Baby Shower (Picture Heavy)

Our shower was so nice. Our families put in a TON of work to make this day perfect for us. Here's some pictures!

My grandma hand cut all of these. They were all different colors and there was one at each seat!

Prize Table

My aunt Julie made a diaper cake on the right. The pink box was for the diaper raffle and can be used later as a nightlight! The diapers are shown in the next picture.

Everyone wrote us a message on a diaper. They're put in a bin for us to use in the middle of the night when we're exhausted. Some of them were encouraging and some were funny (like above!)

Me and my mom

Laughing

Auntie Emily is excited to meet Nora

My best friend, Ashley!

The dessert table. Bryan's sister made the cake and Ashley made the Nora centerpieces!

Bryan and his sister, Aimee

The tables

Opening gifts

Her first Wonder Woman onesie!

I love this picture

Nora's Bedding

Opening her travel system!

Bringing all of this home was challenging!

Week 34

Well, I don't have a picture to upload because we don't have internet at the house yet! It doesn't seem to matter though because all my pictures are gone off of here anyway :( If anyone knows why or how I can fix this, please let me know!

What is Baby Up to This Week?: 

• Measuring about 17.5 inches long, she now weighs over 5lbs!
• She's recognizing and reacting to simple songs, if you're singing them. (If you're not, start! She may find them soothing after birth.)
• She's also urinating about a pint a day.
• Getting chubbier!

Weight Gain: +17 total (No weight gain at 34 week appointment)

Gender: Girl!

Name: Lenora (Nora) Quinn

Symptoms:

• Out of breath
• Tired
• Lots of swelling
• Stress
• Feeling very heavy
• Heartburn
• Hip and lower pelvis pressure when I stand up

Swelling: My hands and feet have been swelling daily now. Sometimes I can wear my ring, but some days I have to take it off

Sleep: I only sleep with Benedryl. If I don't take it, I'm up every 2 hours or so

Movement: All the time

Food Cravings: None this week!

Food Aversions: Greasy food... because it's been giving me wicked heartburn

Rings On or Off?: Definitely off at night... on most days

What I'm Looking Forward To: The baby shower tomorrow, last day of work Friday, and then finishing the house!

What I Miss: Sleeping, not feeling like I'm going to suffocate every time I roll over in bed :(

What I'm Loving: Knowing we'll have an outside baby next month!

Labor Signs: Timeable, irregular Braxton Hicks

Belly Button: In

Next Drs Appointment: June 12th!

Best Moment of the Week: Moving into our house!

Baby Shower!

My sisters at the shower

Small Update!

Well, let's start with the important stuff! We had our 34 week OB appointment yesterday and everything looks great! I didn't gain any weight, Nora is measuring at 34 weeks, she is head down still, and her heart rate was 143! I have one more appointment for week 36 where she will do a Strep B test, and then we're on to weekly appointments! That makes things so real. Holy crap... we're having a baby!

Nora gets the hiccups 3-5 times a day and sometimes they're so rough that her entire little body twitches! I feel so bad for her. She's definitely running out of room in there because I can feel her moving all the time. This picture is a view from behind my head. That's her little butt sticking out! Haha I thought it was so cool.

She's a nut ball!

We're also moving today. The carpet will be installed between 1-4pm and then we can set up our bed, dressers, and more importantly... find all of our stuff! We have been cleaning and packing this week like crazy people. Holy moly I'm ready for this to be over with!


Woooo...Sahhhhhhh.....

417 Almost Done!

Nora's Room

Our room

Our room

View from the front door

Living room

View from dining room

New lights and medicine cabinet

Week 33

This week of baby updates will be kind of boring because I have been so exhausted from working on the house. Every time I come home from there I feel so accomplished..... just to come back the next day with 100 more things to do. I will take some more pictures tomorrow and post a new "House Update" because SO MANY things have changed this week. The house is almost done and we will move in Thursday night.

What is Baby Up to This Week?: 

• Measuring about 17 inches long, she weighs around 5lbs
• She's keeping his eyes open while awake.
• She's also starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing.
• Her bones are hardening.
• And she's going through (more) major brain development

Weight Gain: +17 total (+3 from week 28 to week 32)

Gender: Girl!

Name: Lenora (Nora) Quinn

Symptoms:

• Out of breath
• Tired
• Lots of swelling
• Stress
• Feeling very heavy
• Heartburn

Swelling: My hands and feet have been swelling pretty much every night when we get home from working on the house. I've been trying to drink enough water and resting frequently, but nothing really helps.

Sleep: I've been sleeping okay most nights, but it really has been much better with a Benedryl. I had a dream Nora's feet were hanging out of me. I told someone to call 911 because I was terrified she was going to suffocate or that if I pulled her out, her neck would break. I woke up freaking out. Total stress dream!

Movement: LOTS of bumping and hiccups. Emily got to feel her hiccups last night and Nana got to feel her going nuts today. Last week it said she should be sleeping about 95% of the day... UGH NO. I have no idea how that can be true. It seems like she's awake all the time.

Food Cravings: None this week!

Food Aversions: Greasy food... because it's been giving me wicked heartburn

Rings On or Off?: Definitely off at night... on most days

What I'm Looking Forward To: Moving in this week and my baby shower is Sunday!

What I Miss: Putting my socks on, not peeing every 10 minutes!

What I'm Loving: Feeling her moving around in there and letting my family feel her move

Labor Signs: None yet

Belly Button: In

Next Drs Appointment: Wednesday at 4:30pm

Best Moment of the Week: Today I went with my parents and my Nana to see the Book of Mormon in Chicago. I always love going up to the city, but it's extra fun to go see a show! We ate at the Italian Village afterwards and I ate everything on my plate. I was starving and so thirsty!

33 Weeks

Last picture in the apartment bathroom!

View from the front

Week 32

House Update!

Wall between living room and dining room is gone!

What is Baby Up to This Week?:

• Measuring roughly 16.5 inches long, she now weighs about 4 1/2 pounds! And from this week, until two weeks before birth, she will gain about a half-pound each week. 
• She is sleeping approximately 90 to 95 percent of the day.
• Most of her wrinkles are disappearing, especially on her face, as more fat is deposited under her skin. 
• She will also begin to settle in the head-down position, as her birth is fast approaching.

Weight Gain: +17 total (+3 from week 28 to week 32)

Gender: Girl!

Name: Lenora (Nora) Quinn

Symptoms:

• Swollen feet and fingers
• Exhausted at all times
• Out of breath
• Heartburn
• NPR: I developed a wicked cold this week with a sore throat, cough, runny nose, and congestion

Swelling: I've been swelling more now that the weather has been warmer. We've been working at the house everyday this week so I usually come home swollen from that. I've been keeping up on my water intake, but that's no match for being on my feet all day

Sleep: I've been sick with some sort of head cold from hell so I've been taking Benedryl before bed to help clear out my head. I didn't take it last night and I ended up coughing my brains out all night! I'm so tired all day, but it's been hard to stay asleep. I had some anxiety dreams last night that kept me awake. I had a dream that Nora had already been here a week and I still had not held her yet. Everyone else got to though! Then she was early so none of her clothes were washed and Bryan still had not bought batteries for the baby monitor. I think this house renovation is getting to me!

Movement: Hiccups, lots of rolling and squirming

Food Cravings: None really... I've just been tired!

Food Aversions: None really

Rings On or Off?: Off every night, still on during the day

What I'm Looking Forward To: Getting my house finished and my baby shower!

What I Miss: Fitting into clothes, bending over, not feeling like I'm shaking the apartment complex when I roll over in bed

What I'm Loving: Talking to Nora and everyone knowing I'm pregnant

Labor Signs: None yet

Belly Button: In

Next Drs Appointment: May 29th at 4:30pm. At my last appt. Nora's heartrate was at 146 bpm and she's head down and ready to go!

Best Moment of the Week: Working on the house has been exhausting, but fun. My grandparents and Brad and Julie went in and bought us a lawnmower for a house warming present!! We were so excited :D Also, we went to my neighbor's baby shower today. I grew up living next door to him my entire life and now we are expecting babies exactly one month apart. How fun!

Bryan cutting the grass

Emily and Evelyn playing in the grass

Evelyn being a goof ball!

Week 32

Transforming the 417 House

The countdown on our house has begun! We have until May 31st on our apartment lease so the pressure is on to move in as soon as possible. It might not seem like a lot of progress yet, but this is only 3 days of work! I'll post more pictures as our progress continues!

Our room before we started working on it

Bryan working on our room

Nora's room before

Nora's room in progress

The living room with impatient Bryan

The living room without carpet

1. All of the carpet had to be ripped out
2. The staples that held the carpet have to be pulled out of the floor with pliars
3. The paneling has to come down
4. There are about 500 nails per bedroom that held that paneling on that need to be pulled out
5. The nail holes have to be pounded in to be smooth
6. The glue that held the paneling on has to be scraped off with a crow bar

I can't do much expect pull nails out so I've been moving to other things!

I've been

1. Cleaning windows (which have been disgusting!)
2. I cleaned out the refrigerator
3. My mom, sisters and I pulled the contact paper out of all the the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen

Our first home!

31 Weeks

Finally a cute fruit to compare her to!

What is Baby Up to This Week?:

• Measuring approximately 16 inches long, she weighs about 3.3 lbs 
• And from this week, until two weeks before birth, she will gain about a half-pound every week
• She's going through major brain and nerve development.
• Eye development, too. Her irises now react to light!
• All five of her senses are in working order.
• She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. 
• She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy

Weight Gain: +14 total

Gender: Girl!

Name: Lenora (Nora) Quinn

Symptoms:

• Swelling
• Extreme fatigue
• Increased hunger
• Pressure in my ribs
• Pressure down low. She feels like she's going to fall out some days!

Swelling: Swelling hasn't been too bad this past week. I've been really paying attention to my water intake, resting when I'm tired, and putting my feet up

Sleep: I have no issue falling asleep, but when I wake up to use the bathroom, I'll lay there for 20-30 minutes thinking.

Movement: TONS of movement. She's rolling and squirming all the time. The other day I felt her stretch in the top right of my belly by my right rib and down on my lower left side by my hip at the same time. She's definitely getting bigger!

Food Cravings: Fried chicken and hot dogs. My cravings from first trimester are back. I'm not sure if I'll ever eat these two foods ever again after I have Nora

Food Aversions: None specifically! Morning sickness has creeped back up on me. It's not full blown, but it's enough to make me nauseous in the morning and gag.

Rings On or Off?: I take my rings off at night and when I feel swollen

What I'm Looking Forward To: Getting our house finished, the baby shower, and the last day of work!

What I Miss: Painting my toes, putting my socks on, being able to put gym shoes on by myself, not feeling like I'm going to pass out when I roll over in bed at night

What I'm Loving: Talking to her and feeling her squirm. It's the weirdest feeling.

Labor Signs: No BH, I don't think.. .and if there was, I don't remember!

Belly Button: In and I don't think it will pop out!

Next Drs Appointment: May 15th for my 32 week appointment

Best Moment of the Week: Receiving our Pack n Play via UPS! We got a note on our door saying they missed us Friday and we thought it was our address return labels. The UPS guy handed us a huge Graco box and I was so excited! Bryan's aunts and cousin couldn't make the shower so they sent us something in advance. We are so grateful!

31 Weeks

31 Weeks. I tend to wear the same thing on Fridays!

I am a little late on my weekly update because we closed on our house Friday! It took about two hours to sign all the papers, but we are now officially homeowners! The day we signed, it was cold and raining, and my family was busy so we didn't get a picture with our sold sign before they took it away :(

Saturday we went to my cousin's wedding shower and I spent 2 hours cleaning some used baby stuff that was given to us for my mom's house.

Sunday was Mother's Day so we spent a good portion of the day with my family. Bryan got me flowers, a card, and a pretty new Tervis cup so I can drink my gallon of water in style! I also got some really nice cards and other things from my family for my first Mother's (To-Be) Day!

I will do a separate post about the house with pictures!

30 Weeks 4 Days

Well, the closing on our house keeps getting pushed back. It was supposed to be May 3rd... now it's supposed to be May 10th. I got a call from my realtor yesterday and he gave me a little bit of shocking news! The house we are buying belonged to an elderly couple. The husband died and the wife was put in a nursing house. The sale was run by one of their daughters and everything was going just fine. He called to tell me that the older lady died last week! This was the reasoning behind all of the delays (house sale is turned into an estate sale and they need documentation from the courthouse). I was so sad to hear that she died, but I hope her and her husband would have been happy knowing a young couple with a baby would take care of their forever home.

Unfortunately, this puts a bigger stress on us now. In order to avoid paying $800 for June's rent, we have to be out of our apartment May 31st. That's in 3 weeks. Fine, that's not too bad... except the house is not in move in condition. The older couple who lived there had carpet from the 70's (orange and deep blue) and dark paneling on every wall in the house. Wherever the paneling isn't dark.... it's because they wallpapered over it -_- My dad, Bryan, and our families are going to help us get in there and take all the paneling down, get hardwood installed in the living room, put in all new carpet, paint all the walls, and clean clean clean before we move in. So now we went from having 4 weeks, to 3 weeks, to now maybe 2 weeks to get this all done.

I think what we'll have to do is move even if the house isn't finished. We will move all of our apartment into the garage and back room of the house... and put a mattress in the dining room until we have a bedroom. We don't have much of a choice. I would MUCH rather live like that for a small amount of time than pay another $800 in rent to our apartment complex. Bryan will still be working until the baby gets here and I will be working for one more week while we live in the dining room. Good lord please let us not be completely stressed out!

I got some exciting news yesterday. Bryan will be applying for his manager's job. He is fully qualified and hopefully the only one applying! If he gets the position, it will mean an extra $1K+ a month plus bigger bonuses than he's currently getting. Holy moly this is what we've been waiting for. The extra money would take a HUGE amount of pressure off of me to get a job ASAP. I can't describe the relief I would feel.


Exciting things coming my way soon!

1. We start childbirth classes tonight and I'm excited! I hope we don't have any really annoying people in our class... I've become so exhausted and impatient lately, I'm not sure if I can handle it! 
2. I have 21 work days left until maternity leave and I'm so EXCITED. I can't wait to wear yoga pants, dresses, and comfy clothes. 
3. We have my cousin's wedding shower this weekend and my neighbor's baby shower in 2 weeks.
4. We have 2 OB appointments this month so hopefully my weight isn't too awful
5. MY baby shower is June 2nd :)

I have a lot going on, but I am still managing to relax every second I get. I get home from work and I lay on the couch until 8pm and then sleep! I don't sleep through the night, but I never have a hard time falling asleep!

I just need to relax and let things happen. I can't make this house stuff go any faster; it's out of my hands. I just need to take things one day at a time!

She's getting heavier by the day, I do believe!