{37 & 38 week appointments}

Update - I haven't been taking as many pictures lately - as the past 2 weeks have not been my favorite & I haven't been feeling too well. As I write this, it's June 29, 2012 and I remember when I worked for Nielsen this would've been our end of fiscal day - wrapping everything up for the year...but today, it's just another Friday at UC where most people are not on campus and it's very quiet around here...I like the contrast from last year to this year. I feel pretty good today - didn't sleep very well and woke up at 3 with a leg cramp that caused me to yell out and wake Richard up (sorry!) - it just hurts so bad!! I'll re-cap the 37 & 38 week appointments (basically just copy/pasting my emails to the family) - so I can look back and remember what we were going through in June of 2012. 

Last night as we were going to bed, baby Blake starts kicking and I told Richard if he kept it up I was going to go rock in the lazyboy in the nursery and get him to go to sleep - but I pushed on him so he pushed back...I did it a few times before asking for Richard's hand to let him feel his silliness...Richard goes "You just told me you wanted him to go to sleep" and I said "I know, but this is just too cute that he does this...it won't hurt anything!" :)  He's already got me wrapped around his finger! 

We're getting excited to meet the little guy...can't wait to see what he looks like, what his personality will be - and share him with the world! He's been fun to carry around for 9 months but it's time for everyone else to get to hold him too - ha!

Oh - I did celebrate my 29th birthday this past weekend and we celebrated Richard's a bit early ...here are the pictures I took and posted to Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100615047442005.2546438.21407106&type=3&l=3e2bb73c5d

{37 week appointment} - June 22, 2012 (Evendale Location - first time) - Dr. LeMasters

Went to the doctor yesterday and they did an ultrasound to check out baby McFarland's weight - turns out he's quite big...measuring right now approximately 8 lbs 10 oz...they don't induce first time mom's before 39 weeks...and they probably won't induce me until after my due date if they induce at all - they hope my body just does it on it's own.They are concerned with if he'll fit out (yikes!)

He looks really healthy - on the ultrasound he looks fully cooked to me - he was yawning, sticking his tongue out and practicing breathing with his lungs - you could see him doing that which was neat. They said everything looks healthy though - my fluid around him looks great, placenta looks great so all good marks - they just kept saying "He's going to be big."

{38 week appointment} - June 28th, 2012 - Clifton Location - Dr. Clark

Dr. Clark - "So have they talked to you about what we do if we get to your due date and we still think the baby's big? What did Dr. LeMaster say last time?" 

We're just going to wait to see if he will come on his own through natural labor (we hope so) - because he will either fit or not fit - time will tell. If we get closer to my due date, and we want to do another ultrasound and he's possibly 10lbs or higher, they might do a primary C-section and schedule me to come in and get him out...that would not be our top choice and would not be the doctor's top choice either (seeing as though the ultrasound could be up to 1 lb off either way) - she Dr. Clark says "When they said last time he could be in the 8 1/2 pound range - it could be 7 1/2 or it could be 9 1/2). Either way, I don't think you're carrying around a peanut in there." Thanks doc!

She said I'm more likely than most to deliver on my due date because of IVF - she goes "We know exactly how old he is - we know exactly when he was put in - so it's not like we could be a week or so off. We know when your due date is." So it doesn't sound like they'll let me go much past my due date. She said she won't want to induce me because as soon as they induce me, my likelihood of c-section goes up which isn't ideal.

Her recommendations would be to drink as much water as I can because the heat can bring on labor...stay cool as much as possible...swim in a pool if I want - blood pressure was a bit high (130/93) but not too bad - swelling is out of control today - Dr. Clark did comment on that. 

It just sounds like they really don't know what will happen - it's up for this baby & my body to decide when's a good time to get this all going...I really hope it's within the next week on it's own...naturally...and that he fits...it's the little things in life, huh? Or I guess the BIG things...ha! His head is up high, and I'm only dilated 2 now...so not much progress.