32 weeks, 153 lbs. (warning: Image overload!)

Holy busiest week ever BATMAN! Okay, okay, so it started out very relaxing...beach on Monday with Big Mama, then again on Wednesday with Audrey (my long lost friend who is FINALLY home from Japan!!!) and her sis PJ...who is a hoot!

Also on Monday we had our next round of Childbirthing classes. This week was "The One with the Videos" (did that sound like a Friends episode title just then?) Justin closed his eyes through most of it, I forced them open a few times but he insisted he did NOT need to know all this. I beg to differ... We also took a tour of Sacred Heart Hospital. We aren't sure where we want to deliver yet, there are pros and cons to both hospitals so, we'll take a tour of West Florida (hopefully Friday) and maybe we'll just KNOW? Justin also worked on his packing list of things "needed" at the hospital for delivery, let's just leave it at the fact that his idea of music to "help" your wife during labor includes his Jock Jamz CD...

Saturday was Jus's 10 year reunion. He was on the planning committee so he basically worked the event. For some reason he signed up to show up to the beach early that morning and reserve a pavillion for everyone. So there we were, 6:30am "reserving" our pavillion. The others finally got there around 10, and instead of taking off, for a nap, Justin wanted to stay and visit until 1:00!! I was so exhausted. So we hurried home, got some things done, got dressed up and went to the actual reunion at the Fish House. It was fun, but I was feeling pretty anti-social. I was just so tired, and my feet hurt...but Justin said I did fine and fought through it well. So, if he thought I was friendly enough, then I must have done a good job :) Justin was voted "Least Changed". He is still not sure if that is a good thing or bad, but I am pretty sure, from what folks told me about him in HS that it is definitely good. He's just as sweet, personable, and moral as he's always been. Hopefully a little less of a tease though...

I had to get up EARLY the next morning to get ready for church. We're talking 4:30am people! I picked up Grandmama and headed to Bama...I wanted to make it in time to attend the 9:15 church service. I figured if these people were throwing me a shower, the least I could do is show up a little early...just appearing for the shower might look a little greedy, don't ya think?

Anyway, it was the BEST shower ever...but I might be biased? Here are some awesome pics:

Let me start by giving you a tour of the place...

Little chocolate bars wrapped with pink and lime papers declaring the event where given as favors. Plus all the guests were given an envelope to write their addresses on...so I wouldn't have to when sending out Thank You cards!

The centerpieces were quite hilarious. Little babies in polka dot vases...weird at first, but they seemed to grow on you...pretty creative I'd say!

The food table, so adorable.

The tables, before all the guests arrived

Okay, can we say, "cutest baby shower cake of all time"?

I like to call this little joker the "fruit baby". She has her own little fruit stroller.

My corsage, which I am mostly showing because I really liked this picture ;)

Me, Mom and my Sisters! (yes, Lindsay is pregnant too! due in November)
Thought I'd throw in a maternity shot

We waited until the absolute last minute to cut the cake, no one could bare to ruin it. So, we debated over whether to give it a c-section or a masectomy...bye bye boobies!

The gorgeous furniture Trey (Jessica's fiancé) made for Charleigh! (If any of you out there need woodworking done...let me know, he's your guy!)
The changing table

This is me modeling the BIG gifts...furniture, and the LOAD of stuff from mom and dad. They got us the pak-n-play, travel system (stroller and carseat), and the matching swing!

All of the other loot Charleigh got to walk away with...Some of the shower guests (Jill I did NOT have to photoshop you into any pictures, people did show up after all! hahah)

Here are the little gifts I made to thank my hostesses...initial key fobs!

And here are updated pictures of Charleigh's nursery! (including her new furniture). We are still missing all the wall art and decorations (which is the job of her Granny). Plus Big Mama and I will be working on the bedskirt once things slow down a little...no, I still haven't steamed the shades.
Just another random craft I wanted to try out. I whipped up this little bib for Charleigh out of some cute polka dot fabric and the chenille minky dot material.

After the shower on Sunday, I spent some time with the fam, went to bed EARLY because I still hadn't recovered from the reunion, and the 4:30 wake up that morning. My feet and hands were soooo swollen...never seen them like that. My body was definitely trying to tell me something.

On Monday morning, I got up somewhat early, seems I can't sleep in anymore. So weird. And headed back home. Jessica and Trey followed us and are staying to visit until Friday. We've had fun so far, just relaxing, trying to work around every day life and find times to head to the beach, etc. Our next doctor's appointment is also on Friday and then our Going Away party for Jen and Felipe that night...

Saturday, mom and dad get here (along with some other far travellers, Auntie Shauntie and Wendy, Jill from the Nati, and Audge!) for the shower. Mom is going to get here early so that she can go to my nursing class with me that morning. She could probably teach the class. I told Jus that he didn't have to come to this kind of class, might be awkward for the poor boy, he's been through enough.

I am so excited about my shower on Saturday...I'm sure I'll have plenty of pictures from that one too...those girls will impress I'm sure!

Sorry Charleigh!

Two things I must apologize to my daughter for: #1 - I have been SO busy keeping up with orders from the Prissy Pink Polka Dot that I haven't taken the time to craft cute things for HER! (This post is to rectify that) and #2 - In the last couple of weeks I have been informed of SEVERAL little girls that are being named Charlie, or Charlee, or Charley....and then my mom called me yesterday to tell me that on the "Most Trendy Names of 2009" List, guess what was #8...ahhhh! I promise I was trying to be original, but I'm afraid she may end up another "Christi" in a sea of Christy's like her mother. Sorry baby girl! (At least your name has meaning, else I'd be all depressed).

Anyway, here are my latest creations for baby Charleigh girl: Information overload right? Okay, I'll break it down...below is a personalized burp cloth with fabric and coordinating ribbon. I then used the same fabric and appliquéd it on in the shape of a "C" and stitched her name on top of it. Now, she can throw up on it if she wants :)

Next is a pacy clip, pink and green of course (I was going for a theme here). I feel like this one kinda looks classy or grown-up with the little formal green print ribbon and the three-letter monogram. Had to add the polka dots of course.

Here is a onesie to match her coordnating burp cloth above. I made one of these appliquéd onesies for a friend, not thinking much of it...and now everytime I make it for someone it's their favorite thing. So, figured I needed to make one for Charleigh too.

And my proudest creation (because it took the longest, and the most effort, and I made it from SCRATCH, and it was the first one I've made!) To make a long story short, I took two flour sack cloths, added a thin layer of batting, appliquéd my letter on one side, added my pink and green ribbons, and finished with the green binding around the neck. :) I'm pretty proud of my funky little bib.

And since my husband is NEVER in any of my "preggo" pictures. I wanted to include this one from tuesday night...we went to Olive Baptist's Dinner Theatre. I wish my belly was in the picture so Charleigh would know that she's there too

**Update** Oh, I almost forgot to include pictures of the Auburn themed stuff I made for my friend Laura and her sweet baby boy Will! He will be here 3 weeks before Charleigh (we think).

31 weeks, 151.5lbs (weight update)

For those of you who are anxious to see how much weight Fatty McFatterson has put on this week, I'll update tomorrow...I pride myself on taking accurate measurements at the same time in the morning, and I forgot today was the day to weigh...so, it will be pushed back till tomorrow.

On to other things...
Childbirthing classes are becoming more and more fun. Well, just watching and listening to the questions Justin asks is a hoot. He really is concerned about this. His job especially. He keeps saying, "are you going to remember all this? I'm trying but she goes too fast." He has the breathing techniques down pat for sure! And when they tell us to do the "Blow breathing" he holds his little finger in front of my face so that I can pretend I'm blowing out a candle...he may lose that finger in the delivery process...but for now, it's cute :) He is still a bit disturbed by the class topics last night. I thought he might fight with the midwife lady when she showed us the fetal probe (it's this little metal probe that they reach up and embed into your baby's scalp during delivery if they can't get a good reading on their external monitors...he flat out told that lady that he would choke her out if she tried to do that to Charleigh, as a matter of fact he announced that everyone in the room would be "choked out" if that happened...haha (he watches too much UFC). After he got all frazzled, she whipped out the forceps, the vaccuum extracter (which he swears is just a high tech plunger), the IV, the internal Uterine monitor, the cathiter, the local anesthesia kit, the enima bag...and much much more. As we drove home, he decided three things... #1 - He doesn't want to do this anymore, #2 - they put more things up in you than they take out during childbirth, and #3 - he's not going back next week (birthing videos!). hahahah. I love him, he makes class fun.


Things of concern: Charleigh doesn't kick nearly as much as she used to. She moves enough to let me know she is in there but, I've gone from feeling her every hour to feeling her every "few" hours. And most the time I only feel her because she has the stinkin' hiccups ALL the time. She seems to sleep a lot more. Doc says she's running out of room and can't move as freely. I understand that but for some reason it does not ease my paranoia. I've busted out our little fetal heartrate monitor that I used to use at the beinning of the pregnancy and started using it again. I just NEED to hear her beating in there.

Nursery Update: We finished Charleigh's bumper (by "WE" I mean, my sewing slave, Big Mama, and the mouse in her pocket). I did whip-stitch the bottom closed after she did all the hard work :) Glad I could help, haha!
It turned out EXACTLY as I pictured it in my mind! Damask on the inside, BIG polka dots on the outside and all the pink accents you can muster!

And here it is in it's place in our fabulous round crib that we FINALLY got! woo hoo! We are still working on the bedskirt.
And here is the final version of our Homemade Roman Shades. I had them waded up on the floor before we hung them so I apologize for the wrinkledness...I plan to steam them soon :) Also, the treadmill will soon be removed as I don't think Charleigh will be needing it.

This week I get to pick up the rest of our furniture that I just found out will be finished by Saturday! I am SOOOOO excited to get all her stuff organized and set up.

And what I am most excited about this week is my shower up in Bama! I HAD to post a picture of the invitations...That's really Charleigh in that belly! Isn't it the cutest idea ever! My mom had something to do with this I KNOW! P.S. If you are in the Prattville/Coosada area on this date and time....stop by, the more the merrier!

30 weeks, 151lbs

Alright now, the weight gain is getting a little ridiculous. I really don't think I am "supposed" to be putting on more than a pound a week and well, I like to overacheive. I really do NOT make good, healthy eating choices anymore at ALL and I eat even when I'm not hungry. I need to do better I think, but it's so hard...

So, yesterday we had another appointment with the high risk doc. We got to see baby girl again, I love seeing her, she's MINE all MINE! GrandMama got to come see her live for the first time as well. The bigger babies get the less you can see all their movements on the ultrasound, because you can't look at there whole body at once...so, we have to try to piece together what she is doing in there. She had the hiccups for the majority of the time, ultrasound tech said that is good because it proves her breathing functions work...who knew? Well, they do, cause she gets the hiccups ALL the time! I can't post pictures of the ultrasound because, like I said before, no printer/scanner :(

So, after that we met with Dr. Maher to go over everything. Here is what we learned:
#1 - her feet are 2.5 inches long which is RIGHT on target with a 30 week old baby...yay, was stressing about her boats for a while there.
#2 - all of her growth is perfectly proportional (head/abdomen/apendages)
#3 - she weighs 3 lbs and 10 oz. Which is in the 57th percentile (a little tiny bit big but she has evened out since our last appointment when she was in the 66th percentile)
#4 - my placenta moved more than it ever has! It is now located 2.7 cm from my cervix. This is good news because if it keeps moving out of the way, I could still go into labor naturally and have a vaginal deivery...no c-section. So, we'll keep praying about what's best for little Charleigh!
#5 - for the first time they hooked me up to a fetal and uterine monitor to watch the baby's heartrate, movements, and any contractions of the uterus (don't worry, nothing was wrong, they just do that to all women starting at 30 weeks). Turns out, I'm having contractions pretty regularly and not knowing it. I was told to push a button every time I felt her move, but she was sleeping so she wasn't moving at all for the first 30 minutes. Then, I thought I felt her roll a little bit, really faintly, so I pushed the button, then it happened again about 10 minutes later, and again. Those were the only times I felt her move for a good while. Then she woke up, and HOLY LORD the child was cha-cha sliding in there. The button officially got pushed every few seconds for the next 30 minutes! Well, the doc came in and said that those "rolls" I was feeling before were actually not the baby at all...they were contractions...who knew?
#6 - Baby Charleigh is head down and ready to roll whenever that time comes!


Newest symptoms: My belly is back to flaking again. Weirdest thing, no matter how much I lather it up with lotions and tummy butters, it gets dry again and flakes like crazy...
Just when you thought the off-the wallness couldn't get worse...I now developed clicking. That's right, periodically, my belly clicks. It's getting more and more frequent. It always happens when she's moving and it is random in nature. But just like tiny little suction noice or click of your tonque, that sound comes from my belly! I feels like a little bubble bursts inside (a very small bubble, not my water or anything). I've talked to several midwives, nurses, and doctors and the only thing I get is (at first a puzzled stare) that the hormones are making my cartilidge relax which is causing my joints to click...but, this is not the problem I tell ya. It's not coming from me or my bones...it's straight up in my belly! I've researched and other women have complained of this "clicking" but, no one seems to know what causes it ???


In other symptom news: we're back to no sleep, I mean, none, tossing and turning and muscle pain (I had the ripping thing under control until this week), and backaches. Oh, I know she is so worth it and I am thankful to be having all this discomfort. My eyes is on the prize :)


I'd like to ask or prayer from you prayin' folk out there. My sister and her husband have been trying for a baby for about a year now with no success. They went in to do an exploratory surgery yesterday and found that she has stage four endometriosis, it covered both her ovaries, her fallopian tubes, and is wrapped around her intestines (she has REALLY painful periods mind you). Well, the got rid of as much as possible on the right side, which was a lot, but the left side was so inflamed and swollen that the doc couldn't tell the different between her intestines and her fallopian tube. So, he had to stop the surgery short and is now going to put her into Menopause for 3 months to get some of the inflamation to go away so that he can do a more invasive surgery to remove the rest of the problems. Needless to say, it was not the best diagnosis for them. She is in pain now recovering from this surgery, you can imagine how frustrating it is to try for a baby for so long and now be set back 3 more months are you go through MENOPAUSE...which the doc says will be horrible! And then, you're looking forward to another surgery that may or may not save your left ovary and fallopian tube...
She is in good spirits, better than I would be and the doctor said he does think she will be able to have a child in the future, but not to get her hopes up on having more than one or two.
Today in my quiet time I read the story of 10 lepers who wanted Jesus to heal them. Jesus told them to simply go show themselves to the cheif priest...something that was forbidden because they were contagious! It sounds really simple and small but all they had to do was risk looking stupid and go...I'm sure after much debate and discussion amongst them, they went, and it says that on the way there they were healed. My prayer for my sister is that God give her healing, I pray that if he puts a simple task of faith in front of her that she would be faithful, that she would set aside reason and logic and complete the task. Then I pray that he would heal her, on the way. My Jesus doesn't need a three month menopause, or an invasive surgery to heal her, I pray that if she is found faithful, that he heal her along the way, suddenly, without explanation.
I'm not really sure HOW we would know that this has happened...they won't be going back in to "look" at her or anything, but I'm sure God will let us know :)

Okay Okay, so, I have so much exciting wonder that God is revealing to me and so much that he is doing inside my heart these days. I don't write about it much because everytime I sit down, I don't know where to start. They haven't made up words big enough and miraculous enough for me to use to accurately describe. Just know. He is HERE.

29 weeks, 149 lbs.

Woah, check out that belly...this week I can officially say I am huge (but only I can say that). It even looks that way from above! haha! And it's only going to get bigger :) The good news, I think my big belly is starting to make my legs look skinnier! On the days they aren't swelling ;)

So this week we started our Childbirthing classes. Pretty fun times to say the least. Justin and I walked in carrying our three mandatory pillows and signed in on the registration sheet like everyone else. I can see Justin looking around scoping out the other couples. After a few minutes he leaned over to me and said,"I think we signed up too early for these classes." To which I assured him we did not and it was the doctor's recommendation. He then came out with his reason for thinking this, "All these other couples are way farther along than we are." I just answered with a, "Ya think?" and giggled to myself. You see, I had signed the check-in sheet and saw everyone's due dates...most of them were BEHIND us, or in the exact same week! This short, simple conversation confirmed something I had been thinking in my mind...my husband never has any pregnant women to "compare" me to...sometimes I think all the poor boy sees in his head is his ever-expanding wife whose waistline is growing uncontrollably! So, it's only natural that his mind's picture of me is fairly large. It wasn't until all the couples started introducing themselves that he heard all the due dates, and was surprised, I could tell. After class he said the most flattering thing to me he has said so far (I think it was so flattering because I watched his eyes come to the realization before his mouth did) he said, "You carry your baby the best, BY FAR!" As if to say, "You don't look so HUGE after all!" (haha) He kind of had a proud little grin on his face, like I made him proud (even though we both know I have NO control over where and how I carry our child). haha, I don't know why, but that made me feel beautiful. And I've felt that way ever since he said that :) Weird how these pregnant emotions work.

So, anyway, back to the class itself...the lady informed us that we would be there for 2 HOURS every Monday night and Justin almost peed his pants. He just mouthed the words, "What about dinner?" Poor guy had to come straight from work and we wouldn't get out of there until 8! I'll have to bring him some dinner before class starts from now on. Once we got into talking to the other couples, gawking at strange pictures the midwife tried to describe to us, and hitting up the snack machine, the class was pretty fun after that. I know Justin and I are bad students, we couldn't stop giggling during the relaxation exercises. It all started when she instructed everyone to make themselves comfortable on the floor with their pillows. So, Justin, being the good student that he is...laid those suckers out and plopped right down on top of them. I sat down beside him and he plopped his head over into my lap. I couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong here.... Okay, so I knew he was just playing and he did eventually let me lay down on the pillows. What was really funny is that he laid down right beside me and as she called out instructions like, "tense up your right arm and breathe deep" I could see his arm stiffen and his chest rise up real big...haha, I leaned over to him and said, "Jus, open your eyes, you're the only other "coach" doing the exercises." That's when the giggling started. It was hard to breathe deep and focus when every time we made eye contact we couldn't stop laughing at how crazy he is. He eventually rolled over and rubbed my arm as I relaxed but then the REAL ham of the family started acting up...Charleigh! She was about to jump out of my skin! And it's IMPOSSIBLE to relax when the little being inside you is on a caffeine high. And the giggling started again.....I even caught the dad from the couple next to us chuckle at how hard my stomach was bouncing...

Anyway, class was soon over and the teacher warned us that in the 4th week we would be watching "movies" so we wouldn't need to bring our pillows. As we headed out to the car I said something about watching the "birthing videos" and Justin, with much amazement, said, "We have to watch birthing videos". Then I just started belly-laughing this time, "Justin, what "movies" did you think she was talking about that whole time? Finding Nemo?" I can't wait to raise a child with this man. Never a boring day there will be!

Onto other things, Big Mama and I decided to spend all day Tuesday working on the roman shades for Charleigh's room and the Bumper for the crib bedding. Since the crib itself is STILL not here...long story...we started with the shades. Now, of course, I had a vision of exactly what I wanted and so we had to create our own ways how to make it, that took a while. As we are in JoAnn and Lowe's shopping for supplies to piece our masterpieces together, my right fingertips start going numb. I figured I must have been cutting off some circulation to them so I started shaking them, and moving them around. Unfortunately, the numbness started moving down my hand. Uh oh, the only other time this has happened was when my face went numb as well and I had that horrible migraine where I spent 5 hours in the ER puking my brains out... We decided that I HAD to get home to my migraine prescription (I used to carry it around with me but I haven't needed it in SO long that I put it in the medicine cabinet recently). The numbness went away in my hand and never made it to my face this time, but I started sweating, and my head started to hurt a little. By the time we were in the car headed home Big Mama was playing Chinese firetruck at stop lights trying to find things in the bag of the car for me to throw up in...it got bad quick. I ran inside, gobbled down my pill and collapsed on my bed. I couldn't go to sleep for a while because every spot on my head is now a pressure point and even the pillow touching your head feels like a knife. But, I think the medicine started to dull the pain because before I knew it I was waking up 2 hours later, feeling MUCH better. Poor Big Mama just sat in the living room and waited on me...apparently she had strict instructions from my husband to stay there and make sure I didn't die...haha.

After my "near death" experience, haha, we finally got started on the shades. We got some good work going and then I had to leave for our GMCGR bible study. So for 3 hours Justin's mom sat at my house and sewed...and just like a good little sweat shop worker, she was still sewing when I got home. Big Mama, Charleigh is VERY grateful for your hard work on her shades. They really did turn out PERFECT! Here is a picture of one of them, we hadn't gotten the other hung up yet but, there will be two just like this hanging side by side on the big picture window.

check out the cute little pleats at the bottom, and I added the bows for extra girliness!