38 & 39 weeks: one big blur

i don't remember too much about the last two weeks of my pregnancy to be honest...lots of waddling, lots of heartburn, lots of excitement & anticipation!

i did manage to make rachelle & gus's baby shower so that was fun. once again, our friends did a great job with the decor. so cute!

i also managed to snap this darling picture of my watermelon-smuggling-bump one day before we went in to the hospital...

adorable. i know. 

we went in to the hospital at night on thursday, february 2nd. right at 39 weeks. and obviously everything changed. we've had a few challenges but our lives are better, more complete, more fulfilled than ever before. i have a lot more to share - about her birth, about her first month, about lessons we've already learned but for now i have a sweet baby to attend to. the stories will come in good time :) 

37 weeks: avoiding cankles

{obviously I wrote this a few weeks ago....but just now getting around to posting!)

Alpha Mom updates:
Your Baby:

• Weighs about six and a half pounds, and is 21 inches long — quite possibly the same length he or she will be at birth.
• Is packing on close to a half-pound of pure, unadulterated baby chub every week.

You:

• Are probably dismayed to realize you are STILL outgrowing your maternity clothes. Your shirts ride up to reveal a couple inches of belly (or elastic waistbands), your pants might bulge and pucker weirdly as your uterus drops lower, and some tops might feel especially tight as your ribcage expands to handle all your pushed-up organs.
• Might be having serious trouble getting a good night’s sleep thanks to your size (my limbs keep falling asleep under my body’s crushing weight), your baby’s jolt-you-awake-caliber kicks, bladder calls, Braxton-Hicks contractions, and your brain’s constant buzz of excitement and anxiety and massive to-do lists.

this sounds pretty accurate. i feel like harper is getting bigger by the DAY & i have about 2 t-shirts that actually cover my entire belly right now. i think it may be time to dig into cody's tshirt drawer...i've held out long enough.

my workouts are getting much more tame or are becoming "weak sauce" as my friend lacie calls it....but hey. i made it to 9 months with a workout routine that most normal (un-pregnant) people strive for so i will pat myself on the back for that! it sure is tough cutting back though...i'm not used to "taking it easy" or "listening to my body". by their very nature, aren't workouts the opposite of easy?...they're supposed to be tough! and listen to my body? for the past 10 years i've been "shhhhhhh"-ing my body during most workouts (sometimes in a good way & sometimes in a not-so-nice, shut-the-hell-up kinda way...just being honest).
so yeah. it's a challenge.

but i'm SO glad that i've been able to keep up a workout routine this whole time. during the majority of my pregnancy, my weekly routine has looked something like this:

Sunday: 2-3 mile walk with jack
Monday: 45 min. elliptical / 15 min. weights in the AM, 60 min. prenatal yoga in the PM
Tuesday: 45 min. spin class
Wednesday: 45 min. elliptical / 15 min. weights in the AM, 60 min. prenatal yoga in the PM
Thursday: 45 min. spin class
Friday: 45 min. elliptical / 15 min. weights
Saturday: 60 min. kickboxing

not too shabby, eh?

this week i have finally given in to the sleepless nights & ache-y morning joints & have decided to give up my beloved AM workouts to get an extra hour of sleep. i think that's more important right now. i've replaced most of my AM workouts with PM walks with Jack or lunchtime workouts. the goal is to be active at least 60 min. most days, whether that's walking, yoga, elliptical or kickboxing. spin has had to go to the back burner as well since my belly now touches my thighs when i sit on the bike (sad but true). i'd rather NOT knee poor harper every time my foot makes a revolution....

keeping up with a healthy exercise routine has been so wonderful. when most people find out i'm still working out, i get the standard, "well good for you! you will be able to drop that baby weight in NO time!". well of course, losing the baby weight is a challenge for all mammas and yes, it will be a challenge that will be made easier for me by the fact that i've remained active. but that is the least of my concerns right now. and it is certainly not the reason i have been working out. trust me, if sheer vanity was the only motivation for hauling my sick/tired/growing/ache-y body out of bed every morning at 5 am, it would have gone out the window a loooooong time ago. the benefits to exercise have been amazing and SO MUCH more important than my ability to "bounce back" after pregnancy.

let's see what the "experts" have to say:

Here's what I found on the What to Expect website:

Pregnancy comes with its share of annoying complaints. But the more you exercise during pregnancy, the less you'll find to complain about. There's a case to be made for fitness for everyone, but in moms-to-be specifically, pregnancy exercise can:

1. Fight pregnancy fatigue. Low-level tiredness plagues many women during the first trimester, then again late in the third trimester. It seems paradoxical, but sometimes getting too much rest can actually make you feel more pooped. And while you should never push yourself too hard when you're pregnant — and especially when you're feeling fatigued — a little nudge can make a big difference in your pregnancy energy level. So take baby steps — go for an easy walk or pop in a pregnancy exercise video. You'll be surprised at how peppy you feel afterward.
2. Improve your sleep during pregnancy. While many pregnant women report that they have a harder time falling asleep (not to mention staying asleep with all the bathroom interruptions), those who exercise consistently (as long as it's not near bedtime, which can be too energizing) say the quality of their sleep is better and that they wake up feeling more rested.
3. Conquer pregnancy constipation. An active body encourages active bowels. Some women swear by a brisk 30-minute walk to keep them regular, others say even a ten-minute stroll helps get things going.
4. Do pregnancy back exercises.  Back pain affects half of all pregnant women — and your best defense is a strong set of abs. Do simple pregnancy-safe exercises to strengthen your abs — which will give your back the back-up it needs. (See Pregnancy Workouts for exercises that work for you.) But don't stop there. Even exercise that's not directly targeting the tummy — a short walk to the post office — can also relieve pain and pressure.
5. Don't worry, be happy. Exercise causes your brain to release endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that give a natural high — improving your mood, diminishing feelings of worry and anxiety.
6. Do pregnancy stretches. It's not a stretch — stretching does your body good, and you don't even have to break a sweat. This is especially true if you've been troubled by muscle cramps — particularly in your leg. Stretching out (flexing your toes up instead of pointing down) can help you uncover little pockets of tension, warding off cramps and sore muscles. Stretch after your exercise routine, but also stretch at your desk (especially if you've been sitting or standing for a long time), in the car or airplane, and always before bed (particularly if nocturnal leg cramps have been cramping your sleeping style).
7. Guard against gestational diabetes. Exercise may prevent this common problem, and the American Diabetes Association recommends exercise as a helpful therapy for women who are at risk. If that's you, don't be surprised if your practitioner is even more gung ho about prescribing a workout routine.
8. Make a healthy baby. Babies of moms who exercise during pregnancy are born at healthier weights, are better able to weather labor and delivery (they are less stressed by it), and recover from the stresses of birth more quickly.
9. Have an easier labor (possibly). While exercise during pregnancy can't guarantee that you'll sail through childbirth, moms who exercise tend to have shorter labors and are less likely to need medical interventions during labor (including C-sections).
10. Speed your postpartum recovery. The more you increase your pregnancy fitness, the faster you'll recover physically after childbirth, the more fit you'll be after delivery — and the sooner you'll be zipping up those prepregnancy jeans again.

see? that's some good stuff right there.

before i got pregnant, i was a workout fool. i loved it. and i still do! i was hell-bent on holding on to that part of "me" even while i was pregnant (modifying as needed for little harper's safety of course). so, to say that it has helped me remain happy and healthy is a huge understatement. in addition to the benefits listed above, i've been able to sidestep a lot of pregnancy miseries you hear so many women complain about: back pain/sciatica, hormonal rages, hemorrhoids, cankles...i could go on but you get the picture. not to mention both harper & i are "perfect" and "textbook" (my doctor's words not mine) when it comes to all the numbers they are all so closely monitoring at this point (heart rate, blood pressure, my weight, her size, etc.). maybe i'm just incredibly lucky to have a healthy, fairly-easy pregnancy & it has nothing to do with working out...but at least i know i've done all i can to contribute to said healthy, fairly-easy pregnancy, right?

side note: if you had a difficult pregnancy, or struggled with some of the issues i just mentioned, i am by no means insinuating that you should have worked out more or done something different....this is just my own personal experience & i truly believe everyone is different and every body is different, too! i am still in awe of ALL women who go through this pregnancy/birth process. it is no joke! and anyone who does it is superwoman in my book...cankles or not :)

...we're in the home stretch now! can't wait to meet this little bean inside of me!

36 weeks: nursery

You know the Alpha Mom drill by now:

Your Baby:

• Is six pounds. SIX. POUNDS. You probably have clothes in your house that already fit a six-pound baby.
• Is still not fully cooked yet, even though MOST babies born at this point will do just fine. But the lungs are better off with a couple more weeks of maturity.
• The size of your baby will start displacing amniotic fluid over the final few weeks. As the fluid gets reabsorbed into your body, you may notice that your baby’s movements feel “different.” You might not feel as many kicks as you used to, or the sensations are just…well, “different.” It’s mostly because of the cramped quarters in there and less fluid.

You:

• Are not done yet. I am sorry.
• Have gained 25 to 30 pounds, according to the books, which also say that it’s “not unusual” for your weight to remain unchanged between weekly OB appointments. Say it with me: SHUT UP, BOOKS.

H & I are doing well...heartburn and acid reflux are INSANE (i think i said this last week but HOLY CRAP) & i'm much more tired these days but other than that i really can't complain! thank you pregnancy gods!

This week, Cody had his "man shower"...Harper's final shower! BBQ, sunshine & beer - the guys know what's up. I'm so glad that they did something special for Cody b/c he certainly deserves it. Girls are so much better about telling their girlfriends how much they love them & how important they are to them...Boys? yeah notsomuch. But I know these guys love Cody and the shower was a great way to show their support without being all "girly" about it :)

In other news, the nursery is finally (FINALLY!) 100% done! I'm so happy about this:









nursery watchdog

 and not only is the nursery done...the bags are packed too!! we are ready for you Harper!


with the nursery done and the bags packed, my anxiety level has gone waaaaaaay down :)
hooray!
xoxo,
K & Harper

35 weeks: family time

this week, according to Alpha Mom:
Your Baby:

• Is over five pounds now, although these weight guesstimates will start getting very useless very quickly over the next few weeks.
• Since most of your baby’s organs are fully functional and major developmental milestones behind him or her, the next month is all about weight gain. And since “normal” weights for newborns these days can be anything between six and 10 pounds, it’s hard to predict how big YOUR baby will be from here on in.

You:

• Are the very picture of motherly grace and beauty. Also: waddling.
• Fatigue may be a big problem right now. You may need a daily nap, or find yourself crawling into bed by 9 pm. (I can barely make it to my toddler’s 8:30 bedtime most nights.) And while I’ve always seethed at people who love to cheerfully remind pregnant women to “Get some sleep! Once the baby’s here you won’t get any sleep!” I have to say…dude, get some sleep.

ok so yeah, i hear this all the time..."sleep now! before she comes!" um.....HOW exactly am i expected to get sleep right now? i have to sleep sitting straight up in bed or on the couch to tame the INSANE heartburn/reflux....which hurts my back...and my hips....and my shoulders....so uncomfortable and definitely not conducive to sleeping. but what's a girl to do except pop some pepcid, prop up some pillows & pray for sleep. 

everything else is going relatively smoothly. my check-ups at the doctor will now be on a weekly basis to monitor whatever it is they monitor in that little pee cup, do some blood work, check my blood pressure, check Harper's heart rate and...GULP...check for dilation. it's nice knowing that we are getting checked on every 7 days, that's for sure.

this week, we had another wedding to attend. it was great to see the whole family. we are so big and spread out, we rarely get everyone together in one place! loved it. loved it. loved it. congratulations to the sweet couple, cameron & nikki!

34 weeks: goodbye 2011 hello 2012!

Our world according to Alpha Mom:
Your Baby:

• Weighs as much as your average cantaloupe (4.75 pounds-ish) and is almost 18 inches long.
• Reaching the 34-week mark is a big milestone for anyone concerned about pre-term labor, as babies born at this stage usually do just fine (provided they’re otherwise healthy). Other than a slightly longer stay at the hospital, they generally don’t experience any of the long-term health problems that prematurity can cause.
• That said, don’t let your baby go and get any big ideas about escaping just yet. More baby fat and a few more weeks of lung maturity will still make everybody’s lives easier.

You:

• Fatigue, heartburn, nausea, frequent trips to the bathroom. It’s like the Return of the First Trimester, only much bigger and rounder and gruntier.

so not too much new to report on the pregnancy front this week...things are pretty status quo. like alpha mom describes, 1st trimester fun has reared it's ugly head but what can ya do? at least now there's a finish line in sight so i'm focusing on that.

in honor of this week's holiday (new years), i'm reflecting on the past year and looking to the year ahead. big changes to say the least! but change is good. i know that our lives are playing out according to God's plan and boy does that feel good. we're just along for the ride, really :) 2011 was a great year...we experienced a lot and had a ton of fun....travelling, celebrations, baby news, baby excitement, baby fears and finally settling in to preparing for miss harper to join our family. for your viewing pleasure, i've gathered some of my favorite pictures from the year to recap:

{JANUARY}

Happy New Year!

{FEBRUARY}

Livestrong Marathon w/ Christina

San Fran for my 30th!

Sonoma wine tour w/ Jess & Eddie



Bday celebration @ Boardwalk on Bulverde



{MARCH}

NOLA

Jazz Fest!

{APRIL}

Ranger Creek Brewery open house

{MAY}

Sara & Joe's wedding

Hill Country winery tour w/ Steph & Eric (Harper's first winery tour...oops!)

{JUNE}

annual lake trip with the stantons

{JULY}

corpus trip to celebrate sean & leighton's birthdays

abby's lake bday

{AUGUST}

eric's 30th

girls weekend in chicago!

{SEPTEMBER}

i was so proud of my "huge" bump! HA!

jack & harper's first 5K

{OCTOBER} 

it's a GIRL!!!

Christina's shower/bachelorette

{NOVEMBER}

Christina + Matt's wedding

{DECEMBER}

Maternity Shoot

Harper & all her buddies

annual Christmas party

Phew! what a great year! no wonder I'm tired.... :)

xoxo,
K & Harper

33 Weeks: Christmas and "the week of nesting"

This week according to Alpha Mom: 

Your Baby:

• Weighs over four pounds and is 17 inches long.
• The skeleton is hardening, except for the skull, which will remain soft and flexible to allow it to fit through the birth canal, and also to grow and allow adequate space for your baby’s enormously brilliant brain.
• Kicks and movements are practically visible from space now, and you may look down and realize that your belly is no longer round, but pointed, as a knee or elbow stretches out for a few seconds before disappearing beneath the surface again.

You:

• Are big. Yes. And the whole world may suddenly seem like it’s got an opinion about when you’ll go into labor, and it TOTALLY DOESN’T CARE that you aren’t even full-term yet, it thinks you’ve dropped and popped and are going to give birth in like, two weeks. Tell it to shut the hell up with my blessings.
• May be waddling more than walking, and misjudging your circumference as you bump into counters and knock things over on tables.
• A lot of pregnant women start having strange dreams about those pronounced movements — legs and arms stretching out from under your clothes, or the perfect imprint of your baby’s face suddenly appearing next to your belly button. If these dreams creep you out, just remember that it’s your mind starting to wrap itself around the concept that there is, in fact, a actual baby in there rather than some hypothetical concept of a baby.

This week was busy and flew by as we celebrated our last PH (Pre-Harper) Christmas. For me, nesting has also meant crafty so I went to town with some cute Christmas gifts this year:

christmas cookies in a jar

"rein-beers"...these were my favorite

homemade wassail (non alcoholic for me obvi) & candied cranberries...
our house smelled AWESOME

We got some good visits in with family & friends this week which was really great. After Christmas, I had the week off from work, so I decided this would be my week to (FINALLY!) get some much-needed nesting in :) I also wanted to get some rest and self-pampering done as well since this will be my only time to do so until Harper makes her big arrival!

It was a good week...a balance of relaxing and taking care of some of those "to do" lists that have been haunting me in the back of my mind for weeks. Here's what we got done:
-picked out a rocker/glider for the nursery....i love it! it's comfy and even reclines...better price and better quality than the ones we checked out at Babies R Us! now to finagle it through the doorway....hmmmmm.....
-speaking of Babies R Us...made my one millionth trip to exchange a few things and purchase the last few "must have" items
-mama got a hair cut AND a pre-natal massage. total pregnant chick heaven.
-Cody & I went to a baby care class at the hospital where we covered the basics: swaddling, bathing, diaper changing, feeding, health & safety issues, etc. these classes are great, I just hope I can remember all of the tips in my sleep-deprived fog once H is here!
-Jack decided we should get the floors redone a few months ago (and by "decided" i mean he got sick all.over. them and left us no choice...) so there was still a lot of touch up work to do once we had the concrete stained and sealed. Poor Cody worked for hours on end to repaint the baseboards, paint over imperfections in the concrete, and then wax the finished product. it's been months of hassle but FINALLY our floors are done!!! yipee!
-Cody also put up the curtains and wall hangings in the nursery. it's really starting to come together!
-washed about 90% of Harper's clothes and put them all away, according to size. This was one of my favorite things to do as i washed and sorted tons of sweet smelling baby clothes that will soon be worn by our little girl

I'm a happy camper because we have very little to do before Harper is here, which is a HUGE weight off my shoulders....get a few more things for the nursery, pack our hospital bag & get the car seat installed & we are good to go folks! 

xoxo, K & Harper