Last Belly Pic...

This will be the last belly picture that I will post for this pregnancy. We are at 39.5 weeks and will go in tomorrow morning for a scheduled induction.

I can't even begin to express how excited, yet nervous I am about tomorrow. The more that I think about the actual labor process and birth, the more nervous I get. I just pray that everything goes as planned and our little boy enters this world healthy and happy.

I am definitely going to miss watching my belly grow and the excitement and anticipation of every change that comes with being pregnant. I was blessed to have a wonderful experience and for that I am thankful.

We will post pictures of Sayer just as soon as we are able. Please remember us in your prayers tomorrow.

Belly Pics...

Mike and I had belly pics taken last Saturday by one of my best friends younger sister's. She has a photography business and she does great work! Check a few of them out at the link below.

The first picture and the last picture are among my favorites... there are several others, not on her blog, that I also love...

Blog entry... little one on the way

www.meredithgutshall.blogspot.com

Week 36 Dr. Appt.

This afternoon we had our 36 week doctor appt and we were finally back with Dr. Abney after being on a rotation schedule for the last 4 appointments.


My blood pressure is still great and I actually was down a pound from last week (32 pounds). YIPPEE!

She confirmed that I am dilated to 1 cm. I forgot to ask her what % effaced I was - I'll have to ask next Wednesday. The exam was not very comfortable today... Mike and I just giggled at my reaction because that is nothing like what childbirth is going to feel like - I am sure. YIKES!

I asked her how far past my due date she would let me go and she said two weeks - which would put me into 2009 :-( Hopefully we won't go over our due date and this little boy will make his entrance a bit early! As long as we can get through this week we would then no longer be considered pre-term if we had him.

28 days to go!!!!!!

Week 34

Today is week 34.

My belly continues to grow and stretch. I honestly don't know how much more it will be able to stretch over the next 6 weeks. It is already so tight and is starting to get a bit uncomfortable. I am finding it harder to sleep at night and catch my breath. I am definitely not used to getting winded this easily.

Regardless, I wouldn't trade any of those things for the pregnancy experience or for the opportunity to bring a child into this world. It is the most amazing experience and I truly do love every minute of it!

Week 32

Monday we hit week 32. I can hardly believe that we only have 8 short weeks to go in this pregnancy. It has all gone by so fast!

This week my son has been a very active little man. I think that is one of the things that I am going to miss more than anything else - feeling him kick and prod me and staring at my beautfil growing pregnant belly.

It's amazing how much change a short year can bring...

Week 30

Today marks the first day of Week 30. I can't believe it - time is flying! I love to see how much my belly has grown over the past 22 weeks.

8 weeks

30 weeks

1st Day of the 3rd Trimester - Week 28

Today is Week 28 and Day 1 of our third trimester. I can hardly believe that I am 2/3rds of the way through this pregnancy. Sayer has been moving a lot lately and I think that is one thing that I am really going to miss at the end. I love to nudge my belly and feel him kick back.

I also love it when others can feel him moving! My mom loves to sit with her hand on my belly waiting to feel him - it is awesome to see her facial expression when she finally does.

Emma was over the other night and I told her that her cousin was kicking me and she put her hand on my belly and immediately said "I just felt him. He kicked me right there!" (as she showed the palm of her hand to Kelly). It was so cute!

Today I also went back for the 3 hour glucose test. They drew my blood four times during those three hours. OUCH! I should get the results back tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that I do not have gestational diabetes.

Week 26

Now that we are into the double digits from Sayer's arrival (98 days to be exact) I thought that I would start posting belly pics every two weeks. It's amazing to see how much my belly has changed in just two weeks!

Week 24

It is hard to believe that another 4 weeks have passed and it is time to post another belly picture. We are now at week 24 and I have to say the past several weeks have been extremely exciting.

I have been feeling Sayer move for awhile now and finally last night Mike was able to feel him too. I have been waiting for the day when Mike would be able to share in the excitement of being able to feel him move and finally that day arrived!

We were getting ready for bed and Sayer was really kicking, so I told Mike to put his hand on my belly. It only took a minute for Mike to say "Are you flexing your stomach?" I just laughed and said, "No, that's your son kicking!" He was in amazement.

Tonight after dinner we were sitting on the couch and I lifted my shirt so we could look at my belly and sure enough you could see my belly move as Sayer kicked and moved. It was awesome to actually see the movement from the outside!

I sit here in utter amazement as I type this just thinking about this little person in my belly moving, growing and developing. Mike and I already love this little boy more than words could ever express and we cannot wait to welcome him into this world and hold him in our arms. I can only imagine what that first instant of seeing our baby is going to be like!

Thank God for Miracles!

Week 20

We are into the 20th week of our pregnancy and at the halfway mark. I can hardly believe that I have been pregnant for 20 weeks already... time has flown by. I am trying to enjoy and cherish every minute of this experience and am keeping a journal of all of the hi-lites of this pregnancy.

Finally last night I felt Sayer move. It felt like my stomach was doing flip-flops. I felt it again several times today at work. It was an amazing feeling. I cannot wait until daddy is able to feel him move and is able to experience the same excitement that I am feeling now!

I love that my belly is growing! Everyday I feel like I look more and more pregnant. I am hopeful that soon I will be at the point where people will look at me and know for sure that I am expecting. Rather than the in between stage where people are wondering if I've just put on a few pounds.

Week 16

Well it's Week 16 and time again for another belly pic. I can hardly believe that another 4 weeks have passed. A lot of my friends have given me the advise to enjoy every moment of my pregnancy because it will fly by fast. I definitely believe them now!



I still don't have a large baby bump, but there is definitely a bump. Some clothes make it more obvious than others... and Mike can certainly tell in whatever it is that I am wearing. He loves to rub my belly and talk to the baby any chance that he gets. I love it!


We haven't bought a lot for the baby yet, but we have received a couple of gifts that Mike absolutely loves! Grammy and Papa gave us a pair of Illinois booties for the baby and Aunt Stacy gave us an Illinois binkie. Uncle Jason - you're going to have to come through for me on the MU gear... we can't have this baby only wearing Illinois!

Mike and I did do a little shopping at Marshmallow Kisses this weekend. Mike picked out a baby onesie that we both thought was pretty funny and daddy picked out a diaper bag for himself. It is fun to shop... and I think this little one might be a tiny bit spoiled when it's all said and done!

Week 12

Since my brother is in Nashville and he keeps asking if I am showing yet I thought that it would be fun to track this pregnancy and the growth of the baby and my belly by posting belly pics throughout!

Although I would like to say that I haven't grown very much in these first 12 weeks, I have to say that I can no longer fit into most of my pre-pregnancy pants. It's like my belly just expanded overnight... literally. Dress pants that I could fit into two weeks ago wouldn't button last week. Thank goodness for the Bella Band!

I shopped for new pants this past weekend, but didn't have much luck. I decided that instead of focusing on pants, I would just focus on buying dresses, so I bought four! That is what my wardrode is going to consist of for as long as I can get by. They are much more comfortable anyway!

8 week appt. to 12 week appt. = 2 pounds weight gain

(although the way my body is changing it feels like more than that)