Dear Liam...

You are taking forever. Well, I guess YOU aren't taking forever but rather my body is. I guess you're catching a lot of slack from us impatient outsiders. Everytime you roll or push, I wonder if you're miserable all cramped up or cozy? Well, Mommy is miserable... mentally and physically. I am so anxious to see your precious face. Don't tell Daddy but I really hope you have MY eyes. You can have everything else of his... especially his heart and his strength. I hope you're a Daddy's boy. He cant wait to throw ball around in the backyard with you. Neither your father nor I have ever broken a bone but I just know the day will come when you do. I don't think I'll be able to handle it! Daddy will be amazing in times like that. He's very calm. I picture you as a jokester... always saying something silly whether you knew it or not. I bet you'll love to make people laugh. Sorry to say it, but you'll probably need glasses... and braces... and acne medication by the time you're 12. You're being born into a wonderfully loving family but we don't have the best genes. :) All that will pass and everytime I look at you, I will be blown away at how you are an extension of your father and I; a product of our love and nearly 10 year journey. Everything you do will make our lives richer. I wonder what your laugh sounds like or if you'll bite your nails like Mommy does. (I hope not) Daddy is good at Math and Mommy is good at English so either way you go, you should have some pretty effective help with homework. We'll let the dog eat anything science related :). Oh yeah, you have a dog. Her name is Annie and since she's been our only baby for 7 years, I don't think she's so thrilled about your arrival. She'll come around though, and eventually be as protective of you as I am. Just a heads up, she really doesn't like her hair pulled. Just another day passes as I await the 'true' laborious contractions. But, you have 5 more days and then we're coming to get you. So memorize what my heartbeat sounds like and I'll memorize your kicks, but soon I'll be able to hold your hand, kiss your face, and most importantly... watch your father fall in love with someone other than me. I love you, Mommy

Woah BELLY!

If there was one thing I wish I had done differently during this pregnancy, it would be taking better 'progress' photos. In the beginning, I had the plan to take a picture every week. However, when it takes 20 weeks to really notice a difference, it all feels a bit excessive. There are thousands of cute ways to announce each weeks' progress. (chalkboards, collages, measuring the belly, info on baby's growth, etc) I was doing good just to get a picture! If I could do it all over again, I would wear the same looking outfit for each picture and religiously stay on top of the documenting! This is about as good as it gets for us this time. Next time we'll do better! Regardless, it is SO incredible what the human body does to make room for NEW LIFE! Even if you do have to kill yourself to get your body back afterwards! :)

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Week 39

I have to admit, I didn't think I would make it this far. Or rather, I hoped I wouldn't make it this far. I would have been fine with Liam making his grand appearance anywhere between 38-39 weeks. However, he has other plans. We now have 6 days until our due date and no signs of labor! We have done several of the old wives tales of inducing labor at home, however, no success! Silly tales! I'm okay with waiting; I know it will be so worth every anticipated moment when I finally hold him. I'm just anxious :) At our doctor's appointment this past Monday, (38 weeks and 5 days) we measured at 2cm dilated and 75% effaced. No huge change but the doctor was impressed that we had dilated an additional cm with no contractions or pain.  Then again, it could just be from Liam dropping significantly, almost overnight! I'll take it! I'd much rather have more bathroom visits rather than being short of breath due to him pressing against my lungs.
Now, I'm just excited because I know, worse case scenario, we will be induced on July 2nd (5 days after due date). Its nice to know, at some point, this child WILL be born!

My state of mind is as follows:
Step 1. Get through work today and tomorrow so we can chill out on the weekend, take long walks, and do our last bit of cleaning around the house!
Step 2. Get to Monday, our LAST doctor's appointment to see if we have dilated anymore. I will ask about her possibly stripping my membranes which I have heard, hurts like HECK but has a 1 in 5 chance of starting labor within 24 hrs! (much better alternative to apitocin induction) This way we can leave the doctors office, go back home and await the contractions, labor at home, and hopefully admit ourselves later that night or Tuesday.
Step 3. If my doctor refuses, then we make it to WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27th! Liam's due date, with no Liam. Still, monumental! And I guess I'll keep going to work until Thursday :/
Step 4. Matt's Mom, Dad, and Nana all arrive on Thursday, June 28th into the Wichita Falls airport. It will be great to have family here!
Step 5. My Mom will arrive on Sunday, July 1st!! Her first time seeing where Matt and I have made a home for ourselves
THEN....
Step 6. INDUCTION on Monday, July 2nd! and hopefully a sweet, healthy, baby boy will grace the world FINALLY!

I guess it helps for me to type it all out! Clears my head and gets my mind in perspective! I am so ready!

How far along? 39 weeks and 1 day
Total weight gain: 27 pounds
Maternity clothes? yup.
Stretch Marks? Not yet.... just tons of cellulite!
Sleep: Yes, please!
Best moment this week: Reactions from strangers when they ask, "how much longer" and I reply, "next week"... and they step back and reply, "woah" as if my water could break all over them at any moment. 
Movement: Not very much, but he gets the hiccups a lot!
Food cravings: hmmm, nothing really?
Labor signs: During the 'new moon' I felt a LOT of pressure and cramping. I really thought that would be the night we went into labor... but ... nothing. And nothing since!
Belly button in or out: Still out.. and flat. 
Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Mood: Tired, bored, content. 
Milestones: Making it through this work week! 

Week 38

We've made it to week 38 and I am waiting patiently getting very anxious! Waiting is the worst, and I don't know why we do? He is going to come at some point so why isn't it easy to just sit back and wait for that day? I'm trying to cherish every last moment Matt and I have together, just as the two of us, but we are so excited to see our baby boy, its hard! Honestly, Liam's timing is perfect so far. This weekend we are going to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary!! And its a blessing he hasn't come before now because this will be our last official date night for a while. Full of shopping, dinner, and a movie just for the two of us. Yes, I may be a waddling whale and exhausted by 8pm, but I can't wait! I think deep down inside, Liam knows what he's doing :)
And.... our choice of movie.... so perfect:
What To Expect When You're Expecting


So, with that being said, my state of mind is as follows:
Step 1: Make it to Saturday to enjoy a nice day full of celebrating our marriage and spoiling each other for the last time in our lives.
Step 2: Make it to Monday morning so we can attend our doctor's appointment and hopefully find out we've progressed a bit!
Step 3: Make it to Wednesday where I can feel like I accomplished a milestone of "39 weeks"

How far along? 38 weeks
Total weight gain: 26 pounds
Maternity clothes? yup.
Stretch Marks? Not yet.... then again, I can't see much of the bottom half of my body.
Sleep: Actually, not bad. I started icing my hips before bed which has helped with the pain!
Best moment this week: When this old, elderly couple actually beat me walking into church on Sunday morning. I guess I've slowed down more than I thought.
Movement: yes, but he's calming down a bit. It's more 'bulging' now than anything else.
Food cravings: Just chocolate. And I really want steak and shrimp from Red Lobster...
Labor signs: Well I have been having irregular contractions at night time, every night since last Thursday. But last night I felt NONE. SO ... as of now. No.
Belly button in or out: Still out.. and flat. A friend best described it as the bottom of a balloon... ha
Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Mood: Some people at work said I was cranky yesterday... Woops. I think I'm pretty much the same but my patience is wearing a bit thin.
Milestones: Making it through the weekend since everyone from our work places assured us we wouldn't!

Maternity Photos!!

The day is finally here that we can share our photos from the Maternity photoshoot we did at 35 weeks preggo! The wonderful Blair Ramon of Wichita Falls, TX did a fantastic job! Here are some of my favorite shots below:

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Week 37

Well isn't this just an anticipating waiting game! We've made it to 37 weeks which is a blessing because of 2 words: "FULL TERM". Halleluyer! If baby Liam came today, we could hope his lungs would be strong enough to function on their own. No real changes in me... I still haven't experienced any contractions. I had a scare yesterday... I thought my water broke a bit but it was just a false alarm. I definitely had a freak out moment though where I thought, "I'm NOT READY!". But I know God will make sure Liam comes in perfect timing! I just can not fathom that in a couple short weeks (maybe less) Matt and I will no longer be... 'us'. There will be 3 of us. Yeah, you know that's coming the whole 9 months leading up to labor.. but I don't think it really hits you until you know your water could break at any moment! Eeekk!! I think this weekend, we'll finish cleaning the house, top off the last items in the hospital bag, and movie Liam's wipe warmer, diapers and other needs into the bassinet area in our room. This is getting all so real!


How far along? 37 weeks and 1 day
Total weight gain: 24 pounds
Maternity clothes? Heck yea... by the way, what does it mean when you grow OUT of your maternity clothes?
Stretch Marks? No... but I can see some faint lines that might show up after he arrives.
Sleep: Not horrible... I'm waking up about 3-4 times to pee though! And my left hip starts hurting pretty bad after about 8 hrs and there's no use in sleeping after that.
Best moment this week: losing my mucus plug! I felt like we were getting somewhere! Oh and getting our maternity pictures back! (see next post)
Movement: YES! He's running out of room but he always bulges into my rib and every once in a while I get a heel or foot poking out!
Food cravings: chocolate chip cookies... and anything cinnamon.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Just getting indigestion with almost everything I eat or drink, even WATER!
Labor signs: none! ugh.
Belly button in or out: out
Wedding rings on or off? on :)
Mood: fairly cheerful but very much tired all the time.
Milestones: my mucus plug fell out at 36 weeks and 6 days!

Week 36

Well here we are, just counting down the days until little Liam's arrival. We are 36 weeks and 5 days today and our doctor's appointment went smoothly this morning. I thought I woke up last night with a contraction but after it went away, nothing else followed. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious. I prayed the other day for the Lord to help me remember to cherish these last few weeks rather than wishing them away. I know I'll have little Liam to look after all my life but only 3 weeks left to have him in my belly.

Something I can't wait to see.... are his movements. He is moving less and less lately but he does (what I think to be) a stretching out of his legs which pushes his bottom into my ribs and a heel into my side. As much as it makes me cringe, I love rubbing that little heel until it relaxes back into my belly. :) He also does a tapping movement. Strange I know.. its literally like a little woodpecker inside of me... I'm curious to see what he's actually doing once he is here with us in person.

I've started this new blog to not only keep friends and family updated, but as a journal for myself too. I'm horrible at actually writing things down and as these last few weeks pass, so many details will come and go. Like for instance, at 36 weeks exactly, we went for an ultrasound and found out Liam has a bit of hair! 

He is also head down and face down! 

AND, after a cervical exam, we are officially 1 cm dilated and 75% effaced! 

I haven't experienced any contractions but I have had mild menstrual cramping here and there. Is this a form of contractions? 

In the meantime, the hospital bag is packed, his car seat is installed and ready, all his clothes are washed in baby safe detergent, bassinet and changing area are set up and ready beside our bed, and I am mentally and physically ready for maternity leave from work! All the 'expected' items are checked off our to-do list. Now bring on the unexpected, the sleepless nights, the dirty diapers, the spit up, the hormonal roller coaster, and the broken vadge... I'm ready to see our little boy and all that comes with it!


Also, stay tuned for some maternity photos! Our wonderful photographer Blair Ramon out of the Wichita Falls, TX area did some wonderful work for us and we're just awaiting the c.d. of all the images. In the meantime.....