Still Waiting...

If you've been wondering if we've had the baby yet, wonder no more! We are still waiting for this little girl to decide when she would like to make her grand entrance into the world. I'm not overdue yet, thank goodness, but I've come to the resolve to live each day as if she is NOT coming. Then I'm not disappointed that she didn't. It is actually working. :o) At the doctor yesterday he told me that I was between a 2 and a 3 and 90% effaced. At least I'm making progress and not standing still. We'll keep you posted! Hopefully the next post we will be able to announce the big event!

39 weeks! Never thought I'd make it!

Funny story - I was standing up today at school in our First Grade music time and the shirt I was wearing wasn't tight up against my belly, it was just hanging down. I was looking out over the group of kids when I noticed movement right in front of where I was standing. I looked down and there was a little boy from another class trying to look up under my shirt. I don't know what he thought he'd find by looking. Luckily I had the kind of maternity pants on that cover my whole belly and he couldn't see anything. I have never seen a kid do that before. I mean you hear of little boys trying to look up little girls dresses, but trying to look up the teacher's shirt? Especially a pregnant teacher? That is definitely a first!

Any day now!

Went to the doctor again yesterday. I was at 2 cm and 80% effaced. Progress is slow, but at least it's progress right? The doctor also stripped my membranes. Yeah! I do believe it is helping a ton because I am contracting quite a bit. Unfortunately not consistent enough for any trips to the hospital. But I am hopeful that it is sooner than later!

I was a little annoyed today at work. I went into my box on my prep. and found a new student form in it. Aaaaggghhh! Why do they do this to me? I understand that I am the one with the least amount of students, but HELLO I'm about to have a baby. Sometimes my secretary drives me bonkers. She did the same thing to me the week I got married. I guess the next time I have a life changing experience while teaching I'll just expect to get a new student. I spent an hour and a half after school getting things ready for this new student. And as my luck would have it, I was having the worst contractions I'd had all day. Maybe the stress will put me into labor tonight. Here's hoping! :o)

Grocery Shopping

A couple of weeks ago Austin and I had some grocery shopping to do. We went to our favorite place first, Costco. Even though it is just the two of us, we seem to shop there more than any other place. Thankfully, we didn't have much to get, but walking around was soooo painful. We were also planning on going to Smith's Marketplace to finish up our grocery needs, but Austin was insisting we go home. I didn't want to stretch out the grocery shopping more than one evening, so I said I'd be fine and that we should just go. We were going to need the stuff anyway. Austin then got this "brilliant" idea that at Smith's I'd ride one of those old people scooters while we did the shopping. I protested and protested, but to no avail. We got there and I was made to ride. I was really embarrassed at first, but once we got going I was grateful I wasn't walking. It took me a few minutes to get the hang of driving the thing. The hardest part was trying to turn around, but by the end of our trip, I was a master! Here are a few pics Austin took with his phone to document the event. He figured this was a once in a life time chance to taunt and tease me, especially since there was nothing I could do about it! :o)

How excited to do I look to be driving this thing?

Looking serious as I contemplate a grocery choice.

One of my attempts to back up and turn around.

Kinda Bumbed...

I just got home from my doctor's appointment. I was hoping to have progressed farther than I have. Last week the Dr. I saw told me I was 1 1/2 cm and 50% effaced. Today the Dr. I saw told me that my chart said I had only dilated to 1 cm last week and I am at a 1 1/2 cm today and 70% effaced. He tried to tell me that that was a lot of progress, but it didn't sound like it to me. For as many contractions as I had over the weekend and during this last week I was hoping to be at least fully effaced. Can you tell I'm anxious? I just want the aches and pains and swelling to go away. She has dropped which has put added pressure on my pubic bone and makes it even harder to walk. At this point I do a waddle-shuffle combination. It's kinda sad that my students have to wait for me to catch up so we can go places.

My beautiful swollen ankles

Austin took one of the balloons from my shower and put it up his shirt so he could be like me!

My 36 week belly

I am truly grateful I am not as big as Austin with that balloon in his shirt!
I am big enough as it is!

35 Weeks and Counting!

Because I have sciatica really bad, sitting on my couch gives me no support and is extremely painful when I get up. I have to stand still for a minute and then can barely walk. On Sunday I decided that I would sit on the piano bench to have a little more support under me and put my feet on an ottoman as we watched television. It helped my sciatic quite a bit, but soon my back got sore from not being able to sit up against anything. Austin thought my attempt at comfort and relief was worth documenting.

I look thrilled don't I?!

Thursday August 20th was our first day back to school. I was on my feet so much that day that they tripled in size and haven't gone back down. It's hard being a First Grade teacher and being able to sit for long periods of time. My students are so needy right now with it only being the beginning of the year. I am constantly walking (or waddling) around to help them. I am feeling grateful though that I have a very good and easy class so far. I hope they stay that way so I don't have to worry about leaving them when I go on maternity leave. I don't think I could handled the group I had last year in this condition!

My gigantic 35 week belly!

10 Year Reunion

My 10 year reunion was earlier this month. It's hard to believe that I have been out of High School for 10 years. How the time flies. I look back on the last 10 years and all that I've done and realize that I have accomplished quite a bit. I am pleased with how things have worked out and know that I have been very blessed by the Lord.
Our reunion was a nice dinner and social at UVU. It was good to see old classmates. We didn't have the greatest turn out, only 30-40 out of a class of 401. I was bumbed because my closest friends from High School didn't show. I was a little hesitant to go out of my way to talk to those that came. I knew a lot of them, but didn't run in the same circles. Even though I was on student council, I wasn't the type to get to know everyone. I didn't mind just blending into the background. Not exactly the personality that goes with being on student council. I did get brave as the night went on and talked to a few. Overall, I was glad I went. Austin was extremely jazzed to be at my reunion. I would have liked to have gotten a picture of the two of us, but didn't push it, so as not to add to his already wonderful mood! :)

American Fork High's Class of '99 Senior Class Council
(From L to R) Amy Parks Smith, Anne Wride Curtis, Patrick Short, Melissa Jorgensen, Me, Ashlee Nelson

Nice side view of my 33 week belly!
I was glad to not be the only one pregnant who showed up!

Cars and August

So my car just came from being in the shop AGAIN! The month of August has not been very friendly to my car. I partially blame the fact that this is the month that I have to renew my registration, so repairs are needed for it to pass. For the last 4 years my wonderful '97 Honda Civic has needed some kind of repair.

2006: New tires - $500
2007: Catalytic Converter - $1300
2008: Water leak into passenger side of car - $1500 (when all said and done - 9 months later!)
2009: Rear Brakes, Muffler and Connecting pipe - $625

Needless to say my car is turning into a lemon. There were other repairs that were suggested this last time around, but we did what was the most crucial to pass Safety and Emissions! And gratefully it passed! We're hoping this car will last with no more repairs until May when we can get a new car. I'm not looking forward to the prospect of having a car payment again, but you do what you gotta do!