Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Weekly Doctors Appointment

Starting at 36 weeks, I am now going to the doctor weekly. I had an appointment on Tuesday. Her heartbeat was 138bpm. I saw a new doctor this week because my doctor was on vacation. Also this new doctor could be the one to deliver the baby so it was good to meet him.
He did an examine on me and said that I was dilated 1cm and thinning. He said that he head was in the down position, which is very good. He also said that he could feel her head!! He said he thought she could either be early or at least right at her due date. So the doctors appointment was very exciting!! And it sounds like our little girl could be here very soon.
Last night I started washing all of her clothes, blankets, etc. I now need to pack her diaper bag and my bags too. Craig and I are going this week to get the car seat installed by the fire department and let them teach us how to install it. We're just trying to get the last little things done before she gets here. We are so excited!!
I have decided between now and the time she gets here I am relaxing!! We aren't doing anything for New Years, just hanging out at the house. We're pretty much going to keep the whole month of January open, just in case. :)

I hope everyone has a Happy and Safe New Year. Of course Craig and I are looking forward to the new year. :)

36 Weeks

Today, I am 36 weeks pregnant!! The baby is now packing on the pounds at a rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6lbs (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She is shedding most of the downing covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine month amniotic bath. She swallows both of these substances along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture called meconium, which will form the contents of her first bowl movement (YAY!).
At the end of this week the baby will be considered full term (full term is 37-42 weeks).


In honor of Baby Girl Wertz this week, have a crenshaw melon. :)

Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas 2009

The Robinson and Wertz ladies
Craig and I with his parents and sister Sarah

Craig and I with my parents, aunt, uncle and cousin

Craig and I with my parents

Craig and I were so blessed this Christmas (we are every Christmas actually). But this Christmas was really special for us. We were not able to travel home because of how far along I am in my pregnancy. So my family came to us this year. My Mom, Dad, brother Travis, sister-in-law Mandy, Uncle Mark, Aunt Maura and Cousin Olivia. They are traveled on Christmas Eve to our house. We had Christmas Eve dinner with all of my family and Craig's family (Mom, Dad and Sister). Then we opened presents with my family and visited. It was so nice having both families together. Craig and I love BIG families.

Then on Christmas Day we (Craig and I and his family) did our traditional Christmas celebration and opened presents together. When we were finished my family came over to the Wertz'. Travis and Mandy had to leave early because Travis had to work the next day in Memphis. :( The visits are NEVER long enough. The rest of us visited at Craig's parents house all day and had Christmas dinner.


It was a great weekend. Craig and I are so blessed to have such a wonderful family. Our Baby Girl is so lucky to have such a great family. We can't wait until she gets here to meet everyone!!

35 Weeks

Last Wednesday, Dec. 23rd, I was 35 weeks pregnant!! She doesn't have that much room to maneuver now that she is about 18 inches long and weighs about 5 1/4lbs (the size of a honeydew melon). Because she is so snug in the womb, she isn't doing somersaults anymore. But I am still feeling her kick and punch. :)
Her kidneys are fully developed now and her liver can process some waste products now. Most of her physical development is now complete, she'll now spend the next few weeks putting on weight. :)
I am now starting to go to the doctor once a week (my next appointment is tomorrow). I can't wait to hear the heartbeat and see what position she is in.


In honor of Baby Girl Wertz this week, have a honeydew melon. :)

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

34 Weeks

Today, Wednesday Dec. 16th, I am 34 weeks pregnant. Our baby girl now weighs about 4 3/4lbs (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers, which will help regulate her body temperature once she is born, are filling her out and making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. According to the baby center website, babies born between 34-37 weeks who have no other health problems, generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short term health issues, but in the long run they usually do as well as full term babies.


Lets hope and pray that she doesn't decide to get her until her due date. I am anxious to see her but I want everything to be developed and her to be as healthy as she can be. So I'm praying for Jan. 27th. :)




As for me, here lately I have been feeling a little more tired. I am mostly physically wore out. Plus I don't sleep that much as night so that is taking a toll on me too. I wonder when I will be able to get a good nights sleep again. :)


Craig and I are so excited for her to get here. We almost want the holidays to fly by just so she can get here faster.



I had a doctors appointment yesterday and everything looked normal. My blood pressure was 104/60 (a little low) and her heartbeat was 157bpm. My hands and feet are swelling more (I'm not able to wear my wedding ring anymore) but the doctor said she is not concerned because my blood pressure was low. She said that I will probably start to feel contractions and to just keep track of them and make sure they aren't consistent yet. My next appointment I will be meeting with another doctor that is in the practice just in case my doctor can not deliver me. WOW, its so weird to start talking about labor and preparing for it. I am so excited!!! :)



In honor of Baby Girl Wertz this week, have a cantaloupe. :)

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

33 Weeks


Today, Dec. 9th, I am 33 weeks pregnant. :) This week the baby is just over 4lbs, the same size as a pineapple (I LOVE pineapples!!). She has passed the 17 inch mark in length. She is rapidly losing that wrinkled alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to move and fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a cone-head like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.


Things are about the same with me. Still having back pain and trouble sleeping and some swelling. But I'm still getting around. :) And as happy as can be that she's almost here! You are considered full term at 37 weeks, so that means she could be here as early as in 4 weeks. :)


Craig and I have almost completed the nursery. We still need to get some kind of chair to put in the nursery for feedings and organize things. And we are still debating about her name. It's such a hard and permanent decision. We think that we will wait until we see her and decide.


Right now Craig and I are trying to make any last minute decisions (child care, insurance etc...) and we need to get the car seat installed by the fire department (yes its that difficult to install).


Other than all that, we are looking forward to Christmas and spending time with our family and friends.


In honor of Baby Girl Wertz this week, have a whole pineapple. :)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Doctors Appointment

On Tuesday Dec. 1st I went back to the doctor. I am now going every 2 weeks. In January I will go every week as my due date gets closer.
I had some concerns to talk to the doctor about because I had been having some very uncomfortable pains in my lower abdomen. They were very intense pains that stopped me in my tracks. So I talked to the doctor and she said that the baby is now getting in position for birth so she has started to move her head down and is very low. The baby is pushing on a nerve in my lower abdomen. That is the intense pain that I am feeling. She said to stop whatever I am doing and lay down when the pain occurs and hopefully the baby will move positions and stop pushing on the nerve. This little girl loves getting on my nerves already. HA HA. :)

Everything else was normal. My blood pressure, my belly is measuring right on track and her heartbeat (which I got to hear again) was 145 bpm, which is healthy!! I love getting a good report from the doctor. So now I go back in 2 weeks (Dec. 15th). Time is flying and she will be here before we know it. YAY!!!

Please keep all 3 of us in your thoughts and prayers. :)

32 Weeks

Today, Dec. 2nd, I am 32 weeks pregnant. Only 8 weeks to go!!!! YAY!!
By now she weighs 3.75 pounds (about the same weight as a jicama??). She is about 16.7 inches long and taking up a lot of room in my uterus. I'll now start to gain about 1 pound a week and half of that pound goes directly to her. In fact she will gain 1/3rd to half of her birth weight within the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails and real hair. He skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up and prepares for birth.


In honor of our Baby Girl, have a jicama (if you have any idea what it is), this week. :)