37 weeks!

It's been 2 weeks since I've blogged, but Marlee and I have been having bi-weekly MD appointments with ultrasounds! You would think that I would be excited over having so many ultrasounds, but she's so big that you really can't see anything! Sadly going to the MD is always the highlight of my week because I can get out of the house! We are still on bed rest due to my blood pressure, but all my labs have stayed stable and the doctors are happy with our progress. Jay and I went this afternoon and Marlee was doing great, she passed her biophysical profile with flying colors! The ultrasound tech actually showed us that she has hair and lots of it! I was shocked, considering that I didn't have hair until I was 4!So that means bows for this little girl! When we got back to see the doctor they checked Marlee's heartbeat which was 150 and I was again measuring right at 37 weeks! I was also dilated to 2cm and 60% effaced! She told us that as a long as my labs stayed good that they would not induce me until August 11th, but to go ahead and mark the calendars for that day! How exciting! She also said that I may not make it 13 more days because I have been having very strong contractions (irregular, but strong) and since my cervix had made so much progress! So we'll see! Marlee will definitely be here by August 11th! I'm so excited! I can't wait to hold my baby girl in my arms! We go back Friday for another Non-Stress Test and will have another ultrasound August 5th to see how big she is! We did get one 3D pic but since she's so smooshed in there, its not too good. Also here is a pic of my belly. Hopefully it won't get any bigger, but I am proud to say that I don't have any stretch marks! yeah!

Bed Rest

My mom and I went for my 35 week appointment yesterday ( since Jay was in Columbia) and when they checked my blood pressure it was 140/90, when it is usually 100/60. When we got back to see the doctor she made me lay on my left side to see if my BP came down. When they checked it, it had gone down to 120/70. The doctor told me that I needed to quit work and be on bed rest because of my BP and severe swelling! She checked my cervix and I was only dialated to 1cm and she said that she didn't expect to see Marlee until at least 39 weeks. She took me back for a non-stress test and they discovered that I was actually having mild contractions every 5 minutes. We immediately went for an ultrasound to have a bio physical profile done. There were several things that Miss Marlee had to do within 30 minutes to pass. Of course she had been kicking the tar out of me, 5 minutes before but as soon as the ultrasound tech starting looking at her, she stopped! She is so stubborn just like her mommy and daddy! She eventually showed out and passed her test with flying colors! She was even practicing breathing on her own! The measured her and she weighs 5lbs 11ounces! That's a great size for 35 weeks! After the doctor got the results and saw how well she did, she told me that she would not try and stop labor at this point, but to go home and stay in bed. They want her to at least hold out until 36/37 weeks. Who knows? She may surprise us and stay in there until 40 weeks! Now we're having to go to the OB twice a week for non-stress tests and BP checks! Please pray that I don't die of boredom because I am not a stay in the bed kind of girl!

34 weeks

So I have officially decided that people are getting uncomfortable being around me! Jason and I had several errands to run this morning and everywhere we went somebody had something to say to me! As we were walking into the grocery store, there was another lady beside us who stopped and told me to go ahead of her because I looked like I was struggling! I thought it was funny but didn't think anything else about it. Well as I'm picking up items on our list, 3 different people asked me if I was due any day now! Of course I let them know that I still have at least 3-6 weeks, but they didn't seem to believe me! Finally, Jason and I were checking out and as we are walking out the door, the manager asked if we needed any help to the car. Jason politely said "No, we've got it" and the manager said, "I'm talking about her, Do I need to help her to the car?!?".......Needless to say, I think I might stay indoors until this baby is born!

Hiccup...Hiccup....

As I'm sitting here writing this, Miss Marlee has the hiccups! We've been getting them at least 2-3 times a day! It's soo cute! It feels like little kicks over and over in the same spot. I actually asked my OB at my last appointment if that was normal and he said absolutely yes! It's actually a good sign that her lungs and diaphragm are maturing! We are in our 33rd week now and I've already been having those lovely Braxton Hicks! I know they're not true contractions because they're so irregular! Plus Marlee has to stay in there at least another 4 weeks to be full-term! Mommy is getting excited and Daddy is getting nervous now that her arrival is creeping up on us, but I know that Jason is going to the best Daddy in the world! Marlee will have him wrapped around her finger!