It's Almost Go Time

Today is Brighton's Due Date
September 3, 2010

I had my 40 week appointment today and Dr. Nicholson finally checked my progress!! I was so relieved to hear her say "I can feel the baby's head!" My cervix was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced this morning and the baby's head was down at -1 (this is good and means she is ready to come out!)

Dr. Nicholson also scraped/broke my membranes and now I am experience some very light bleeding just an hour later!

I've consistently been experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions all week. They started out pretty inconsistent last week. They have not been painful at all but have been pretty strong so my uterus is doing it's job!

I did schedule a 41 week appointment and ultra sound for a stress test next Thursday and I have an induction scheduled for Monday, September 13 at 11:00 just in case! It is highly doubtful that I will make it to next Thursday - keep your fingers crossed!

My bags are packed, minus the toiletries that will get thrown in a bag when we're ready to go, we've got the dogs taken care of and now I just need to clean the house so it's spic and span when we return from the hospital with Brighton! I'm praying for a weekend delivery:)

How far along? 40 weeks, today is our due date!
Total weight gain/loss: About 33 lbs.
Maternity clothes? Ready to throw them out the window.
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: I have not slept much at all the last 2 nights. My hips, back, and groin area are really uncomfortable and it is a task to roll over - which I do every 5 minutes it seems like. I get up to use the bathroom non stop and getting out of bed takes quite a bit of arm strength - I can't wait to use my ab muscles again!
Best moment this week: Finding out that labor is probably just around the corner!
Movement: A lot the last two days - it feels like she is diving towards my pelvic area.
Food cravings: Not really - but I did attend a baby shower and ate about 10 lemon bars so I made some the other day - mine weren't quite as good though!
Gender: Girl
Labor Signs: YES! Finally! 3 cm dilated, 70% effaced, head down at -1 in the pelvis and we've got some blood, too!
Belly Button in or out? Hasn't changed - flat.
What I miss: Using my ab muscles.
What I am looking forward to: Going into labor!
Weekly Wisdom: REST before labor comes!
Milestones: Finding out how far along we are in the labor process:)

We'll keep everyone updated via text and Facebook as much as we can! We are excited to introduce our new addition to the world, our family, and friends!

Waiting....

STILL WAITING.....

The nursery is almost done! We decided to redo the nursery closet (I will have custom closets professionally built in my next home in all rooms) and purchased a closet kit. It's real wood and very pretty, but there is one drawback. You have to put it together yourself! Shawn opened the box and the list of necessary materials included a a power saw! Yes, he's had to cut a few pieces. I just let him do his thing and shut the door so the dogs don't bother him and every other word out of his mouth - is "shit" or "holy fuck nuts". One of Shawn's least favorite things to do is to put things together and to pretend to be a carpenter even though he has redone our bathroom, started digging a pond, scraped and painted every ceiling in our house, remounted a kitchen cabinet, put together a changing table, and the list goes on. He has no idea what he is doing, but it all has turned out really well and has saved us tons of money!

Between gifts, gift cards, and purchasing a few items ourselves, I think we have all of the baby gear covered for a while. I still need to get an activity mat for baby to play on the floor with and Shawn is getting a baby bath tub from a client of his. I also need to figure out where to put baby books - the bookshelf I have will be too large I think! The nursery is covered in what WAS in the closest until Shawn finishes - hopefully tomorrow I can organize!

We are SO READY to meet baby Brighton we can hardly stand it! It is kind of strange preparing for a person that you have never met, but knowing how in love you will be when they arrive makes it all worth it!

I keep threatening Shawn that I will bring my laptop into labor and delivery to send Facebook updates - ha! I can't wait to show her off to everyone!

Keep us in your prayers!

How far along? 39 weeks 3 days - far enough!
Total weight gain/loss: I don't even care anymore - I eat whatever I want - it'll all come off eventually and I'll never get to eat whatever I feel like eating again! I think I've gained close to 35 pounds and still try to fit in my XS and S bedroom shorts all day at home while I work.
Maternity clothes? Sick of them!
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Not too shabby these days! It's just interesting to roll over and get out of bed to pee 5 times a night. I sleep pretty well though!
Best moment this week: Dinner out with Shawn at 411. We haven't been out to a nice dinner in a while and it will probably be our last!
Movement: No longer moving all over the place like a gymnast - I'm sure she is starting to run out of room at this point.
Food cravings: No cravings - I eat when I'm hungry and eat whatever is in the fridge or whatever I feel like eating on the menu. Last week I did eat a the GSC three times and got creamy tomato soup and a BLT!
Gender: Girl
Labor Signs: Quite a bit of Braxton-Hicks contractions - at least that's what I think they are.
Belly Button in or out? Hasn't changed - flat.
What I miss: Being normal.
What I am looking forward to: Going into labor!
Weekly Wisdom: Hmmm.....drink lots of water.
Milestones: Getting the nursery closet installed - thanks Shawn and finally finishing with baby shopping!

Congratulations to Laura and Charlie on their new addition, Mason!

The Watermelon - Hooray!

August 13, 2010: 37 weeks

We've made it to full term at 37 weeks and baby is finally head down and has been there for a whole week now! At my 35 week ultrasound due to measuring "small to date" she was still sideways and had been since at least 19 weeks (my second ultrasound). Last week at my 36 week appointment it was confirmed that she was head down and again today at 37 weeks! The doctor, nurse and I were thrilled and shouted for joy and asked Brighton to stay there!

Today I saw Dr. Nicholson for the first time and I LOVED her! I also really liked her Nurse, too. She was like a mini doctor unlike the other nurses I've seen. Dr. Nicholson was very personable and soft spoken when she needed to be, she was excited to be seeing her patients and got to know me and my pregnancy very quickly. I actually get to see Dr. Nicholson next Friday and the following Friday if we make it that far. She said that the baby's head was really low and right in position to come on out! She said it seemed like baby was getting ready to greet the world.

When the nurse measured me I measured at about 35 weeks, so a small baby we will probably have - but they did say it would make delivery "easier" with a smaller baby. All is well and healthy which is all I care about. Dr. Nicholson really eased my fears about labor and delivery and pain - I kind of hope she is on call when I go into labor.

How far along? 37 weeks on the dot! The pictures above were taken about 5 days ago. You should be able to see that the shape of my belly is different from the pictures I posted last time. She went from head sideways to head down during that time - big change in how I feel and in how I look.
Total weight gain/loss: 30 lbs - haven't gained any weight in about 1.5 to 2 weeks.
Maternity clothes? I bought the white linen pants and blue top that I'm wearing in the pictures at Motherhood Maternity for pictures and my baby shower. I love the outfit! I also got a few tank tops, prego thongs and a nursing bra which is too big of course - maybe I'll grow into it in a couple of weeks.
Stretch marks? None to speak of except on my lower/outer back area.
Sleep: I've actually slept a little bit better the last few nights. I still get up to pee 4 or 5 times a night and roll over ALL THE TIME - not an easy task either! My hips and groin area hurt at night so it's hard to roll over.
Best moment this week: My baby shower and getting the nursery set up - I am in super nesting phase right now, too!
Movement: Still quite a bit of movement!
Food cravings: Not really. I ate a salad at The Loop yesterday - I am such a fan of salads, but have not been my entire pregnancy - it was just okay. But, I did top it off with a milkshake, but with the whole milk and heavy cream it made me have stomach problems the rest of the day and night. Probably the last one I'll have!
Gender: After the 5th ultrasound - a GIRL!
Labor Signs: I've been experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions on and off - usually during the evening hours. They basically feel like the baby is stretching all the way out across my belly and makes it really tight. There is no baby movement though so I know it's a practice contraction. My doctor said I'll experience contractions up until I go into real labor.
Belly Button in or out? As flat as can be!
What I miss: My butt and legs! Being able to get up without pushing myself up with my arms and hands.
What I am looking forward to: Meeting baby Brighton!
Weekly Wisdom: If you have a child, don't give a very pregnant woman your personal advice. We're not hormonally stable and don't want to hear your horrible birth story or that whatever you plan for will disappear once baby is here. If you know me, I plan everything and it never fails.
Milestones: Hitting the 37 week mark and baby is head down!

Bump Pictures

Thanks to my lovely sister-in-law and now Photographer Extraordinaire on the fabulous photos of the baby bump! We're doing another round soon once my hair is blonde (no roots) again and Shawn can join in on the fun!

All of the pictures were taken on the NC STATE campus where Michaela goes to school. So many beautiful spots!

I didn't post my "list" of all things pregnancy last time so here it goes:

How far along? 35 weeks and 4 days (the pictures were taken yesterday)
Total weight gain/loss: 30 lbs - holy shit! and I still have a few more weeks to go! And, shy is my child only in the 24th percentile in weight and length - oh yeah, because all of that weight went straight to the hips, butt, and thighs!
Maternity clothes? Still wearing the same clothes I bought at 3 and 4 months. I'm getting really tired of them. I bought a pair of Old Navy jeans at about 10 weeks pregnant and am still wearing those! I went to Old Navy yesterday and got a tank top and another shirt - NOT MATERNITY!!! The tank top I'm wearing in the pictures is a MEDIUM - for a regular person! Probably the first Medium shirt I've every purchased - but at least it fits the belly!
Stretch marks? Not on the belly or near the belly - some on my love handles though!
Sleep: NOT WELL!! I am not tired at night so I just lay there and I'm so hot - even without the covers - I'm sweating on the couch as we speak! I am not uncomfortable as far as laying on my side or with the baby's weight - it's just hot and I have a lot on my mind understandably!
Best moment this week: Taking pictures with Michaela of the baby bump! And, just spending time with Shawn! Oh, and my parents came back from Texas after being gone for 2 weeks - I missed them even though my Mom and I e-mailed everyday!
Movement: LOTS of movement. I can feel her head and butt stretching and poking me. She is moving ALL THE TIME which is a little unusual for a baby at this stage. Usually they don't have as much room, but she is moving more than ever - hopefully she'll move enough to figure out how to get that head down - she certainly still feels sideways.
Food cravings: Not really any. I eat when I'm hungry!
Gender: After the 5th ultrasound - a GIRL!
Labor Signs: None yet!
Belly Button in or out? Still Flat and kind of sunken in around the belly button which is due to the fact that the baby is in a C shape below and around my belly button. I can press my entire belly button area in and there is no body part there - very strange!
What I miss: Sushi, Jersey Mikes turkey sandwiches, Blue Moon, being able to maintain a normal body temperature, my flat abs, working out really hard at the gym, tennis, just feeling like you can do anything without restriction.
What I am looking forward to: My shower on Saturday!! But, most of all becoming a Mommy!
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy time with friends, family, and your other half because it will never be the same again!
Milestones: Successfully completing our prepared childbirth class! We came away with more knowledge than we every expected to gain, a certificate, a baby calendar, and 12 new friends!

xoxo
Megan

The Honeydew

I don't have much time - we've got to get ready to go to our last Prepared Childbirth class at UNC in a few minutes! I've learned more than I ever imagined I would taking this course and I am so thankful that we did! I had not idea what labor and delivery was like and from what I've learned, most women don't realize what their rights are nor do they realize how much of a say so they have in the delivery room. Most doctors do what is easy for them and do not tell women what their options are - epidural and birth on your back. How natural is that? Cananda and the United States are the only two countries in the entire world who birth on their backs and predominately use medical interventions. The most popular way to birth in all other countries is through squatting. Thankfully, all the beds at UNC do have squatting bars - but they don't tell you that when your in labor. You have to request different positions and be sure to make a birth plan. We made ours last week!

But, birth plan or no birth plan, she'll come out when she wants to! And, she'll position herself where she is comfortable! She won't be coming out naturally if she stays - yes, we have a transverse baby. That means that her head is on one side of my uterus and her but is on the other. This is not the same as being breached - which is actually worse because it's harder to move a baby in that position. I've done hand stands in the pool, leaned off of the couch with my knees on it and my head and hands on the ground, I've hoolahooped in the shower, and done pelvic tilts on the exercise ball - she ain't movin!!! Still five weeks to go so she could still make the plunge to my pelvis!

I had a doctors appointment over a week ago and measured small to date. This means that my uterus had not gotten any bigger - according to the measuring tape - since the last time I had an appointment two weeks prior. My doctor is pregnant with her third child so I think part of the fact that she ordered an ultra sound was out of being overcautious. The baby measured find - her femur was a bit small, but she was in about the 24th percentile in length and weight. They estimated that she weighs 5 pounds, but I think she's a bit smaller than that - I don't feel like I have a 5 pound baby in my stomach. All was fine at the ultra sound, but it was definitely confirmed that she is sideways. When I spoke withe doctor that always comes in after the sonographer is done, he said I had two options - take the easy way out and schedule a c-section at 39 weeks or have an aversion at 38 weeks. An aversion means that a doctor who performs aversions manually moves the baby from the outside of your belly. He was very proud to give us his success rate stats and I asked if I could request him in the event that I need an aversion. He said Yes! So, if baby doesn't move, then an aversion it will be in three weeks. The doc mentioned that I was actually a good candidate because the baby's head is so close to where it needs to be, my torso is long, and she is not taking up quite a bit of space where there is plenty of amniotic fluid floating around above my belly button.

I have another appointment this coming Friday with Dr. Rahangdale - this will be the 8th time I've seen her and it will be the last. I see a different doctor the last three visits - then it's go time!!

We are so excited to meet baby Brighton and honestly I'm just ready to get her out and not be pregnant. I've about hit a wall and have little energy and just want to lay around and sleep all day long. I woke up at about 6:30 this morning because I had not slept well, cooked and ate breakfast, then went back to bed until almost noon, woke up and cooked and ate lunch! What a day. Lazy lazy lazy - I'm over it!

The nursery is well on its way! The crib and bedding have been put together, we moved a big comfy chair from our sun room to the nursery - great free decision, there is a chest of drawers with a mirror full of clothes already - just a few more necessities to get!

More pictures coming soon!

New Pediatrician!!

It takes a village to raise a child...

I don't know why, but for some reason I have been so hesitant about finding a pediatrician and have been putting it off all summer. How silly can you be?! So I called Village Pediatrics Monday and set up an appointment to meet with Dr. Bernosky today at 1:00 so that Shawn could make it during his lunch break. We actually had an impromptu lunch date in Southern Village prior to our visit. Being the crazy researcher that I am, I made a list of 11 questions I wanted to ask the receptionist about operations and the doctor about child birth, epidurals, breastfeeding, sleep schedules and immunizations. I pretty much got the answers I was looking for and it really calmed some of the fears I have created - or rather - all of my research has created about these issues. I am still a firm believer in a sleep schedule after 2 months of age, and the doctor agreed, but I am not so stuck on the belief that an epidural or not being able to breast feed right way is going to scare and traumatize my little bundle of happiness for life! Whatever decision I make as a parent will be what is best for my child since we are all different and babies are well...not alike.

Side note: At our childbirth classes the instructor gave us a list of books to read by various authors, a few by the name of Dr. Sears. Today, our new pediatrician said that she thinks his medical license should be taken away from him! According to her, there is no scientific evidence that proves much of what he says - especially when it comes to child immunizations - yes, your child has 19 within the first 2 years of life. That was one of my new hangups after reading about all of the controversy over them, but you know what - my child will live and will be happy because we will be loving parents no matter what!

So Cheers to Village Pediatrics - I highly recommend them, and will hopefully feel the same way after our first visit at our baby's 2 day old birthday!

xoxo
Megan

47 days to go!

Picture taken on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia near Wintergreen.

It's been a while since my last post and many events have taken place! I celebrated my 28th birthday on June 24, Shawn and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary on June 27, and we embarked on our babymoon to Wintergreen in Virginia from the 24th through the 27th. Our friends Caroline and Andrew came along -she is due 6 weeks after me! We had a very relaxing time, but did go on a few hikes which ended up being a little too strenuous. Probably the most difficult hike I've been on since Peru when Kate and I hiked up a mountain on our hands and knees at altitudes high enough to take your breath away.

This past weekend I had my 32 week appointment which went well, as expected. I have been told I am one of the most boring pregnant patients they have every seen -not me, my pregnancy! But that is what I want to hear! On Saturday, Shawn and I went to a breastfeeding class where we got to practice with dolls and watch informative videos. My boobs did not look like any of the boobs on the video, so I'm wondering if my body even realizes it better produce some milk??!!?? It doesn't look too hard, and I wish everyone would stop telling me their horror stories about breastfeeding and birth! Is having your child really that much of a pain in your ass? Why did you have kids then?? Please shut up and allow those of us that are first time mothers to have the best experience possible and the kind of experience we want to have - a NATURAL one! Yes, I'm not an idiot, I know it will be painful, but I also know what I want and what my body is capable of going through and no two pregnancies are the same so how can you compare mine to yours? Childbirth is the one experience in a woman's life that she will never forget - even if she is plagued by alzhiemer's disease. So, why harp on that being such a negative experience? I certainly will do whatever I need to do so that I have a positive experience and can share that with other women instead of "don't try to be brave"!

I am really looking forward to not only bonding with our new baby but bonding on a completely new level with Shawn. His training and life coaching skills will come into play majorly!! We've already started practicing and I can't thank him enough for putting me through the physical training necessary to prepare my body for childbirth. He is the most motivational, supportive husband I could ask for and I am so lucky to have him in my life.

On Saturday, we went to our first 3 hour Prepared Childbirth class. We have three more sessions to go. The women in my class are great and it's nice to share stories and experiences with other first time mothers. I love the instructor, Kara, who has had two children of her own. We watched a couple of DVD's of natural childbirth and it is absolutely NOTHING like what other people say or what you see on tv. Both births did without any drugs - lots of movement and walking around, moving into different positions, no screaming, crying, yelling, or punching, cussing. They were both very quiet pregnancies - painful, but quiet. It was definitely a confidence builder and empowering - however, I'm a bit concerned at my ability to "stretch" down there for a freaking baby head to push through! Hopefully my pelvic area is wide enough - geez louise!

How far along? 32 weeks 5 days
Total weight gain/loss: 25 lbs
Maternity clothes? Nothing new to report - getting really bored with what I do have.
Stretch marks? No new ones to report - none on the belly!
Sleep: Still sleeping pretty well. I wake up about 2 times a night right now to use the bathroom - I'm still super hot when I sleep and don't use covers much until Shawn leaves in the morning for work. I am fairly comfortable - but if I do too much exercise and get sore it's hard to roll over.
Best moment this week: Childbirth class with Shawn!
Movement: Brighton is moving ALL THE TIME!! It is not painful at all unless she bounces around super low - kind of a shooting pain. She moves a lot at night and in the early morning hours, and consistently throughout the day. I can see more body parts "poking" out of my stomach. She is still pretty low - nowhere near the ribs yet - not sure that she'll A: get that big or B: move up that far with only 7 weeks to go.
Food cravings: None - once again - such an excuse for women to eat while they're pregnant. I usually don't have much of an appetite and there is nothing that I truly desire or even want to eat.
Gender: Everyone I see asks if I'm having a boy because I am carrying so low. It's my long torso people! The baby better hope she's a girl or he's going to be in lots of girlie colors for a year!
Labor Signs: Nope - thank goodness - early labor is not such a good thing! Don't want to have the baby prior to 37 weeks. If I do go into early labor it can be stopped if caught soon enough.
Belly Button in or out? Flat
What I miss: Just being able to move around freely.
What I am looking forward to: Meeting our new baby!
Weekly Wisdom: YOGA is amazing for a pregnant woman! I felt so much better after an hour of yoga two days in a row. According to my childbirth teacher - "preparing for childbirth is like preparing for a marathon!"
Milestones: Taking our breastfeeding class and first of four childbirth classes! They were both very informative and I learned a lot!! And...my butt just keeps getting bigger...

The Squash

Baby Huber (Brighton) is now the size of a squash! I'm not sure what kind of squash since she was an eggplant last week. She has quite a bit more energy these days and is moving all over the place. She is still fairly low, but not as low as she has been prior to about my 28th week of pregnancy.

Shawn and I had a very eventful weekend! On Friday, two of my besties Brittany and Branan planned a birthday get together for me at Daniel's. My closest friends came (minus a few that couldn't make it) and I got a Pack N Play from my registry!!!

On Saturday we attended Lindsay's wedding and then dashed back to Chapel Hill for my 10 year high school reunion! We had a blast seeing everyone at the reunion and Shawn even knew some of my classmates! I think he knows more people everywhere we go than I do and he always knows someone no matter where we are! We could be in Mexico and he'd see an old friend! On Sunday, we took my Dad to breakfast at Elmo's and that afternoon we went to another friend's wedding, Lauren and Tyson out at the Shady Wagon. We had a great time, but the heat was killer!! The food was delicious!

By Sunday evening I was pretty worn out and when we got home I had 2 hours of work to do online to submit progress reports!

Shawn had his first Father's Day and got a Daddy Gear Daddy Diaper Bag from me! He loved it and will be a Daddy in Style this September!

How far along? 29 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 20 lbs
Maternity clothes? I just bought, and have already worn, two dresses for four different events we had this past weekend. This is the first time I've purchased maternity clothes in probably 2 months! I'm trying to look at "trendy" as possible when appropriate!
Stretch marks? Only on my inner thighs which I've always had for the past 10 years. They are just a bit worse now, but I put a lotion on my belly, back and legs to help keep it down!
Sleep: I sleep really well for the most part. The only time I wake up is to use the bathroom and the nurse the other day told me to try to layoff the water at night. I also sweat pretty bad at night and my body pillow (poor Shawn) is my best friend at night!
Best moment this week: Celebrating my birthday with girlfriends at Daniels and spending time with classmates at my reunion (and being with Shawn for most of our busy weekend)
Movement: She has moved up just a little bit, but I think that she is still breeched. I feel a lot of feet kicks very low and I think she is rolling and flipping around a lot. The feeling between a kick/punch and a roll/flip is VERY different. Some days she does not move a lot and other days she moves all the time. She has started moving more at night time rather than during the day. If I lay on my left side if feels like she's on my pelvic bone and I can make her move to the other side by flipping over - it's kind of cute!!

Daddy Shawn LOVES to feel Brighton moving in Mommy's belly!

Food cravings: NONE!!! I truly believe that this is such an excuse for pregnant women to eat what they want. There are things that TASTE really good when I eat them, but I don't CRAVE a particular food item. I've never made Shawn go to the store to get me anything. Food, in general, tastes better and you can taste the different ingredients in foods. I do like salty foods and for some reason I enjoy french fries which is a food I rarely ate before.
Gender: Hopefully still a girl! Everyone that sees me asks if it's a boy because I'm carrying so low, but three different ultrasound technicians have told me it's a girl! I hope so because I have a room full of girl stuff!
Labor Signs: Not yet!!!
Belly Button in or out? Flat
What I miss: Being able to work out with intensity.
What I am looking forward to: Raising an intelligent, well rounded, caring, christian daughter!
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy every moment of pregnancy and make sure you realize you are already a Mom that must take care of a growing baby!
Milestones: Weighing over 140 - One time in college I think I got up to 140 after I got off of a diet and gained 15 pounds. I'll weight 125 by December!

The Eggplant

Hi Everyone! Baby Huber is now the size of an eggplant and is gearing up for life in the outside world by ramping up her immune system and soaking up my antibodies. Her beautiful eyes are forming and she will start blinking soon! She will even have eyelashes as well! She moves very often and for a while I could figure out when she was awake and when she was asleep, but now it has changed and she is starting to move more in the middle of the night. I also feel her more throughout the day - not just at my meal times. Her movements are also getting much stronger, but I can't tell yet how she is moving or what is punching or kicking me?!?!

We haven't done anything in her nursery yet because we are working on so many other home projects at the moment - our biggest project being the downstairs bathroom that Shawn is remodeling which is directly beside the nursery. We have gotten a ton of 0-6 month old clothes and shoes already and have slowly been accumulating cute outfits for when she is closer to a year old. Kim gave us a precious little sailor suit with a matching hat - I can't wait to see her in that!

I've been scouring the Internet for possible baby nursery wall murals and have found a few that I really like. We have an artist lined up who will be painting a mural for us so I can't wait to see the outcome. The crib and changing table will be next on the list, but we're waiting for June paychecks before we make any big purchases.

I am still feeling pretty good, but Brighton is sitting VERY LOW and has been the entire pregnancy. She must be sitting, rolling, punching, and kicking my bladder because I feel a significant amount of pressure and have to use the bathroom ALL THE TIME even if almost nothing comes out! The urge is extraordinary, even at night. I have been getting up about 3-5 times a night to use the bathroom. Maybe it's getting me ready for night feedings and a baby that won't allow me to sleep much. Sleeping comfortably is starting to become an issue even with three pillows and a body pillow. I despise sleeping on my side and have my entire life. I am a stomach sleeper and am still most comfortable (luckily) partially on my stomach/side even while being pregnant.

Graduation Project presentations are finally over, but there is still more work to be done with students who are not yet proficient and figuring out necessary revisions for next school year. I have been losing quite a bit of sleep over the whole thing and decided to sleep late on Thursday since I have 1st period planning and had only been sleeping 3 or 4 hours a night all week. I got up at 5:00 am and had a little melt down, e-mailed my principal, and was able to crash for about 2 hours. I am so thankful that the weekend is here so that I can sleep in!!! I have been really tired lately - not really my body, just sleepy and have not made it to the gym much at all. Hopefully I can get back into it once school is out.

I hope to start uploading more pictures, but my dog ate through the USB cord so I can't charge my camera or load pictures. Those of you that never see me I know you must be waiting for those fun updates.

We have a busy June coming up with the end of the school year and my summer course starting up on June 14. We've got two weddings in one weekend and a 10 year high school class reunion in the same weekend. The following weekend we're heading to Wintergreen, VA for a babymoon with our pregnant friend Caroline and her husband Andrew. I CAN'T wait to visit the spa and pool there and eat delicious food!!!! I need a break, that's for sure!

Mark down August 7 on your calendars - we're having a baby shower! Invitations will be sent out in June by my lovely sister-in-law! I hope you can all make it! I've changed my mind and it will no longer by co-ed, so just us girls!

Hope everyone is doing well! Miss you and love you!!

xoxo
Megan

Our Little Papaya!

It has been entirely TOO long since I've blogged! I'm already at Week 24 and I think I was around Week 19 when we found out that we were having a GIRL the last time I updated everyone!

I still have one of the most boring pregnancies in the history of all pregnancies - but, I could not be more thankful! I was reading "A Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" but so much of it didn't apply to me that I skimmed through the whole book in a matter of hours. I would not suggest purchasing this book if you are already expecting and I'll be glad to hand it over to whomever would like to read it. Seems like book was written more for laughs than to really give factual information about living through the ups and downs of expecting. One chapter is dedicated to NOT working out and has 10 bogus reasons as to why such as "You'll be too tired" or "You won't look good in work out clothes" - both true, you're tired and look HORRIBLE in anything that should be considered cute on a Size 2 gym rat! However, no doctor will ever tell you NOT to work out unless your heart rate soars through the roof or you are skiing down a black diamond mountain. I could probably go hit a few balls on the tennis court and beat my husband at this point!

Baby "B" is still sitting low, but I do feel her in other spots other than the bottom left hand corner of my uterus. I can feel her in the bottom middle now and occasionally to the right a bit, but she is nowhere even close to my belly button yet. Her movements are getting much stronger with each day as she is starting to grow. At my last ultrasound, which was specially ordered by my doctor due to her spine not being visible at the previous ultrasound, she weight a whopping 1.1 lbs which means she gained 9 oz. from Week 19 to Week 22!! That also means that Mom over here is packing on the cottage cheesy legs and booty! I think total I've gained about 16 or 17 pounds and have hit the 140 mark! I can believe that Fall semester of 09 I weighed 120 until I forced myself to gain 6 pounds as soon as we got out for Christmas Break.

Also at the last ultrasound, I got to see the baby in 3D which was super neat. I did show the ultrasound pictures to my three classes at school and the students in my 4th period thought it looked like an alien and asked if it freaked me out that there was a little "alien" child living inside of me. I kindly, with a smile responded, "no". I reminded them that they, too, looked like that 15 years ago before they were born and I reminded the girls that one day they would all have an alien child growing in their bellies - but hopefully not for 10+ more years! Anyway, Brighton is absolutely precious in her 3D picture and I am definitely going to frame each of my four ultrasounds and hang them up in her room.

We have decided to change her name already - still Brighton for the first name, but no longer Winslow for the middle name. We decided not to do family names so we wouldn't offend anyone and I wanted to give her a middle name that she could potentially use as a first name if she decides to do so later in life. I won't divulge the new middle name per advice from a fellow pregnant friend;)

Speaking of pregnant friends - EVERYONE is having a baby and I love it! It has been very comforting and enjoyable to share this experience with other expecting first time moms. It's also so crazy how all of our pregnancies are so individualized! I've realized that 99% of what moms tell you is not what will happen in your own pregnancy and most moms think that they way it happened to them is the way it happens to everyone - not the case. So, my non parent friends, you'll go crazy if you listen to every single Mom's horror stories or even pleasant stories because your pregnancy will be nothing like theirs. Your pregnancy will be all about you and your body and we all know that they're all a little different. Some of the things I've read in the three books I'm reading are so far off the mark from what I have experienced that I might as well not be reading anything. I have found that if you know your body well, which I always have, nothing is really too much of a surprise.

Today was the first day that I felt pretty uncomfortable in shoes. I put on a pair of flats/closed toe that I've been wearing the heck out of and they were just too darn tight. Flip Flops it was today with my girly little dress from Target. I've also gotten to the point where it's pretty hard to use my ab muscles to get up after sinking into a comfy couch which is very new and I'm not so sure I like feeling helpless and weak, but it's to be expected. Sleeping is still not too terribly enjoyable - I do not sleep very well and I sweat to death every night even if I can get the room down to 50 degrees.

I haven't had headaches in a couple of weeks which has been a welcomed relief, but my allergies are in full force and are probably worse than they have been in years. I took meds for a while (safe ones) but finally stopped because I was having to take them everyday and no medication is actually 100% safe for the baby.

I'm so looking forward to wrapping up the end of the school year. I consider it the last day I actually have to teach which is June 2. Exams start June 3 and the kids graduate on June 11. I definitely don't mind being her alone in my clean, quiet room once the kids leave, but it's just that time of year when you won't to send them to chillout for raising their hand to ask a question. I've about decided to start off the beginning of next school year assuming that she'll be born on the due date of September 3 and not August 20 when it's time to return to school. But, I'm thrilled to be out until January! I will be teaching a full class online this summer, possibly two, and have been guaranteed two full classes this fall, so we shouldn't feel the effects of a missing pay check for a month or two.

We're currently doing tons of projects at our house - well, I guess Shawn is, not me. I can't look until they are done. I just pick things out and tell Shawn to do the work. He has demolished the downstairs bathroom and has put down the prefloor for new tiles. We're getting a new toilet, tiles, exhaust fan, and hopefully new mirror, light fixture and vanity. We'll see how far my money goes - may have to wait on some of that til June. We uprooted 20 foot red tips, cleaned up the natural area in the front which must be pine strawed, still have a 20 foot wide hole for a pond in the backyard, and must now clean out our awfully full of old housewares garage. We must also fix our deck so that it has proper railing and we still have to do our nursery. Busy summer indeed!

Hope everyone is doing well. I apologize that I have no pictures, but my dog ate through the usb chord that allows me to transfer pictures over to my computer. Perhaps I should get a new one. People, even today, still tell me that I don't look pregnant - I guess they thing I just look fat. It's almost an insult to tell a pregnant woman - "You don't look pregnant, just 20 pounds heavier than you did 5 months ago." "Oh, and I love those maternity dresses and flats that you wear everyday, bet you like not wearing those high heels." Great, thanks for the compliment - NOT!

xoxo
Megan

Halfway there!

Hello Friends! It has been too long since I've updated our baby status and at Michaela's request - here goes a Week 20 update!

Can't believe I'm already halfway done with my pregnancy - it has been amazing and so enjoyable - thanks to my freakishly calm hormones and apparently relaxed baby in there! She doesn't move around too much - guess she likes to sleep a lot - must be a mama's girl already! I could sleep 12 hours a day. Maybe this is a sign she'll be a sleeper, and if we're lucky through the night, too! The picture above was from the Northwood Prom on Saturday, April 17 - I had a good time with Michaela and Mom - it was so wonderful to see the kids act like young adults and look beautiful and handsome - some really cute dresses - and some awful ones, too. The dress I am wearing should be familiar - I've only worn it one other time when I changed into it at my wedding for the last dance and departure! I may have worn it on my honeymoon, too but I dont' remember. Maybe I'll take my daughter to prom when she is old enough one year!

As I'm sure you've figured out - we're having a precious little GIRL! As soon as we were told, Shawn literally threw us fists up in the air and announced that we would not have a baseball player. A professional baseball playing brother and brother in law is enough for now! She can still be a tennis player though:) Baby Brighton weighed 8 ounces about 10 days ago and was 3 inches long. Since then my belly has grown a bit so hopefully she's packing on some much needed weight and length - she was average in both at the ultrasound. (she just kicked - she doesn't like being talked about like she's not here). I asked how to make her gain some weight and was told that women who gain 50 pounds have big babies and women who don't chow on unhealthy foods during their pregnancy have little babies - as long as I'm eating enough fruits, veggies, dairy and protein and stocking up on vitamins we'll have a healthy girl!

At this point, baby Brighton can taste the food I'm eating and I'm trying to eat healthy foods that hopefully she'll like as she grows older. I am starting to feel the ligaments and muscles in my lower abdomen area begin to stretch and sometimes when I go from a sitting to a standing position it is a bit painful - I tend to feel it more at the gym. When I sit sometimes I can feel my insides being pushed upwards which is a weird feeling. Baby Brighton is sitting really low - still and most of her kicking is well below my belly button - which hasn't popped yet! According to the bump, she should be the size of a cantaloupe, which, to me, is a rather sizable fruit. I could not fit a cantaloupe in my belly right now, so not sure she's quite that size yet, maybe in another week or so.

I've started to get my registry in order - overwhelming to say the least!!! I've probably spent around 24 hours total just browsing through Target and Babies R Us baby items and reading reviews to try to figure out what to get. It's difficult to keep track of how many of this and how many of that to get and what is and what really isn't necessary. To a first time Mom EVERYTHING seems necessary, but when I read reviews I realize that some things are simply a waste of money and will not be used enough to spend the money. Besides a newborn won't know the difference anyway! We were blessed to be offered a a stroller, car seat with two bases, swing, high chair, and never used diaper genie by a colleague of mine who has a 20 month old. All of it is still in great condition and looks brand new! We're being sold all of these items for such a steal and we're probably saving over $350!!! I am probably going to try to find a crib on Craig's list, but I did find one for under $200 that I like! If anyone has advice to share on items that I should definitely buy or items that I could skip over let me know! I'm also kind of lost as to how many items of clothing to get for the different ages in months (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, etc) and which pieces of clothing to get (onesies, gowns, etc.). They grow so fast, but my child will be a fashionista indeed!

Mark your calendars for August 7! I'm about 90% sure this is going to be our baby shower date! Shawn and I are going to try to secure the Briar Chapel Club House, but need to get on the ball before the dated is scooped up by someone else. We've decided to have one big co-ed shower/party so that ALL of our friends and family can come and celebrate and welcome baby Brighton into the world! We're so grateful for all of our friends, both men and women, and want to share this event with everyone at one time! We're thinking a big barbecue! If the date changes I'll let you all know - but be on the lookout for invitations this summer! If you need to update your home address with me, please send it to me at meganjohnson.mj@gmail.com!

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the weather! We certainly are doing just that - Shawn and I have been working in our yard for about a month now - we're building a pond, taking down overgrown red tips, digging up stumps, planting a rose garden, sewing new grass, and planting lots of new plants in the front along with shipping in new dirt, mulch, and pine straw. It has been a project around here, but things are finally starting to shape up!

xoxo
Megan

From the Avocado to the Onion

No post last week while Baby Huber was an avocado! I LOVE the fruit and veggie comparisons I get from The Bump! The "onion" is about the size of the palm of my hand with a crown to rump length of about 5 inches and a weight around 5 ounces. Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. His/her umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes now feature one-of-a-kind prints. He/she is all about practice in preparation for birth by sucking and swallowing, the heartbeat is regulated by the brain and about twice my own heart rate. Life happens fast! I still haven't felt any movement from the inside, but am looking forward to the first punch or kick!

This past weekend Shawn and I visited Barnes & Noble to get pregnancy and gardening books. I bought What to Expect When Expecting and What to expect the First Year. I have almost finished the 600 page "expecting book" - it is great and really makes me feel at ease about the changes I my body is going through - they are all extremely normal. In fact, I'm pretty boring compared to some of the horror stories other people have told me about their pregnancies! My worst complaint is a headache! I did have a fairly severe headache on Sunday which was about the 3rd day in a row I had experienced a headache. It finally subsided on Monday night and I haven't had much of one since!

This past week I had TONS of energy and feel about as normal as a pregnant woman can feel at the gym. I can do just about everything I could before but I try not to get out of breath which makes me knock the intensity down a couple of notches. I do get out of breath sometimes just by walking up the stairs at home and by 4th period at school when I talk I get out of breath. I have become fairly forgetful, too, and feel like I'm losing brain cells and gaining pounds in the form of cottage cheese!

Last weekend I babysat a two year old boy (son of two of my co-workers). I got to witness my first diaper change (thanks, Ashley!) and got some tips from a Mom! I felt a little uneasy at first being that I had never been around a small child and had no idea what they were or were not capable of doing on their own! He was such a joy to play with - we spent most of our time in the backyard with a football, soccer ball, kickball, and basketball. I hope I get some more experience before my little one gets here!

We find out the sex at my next ultrasound on April 8!

I had my 4th month doctor's appointment with my lovely Dr. Rahangale at UNC. I've seen her four times now, and I'm seeing her in April, so I hope I don't have to trade her out for the other four at this point. So far each of my appointments have gone smoothly because I am such a boring patient - what they want until "labor day"!! I did get to hear the heartbeat Thursday which is always reassuring because I know that he or she is still thriving!

Week 18 here we come! :)

xoxo
Megan

The Naval Orange

"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the
very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone."

15 weeks and 4 days

We've heard the heartbeat many times (and I think our dogs can too!), but no kicking yet!!! I should start to feel kicking in about a week once I'm into Week 16 - I'll keep you posted. My dogs have gotten very protective over me lately - when I'm sitting on the couch they both want to lay on my stomach - and not because it's a big cushion yet. We're convinced that they know there is a baby inside there!

We are still overjoyed that we have been given this precious gift and Shawn looks at me with these little puppy dog eyes every night and reminds me that we're going to be parents soon - he is so cute:)

We still don't know if we're having a boy or a girl, but I'm convinced that it's a boy and have been from the start. I seem to be holding most of my weight in my rear end and legs and I'm carrying really low with a round belly. I've heard these are signs it's a boy from some mothers and a girl from other mothers.

No morning sickness or true nausea to report STILL!! Hooray! I definitely have my days where I do not feel up to par, but things are going very well and are actually quite easy thus far. Comfortable clothes and flat shoes are a priority - I wasn't saying that even 5 months ago! High heels and pencil skirts are in the dark corners of my closet nowadays. Even though there is no morning sickness I do have headaches every single day. I go to bed with one, wake up with the same one, and teach all day with one. I starting getting headaches exactly when The Bump told me I would - at the start of the second trimester.

I now know 4 other girls that are pregnant so it's exciting to be able to share our experiences together. We're all within about 2 - 3 weeks of one another.

I had a magnificent weekend in New Bern this past weekend with some amazing AGD women to celebrate the marriage of Neda and Harold! The weekend was a blast and it was so nice to see Heather and Angela. Even without the alcohol I was still able to cut a rug like a white girl all night long at the reception.

Shawn sold his Infiniti yesterday to prepare for a sedan. Shawn was very sad to see his sports car go. Even though I hated that car I will miss it - more for him than for me. I couldn't imagine putting my child in the back seat even though Shawn seemed to think it would be just as safe as the tahoe - hmmm....maybe he was trying to convince me that we didn't need to sell it. I think we are going to get a Honda Accord - not sure who's going to get which car now??!! I love my Tahoe, which I'm glad we bought now that a baby is on the way!

The pictures were taken last night! We'll be posting new pictues each week!

The Lemon

Time for another weekly update on Baby Huber!! He or she is growing so fast! I never knew how much a baby develops each week, but it is crazy how a cell becomes a human with nails, hair, eyes, organs, a voice, breath, and life! We are still overwhelmingly excited! This week Baby Huber can suck his/her thumb, wiggle his/her toes, make urine, and breath amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys, and spleen continue to develop. Thin hair is also growing to keep the blossoming baby warm! How cute! - or not really so cute yet......

I had a great night at Lindsay's engagement dinner with friends - how nice it was to go out with a large group of wonderful people, something we don't get to do too often in the depths of Chatham County. I had great conversations with some new moms and dad's; comforting and scary all at once - but I got some great tips from some awesome new parents.

I'm so ready to register (and actually started yesterday) and can't wait to know if our little lemon is a boy or a girl. We are really fascinated with going green and providing our baby with the most organic products as possible. Seems like so many "things" we buy for our babies are actually unhealthy for them at such a fragile age unless they truly are organic. A bit more expensive, but our baby is priceless.

Not much to report about me, still pregnant which is the most important thing! It truly has been easy going. I'm in my second trimester so the fatigue has really worn off and I actually have some energy by the end of the day. I've been really busy in the evenings so getting a work out in has actually been difficult - hence the legs and butt rapidly changing right now! I hope I fit into my bridesmaids dress this weekend - yikes! Still no morning sickness to report :) Fingers crossed!

I'm just staying really healthy eating lots of foods with calcium and Vitamin C and D and taking my daily prenatal vitamins! Drinking water seems to be my biggest struggle, especially teaching rambunctious children that shouldn't be left alone for more than 30 seconds! I've got to get better because the water really does make you feel quite normal all day and night.

Hopefully we're going to start taking pictures of the bump tonight - I've been nagging at Shawn to take them. We'll start posting a new updated picture each week!

xoxo
Megan

Here they are, the first pictures we've taken!

The Peach

Baby Huber is now the size of a peach, which is supposedly 2.9 inches in length. Today, I am 13 weeks and 2 days along in this amazing journey that keeps getting better everyday! This weekend, Shawn and I spent our precious Friday night at the mall trying to find clothes that were comfortable for me. We had no luck at all until we entered the meca of maternity clothes - Pea in a Pod and Motherhood Maternity. I purchased the most comfortable pair of Seven's I've ever worn - it was well worth the price tag. Mark my words, I will wear these well beyond the 9 months of this pregnancy! They even look better than any jean I have owned. I got to put on one those mock bellies to see what I'd look like in clothes at 7 months! It's really to prove that you can wear the same size pants then as you can now if (in theory) only your belly gets larger. Gym time will be a must to stay fit! I also got some really comfy cargo pants and three of the cutest dresses I've ever owned! I'm gonna want to get pregnant again so soon!

Nothing really new to report. I'm breaking down and getting my hair done next week. I'm in a wedding next weekend and it's been 4 months since my hair has seen a highlight! Speaking of hair, mine has gotten really thick and wavy and is growing like grass on a chia pet! I wear it curly everyday to cover up my 2.5 inch long roots! I do feel like I finally have the slightest "bump". We're going to start taking pictures this week to chart the growth of my belly! I will post as we take the pictures!

Time for dinner - my favorite time of the day:)

xoxo
Megan

The Plum

So it's Week 12 of my pregnancy and I couldn't feel any better than I do right now!! Shawn and I are both floating on cloud nine and are giddily excited to welcome our new addition to the world - even though this has become such a scary place!! We really want to include all of our friends and family in sharing the next 6 months with us because it is such a wonderful time! I am thoroughly enjoying the fact that I will become a mom very soon.

So just an update - I'm in my 2nd trimester which began on Friday, February 19 so that puts me at 12 weeks and 4 days today! I had motherly instincts right around the new year and mentioned to Shawn that I thought I might be pregnant. We kind of just waited around for the "you know what" and it didn't come by the first full week of January, so we took a home pregnancy test on a Sunday evening. It came out positive! We literally studied "the stick" for a good 15 minutes to make sure we knew what we were looking at! I took a 2nd pregnancy test about 5 days later just to make sure because I was heading to Charleston for a Bachelorette weekend with friends.

I kind of knew I was pregnant when my PMS was multiplied by a thousand - moodiness, extremely sore boobs, cramps, tiredness, hunger to the max!!! All that has since submisided thank goodness. I still only wear a 32A bra - DARNIT!

Early on I was really tired, always extremely hungry, had no energy, boobs hurt, didn't really crave much (except for milk), my hair grew extremely fast and is so long right now, my hair wouldn't take color the last time I got it done, and the other normal prego stuff. I also burped a lot, had super bad gas, constipation one day and not so the next; after I ate I always felt bloated and my stomach was actually in quite a bit of pain - like when you where ultra tight jeans and it's tight around your waste - yeah, that feeling everyday around 2:00 which lasted until bedtime.

So, now - all that has pretty much gone away. I am not always hungry and am actually eating healthier than normal, but eating about 5 or 6 times a day. I am still at the gym as much as possible, but don't push it as hard (apparently the HR isn't supposed to exceed 140). I have a lot energy right now and am not nearly as moody - Shawn's favorite!! I actually do not feel pregnant at all (maybe that means I'll have a girl ;) )

I've already had three ultrasounds. At Week 8 I experience a significant amount of bleeding one day and went in for an emergency ultrasound two days later. Everything was fine and the ultrasound technician explained the cause of the bleeding which was not coming from the baby. We got to hear the heartbeat and see a blob of a baby. We got pictures and they're proudly hanging on the fridge at home. Oh...I had met with a nurse prior to this ultrasound - apparently you just take a home prego test, the hospitals trusts you and basically gives you an orientation style appointment with a nurse. Then I had the ultrasound, then I met with my doctor. I actually have 5 doctors and have the potential to see all 5 at any appointment so that they all know my case so that the on call doctor knows who the heck I am when the baby comes! I love the doctor that I have seen. She is young (early 30's) and is from India I think. I'm actually seeing her again this week on Thursday!

So, I had a 2nd ultrasound with the "K-mart" ultra sound with my doctor and got to hear the heartbeat again. Then I had a 3rd ultrasound on Friday for the downsyndrome/trysimony 18 test and the baby was huge!! Well, only two inches but PLUM SIZE which was a major growth spurt from week 8. All of the tests from Friday came back negative which is GOOD news!

Funny story: At my first visit to the hospital with the nurse at "oreientation" I had to get my blood drawn - 5 whole entire viles of it! I had been at the hospital so long that it had been about 3.5 hours since I had eaten anything. So, the nurse could not get the needle to such any of my precious blood, so she kept digging a little deeper as my temperature began to rise and my each breath became shorter and shorter until apparently I broke into a full on sweat, held my breath as she stuck me for a second time, got a vile of blood (I do not remember this) and yelled "Theresa." I guess Theresa and a slew of overweight nurses and a lanky doctor came rushing to my side as I slumped down in my chair while my poor husband could hear all of this happening from behind the partition. He ran around, too, and thought that I must be spraying blood, but instead my eyes had rolled back into the back of my head and I was white as a ghost. They told me I was out for about 30 seconds and when I came to I thought I was waking up from an entire night of dreaming and I remember people yelling at me in my dream. Shawn said they were also slapping my face and shaking me in real life. It was the most bizarre feeling. It was so hard to open my eyes - or I guess roll them back to the front and all I could see was a bright white light until I focused in on "Theresa"!! My savior Theresa!!

So, they all told me to go around the corner to the cafeteria, eat some fattening food (friend chicken, green beans, mac and cheese and mashed potatoes) and then come back and get the rest of the blood drawn. This time the lovely nurse put me in a room on a bed!! She knew better the 2nd time around! All was well in my world and then I went back to work!

Maybe you had to be there - but everyone knows me at the hospital now and I get treated extremely well. UNC has been so accommodating with my work schedule and have been able to schedule all of my appointments during my planning period.

My due date is September 3, but who knows if the baby will come on that day or not!

Okay, that's way too much for everyone to read! I'll try to update once a week when I become more pregnant than the week before! You can't really tell that much yet unless I wear a dress that hugs my waist.

I hope that by blogging about this it will also prepare all of my non child bearing friends for what's to come in the future!! It is wonderful!

xoxo
Megan