My new blog

Head on over to My NEW BLOG!!  I've got a post over there explaining why I moved to wordpress.  Please come visit and follow me over there! :-)

I'll be posting my birth story soon as well as updates on the little princess!

She's here!!!!!!!!

Addilyn Murray Nobles

Born April 1, 2013

6 lbs. 8 oz. and 20 1/4 inches

After just 5 1/2 hours of labor, our sweet, perfect, beautiful princess entered the world!

I will definitely post more details later but I wanted to stop in real quickly and share the news!

37, 38 and 39 Weeks

Yes, I'm getting lazy and writing the last 3 weeks in one post, mostly because there isn't much to report!

39 weeks and I feel like a whale--ha!  Baby is measuring great.  Weight gain is at 30lbs(yipes!)  I was 2-3cm dilated, 70% effaced and -2 station at my appointment this week.  The midwife swept my membranes in hopes to 'push me over the edge' as she put it--nothing as of yet.

38 weeks and we got the carseat installed this weekend!  Scott has been so sweet and is realizing just how close we are to meeting our girl.  He has prepared himself to help me during labor and is really ready for it.  He has been really sweet to me lately(he always is, but especially this week) and kind of 'clingy', constantly hugging and kissing me.  It's really sweet.  I'm not sure if it's just the excitement or the realization that we are going to be parents in just a few weeks--either way, I love it!  He keeps talking about how he can't wait to hold her and I love that!  Still feeling good this week.  I turned 25--yipes! lol  My belly measurement is magically "perfect" again, I guess Addilyn had a growth spurt or was just scrunched up in my tummy the past few weeks!

37 weeks and feeling good.  Declined the pelvic check, since they seem pointless.  You can be dilated and stay that way for weeks or you can not be dilated and go into labor that day--so strange.  I was measuring small so they did an ultrasound this week.  They estimated Addilyn to be 5 lbs and 7 oz, which is small, but in the normal range--the midwives aren't concerned.

39 Weeks and 3 Days...

...and boy am I exhausted!! You Mama's out there are probably laughing at me, thinking the hardest part is yet to come---and I get that.  But this 'labor could start any minute' thing is driving me nuts!

I have been so blessed to have such a wonderful pregnancy.  I really can't complain.  I wasn't very sick in the beginning, we got our girl we were hoping for, she has been healthy every step of the way and I'm been feeling very good.  Until I hit 39 weeks...something changed.  I feel like Addilyn hit a growth spurt and there isn't enough room for her anymore!  I literally went from feeling fine on Sunday, to totally 'whale-like' and yucky on Monday.  I decided I would take some time off work this week, in order to give myself a little break before she comes.  But I went to work on Tuesday and the amount of people that said "no baby yet?" or "you're still here?" or *with a very sad face* "how are you feeling??" was INSANE!  I am a super happy, nice, cheerful person and I have never wanted to be so rude to someone in all my life!! lol.  I literally wanted to say "do I have to waste my breath and answer your stupid questions??" I am miserable.  It's hard to sit, lay down, sleep, eat...breath...haha, you name it!  I'm so thankful that I am just now experiencing all those things, because I know a lot of people experience it the whole time--so praise God for that!

It doesn't help that I feel like my nerves are shot.  Like I said, the constant 'unknown' of when labor will begin is driving me NUTS!  I've been experiencing occasional 'pre-labor' contractions, some of which are quite painful, but it never turns to anything consistent--it just fakes me out.  Scott is extremely excited about meeting Addilyn and he is SO ready, so I feel like I am letting him down every night when he gets home from work...like he was hoping for a phone call that I was in labor but got nothing...ugh.

At my appointment yesterday I was surprised to hear that I was 2-3cm dilated and 70% effaced!  She is still at a -2 station, which is high--but obviously I am heading in the right direction!  The midwife 'swept my membranes', which caused some cramping and contractions for a few hours, but then it subsided.

Scott prayed over us at 11:30pm last night, just before bed and shortly after I felt a few contractions...but then I started panicking and worrying because I had taken a long walk earlier that day and tried to take a nap afterwards but I couldn't--and I was worried if labor had started last night that I wouldn't be well-rested enough to handle it..ugh, it's always something--needless to say, the contractions didn't continue :-/

So here I sit.  Just waiting and praying that I will go into labor soon...I know I'm not even at my due date yet, which is Monday--but I am so ready to have my baby girl in my arms!!!

Any advice on how to cope with this crazy last part of pregnancy? I would love to hear it!!

36 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along? 36 weeks! Really?!  I can't believe it!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 20 lbs. (at least, it's probably more, I'll know for sure this wednesday)

Maternity Clothes: Yes!  

Gender:  Girl! Addilyn Murray

Movement: Lots of movement.  And I realized this week that some of the feelings I thought were her moving around are actually braxton hicks--go figure.  I didn't even realize it, I kept thinking it was just her sticking her butt out really far or putting a ton of pressure--but's it's actually little contractions...crazy!  

Sleep:  I'm sleeping like a b-a-b-y!  I'm soaking it in too!

What I miss: Nothing!  I'm feeling very sentimental this week and emotional about the pregnancy coming to an end.  I'll be full term next week and the thought of this amazing journey with Addilyn being over makes me sad.  I know that my life will be SO MUCH better once I can hold her in my arms--but I've loved every minute of being pregnant.  I'll miss the bump and the glow.  And just the joy that comes from growing a little human inside of me!  I'm so ready for her to come, but I'm sad my pregnancy will be over soon.  It was such a fun and exciting time--I'm already looking forward to doing it again!

Cravings: Nothing crazy, I'm really loving citrus this week as well as chocolate! 

Symptoms:  Braxton hicks contractions, which aren't painful at all...feels pretty cool actually, lol.  

Best Moment This Week: Having our maternity photos done!  They turned out so beautifully and I can't wait to share them!

I had my GBS test done last week and it was negative, which I am happy about--I didn't want to have to deal with the antibiotics and what not.  Also, my cervix is closed but 50% effaced.  I'm not going to have them check me again until 38 weeks...so we'll see what happens in the next few weeks!

35 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along? 35 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 17 lbs. 

Maternity Clothes: Yes!  

Gender:  Girl! Addilyn Murray

Movement: Lots of movement.  Seems like she has switched from her back being on my left side to it being on my right.  That changes where I feel all her kicks and punches--she is just keeping things interesting!

Sleep:  Better than the last couple weeks.  Besides the frequent potty breaks!

What I miss: Bending over without moaning...ha!  It just comes with the territory I guess.  Getting things done is just not as easy as it used to be--but that's okay!

Cravings: Nope, no cravings. 

Symptoms:  I'm feeling pretty great this week.  I discovered that the more I do the stretches and exercises our doulas suggested, the less pressure and back pain I have.  So I've been trying to set aside time to do them multiple times throughout the day and it's really helping!  Somehow it hurts more to lay down on the couch than to be up on hands and knees doing cat stretches.  Blessing in disguise maybe? :-)

Best Moment This Week: I have a few best moments this week.  We had our meeting with the 2 doulas that will be 'on call' during my labor.  It was great to get to talk about all of our desires for the birth--luckily we don't want anything out of the ordinary and we won't have to put up any fights at the midwifery center to get what we want.  What a blessing!  We also went to eat with Scott's Dad and stepmom this week and I really enjoyed talking with them.  Scott brought up how I've had a positive outlook on this whole process and we truly believe that is why my pregnancy has been so smooth and such a joy.  I think perspective is everything and that you can change a situation based on your attitude and feelings towards it.  I could have "wallowed" in the yucky morning sickness, but I chose to downplay it and pretend it wasn't there.  I have very fond memories of the first trimester--queasiness and all!  Same for every stage thus far.  Do I have back pain? Yes, is it in the end of the world and do I have to tell everyone in sight?  Nope. And when people tell me "sleep now!  because you won't get any once she's here" I say bring it on!  I may get exhausted but I don't want to take any one of those night feedings for granted.  I want to wake up and say "Thank you Lord for this beautiful blessing..."  That was my Mom's perspective when she had her 4 children--and maybe that is where I get it from.  I asked her recently if she had any problem with post partum depression, to which she replied "I had the opposite!  I felt sorry for everyone else in the world who didn't have this baby..." How awesome is that?  She also said she used to lie awake at night and wait for us to start to fuss so she could go get us and feed us.  I want to have that very same perspective!  And I want to pass that on to Addilyn and pray for generations of happy, thankful pregnant daughters and granddaughters!

34 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along? 34 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 17 lbs. 

Maternity Clothes: Yes!  

Gender:  Girl! Addilyn Murray

Movement: Feeling strong kicks to the ribs, sometimes it takes my breath away--literally!

Sleep:  Not great.  Lots of late night trips to the bathroom which interrupt my sleep, otherwise it's good!

What I miss: Sleep!

Cravings: Nope, no cravings. 

Symptoms:  Still having some wrist pain in my wrists, primarily my right though.  Lots of pressure.

Best Moment This Week: Going to our last natural birthing class.  The last class was just for the Mama's and it was great to really connect with the ladies and be able to ask lots of questions without feeling weird in front of the other husbands.  It was bittersweet because I really enjoyed the 7 weeks with the birth educators.  They did a great job of keeping the class fun and yet VERY informative.  I feel SO MUCH more prepared now, call me crazy, but I really cannot wait to go into labor!