12 Weeks Old

It's so hard to believe that Grant will be 3 months old next week. We have been very busy this summer, and time is just flying! We are getting ready to go on our next vacation--we leave for Myrtle Beach with Doug's family in 2 days and will be gone another week! It's been a little easier getting ready for this trip since we now know what/how to pack everything after our last trip. We are looking forward to having more time together as a family, and Grant is excited to spend the week with his cousin Timmy.

Last week we had to go back to Children's Hospital to have Grant's post-surgery appointment with the surgeon. He couldn't believe how much bigger Grant looked! He weighed 10 pounds, 11 ounces at this appointment. The surgeon said his scar looks great and it healed correctly, but he does have a tiny umbilical hernia that could be caused by the scar tissue. He said it is common and will go away as he gets older--it won't bother him at all--it just looks like he has an "outie" belly button! He also assured us that he does just have reflux like our pediatrician says, and the spitting up has nothing to do with the surgery. He should outgrow it between 6-12 months.

Doug and I also celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary last week. We can't believe how far we have come in just 3 years, and we love where our life is taking us. We spent the evening together without Grant, and while it's nice to have time alone, we couldn't believe how much we missed him and couldn't wait to pick him up. We are looking forward to celebrating MANY more anniversaries together!

Grant is growing and learning a lot. He is getting a little better at tummy time, he focuses a little more on books and toys, and he smiles a lot! He seems to smile the most while on his changing table. We love just talking and singing to him to get him to coo and smile, and we think we even got a little laugh out of him the other day after his bath! He is still wearing 0-3 month clothes, but we are noticing that some of them seem tight where they button at the bottom--probably because Grant is getting taller. By the way, Doug couldn't wait for Grant to wear the Jordan jersey we bought before he was born, since he grew up with Jordan as his idol! Now he just needs to grow into all the Notre Dame outfits we have. It's amazing how much Grant changes everyday, and while we love to see him reach new stages in life, it makes us sad that he is growing so fast. We just try to enjoy every minute of it!

Summer Days

Well, we made it back successfully from our first vacation as a family of 3. We had a great time spending the week on the beach with my family. Grant did well on the ride down. We stopped halfway at a hotel Friday night, so he wasn't in the seat too long. We then stayed in a beautiful 4-bedroom condo right on the beach in Folly Beach, SC. Grant loved spending more time with his grandparents, Aunts Susanne and Tammy, Uncle Matt, and cousin Clara. While this vacation was different for us than most, since we couldn't spend the entire day out by the pool or the ocean, we still loved every minute of it. We of course had to keep Grant out of the sun, but we kept him shaded and were able to hang out with everyone for a little bit of time everyday. We were also extremely lucky to have so many people that wanted to help out, so we were able to get a little more sleep than we do at home. We also took Grant out to the ocean and dipped his foot in during a day that was mostly overcast. We had fun with all my cousins, ate some great food, and made some wonderful memories for Grant's first vacation. The way home wasn't as great--we wanted to make the whole trip in one day. It took us almost 4 hours longer than it should have due to all the stops to feed him, and he got awfully tired of sitting in his seat all day and became quite fussy. But we made it. The good news is that we get to do this all over again in 3 weeks when we go to Myrtle Beach with Doug's family!

We got home just in time to celebrate the Fourth of July. We hung out with some good friends and then watched the Western Hills Country Club fireworks from Doug's parents' driveway--which has a great view of the fireworks. Grant didn't seem too interested in them at first, but really didn't like the noise as the finale came and it got louder. I'm sure next year he will be much more amazed by them!

Yesterday Grant had his 2-month appointment. He turned 2 months last week while on vacation, so we had to wait for the appointment. He was 10 pounds exactly! That means that he gained 18 ounces in 13 days. So while we are still frustrated with his spitting and grunting, he is growing which is the most important thing. He was in the 10-15th percentile for weight. He measures at 22 1/4 inches tall, which is still in the 25 percentile, but the doctor said if he was only a month old like he should have been based on my due date that he would be over the 50th percentile. He had to get 2 shots and one oral vaccine, which of course he didn't like. He was fussy for the rest of the day and had a loss of appetite, but they say this is normal. We gave him some Tylenol which really helped, and he seems much better today. We won't go back to the doctor again for a well visit until he is 4 months old. One more milestone Grant has reached this past week is smiling and following things with his eyes. We started to really notice this while on vacation. He doesn't do it all the time yet, but he is much more alert and aware of his surroundings, and it is the best feeling when we can get him to look in our eyes and smile. We will try to capture this on film soon!

On a sadder note, we have spent the last week mourning for our close friends that lost their first baby just a few weeks before their due date. After we heard the news, Doug and I went through the whole bit of emotions we feel every time that losing a baby or infertility affects someone we love. It is something I get so angry about and will never understand God's reasoning for things like this. After having gone through a miscarriage and 20 months of infertility, we sympathize with anyone having similar problems. We will never be able to fully understand how our friends are feeling right now since this is much more intense than what we have experienced, so all we can do is pray and trust that God has a reason for His choices about babies. I still get angry anytime I hear of unwanted pregnancies, child abuse, etc., but I have to keep hope that there is a reason for all of it. Please keep our friends in your prayers.

Busy Days

It's been hard to post lately since we have been so busy, but wanted to update this before we leave for vacation this afternoon.

Since the last post, we have accomplished a lot. I officially turned in my keys at my school--I am no longer employed! The good news is that I still get a paycheck until mid-August from this past school year, but after that, we will become major penny pinchers! But it will all be worth it to be home with Grant.

We also had the 2nd part of Grant's Baptism this past Sunday. We baptized him with water right before his surgery on May 19 at Children's Hospital, but we wanted him to have the rest of the ceremony done at Church. We did this at St. Antoninus. He was blessed with oil, given the white garment, and had his candle lit. We also received his official documents saying that he is now a member of the Church! He also got to meet his Uncle Kyle/godfather for this occasion. He and Aunt Susanne will be great godparents for Grant.

Sunday was also Doug's first Father's Day. We had the family back to our house for a party after the baptism, but we also made sure not to overlook the fathers! Doug was very proud all day, and Grant gave him some great gifts.

We took Grant to the doctor on Tuesday. He is still spitting a lot, and we wanted to have him checked before our vacation. He is due for his 2-month check right when we return, but thought it would be good to go before as well. The good news is that Grant is growing like crazy! He weighed in at 8 pounds, 14 ounces! This means he gained over 2 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks. They didn't measure his length, but will at the next appointment, but we can tell he also grew taller. The bad news is that Grant's reflux is enough that they thought he needs to be on Zantac. He had some of this in the hospital as well. This won't necessarily stop the spitting up, but will ease the acid pain and hopefully make him feel a little better. He is quite the trooper though. He is so good and rarely cries. He just grunts and stiffens a lot, so I feel that he has some discomfort. We are lucky to have such a great baby. The doctors assured us that he will outgrow the reflux--hopefully sooner rather than later!

He is still learning the nighttime sleep thing, but is getting better and better. Last night he went almost 6 hours between feedings! He then is awake off and on after that, but getting one long stretch of sleep is nice. I know it will keep getting better and better.

We leave for Grant's first vacation this afternoon. We are going to Folly Beach, SC with my dad's whole side of the family. It will be so much fun being with all my cousins and their kids. Grant will even meet my cousin's baby Carson who was born a week before him. It's been quite a bit more work packing for a baby than it used to be when it was just us, but I think we will be able to cram everything in the car. It's crazy all the stuff babies need! We hope Grant does well in the car. He is usually very comfortable in his car seat. We know it may take longer since we have to stop and feed him, but we are looking forward to having quality family time together in the car. I will be sure to report back and post pictures when we return!

Changing and Growing

Grant is 6 weeks old today--hard to believe! It was weird passing up my due date knowing I already had a baby over 5 weeks old! But now that all the craziness has passed and he is doing great, I am glad we got to enjoy him a little sooner than we thought. We love his tiny little body, and feel that it is better than giving birth to a 10-pound baby like we had feared! We now get to enjoy him being little for longer than we would have if he had been born full-term.

Last week, I had my last 2 showers--one with my students, and one with my staff. I had missed both of these showers as they were originally planned for the week my water broke. My room moms and students made Grant a nice quilt and gave some great gifts. I didn't bring him to the shower, since I didn't want him in my classroom with the germy kids, but I did bring him up another day last week while they were outside for their end of the year party, and they got to at least look at him while he was in his stroller. We then went back up on the last day of school after dismissal to have the end of the year luncheon with my staff. They showered us with gifts--both for Grant and for me since I am leaving. It was bittersweet being there for the last time as an official staff member, but it made me so happy to know that I was done there and can be with Grant everyday!

After the showers, we were able to use gift cards to finish off our registries with other things we will need eventually. It will be nice to get this last stuff put away and organized and get the last thank you notes finished. It's been a long process!

Grant got to attend his first wedding on Saturday. My cousin Craig married Nancy in a beautiful ceremony, and Grant got to wear a stylish outfit to the occasion. Luckily he didn't wake up and cry during the vows or anything, and he didn't even seem to notice the loud music at the reception.

Finally, the good news for the week is that Grant seems to be reaching some new milestones. He definitely seems bigger to us. We don't know how much he officially weighs, but we are guessing he is at least 7 1/2 pounds. While he is still in newborn size clothes and diapers, they are getting a little tight now, and I'm sure it won't be long before he outgrows them and gets into 0-3 months clothes and size 1 diapers. He is also primarily breastfeeding now. I started working harder on it earlier last week, and he picked up on it like a champ with no issues! He now only gets a bottle of pumped milk occasionally when Doug feeds him to give me some time to rest. Also, the last few nights he has done much better at night. Since he is still supposed to sit upright after eating, the doctor said it was okay for him to sleep in his car seat. I was leery about this at first, but the first night we tried it, he went over 4 hours between feedings! He doesn't do that every time, but he is definitely going longer than he did before. He really seems comfy in that seat! So little by little, we are seeing Grant grow and change. We have learned, though, not to wish away any stage of his life. Because before we know it, he will be graduating, and we will wish we had that tiny little baby back!

1 Month Old

It's crazy to think that Grant is already one month old--especially considering it is just now reaching my due date in 2 days! It was a crazy month, and while it seems to have gone quickly, we have a hard time even remembering life without him. Last Friday, on his one month birthday, we took him to the doctor for his checkup. Luckily, he had gained six ounces in four days, and was up to 6 pounds, 10 ounces! This is still only in the 3rd percentile, but we have to remember that these percentiles are for typical full-term babies, and he lost a week of growth while at Children's for his surgery. However, his height was in the 25th percentile! I think that's pretty tall for being 5 weeks behind the norm. He was 20 1/2 inches tall. He also had to have his 2nd Hepatitis shot (the first one was given at the hospital when he was born), but this was nothing to him since he has built up quite a pain tolerance after all those needle pokes at the hospital! He is doing very well. He still spits up after some feedings, but nothing like what it was. We have come to terms with the fact that we will probably now just have a spitty baby with occasional reflux. We were spoiled those first few weeks thinking he wouldn't spit at all, but it's fine with us as long as he is healthy and gaining weight.

Grant is still having trouble knowing when it's time to sleep and when to be awake. It's hard to keep him awake during the day, but we are working at it by giving him tummy time and waking him up to eat. Hopefully he will start to give us longer times in between feedings at night little by little. But once again, we have to remind ourselves that technically he isn't even supposed to be here yet, so some things may take a little longer to develop. He is also doing a little better at breastfeeding now that he is getting older and stronger, and we hope we can soon make that his primary way to eat with only using a bottle occasionally.

We are having such a good time being parents. We had a busy weekend of errands and holiday parties, and even though it is more of a production to go anywhere now, we love how it feels to be a family out with everyone else. We are also finally feeling more organized and getting things done, but we've learned that it's okay to forget our to-do list at times and just sleep during the day while he is sleeping. Other things can just wait.

We are looking forward to an eventful June. We have my cousin's wedding this weekend, Grant's baptism and Father's Day on June 20, and Grant's first family vacation with the Gates side starting on June 26 at Folly Beach, SC. I am also going to be cleaning out my classroom during this last week of school and finally being completely done with the teaching chapter of my life. I am so happy to be able to stay home with Grant!

Pyloric Stenosis

Sorry for the lack of updates over the last few weeks. You may have heard about our ordeal, but in case you haven't, I will try to update you as best as I can. It all started Thursday night, May 13. Grant started having some major projectile spit ups all night and wouldn't keep anything down. He hadn't spit up hardly at all the first 11 days we had him home, so we knew something was wrong. We called the doctor first thing Friday morning, they saw him throw up right in the office, and sent us right to Children's Hospital. We spent that whole day with him getting tests, drawing blood, getting dehydrated, throwing up some more, getting a catheter and getting an IV. It was the worst thing to see him scream in pain and that we couldn't feed him or help him. They ruled out many things, and then thought it was a condition called pyloric stenosis. It is a condition in babies where the muscle at the bottom of the stomach closes up, therefore nothing can pass through. And the doctors told us it is common in first born males, and it usually shows up in babies 2-4 weeks after birth. It really had nothing to do with him being premature. It usually happens to full term babies anyway. They did an ultrasound and saw that the muscle was thickening and closing up, but they needed to wait until it was fully closed to do the surgery. He was also given a PICC line, which is like a feeding tube that provided him with nutrition. It took the food right through his veins. His stomach didn't register that he was getting this nutrition, so he still acted hungry, which was so hard for us to see since we couldn't feed him. He did become quite fond of the pacifier, though, which was the only thing that seemed to soothe him.

So we had to wait all those days without him eating, getting more tests, getting poked and prodded, etc., until they finally said on Wednesday that he was ready for surgery. We also called our priest before this to ask about doing a quick baptism before the procedure. They can't do the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick on a child this small, but we thought it may be nice to have him baptized. We couldn't get a priest there in such short notice that morning, but 2 different priests we talked to said we could do it ourselves. They instructed us on what to do and say, and Doug baptized Grant right before leaving the room for surgery. We will still have a ceremonial baptism in the Church later on. We cried so hard when they eventually took him back for the surgery. But it went well, and the surgeons say this is a fairly common and simple procedure. They cut him real small right above the belly button and fixed the muscle. He shouldn't have too big of a scar, hopefully, as he gets bigger.

We were frustrated the next few days after surgery because he kept throwing up, but they said that was normal and it would take him awhile to get used to having food in his belly again after so long without it. But little by little we started to see him keep the food down, and on Saturday afternoon, after 8 days there, they sent us home. He has been doing great since then--eating lots, acting hungry, and keeping most of it down. Now he only spits a little bit every once in awhile--just like a normal baby. We went to the doctor today for a check, and we have to go back Friday (it is his one month appt. anyway that day) to check his weight. He had dropped down to below his birth weight before the surgery, but was back up to 6 pounds, 4 ounces today. We also have to see the surgeon again for a check in 2 weeks. But luckily, this is a one-time fix, and we shouldn't have to worry about it again. Grant has given us quite a scare, and we are all really tired of hospitals. We are now happy to be getting back into our daily routines. Hopefully I will be better at updating as well too! Thank you to everyone who showed prayer and support during this difficult time. We are so appreciative!

A Week of Firsts

We have had such a great time during our first week home with Grant. It has been pretty easy getting into a routine during the day. Now Grant just needs to stop getting his days and nights mixed up, and everything will be great! He sleeps most of the day, but is a little more restless between feedings at night. This is probably due to the fact that he was always awake kicking me while I was trying to sleep during my pregnancy! Even though we are waking up more at night, we still smile everytime we look at him, and it makes it all worth it.

This week was filled with firsts for both us and Grant. As you can see in the pictures, he spent his first night in his pack n play (which we keep next to our bed), he had his first sponge bath at home, got his first piece of mail, went for his first walk, and went to the pediatrician for the first time. He also had a lot of visitors and met many people for the first time. While we all continue to experience new things, we realize that our lives are so much more enriched now!

We had to go back to the pediatrician today for the 2nd time this week to check his jaundice and weight. Luckily, he was already back up to his birth weight! The doctor also said his jaundice should have hit its peak by now, and we shouldn't have to worry about it getting worse. She said he looked great, and the jaundice was almost gone.

Doug and I absolutely love being parents. And I am excited to celebrate my first Mother's Day! I thought I would be celebrating it as an expectant mother, but having Grant here makes it even better!

Grant Brendan Docter

Sorry we have been out of the loop for so long, but obviously things have been crazy. Hopefully you have heard most of the story, but I will recap as quickly as a I can with sparing you some of the unpleasant, painful details!

After 3 days in the hospital trying to stop my labor, Grant decided he was not going to let any medicine delay his entrance into the world. The doctors had said I will probably just go into labor on my own when it's time. They weren't too worried, since I was just about 35 weeks, but we knew there were some things that could go wrong, so we were worried. Through the night and early morning of Wednesday, April 28, I felt my contractions getting stronger despite having had more shots to stop labor. They tried pain medicine, but that quickly wore off. The doctor finally decided to check me, and I was already 6-7 centimeters dilated! So I was able to get an epidural--best thing ever! They got me to a labor/delivery room (I had been staying in a high-risk room right down the hall) and prepped me to deliver. When they checked me again, I was a complete 10 cm dilated and ready to go. I started pushing around 10:25 am, and the doctor told me that with first babies, sometimes you may have to push for a few hours. Luckily, it only took an hour, but that hour was very exhausting, and with every push, we waited for Grant to arrive. Doug was right there with a video camera ready coaching me along. Finally, the doctor said I should just need one more contraction to push him out, and he was right. Grant was born at 11:24 am. He immediately started crying, which was a blessing to us, since we had been worried all week about his lungs not being fully developed. Doug cut the cord, and he was placed on my chest for a few moments. We were both in tears, and we realized that this was the most amazing moment we have ever experienced. Three nurses from the NICU were present at the birth just in case they were needed, but after checking him over, they assured us he should be fine! He weighed in at 5 pounds, 11 ounces, and was 18 3/4 inches long. Not bad for 5 weeks early!

The next few days were a whirlwind of events and emotions. We had to get the hang of feeding him. He physically isn't strong enough yet to fully breastfeed, and was given some supplemental formula at first. I was sad about this, but realized it didn't matter as long as he is healthy. I started pumping and little by little was able to get some into him. We had to document all of his feedings and what he did in his diaper to make sure he was on the right track. Things started looking better and better, and the last issue we had to deal with was his jaundice. They started doing blood tests and noticed his levels were a little high, and had to be given phototherapy. They got a little higher at one point, and he had to be put into an incubator. It was so hard watching him in that and not being able to hold him, but it did the trick. The next blood test came back great. Finally, after 2 extra days in the hospital, Grant was discharged on Sunday afternoon. We were so happy to get out of that hospital!

We've been spending these last 2 days getting him acquainted to our house, his room, and all of his stuff. He is doing very well. He sleeps a lot, but decided to be awake most of the night when we wanted to sleep! He went to the pediatrician today for another check, and things looked great. We have to go back again at the end of the week to check his weight and jaundice again, so hopefully things will still be okay. He is now exclusively getting breast milk, but out of a bottle, since he can't breastfeed for very long. We keep practicing though, so sooner or later we hope he is strong enough to do it at every feeding. We are so blessed and excited to have him here, and we know our lives are changed for the better. I will try to post more pictures as they come in, but we already have too many to post here, and we hope to have monthly online photo albums posted for you to watch Grant grow. You can also check out his newborn pictures taken at the hospital by going to http://www.our365.com/. Thank you to everyone for all your prayers and support during this special time for us!

Broken Water

Well, I'm sure most of you have heard by now, but we are at the hospital. I woke up at 2:30 am this morning with some cramping and slight leaking. I went to the restroom and went back to bed. I kept noticing the contractions like I had been having, but noticed that there was pain with them now. I didn't wake up Doug, but just waited to see what would happen. Then came the gush. My water broke and it was everywhere! Needless to say, I woke Doug up and he jumped out of bed quicker than I have ever seen. We called our doctor and she told us to head on up to Good Sam Hospital. Good thing I had the bags packed! We were a little in shock the whole way and I kept thinking I was dreaming. They checked us in at triage and hooked me up to all the monitors. They confirmed that it indeed was my water breaking, and I continued to leak there some more. I was then transferred to a room around 7am.

They want to try and hold off on me giving birth as long as possible since it is still a little early. It would probably be okay if he came today, since everything in his body is developed except his lungs. He may have a little trouble breathing or he could be fine. We'll just have to wait and see. They told us to expect for him to stay in the NICU for at least a little while, but they said there is always the chance he will be fine and get to come home with us.

They are giving me a shot of some kind of medicine that acts as a uterine relaxer. It has worked really well so far, and I don't have any pain or contractions while it's working. It wears off after about 4-6 hours, then I get a new one. They are saying that we will just continue with this process until the labor becomes so active that the medicine won't help anymore. We have no idea how long this will be! That is the hardest part about all this--not knowing if I will give birth in the next day or if it could be a week. The doctor is still betting more on the sooner than later side, but we will just have to wait and see. The good news is that Grant seems quite content. We hear his heartbeat constantly, and it is perfectly fine. He just wanted to tease us a little bit!

We are now just trying to pass the time here in the room. Luckily we have a laptop, some games, and TV to keep us busy. One of us will try to update you as fast as we can, but we can't promise anything. Thank you for all the prayers and support!

34 Weeks and Counting!

We can't believe there are now less than 6 weeks to go! Although, we are both convinced Grant will make an early appearance--just a hunch, I guess. Maybe that's bad to be thinking, and he will end up being really late. I will technically be full term at 37 weeks, which is only 19 days from now, so anytime after that will be fine. We are ready for him whenever! We actually started packing our hospital bags this week, and they are stored in our front closet for whenever we need to grab them and go. We had so much fun packing a few little outfits and other things for Grant knowing the next time we see them out of the bag, he will be here to use them! We've actually created a baby pool for you to make your guesses as to when he will arrive, how much he will weigh, etc. Click on the link on the left to play!

We also had our 34-week appointment. Everything is still great, and the baby is still low and head down. They measure my uterine growth every visit, and as I've said before, it's usually a centimeter for every week that you are. But I actually measured between 35-36 centimeters this time. (Two weeks ago, at 32 weeks, I was 32 cm.) The doctor said this could mean I may go early, or it really could mean nothing. I could have just had a lot of growth these last 2 weeks and it may even out by the next measuring. He said it's all really subjective, so they don't rely too heavily on the measurings. We will see where we are in 2 weeks when we go back!

We have a fun week ahead. I have another shower tomorrow thrown by a group of my parents' friends and their daughters that I grew up with, and I have a shower at work on Tuesday. I am so lucky to be surrounded by such love and support, and it is so nice of everyone to spoil our little guy!

33 Weeks

Well, I had to go back to work after a week off for spring break, and realized even more how uncomfortable it is to teach while late in a pregnancy. I find myself sitting at my desk a lot more. It was so hot this week that I had hand and foot swelling, and I really noticed that I am starting to waddle. Everyone keeps telling me I am carrying low, and I feel slight pressure down lower as well when I walk. Grant is head down and must be taking advantage of all the space down there due to my big hips. But even after all this, I still love being pregnant and walking around with my big belly!

We had a meeting this week at St. Antoninus that is required before you can have your baby baptized there. We weren't planning on doing this so soon, but the deacon just happened to have a night open this week where he was already having a meeting we could join. So we decided it might be easier to get it out of the way before all the craziness starts. Luckily, it was short and painless, and we met another mother there that I know from crossing paths growing up that will have her baby baptized possibly on the same day as us. We are considering doing the baptism somewhat quickly after Grant is born--possibly on Father's Day--due to a crazy summer and many family trips planned. But we will see when he decides to be born if that is possible.

We also went out and got a new video camera. Doug wanted to use his birthday money for this so we had something convenient to use for all those moments we hope to capture! We got a Kodak pocket HD video camera that is just about the size of a regular digital camera--similar to those new flip cameras. It starts up quickly and videos are easily downloaded and stored on a computer or put to DVD. We already have a larger, older video camera, but this one will be easier to travel with or just grab at a moment's notice when Grant does something cute! Doug has had fun playing with his new toy, and he may post a video of the nursery or something soon to test it out. We can't wait to document all the wonderful memories for Grant!

32 Weeks

I am now 32 weeks along! I can't believe there are now less than 8 weeks to go. I know it seems like time is going slow for us sometimes, but I'm sure these next few weeks will really fly by.

We've had a fun and busy week. On Monday, Grant got to attend his first Opening Day parade. We can't wait to take him to a game this summer. Hopefully the Reds won't be completely out of the race by the time he is born. On Tuesday, we celebrated our niece Clara's first birthday. That year went really fast, and made us realize even more how much we need to cherish every moment we have with our baby since time really does fly! She had a great time digging into her cake and opening her presents. She got a nice big wagon from my parents with an extra seat in there for Grant. I spent the rest of the week putting away shower gifts and washing his clothes, blankets, etc. I also got us registered with the pediatrician's office. And we officially joined St. Antoninus parish this week too--the same church/school that Doug attended growing up. We go there for church all the time since it is right up the street, and we wanted to become members before Grant was born. We will also schedule a baptism date sometime soon as well.

Today was our 32-week doctor appointment. Everything is still great! The doctor felt for the baby's head and found it facing down--right where is should be around this point--so he can be ready to descend when it's time to be born! He should stay in this position, which explains why his movements have been in pretty much the same place lately. I feel his feet up in my rib cage on my right side all the time.

This weekend we will be celebrating Doug's 30th birthday. While this may sound depressing to him now, hopefully this will be the best year for him! We will also be celebrating his sister Kristen's birthday and the baptism of our nephew Timmy. I am so honored to be his godmother, and we can't wait for the 2 little cousins to meet!

Happy Easter!

Well, technically it is the morning after Easter, but this weekend was so busy, that we didn't have one free moment to get on the computer! I am now 31 1/2 weeks. Grant is about 16 inches long and about 3 1/2 pounds. I've been feeling more stretching and growing this last week, so he must be having a growth spurt. He is still moving like crazy, and we often see him poking out or making my belly move in waves. It is so fun to watch and feel, and I know that I will really miss that feeling when he comes out.

I had my first shower on Saturday. Grant's Aunt Susanne and Aunt Tammy, along with help from his Grandma Gates and many other relatives, threw me quite the party. They did so much to make it special for us. Both sides of my family, Doug's family, and some friends were there--all to spoil our little guy! It is so nice to have all the support we do from so many people close to us. I really hope Grant enjoys being part of such a big, fun family! We got so much stuff, that we still have piles of gifts in the living room waiting to be put away and organized. Luckily, I am off work all this week for spring break, so I will really have fun going through it all. Doug will also have lots of fun putting many of the gifts together. Thank you so much to everyone!

The nursery is really coming together now. We finished hanging everything on the walls, started organizing the toys and books on the shelves, and we have washed a few loads of the clothes that we have so far. We sorted them by size and put the ones we will be using right away in the draws and closet. I love going in there and just looking at the cute outfits all hanging there. Doug's favorite outfit so far, besides all the Notre Dame apparel obviously, is a tiny Michael Jordan jersey/onesie that we found, since he is Doug's favorite athlete. Grant is going to be one well-dressed little boy.

We had a great Easter celebrating with our families, and we can't wait to have the Easter Bunny visit our house next year with a little basket for Grant. We also envisioned him taking part in the Easter egg hunt with all the other little ones. We can't wait!

We will hopefully have more pictures to post next time of the nursery/shower/my belly/etc. Just under 2 months to go!

30 Weeks!

Wow--30 weeks! Now it's really starting to sound closer! I am feeling great, but I am definitely starting to notice some of the first trimester symptoms come back now that I am in my 3rd trimester. I have more fatigue, more heartburn, and my feet and back hurt more at the end of the work day. I am trying to find more creative ways to teach without standing up all day long!

We had our 30-week appointment today. Grant's heartbeat and measurements are still normal. I am still having the Braxton Hicks contractions, and I have to keep my eye on them to make sure there is no change or added pain. Luckily, the doctor checked and I am not dilated or anything, so it really isn't a concern right now. They will check in about it again in 2 weeks and see if there is anything else we need to check. But for now, I am just loving and enjoying every step of this pregnancy and trying to step back and make sure I never forget being pregnant for the first time. Doug and I are also making sure that we take advantage of all the time we have together now, before we become a family of 3!

29 Weeks

We are past 29 weeks now. I passed my glucose test, which is great, so now I don't have to go back for a 3-hour test that could diagnose gestational diabetes. That is a big relief. I also had my 8-week thyroid blood test this week. For those of you who don't know, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after my miscarriage in November of 2008. I continued to work with my doctor to regulate it with medicine. It took awhile after that to get it regulated. They now have to check it every 6-8 weeks while I'm pregnant to make sure I don't need to change the dose of my medicine, which is very safe to take and won't hurt the baby. My doctor says some women even take this medicine only when they are pregnant, because the baby can take more of the hormone and it may need to be regulated. I, unfortunately, may need to be on it forever, but if that is all it takes to be healthy, I am fine with that. I've only had to up the dose once, in the first trimester, and it has been good ever since.

Doug also got to practice changing a diaper this week--only this time on a boy. He has changed our niece Clara--or at least has watched her be changed, but we knew he needed to try it on a male baby to prepare for Grant! While with our new nephew Timmy, we all thought it would be a good idea for Doug to practice changing a boy, and luckily Kristen and Andy didn't mind Doug using their child for practice. Luckily, he did very well changing him, and Timmy was nice enough not to spray him during the process!

Grant is kicking up a storm this week, and I now seem to notice when he has the hiccups. Grandma Gates, Aunt Susanne, and Aunt Tammy have all been able to feel him move so far, so they are excited about that. A few other people have tried, but Grant doesn't always cooperate. I am also having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions this week--or at least that is what it seems to be based on what I read. There is no pain, but I just feel my belly tighten and harden for a little bit, then it relaxes. You can even see it rise and tighten, and it feels hard as a rock! A few evenings last week it happened on and off all night. This can apparently be normal to feel after 20 weeks, and it shouldn't be any problem as long as there is no pain. I plan to talk to my doctor about it at our 30-week appointment this Friday just to make sure, though. Just another fun, new experience of pregnancy!

Diapers

So this week, Julie and I went to a child care and safety class at Good Sam. Among other things, we learned about swaddling the baby, car seats, and of course, changing diapers. Now, I have had an infant goddaughter for almost a year now, and through use of trickery and cunning, I have managed to escape changing only one diaper the entire time. Needless to say, it is time to really learn. So, that's what I did. We got to practice a number of times on a remarkably creepy looking doll, and I must say, I am now a diaper changing rock star. I also learned to swaddle the baby, and some other interesting and useful tidbits. It's less than 12 weeks until Grant gets here, so it's good that I am finally learning to do this stuff.

Also, Julie went to the doctor again on Friday for her normal checkup, and everything was great there as usual. In addition, she had her glucose test on Friday. We haven't heard back yet, but we are confident everything will turn out alright. From now on, Julie will have to go to the doctor every two weeks until 36 weeks, and then she will have to go every week from there on out. This is normal procedure, and they just like to see you more often as the baby gets closer.

We can't wait!

27 Weeks!

We've had a very fun week! As Doug said, we had our carpet installed, our furniture picked up and assembled, and many of the accessories put in the room. We have had such a great time getting the nursery together. I can't stop going in there, and many times, I just sit in the glider and think about rocking Grant someday. It looks like we are done with the room, but of course we still need many more things to complete it and fill up the drawers. But at least it looks good from the outside so far!

We also had our breastfeeding class this week. It was very informative, and with every step like this that we take, we realize we are one step closer to becoming parents. While at this class, I was feeling the baby move and kick a lot. I looked down at some point and could actually see my belly jump out and move! I nudged Doug and told him to watch, and sure enough it happened again. It was a such a neat thing, and I realized that the best part about being pregnant is reaching these new, exciting milestones. There is always something different to look forward to each week--there is never a dull moment!

At 27 weeks, our baby weighs about 2 pounds and is almost 15 inches long. He will continue to grow so much more at a quicker rate the next few weeks. As we start the 28th week, we are so excited to be entering the 3rd trimester. It won't be much longer now!