Announcing...

Jenna Mei Cowley
Born: October 2, 2009
Time: 3:29 pm
Weight: 7lbs 10oz
Height: 20 in

It came...

AND WENT! Friday, September 25th was a beautiful day. Unfortunately it was just like any other day. Got up, went to work, came home, blah, blah, blah. Our little girl is taking her sweet time to join us, but there is an end in sight. No matter what I will be induced on Friday. Austin is hoping for sooner than that so she'll have a September birthday.

I did have a meltdown Friday morning before going to work, but I survived the day. I made Austin take me out so we wouldn't have to stay at home and dwell on the uneventful evening. We went to Chili's for dinner and then to a movie. We saw the new Bruce Willis movie Surrogates. It was entertaining and did the trick to take my mind off not being in labor. When we got up to go from the movie, my ankles were so big I could barely make it down the stairs. It hurt so bad to walk.

I had major cankles. Compared to Austin's nicely sculpted ankles, mine are huge!

My ankles didn't go down all weekend. After church today, I was propping them up and guess what I saw? STRETCH MARKS! Can you believe it?! I can't. Of all the places to get them, especially during pregnancy! The things we women go through to bring life into the world. It's a good thing it'll all be worth it!

40 Weeks

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!