36 Weeks...28 days left!!!!

Well, I am still here and feeling great! I am SO blessed with this pregnancy. I'm not in pain during the day at all, no back pain yet...only at night.

Hannah is moving SO MUCH now. Sometimes it worries me because she can move so rapidly that I feel like she is fluttering all around. I guess she is just so big now that I feel every little thing. I love it though because it always reassures me that she is alive and well in the womb.

I start my weekly doctor appointments next week and we shall see where I stand at that point. I feel like I am becoming a giant...but I am still feeling good about myself because I have not gained much weight at all.

Please pray for us as Dan will be traveling next Monday-Wednesday. I am confident that Hannah will wait and probably even go to full term...I just hope I won't have to be induced at 41 weeks. So, please pray for her to come at term and that I will be at peace as we wait for her arrival. I am getting more anxious about labor and pain, but I know that I can do it...and if not, well...there is the epidural that I really don't want, but in the end, all that matters is that Hannah is healthy and we can be a happy family.

Thanks for following this pregnancy, it means so much to have so much support from friends and family.

35 Weeks

Well, here we are...only 5 weeks left to go!!
We are just thrilled and ready for Baby Hannah to bless us with her presence.

Today's doctor appointment went very well. The doctor is very pleased with my pregnancy thus far. I did not gain any weight in the past two weeks, so I am still maintaining my 25 1/2 lb. weight gain. The doctor said that some women stop gaining in the end, and as long as they've gained at least 20 lbs. they are fine. I find that hard to believe though when the baby continues to grow and gain...but I guess maybe it all evens out. I am still measuring perfectly, right at 25 weeks.

Baby Hannah's heart rate was 145 BPM and she is in the head down position and ready for birth. Of course, we must get past next week and then if she decides to come, she is welcome...that sounds bad, but the doctors do not want you to deliver before 36 weeks, so it's important that she stay in a bit longer :-)

New Things:

• I can feel her back, butt, knees, feet and hands so distinctly as they move around the uterus on the top of my belly. It is just amazing that something so small and alive can be felt within me. She like to stretch her hands down in my pelvis and kick outward into my side with a full stretch...not always a pleasant feeling but, definitely an experience that I will never forget.
  
• Sleeping is actually getting better for me...I have good and bad nights but I am doing pretty well, sleeping deep and comfortable for the most part, so that is good.
  
• Everything is ready in Hannah's room, all clothes washed, everything in its place for the most part...now all we need is sweet Hannah...coming soon!
• Hannah dropped last Wednesday as my previous post states and so along with that is more pressure. I am not able to stand or walk as long...I get worn out pretty quickly. I feel Braxton Hicks contractions more now especially when I am sitting at my desk here at home typing...like right now :-) Didn't realize how much you use this muscle just sitting. I love that she dropped though because it seems like she has more room to move her feet and I can feel them more on my side.
  

Overall, I am feeling REALLY great! I am not having aches and pains except when I get up during the night, but I am just so grateful and feel blessed that my pregnancy has been such a breeze. In two weeks I go to start my weekly appointments and to have the "fun" exams that will determine if I've dilated at all and how much I may be effaced.

Dan will be going out of town this weekend through the next week, so please pray that I am not stressed while he is gone and that I will not go in to labor :-)
(He will be gone this Friday-Monday and then Wednesday through maybe Saturday, during my 36-37 week)

Please continue to pray for a healthy pregnancy as we are on our home stretch and that everything will continue to go well. Please also pray that labor would be quick and low pain, with no complications. I really want to go natural and believe I can, but I need to pray for strength to endure all the pain.

Baby Shower

We are so blessed to have such a loving church family. They showered us with love and the gifts just keep on coming...The only thing that I wish would have been different is that my mom would've been able to join us. Miss you mommy!

Table to the right when you walked in the door...

Here I was reading the poems in the frames...one is posted below. They brought me to tears!

Beautiful cake by Fran...she just has incredible talent.

Friends and Family that were able to celebrate with me
Left to Right: Tanya (sister in-law), me, Jessica (best Friend),
Raya (sister in-law), Toni (mother in-law)

I think I'll always be my "Daddy's Little Dolly",
no matter how old I get...he has called me that since I was a child...
very fond memory I have of Daddy.

Guests!!

Grasham Family Pot and Daniel's Cup...(we have the whole family)
Dan's Baby Quilt to the left and one of mine to the right.
My childhood classic pooh books on the table as well.

My best friend Jessica and I...I was so happy that she was able to make it!

Blessing:
One of the things I LOVE about our church is how they do the showers. They always do a prayer and a blessing to the mother. It's an honor to have someone bless you and pray for you.
Below are the videos of the prayer and blessing for Dan, Hannah and I.
I wanted to make sure that my family who was unable to be there with me at the shower,
would be able to watch and listen to these two videos.
I hope they will touch you as much as they touched my heart.

The prayer was done by an amazing women of God,
Monday Night Girls Leader, Sheila Wright.



The Blessing was done by Rachel Lovett,
a friend from church and Monday Night Girls Bible Study Group.




Cutest Clothing ever!!! (newborn is soooo tiny)

Shower or Blessings!!

Big Thanks to My Great Hostesses:
Top: Rachel, Sheila, Heather and Janine
Bottom: Paige, Abby, Kim, Me and Amber

34 Week Growth Spurt....

So I noticed today when I got up from my nap that I was feeling all this really hard pressure at the base of my belly...and I think Hannah may be in the process of dropping if she has not already. I know you typically drop around 34 weeks or after in pregnancy. My mother in-law last night thought she was lower too.

See for yourself in this pictures...if she is not dropping, then she must be getting "extra" comfy down low.

33 weeks
34 weeks

so, what do YOU think is happening?

Daddy working on baby projects...

We are so blessed!

Some friends of ours, who have decided not to have any more children, have graciously given us their Graco Travel System and Fisher Price Swing, about 3 years old but in excellent condition!

Daniel did not like the fact that many of these baby items we have are battery operated, so he started on a project.

The Fisher Price Swing needed 4 DD Batteries to operate. So, my sweet husband, the engineer in him began to think...he wanted to convert this swing over to a power chord so that we would not be spending so much money on batteries for the swing, every time they die. He got all his tools out, x-acto knife, drill, glue, etc. and used a USB cable connector from a computer and wired it to a 6volt power supply...this entailed creating a square hole below the battery pack that does not even look like it was done aftermarket, he is the BEST!

My husband is so creative and loves to be more economical. So here you have it, our fully converted swing. It would still work with batteries if we didn't have access to a power plug, but this works for us at home.

33 weeks...only 7 left!!

Well, we are chuggin along quite well over here.
Hannah's room is about done except for the few minor items,
(and crib mattress) and we are good to go!

We've picked a pediatrician, Dr. Laurie Molina,
who we think will be perfect for our sweet Hannah Grace.
She is a Christian, and in the medical building,
next to the hospital I will be delivering at--very close, so that is nice. Although, she will be out of town April 22-26, so if Hannah arrives, then Dr. Eisler in her office would see Hannah.

Dr. Appointment:
Hannah's heart Rate: 145, just perfect!
Mommy's Weight: 25 1.2 lbs. still great!
Mommy's belly measurement: 33 weeks

So, we are right on track. Hannah is moving around A LOT,
which is great and I can now feel hands and feet, knees and her butt.
All of which my doctor said you can't really figure out the parts yet
but, I can...sometimes.

I am feeling GREAT still! Still singing on the praise team and loving it. Night time is restless occasionally, but I usually sleep pretty well. I'm having more back aches since my belly is growing so much, but those are really only noticed when I get up at night after laying down.

Well, that's all for now, thanks for your continued prayers and we are praying that my pregnancy will continue to progress as is and that Hannah will grow to full term. We are not wanting an induction, so I am praying that she will choose to come on her own by 41 weeks. Also, we are praying for low pain during labor and that all will be smooth when that times comes.

32 Week Appointment and Hannah's Room

Well, I am down to appointments every two weeks. But, since I have been taking iron supplements (since my last Tuesday appt.) I have been feeling very nauseated, not having my usual appetite, more tired, etc. And, today while at work,(filling in for someone this week) the swelling in my hands and ankles was pretty bad. I felt very weak, warm, had a bad headache, etc. I went home a little bit early since my work was finished. On my way, I called the doctor and the nurse said that she was concerned about my headache, swelling and wanted my blood pressure checked. So, I went in this afternoon at 3:30, was unable to see my doctor, but saw a different one, and I really like her. (Didn't know till after, that this appointment replaced my 33 wk. appt next week)

Here are my stats:

Blood Pressure: taken at start of appt. and was slightly higher than my normal....taken at end, had gone down a little bit.

Hannah's heart Rate: 135 BPM-Great....the Nurse and I think she was sleeping...she was not moving.

Measuring 32 weeks along

Gained 1 lb in the past week, which she said it really great. (I wonder what my doctor would have said)

I asked her about her position and she said that her head is down and she showed me where she thought her back was and legs...and the way Hannah kicks, I think she is right. No more worries about transverse or breached Hannah :-)

This doctor was so sweet, she took a lot of time to answer my questions and explain to me where my anemia was on the charts...she said my iron is 11.3 and anemia is 11.5, so I am fine...but precautions are always good. She switched the iron supplements to a prescription and told me to take them every other day...or not to take them if they will continue to make me sick because I am doing just fine.

So, I go back in two weeks and we'll see where we stand then. Next week we get to have our first pediatrician interview...and I am really hoping we like this doctor that I have selected.

Belly pics to come in a couple weeks :-) Aren't you glad! ha!

Hannah's Room

I am so blessed to have been helped in so many ways to prepare for out sweet Hannah. A friend of mine came over last week and she asked if she could decorate the entire room. It was overwhelming for me to figure it out, so I was glad when she offered to help out. She organized all the furniture and pictures on the walls.

Most things are set. We are still in need of a few items...laundry basket--I am looking for a white wicker basket with pink gingham fabric inside, organizers for the top drawer of the dresser, end table for table lamp currently on floor near brown chair, crib mattress (the one in the crib came with it, but it's very worn and needs to be replaced) and all the mattress accessories besides sheets, Cool Mist Humidifier and Travel System-stroller/car seat.

Other than that...I think we are doing well, there are some smaller items needed, but I think we'll manager with what we have for now. It's hard for me to know what we will "need" because I've not had a child before. I guess that's part of first time parenting, and we'll figure it out I am sure. :-)

Enjoy the nursery pictures...Thanks Ashley for your expertise!

Entrance

Walk in and to the right Changing Tower/Dresser

Book Shelf to left of dresser

Close up of my two favorite shelves...
top: cute lamp and
Cross: "Every Good and Perfect Gift comes From God"
along with dried roses from Daniel.
bottom: Classic Pooh book ends from Grandma Ro,
she's had them for many years...very special to me.

To the left of bookshelf:
Crib and Hannah's name along with more wall decor...classic pooh pictures

Across from crib...cumfy recliner/glider and ottoman with Boppy
and blanket made by my mother in-law, Toni.
On the wall, more classic pooh decor as well as "G" Shadow Box

Clothing and items still to be washed and sorted...this is the preemie, 3-6 months, 6-9 months and 9 + months as well as other things as you can see.

Hannah's 0-3 month clothes to be placed in drawers

I am getting anxious to meet our little one. I feel her moving around so much now and it's as if I am holding her in the palm of my hand sometimes. The sweetest feeling and I will surely miss this stage when she is born! So, this is why they say to cherish the moments of pregnancy :-)

Thanks for your continued prayers and support for us as we look forward to our greatest blessing yet to come, Hannah Grace Grasham.