35 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 28 lbs at home, 31 lbs at the doctor. Whatever - I don't really care at this point. 

Size of Baby: Claire is about the size of a coconut!

Maternity Clothes: Yes! One of the gifts my parents usually give me for Christmas is clothes, but since it's too late to buy more maternity clothes, they gave me several sets of new pajamas and a robe instead. Nice, comfy things that will be great to have in the hospital and after when I'm home with a new baby. And since they're regular pjs, they'll work before and after she arrives!

Sleep: Okay. I've been sick this week, so sleep has been hit or miss. I've taken a ton of good naps though!

Movement: She is so big and constantly on the move right now. It's crazy to think that there's pretty much a fully developed baby moving around inside!

Cravings: Pie, my mom's dressing, sandwiches.

What I Miss: Not being such a klutz - I literally drop everything I pick up! Especially in the shower - ugh!

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd!

Mood: Pretty good. It's been so nice being off this week and getting to spend Christmas with family! But being sick has been a bummer, plus I've been a little nervous all week leading up to today's appointment.

Symptoms: Carpal tunnel in my hands, being very tired, some contractions last night. Being congested while pregnant is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy! I lost count after going through FOUR boxes of kleenex!

Milestones: The baby has dropped! My doctor told me that today - somehow I didn't realize it, but now I can tell. I think it may have happened in the last day or so. We're getting really close on the nursery! We're waiting on our chair to come in and Cam will be painting the mural in the next few days. I need to finish washing everything and we have a little chandelier to install - then we should be close to set! Claire got several really sweet Christmas gifts - she is a very loved little girl! My sister and her family gave us this - so sweet it makes me cry!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: My appointment today went really well! My blood pressure was normal, swelling was good, and no protein in my urine. Looks like a week of rest and being away from the stress of work did me a lot of good! So I don't have to go on bedrest and can basically do what I want. My doctor said we'll just see what happens when I go back to work. Had my first check this week - not dilated at all, but baby has dropped and is head down!

What I'm Looking Forward to: Cam's family coming down for a few days to celebrate a late Christmas - so fun!

And a bump picture from today...

Update

I went back for my 34 week appointment today. It went well overall. No protein in my urine, I'd lost a pound, and my swelling was so much better than it was on Wednesday. It was a million times better than it was last night, as a matter of fact. My feet are actually sore from having to wear shoes yesterday to work - none of my shoes fit anymore! My blood pressure was high initially - 130ish/90. When Dr. Orth saw that she mentioned something about bedrest, but when she checked it on the other arm, it was 122/80 - normal. She said I can go ahead and do what I want this week, but I should definitely take it easy and not travel. She's having me come back next Thursday. If the blood pressure is high next week, she said she'll put me on bedrest and induce labor at 37 weeks...eeek! I'm hopeful that by then, with a week of being off work and able to relax, my blood pressure will come down on its own. It will either do that or if it doesn't, then we will know it's preeclampsia. This really makes me confident in my doctor's advice not to travel - the idea that I could be having Claire in 3 weeks instead of 6 makes it crystal clear, as I wouln't dream of traveling at 37 weeks if I was delivering at 40...so it's basically the same difference. I'm overwhelmed at the idea of possibly being put on bedrest for the duration in less than a week - there's so much left to do. But I know it will all be fine, things will get done, and all that matters is Claire being alright. I love this baby girl so much and know that she will arrive exactly when God wants her to.

34 Weeks

I'm sorry that lately these updates are never on Wednesdays when my new week of pregnancy starts - seems like every Wednesday is so busy!

Total Weight Gain: 26 lbs on my scale at home, 29 on the doctor's scale

Size of Baby: Claire weighs as much as a cantaloupe!

Maternity Clothes: Yes! Yesterday at work, one of my coworkers laughed and commented on my cardigan not being maternity - thing is, it was maternity! Even some maternity clothes aren't long enough to cover this huge bump! For the last few days I've been sitting around at night with my shirt pulled up over my stomach because very few t-shirts cover the bump comfortably anymore. 

Sleep: I've eaten late a couple of times this week, which leads to being so uncomfortable at night.   

Movement: Yes, lots! She's getting so big that it can be a little uncomfortable. And apparently some of what I've been thinking were kicks have actually been hiccups!

Cravings: Christmas cookies are top of my list right now.

What I Miss: Eating a big meal and not feeling so bad afterward.

Gender: Sweet baby girl - Claire Campbell Todd

Mood: Tired, stressed, crazed. Just like all of you are this time of year...it's the American way!

Symptoms: Pain in my hands and wrists, rib pain on my left side, wearing a bra feels like some type of ancient binding torture.

I had a little scare yesterday. My sister let me borrow her portable blood pressure machine, so I've been occasionally checking my blood pressure, especially since Dr. Orth is watching it because of my swelling and sister's history of preeclampsia. Tuesday I noticed my numbers were high for me - normally my blood pressure is below or at 120/80. I took the machine with me to work on Wednesday and kept a running log of my readings throughout the day, most of which were high. Now, I'd hazard a guess that my blood pressure is always elevated at work, pregnant or not. Especially considering it's the last week of school and I'm trying to finalize semester grades for 140 students. And finish sub plans for maternity leave. And interview for long term subs - did I mention my subs both bailed this week? Anyway, after some urging from my mom and sister, I called my doctor and they said I could come in and they'd check out my weight and urine. A rapid weight gain and/or protein in the urine are signs of preeclampsia, as are swelling and high blood pressure, of course. I was really nervous all day at work trying to get stuff done, thinking I might not be coming back. I didn't feel good either. I convinced myself I had preeclampsia and that like my sister, I was going to go to the doctor, be sent to the hospital, and never leave. My sister was diagnosed right at this point in her pregnancy and then she delivered at 35 weeks. My weight was the same as last week and I had a trace amount of protein in my urine, so those were not a concern. My blood pressure was higher than it'd been all day though - I know the top number was 144, can't remember the bottom number. And my swelling was out of control bad - the worst it's ever been. My feet and ankles looked like the elephant man - I keep thinking about taking a picture to post but I can't bring myself to - it's so gross. Dr. Orth decided to send me over to Labor and Delivery at the hospital to have my blood pressure monitored for a couple hours. I immediately started crying and called Cam to come meet me. It was our wedding anniversary - is there anything more romantical? I thought I'd just sit there in my regular clothes and be monitored but they had me in a triage room in a hospital gown. The good news is that my blood pressure went way down once I got to the hospital...at one point the top number was 100. My blood work all came back great and so they let me leave after a little over an hour. No preeclampsia diagnosis, thanks goodness. 

I'm going back to the doctor for my already scheduled appointment tomorrow, so it will be good to see how things looks then. Today was the last day of work before the break, and it truly couldn't have come at a better time. My plan is to rest and do things I enjoy. Dr. Orth says I need to find a way to be really lazy. Unfortunately, she recommended that we not travel to Houston on Christmas like we'd planned. She was like "What if something happened and you had to deliver there?". She just doesn't think I should travel this far along and that I would swell horribly traveling in the car and be miserable. I know she's right, but it's hard. I don't like to change plans on people or inconvenience them - especially because of something having to do with my body. It will be the first Christmas that Cam spends away from his family and I hate that. I know it's okay though - all that matters is that Claire is alright! I want her to stay put for as long as possible. I will say though that I'm reaching the point where I'm looking forward to not being pregnant anymore. I don't want to wish away one second of this experience, but when I think about six more weeks of being so uncomfortable and worrying constantly about issues like this, I just feel very tired. I don't think there's been a single pregnancy symptom that I haven't dealt with in a big way. It's a blessing to be pregnant though, and I know that. 

Milestones: I can't think of anything this week! The monitor at the hospital picked up hiccups - is that a milestone? I'd been thinking those were kicks this whole time. Everyone at the hospital commented on what a mover she is!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: I feel like I've shared a lot already. Sorry for rambling!

What I'm Looking Forward to: Christmas and the break

No bump picture this week, but believe me - I'm huge!

The Last Christmas

It's a really special Christmas for me and Cam this year. Our baby girl is almost here and it's crazy/exciting to think we'll have an almost 1 year old next Christmas! We love Christmastime, especially all of the music this time of year. I've liked this song for several years, but of course it's really special to me this Christmas.

Hope you enjoy!

33 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: Not sure. When I was at the doctor this week, I was wearing heavy winter clothes and it was the end of the day, so I'm not counting that. Never question the logic of a pregnant woman. ;)

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a durian fruit. Another thing I've never heard of! And from the picture, it looks gross. 

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Sleep: Comes and goes. I've started waking up around 4 am - I think this is my body starting to prepare for the baby's schedule. 

Movement: She moves all the time! And she's getting so big that it's very noticeable. I spend a lot of time watching my stomach move - it's incredible.

Cravings/Aversions: I'm really thirsty all the time right now.

What I Miss: Nothing 

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell!

Mood: I'm exhausted, which makes me emotional. Getting ready for the baby while working so much and trying to keep up with all the Christmas frenzy is overwhelming. It's also been a tough week for some very good friends of mine and with all the horrible stuff on the news since yesterday, it's just a sad time. 

Symptoms: Rib and back pain. Lots of swelling in my ankles. My doctor added an appointment this week because of the swelling, but everything checked out fine. 

Milestones: I had another beautiful baby shower this week at work. My friends were so sweet to put it together. I got so many nice and generous gifts, many of them handmade. I'm blessed to work with some very sweet people.

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: The bedding arrived this week and it is gorgeous! I'm so pleased with it - it's exactly what I pictured in my mind. I got several gifts at my shower that incorporated the toile fabric in the bedding, which is so neat!

What I'm Looking Forward to: Christmas Break! 4 more days!

No bump picture of me this week, but here's a pic of one of the gifts from my shower!

32 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: On my scale at home first thing this morning, I'd gained 22 lbs. On the doctor's evil scale at the end of the day after eating, I'd gained 26 lbs. 

Size of Baby: Claire's about the size of a squash.

Maternity Clothes: Yep. At night I wear regular t-shirts around the house and they aren't really covering my belly anymore!

Sleep: Pretty good, except I feel like I wake up every half hour or so and one of my hands is completely asleep. Then I'll wake up a little later and the opposite hand is asleep. It's weird because I'm not laying on them funny or anything that usually causes that. Must be a pregnancy thing!

Movement: Lots of movement! Sometimes it's a little uncomfortable since she's getting bigger. Sometimes I'm having a hard time differentiating between movement and Braxton Hicks contractions. Monday night I had what I thought were Braxton Hicks contractions, but then today I found out Claire's feet are right were I was feeling them, so maybe it was just movement? My belly doesn't get rock hard like everyone says it does with Braxton Hicks, so maybe not.

Cravings/Aversions: I'm craving the "Texas trash" my mom makes during the holidays. Other than that, I'm just extremely hungry. This baby wants food!

What I Miss: Ankle bones that I can see! Before the last week or so, when I woke up in the morning my swelling would've gone down and my ankles would look normal again. That ship has sailed though - they're swollen all the time now!

Gender: Baby girl - Claire Campbell Todd!

Mood: It was an awesome weekend, so I was in a great mood then! I had another wonderful baby shower on Saturday hosted by my sweet sister and friends. It was amazing! Cam and I are truly blessed to have so many generous people in our lives. I plan to post about it soon! My in-laws were in town for the weekend and it was so much fun! 

I've been stressed out ever since getting back to the grind on Monday, of course. It's another crazy week at work plus Cam and I've been dealing with a never-ending nightmare landscape job. We hired a landscaper months ago to plant some bushes in our front beds and it has taken months to get things done and the landscaper/his worker cut both our cable and sprinkler system lines in the process. It's been very stressful having to get all of this repaired over the last few weeks and get the landscape job itself done. When I expressed this to our landscaper on Monday night, he told me I was just being emotional because I'm pregnant. I can't really think of anything more demeaning that someone could say to me right now, especially considering I'm a customer whose paid him mucho dinero, only to have him damage a bunch of stuff. Needless to say, he's no longer our landscaper.

Symptoms: Swelling, random aches and pains, just being uncomfortable. I'm also burning up all the time. I'm freezing Cam out at home, with the A/C turned way down and the fan on! Hopefully it will cool off outside soon - that will help!

Milestones: We're 2 months away now! 

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: I went to the doctor today and got to have an ultrasound first. It was great to see Claire again! She's getting so big and looks so filled out. She was sleeping so sweetly with her hand propped under her chin on the 4D ultrasound. It's just amazing what technology allows us to see! Everything is looking good! They measured her and estimate that she's about 4 lbs, 14 ounces, which puts her in the 76th percentile. They said a lot of that is because of her head - Lord help me in the delivery room! I thought the measurements sounded really big, but my doctor said that's fine/pretty average and would lead to about an 8 lb baby. She's very happy with how everything's looking, but she's a little concerned about my swelling and is having me come back next week now. My blood pressure has been fine, but she doesn't want to take any chances considering that my sister had preeclampsia. I will say that the last week has been one of the most physically taxing of my entire pregnancy - I've been on my feet a lot, so I'm hoping the swelling will improve.

What I'm Looking Forward to: The bedding should be arriving soon! I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Also, I have a baby shower at work on Monday - very excited about that!

And here's an ultrasound AND a bump pic!!! 

I am totally in love with this beautiful little girl! Can't wait to really see this sweet face in 2 months!

31 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: Up about 21 lbs.

Size of Baby: Claire is about the size of a pineapple! That is so big!

Maternity Clothes: Love them!

Sleep: Good. I wake up pretty early on my own now. I only had one choking incident last week, and OF COURSE, it happened when we were away on our little babymoon trip! There's nothing quite as romantic as your husband seeing you puke.

Movement: Yes, especially at night. When I lay down in bed on my side, she starts moving a ton! It's amazing!

Cravings/Aversions: I'm just very hungry right now!

What I Miss: I guess I miss not worrying so much about eating certain foods. A couple times lately I've hesitated/held off from eating a particular type of cheese because I'm not sure if it's one of the safe ones for pregnancy. 

Gender: Our little lady - Claire Campbell Todd! I am so excited to be having a girl! We're going to have so much fun! Cam and I were talking this weekend about how eventually we'll be dealing with things like our little girl dating and getting her heart broken. I'm not ready for that at all, and Cam is definitely not ready for that! I just want her to stay my little girl forever. 

Mood: Very relaxed until Monday hit and then it was back to busy reality!! I am still waiting for the part of pregnancy where I get to rest and put my feet up when I come home at night. Being in the 3rd trimester during the busy holiday season is no joke, y'all!

Symptoms: Lots of little random aches and pains, including my tailbone (ouch!). I get really tired around 2 pm everyday. I think I'm having some Braxton Hicks but I'm not sure. Lots of swelling - I went and bought a new pair of shoes yesterday for my baby shower because almost none of my shoes fit me anymore.

Milestones: She's due two months from today!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: We had a wonderful trip to Fredericksburg! It was great to have some time to get away.

What I'm Looking Forward to: My Austin baby shower this weekend! I can't wait!

I'm pictureless again this week! :(

30 Weeks and 30 Years

Total Weight Gain: Up about 20 lbs.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a large cabbage. Dr. Orth says she's probably about 3 lbs right now. I know that's tiny, but it's just unbelievable to me that I'm carrying around a 3 lb baby!

Maternity Clothes: Yep. Occasionally a regular dress, paired with leggings. 

Sleep: Pretty good. Only one choking episode this week and it was very minor, so maybe my new sleep positions are working.

Movement: Yep, lots of it off and on. She moves so much sometimes that when she has a day where she doesn't move as much, I find myself worrying about if she's okay. But then she'll move again and it's very reassuring. 

Cravings/Aversions: I'm craving my Mom's cornbread dressing, which I get to eat tomorrow on Thanksgiving! I'm so excited! Her dressing would change your life - it is one of the most delicious things on Earth! 

What I Miss: I read somewhere that the baby's nutritional needs are at their greatest right now, which makes sense because I have been incredibly hungry for the past couple of weeks. This is in stark contrast to the first 3 months of pregnancy, when I felt like I had to force-feed myself sometimes. Anyway, it's ironic because I've never been hungrier, but eating makes me miserable! If I eat a meal after 5 pm, I will be so full I can barely move. It feels like I've swallowed a watermelon and I can't breathe, but I do it anyway because I'm so hungry! And then I feel that way until the next morning. So I guess I miss eating a meal and feeling normal afterwards. 

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd. One of my birthday presents from my parents was this really neat journal where I can track feedings and diaper changes in those first few crazy weeks after Claire's born. The journal is customized with her full name on the cover. Something about seeing her name in print made me fall completely in love with it all over again!

Mood: Good. It's been a fun week and the next one is going to be great too!

Symptoms: Back pain, being uncomfortable, and nasal congestion! At home, I literally go through an entire box of kleenex on a weekly basis. 

Milestones: I had a wonderful baby shower in Houston this weekend! It was a beautiful party with lots of very sweet people! Everyone was so generous and gave us such nice things for Claire. We are very blessed. Once I get the pictures together, I'll do a post about it soon.

Also, it's pretty crazy to me that I turned 30 years old the same week as I reached 30 weeks of pregnancy. My sister reminded me that the same thing happened to her with her 27th birthday last year when she was pregnant. Interesting!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: I had my 30 week appointment yesterday. I'm now at the point where I'll go every 2 weeks. Everything looks good! Claire measured a week ahead! Dr. Orth tries to find a reason to have an ultrasound late in the pregnancy that insurance will cover, so since Claire measured a week ahead, we're going to have an ultrasound in two weeks when I go back. I'm excited - they are going to measure her and see what percentile's she's in. I'm a little nervous too - I hope she's not really big or really small! I think we'll have a much clearer picture of when our little lady might make her entrance into the world! 

My doctor keeps telling me she can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going, and I totally agree! She said that after only 4 more weeks, if I went into labor they wouldn't do anything to stop it....eeeek! I need more time! I should clarify that she was just talking in general terms - she doesn't have any reason to think Claire's coming that early.

What I Look Forward to: Thanksgiving with my family - it's nice to get to be home and just be together! On Friday, Cam and I will head to Fredericksburg for the weekend for a little babymoon/birthday trip! I can't wait! 

No bump picture this week - Cam's at work and I'm in my pajamas on the couch. No pictures please! ;)

29 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: Up 18 lbs.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a butternut squash.

Maternity Clothes: Yes!

Sleep: Okay. I now go to sleep most nights propped up against the wall in bed to avoid the choking episodes I've been having. It's not ideal but I'll do pretty much anything to avoid choking/throwing up every week.

Movement: Yes - it has really increased over the last week! She is constantly moving around in there and I love it! It's fun seeing my stomach move too.

Cravings/Aversions: I'm craving sweet stuff because it's been basically off limits this week with all the testing I've been doing.

What I Miss: Going to sleep lying down.

Gender: Baby girl - Claire Campbell!

Mood: Okay. It's been another tough week. I'm looking forward to the fun stuff ahead though!

Symptoms: I've started swelling up really bad and it's not just in my ankles anymore. My hands feel like balloons and I've officially had to make the switch to a fake wedding ring. :( My feet are so swollen that my shoes barely fit.

Milestones: We took our childcare/infant care class on Saturday and a breastfeeding class last night. Both were really helpful and informative, and I feel like I have a better idea now of what could happen during labor. Everyone's labor and delivery experiences are so different, and it's exciting/scary to think about what mine could be like!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: Unfotunately I flunked my 1 hour glucose test and had to go for the 3 hour full test on Monday morning. Thankfully I passed the second test, so I do not have gestational diabetes! A couple of my numbers were borderline, so they just said I need to watch my carbs.

What I Look Forward to: My first baby shower in Houston this weekend! It's being hosted by several of my mother-in-law's sweet friends and I can't wait!

Also looking forward to turning 30 next week-crazy! I like that whenever I look back on turning 30, I'll always remember that I was expecting my sweet girl then.

And this week's bump picture. Can you spy someone else in the picture? :)

28 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 19 lbs according to the doc's scale; 17 lbs on home scale

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of an eggplant!

Maternity Clothes: Yes, almost always! But tomorrow I'm going to attempt to wear a size 6 maxi dress from my honeymoon to my school's Student of the Month Ceremony. It's pretty forgiving, but wish me luck!

Sleep: It's okay. I wake up a lot. My doctor told me at my appointment today that I will need to start sleeping sitting up in bed or a recliner to stop the nighttime choking episodes. She also said it would help the problem if I stop eating 6 hours before I go to bed so that my GI tract is all clear. So...I guess I'll be eating dinner at work. Yeah, sure. 

Movement: Oh yes! Sometimes it feels like she's turning flips...and she probably is!

Cravings/Aversions: I crave breakfast foods in all their many glorious forms!

What I Miss: Not a thing. I wouldn't trade getting to have a baby for anything.

Gender: Baby girl - Claire Campbell!

Mood: Alright. I have a lot of anxiety about my job right now. Wish I could just toss all that mess to the side and treasure every second of my pregnancy. Sorry to sound like a broken record, but I'm just keeping it real.

Symptoms: Starting to feel pretty achy - I know that's totally normal at this stage. Lots of pain in my left ribs - my doctor says this is just the way my uterus is positioned and that when baby drops in about 8 weeks, it'll get a little better. And we've reached the stage of constantly needing to pee!! 

Milestones: We've officially reached the 3rd trimester! Crazy how fast the 2nd trimester flew by! I hear the 3rd trimester drags, which honestly is fine by me. I need a second to catch my breath and get things ready before our sweet girl arrives!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: Cam's brother and his wife are expecting a baby in March and we found out today they're having a girl too! Exciting! Everything's coming up pink!

I had a doctor's appointment today too! It was a busy one - I had my glucose test, saw my doc, and had my next Rhogam shot. I've heard so much hype about how terrible this sugary drink is - I guess it affects everyone differently. I really didn't see what the big deal was. It just tasted like really sugary Gatorade that burned a bit going down. The shot I got was much more unpleasant than the drink. Dr. Orth was really pleased with how everything's going and Baby Claire measured exactly on target this time!

What I Look Forward To: Hopefully finding out that I passed my glucose test! Also looking forward to our childbirth & infant care class this weekend! And my first baby shower the weekend after that - we are so blessed by the people in our lives! 

Election Day Bump Picture - Claire was a good citizen and voted with Mommy and Daddy last night! It's hard to tell, but I'm pointing to my "I Voted" sticker!

27 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: Up 17 lbs.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a rutabaga! Is it bad I don't really know what half of these size comparison things are?!

Maternity Clothes: Yes please!

Sleep: Eh...it's inconsistent. I had several nights of INCREDIBLE sleep when it was cold for a few days. I sleep better when it's cold and Aurora the cat was sleeping through the night, which meant we all slept through the night (haha!). But then two nights ago, I had a rough night. Between two minor choking episodes, an overwhelming feeling of being really full, and a touch of insomnia, I had to sit up in bed propped up with some pillows to finally go to sleep. It was rough! I'm usually someone who can function pretty well on little sleep, but that is not the case when I'm pregnant!

Movement: Lots of it! Tonight she must have liked my dinner - it felt like she was turning flips!

Cravings/Aversions: I had a craving for Raising Cain's tonight so we had it for dinner - it did not disappoint! Otherwise, Cam's been doing lots of grilling for the past few weeks so that we eat lots of protein - it's been awesome!

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd!

Mood: I cannot lie - I've been a hot mess the past few days! I've left my classroom keys at work twice in the last week so I've been locked out of my classroom when I get to work in the morning. Wednesday morning, after my bad night of sleep, I had a full-on freakout because I thought I'd lost my wedding rings. I was crying my eyes out and Cam & I were tearing the house apart. I had to leave the house without finding my rings so I could get to work to tutor a kid who didn't even show up. On the way to work, I realized I'd left the rings soaking overnight in a jar of jewelry cleaner. See what I mean? A total mess. Working 50+ hours/week and being 6 months pregnant do not go well together and it has seriously caught up with me. My job feels out of control right now - I can't get my head above water. I feel like a terrible mother already before Claire's even here because I haven't been able to cut back at work. It's an awful, awful feeling and it's something I've been worrying and praying about a lot lately. Something has to change. 

Symptoms: Just the usual stuff, except my heartburn is a thing of the past - Prevacid is a miracle drug!!! Such a huge relief and something I will never take for granted!

Milestones: Tuesday of this week was October 30th - so we're less than 3 months from the due date! Crazy!

What I Look Forward To: Celebrating Halloween next year with my little girl! Seeing all the kids dressed up last night made me so excited for Halloween with Claire!

Halloween bump picture -

Happy Friday!

I really like this song - it makes me happy!  And what I love most about it is it reminds me of my little Clairebear!



Enjoy! Happy weekend!

26 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: Up 16 lbs. This is getting less fun to post every week - ha! I think that's because the weight has gone up so fast, seems like. Up until around 18 weeks, I had gained just 3 lbs. And as a first timer, it's surprising how quick the number on the scale has gone up since then.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a head of lettuce!

Maternity Clothes: Oh yeah!

Sleep: It's okay. I'm curious how that answer might be different if we didn't have a cat! She is a terror at night, but I can't blame it all on her. I've been having lots of leg cramps in my calves and of course I'm waking up to go to the bathroom too.

Movement: I love feeling movement. It is the sweetest, most reassuring reminder ever!

Cravings/Aversions: Craving pancakes! I have been craving Cam's grandpa's famous pancakes for days. Y'all, I craved them so much all I could smell was syrup the other day at school! Saturday I spent the day with my mom and sister doing baby shopping and we decided to have brunch first - we went to 4 different places and every place was so packed that we finally gave up and settled for a burger place. But thankfully Cam made me delicious pancakes on Sunday - I was doing a happy dance!

Gender: Sweet baby girl - Claire Campbell Todd. I love her and her sweet name. I have the itch to get something monogrammed!

Mood: Pretty good. I have my moments...8th graders beware!

Symptoms: Choking very easily! This is weird, a bit scary, and unexpected. My doctor confirmed that it is easier to choke now because pregnancy slows down the GI tract so much. Friday night, one of Cam's best friends came to stay with us while he was in town for a work conference. We waited to have dinner with him until he got in after 9 pm (yes, I know this is a recipe for disaster, but I was trying to be a good hostess!). We took him to eat at Bellini's. A little backstory on Bellini's: We found this place after we moved into our house and fell in love with it. It's good food and it's not a chain. Through a random set of circumstances (taking different sets of company there, etc.), I ended up eating at Bellini's FOUR TIMES IN ONE WEEK during my first trimester, before anyone knew I was pregnant. By visit #4, Bellini's and I were dunzo for a good long while. The thought of even setting foot in that place again for a long time was enough to make me nauseous. Friday night was my first visit back. The food was fine - it was never a problem before, I just ate there too many times during a time when my tastes/stomach were very sensitive. Anyway, when I got in bed that night, I had a glass of milk (helps with the heartburn) and a bottle of water. I'm trying to get in my 80 ounces of water a day, so I drank the bottle and went to sleep. At this point, I felt like a balloon that was very close to popping. A little bit later, I woke up choking - this time, it wasn't heartburn acid, it was just straight up choking. I ran to the bathroom and proceeded to get incredibly sick - like I haven't been that sick since before 15 weeks when I was a lean, green puking machine! It was crazytown! So I learned several lessons: 1) I cannot eat late anymore, no exceptions, 2) Bellini's and I are broken up again, 3) No water right before bed!

Milestones: I found a beautiful Feltman Brothers coming home dress on Saturday and a matching bonnet! I can't wait to see her in it. I also got a baby book. Cam and I have finished registering. Cam finished painting the trim in the nursery and set the furniture up. It looks great! We are getting somewhere!

Daddy putting a crib together for his baby girl-

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: On Monday I had an unexpected ultrasound. I hesitate to even bring this up, because I hate to seem like I'm trying to get attention because I'm not, but this blog is my little record of this pregnancy so I want it to be an accurate reflection. I had a little issue and had a precautionary ultrasound to make sure I wasn't leaking amniotic fluid. The nurse and I didn't really think I was, but they had to check it out just to be sure. Thankfully, I'm not and everything looks absolutely fine! All that to say, Cam & I got to see our baby girl again! She is just the sweetest little thing ever - just like last time, she was moving her mouth a lot and had her legs closed like a little lady. Here's her sweet little profile. Can't wait to see her live and in person in just a little over three months!

While I was there, we talked to my doctor about the particularly rough night I had with heartburn last week and the sore throat I had afterward. I was minimizing things a little bit because I'm a little hesitant about the whole prescription medicine thing, but Cam piped up and gave her his perspective. When he mentioned that on bad days, this is waking me up at 3 am, she said we definitely need to try something different and wrote me a prescription for Prevacid. I've been taking it for 2 days and so far it's completely eliminated my heartburn! I am so thankful this is an option! Between nausea and heartburn, I've been feeling pretty bad for about the last 20 weeks. Praying the relief continues!

And a bump picture from last night -

Thanks for reading my blathering!

25 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: I forgot to weigh myself this morning when I got up...oops.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a cauliflower.

Maternity Clothes: Yes indeed!

Sleep: Been pretty good until last night, when I had another reflux/choking episode at 3 am. My throat is torn up now, and I look and feel like death today because of it! :(

Movement: Lots of it! It's the best feeling! One night last week, Cam laid his head very gently on my tummy and Claire kicked/punched harder than ever repeatedly! It was clear she knew that was her Daddy! She moved for 20 minutes straight for us - it was one of my favorite pregnancy moments yet!

Cravings/Aversions: I'm craving peanut butter crackers!

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd!

Mood: Pretty good. If I could ditch this job, my stress would lessen by about 95%.

Symptoms: All the usual things. I think the swelling in my ankles is a little better - I've been making a real effort this week to put my feet up more. We went out of town this weekend again and traveling is getting tougher - it hurts to sit in a car for very long.

Milestones: 15 more weeks to go! Can't believe how fast time is flying!

What I Look Forward To: Seeing what Claire looks like! Cam and I wonder about this daily. It's such a unique, amazing experience to carry around this little mystery for almost a year and not know what she will look like or be like personality-wise!

Bump picture from last night-

24 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: I was up 12 pounds total on my scale at home this morning, but between my clothes, the swelling, and having eaten during the day, my weight was ummm....several pounds higher this afternoon than it was in the morning. No fair.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a cantaloupe!

Maternity Clothes: Yes, please.

Sleep: Last week my reflux woke me up pretty frequently, but it's been better the last few days. This week I've been sleeping pretty well until about 4 am. Then the cat wakes up and starts acting crazy and I usually have to go to the bathroom by then, so the hours between 4 and 6 are pretty inconsistent sleep-wise. 

Movement: Yes. I feel it everyday and it makes me so happy! It's such a neat reminder that no matter what I'm doing, she's in there, and that is a beautiful thing. Cam felt a kick on Friday night - it was so cool to see how excited he got! When I think about him holding Claire, I just melt.

Cravings/Aversions: Goldfish - I'm all about the cheddar kind right now.

What I Miss: Normal sized ankles!

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd

Mood: Pretty good. Still stressed but I'm making it!

Symptoms: I had my 24 week appointment today so I have lots to share. 

I talked to Dr. Orth about how bad the reflux has gotten. One thing that's happened a couple times lately is I fall into a deep sleep and then, all of the sudden, jump out of bed because it's like I'm choking on the acid. The other night I ran to the bathroom and got sick right afterward. It's awful. I've tried all kinds of home remedies like eating mustard and drinking apple cider vinegar. She gave me some tips that might help and gave me the okay to take a higher dose of Zantac. If that doesn't help, she's going to prescribe me something. 

In the last couple of weeks my ankles have started swelling. I'm trying to be really conscious about putting my feet up more. Dr. Orth noticed it before I even mentioned it to her today, which worries me a little bit. She said usually swelling doesn't start until about 30 weeks, so this is a little early. We both agreed this is likely a result of my job - I'm on my feet so much. At this point in pregnancy, she says the only way to relieve swelling is to lay flat, so sitting down won't even help, although I think it does help some. It's something we're going to watch, but she seems to think it could continue to be an issue. 

I've been having lots of pain in my left upper rib area. My doctor thinks it's probably a muscular/skeletal thing that will continue as my body shifts and makes room for the baby. 

Milestones: I found the perfect toile bedding! I'm a toile fanatic! It's beautiful and exactly what I had in mind! Claire also made her first trip to East Texas this weekend for my family reunion. If her childhood is anything like mine, it will be the first of many trips up that way! Can't wait until she can attend the reunion "on the outside" next year!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: Claire measured a week ahead today so she could be a big baby! She would certainly come by that honestly, given that her Daddy weighed almost 10 lbs. Of course, last month she measured right on time, so it'll be interesting to see how she's looking next visit. Dr. Orth thinks I probably won't make it to my due date, between her possibly being big and my swelling...eeeek!

Sometimes I think about what it will be like after she's born and I realize how much I will miss being pregnant. Yes, I go on about reflux and all that, but it's such a nice feeling having my baby with me all the time. I know we'll be together all the time after she's born and the joy of having her here will outweigh any sadness about pregnancy being over, but I will miss it.

What I Look Forward To: Not worrying about my job anymore and being able to focus on my baby girl once maternity leave begins. That whole maternity leave process has been very challenging....far more challenging than it should be, quite frankly. Not gonna lie - it's been hard on me.

And I'll close with a bump picture. I look huge! The shirt I'm wearing is not maternity and I feel like I look bigger in regular clothes.

23 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: Up 12 pounds total.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a grapefruit!

Maternity Clothes: Yes. How will I ever wear pants with buttons and zippers again?

Sleep: I'm sleeping really deeply right now.

Movement: Yes, I'm feeling it everyday now! It's an amazing feeling! Like her mother, Claire is not a morning person. She is more active as the day goes on!

Cravings/Aversions: My mom heard about my pumpkin pie craving last week and made one for me last weekend! Thanks Mom - it was delicious! I'm also craving french fries from McDonalds. I'm such a health nut - lol!

What I Miss: Eating without fear of heartburn.

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd!

Mood: Not trying to whine, just keeping it real: I'm exhausted and overwhelmed. The bags under my eyes have never been this dark, ever! Work is insanely busy - I'm either in meetings or tutoring every second I'm not teaching. Doesn't leave much time for planning lessons, grading, or this "cutting back" business everyone keeps mentioning. When, where, how? We've had something going on every single night this week so far and we'll be out of town the next two weekends. I need a nap. And a pedicure. 

Symptoms: My ankles are starting to swell. My heartburn is bad lately - twice this week I've had what can only be described as true reflux - acid literally coming back up. Oh, and I threw up a whole separate time the other night - totally out of the blue. I think my gag reflex just isn't what it used to be and it doesn't take much. I choked on some water in bed one night and all of the sudden, I threw up all over myself. Cam was right there and was pretty freaked out. It was lovely.

Milestones: The nursery is painted and it looks great! I'm really happy with the color. Can't wait to see the room with furniture in it! We've also combined our office and guest room into one room and it's looking nice!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: Cam sold his truck and got a new (to him) truck this week that is carseat/baby friendly! It is really nice and he loves it, which makes me so happy! Now, we've both sold our old cars and gotten family-friendly ones! Feels really great to have that done!

What I Look Forward To: Meeting our Claire. I just can hardly imagine that moment! It will be wonderful!

P.S. I promise I'll post a bump picture soon! I keep thinking about it and then forget to do it before I change into my pajamas at night. Cam & I aren't picture takers at all, but I have a feeling that will change when Claire arrives!

A Special Weekend

I've been meaning to blog about the weekend of the gender reveal. It was such a special weekend and I don't want to forget anything! Thursday night Cam's parents came into town from Houston. We ordered pizza and just hung out. I wasn't sure I would be able to sleep since our big appointment was the next morning, but I did somehow!

We got up the next morning and Cam, his mom Jennifer, and I headed to the doctor's office, where we met my mom and sister. I was so excited and a little nervous - I wanted to get the show on the road and make sure everything looked healthy. Thankfully the sonogram went really well - everything looked healthy and after 45 minutes of trying to wake her up to "reveal herself", we finally got the news that it was a girl! Everyone was happy and teary eyed! I actually cried several times during the sonogram - it was just so neat getting to see her look so fully formed and sweet! Afterward we spread the news to our family and friends (and Facebook...duh!). Cam, Jennifer and I stuck around for my doctor's visit, which went really well too. Baby Claire's measuring exactly on schedule! And I absolutely love my doctor - she was so excited for us and is just so knowledgeable about everything.

Now that we knew it was a girl, of course we had to go shopping! Jennifer, my mom, and I went out that afternoon and found several adorable things for Claire. We were on the hunt for a Feltman Bros. dress to bring her home from the hospital in, but didn't have luck with that. Friday night all of the family went to eat dinner at Gino's, one of our favorite Italian places. It was delicious and everyone was in a very happy, celebratory mood!

Claire's wardrobe after a weekend of shopping

Saturday, the ladies went shopping again, this time with the addition of my sister Elizabeth and baby Grace! Grace was very confused as to why people were looking for clothes for another baby! We went to tons of cute places and found lots of nice outfits, especially at Janie and Jack. They have such beautiful clothes! We're very lucky to have such wonderful family who bought such nice things for Claire!

And now a picture overload!

Beautiful dress from Pinky (my mom)

Pretty in pink for Springtime from Gigi (Cam's mom)

Of course I had to get a Halloween outfit for my little pumpkin!

Adorable outfit from Aunt Lizzie. I hope Claire's big enough to wear this on her first Valentine's Day!

 I'm totally obsessed with this sweet suit from Pinky.

Gigi knows every girl needs a functional and stylish wrap!

Denim from Gigi. When I think about Claire in this and a pair of leggings, I squeal!

Saturday night we had everyone over to our house for dinner. Cam's aunt and uncle and their family we're in town, so they came over too. We made burgers, watched football, and celebrated Cam's aunt Tricia's birthday! It was such a fun night! Dessert was cupcakes with pink icing! I was prepared with food coloring to make the icing either pink or blue!

Sunday Cam's parents left pretty early to head home and Cam and I rested for the rest of the day and watched football. I was a little weepy all day with the Sunday blues. I was so happy and excited, but I was sad that this weekend we'd looked forward to for so long was coming to an end. We're so blessed to have so many wonderful people in our life who are just as excited as we are about baby Claire! This is a really special time in our lives and I'll always remember this weekend as one of my favorites ever!