Skip to main content

Waiting with bells on

It’s almost 2014! I am sooo excited that we are 12 days away from our due date (and possibly our induction date, depending). I’m convinced that Eli will be here in a few days, or at least I was for the most part today. I had 4-5 Braxton Hicks today, and some of those were very close together- three just while I was at the grocery store. Plus, I’ve been nauseated since about 9pm last night, which I hear can be a sign. Maybe my convincing him is working! I’ve tried: foot massages, squatting, walking, taking stairs, eating spicy foods, taking Raspberry Tea Leaf Extract, taking Evening Primrose Oil, and taking baths. We also bought a fresh pineapple, but I haven’t tried that yet. I’ve been in quite a bit of pain today just walking around, but I am so excited that he might possibly be coming that it’s worth it. No promises, just me being hopeful.

I’ve been off of work since the 23rd and we’ve been pretty busy ever since. Let me just tell you, I literally felt physical relief the moment I walked out the door. I’m so glad to have some time to relax before Eli comes. We saw the doctor yesterday and she said my swelling and my blood pressure look so much better. I attribute that to not working this week. My labs were also perfectly normal! Anyhow, back to Christmas.

We did our Christmas traditions, like going to the candlelight service, ‘opening’ our Christmas stockings, and making a big ole’ Christmas Eve dinner of ham, broccoli cheddar potatoes, rolls, green beans and strawberry cheesecake cookies. Christmas day we headed out for brunch at Josh’s family’s home and did an extended family gift exchange. For that, I made cinnamon rolls for the first time in years, and they turned out pretty good. I’ve got to work on the topping in order to make it just like my mother’s, but they were still tasty. After the brunch, we came home and opened gifts while sipping on some Christmas punch. Delicious! So- basically we ate. I got Josh his annual cup and stress ball in his stocking, plus some fun stuff like this unicycle monkey/pizza cutter. For his ‘big gift’ I got him a desk chair with surround sound in the headrest. Can you guess which dog got the ‘Naughty’ cookie and which one got the ‘Nice’ cookie? Haha. Oh! I also found our Savannah ornament. All in all, it was great.
IMG_6784IMG_6760IMG_6757IMG_6785IMG_6768IMG_6790
Since then I’ve pretty much cleaned the house 3-4 times-driving Josh insane with my nesting, and I’ve been busy baking. We’re all prepped for Eli as far as I can tell. I even finished making this door sign for him for after his arrival for the tidy sum of $3. We had leftover wood, ModgePodge, string, and paint already hanging out at the house. All we needed were stickers (and I added bows). Do you love it? Inspiration seen here. I think we’ll use it pretty much all the time, even when the baby is not sleeping, as the pups bark every time the doorbell goes off. Don’t want to startle Eli.
IMG_6803
Now for the check-in.
38
Weight gain: 37 lbs in 38 weeks. Ah! I went over. Oh well, I’m still about to make some brownies.
Eli’s Size: He should be about 7 lbs and around the size of a pumpkin
Cravings: Pepsi, brownies
Side effects: heartburn, hip pain, seeing stars, itching
Belly button in or out? Out. He’s done cooking.
Thing I miss? Being able to do things without having to consider if my belly is getting in the way, even normal things like cleaning or fitting thru small spaces
Most awkward moment? Trying to get out of getting my progress checked…and getting shot down.
Best moment?  Eli going crazy during the children’s version of the Christmas story during the candlelight service
What we bought: We used some gift cards to get Eli a few Secure-a-Toy’s, a Molar Muncher, a bottle holder, a Razbaby teether, some pacifier clips, a stroller organizer for our umbrella stroller, and a changing pad cover. We also got a Boon drying rack,  socks, and a diaper rash ointment.
41XkQn1 7mL._SY450_41n1GL139mL._SY300_41AOH owVSL41kcCV5LJsL._SX450_
WARNING: MAY BE TOO MUCH INFO
Any progress? Yes! We’re 1 cm along with 20% effacement as of 11am yesterday.

I’m off! Wish me luck. Tell me if you have any ideas to ease him along.
-Shantel

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I thought I was fat

As a woman, I've always placed a lot of value into what I weigh and how I look. In the past few years especially I've been doing my best to move away from that, to focus on being healthy and feeling good, but those thoughts creep up for sure. It's my 6 week check in and I've lost 4 more pounds, so basically I still have 18 pounds to go. I started out these 6 weeks by going to the gym and only drinking water, but after week 2 Eli got sick for 2 weeks, then Anias got sick for 2 (make that 5...) weeks, then I got sick for 2 weeks, then Anias got an ear infection and would NOT sleep. He wouldn't fall asleep for 2 hours past bedtime and would wake up for hours. He's actually still doing this and he's still sick. Thursday he had a 101 fever so I took him in to the urgent care and his ear infection in his right ear did not go away. They put him on Augmentin and it just destroys his tummy. He actually vomited 3 times Friday on top of it all. I'm not used to thi...

The Daniel Fast

When Josh and I moved back to Bellevue this summer we joined a new church, Zeal, which we really love. We've felt more challenged there to really engage, and twice a year the church as a whole focuses on 21 Days of Prayer. In January we fast during the 21 days, andre encouraged to give up something we feel hinders our focus (Instagram, sweets, etc.) We chose to do the Daniel Fast. The Daniel Fast is based on the following verses... “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink." Daniel 1:12   In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks" Daniel 10: 2-3 So basically, we've been eating a vegan, gluten-free, no sugar or sweetener-added foods for the past 11 days. We don't have fried foods either as they're 'rich', but we do have whole grains. We drink 100% juice and wat...

Not so fast

Well, this week wasn’t quite as easy as the week before. Hence, the late post. Yes I’m glad to be home, but things went very awry much of the week. Josh didn’t come home on time any day, and to be honest one of those days while the dinner timer was going off and Eli was screaming for dinner in his high-chair, Kito decided his antibiotic wasn’t agreeing with him and proceeded to vomit…5 times.  I may have cried. Eli was teething on top of that so sleeplessness was in the mix and our schedule got thrown off by doctor appointments and such. I’d much rather have things go as planned, but what can you do? Still- I feel like my compassion and ‘spark’ are coming back slowly.   What we Bought: Little yums teething biscuits and new diaper bag Most Awkward Moment: Eli pushed the shred box over and used it as a step so he can prop himself up and see outside. I was in the room! He was just so fast. Best Moment: Any of his very clingy hugs! He just loves you so much and you know it. U...