Newborn Session Inspiration

I cannot WAIT to have images like this of my sweet little family..

Pinterest is such a fun way to compile all things lovely <3

Source: flickr.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: photographybymeg.net via Megan on Pinterest

Source: None via Megan on Pinterest

Source: blog.drewbphotography.com via Megan on Pinterest

Week 32 { Highlights!

Eli is the size of a sack of potatoes

and will weigh around 4 pounds at the end of this week!

How far along?

I am 32 weeks & 2 days. Only 12 days until the goal date of hitting 34 weeks! So far, the medicine is still working and Eli is holding strong.

Total weight gain/loss:

I haven't been allowed to climb the stairs where my scale is since I got home from the hospital, but before I went in we were at about a 20 pound gain.

Maternity clothes?

Yes and no. Pants for sure, but I wear regular skirts (most of mine have a stretchy feel to them though!) Sometimes I wear maternity shirts, but it's not mandatory.

Stretch marks?

Unfortunately yes..arrived last week. They're not terrible though..yet :) They are mainly on my lower right side- where he always lays.

Sleep?

I don't have too much trouble sleeping..I do wake up a lot to pee though! David brought the mattress downstairs since I shouldn't be going up and down the stairs and we've been "camping" out in the living room.

Best moment of the week:

Not having to stay at the hospital overnight! They just put me on new medicine, it worked miracles and we were released that evening!

Worst moment this week:

Bedrest in general isn't that fun. However, worrying over a child in the NICU would be worse- so bedrest when he's inside of me growing isn't that bad.

Movement?

I'm not sure when this little guy sleeps! He is a mover for SURE! I don't mind it though, makes me not have to worry.

Food cravings:

I haven't had ANY cravings..at all! Ever! I keep waiting for some!

Gender:

BOY!

Labor Signs:

Contractions- but I have had them since 29 weeks when I went to the hospital trying to prevent preterm labor.

Belly Button: In or Out?

So this is strange..but it's even with my belly-- before I was an innie, and now.. it's just- strange ;)

Wedding rings on or off?

I took them off because I didn't know how much fluid i'd be getting at the hospital- last time I was there I gained 6lbs in 1 day. They're upstairs..in the forbidden land- so I haven't put them back on yet, but I think they'd fit.

Milestones:

Keeping this baby inside of me since 29 weeks!!

Another Tour

Yesterday I got another tour of the Labor & Delivery unit of the hospital. My body decided it did not like the Procardia anymore and contractions got wild and I started dilating. My little man is very anxious to meet his Mommy & Daddy! Thankfully we were able to get everything under control and I got a new and stronger medicine (Terbutaline Sulfate) that seems to REALLY be working. I am honestly shocked at how well it's working. There's only ONE issue with the medicine..

I honestly feel like I'm on crack. Not that I have ever experienced that, but I would imagine it would feel something like this. I haven't had caffeine in over a year, and I feel like I have chugged a pot of coffee- I cannot focus very well and I literally SHAKE! It's wild. But it's working- and I am confident it will help to keep Eli inside :)

I am now officially on full bed rest- The ONLY time I can get up is to use the restroom and have a quick shower once a day. I am also able to get some water and grab something to eat. I never realized how much I would enjoy a 10 ft walk :) David is the best husband and he brought our mattress down (his idea!) to the living room so I didn't have to go up & down the stairs, because I would have had to strategically plan my trips so I wasn't going up/down too much. So we're "camping out" on the living room floor - it's kind of fun!

Through this whole preterm labor scare- I have not been nervous or anxious.. I know who is in control and that He knows the outcome of all of this. The entire pregnancy has been unreal to me. All of it has been in God's hands. He chose to bless David & I very quickly with this pregnancy and He has kept my little man going strong.

Life as of late..

Although it seems like YEARS ago.. I went in three weeks ago for a routine checkup. I had just hit my appointments every two weeks. The night before my appointment I had a lot of tightening- it came every few minutes- but wasn't unbearably uncomfortable so I just went to bed. It happened throughout the night and was still going on the next day when I went to work. About two hours before my appointment I jotted down the times I would feel i. When my DR asked how I had been doing, I said 'just fine' and before we ended the appointment I decided to hand him the scribbled piece of paper- which promptly landed me in labor & delivery. I thought they'd just keep me for an hour and let me go, but I ended up being admitted because I was not having braxton hicks, I was having real contractions- and they were 2-6 minutes apart consistently.

After unsuccessfully trying to get them under control with water, they moved to an IV, and finally a medicine sent from Heaven, Procardia. I thankfully only had mild side effects to the medicine for the first two doses until my body got used to it. The worst part of the whole experience was the steroid shot-- I had to get 2. Right in the butt. OUCH! However, it'll be very beneficial to sweet little Eli if he doesn't stay in there for me to of had this round of shots.

I am currently on bed rest for a majority of the day, but thankfully am allowed to get up and do a few things here & there. We have kept up with the Procardia-- every 4 hours around the clock. I try to time my pee breaks in the middle of the night with my 2 doses of medicine, but so far have been unsuccessful :) David is tired, I am tired, Sadie is tired. At least Sadie & I can take naps during the day :)

These are a photographers version of a maternity shoot on bed rest:

Our photo "session" lasted about 10 minutes-- it pays to know photographers :) I had 4 that attended my baby shower (which was held at my house so all I had to do was walk downstairs and lounge in a chair! Will share pics later!) and so one snapped a few pictures for David & I before the shower. Don't worry- I changed into a pretty dress for the occasion :)

It's no secret that we've been really behind on preparing for Eli. I had (stupidly!) thought that I would have the end of June and all of July to prepare for him- as I wouldn't be shooting any more weddings, I would be finished up with the full time job at the end of June- and life would be smooth sailing until he came :) David has had to do most of the work in preparing the nursery for his arrival, and now he has to do almost everything for us! But he's a good sport and a wonderful husband and hasn't complained once!

Sadie & Daddy putting together the crib

(the above & below picture just makes me laugh so hard!)

..and here I am looking very large at 30+ weeks

I keep saying to myself, "there's no way I can get much bigger"

..and then I wake up the next day and it feels like i've doubled in size!

List of things.

Things people don't tell you about pregnancy..

1. The cute little flutters that you feel in your stomach when you first feel baby move will after a few weeks start HURTING. Especially when you get a good kick to the rib or a punch to the bladder.

2. When you've been hit hard in the bladder/cervix-- it may or may not feel like you just took a knife to the vajayjay. This can cause old men to freak out in Food Lion when it hits you for the first time and you almost double over. Try explaining a knife to the lower regions feeling to grandpa..Actually don't - I think it's best to just let them believe you're going into labor.

3. As much as you pride yourself on not gassin' it up around your husband.. it will eventually happen. Let's just hope yours doesn't shoot out of you by accident & scare your significant other to the point where they jump off the couch during a movie. Not that that has happened, I'm just sayin' ;)

4. A phrase you will hear from other people a lot is "sleep while you can" - but it really should just apply to the 1st & 2nd trimesters. Getting good sleep in the 3rd trimester sleep has not been easy.

5. Putting on panties is exercise. You can't imagine how hard it is to get the feet through those tiny holes! I feel like I should win an award each time I do it.

6. Water & rest are the cure for almost every problem in pregnancy.

7. You may have your fingers crossed for one sex over the other- but when you actually find out what you're having and he/she gets a name.. you couldn't imagine having the other gender.

8. No matter how long you were sick (20 weeks of MS for me!) or how much pain you're in (hello dislocated SI joint and seeing a PT twice a week!) ....it's worth it. Totally worth it.

..what am I missing?