Weekend Update: T-2 weeks

The first part of this week was good, pretty uneventful. I was very busy at work still trying to work ahead to keep my co-workers from having to do too much with my caseload while I am on leave. We had our weekly doctor's appointment on Tuesday. Adalyn's heartbeat was 152 beats per minute. My doctor confirmed that she has officially dropped and is ready for her big debut. Only 1 problem with that, my body is apparently not ready yet. I have still not started dilating on my own. There is still plenty of time of course and some people it just happens all at once, but without dilating there can be no schedule inductions as we have been hoping for the entire pregnancy. Dr. Chauhan is somewhat concerned with her increasing size, so we will be having an ultrasound at our next appointment on Tuesday to get a check on her length and weight. I'm definitely a little nervous about this. Large, LARGE (10 lb) babies run in Justin's family. That does not sound like something I want to squeeze out of....you know where. She mentioned the 'C' word....Cesarean section. I have mixed feelings about that, I guess we will just have to see how it goes.

Thursday night I got a little fake out from my sweet daughter. I had a series of about 3 contractions in about an hour and a half. The last one was really painful, I actually thought we were about to get this party started. We went to bed, but I could NOT sleep, excitedly waiting for the next contraction! However, it never came and it turned into a sleepless night of tossing and turning. I am feeling pretty decent considering.... my swelling is still unbelievable, it really gets worse by the day. I don't know how my doctor is not concerned, but she isn't. My fingers actually ache and throb with pain and my legs and feet....I can't even describe at this point what they look like. It's awful.

Friday I spent the day getting ready to head to Jackson to spend the night at my Mom's and hang out with my Mimi and Pog and Lisa. Sadly, these plans did not work out. I'm sure you all know what happened in Huntsville on Friday afternoon, and that Lisa's mother Stephanie was shot. Our family has spent the weekend trying to cope and make sense of this horrible tragedy. Good news is that at this point, Stephanie is doing very well. She is still in ICU, and will be for some time, but she is responding to family through nods and hand squeezes and even mouthing words, which is amazing progress for what happened to her. You can read updates and leave supportive messages for Ryan and Lisa at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/stephaniem. I ask you to visit the site and leave a message for them, even if you don't know my brother and Lisa, every word and prayer is encouraging and at a time like this, the love and support of others is what can keep you going and keep your hope and faith alive.

Justin and I waited in Jackson Saturday night and did get to spend a little time with Pog and Lisa. My mom had driven them to Huntsville Friday night, so they came back late Saturday so that Ryan and Lisa could go home and get some clothes and some things in order before going back to Huntsville Sunday afternoon. Again, please continue to send your thoughts and prayers their way.

Sunday, Justin and I finished up in the nursery. Everything is really ready to go, just waiting on a baby! I finished packing our hospital bag and Justin got her car seat in the car. Just two more weeks!

I do not understand....

Can you believe how sick this world has become? I have been awake since 4am pondering this very question. I watch the news, I read updates on my MSN home page, I live in Memphis for crying out loud....violence is just a part of daily life that I seem to have, sadly, become accustomed and numbed to. But when it hits close to home, it is hard to ignore, and even harder to accept.

Lisa's mother was shot yesterday during a school shooting at the University of Alabama Huntsville. A woman simply sitting in a faculty meeting on a Friday afternoon was shot 3 times, in the face, hand, and shoulder. Why?? What we have heard and read at this point is that a fellow UAH faculty member, a Harvard-educated, star research professor there at the University, was denied tenure. She unloaded a gun during a faculty meeting of 13 people, killing 3 and critically injuring 3 others, one being Stephanie Monticciolo, my sister in law's sweet mother. Ryan and Lisa received a call around 6pm yesterday, shortly after arriving in Jackson for a family baby shower for me. My Mom drove them to Huntsville last night, which is approx. a 4 hour drive from here. I cannot imagine the horror Lisa felt on that long horrible drive to get to her Mom.

It literally makes me sick to my stomach to think about what happened. This tragedy is so senseless. What would drive a successful, published, celebrated geneticist to commit such an unthinkable crime? This woman killed 3 people, and critically injured 3 more in a matter of minutes. She ended lives and destroyed families; took away some one's son, daughter, husband wife, mother, or father....for what? I just can't process it. Bad, even horrible things happen to us every day. What would make a normal person just snap like that, how can you leave your house with a gun in your car with the intent to do something so horrific? What state of mind do you have to be in to go through with something like this? How can one come face to face with 13 of your co-workers and heartlessly fire a gun repeatedly at them? Thankfully, the police were able to arrest this woman. The news reports this morning say that she has been charged with 3 counts of capital murder in the first degree and 3 more counts of assault in the first degree.

At this point, Lisa's mom is considered stable. She had surgery last night and is in ICU. With lots of prayers and amazing doctors, she made it through the night. She has extensive damage to her face and loss of her right eye. Right now the doctors do not know if there is brain damage or if her speech will be effected. She is going to have a long road of recovery, so I ask for your continued prayers for Stephanie and for Lisa and all of her family.

Happy Celebrity Birthday!

Today is a day for celebration! It just so happens to be the birthday of two of my most favorite celebrities!

First, Happy 41st Birthday to Jennifer Aniston! I have been a Jenn fan since the days of 'Friends'. I love her! I think she is a funny and talented actress and she always seems so classy (except for the whole Jon Mayer thing). I also think she is stunningly beautiful.

Last, but certainly not least.....Happy 18th Birthday Taylor Lautner. That's right ladies HE'S LEGAL!!!! Now I can continue to internet stalk him guilt free without feeling like a child molestor. Is he not the most beautiful thing ever!? I mean, I LOVE him!

Weekend Update: T-3 weeks

This past week was pretty much the same as the last few have been. I'm still extremely uncomfortable and anxious to get this party started. I was disappointed at my doctor's appointment on Tuesday to learn that I have not started dilating at all. I know there is still plenty of time, but I just like knowing in my head the exact date of the light at the end of the tunnel. If I don't start progressing on my own, we will not be able to induce on the 26th. I just have my fingers crossed for next week.

We had our final prepared child birth class this week. We talked all about breast feeding, and it was extremely informative. It made me feel much more confident about a lot of it, but nervous about it at the same time. I can't wait for that amazing bonding experience that I will share with my baby girl, I just hope and pray that I will know how and what to do to ensure that she gets everything she needs from me and more. I want her to be the healthiest happiest baby on the planet!

We worked a lot this week on the nursery. It really is coming together. It is fun to spend time in there. I spend a lot of time in there...especially since I am now sleeping every night in the recliner in there (Thank GOD for that chair, thanks Mom!) but it is fun for Justin to spend time in there with me too, just planning and preparing. It makes me feel close to her already. I guess I should feel really close to her all the time since she lives in my belly, but it makes it hard sometimes because of all the pain and discomfort that I am experiencing. I know every woman goes through these things during a pregnancy. I am no different or any more unhappy, but it is a lot to deal with. I'm going to put a little **disclaimer** right here and state that if you have a week stomach or you just don't want to know Jennifer Baker in an up close and personal way....you should stop reading here because I'm about to go into some gross detail here. On Monday I discovered that I have hemorrhoids. I use discover very loosely because let me just say that when you are 9 months pregnant, using a mirror to try to discover anything is an extremely difficult, nearly impossible task. So I spotted what I assumed were hemorrhoids. I have never ever in my life been so humiliated and embarrassed and just disgusted with myself. At that moment in our bathroom I wanted to be anything or anyone besides myself. I mean how gross is that??! I couldn't stop the emotion again. I had another breakdown. They seem to be coming more frequently here in the last few weeks. I'm not proud, but again, I couldn't stop it. I cried hysterically and called my Mom to ask what to do. Poor Justin just stood by me and tried to comfort me, probably thinking in his head what an idiot I am. He really is the best husband. We had our doctor's appointment Tuesday morning, and my suspicions were confirmed. And by the way...nothing at this point has been successful in solving my new little problem, which just adds to my miserableness.

Anyway....we got to have our shower that was postponed due to weather last weekend, this Saturday. It was great! There is nothing better than spending time with your best friends and family. Misty and Abby's little ones are growing so much. They are so so precious. Wendy and Michael found out in January that baby Lane is going to be a girl! Wendy is due early June. I can't believe that in the next 5 months, we will have 5 kids between the 4 of us. So crazy! Also Saturday, my college crew and I hosted a baby shower for Amber and her sweet baby boy, Riley, due in early March. Adalyn and Riley are the first 2 of 4 babies making an appearance in this group of friends this year. Esther just shared this week that she and David are expecting in August, and Ashley and Chuck will be seeing their sweet baby in September. Babies, babies, babies!

I can't believe that we will meet our daughter in less than a month!

Weekend Update: T-4 Weeks

This week was crazy! Tennessee experienced ICE....and lots of it. The wintry mix started here in Memphis around 9am Friday morning and did not stop all day. We had a steady steam of sleet and frozen rain. We saw a little bit of snow, but not near as much as some of the other places around us. Our back yard was a solid sheet of ice, our poor doggies had no idea what to think of it. They sort of just slid around out there. Although the weather made for some very serious conditions around here, all weekend the neighborhood was filled with happy kids playing up and down the street on four wheelers and trash can lids. I for one did not appreciate the weather whatsoever! My family baby shower was supposed to be Saturday evening and it had to be postponed due to bad roads and ice. I was so very disappointed, I was really looking forward to spending time with my family and best friends. It was one of those weeks (you know from earlier posts) where I just could have used the time with my girls. Also, I hate being on lock down in the house. I started going a little stir crazy Friday, so come Saturday afternoon I had to get out! Since we couldn't go to Jackson for the shower, Justin took me to Chickfila and then to Target. We weren't gone long, but it was enough to keep me from losing it!

Luckily, our shower today was able to go on. Our sweet cousin Ceecee and Aunt Linda had a wonderful shower for us. It was really beautiful and Justin and I had a great time. And Kyle and Ceecee's new house is so pretty! I am so happy that everyone was able to make it safely and celebrate baby Adalyn with us. I can say one thing, Adalyn is going to be one very stylish baby!

The rest of the week was kind of blah for me. I spent most of it in a terrible mood, and I can't really tell you why. Our child birth class Wednesday night was great. We talked about options for pain management, which I love...I love pain medication! We have one more week, we really have learned a lot and the class has helped to relieve many of my anxieties about the actual process if childbirth.

We are now only 4 weeks away from her arrival. I just cannot believe it!! There have been a few points throughout that have seemed to drag a little, but really my pregnancy has gone by so fast. Right now I enjoy spending time in her nursery just getting things organized and ready for my baby to come home. Sometimes I also like to just sit in the recliner in there. I am not doing anything in there, I just like being in her nursery. There is nothing easy about being 9 months pregnant, but as much as hard as it is, I know that in the end, Justin and I are going to have a daughter! What a miracle and a blessing. I can't wait to meet her and see that little face for the first time. It won't be long!

My Justin

I was just reading my friend Valerie's blog and she had the sweetest post about her husband, Matt. It really made me think of how under appreciated my Justin probably feels sometimes, since my big...and usually crazy...personality usually overshadows his calm, cool, laid back personality. I make most things about me and I can be pretty dramatic...again back to the crazy....but in all reality, there wouldn't be a me without him (I probably would have long sense been committed or jailed!) So here are a just a few of the things that I love about my sweet husband Justin.

* Justin has never raised his voice to me in anger...EVER
* He loves my dog, Darby...and she is kindof a buttmunch
* He is so good to all of my family. Sometimes I think they like him more!
* When I'm getting all crazy, he just lets me do it. He doesn't engage my craziness or allow a fight to start.
* I have never had to take out the trash
* He still randomly brings home flowers for me every now and then, just because
* Justin has always supported me being in school...even though we are just racking up more student loans for us to pay on until we are 75. My graduating is as important to him as it is to me
* Justin is probably THE most thoughtful man I have ever known. He has never forgotten a holiday or aniversary and he almost always gives sweeter cards and puts more thought into gifts than I do.
* 3+ years into our relationship, he still opens the car door for me
* He took me to see New Moon (and he knew I only wanted to see it to drool over my 17 year old boyfriend Taylor Lautner)
* He makes me soup and grilled cheese when I'm sick, and he cuts my sandwich in half like I like it
* He doesn't make fun of the fact that I talk to my mom on the phone like 3 times a day
* Justin is smart about money, good thing one of us is. He thinks ahead and plans for our future, good thing one of us does.
* He lets me plan things the way I want, and then when I over plan or get myself into messes, he is the first one to help me out, without ever saying I told you so
* Justin is trustworthy and he is a man of his word. I could tell him I killed someone and burried them in our backyard and he would never tell a soul. I know I am safe with him
* He listens to all of my disgusting gory pregnancy details (in horror I'm sure, but you can't tell by looking)
* Justin is crazy about our baby...I can't wait for Adalyn to get here because he is going to be the most amazing daddy. I can't wait to watch their little relationship grow, I already know she is going to be a daddy's girl.


These are just a few things, I could continue on....

Cranky, Crazy, and Emotional

I am proud to say that until this point, I really do not think I have been that crazy pregnant woman that you read about or see on TV. I have tried very hard to keep things in our life as normal as possible.

I have only had 2 major emotional outbursts. The first was way early like around 4 months when we were getting ready to travel to a family wedding and I didn't have anything pretty that fit anymore. I did sit in our bedroom closet and cry hysterically, but we survived. The second was at the first doctor's appointment that I managed to gain 11 lbs in 4 weeks (yes, that happened more than once!). I cried like a maniac through the entire appointment.

I have not become overly dependant on my husband for things at home. I have managed to do the same amount of housework that I have always done and have only asked for help in carrying laundry downstairs.

I have not physically threatened my husband in any way or sent him out in the middle of the night to feed any bizarre cravings.

So I've done pretty good, right? Until now! Why is it this week that everything has pissed me off or hurt my feelings, or made me cry? I am out of control, seriously. Pooh jumped on me the other night and scratched me in like 3 different places. Yes it stung...but I cried...a lot! It hurt my feelings! He is a dog, he didn't mean to, but I took it so personally! I have hated everyone at work this week and just hated my job in general. I have found it extremely difficult to be kind and compassionate and I am a social worker, its my job! I have been rolling my eyes and huffing and puffing while waiting in lines at Target or the grocery store like people should just move and let me go first and I even flipped a guy off in the Babies R Us parking lot for not slowing down in the pedestrian crossing...OK maybe he deserved that, I mean really, does it make you feel good to mow down pregnant women with your Escalade a-hole? My poor husband and dogs have gotten on my very last nerve. I've yelled at snapped and looked at them with the evil eye many times and they haven't done anything, I'm just mean! I don't sleep well and I find myself in the middle of the night just crying because I'm so uncomfortable and so pissed that I'm not asleep. Again, crazy. Now to top it off, this lovely snow/sleet/ice storm is probably going to cause our showers to be cancelled this weekend. I have been looking forward to them so much. I've been crying all day and in the worst mood. I just want to throw something at the snow! It is no one's fault, it is just one of those things, but I'm taking this personally too! I am thinking bad thoughts about all those stupid little kids outside loving the snow.

I hope this passes. I don't know if poor Justin will survive 4 more weeks of this, I don't know if I will survive 4 more weeks of this...I'm a loon.