3 Weeks or Less... Yikes!

Baby Update:

I went to the doctor today and little Owen has grown (no surprise there!). He has also dropped down a significant amount, which means he is getting ready to make his grand entrance. My blood pressure went back up, so the doctor has me on FULL bed rest. His exact words were, "Do nothing - lay down and be lazy." I was kind of already doing that, but I would go to the grocery store if needed and run errands with Rick on Saturdays. Now those things are out and I'm a little panicky because I wanted to go to the store to get a few things to take with me to the hospital. Thank goodness for online shopping!

Anyway, the doctor did an ultrasound to check on Owen and based on whatever criteria they check, Owen scored 8/8 - my baby is healthy! I asked again about being induced early and the doctor immediately said, "Oh yes, you will definitely be induced. You can plan on that. Any time after 38 weeks, unless your blood pressure dictates we need to take him earlier."

So, we decided that August 20th will be the day of my induction unless my blood pressure spikes and Owen needs to come sooner. So that means there are 3 weeks or less until we say



Let the countdown begin!!

Pay It Forward

Here is the deal: I will give a jar of homemade strawberry jam to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. Trust me - this jam is GOOD!



You will receive your gift within the month. I don't think jam will ship well, so locals only, please. Sorry to all my long-distance blog readers.

The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Sound fun? Then leave a comment!
The first three commentor’s WIN!

I saw this on my friend Stacy's blog and I will be receiving a homemade photo box! I can't wait... she is very crafty, that Stacy. I know it will be just wonderful.

Showered With Love *Updated with Pics*

This weekend was amazing. On Saturday my sisters threw me a baby shower. We had a great time celebrating with family and friends, some of whom we hadn't seen in years. Rick even opted to attend the festivities and did a great job taking pictures, which I don't have with me at the moment so they will come later.

Here are some pics... just ignore my incredibley ROUND face. I'm so embarassed... but I guess my face needed to get rounder so it could match every other part of me, right??





We were both humbled by all of the love and support we received from everyone. We literally got everything we need for little Owen and then some! Later that night Rick was reminded of the scripture Malachi 3:10 which says:

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

Our baby shower was a literal fulfillment of this promise. We are so grateful for the law of tithing and for the goodness of the Lord. We feel so blessed to be having this baby and feel that the Lord is taking care of us.

Rick has kicked into "Dad" mode and has really been such a help and support. He has taken over the laundry and cleaning duties for us since I'm supposed to be resting as much as possible. He also put together the stroller, carseat, and swing. It's pretty exciting to see the carseat in my car and all of Owen's toys in his room. Now we just need a baby to make everything complete. And I hope he doesn't get embarassed by me posting this, but every night Rick has "story time" with Owen. I encouraged him to read the same book to Owen every night so that when Owen's born not only will his voice be soothing but the story will be soothing as well. So, every night Rick reads Dr. Seuss's There's a Wocket in my Pocket to my tummy. It is the cutest thing.

In the meantime, I'm pretty much confined to my home and am getting bored. I need a project!!! Any good books/projects/suggestions? I already read the Twilight series (LOVED it!). Any suggestions for things to occupy my time while "resting" would be greatly appreciated!

The Big, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Big: I went to the doctor's today, and remember how I said that last week I was measuring right on schedule (31 weeks)? Well, Owen had a growth spurt because today I measured 34 weeks! Yes, that's right. 34 weeks - so I'm back to being 2 weeks ahead.

The Bad: I have border-line/mild gestational diabetes. The good news is that it's only mild so I don't have to check my blood sugar levels everyday; I only have to meet with a dietician and eat healthy foods. I think I can handle that. Also, the Dr. said in my case it's no threat to the baby.

The Other Bad: My blood pressure is still elevated, so I've been ordered to rest as much as possible, meaning no more work. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, the kids in my class are just so cute and I really enjoy my job (and the paycheck!) On the other hand, the thought of not waking up early every morning and being able to relax and just focus on preparing for Owen's arrival is a bit of a relief.

The Ugly: This is actually good news, not ugly, but I wanted to use the phrase for the title. With Owen measuring 2 weeks ahead again and my high blood pressure, I jokingly told my doctor that the third week in August is a really convenient time for me to have a baby. First of all, my brother Jonathan will be home from his mission and won't have left for BYU yet. Second, my grandparents from Florida will be in town. And third, Rick won't have started the fall semester of school yet.

My Dr. said, "Well, let's look at the calendar...Yes, that week works for me. I think that either August 20th or 22nd are best and you'll be at 38 weeks then. We have a reason to induce you now due to your blood pressure...Yes, that sounds good to me."

Of course, one can never count on these things to go according to plan, but IF it does, then I will be having Owen on either August 20th or 22nd! Wahoo! In any case, my Dr. said he will for sure not let me go past my due date. So that's the latest. I'll keep you posted.