The nursery is about 95% ready. We still have to put sheets on the crib (don't want to get dust on them over the next 2 months). And we didn't hang anything on the walls. We may rearrange the furniture once we purchase a glidder.


My dad and Richard painted the room Pale Moss Green. It's hard to see in the picture, but it's a really pretty pale green.





I washed all the new oufits that will fit Baby FermaNels in the first three months of his life. It was fun to fold the little socks and cute onesies.



PS: The fan, guitar, and baby gate are just hanging out in the room for a month.

Week 31: No More Room

At my doctor's appointment today, I found out I am short waisted. My uterus can't grow anymore. I've run out of room. What does this mean? It means the baby will grow out and he will put even more pressure on my lungs. I will run out of breath much quicker. I've already noticed this. If I talk constantly for a few minutes, I run out of breath.
I have gained 2 pounds bringing my total weight gain to 19 pounds! I am right on track!
My blood sugar level was 83: perfectly healthy.
We talked about my birth plan and her birth plan for me.
I told her I have had an easy pregnancy. She replied, "I'm glad you recognize that. You've been doing great."
I've gotten lots of "You look great!" this week. I think because its obvious that I'm pregnant, but I haven't gained much weight for as far along as I am.
I feel good too. I am still very flexible and can squat without any problems. I've been doing my pregnancy workout or walking Logger two to three times a week. I forget I'm pregnant sometimes until I run into something with my belly! Or Baby FermaNels kicks me.

Other news this week:
I think we have a name picked out! This has been one of the hardest parts of being pregnant. Richard and I could not agree on any names. The two we originally picked out have since been axed. (Richard didn't think the names fit the baby's ultrasound pictures.) But we finally agree on one. One we both really like. But we're telling anyone. (It's driving my mom CRAZY!)
My parents are in town! Richard and Dad are painting the nursery tomorrow. My mom and I are picking up the crib and changing table. I am so excited to get the nursery ready. I think everything will feel real once the room is ready.
Time is going by so fast!

Week 30: 10 weeks to go!

My shirt says "From Here.... To Maternity" and has a pinup girl before pregnancy and during.
A spoof on the movie From Here to Eternity
A shirt from my sister's maternity collection!

Oh Baby!

My first baby shower (which I kept mistakenly calling it "my bridal shower"!). Kelli and Jen put together a small baby shower for me at The Cheesecake Factory.

Good food, great company, and silly games made it a wonderful Sunday afternoon. An adorable little outfit from Nikki.

My friend Joanne from my last job.

The cutest bath gift basket ever From Michelle

One month old Emma woke up towards the end to join in the festivities

Brenda and I checking out the new toy from Jen

Kelli and Jen!

Michelle Chelle!

Showing off my belly for a game
Nikki!

And the usual strawberries. I drank Strawberry Lemonade. And had strawberry cheesecake. These are strawberries courtesy of Michelle's Kids Brunch! Thank you, Michelle!

1 down, 49 to go! (Hopefully more than that!)

Cutting our wedding cake together on our anniversary

Richard tasting the nastiness that is freezer burn.

And we tossed the rest in the garbage. What a waste. It was delicious a year ago!

Today is our one year wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has been a whole year. I feel like I was just stressing over seating charts and guest lists.

We celebrate our one year achievement, Richard and I dressed up (this is an achievement in itself since I don't have any skirts or dresses that fit my pregnant belly!) and ate dinner at Biaggi's in Maple Grove. We then went home and attempted to eat the top of our wedding cake. Gross. It was cracked and freezer burned. We each took one bite and threw the rest away. I should have let Richard eat it a few weeks after our wedding.

We spent the rest of the evening watching The Wild game and relaxing.

I did it again...

I ate a half a pound of strawberries while driving 70 mph down Hwy 94.
I finished of the other half pound later that night.
I think I'm up to 17 pounds of strawberries consumed.

Week 28: No News is Good News

I had my Week 28 checkup with the doctor on Friday.

I gained 6 pounds in the last month, bringing my total weight gain to 17 pounds. I'm on the low end of gaining weight and with uterus size (She measures from my belly button to the the top my uterus. Yes you can feel it. It's weird). Baby FermaNels has a healthy, normal heartbeat: 132 beat per minute (needed to be between 120-150).

And I had my gestational diabetes test. I was terrified of this test. Not the test itself, but of having to change my diet if it came back positive. I would have to cut down on my sugar (no sour gummy worms), cut down on my carbs (no fruit - including strawberries! [13 pounds devoured and counting!]), and be forced to eat things like oatmeal (not too bad), eggs (blah!), and meat (EWWWW!).

To take the test, I had to chug a bottle of super syrupy sugared orange soda. If Fanta and Jolt had a one night stand, this would be their love child. It was so sugary, I wanted to brush my teeth as soon as I finished. It gave me a slight stomach ache. I felt like I had eaten candy all day and nothing else. The Sugar Gut Rot.
Fanta has been my savior since I became pregnant. It's what I drink when I would normally drink Dr. Pepper or Cherry Coke. Not anymore. This test ruined orange pop for me.
I sat in the waiting room, playing Brain Age 2 on Richard's DS. After an hour, they drew my blood. If I didn't get a call, that means my pancreas is acting normal. If they call, I would have to go in for further testing. Further testing involves a 3 hour test. Yuck.
It's been two full business days and no call. I'm hoping that is good news.

Childbirth Classes: The Drama

Last night was our first of four - three hour Childbirth Preparation Classes. I was very excited that Richard was able to come (even though Molly would have been an awesome partner). It was something I really wanted us to do together.


Our instructor, Jane, is fun and down to earth. She made everyone feel very comfortable, even Richard who was terrified the instructor would be a hippie.
Our baby will be the youngest in the class. Most are due in May, with the exception of one other June baby.
Lots of talk about vaginas and placentas and bags of water and mucus plug and cervix. Complete with a 3D model, the instructor showed us how the baby moves down through the pelvis. Ouch! He turns! And his head pushes on your rectum (hence the pooing on the table) and that's how you know when to push. You feel like you have to take a big 'ol poo. Ack!


I was looking forward to the hospital tour the most. I was delighted to find out we would spend the last hour of class viewing the Labor & Delivery department of North Memorial!


Again, our instructor was great. She explained every step and detail from the moment we park in the ramp to our discharge. When you arrive at Labor & Delivery, you have to go to a Labor Assessment room. They decide if you should be admitted or should go home to wait it out. I don't want to be sent home. The hospital is over 20 miles from our house! (So we have to make sure, Molly! Pressure's on!)

One of the stops on the tour was the Birthing Room. The room little Baby FermaNels will arrive. It's not a huge room. We crammed 16 people in this room. I become very claustrophobic in small areas or areas with too many people and not a clear exit. The room was a stifling 75 degrees (our instructor couldn't figure out how to turn the heat down). About halfway through the instructor's explanation of the room, I became light headed. I took off my winter coat. My purse felt so heavy on my shoulder so I set it on the floor. Richard leaned in and asked if I was okay. I said yes. Then my hearing became muffled. I was no longer listening to the instructor, I just wanted to leave the room. When my vision started to get fuzzy, I turned to Richard and said, "I need air. I'm light headed." He put his arm around me, and ushered me out of the room. He asked me again if I was okay. I told him I needed to sit down. He grabbed the instructor and told her I was light headed. She immediately told me to slide down the floor. She had me take off my sweater and called for a nurse to get me some water. The nurse came with a wheel chair. "No, no, no, she doesn't need a wheel chair. Just water." The nurse returned with ice water and a little orange juice. As I sipped my juice, the instructor turned to the rest of the class. "Let's not stare at Kelly, but this is exactly what you need to do if you are in labor and you are feeling light headed or have a contraction. Just slide down the wall."
I immediately started feeling better once I sat down. Apparently, all the color had drained from my face and it started to come back as soon as I sat down.


At the end of the tour, I thanked the instructor again for helping me. It was a combination of over heating and claustrophobia. She recommended I write the claustrophobia on my birth plan so the nurses will be sensitive to it.
Hopefully next week will be less dramatic. And I hope I'm not know as the girl who almost fainted.

Week 27