Allisha's Room is Almost Complete

1 cm Dilated!

At my doctor's appointment last week, she checked to see if the baby was making any progress already, and she said I'm about 1 cm dilated and 30% effaced!  Today I am officially 37 weeks, which technically means I'm full term.  If Allisha decided to arrive at any point from here on out, she would be full grown, healthy, and able to survive on her own.  What a relief!  Even though I'm making progress, it doesn't mean she will be coming any earlier...I could be 1 cm for a month.  It's just nice to know we are heading in the right direction!

Quick Allisha Update

Doctor confirmed that Allisha is just a little on the bigger side!  Everything looks normal and she is growing at a "normal" rate.  Fluid levels looked good....She's within the "standard deviation" of baby growth at this point in my pregnancy, so that's good to hear.  They haven't changed my due date at all, but Jake is entirely convinced that she is going to arrive in time for Christmas.  I'm just shooting for anytime before her due date, because heaven help me if she's late.  With how big her head was at 33 weeks, I am terrified to let it grow anymore and have to deliver her!  They estimated at 33 weeks that she was 5.5 pounds....they say babies grow about 1/2 pound a week at this point, which means if I go full term to my due date, she could be around 9 pounds give or take!  Woo hoo!  She was destined to be a big girl....hopefully she won't be linebacker status right away though!  :)

New Picture of Allisha

So I had a doctor's appointment 2 weeks ago which revealed that my tummy was measuring about 4 1/2 cm bigger than what would be expected at 32 weeks (I was measuring 36 1/2 cm!).  My doctor had me schedule an ultrasound so we could take a sneak peek in there to see how Allisha was doing, and how big she was.  Of course, I was ecstatic that we were able to see her again, and hopefully confirm with confidence that she was in fact a GIRL and we weren't going to get a surprise when she was born....Honestly, I have been having bad dreams at least once a week that my due date arrived and surprise! It's a boy! Not that it would be bad to have a boy, but my goodness would we have a lot of work to do on the nursery, and he would be wearing a lot of pink for awhile....


So I had the ultrasound last week, and we did in fact confirm again that Allisha is definitely a girl.  Much to my relief....it was pretty obvious this time! I know it sounds weird, but I asked the ultrasound tech if he could print me the picture of her little girl area so I would have something to look at to calm my fears if I wake up in the middle of the night again thinking I was having a boy!  Jake is already so protective of her...he thought it was weird that I needed a printout and made me promise I wouldn't show everyone, but he's not the one having the nightmares!


We also confirmed through the measurements that the tech was able to do of her head, tummy and leg bones, that Allisha is definitely on the bigger side.  Her head was measuring around 36 weeks, her tummy around 35 weeks, and her legs around 34 weeks, while technically according to my due date, I should have been around 33 weeks.  I'm afraid she's genetically inclined to be a big baby since Jake and I were both close to 10 pounds....it sure feels like she grows every day! We haven't had a chance to hear what the radiologist concludes from these measurements yet, and should find out from my doctor tomorrow what she thinks about it.  Not sure if they will adjust the due date at all at this point, or if they can tell how much she weighs right now and can make any predictions about how big she will be at full term.  I doubt it, since the message I've heard from my doctor so far is, don't expect anything...babies will do what they want and you have no control.  Super!


So far things are going great....just trying to finish getting the nursery organized and clothes put away.  I've been really tired lately, which is why I think she's growing again.  I went through a tired spell about a month ago, and my tummy grew 2 1/2 cm more than it was expected to, so I'm anxious to see what the measurements are tomorrow.  Sleeping is getting more and more complicated!  I guess it is good training to get used to the sleepless nights, but it's not a picnic right now....naps are my friend!


Here is the best profile shot we got out of the ultrasound last week...it's just of her head/face, and she's looking up toward the left....you can make out her forehead, eye, nose, mouth and chin!

6 weeks to go!

More Updates on the Nursery!

We are officially on our way to getting the nursery finished! The bedding is in place, and Grandpa Wilbur helped us hang the curtains. It's starting to come together...feels like there is still a lot to do, but we are slowly chipping away. Next step, put away all of these clothes!

The Furniture Has Arrived!

A huge thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Quiring and Greatie Grandma and Grandpa Babb for helping Allisha have the most beautiful furniture a girl could ask for in her nursery.  We got to put it together last night (with hardly a hiccup!) and it looks amazing in her pink and gray room.  She is one spoiled girl!

The Nursery Takes Shape

We got started on the nursery this weekend....my dad came down to help us paint and put up a chair rail (something we've never done before!).  It has been quite the transformation already!  We should be getting the furniture sometime this week, and the bedding sometime in November.  So excited for the whole thing to come together!


BEFORE:

Daisy wanted to help!

DURING:

Making the chair rail!

For some reason, it was really hard to find the studs!

AFTER:

All DONE!!