1 month check up, first fair & family party

Our first time at the fair as a family

Mom enjoying some quality time with Eli at the fair

Hi Everyone,

These past few days have been busy for us - we had Elias's 1 month appointment, went to the Durham Fair & a family gathering on Sunday. Eli's 1 month appointment was Thursday the 24th and he tipped the scale at 9lbs. 4 oz., he is gaining weight just fine and on target. Eli also got his first vaccination in front of me which was not fun to watch have done. He took it like a champ though, only about 30 seconds of non stop crying and almost turning purple in rage but then he calmed down. After the shot was done, I quickly headed over to CVS to get Infant Tylenol and gave him a small amount the doctor said was safe to give. Luckily the night went pretty well, I expected him to be extra fussy but he did just fine.

Then this Saturday was a fun day for all of us, we met Grandma Neyda (my mom) at the Durham Fair and the weather was absolutely perfect for it! Elias was so chill at the fair, he slept in the stroller just fine, he woke up 2 times to eat and get changed and let mommy, daddy, and grandma enjoy the yummy treats at the fair! On the list of goodness we ate that day was - Hot dogs/Steamed Hamburger/Lobster Bisque/Fried Dough with EXTRA sugar (yum!)/and Giant Smores! Oh yeah, I had to buy a candy apple too, that was a treat I ate later on. Needless to say I scrubbed the crap out of my teeth that night !

Elias at the fair in front of the cows sleeping

On Sunday we went over to Uncle Phil & Aunt Lori's house for Kayla's birthday celebration. Kayla & Chelsea held the baby and he just melted in their arms. Eli decided for Kayla's birthday gift he would rip out a few strands of her pretty blond hair while she held him....Needless to say Chelsea pulled her hair back before holding him! I have learned my lesson not to have my hair within his reach, the little man has quite a grip!

Kayla & Elias

Chelsea & Elias

Professional Pictures Done!

These are our pictures we took but the professional ones in the link below are much better!


Hey Guys!

Elias turned one month old on Monday the 21st and he goes for his one month appointment tomorrow where he will get a vaccination. I know it won't be fun to watch him go through this but you got to do what you got to do! Eli has been doing really great overall, he is sleeping well and he is very active. He still hates tummy time but is getting slightly better with it. He loves to try to swat at his toys that hang above his head in his baby rocker seat & his mobile. It is really cute to watch :)


While Elias is still really small we figured it would be nice to get professional pictures done. Only one problem existed - we didn't want to take him to a germ infested studio at the mall. He doesn't even have all his vaccinations yet so that really worried us. Then we got to thinking about the photographer that did our kitchen pictures (you can check those out in one of my older blog entries) and that she would be perfect for this! I quickly got in contact with her and she said she would come to our house and do Elias's pictures for us. Let me tell you, what a huge convenience that was for us and we have pictures that are so much more personalized.

If Elias was bigger and could smile "on demand" I would have totally taken him somewhere but at this stage you have to capture those moments as they come. I think our photographer Alexis did such an awesome job and we are thrilled with the pictures. When you have a minute you all can check them out :)


Password is "newborn", if you click on slide show you will hear the music with the pictures too.

http://www.eventpix.com/guest/events/event.php?_function=detail&key=2900b74ea5f011deb2030023329d91d7

Updates & "The Mommy Club"

Hi Everyone!

I feel like it has been so long since I posted an entry! Since I am up enjoying quite time before Elias wakes I figured I would get in an entry about what has been going on this past week and a half in our lives. But first here are some pictures :)


I love these froggy PJ's on Elias he will only get about 1 more wearing out of them because they are New Born sized, he is growing so long!!

Sarah holding Elias for the first time! What a natural she is.... :)

Now for the updates...

Elias -

Elias is doing great, he sleeps very well in the evening only waking up 1 time in the middle of the night and 1 time early morning to feed. He basically sleeps 3hr intervals which is working out fine. The only thing is he seems to be boycotting the nap during the day. He wants to be held all the time, it is hard to do! Just when he falls asleep in my arms I put him in the pack n' play to nap with the hopes of squeezing in a meal, cup of coffee, sorting through mail/paying bills, chores,etc. and it just doesn't work! He wakes up within minutes and wants to be held. I know you can't spoil a baby when they are this young but I am paying close attention to this.

Sometimes it is because he has gas & he needs to be walked around the house to help move the gas. Other times we put him in his baby rocker and it works for a quick 5-10mins then cries to be picked up. I try to soothe him with a pacifier and that worked only for so long, he rarely wants that unless I hold it for him! Training a 3 week old to hold a pacifier is tough work!

Also, Elias was cluster feeding for about 3 days & now is back on the 2 hr -2 1/2 hr feeding schedule during the day. Cluster feeding is tough because he finishes nursing then in less than an hour he is getting cranky and wants to eat again. You don't get a break because in that time frame he usually gets some gas so I am trying to burp him, get the gas to pass, and that results in a change of diaper and before you know it he is ready to eat again!

I think the cluster feeding has passed for now (babies do this typically at 3 weeks & 6 weeks). Cluster feeding occurs to increase the mothers milk production & I have noticed in the past 2 days that when I pump my breast milk (trying to get a stock pile in the freezer for when I go back to work) I am getting a bit more it seems.

Exercise -

My friend Sylvia is home on maternity leave with her son Jackson and we started meeting up to walk on the bike trail in Farmington on nice days. We call it "The Mommy Club". It is such a great break in the day, the babies pretty much sleep the whole way, and we get to chat & exercise at the same time. When I think about how Sylvia and I met at Uconn and all the partying we have done since the day we met and now have "the mommy club" it is pretty funny! It is nice to have friends to go through life changes with, our friend Margaret is due this October too and we were all college roommates so it is fun time for us.

Back to the exercise - I feel so good that going back to the gym this week seems like a good idea. I will take it easy but it would be nice to get back, I realized today I have been out of the gym for just under 4 weeks and it is starting to get to me. If I only make it half the time I used to go while adjusting to life with a baby & going back to work FT at the end of October, I will be fine with that. I know it is unrealistic to think I will have as much time as I had in the past for the gym, but I do need to find a balance.

Our Schedule-

Adam started his classes last night and that makes for a long day to say the least. Not only for him but for me. Right now Adam leaves the house at 5:15 am for work then he gets home at 4:15pm to get ready & leave the house by 5:30pm for class. He is not home until 9:30pm so I am home all day with Elias. Adam is taking 2 classes so Tues. & Thurs. this will be the schedule, I don't even want to think about when I go back to work how we are going to juggle this! I know it will be done and I have people I can call on for help (Thank you Debbie for last night!) but it is a little rough.

And today I leave you with a cute bath time picture of Elias!

Elias meets Uncle Tommy!!

Adam's brother Tommy has been away for work since Elias was born and finally got to meet his nephew this past Sunday! We had a nice family dinner at Adam's parents house in celebration of Debbie's birthday, Tommy coming home, and my birthday.

Today I turned 29 years old, and as I sit on the couch watching "The View" holding our little guy in my arms I realize how far I have come. If you asked me years ago where I would be at 29 years old & what I would be doing, I would have probably said exactly what I am doing today. I always wanted to live my 20's by traveling places and enjoying a carefree life & being married without children for a few years. I also accomplished running a marathon and 3 triathlons, and of course graduating college enjoying ever minute of it.

We also wanted to have 1 child by the time I turned 30 so we are right on track with that too. Another goal that Adam and I were able to achieve was to finish all our major house projects prior to having children. We successfully did that and I have to say it was a fun process although it was allot of hard work. I can't see us having that time to do those types of projects right now.

So turning 29 today isn't so bad...I know the big 30 will be fast approaching as I watch our little guy grow up but the year to come will be full of exciting new adventures for both Adam and I to look forward to!

And here is a picture of our little skinny guy that I love so much!

Some updates & pictures

First Sponge Bath & Eli relaxing in the boppy pillow :)

Hi Everyone!

The first week being home with Elias has gone really well so far. Daytime T.V. is terrible but on a more important note - we had a doctor's appt. on Monday to re-check Eli's weight and it was a success because he has gained back all the weight he lost in the hospital. I don't anticipate going forward that gaining weight is going to be an issue for Eli, he has quite the internal alarm clock and knows exactly when 2 hrs has passed for his next feeding!

Another development is that we are getting some sleep! Adam moved Eli into his crib on Sunday night and it worked like a charm. We thought it might help because we have a crib wedge which elevates his upper back a bit and since he seemed to be struggling with passing gas the prior nights we felt it was worth a shot. The doctor also suggested we try gas drops called Mylicon and they have helped tremendously. We only use it at his night time feedings and the improvement was immediate so that means his gas moves, he gets back down to sleep sooner & so do we! Since this new routine started on Sunday night Elias sleeps for 3 hr clips and it is LOVELY! I can totally handle this sleep schedule and hope it last!

I know it is much too early to say we have a "real routine" because he will go through growth spurts and cluster feed soon but I do have to say I am one happy mommy lately.

In addition, we have had lots of visitors lately and I wanted to post some pictures. There are two very precious pictures below of Elias's proud grandparents that I especially wanted to share as well.

Meme' & Poppi (Adam's parent's) & Grandma (my mother)



My girlfriends from Uconn came to visit today, Elias looks like his is melting in Caralyn's arms! And Sylvia brought Jack over for Elias's first play date!

First few days

Since we have been home on Wed. afternoon, the first few days have been going by pretty well so far :) . A few rough nights but one really good night so we are hoping for a repeat performance very soon! Overall, Elias is doing very well with breast feeding and on Monday we go back to the pediatrician to check that he is gaining weight appropriately. I think this appointment should go well since he is eating very regularly and seems to be passing enough dirty/wet diapers which means he is in good health.

We have learned lots of things he doesn't like so far and things he does like. He loves to be swaddled but can't stand his arms in the swaddle anymore. He HATES to have his diaper changed because that means he is cold! The other thing is that he really likes to be quite during the day and at night he has a period of time where he is a bit out of control, it doesn't last too long but you have to try just about everything to get him to stop fussing...my sister used to call this the "witching hour" with her first little one so we are hoping that this goes away in time.

I can't help but look at out little man, it is amazing to have him here and we just love him so much! Adam is a really great Dad too, he helps out everywhere possible with exception to the breast feeding of course! But if I need him to change the baby in the middle of the night or soothe the baby when I have done all I can he jumps right in.

Things should get a bit easier with feeding Elias around the 2-3 week mark I plan on introducing the bottle because I am going to start pumping my breast milk. I think it will be nice to have the option to have Adam feed the baby especially in the middle of the night.

So there you have it, that is our 4 day wrap up so far, we are learning allot with this process of being new parents and every day should get better as we learn what works and doesn't work.

Hope you all enjoyed the pictures !

We are home!

Hi Everyone,

I feel like I have so much to catch up since my last update. First things first....Elias John is here! He is a healthy little boy, he weighed in at 7lbs. 12.3 ounces & is 21.5 inches long. We couldn't be more happier with our little guy and he was worth all the work to get out!

After my last post on Friday about being induced mother nature took over on its own it seems...Saturday I woke up not feeling well at all, I attributed my feeling strange to the extreme humidity we were experiencing here in CT. About 12:30 in the afternoon I started to have some back pain on top of feeling crampy and by 3pm Adam and I figured going for a swim in his parents pool might make me feel better. We then decided to go to dinner & the movies. On the way to dinner at 6pm I started to feel my back pain intensify & while eating dinner I decided to time what was going on. I thought I would have contractions I could feel in my belly so I wasn't sure what was going on.

After calling my sister who has been through back labor she verified what I was feeling was labor. I was so upset because back labor was not what I wanted at all. We skipped the movies obviously & went home right away. I called my doctor when we got home and told her how I had been feeling all day & she advised me to come into the hospital and get checked out.

We got to the hospital by 9pm on Saturday night and they decided to keep me because I was inf fact having contractions & my cervix had soften almost completely on its own. I was only 1cm dilated at this time & the hope was that staying overnight controlling my pain would give me some quality sleep so that they could start the induction process a day earlier.

On Sunday morning the Pitocin drip started at 7am & my doctor came in to check me at 9am but I was only 2 cm dilated by that point. My pain started to increase dramatically by this time with every contraction and by 12noon I was buckled over shaking in pain looking for my epidural. My dilation was moving slower than molasses, but I was making some progress so they gave me my epidural and THANK GOD for that. I was able to manage my pain and I got some rest while the dilation process was still going on. By 3pm I was only @ 5cm dilated and feeling really discouraged. My contractions started to get too close and the baby's heart rate was doing ok but not great. They slowed the Pitocin drip to get things under control & it took until 7pm for them to safely start increasing the Pitocin drip again.

It was a rough day, when I was finally fully dilated & able to start pushing it was 10:30pm! UGH..... Honestly, this was the longest and hardest thing I have every been through and I still had all my work ahead of me. The doctor had determined I was having not only having a crappy back labor experience but Elias was "sunny side up" - meaning face up. She quickly told me that was not the best way to try to deliver a baby on top of back labor. She explained my options after an hour & half of pushing with little progress (forceps/vacuum/possible c-section if the baby's heart rate kept dropping). I was convinced I could do it if I could get my epidural topped off more. After I got topped at midnight I was in fact moving along and making some progress.

Thank god my doctor was patient with me, I had to have oxygen on in between contractions to help the baby's heart rate but I avoided having a c-section and other means of intervention. I ended up pushing out our "sunny side up" baby after 3.5 LONG HOURS.

To be honest I felt cheated a bit, all the work I had done trying to keep fit during this pregnancy just didn't hold up when I needed it. All the nurses & doctor told me the exact opposite but I still felt like why couldn't I have pushed Elias out sooner? The doctor reassured me if I wasn't as fit as I was I would have ended up in a c-section and she said I really impressed her and the nurses. It was a very involved labor with lots of things against me but I did it.

Looking at Elias for the first time was the best feeling for Adam and I. I could have run 2 marathons in a row and not felt as drained as this process but it was something I had to get through and I did it. Elias is such a joy to have and honestly we can't stop looking at our little man, he is just the best. We have lots of new experiences to go through and learn but we are excited to do it together as a family :)

Updates...

Today and yesterday I had doctor's appointments to make sure everything is going ok with me and the baby and I am happy to report they are :) The only thing is there are no signs of dilation still or that a natural delivery is happening anytime soon.

*BUT *I did get some good news which at the time was a huge sigh of relief for me. I really, really, really did not want to have to go to work on Monday and my wish was granted.

The doctor told me today they will start the induction process this Sunday. From the start of being pregnant, being induced was not what I originally wanted to happen but right now it sounds like a decent plan. I know there are many things that can happen being induced and I should not expect a perfect situation but I feel well informed and think this is the way to go at this stage in the game.

The plan is that on Sunday I go to the hospital at 5pm & the process is started to try to soften my cervix, by Monday morning they will start the Pitocin. From there we hope my body responds nicely and Baby Elias makes his arrival safe & sound within the day.

So what's a pregnant girl to do with this news on a Friday night? Well - for starters she is going to eat whatever she wants this weekend, see a movie and get one last manicure & pedicure. Oh yeah - maybe a little cleaning up around the house but I have been doing lots of that lately so really just tidying up!

What's annoying me lately....

I think I have been a very happy pregnant girl so far if I might say so myself. I have been able to do all the things I would normally do (with exception of drinking really) and Adam has it good because I don't pull the "I can't do anything physical around the house nonsense". Since I am "officially overdue" by 4 days now, I have noticed this increasing feeling of being annoyed by just about everything. And because it is easier for me to vent this way instead of tearing into people I figured I would take a minute out of my day here at work to do so....

1. The foot in my right rib that has been there for almost 2 straight months now is literally killing me - if anyone wants to know how this feels let me know.
2. Walking into work for the past 2 weeks every day and being asked (no more like yelled at) "You're still here" is more than annoying, it gives me the right at any given time to punch someone. Like I really want to be coming to work right now? SERIOUSLY people.
3. Being stared at while at the gym by strangers who are thinking 1 of 2 things - "Why is she still here working out" and "When is she going to have that baby already"
4. People who tell me to "Sleep now, because when the baby gets here you're not going to get any sleep". Well guess what - since January, no make that December (when I was sick with bronchitis) I have slept like absolute crap. I get 5 hrs a night but broken up, on a good day I get 6 hours. Here is a typical night for me - Go to sleep at 10:30pm up at 12:30am to pee, then back to sleep which usually doesn't happen until by 1:15-1:30am or so, and up again at 3:30am to pee, then back to sleep only to hear Adam's alarm go off at 5:00am over an over again until 5:30am when I LITERALLY kick him to get up out of bed. And I haven't even mentioned how looking over at Adam sleeping so soft & sound for another day is going to make me puke.
5. Being told have you tried walking, washing/scrubbing the floors, eating pineapple/eggplant parmesan/or spicy foods yet to get labor started? UM YES I have - more than once & none of it has worked.

Ok so I am going to stop my rant now. I can go on for a few more but you all get the point. When Baby Elias wants to come he will come, and if not he will be out by force next week. Let's just hope between now and when they want to induce me I can get my mind off from having this baby and enjoy my last few days being pregnant. I think the movies are in order for this weekend for Adam and I, and another manicure & pedicure for me...other than that not sure what else is in store for the next few days!

Due date has come & gone....

Well today was supposed to be the day and little Elias has decided to continue his camping out in my belly instead! Is this an indication of what is to come for Adam and I ?!? haha....


I checked out fine at my doctors appt. today, I gained 2 lbs, my blood pressure was 115/68 and the baby's heartbeat was nice & strong as usual. My measurement is exactly 40 weeks spot on so they truly don't think I am having a GIANT baby like I feel like I am having!


I do have some updates - I have to go back several times within this next week:

• Thursday for an ultrasound to check the level of amniotic fluid in the womb


• Friday for a Non-Stress Test which is a 30 minute monitoring test


• Monday for another Non-Stress Test
  

AND the good thing is that on Friday I will know which day next week they are going to induce me on. It is looking like next Wed. or Thurs. as of now (8/26 or 8/27). I will have to go in the night before for a small procedure to try to "soften the cervix" then I would go in that very next morning to start the inducing process @ the hospital.

So that's it for now.....hopefully some day this week I spontaneously go into labor naturally!

Finished Bathroom!

Just in time before the baby arrives the 2nd floor bathroom is finally complete! Thank you Adam - my dear husband who does all the labor for these house projects when I have my "visions"...haha...
Here are the before & after pictures I promised, they pretty much speak for themselves. The old bathroom was just slightly 70's in style & run down so it really needed a complete overhaul. What we can't seem to figure out is if we miss the old light fixture above the vanity or the wallpaper more??? LOL


AFTER

39 weeks & No signs of progress yet

Monday I had my 39 week appointment and all is well. With just one exception - the baby is a bit too cozy in there! I am making no progress towards a timely delivery it seems....no dilating or anything. My blood pressure was healthy and low as usual, the baby's heart rate was very strong and normal and my weight was fine. I am still loosing a little weight but that is ok - just a sign that I am nearing the end of my pregnancy.

Monday the 17th is my official due date and I have another appointment that day. At that time if I still have no signs of progress in the right direction they will talk about possibly inducing me sometime in the 41st week of pregnancy. That would make Baby Elias being born sometime in the week of August 24th. Lets hope things happen naturally on their own before then. Adam and I just want to meet this little guy finally! I know it will happen when he is good and ready but the waiting around wondering when he is going to come is hard to do!

No other news to report other than trying to find a comfortable sleeping position is increasingly hard to do and my ribs are still killing me. I am still going to the gym 4 days a week & everyone at the gym is probably wondering why I even bother but the more active you are the more it is supposed to get things "going". If at the very least all this working out and staying fit while pregnant is supposed to help with labor, delivery & recovery period. I just hope it really does!

38 weeks and a few days....

Yesterday, I had a doctor's appointment that went A-Ok. The baby's heartbeat is nice and strong -about 130 beats per minute, my blood pressure was 117/59 & I lost 1.5 pounds. Seems strange to me but at this stage in pregnancy it is not so uncommon. I checked into it and here is what I found :

This normal weight-gain slow down or standstill is actually one way that your body gets ready for labor — a sign that all systems are gearing up for the big event (and for the much bigger weight loss of childbirth). Here's what may account for this late pregnancy "down scale":

• Level of amniotic fluid starts to decrease — even before your water officially "breaks." Less amniotic fluid means less water weight, literally.
• The increased urge to urinate now that your baby's head is pressing down on your bladder means that you're flushing out fluids faster than ever before.
• Sweating like a pig —Now that the end (of pregnancy) is near, your body is busily ridding itself of fluid it won't be needing once its baby-making factory shuts down. The more you sweat, the more weight you lose.
• You might actually be burning more calories than ever if your nesting instinct has kicked into high gear.

On another note, I am making no progress towards the finish line as of yet. The doctor checked to see if I was dilated & no luck in that department. She did give me a suggestion to take Evening Primrose Oil capsules so I quickly picked those up at CVS. Evening Primrose Oil is an excellent source of prostaglandins, which readies your cervix for labor but it does not cause labor to start.

Basically, I can take these pills to try to ward off being induced if I am overdue by 2 weeks with a drug called Pitocin. These capsules are popular with lots of women who want to go the natural route & don't want any drugs intervention. So I am giving it a whirl - BUT let it be known I am not against drugs when the time comes to real labor!!

Weekend Events

Hi Everyone!

This weekend was low key for Adam and I for a couple of reasons....

1. The baby is due in just over 2 weeks and it isn't the best idea to "get away" at this stage in the game.

2. Adam had to tile the 2nd floor bathroom tub enclosure on Saturday and he worked later on Friday so Friday we just stayed in & relaxed.

3. I am basically in that "waiting" game mode & it feels like I don't really know what to do with myself. I am still doing all the normal things I would do - work/gym/house chores/errands, etc. but I feel a little out of place. It must be all this anticipation for the big day- like where/when is it going to happen?!

Saturday was a gorgeous summer day here in CT and to get out of Adam's way while he was working , I went to his parents pool. It was nice to relax but after about 1 hour of that I get bored. Could it have something to do with the fact that there is no Corona in my hand this summer? Hmmm..... Anyways, I managed to break up the day by coming back home to put some baby clothes away that Debbie washed then I went on an hour long walk with the dog/worked up a sweat to justify going back in the pool later in the day. After that I went to Babies R Us for some random things we still needed.

Poor Adam was home all day working on the tile - he started at 8:30am and finished at 10pm last night, it was a long day for him but he is thrilled the majority of the work is over.

Today Adam is treating himself to a day of golf & some beers with the boys so I am sure he is enjoying every minute of it!

For My Sister

So my sister Tammy has told me she isn't too happy with my blog entries that don't contain pictures! She thinks that this close to my due date I must have pictures with each entry.

I am really bad with taking pictures - mainly because Adam is a pain in the butt about it and doesn't like to do it for me. It is like pulling teeth with him, if I don't like the first picture he starts to get annoyed that I would like him to take a few more... MEN.

Here are some pics of me today - 2 weeks & 4 days from my due date, I just got home from the gym so they are not glamorous photos but they show my belly & the t-shirt my Aunt Lydia bought for me way back around 20 weeks. I am shocked it still fits to be honest.

It was a great t-shirt to have while I was working out so hard at the gym and no one knew I was pregnant, they must have wondered this girl works out all the time and she is only getting bigger!

37 week Doctor's appointment, Officially Full Term

Hi Everyone,

I went to the doctors today, everything is great, the baby's heart rate sounds nice and strong and I still have lots of movement from the baby which is good. My blood pressure was very normal for me - 103/57 and my weight gain was right on track - 1.5 pounds. That brings me to a grand total so far of 26.5 pounds. I have only 3 weeks to go!

Even with all these Braxton Hicks contractions I have been having the doctor told me that can go on for a while like this. I am not to be alarmed & don't call unless my contractions are lasting for a full minute and have gone on for an hour in duration & they are about 5 minutes apart.
I told the doctor I thought I would be stronger than this, because these "fake contraction" freaking hurt and they only last like 15 seconds! I am in for a world of pain!

On another note, I am still working out as usual getting to the gym 4 days a week along with walks on the weekend. Also doing lots of house work which is equally tiring as the gym it seems! I have not felt at all exhausted like I had expected to feel in my last month and I think the gym is to thank for this. Keeping up with all my working out really has paid off it seems. I also have not retained any water in my hands/feet and that could be attributed to working out too because it helps your circulation allot.

Adam and I have been working really hard around the house doing odds & ends that needed to be done since we moved in Fall of 2008. The list goes on and on but most importantly, in the past month the upstairs bathroom & linen closet have really taken shape. The bathroom was a complete gut & re-model and should be completed this weekend. All that is left is to tile the shower enclosure and put up a shower rod/shower curtain.

This was a huge goal for us to have done prior to the baby arriving and it looks like if the baby holds on for another week Adam will have time to get the tiling done! Once the finished product is done I will post before & after pictures. Also, once the bathroom is done every room in our house has been completely remodeled, in just over a years time. It seemed like such a long road back in April 2008 when we bought this house! If Adam wasn't the handy man that I married it would have never happened, all his hard work on the weekends & week nights after a long day of manual labor on a construction site is greatly appreciated!

Say hello to my little friend - Braxton Hicks

Today is the first day I have started to feel Braxton Hicks contractions and they are somewhat painful & scary all at once. If I move myself in another position they seem to go away or if I am sitting and get up to start walking that works too.

From Baby Center:

How can I tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and true labor contractions?

In the days or weeks before labor, Braxton Hicks contractions may intermittently become rhythmic, relatively close together, and even painful, possibly fooling you into thinking you're in labor. But unlike true labor, during this so-called false labor the contractions don't grow consistently longer, stronger, and closer together. Try drinking a couple of glasses of water, since these contractions can sometimes be brought on by dehydration. If you're past 37 weeks, there's no need to call your doctor or midwife just for contractions until they last about 60 seconds each and are five minutes apart — unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise.


So that is the deal...I could have these contractions for a long time very sporadically or things could come together quickly. All I know is that they freaked me out enough to "officially" pack my hospital bag this evening!

36 week appointment

Today I had a doctor's visit and everything is going well. My blood pressure was 119/59 (very normal for me) and I gained 2 pounds. The baby gains a 1/2 pound per week at this stage of the pregnancy so that amount of weight gain was par for the course it seems. Also, the baby's heartbeat was strong & my belly measured exactly what it should have. I tested negative for the strep test they gave me last week so that is good news as well. If I had tested positive that wouldn't be terrible either, they just give you an antibiotic so that you don't pass it along to the baby during delivery.

Some things I have been feeling lately:

1. My right side of my rib cage is ON FIRE!!! I either have a bruised rib or the baby's lodged his foot under it and has not come loose for over a week. Sometimes the pain is so-so & other times my rib is actually hot to the touch it seems. I feel better standing, or even exercising than sitting at work, the dinner table or driving. I am finding myself leaning back allot more to ease the discomfort.
2. The baby moves even more than before. I think he is becoming very impatient with his space he has in my belly or maybe he is even annoyed his foot is lodged under my rib? LOL....
3. I am starting to feel "ready" similar to the feeling I had a few weeks before I ran the Hartford Marathon. Basically, my head is there already. I wish I could say the same for Adam but I think he is JUST starting to realize how quickly a month is and this baby is coming very soon!

Other than that we have been taking stock of what we have for the baby and getting things we still need. Our trip to Babies R Us last night got allot accomplished and we need to gather some more things this week and then we should be all set.

I am packing my hospital bag this week as well, every time I see the doctors they ask if I have had any contractions which I have not experienced at all. But it made me think about getting that hospital bag packed very soon, I just never know when Baby Elias is going to make his arrival!

Baby Pavelchak's Shower!!

This past Sunday was Baby Pavelchak's shower and it was just perfect! The weather was so nice which was great because it was outdoors poolside at Debbie & John's house. My mother, Tammy & Debbie are quite the party planners! The threw such a fantastic shower for me and the baby, I can't thank them enough. We are truly blessed to have the family we have. There were many other people who helped make the day run smoothly that I would like to thank as well - John, Mimi, Brenda, Sarah and everyone else who pitched in thank you, thank you, thank you!! All the gifts we received are so greatly appreciated and we want to thank everyone for attending the shower and taking time out to welcome our little one into the world!

Here I am - Just under 5 weeks left to go and I am also positioned nicely in front of my favorite table! Hahaha...





Adam modeling his "First Time Daddy" t-shirt that Aunt Lydia gave him. He also is modeling matching Red Sox baseball caps for him and the baby from Auntie Tammy :)

And now, time for some ground breaking news to the blog.....

Baby Pavelchak will be named Elias John Pavelchak. We really liked the name because he can be nicknamed Eli, E.J. or just be Elias. We picked John as the middle name because that is Adam's middle name & his father's first name. Plus it just sounded nice to us!

Adam and I have liked this name from day 1 when I had the mother's intuition I was carrying a boy. I guess I should admit why I had such a strong feeling I was carrying a boy....I visited a psychic back in Jan. 08' that told me I would get pregnant at the end of the year AND I would have 2 boys in a row with a potential for 3 pregnancies...Not sure what the 3rd pregnancy means but she has been right so far! I know the psychic thing could be a bunch of nonsense but I do have to say she freaked me out a bit by how much she knew about my family & relationships, it was all so strange!

Back to the shower....

My sister - "Auntie Tammy" made a gorgeous diaper cake for Elias and I don't want to take it apart until I am desperate for diapers! This is her first diaper cake and she did an awesome job with it, I was very impressed!

Adam's brother - "Uncle Tommy" gave us a very sweet gift for Elias. His very first Radio Flyer wagon, rocking chair, and cozy teddy bear! We absolutely love the gift, it goes perfect with Elias's barn/farm themed room. I can just picture Baby Eli one day rolling his wagon behind him with all his toys overflowing it!

Here are more pictures from the shower that I would like to share, my mom & sister did a great job of covering all angles of the party with the camera! They put them up on Kodak Gallery - Enjoy!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=yevfkcx.cggtll31&x=1&y=-f3mq6t&localeid=en_US

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=67kwhea.61ry103y&x=0&y=9xpkx4&localeid=en_US

35 week apointment

Hi Everyone!

This past weekend was fantastic. Great weather for the baby shower & spending time with Sarah visting from VT was so much fun. I will post another entry strictly about the baby shower when I get the pictures uploaded.

Today I had my 35 week appointment and everything is A-Ok. The baby's heartbeat is strong and my blood pressure/weight gain is very good. I only gained 1 pound since my last visit but I feel like I gained allot more. I am up to a total of 23 pounds weight gain which is right on track so that is good. Baby Pavelchak is very forceful lately with his movement in my belly.


Sometimes I cringe because I feel like there is no room for him to move and it hurts! I did ask the doctor today to estimate his weight because I feel like he is a GIANT baby but they told me he is par for course at this week in my pregnancy. The doctor probably thinks I am a nut because I used the word GIANT but it sure feels like that when he is moving around!

Still no swelling in my hands/feet at this point, and no stretch marks either! Lets hope over the next month they don't appear but so far I am lucky pregnant girl :)

One thing that was a little scary at today's visit was leaving with a paper that was titled "when to know your in labor"....it had all the necessary information for me & and where to call when I do go into labor. They say the last month you never know, the baby is going to come when he wants to make his arrival so he could be early or he could be overdue...we'll see!

Here is an update from Baby Center:
"Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight."