Happy to Sad in One Second

Here's an extreme close-up of Josephine's face. As you can see, she is very curious but can also burst into a fit in a matter of seconds. You can't see it in the video but she is looking at the Christmas tree behind me. Also, if you listen close enough, you can hear Seinfeld in the background. ;)

Swing, Swing, Swing

Josie loves her new swing! This gives us a new way to get her to sleep... which is nice.

Josie... Meet Humphrey

In this video, Humphrey felt a little left out and decided to hog some of the camera time. We now have well-documented footage that Josie and her furry brother will get along just fine together.

A Baby Story

Caroline and Josie on Josie's due date

December 2, 2009

Caroline and Josie on Josie's birthday

November 21, 2009

I thought it would be appropriate for me to do my first post-baby blog on my actual due date (up until now, Ryan has been keeping up with the blog for me). I was originally due today, December 2...but Josie decided to come early on November 21, so she is now 11 DAYS OLD! I can barely believe it!

In honor of today being my due date, I would like to share Josie's birth story with you:

Warning: there are birth details in this story so read at your own risk :)

The evening of Friday November 20 was like any other Friday evening for me and Ryan since we have been expecting. We went to Northfield to go out to dinner and a movie. We ate BBQ for dinner, but I decided I was too tired for the 9pm movie so we decided to call it an early night. Good thing we did!

I woke up at 5:30am on Saturday and was laying in bed when my water broke. I was surprised because I was told that this does not happen to most women until they get to the hospital. It was a small but noticeable amount of water so I told Ryan and we decided to call the midwife. I was not having contractions, so she recommended that I eat, sleep or shower. They would need to see me by 5:30pm if contractions had not yet started.

I decided to make some oatmeal and lay back down in bed. Ryan and I watched tv, and then he decided it was finally (FINALLY) time to install that car seat. I took a shower and then we met up downstairs to watch the UNC-CH and Ohio State football games. By that time, small contractions had started but I was timing them myself so they weren't so bad. I sat on the birthing ball, and Ryan started making note of when they started and how long they lasted. The midwives wanted us to come in when they were 4 minutes apart lasting for 1 minute each for 1 hour. My contractions increased, and I needed to change positions frequently. Humphrey didn't know what to think, so he sat next to me and whimpered...trying to make me feel better.

My contractions were steadily 5 minutes apart, but they were not lasting for a minute yet. The intensity was increasing and I definitely felt pressure on my tail bone. Sitting was no longer comfortable, even on the birth ball, so I stood and swayed while leaning on the sofa back or the kitchen island counter. By this time it was between 11am and noon. I had been having contractions since about 8am. The contractions started causing some burning in my thighs, so I decided to do some contractions in the bathroom so I could "sit on the throne." This was definitely more comfortable, but the contractions hit their highest intensity and I had some other strong signs that it was time to go to the hospital...even though I had not hit the 4-1-1 mark that the midwives told me to look for.

Ryan called the midwife, and she said we could come in but she was pushing with someone else...so she could just check me if I felt I needed it. I did, so off we went.

Once we were out the door, I had a contraction on the patio, 3 in the car during the 10 minute ride to the hospital, 1 in the hospital parking lot, 1 in the lobby, and 1 in the elevator. They were obviously coming very quickly now! I had totally skipped over 4-1-1. A nurse got me checked in to a labor and delivery room, and I had another contraction while I was changing into my gown. Ryan ran downstairs to get our bags from the car and made record time coming back. While he was gone, I asked the nurse for an epidural. She said "oh, I thought you were going natural," and I responded "I was but now I want the epidural." She said of course I could have one. She would start an IV and send the anesthesiologist in. In the meantime, she went to get Ann, the midwife on duty. After about 10 minutes of being in the hospital, Ann came in to check my progress. Low and behold...I was 10 cm dilated! Time to push! No time for an epidural...

When each contraction came, I pushed as hard as I could (sometimes it was harder than others...I got weak very fast). There was a lot of holding legs, heads, chin to chest, mirrors in places no mirror should be... After an hour of pushing, the baby's heart rate began dropping. She was in distress and needed to come out. The midwife told me that we had one more push, and then she would have to make a cut to get the baby out. I pushed SO HARD but the baby didn't quite make it out so I had to have a small episiotomy. I pushed one more time, and the baby came out...head, shoulders and body. She was blue but quickly turned red and cried. Hooray!

The midwife and nurse assured me everything was fine, but they had to check the baby's vitals quickly. Ryan cut the umbilical cord (although he wasn't sure if he wanted to) and I told him to go watch the baby while she was being checked. I began shivering and shaking uncontrollably...and sneezing to make matters worse! The nurses brought me warm blankets, which helped...but I continued to shake on and off for the next few hours. In the meantime, I had to work on another delivery...the placenta. After another 10 minutes of pushing, that was done. The baby was brought to me and finally we could bond. I could not believe I had only been in the hospital for 1 hour and now had my baby in my arms. What a surreal day!

I cannot describe the experience. It felt completely out of body. But today, on Josie's due date, I know it was all worth it for the little peanut that Ryan and I got to bring home! :)

Awake and Swaddled

Josie was definitely checking out her surroundings in this video. I was just happy we got an eyes-wide-open video of her. Check it out.

Giving Thanks

Caroline and I are very thankful to have spent our first Thanksgiving as parents with our healthy daughter, Josie. Another first for us was hosting the Thanksgiving feast for my mom, dad, sister and brother-in-law. The day was spent watching football, eating way too much and, of course, studying Josie's every move. Here are a few photos of Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day including Erin striking a Heisman pose with Josie, Jan taking time out from the stove to hold her granddaughter, and Caroline showing off her daughter in a new outfit. Enjoy!

Ready for Her Close-up

Caroline was able to shoot this one minute video of Josie this morning just as she had woken up a bit. If you listen closely you can hear Humphrey outside barking to join his sister. But the sneeze is what really tops of this snippet nicely.

Josie in Motion

Some of you have asked for photos of our newborn girl, Josie, so I did you one better... I have included a video of her at the hospital just a few hours before we were allowed to pack up and go home. Sorry it isn't more exciting but she has been sleeping a lot lately. This will at least give everyone a good look at her gorgeous face. I hope to upload some more of her awake with her eyes open when I catch the moment.

Welcome Josephine Noelle Fugler!

Caroline and I are excited to share the news that our daughter, Josephine "Josie" Noelle Fugler was born at 2:00pm Mountain Time on November 21. She weighs 6 lbs. and measures 19 inches. Both Josie and Caroline are healthy and doing well. We are expected to be discharged from the hospital on Monday and look forward to bringing our new, beautiful family member home.

Buddha Belly

Here are some updated pictures of me with the largest belly ever imaginable!

8 months belly



9 months belly
(These pictures were taken yesterday, so it's actually 38 weeks 1 day)

Ryan compared my belly to a torpedo! Nice. Luckily, still no stretch marks. I'm betting our baby girl won't make her appearance until after Thanksgiving, but honestly...I'm ok with her coming out to see us whenever the heck she wants (as long as it is not 2 weeks past my due date).

2 weeks left!

Today we are 38 weeks pregnant. Only 2 weeks until due date! Baby Sugar and Spice supposedly weighs about 6.8 lbs and is over 19 1/2 inches long...approximately the length of a leek.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind if she came a little early. I am feeling BIG. I think she has "dropped," so I am feeling a lot of lower pressure. When I walk, it is very slow and more like a waddle. I cannot cross my legs anymore. I have gained about 30 lbs total with my pregnancy (I actually lost a couple pounds between last week and this week). My pelvic bones are aching and feel like they are bruised. When I stand up after sitting or laying down, I hear cracks and pops from that area. Sounds like things are widening in order to give birth. Baby's big head is creating some space!

With every passing day, I think about how much bigger this baby is getting. I hope she says at a size that will easily come out of my body. I get nervous that she might be too big! I've gained the majority of my weight in my stomach, so I'm hoping this doesn't mean there is a huge baby in there just waiting to give me a very long and hard labor!

Ryan and I bought a birthing ball (basically an anti-burst fitness ball), so I am excited to inflate it and sit on it when I am at home. It sounds much nicer to sit on a soft plastic ball and roll my hips around (hopefully this will help with the popping and cracking) instead of sinking into the sofa and having to flail my arms in order to get back up.

Also, Ryan and I went to a breastfeeding class this week. Sounds like I will basically be with baby 27/7 for the first 4 weeks. They encourage new moms who are breastfeeding to not introduce a bottle for the first 4 weeks if possible in order to get breastfeeding well established. And, baby will be eating every 1 1/2 - 3 hours. So basically baby will be with me everywhere I go (or don't go, as the case may be) since I will be her food source.

In an effort to be as safe as possible, I got my H1N1 shot last night (I got the seasonal flu shot last month). The midwife recommended it, and the CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommends it for pregnant women as well. Pregnant women are at a higher risk of death if they contract H1N1 (and so are babies), so they say the benefits of getting the vaccination outweigh the risks. I agree. Also, after the baby is born we are not supposed to allow anyone with flu-like symptoms to be around the baby so hopefully this means I won't have to quarantine myself since I shouldn't get either of the flus. Ryan knows that he will have to bunk with his parents if he comes down with the flu after baby is born, so we are going to do our best to make sure this doesn't happen. Hand washing and hand sanitizer are our new best friends!

Birds and Nature for Baby

While the nursery is not 100% complete, I wanted to share some pictures of how it looks so far.

We plan to hang a bird mobile from the ceiling in the corner above the glider. I'm sure the room will seem much smaller once the baby is in there with all of her accessories, but I am trying to keep them organized and put away in drawers and the closet for now. It is the smallest room in our house, but it doesn't feel too tiny as long as we keep it organized! I want to make sure we leave room for our baby to be able to play on the floor and enjoy herself in there.

Officially Full Term

Today we are 37 weeks pregnant (9 months, 1 week). This means we are considered officially full term. Even though we hope to keep this baby cooking inside me until 40 weeks (my due date), she could now be born at any time and be perfectly healthy...at least that is what we pray for! At this point, her lungs should be fully mature so she can live outside of my body when she is born.

She now weighs a bit over 6 lbs and is approximately 19 inches long (about as long as swiss chard).

Sleep has been getting more difficult over the past few days and weeks. I've been having to get up 2-4 times a night to go to the bathroom. Also, Humphrey has been getting more clingy...so he likes to climb up to the top of the bed in the middle of the night and sleep on my pillow with me. Literally, horizontally on my pillow with his face resting on my face. Last night however, I coaxed him into spooning instead and he slept with his head resting on my belly. I'm not sure if he's trying to bond with baby or get as much attention as he can before the baby arrives.

Birthing class and midwife visit

In the past few days, Ryan and I have been very busy with pregnancy-related appointments. We finished up our birthing classes, so now we are fully prepared for labor (or at least as ready as we are going to be). We were given a lot of tools for natural pain management, and we are prepared to labor at home before going to the hospital. We just need to buy a birthing ball. The doula gave us a lot of comfortable positions for me to sit, stand and lay in while I am going through contractions. I feel pretty prepared, but I guess I won't really know until I am actually in labor. Hopefully I still have a few weeks before that happens!

Yesterday, we also went to the midwife for our weekly visit. Yes, now we are in the homestretch with weekly visits. They measured my fundal height (35 1/2 cm, so we are in the "normal" range). The baby's heartbeat is in the 130 beats per minute range, also the "normal" range. I also had my Group Strep B test (not fun, but not terrible either). We will get results next week.

Ryan and I have started packing our bags for the hospital, since we know we could be going at any time. I still need to make a final trip to Target to get some necessities for our bags. Some of the things we are packing are kind of funny...like our "digital fireplace" dvd for pain management/relaxation. I'm just ready to feel a little more settled instead of having my life so up in the air. Hopefully that will come soon...

4 weeks until baby

As of Wednesday, we are 36 weeks pregnant. 37-42 weeks is considered full term, so we are really almost there! However, I think it would be perfect to have this baby on December 2 (my due date). I'm hoping she can hold out until 40 weeks so she doesn't have to share my birthday OR Thanksgiving.

Baby Sugar and Spice apparently weighs almost 6 lbs (the size of a crenshaw melon apparently...if anyone knows what that is). She is definitely head down, and it looks like she is positioning herself in a good spot so she can make her way out easily when the time comes. My midwife has put me on a regiment of Evening Primrose Oil to "ripen" the cervix as well as Red Raspberry Leaf Tea to strengthen the uterus. These supplements should help me to not go too far past my due date and help labor progress more quickly.

Ryan and I began our Parent Education for Childbirth classes last night at Harmony's Family in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver. This is located within walking distance of fabulous Belly Bliss where I had a wonderful pre-natal massage. Regina, the doula teaching our class, has been great so far. Ryan and I ended up with a private class, so all of the attention is focused on us, our needs and our questions. That's very nice!

The class is very geared towards preparing Ryan to be my labor coach. We watched a video about the stages of labor and another video about pain management (IVs and epidurals). After watching the video about pain management, I definitely am hoping to progress without needing medication (since I'm not into needles, catheters and the idea of being tethered to a bed, immobile) but I understand that an epidural is a tool that is available if I need it. We discussed how Ryan can help to keep me in a calm state during my contractions so I can feel positive about them instead of dreading them. If I can keep a positive attitude that the contractions are a good thing (progressing the labor and the baby along), then I think I can handle it.

We also discussed Optimal Fetal Positioning. This is one of the most important things to know about the labor process. If I can do my homework for Optimal Fetal Positioning during weeks 38-40, hopefully baby will be in the right position to progress labor along. We want baby head down with her back towards my tummy. My "homework" is to make sure I spend as much time as possible leaning forward instead of reclining backward to ease her into the optimal position. My pelvic tilt exercises help with this, but I can also do other things like leaning forward while sitting, not propping my feet up and reclining in those last few weeks, sleeping on my (left) side, etc.

Tonight we go back for another class. Looking forward to learning more!

Less than 1 month left

Yesterday was officially our "1 month until baby" date. Due date is December 2, so the countdown really begins now. Can you believe it?

Ryan and I are in the process of completing our nursery. So far, so good. The crib now has sheets and a dust ruffle. No bumper for this baby for safety reasons. Window treatments are up. Ryan got the dresser/changer set up (we ended up buying one after multiple tries, and we are fairly happy with the one we ended up with) after a tough Saturday. We also have the glider/rocker, diaper genie, and some pretty storage boxes.

Since the nursery room is the smallest room in our townhouse (slightly smaller than our guest room), we have squeezed all of the furniture in there that will fit. Luckily, there is still a little storage space in the closet since most of the baby clothes are hanging...so I might be looking for some closet organizers to complete the space. I would love to have a small bookshelf to display all of the children's books we have received, but I have yet to find a nice one that meets the dimensions we are looking for.

I spent part of the day on Sunday hanging art on the nursery walls. I was lucky to find some art that matches our nature/bird theme!

When I have the nursery finished to perfection (or at least my general liking), I will post some pictures. For now, you'll just have to wait and imagine. ;)

Here's a teaser of the fabrics I ordered that my grandma and mom used to make the bedding, window treatments, pillows, etc. It's the Nature-ology collection from Studio e Fabrics.

Maternity Portrait

A few weeks ago, we had some maternity portraits taken. Jeff Weber of jWeber Studio took the photos for us. He is a friend of our family and also took beautiful pictures of our wedding. We also plan to have him come to our home for a newborn photo session after baby is born.

The picture above is my favorite, but we have a beautiful framed print of 4 of the photos that we plan to hang in the baby's nursery. I'm so glad we had these pictures taken. They will help us to remember this very special time in our lives...expecting our first baby!

35 weeks!

Only 5 weeks to go! I was officially 35 weeks yesterday. Baby should weigh about 5 1/4 lbs (the size of a honeydew). She is just fattening up!

I'm trying to get some of my organizing finished. Packing my hospital bag is one of my top priorities. If you have any recommendations of what to bring/what not to bring, please let me know. I have been told to definitely pack my robe. I'm also packing my own toiletries, and going home clothes for me and baby are already in the bag. We will need to pack the camera and Flip video camera for Ryan.

At this point, Sugar and Spice could come at any time...although I'm really hoping she will hold off until December. The heartburn is now an everyday occurrence...I've heard this means the baby probably has hair! I'm also having trouble getting off the couch if I am sitting in a reclining position. I am finding I need 2 pillows behind my back to prop myself up.

Ryan and I have been enjoying 2 snow days at home. We got almost 2 feet of snow in Denver! I haven't left the house since Tuesday. I might normally be getting stir crazy, but since I'm so tired and heavy from the pregnancy I'm not minding staying warm and cozy in the house. It's a good excuse to drink hot tea and cocoa and make my favorite dinner of late...soup and grilled cheese!

Colorado Baby Shower

On Saturday, I had my Colorado Baby Shower. Thanks to Jan Fugler, Erin Fugler Thompson and Courtney Borus for planning a beautiful shower! The weather was nice, the food and games were great (and so was the Celestial Seasonings peppermint tea!), and the company was the best. So many friends and family were able to attend, and baby and I feel absolutely spoiled. We received such generous presents that there are only a handful of items that Ryan and I will need before the baby is born...we are almost completely stocked!

Delicious cupcakes from Happy Cakes in Denver


Tea Party place settings


Playing a game


My belly! 34 weeks (8 1/2 months)


Me and "Grandma Lindsay" (my mom)

"Grandma Fugler" (hostess) and me


Me and "Aunt Erin" (hostess)

Courtney (hostess) and me

Erin's belly at 26 weeks and my belly at 34 weeks. Cousins!

It's all coming together

I finally feel like some of the preparations for baby are coming together. This week, I picked up our stroller (and all of the attachments) and our dresser/changer is supposed to be delivered today. Also, my mom arrived in town with all of our bedding, window treatments, etc...so we can finally set up the nursery! I've even bought a few pieces of art for the walls. I can't wait to see how everything comes together.

Ryan and I have just begun assembling the millions of things that baby will need. Last weekend, I put together the cutest little bouncer (very easy assembly). Last night, Ryan assembled our stroller (also easy...just attach the wheels). This weekend we will work on hanging curtains, assembling the dresser/changer (hopefully), and maybe even assembling the pack n play! I can't wait to get everything out of the boxes to see what these things look like!

Where did my figure go?

At my midwife appointment yesterday, I got on the scale (as usual) and found out that I have gained about 26 pounds during pregnancy...and I still have 6 weeks to go! While I know that this is good for baby, I am just hoping I won't find it to hard to get back down to my normal weight.

Above is a picture of me and Ryan on our anniversary (New Year's Eve) 2008. It's pretty obvious that I won't be looking like this on New Year's Eve 2009, but we will be glad to be celebrating our 4th anniversary, and the new year, with our new bundle of joy.

Usually, I don't have to exercise much or watch what I eat to maintain my weight. However, during pregnancy I have been giving in to desires for unhealthy treats (like milk shakes, Little Debbie snack cakes, etc) more often than I normally would. Also, I have been enjoying not exercising. Even though I bought 3 pre-natal workout dvds, I find that I am not in the mood to do them after I get home from work. I feel like I've been staying pretty active during my pregnancy...just not with traditional exercise, per se. I let my household chores and walks with Humphrey serve as my exercise. After baby arrives, it's back to healthy snacking and regular (3+ times per week) exercise... OR, maybe that'll start AFTER the holidays. We'll see!

Only 6 weeks to go!

Today we are 34 weeks pregnant (8 1/2 months). Only 6 weeks until my December 2 due date! Baby should be about 4 3/4 lbs, around the size of a cantaloupe.

I had a midwife appointment this morning, and it seems like everything is going just fine. I didn't get the exact measurement, but the midwife said my fundal height (size of my uterus) is normal. Baby is head-down with her legs spread-eagle in a very unladylike "froggy" position...so I can feel her kicks and knee jabs on both sides of my stomach.

Also, I got a lesson in pre-natal "exercises" that I should be doing every day between now and when the baby is born. Baby needs to be encouraged to settle into my belly with all of her heavy parts (bottom, back, etc) resting against the front of my stomach...we ideally want her facing backward for birth, head-down. So, I'm supposed to squat on all fours and do pelvic tilts 50-100 times a day to "rock" her into the correct position. Once she learns how comfy she can be in that position, she should choose to settle that way on her own...which is supposed to make my life easier during the birth process. This seems a little crazy to me, but if it will make birth easier I'm willing to try it!

Baby Book Club

The girls at my book club surprised me last night with a "Baby Book Club" children's book shower for Baby Sugar and Spice. What a great group of girls to throw me such a sweet surprise!

We have made a tradition of helping our expectant mothers in book club stock their nursery book shelf with wonderful stories to read to our children. Thanks to my book club gals, we will have a great start on our children's book collection. Now I just need a bookshelf to display all of the great books!

Thanks girls! I'll be back to my glass of wine at book club in December ;)

Will she have hair?

Here's the question I've been asking myself...will our baby have hair when she is born? Apparently some things you can't plan for, but I wish I knew what she is going to look like when she is born!

This weekend, I went shopping at the Junior League of Denver Holiday Mart. Many of the vendors there had cute, handmade baby items. From dresses to sock puppets to fancy burp cloths, they had everything. I wanted to buy Baby Sugar and Spice something special to wear on her head (to show she is a girl) for her newborn photo that may appear on her birth announcement. BUT since I don't know if she'll have hair or not, I had to buy one of everything. So she now has a hair bow, a headband and a hat with a bow on it. I'm prepared no matter what!

Also, I think it is very strange to think about a little person inside me growing a lot of hair. Generally, when you think of hair you think of it being on the exterior of a person. How weird is it that hair is growing inside of my body right now?? True, it is hair for another person...and it will eventually be on the exterior...but it's still weird.

If you like Pina Coladas

Ok, so maybe the baby isn't the size of a Pina Colada...maybe I just want one! We hit the 33 week mark on Wednesday. Baby Sugar and Spice is a little over 4 lbs now and is approximately the weight of a pineapple. She supposedly looks less wrinkly now as she is fattening up and her skeleton is hardening.

Baby has been loving to move around during the night. I hope this isn't a habit she keeps after birth! When I roll over in the night, she starts moving like she thinks it's time to wake up. This morning, she even kicked up into my ribs while I was laying in bed snuggling with Humphrey (he needs attention early in the morning). I can almost feel the outline of her little legs and feet when she kicks!

Also, I recently read about Braxton Hicks contractions, and I think I may have begun feeling them. They apparently are painless uterine contractions that are considered "practice" for labor. The uterus tightens and hardens for a short amount of time and then goes back to normal. At first, I just though this was the baby curling up into a tight little ball in my stomach...but now I am second guessing that. At any rate, I'm not feeling it often enough for it to be considered a problem. I've read that these contractions are very normal. If these contractions are anything like labor contractions, I think I'll be able to handle it. Unfortunately, I think labor contractions might be a bit more difficult to manage...

Tum ta tum tum tums!

I have finally fallen victim to another lovely side effect of pregnancy...heartburn. I had actually never experienced heartburn before I got pregnant. Now that I know what it is, I will do my best to avoid it in the future. My heartburn symptoms are more in my throat than in my heart. The feeling is similar to food forcing itself back up your throat from your stomach. Not pleasant. Thankfully, pregnant women are allowed to take Tums (one of the few medicines we are allowed), so I keep a bottle of Tums next to our sofa so I can take one after dinner. My heartburn usually strikes at night, but I wouldn't be surprised if it shows up more regularly now that I am well into my third trimester. Let's hope I don't have any more strange side effects for the next 2 months!

Snuggle Bug

Humphrey (our spoiled almost 60 lb shar pei mix - aka mutt) has certainly been acting differently lately. I don't know if he knows that we are having a baby, but he definitely has been soaking up all the attention he can get from me and Ryan.

Here's a taste of how spoiled Humphrey is. He is home with Ryan all day (since Ryan works from a home office), so he is able to sit out in the sun on sunny days and snuggle on the sofa on cold days. Humphrey is allowed on almost all of the furniture in our house. He has his own bed, but he usually chooses to sleep with us on our bed or on the sofa or big chair. He has his own bucket of toys and his own cookie jar filled with treats. He gets all of our attention.

Lately, Humphrey has enjoyed sleeping right in between Ryan and I during early mornings. He snuggles in and puts his head right on our pillows. Last night, he even crawled up next to me both on the sofa and on the bed to rest his head on my belly. When I rolled over to go to sleep, he climbed off the bed and came over to my side to nestle his head under mine (literally, he burrowed his head under mine until I wasn't even sure if he could breathe!). I wonder if he is doing these things because he knows a big change is coming...and he won't be the center of attention anymore. Ryan and I aren't sure...but we are becoming more positive that Humphrey will be a loving big brother to our little Baby Sugar and Spice when the time comes. Our dog is so sensitive, it's hard to imaging him wanting to do anything with a baby other than snuggle and kiss her.

It's too (cold) too (cold) too (cold) too (cold).

...Gotta run for (sweaters). Gotta run for (scarves).

So Denver got it's first snow yesterday. This snow is earlier than most of our first fall/winter snows, so I am wondering what this means for winter. If it is a cold winter, Ryan and I will have to crank up the heat to make sure our baby stays nice and warm.

Today I was out shopping around for closet storage (Ryan and I decided to go with a changing table with shelves rather than a dresser because we couldn't find a quality dresser/changer that we liked, so we will need drawers in the closet for her little clothes and other items), and I ended up in the winter baby clothes section. I found the cutest "My First Christmas" fleece sleeper, so I had to buy it for Baby Sugar and Spice. This will be her "casual" Christmas outfit!

Can't wait to see her in her little outfit!

Everyone knows what jicama is, right?

Today we are 32 weeks pregnant - 8 months! Baby Sugar and Spice should weigh about 3 3/4 lbs, which is about the size of a large jicama (see picture if you aren't familiar with jicama). That's already a big baby! No wonder my back is aching!

Now she is supposed to be packing on the pounds, which means I will probably be packing on the pounds as well.

It is getting harder for me to roll over in the night, but I need to because my hips start hurting if I stay in one position for too long. I'd really like to sleep flat on my back, but I know it's bad for circulation when you are in your third trimester (evidenced by the fact that I got very dizzy and light-headed at my last ultrasound from lying back in a reclined position). So I continue to roll from side to side.

I'm also finding it difficult to get in and out of bed for my nightly bathroom visits. I definitely have to ease up to a sitting position before I stand. No "hopping" out of bed for me!

Another Day, Another Midwife Visit

Today we had our 32 week appointment and met the 4th (and final) midwife in our practice. I've really liked everyone we have met! We won't know until delivery time who will be the midwife in the delivery room with us, but I don't think we can go wrong.

We heard the heartbeat (in the 150-ish beats per minute range), and the midwife thinks that baby already has her head down. Apparently this is a good sign. If the baby has her head down at 32 weeks, chances are it will stay that way for birth. Let's hope so, because I really want to delivery quickly and naturally if at all possible (although I am not opposed to drugs if I need them).

The only thing we will need to keep our eye on is my uterus measurements. To measure the uterus, the midwife feels around on your stomach until she feels the top and bottom of the uterus (from the outside) and measures the tummy/uterus height (also called fundal height) with a measuring tape. I am measuring 29 1/2 cm, and the uterus usually measures within 2 cms of the week you are at. Ideally, I should be at 32 cm at 32 weeks. Since I am at 29 1/2 cm at 32 weeks, my uterus is measuring a little small. The midwife said she is not concerned because of the positioning of the baby. She felt all of the major body parts (since baby was sticking her bottom and feet out during the measuring process). Also, baby has a healthy heart beat so all signs point to healthy growth. At my next appointment, if I am still measuring small they may order another ultrasound just to double check on growth...but I have a strong feeling that everything is just fine because her growth has generally been on track with the last 2 ultrasounds.

I have gained a total of 23 lbs total as of today (no weight gain since last appt, but that could just be the difference between the morning appointment today and the afternoon appointment 2 weeks ago), so I'd say growth is coming along just fine! I'll have a few extra Reese's cups today to help things along. :)

Weekend of Pampering

This weekend I was able to do some much needed pre-baby pampering. I had my final pre-baby hair appointment and darkened up the locks for fall (by Ryan's request). After that, I went to this wonderful little pregnancy shop in Cherry Creek, Belly Bliss, for a pre-natal massage courtesy of Katie and Vanessa (thanks ladies!). It was soooo relaxing and probably one of the best pre-natal massages I have had during my pregnancy (and I've treated myself and been treated to a few!).

After my massage, I was feeling relaxed and stretched out like a healthy mom-to-be...so I treated myself to a delicious Jamba Juice all-fruit smoothie to top it off!

Also, I was able to use some of the gift cards I had gotten from the NC baby shower to buy some things we definitely needed - a convertible car seat and a Pack N Play. Slowly but surely we are getting the things we need. We still need to buy a dresser/changer (Babies R Us didn't have the one we wanted in the color we wanted, so we will need to order it...same as the crib), and I will need to make a special trip to REI to get my BOB stroller and infant car seat adaptor sometime before the baby arrives. It is overwhelming how much stuff this baby will need! Of course, I'm sure we'll learn as we go just as all parents do and we will find out what we really need and what we don't really need. Good thing I have her closet all cleaned out to accommodate all of her new little girl clothes, accessories and such. She is already starting quite the collection!

Bowl Full of Jelly

Here are some more pictures of my growing belly!

31 weeks/7 months 3 weeks

Just a peek of the belly! It's getting cold out here in Colorado!

Humphrey still doesn't know what to think.

Today is October 2 - exactly 2 calendar months until our due date. I'm ready for December to get here already, but we still have a lot to do. We need to do a big shopping trip to get everything else we need, and I am taking direction from recent moms about what I will need post-partum (nursing tanks, stuff for my hospital bag, etc).

My grandmother and mom have been working on the bedding, window treatments, and other fabric items for the nursery. We should be able to set most of that stuff up before the end of October...and I am so excited to see how everything came together! In the meantime, I am looking for nature and bird-themed accessories for the nursery. Looks like I will need a few art pieces for the walls as well as a pretty mirror. I'm hoping to make the room seem a little girly with the accessories since the fabric is pretty gender neutral. I'll post pictures once I've gotten everything put together!

31 Weeks

As of yesterday, we are now 31 weeks pregnant. The baby is approximately 3.3 lbs (can you believe that?). It's like I'm carrying around 4 navel oranges (plus 20 additional pounds that are taking up space inside my body).

Ryan and I still cannot believe that there is an actual human inside of my tummy. We feel her move and kick every day, so we know she's active and has lots of personality. I wonder what life is like for her inside my stomach. I wonder if she is getting bored in there and what she is thinking. I wonder what she'll act like when she comes home with us.

Tomorrow is October 2...which means only 2 calendar months until our due date. Ryan and I may celebrate by finally purchasing the dresser/changer for the nursery. We need some storage for the stash of baby items I brought home with me from my shower in NC! The other big things we still need include a glider, a pack n play (since we plan to use the bassinet feature), and a stroller. Oh, and diapers and wipes. Good thing we have a Costco membership. I think we'll be making a trip in the next few months to stock up on all of the necessities!

The Home Stretch

Sorry again for the break in the action. I have just returned from a work/pleasure trip to Tampa. Baby and I spent 1 day traveling, 2 days at a trade show, and 1 day with my grandparents and other family members and then traveled back home to Denver. Whew! However, my 5 weekends in a row away from home are officially OVER. Now I am in the "home" stretch...I will be here in Colorado until Baby Sugar and Spice is born (at least I hope I won't be going anywhere).

Here are some fun pictures from my trip:

Me and Brandy at Columbia

Each person got their own loaf of Cuban bread with dinner. Look how happy that made me!

Flamenco dancers at Columbia

Me with my Grandparents after a delicious seafood dinner

I'll be catching up on the blogging this week! Lots of baby updates to share. :)

30 weeks

Today we are 30 weeks pregnant (7 1/2 months). Only 2 1/2 more months to go! Baby is the size of a head of cabbage and weighs about 3 lbs. According to my midwife appointment yesterday, I have gained a total of 23 lbs. That explains the large tummy!

We are all trying to rest up before the baby arrives. Case in point: