Baby Abigail Hope

I have decided to start blogging again now that I am getting a bit more time on my hands.. Baby Abby is growing so fast and so beautiful. Who knew it was possible to love another human being so strongly and ferociously!!!! The last 5 months have been an amazing journey into motherhood.. She has changed our life and we thank our lucky stars everyday for her.. I will start writing our journey and her growth along with my birth story.. It will be the first time I have sat down and documented the 48 hours worth of labor.. Scary yet exciting to put it on paper (or computer)

40 weeks 5 days..

Everything is still great here.. baby is super comfortable but after my appt. yesterday Kelli says she has dropped about two inches.. so we are moving in the right direction to meeting this little pumpkin. I am going to the chiropractor again today and she is going to use websters on me then send me out for a walk then bring me back in for another adjustment.. Hopefully this is helping speed up the process and make it easier for baby to get through the canal. I have developed a rash on my belly called puppp.. It is no danger to me or the baby just itchy!!!! So I am drinking dandelion leaf tea and using hydrocortizone cream on my belly all the time! Going in on Friday for a biophysical profile which is just a longer sonogram to make sure everything with the baby is cool and that her movements, respiration, heartbeats etc.. are doing great. they like to do they every week after your 40th week, just to insure no fetal distress etc..

She is still moving like crazy and reminding me that she is excited to soon meet us!!!!!

Your dad and I cant wait to meet you angel!!!!!!!!!

waiting...today is my third day past my 40 week due date

I am still feeling pretty good.. No signs of labor have started to note.. Even with all the coaxing John and I and everyone else are doing in begging her to come on out.. She seems to be just relaxing and taking her time. No new changes here.. Just walking, squatting, and talking to her and telling her to come out......

waiting..

So I am loving waiting for spontaneous labor.... I love the mystery of it. The whole unknown, when will it happen... sooooo exciting.. To prevent coming down to total crunch time I am trying to be proactive.. I walked quite a bit on Tuesday afternoon and then went yesterday for a chiropractic adjustment to engage the baby into my pelvis... This is recommended and is something called the websters technique. The lady I saw has about 80 percent of her practice being expecting moms and babies. She has a very high success rate and I have plans to go back on Monday if I havent gotten any results yet. This weekend I have lots of mall walking plans and Im going to work on squats and anything else that will open up my pelvis to welcome this baby to the world. I am waiting for some signs that things are getting started but so far nothing to really report.

40 weeks

Well this week is finally the week I have been waiting for... I am 40 weeks pregnant and now we are just waiting for baby... This weekend we put the car seat in the car to prepare for her arrival. We had a pool party and I loved being weightless floating in the pool... Saturday night was dinner at Texas de Brazil and it was yummy.... Sunday we tried to relax.. We ran to Michaels for some frames for the babies room and Johns work. Then I really focused on napping and resting.. Started practicing my crochetting.... I have an appt today and we will see how things have progressed.

39 weeks and counting..

So yesterday was awesome.. Johns sweet co-workers through him a baby shower and I was a surprise guest. He had no idea about it and I kept it a secret for two weeks.. His boss contacted me and told me her plans and asked if I would be able to show up.. I requested the time off and was approved so then we kicked our plan into action. I met his boss at the 7-11 by the campus and she hopped in my car and went to our secret parking location.. John was nowhere to be seen as the party was under the premise of an important "laundry meeting" to start at 3pm.. We gathered in the faculty club where everyone had contributed and decorated beatifully. The room quickly filled up with a ton of people who apparently like John.. Who knew there were so many!!!!!!!! Just kidding!!!!!!! Everyone seemed truly delighted to see me, some I knew some I had only heard about. At 3:05 I was sure John would be stressing due to being late for the "meeting". Upon arriving he came in the door and just looked around still thinking he was at a meeting and not even noticing me sitting there.. He took his seat and realized everyone was still staring directly at HIM!!!!!!!!! The co-workers told him to scoot down to an open seat near me.. He glanced over and still didnt realize it is me his wife next to him.... By this point it is getting really funny and he is looking at the sign on the wall that said Congratulations John and Danielle and it still hadnt registered... Everyone starts pointing at me then he looks over and says "Holy crap what are you doing here?" Then it begins to sink in that this is a surprise for him.. One of his co-workers had made a slide show of John's life size cardboard Joe Paterno cutouts all over campus and showed it on the big screen during the shower. We had cake, fruit, cookies, sodas, and brownies all thanks to the amazing people John works with... They teamed together and got us some surprises.. A beautiful card that everyone signed along with a much too generous gift card for babies r us.. I got a beautiful mom's memory book for the baby. There were beautiful hand crochetted treats, and an adorable onesie that says "Im a tax exemption"

What a great afternoon.. I am grateful John has so many people in his life that love him!!!

39 weeks

Had a check-up last evening and as usual all went beautifully.. Blood pressure was 114/78 which is still great and urine was nice and boring.. The babies heart beat was nice and variable at about 152-156. She was doing tons of moving and stretching while we were there and im still measuring right on target. We are going to do the next "check" next Monday at that appt.. Kelli is very hands off and I do love that about her. I am excited to see if there has been any progression at the next appt. Abigails original expected date is August 14 which is 10 day from now but she could obviously come anytime from now until the end of the month! Now we are just doing the waiting game.. I think John is more anxious than I am!!! I cant wait to meet her and am excited but he is telling her to hurry up and come out already! No pressure here! I wonder if it is possibly to ever get everything done? I have my wish list of things I would love to do to better prepare myself but I dont know that I will ever see them all through!

I am ready to meet this beautiful baby girl and snuggle with her!!!!