I LOVE the Houstonian!!!!

We had the best time at the Houstonian! First of all, when we checked in the lady at the front desk asked when the baby was due, etc. etc....then an hour later, as we are sitting in the room, there is a knock on the door. They brought us milk and cookies and a note saying congrats on the baby! Now that's service!!! We had a wonderful dinner at The Olivette (at the Houstonian)...when it came time for dessert nothing really looked all that great to me on the menu. So I asked if they happen to have any cheesecake (lately cheesecake has sounded REALLY good to me)...the waiter smiled and said he was sure they did...and he got me some! Being pregnant really gets you somewhere...ha ha ha! After dinner we just kind of relaxed in the bed...well, let me clarify that. Eric relaxed in the bed while I slept on the couch =). I tried to sleep in the bed, but the couch was so much more comfortable. I think I have found my sleeping spot until BB comes. The back of the couch actually provides some support and it is much easier to sleep. I told Eric we should leave all the pillows and blankets on the couch so they would think he got in trouble =).

Then we went to the spa this morning...I LOVE massages...there are few things I would rather do! Eric got a "Sports Pedicure" (I guess that makes it manly?)...Okay, my computer is acting up right now so I will write more later...but here is a prego pic...

"Lightening" the Load?

Okay, so BB has dropped...it's weird. One morning he was high, the next he was low. It was noticeable enough that people even started saying I had dropped. So, apparently, with first pregnancies, once lightening/dropping happens you should typically expect to deliver in 2-4 weeks! Of course, this could mean absolutely nothing and I could end up going to 42 weeks (PLEASE pray that is not the case!!! =) ).

I have carried pretty low the entire pregnancy so I never really had any trouble breathing. A lot of people have said it was so nice when the baby dropped because they could actually breathe and eat again. In my case...I don't know that it was a good thing, at least for me. He is so low now I think his head is hitting my pelvis or something. I have had the WORST back pain! It's one of those pains that just won't go away. Don't get me wrong, it hurts, but the fact that it just lingers all day long is making it even worse....

Even so, if he needs to hang out in there for a while longer I don't care as long as he's healthy. I'm sure I'll moan and groan, but I really do just want a healthy little boy. Every night that is my prayer. I am just so excited to meet him and bring him home!!!!

Now I'm Curious

Okay, so now I've been researching this cord blood thing....did anybody bank theirs?

BB Update

Well, I went to the Dr. today and all is well....but my dreams of having a 6-6 1/2 pounder have been squashed =(....he said we're looking at more like 7 1/2 (or more!!!!). Well, I guess now I can say it really is all baby! =). He has moved completely head down now and my legs keep going to sleep because of where his head is. Last night I was in so much pain and couldn't breathe. It felt like somebody had grabbed up under my ribs and was pulling them out....come to find out....probably BB's feet up there =). I love the guy, but I will be so happy to see him in a few weeks!!!!
I'm very happy though because my Dr. said even if he's born on a weekend he will be the one to deliver! I mean, push come to shove (literally..ha ha) it really doesn't matter who is there to catch him, but I really would like for it to be my doctor.
He also asked me about cord blood banking. He actually strongly recommends that people do it and gave some good reasons. Eric and I have to look into it because it costs a pretty penny to do. When we were at the hospital this weekend I told them I would just donate it, but now I'm not sure. I knew there were a lot of things cord blood was used for, but some actually surprised me. Apparently they can use it in juvenile diabetes (somehow they can convert it to an insulin blocking enzyme in the pancreas), bone marrow transplants for breast cancer patients, etc. Like I said, it's really expensive, but if it can save your life in 10-20 years it may be worth it!
And even more exciting...my shower is coming up soon! I have on on the 17th, and one on the 21st (at work)...fun!

I I have Seen the Light!

Have I ever! I started feeling kind of blah on Friday night, but just thought it was some pregnancy aches and pains. Saturday got progressively worse, but I still just kind of thought I had a sore back and a headache. As the day went on I just felt worse, started running fever and just slept the rest rest of the day (well, as much as I could). When we were going to bed that night I told Eric I thought I might be having contractions, but we both just kind of dismissed it.

Well, yesterday morning there was no playing about.....I was in PAIN. I layed in bed until 10:30am and then couldn't take it anymore. I called the doctor and they told me to go to the the hospital to Labor and Delivery...say what?!?!? So we got up and headed that way and they had checked me in by 11:05. Because of the back pain/fever, they actually expected a UTI...once they got me hooked up to the TOCO they found out I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes! But the best part is yet to come. Eric and I are sitting in the room and we hear the most horrific sounding screaming that we have ever heard. No horror movie scream even compares! The woman next door was in the process of giving birth and had apparently decided to go au natural...I have never seen Eric's eyes stick that far out of his head. In the meantime, but pain was getting worse and they finally came in and confirmed that i was contracting. They said they would be giving me 3 sets of shots (15 minutes apart) to stop them. Well, the first one was a doozey...my heart raced, I got dizzy, felt nauseous...but it slowed down the contractions. We had to get my heart rate back down under 120 in order to administer the 2nd one (which took about 45 minutes). That one was much less than the first one, but it made my heart race a lot longer. It was AMAZING how much better I felt after they got the contractions to stop! Can I just say Thank God for modern medicine!

Moral of the story...natural childbirth out....all about the epidural as soon as possible!!!!! When my doctor came into see me this morning he said "i noticed you checked yes for the epidural" and just smiled...I said yes, after feeling what I am assuming are next to nothing contractions and hearing the woman next door....I WANT AN EPIDURAL!!! They can write it on my forehead if it helps me get one any faster.

Good news is that they monitored BB for almost 24 hours and he looks perfect =)...so at least we know that! My Dr. did say that i need to "take it easy". I'm not on bed rest, and even said I can work, but if I feel like I can't do it anymore I need to stop or even go part time if I feel like it's getting to that point. So we'll see how the next few weeks go....

But we're all ok! Eric's at work, me and BB are laying in bed and resting....everything should continue on as planned!
Alana

BB's Room

We have all the furniture put together, shelves hung....all we need to do is get the drapes and the picture that we will hang up and his room is done! Here are some pictures...I absolutely LOVE the room!:

And yes...I know there is a giant stuffed boston terrier...we couldn't help it =)