! :)

And her shelves. I bought them in a set of 3 at Target. The bird houses came from Joann for $1 a piece, and I painted them in the coordinating nursery colors. The green bird came from Michael's, as well as the block Z. The cute Ultrasound picture frame came from Hobby Lobby... It says "Love at First Sight". I still need to put one of her pictures in it!

A quick note about the paint colors, in case you're wondering how I got the perfectly-matched colors.... Paint samples at Lowes! They're $3... Krystal and I took the crib quilt to Lowes, matched up some paint chips, and got paint samples in the coral, baby pink, mint green, and sky blue! They have definitely come in handy! 

I hope you love her sweet, girly room as much as I do... I'm really proud of the way it turned out! As my mother in law says, "It's done... No room for anything else but Zoey!"