36 wks Pregnant!!!

Today marks Neal and I at 36wks aka 9 MONTHS PREGNANT!!!! Scary to believe he will be here in about 4 weeks...I'm ok with going a smidge early but not too early! I have been feeling alot of pressure in my lower back, not sure what that means but I was thinking he is pushing against my spine and that is why it hurts so bad. I was busy putting groceries away today and was squatting putting the eggs and such away and then I stood up and felt this sharp pain in my lower back....boy oh boy did that not feel the greatest! I also have been noticing when I'm sitting in a chair or sitting on the floor with my babies at work....that I feel alot of sensation down yonder and lots of elbowing or kneeing. My hope is that Patrick is face down and that is why I get that sensation! I still havent had any leakage from my chest....I'm so worried that I wont make any milk supply to feed my baby boy, but I'm hoping in the next wk or so that all starts to change! Over the last wk and a half I have notice my socks and shoes are getting to be a bit tight on my feet, so needless to say my feet and ankles are starting to swell! I'm hoping the dr isnt concerned at my next check up on wednesday...b/c this mama needs to work as long as possible so we can make it when I'm on Maternity Leave! I had a baby shower this past wknd and boy did I feel special! The sweets, company & gifts were amazing! I also had a surprise baby shower at work on Thursday and boy is Patrick "almost" as spoiled as his mommy! Thanks to everyone who made it to the showers and those who gave us gifts! Neal and I recently had our Childbirth Class...I feel a bit more prepared with knowing all the breathing techniques, but I know that when the day comes I will probably forget everything I was taught! We also went to the Breastfeeding Class last monday night and boy I had no idea how difficult breastfeeding can be! I can see why so many people only do it for a short period of time and why alot of babies are bottle fed! Tomorrow Neal is getting off early so we can go tour the hospital. We meet a couple last Saturday at the Childbirth Class and we are also looking forward to spend another hr with them at the hospital. They are due 3 wks after our due date! Monday Neal is off and I am also off but have a training all day but after my training we have my Postpartum Class at the Hospital. Then on Wednesday we have our 36wk check up and my last appt that are 2 wks apart from the last one, and then we are gonna be visiting Dr. Neidhart every wk! A few hrs after our 36 wk check up we have our last class before Patrick comes...Caring for the Newborn! I think I'm pretty prepared since I've been working with infants for almost 9 yrs now but I may not know about keeping the belly button, the circumcision clean from infection and how to bath a newborn. So this class is mostly to teach Neal but also to freshen me up. So that is all I've been up to. Here are a few pics. I will take more pics of his baby room when it is all set up and clean!

Here is Patrick's Crib all set up minus the mattress and crib set.

Here is a few pics of my extra LARGE belly! Only 28 days left til we meet you!

34 wk Check Up

On Monday Neal and I had our 34 wk check up with Dr. Neidhart. We arrived just on time, but since as most of you know Pregnant Ladies have to pee all the time! So I asked Neal if he would check me in so I could quickly use the bathroom...mind you I pee'd prior to leaving the house which is only 15 minutes away! So they called my name and as usually they asked me nicely :) to step on the scale...150.4 pds....only 3 pds since my last check up appt 2 wks. Dr. Neidhart told us that she is actually on call the day of my due date...so here is hoping he decides to come into this world on that day so we can have our Ob "actually" deliver our baby! The only changes I have really started to notice is that my shoes are starting to feel a bit snug, my hands are aching more (possible swelling?), my back is aching more, my heartburn is in FULL SWING! and I'm having a hard time getting up of the couch, bed or floor! Mind you it is probably funny watching me doing a few crunches while trying to get up! Next wk we will be having the Capt. of the Fire/ EMS dept put in and inspect our carseat! Hard to believe that our backseat of our car won't be for storage use for much longer. On Saturday Neal & I have our Lamaze/Childbirth Class and it will also mark us 5 wks away from our due date! On Sunday Neal's mom is having a baby shower for me! I'm pretty excited to see all the cute gifts we get for our handsome boy! Well our next appt is on Wed. Feb 22nd @ 3:45, this will be my last 2 wks b/t appts! This appt I will be getting a Group B Strep Screen test and my 1st internal exam to tell us if Patrick is head up or head down! I can't wait for the next 2 wks to fly bye so I can find out, but I'm more excited to see him in about 5 wks!

Patrick James Hummel just shy of 35 wks!

32 wk Check Up

Tuesday Neal & I had our Meet & Greet with a potential Pediatrician. Our appt was at 10 am. We arrived a few minutes late b/c I had to change since I wasnt going back to work. I really hadnt thought of any questions to ask Dr. Moriarty prior to driving to the appt, so I quickly went and searched for questions to ask your pediatrician...so I jotted a few down. Dr. Moriarty seemed very well knowledgeable and just seemed like a one of a kind doctor. Which was perfect b/c I only want the best for my baby boy. Neal came up with a few questions of his own and man was I impressed with the questions he came up with! She gave us some info on when Patrick will need to be seen for his routine check up and which appt's will he be given his shots. Now all we have to do is tell the nurses at St. Mary's that our pediatrician will be Dr. Moriarty and we will be all set for his first check up at 2 wks old. Neal & I left and I was hungry for Culver's but since it was too early Neal didnt want to go, So I suggested going to Perkins since he loves their muffins. So off we went to have our breakfast...well my 2nd one of the day! On the way home I was complaining about my bra being too tight...mind you I just got a new one on Sunday afternoon. So I dropped Neal off and headed to Hilldale to exchange my bra. After talking over with the manager she let me exchange my bra for a bigger size and I also got a bra that I can wear at night and I can also use it when we come home from the hospital. Later in the afternoon we had our 32 wk check up with Dr. Fitzgerald since our Ob was not in that day. We got their a few minutes early so I quickly checked in and then hurried over to the bathroom. When I got back Neal said they were ready for us....mind you I was dreading hopping on the scale. So I hopped on with a angry look on my face...147.2pds. Almost 3 pds since my last visit...YIKES!!! D-Day needs to arrive so I can start losing! My blood pressure was good...110/70. Dr. Fitzgerald came in and ask how I was feeling and I told her that I'm starting to get more uncomfortable...changing positions all the time both at night and during the day. She asked if I have had any Braxton Hicks Contractions and I said nope not yet...but she did tell me that they would probably show up in the next couple of wks or so. She asked if I had any questions and I said yep..so she told me to hope on the bed so she could measuring my growing tummy. I'm measuring about 33cm....right were I should be! We got to hear Patrick's heartbeat and as usually he is very strong! I asked her if Dean rent's breastpump's since I plan on breastfeeding but I dont feel comfortable spending 250 plus on one when I'm not sure if he is going to take to the breast or if I'm going to produce much milk. She told me that at St. Mary's you can rent them & then if he takes well to the breast I can always buy one when need be. I asked her what other test they will be preforming prior to due date and I will be having a Group B Strep Screen taken & if it is positive I will just have to be given meds while giving birth. I also asked her how long Dr. Neidhart lets you go past your due date before she schedules us to be induced and she said about a wk past your due date and then they will schedule it! So we will definitely will be celebrating a birthday sometime in March! So all in all we are all good till our next appt in 2wks. Can't believe February is right around the corner & that means Patrick will be here in about 7 wks or so!

32 wks & 8 more to go!!!!

Here are a few pics of me at 32 wks! Hard to believe that he will be here in a few months!

Today marks us at 32 wks, so pretty much we are down to the final stretch! Next wk we have our Meet & Greet with the Pediatrician and then our regular 32 wk check up with Dr. Fitzgerald since our Ob is off that day. Within the next 3-5 wks we will be going to a Lamaze Class, a Breastfeeding Class, Touring the Hospital, a Postpartum Care Class & last but not least taking the Caring for a Newborn Class!!! Since my last appt I have been taking Maalox when needed (which is usually 3 times a day!) and it seems to be helping but I still could use something a little stronger. But I will give it another wk or so before I try the other options the Ob had suggested. We recently ordered our Carseat Travel System at Babiesrus, but had to ordered it online since the one we wanted was only online...so 4 days later the system came right to our door! Even though I had to wait several hrs before Neal got home to put it together! Here are a few pics of the new ride for Mr. Patrick James!!!
A huge thanks to my Dad & Lori for buying this carseat system for us! We really appreciate it!

I have really started to notice the protruding belly I am displaying...needless to say I'm also starting to get a bit uncomfortable! Mind you I still sleep several hrs at night but I have to toss & turn alot more to get comfy. I have started to notice alot more movement at night from Patrick, last night I just had to lay awake while he kicked & poked me for several minutes. My back has bothered me in the last wk or so, so I have been taking a few relaxing baths during the wk! I just have to remember not to lean my back so much at work & really remember to bend all the way down to pick up the kiddos at work. I have also had this sick craving for McDonald's Hot Fudge Sundae's...I have had 5 in the last wk or so! I just can't get enough of them! My chest feels alot heavier since my last dr appt, so I'm guessing my milk supply is coming in! This wknd Neal is off so we are cleaning out the babies closet, emptying out the room of stuff not needed for Patrick, vacuuming & cleaning the carpet! Busy wknd ahead of us, but a much needed priority to do!

30 wk Check Up

We had our 30 wk check up today & we meet our new doctor. Her name is Dr. Linda Neidhart & she is very nice! She is definitely someone I can work with & I can't wait for her to deliver our baby in 10 wks! Today we had our appt at the hospital since Dr. Neidhart was on duty! I stepped on the scale and I weighed in at 144.8pds. I'm not to happy with the number, but at least I know I'm gaining for a good reason! Dr. Neidhart was a few minutes late because she was delivering a healthy baby girl. I asked her a few questions that I had...mostly what else I could take besides Tums because as many as I took..nothing seemed to help. She suggested Maalox Plus or Rolaids Plus and if that doesn't work she gave me another option! Dr. Neidhart measured my tummy & I'm measuring right on at 31cm. Patrick is weighing about 3pds and sounds just as amazing as the first day we heard his heartbeat! I asked her if she could tell if he was head down or head up & she said it was hard to tell at this point but she would know more at my 36 wk check up when she does an internal exam. So I guess I will have to wait about 6 more wks to find out! So everything looks & sounds good! I'm getting so excited to meet our baby boy! Our next check up is in 2 wks and we also will be meeting with a possible pediatrician that day as well!

30 wks & 10 more or so to go!!!!

Patrick James Hummel @ 30wks

January 7th, 2012 marks us at 30 wks.....hard to believe in 2 1/2 months our baby boy will be joining our family! Within the last wk since my check up I have had horrible heartburn that won't even go away with Tums Extra Strength 1000 tablets. I have also been feeling more aches over the last wk as well....rough nights & unfortunately I can't get comfortable sitting on the couch or chair. I know it is only gonna get worse so I will just take it with a grain of salt! Patrick has been moving around alot more, definitely turn around. I haven't felt hard kicks or punches yet but I can't wait to feel them! Thursday night Neal was resting his head on the stomach watching tv, when Patrick just kept moving around. After 2 minutes he was like I can't lay like that anymore with him moving & I was like how do you think I feel when he is moving around & I can't sleep or get comfy! Then last night when I was lounging on the couch before Neal got home my stomach looked like it had waves were rolling back & forth....Patrick must have been moving around trying to get comfy!!! It is so cool to watch him move around, Neal thought it is pretty neat himself! Tuesday we have our 30 wk check up with our new Obgyn Dr. Linda Neidhart @ 3:30 at St. Mary's Hospital. (The only reason why we are meeting at the hospital is b/c she is only available that day at the hospital...so don't be alarmed, everything is fine!)

28wk Check Up

Today Neal & I had our 28wk check up with Megan Fitzgerald since Dr. Rudat is on vacation. Well we got in right on time, my blood pressure was normal. I weighed in at 143.9 pds....so I have gained about 4 1/2 pds since my last visit. I think it is all baby but I know I have been enjoying lots of treats during the holidays & even if it isnt a holiday I enjoy sweets! Dr. Fitzgerald measured me & i'm measuring just right where I should be. She put the heartbeat monitor on me & we heard Patrick but he quickly squirmed so she had to re-adjust so we could hear him! He is as strong as ever. We were advise to get the Whooping Cough vaccine, so both Neal & I received it! We also were informed that our doctor had recently passed away about 3 1/2 wks ago. We are both in utter shock of his passing, as I type this I feel soo sad for his family & all of his other patients who were shocked to find it out. We were more shocked b/c we were there to schedule our next visit with him but we were moved to a different Obgyn named Linda Neidhart. We have our next appt with her on Jan. 11th @ 3:45. We also scheduled a Meet & Greet with a Pediatric Doctor named Katherine Moriarty @ 3:15. I know some children who go to her & Dr. Fitzgerald highly recommended her so I hope it goes well b/c it a lil' over 2 1/2 months Patrick will be here! So I have been feeling alot more movement from Patrick, I cant wait to feel a kick or nudge that is un-mistakable! So before we left we scheduled all our appts from now until my due date, I actually have one just 2 days after my appt. I'm hoping he will already be here but only time will tell!