T Minus 10 Days......(and waddling)

Wow, only 10 more days until my due date: January 2, 2011! To be honest, I really don't want to wait that long, but I know it's possible I will have to wait even longer. The anticipation is building (along with many other emotions: fear, doubt, excitement... just to name a few). In a matter of days our lives will change forever---THAT is scary! We will be wholly responsible for another human being.

Over the past few weeks I have enjoyed pondering what Andrew will be like. Whose characteristics will he have? Who will he look most like? What will his personality be like? Of course, I hope he gets the good from both of us, and none of the bad. =) I can say, though, that I am very ready for him to be here. I have enjoyed my pregnancy very much (mainly because for the first time in my life it's sweet and adorable to have a big belly, which has been fun), but I am now in the uncomfortable stage. I finished out the last days of school before the holidays, his nursery is prepared, and I'm just ready to meet the little guy!

At my last appointment I was told of the possibility of having a C-Section (due to the shape of my pelvic bone). The doctor said that if he weighs 8 lbs. or more, we should probably go ahead and consider planning the C-Section instead of trying to labor. It's likely that I would get to a point and the labor would halt, and I could not progress. While this isn't the worst news ever, it was a little disappointing to hear. However, I have since decided that whatever gets Andrew here the safest and fastest, I'm ok with! And for those of you who know me well, being able to PLAN when and what time I have my baby suits me just fine! =) I do worry about the healing process, but it's something many women have gone through and coped, and I know I will, too.

I guess it's normal to still worry a little that everything will be ok with him once he's born, but I find comfort in praying for him and feeling his "healthy" kicks (in the ribs---Oww!). We appreciate your prayers as we soon welcome our Andrew William into our lives---may he be healthy and feel overwhelmed with love.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,

Heather and Jeremy

2 Down.....1 To Go!

With the first two trimesters down I feel we are heading into the home stretch! I'm still feeling good these days, just heavier and tire more easily walking around or up and down stairs. But overall, still feelin' good---thank goodness! =) And now that the temperature has cooled my feet do not seem to give me as much trouble as they have in the past with swelling.

A few weeks ago we were able to see Andrew in 3D/4D, which was really neat. It's so amazing (and slightly overwhelming) to see the baby on the screen and know it's growing inside of you. What a miracle.... but sort of freaky, too! The thought of actually having a baby and having to take care of it remains surreal to me (and to Jeremy, I believe). My emotions range from excited to scared to death. What an incredible responsibility, and with that comes fear and worry. I showed a few pics to my students at school, and one little boy said "What's that, an alien?" when I put them on the screen. Actually, some of the pics DO look like a baby alien! But my favorite shows off his cute little cheeks. And my mom says he has my nose, so that makes me smile! =)

I have been reading a book about the best baby products to buy (it gives you opinions based on consumer reports) and it will really make you worry about everything the baby will touch or be around. Basically, if you breath too hard in the nursery it could be linked to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). The pressure I feel reading books like that is probably not healthy, but if I don't read them I feel like a bad parent, too, who is uninformed and may purchase something that is unsafe. However, it has helped me narrow down some of the items that I really need or don't need, which I appreciate. With having a small house I don't want any extra/unnecessary baby items.

Today I started a Fetal Movement Chart that I have to show to the doctor with every visit up until Andrew is born. I have to time how long it takes him to kick 10 times every day. Today it took 29 minutes..... so out of an A-D scale, he got a B. Funny, the teacher in me is a little disappointed. I want my child to have an A! =) However, I'm sure this means my child will be calm and happy. And I'm sure he will move even more as he gets bigger.

The nursery continues to transform a little each week. My sweet father-in-law helped Jeremy put the crib together a couple of weeks ago, so the room actually looks like a nursery. We still have other chores to do in there, but it's off to a good start! Of course, with my personality I would love to have the entire thing done already, but unfortunately I have to be patient.

I will have my first baby shower this month in Harlem. I'm very excited about that! My sweet Mom and Aunts are hosting it, and I know it will be fun! =) Just another one of the MANY blessings I have been granted during this special time.

Speaking of blessings.... I passed my sugar test with flying colors. I scored a 102 (with 100 being a normal sugar reading). What a relief!

I'll try to keep you all posted as we wrap up this last trimester and prepare to welcome Baby Andrew into this world! =)

Mommy & Baby Update

I'm happy to report that Andrew and I are both doing fabulously right now! At 23 weeks I am enjoying my pregnancy and do not have much to complain about. Andrew received a healthy report at the doc Friday. He had his "big" ultrasound at the last visit, but because he was only 18 weeks old they couldn't see his heart and spine very well, so they looked again at the most recent visit. He is perfect so far and seems to be growing right along as he's supposed to---what a blessing! Mom and Dad were able to come to the appointment with me and saw their first ever ultrasound. It was very special to share that with them (our favorite part was when we got to hear the heartbeat).

The only preggo "issues" I'm having are swelling and carpal tunnel. My poor feet look pitiful every evening. I know that being on my feet all day doesn't help, but I don't really have a choice (occupational hazard). I also need to up my water intake and I think that will help. The carpal tunnel isn't too bad yet, but my hands do fall asleep throughout the night (which wakes me up), when I drive, and when I am grading papers. I think one solution should be a doctor's note to NOT have to grade any more papers until AFTER the baby is born! =)

I tackled the job of baby registering over the last couple of weekends. I want to say it was fun, but it really wasn't. I found it to be very overwhelming. Luckily I had some help with most of it (thanks Emily, Mom, and Dad) and it comforted me to have the advice of friends when registering for some "bigger" items. I did enjoy looking at baby clothes and registering for things like onesies, diaper bags, pacifiers, and other cute little items. Man are there so many choices for everything! And my baby boy probably won't need half of it. Baby product companies sure are in the money-making business!

I did order Andrew's bedding and LOVE it! It is chocolate brown, light blue (a little darker than baby blue), and khaki stripes (very large stripes). It's the perfect mix of baby boy colors but the pattern isn't a "baby" pattern... just what I wanted. One of the things I'm really looking forward to is setting up his crib and dresser. I think that when that is set up I'll really feel like he's COMING!

I'm so blessed to have friends and family who are stocking up Andrew with lots of goodies: outfits, nighties, bibs, diapers, toys, stuffed animals, shoes..... so many fun, adorable things. Last weekend I cleaned out my closet to make room for some of his stuff. He may end up taking over the closet! =) How sweet it is to just look at it all and wonder what he will look like wearing/using it. It makes me anxious to hold that sweet boy in my arms!

Preggo Update

I am 20 weeks pregnant today! I can't really say time is flying, because it feels like 20 weeks. However, the thought of being half-way through my pregnancy is a little scary! We have not done anything to prepare other than clean out the nursery. But I know it will happen in time. I have looked at bedding and furniture online, so some progress is being made. One of the most fun things so far has been buying/receiving baby clothes. Man, are those things cute! We are going to have one stylin' little man. =)

The last few weeks have been by far the best. I have been feeling much more energetic (which I am so grateful for since I have started back to school). I am dealing with a little swelling with my feet, but other than that I feel great! I have been so blessed to have such an easy pregnancy (so far---fingers crossed). At 16 weeks we were able to find out the sex of the baby. Technology is awesome! It was such a relief to just know what we were having (after weeks of wondering and dreaming) that I cried (more like a sob---a little embarrassing) right there on the table when the sonographer told us the news. I honestly did not care what the sex was, I was just ready to know. But now that I know it's a boy, I can't imagine it any other way. I can't wait to hold that little sweet boy! We also went to our 18 week doctor appointment and had a lengthy ultrasound. That was lots of fun! We saw him moving, waving, and crossing his legs and feet. Everything about him looked perfect (which we are so thankful for). At the next appointment I will have the gestational diabetes test (Sept 3rd), so please pray all goes well with that.

Just in case you missed the news for some reason, we are naming our baby boy ANDREW WILLIAM HOOD. Andrew came about as Jeremy was looking through the names of the apostles one day and said he really liked that name; I agreed. William is Jeremy's middle name (along with his dad's and grandfather's first name), so we are passing it down to our little one. We believe it is a strong, handsome name!

Enjoy the latest pics of Andrew (already known as "Drew" to some... which we love as well).

Back to the Grind

The "summer" is officially over and it's time to start another school year. At this point in the year I'm usually really bummed that summer is over and somewhat antsy about a new year. I am neither this year. I'm sure the main reason is that I will be having my "bundle boy of joy" this school year, so starting the year will not only make this come sooner, but I will also not have to teach the entire school year. =) Quite exciting I must say!

I did have an eventful and restful summer, though. From the cruise to Mexico, trip to beautiful Nashville, and beach trips to Myrtle and Daytona Beach, I feel I used my summer time wisely. The nursery is also off to a great start (I even looked at bedding and furniture this weekend). I have posted a few pics of these awesome adventures.

I'm working on getting the latest pics of our baby boy uploaded, so my next blog will be about him! Stay tuned.....

My Papa

This is the time of year that I really think about my Papa. This month he and my Granny would have celebrated another anniversary and it's also the month that he passed away. It's interesting how your feelings change over time. I was, of course, so sad when our family lost Papa and I think about him during holidays and any time that I am at his house. I always said (after now losing both Papas and an Aunt) that the hardest part has been watching my parents lose a parent and sister. Now I feel differently. This year I feel the loss more so than ever before. I attribute this to (2) things: (1) my hormones are a total mess and I am more emotional about EVERYTHING and (2) he will not meet his first great-grandbaby. This make me extremely sad! However, I have plenty of loving family around to celebrate this special time, and I just take joy in thinking that my Papa is watching over us as we go through it all!

We love and miss you Papa! =)

Show Time!

I decided to start documenting my belly growth. While I'm still not certain that I am "showing" all that much, I am certain that I have gained weight and my clothes do NOT fit! =) So since that is the case, I guess it would be nice to see the changes over time (well, I'm not sure how much I'll appreciate it, but maybe others will). It has been fun buying maternity clothes. And not only do they have lots of cute choices, they are SO comfy! And it's nice to not have to worry about your belly hanging out, since it's supposed to anyway!

I'm still feeling really good. I tire easily, but I guess that's normal. This week Jeremy and I have been working very hard in our house to reorganize. We decided not to move to a larger home, so we have to convert our guest/office/workout room to somewhat of a nursery. We also purchased a brand new living room set (which I'm awaiting it's arrival at this moment). I'm SO excited! So our house is a total mess right now. We are renting a storage unit to store a lot of items and furniture that we either don't need, or don't have room for right now. I have to work some, then take a break, then work a little more. Jeremy worked especially hard because he has to do any heavy lifting (makes me feel kind of useless at times). I think I would normally hate doing all of this, but since our purpose is to create a nursery, I find it VERY exciting! Oh, and I watch LOTS of HGTV on my mini-breaks for inspiration! I'm so thankful that I have a job that allows me to have the summer off. It gives me the time to get what I need done in the house before I become the size of a house!

Mini-break time over: back to work! =)

Time with friends

I recently went to the beautiful state of Tennessee to visit with a dear friend of mine, Melanie. We have been friends since middle school. There are very few people in my life that I have kept in contact with for this length of time. It has been an annual tradition for me to travel to see her and her family during the summer (hopefully that can continue when I have a little one). It was great to just hang out, chat, and spend time with her sweet little girls. One day we had a girls day out! We went shopping (I bought the cute little shirt above for my little one), enjoyed a yummy lunch and dinner, and went to see the movie Grown Ups (very funny). One of the things I have always loved about dear friends is that it doesn't matter how long you have been apart, once you are back together you pick right back up where you left off.

I have a traveling break for a couple of weeks before I head off again to the beach with my family, and then with The Hubby. I am working on some house projects to transform the guest bedroom into a nursery. We also just purchased a new living room set (so excited) that will arrive next week! So I am working to get old stuff out (or in to storage) and get ready for the new stuff. Today is all about cleaning, though. Man that makes me tired! I do a little, then take a break (hence this post), then do some more. But I'll finish eventually. If being tired is my only "symptom" right now, I'll take it! I have been feeling really good this past week. I have even overcome my evening "yuckiness" for now.

We are headed to Stone Mountain tonight for the Laser Show and fireworks. I'm very excited because it has been a while since I have seen it and it will be the first time for Jeremy. Happy July 4th everyone! Be safe and enjoy time with the ones you love! =)

P.S. If you are interested in buying any of the items I am selling (furniture and area rugs), check them out on my Facebook page.

Generosity

I have been amazed and blessed with the offer of gifts from friends and family. I have posted a few of these sweet things. Friends have offered maternity clothes, baby clothes, books, swing, and even some things that I don't even know what they do (but am grateful all the same and intend to figure it out and let my baby enjoy them). It's so neat how there is an instant bond with women who have babies, and not just those who are my close friends, but even those I don't know that well. They are willing to share smiles, stories, and even belongings that they no longer need. I now feel included in a wonderful community of Mommies!

Thank you to the many loved ones who have extended a hand in our preparation of Baby Hood's arrival (these are a few): Jennifer, Miss Kathy, Mr. Gary, Vicky (mother-in-law), Johnathan, Emily, Kelli, and my sweet Mama (who has already purchased some "comfy" clothing for me).

Is Knowledge Really Power, or Fear?

I have LOTS of preggo reading material to look through over the next 6 months (and all but one has been given to me by a friend----SO nice). At first I found them incredibly fascinating and I was thirsting for knowledge. Then I got a little tired of it and took a break. Now I'm back in to it again. I love reading about the different stages of pregnancy and what to expect. However, sometimes it can be overwhelming. For example, if you read that your body should be doing something that it's not, or if it is doing something that you can't seem to find in any book, it can put a first-time mommy into panic mode. I always have so many questions for my doctor about do's and dont's, which she takes in stride (as she should). She just always calmly sits back and tells me not to worry, that my experiences are normal, along with my many questions and concerns. I just wonder if all of this reading material is helping, or just making me crazy!

I read in a magazine the other day to NOT put bumper padding in the baby's crib. That there should not be a blanket, padding, or any other object in the baby's crib. Seriously?? So the baby will then freeze AND hit his/her head against the crib rails all night.... that seems safe! Anyway, my point is that sometimes too much knowledge could be dangerous. At the most it could cause you to make poor/uninformed decisions, and at the least will just make you paranoid about the care you are giving to your baby.

So I do read, but more of the lighter stuff, like "Girlfriends Guide To Pregnancy" which is full of laughs and experiences written by a mother of four children. It seems to keep me smiling and enjoying this time of life!

Went to the Doctor Today

We had visit #3 to the doctor today and all went well. It was quite a LONG visit and in the end 7 vials of blood were drawn for all of the various testing (good reason to eat Chick-Fil-A afterwards WITH sweet tea)! =)

Baby Hood was very active during the ultrasound. The nurse was trying to get 'it' to move around, but the pressing down would only make the arms and legs go nuts. It was really cute to see. The heartbeat was very strong at 172 bpm. It remained on it's tummy the whole time.

The also changed my due date back to Jan. 2nd (that was the original due date). So a New Year's Baby may be possible! So that makes me 11 weeks pregnant now. The first trimester is almost over!

We are thinking about going to one of the early gender detection sites for "Prenatal Imaging". They can detect the gender as early as 15 weeks and have really up-to-date ultrasound machines. I'm going to research that this week and hopefully set up an appointment for some time in the next 4-5 weeks. Very exciting!

I'm feeling good and enjoying my summer!

Enjoy the pic of Baby Hood.

Let's Try This Again....For The Baby This Time!

Well, I started a blog a while back during our engagement (that was supposed to lead throughout our blissful journey of marriage). That didn't last too long, unfortunately (the blog, not the marriage--it's going just fine). I'm going to give it another shot now that we have someone else joining our family. I hope that this blog will be something my son/daughter will be able to look back on later in life and enjoy!

I am currently 10 weeks pregnant and am due January 9, 2011. I have been VERY lucky in regards to common symptoms: no vomiting (yet--always have to say yet)! I have been quite tired (more so during the first 8 weeks) and my 'yucky feeling' usually comes around 4-6pm each day. But it usually passes after dinner time. So far I have been enjoying thinking about names and reading some baby books and magazines (some for info and some for fun). I have even been given some baby gifts already, which was quite a treat (thanks Jen, Kathy, and Gary).

I think one of the BEST parts of the pregnancy has been telling my family, especially my parents. Boy did their eyes light up (then tear up) at the news of a grandbaby. I've always heard that having a grandchild is so exciting, but it was quite amazing to experience it with my own parents. I'm just so excited for them and can't wait to see them hold that sweet baby for the first time! Lots of fun is ahead for Edee and Pop.

Tomorrow is my next doctor's appointment and the nerves are settling in. I don't know why, but you just worry a little that 'something' may be wrong. I guess it's just the common worry that will accompany being a parent forever. (And all of the brochures that they give you on birth defects isn't that calming, either!)

More updates to come....