Thirty Four Weeks and one day!

** Hides from evil glares**

I know I haven't sent an update lately. Thanksgiving came so fast after my last appointment on the 21st of November I didn't have the time to update. So Here is what happened 2 weeks ago on the 21st.

Thirty Two Weeks and One Day:
Michael's Grandmother, Diane, and my good friend, Nicki, accompanied me to my appointment this week. Dr. Jeanette Cook, my midwife, also delivered Nicki's son, Nathaniel (also-known-as "The Turtle Man" see link to his blog on the right.) Diane had just flew in from Florida to visit until the baby is born.

We all piled in the room after I was weighed and left a "sample" for them in the bathroom. The nurse came in and did my blood pressure and temp. I found out I GAINED 7 lbs! Holy Cow!

Jeanette came in shortly after the nurse had left. Jeanette then measured my uterus, and listened to the heart beat. 132 BPM, shes starting to slow down a bit. Then Jeanette felt my belly and told me McKenna is definitely head down permanently. Her back is on my left side and her arms and legs are to my right. She then also told me that she is currently a 4½ lbs! That I am looking at a 7 pound-er!

Because of my previous history of preterm labor, Jeanette then wanted to check my cervix to see if I have any signs of history repeating it's self. Nope so far I am doing OK. My cervix is long and closed. Whoo Hoo! She scheduled me back in two more weeks.


Thirty four Weeks and one day:

This morning I had my appointment. Diane went with me. After all the usual stuff, urine sample, blood pressure, temp check and the evil scale, a different Midwife came in.

It seems she was new and asked if it was OK to examine me instead of Jeanette. I thought why not.

I learned I only gained a ½ lb! I couldn't believe it with all the goodies I ate for Thanksgiving! I mean I practically polished off a pie by myself! Yeah I Know I am becoming a "oinker," but when there is food around!? Who can blame me.

McKenna has gained approx. 1lb since the last visit putting her at 5 ½ lbs! I am starting to get scared! If she continues at ½ a week I am looking at a 7 ½ lb baby! My other 2 were 6 lbs 14 oz and 6 lbs 6 oz. Her heart rate is at 130 BPM and my uterus is measuring at 33 1/2 inches. Also McKenna's little head is further down. So yep, she has dropped a little bit more.

Then I found out that once she is born. Katielyn won't get to visit in the hospital. Since it is RSV season no children are allowed on the Maternity Ward! I am so bummed I wanted her to come and visit! :'(

My next appointment is Dec 19th ~ Group B Strep Test is scheduled and Michael is coming with me! Stay Tuned!

Thirty Weeks and 1 day..... and oh what a day I had!

Today was my 30 week doctors appointment. Nothing really new to report except a happy healthy active baby with a heartbeat of 138BPM. She also has finished her journey and has found her way head down. She has also dropped a little... not a whole lot just a little. So no alarms yet I still have 10 weeks till the due date and 8 more till it is "OK" for her to come.

Today was one of those days that you wish you could crawl into bed and start over. The Doctors appointment was the only thing that seemed pleasant today.

This morning while leaving OfficeMax I went to get into my car. I put the key in the door, turned it, got in, put my purse on the passengers seat and then..... realized something. Ummmmmm wow I have a stereo (mine was stolen last month), my car isn't this clean, ummmmm that's not my cup in the holder, MY INTERIOR IS BROWN NOT GRAY! Oh my this isn't my car!

I panicked and hopped out of there and didn't bother locking their doors. I was sooooo embarrassed! I ran back inside to OfficeMax. I explained what happened to the clerk and asked her to page the owner so I can explain what had happened. The clerk assured me that no one noticed and she doubted they would. To go ahead and leave. That if someone came in saying someone got into their car she was going to explain what had happened. So I went ahead and left... Spooked out of my mind... it was just weird.

Then my day gets even better.... I am waiting at home for Katielyn to be dropped off by the bus. She goes to preschool from 9am to 11:30am. So I am waiting and I am waiting. I lost track of time. I was busy on the computer working. I realize that Katie was to be dropped off a half hour ago. I look for my phone and see that I have 2 missed calls. ????? I didn't hear anything.... Oh yeah I put it on Vibrate for my appointment and forgot to change it back. I listen to the voice-mail and OMG the bus came and they tried to call so they left! With Katie! The voice-mail said they were going to take her back to school and I need to go pick her up.

My heart just dropped.... now I feel like a complete idiot and the worlds worse parent. I could only imagine what Katie was feeling. Expecting to get off the bus at HER HOUSE to only drive away from it and no mommy!

So I hopped in the car and raced like a mad woman to her school. Thank God I didn't get a ticket! Michael calls because he came home for lunch and I wasn't there. So I start freaking out and crying on the phone.... What who me cry? Don't kid yourself this pregnancy has turned me into waterworks.

So I arrive at her school and run to the office. I frantically ask, "Where is Katie?, The bus was bringing her back here." They looked at me like I was a crazy woman (I probably looked like one) and told me they had no idea no ones dropped a three year old off at the office (Katielyn goes to a Elementary School for Preschool).

So I just walk out in search of her class room. And around the corner comes her teacher! Thank God. I ask her, "Is Katie with you?" She said, "No didn't the bus drop her off?" That when I lost it. I went into complete hysterics because my kid is lost and it was my fault. The teacher, Mrs. Beth, consoled me and told me "Don't worry the bus is due back here in a few minutes with the afternoon kids and procedure is that they bring the kids back here that they couldn't drop off."

I felt better and like she said there came the bus. Katie was so ecstatic to see me that she was pushing kids out of the way and she forgot her backpack. I felt so bad and apologized to the driver for not hearing the horn. That's when the driver said, "I didn't honk. I put my back up 'beepers' on." What? You didn't honk. She said that they are not allowed to because neighborhoods complain about the honking! I was so mad she didn't honk.

After a long crazy day I am glad that nothing else has happened and my little girl is home with me.

Lets just say better day tomorrow! LOL!


~ Shanda

The Turtle Man

Pictures of my Friends baby! He is soo cute. This is from Halloween night at my house. McKenna's first playmate.

Twenty Eight Weeks and Two Days (Whoo Hooo 7 Months!)

Last Friday I received my RhoGam. They used to give you a poke in the butt with a needle but now they have a form that can be inserted into my IV. Since I already was getting blood drawn for the Gestational Diabetes test they just "plugged" it on it! So it was painless!

Well this morning I had my doctors appointment.

We went over my test results for the Gestational Diabetes (Glucose Test). And I Passed! (Wipes forehead) I sure didn't want to retake it by any means!

Baby McKenna seems to be in good health. She is currently sitting diagonally with her baby bum higher up on my right side and her precious head in my lower abdomen on the left. She is stretching on out and relaxing in there.

Her heart-rate was at 140 BPM. My doctor appointments are now scheduled bi-weekly because of my past history of premature labor. I am not complaining. I would rather know if there was something wrong than wait a month till my next doctors appointment.

My midwife is hoping McKenna will make her arrival on the 1st of January. LOL I wouldn't mind it if she came on the 31st. She would qualify for this years tax break... LOL!

I bribed Michael to paint my toesies tonight. They look terrible and I can't reach my feet let alone look at them.

My weight gain has been quite a bit this pregnancy. I have already gained 25lbs this pregnancy. So my total is 170lbs! I don't know where it is being stored at... my toes I guess... LOL! I am all baby. I look like a stick with a huge ball for a tummy. I will have to hunt Michael down and get him to take pics of my belly!

Michael has made it pretty far with the crib and it is looking very nice! (I will post pics later) So it looks like she might get to sleep in it before she's three!

This weekend we went through the garage and actually got rid of 98% off the boxes in there. I found all of Katie's old clothes and a few baby items I might need (Monitors, toys etc...) So far we have acquired all the necessary large baby stuff we need. We are just missing the stroller/car seat combo. We are planing on purchasing that one ourselves! I have my eye set on the one I want! It has the snap in for the car seat but also has a second seat for Katielyn! I wish they had that when Katie was born. Poor Austin had to walk... LOL! Well that's the scoop around the Peterson house! Talk to you all soon!

Ultrasound Pics (Taken August 2005)

Look at her baby feet! (I hope they are not like her fathers! LOL!

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She's holding her ear

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(3D) She's holding her ear

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Yep, Definitely a girl!

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She's looking at us!

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She's still looking... LOL

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Hey Thumbs up!

Twenty Six Weeks

Will she have hair or won't she? That's what I am asking!

Those who have known my first two when they were babies know that they were both born bald as a cue ball. I was also bald till I was about two years old. My mom tells me she used to put syrup on bows and stick them to my little head so people wouldn't think I was a boy.

Michael was also born a baldly baby! A fat little bald baby. Though I have yet to see in any pictures of him... come on Peterson Family... LOL.

I am believing that she will be a baldy as well. Though there is a old wise tale about heartburn and a newborns hair. The tale is that if you have no heartburn the baby will have no hair, if you have heartburn the baby will have hair.

With my first two pregnancies I never had heart burn. With this one... well the past few weeks I have had heartburn or indigestion every day. Its to the point that it wakes me up at night or, like today, it will not go away! It doesn't matter what I eat it still gets me.

So my question is will she or won't she have heartburn? Hmmmmmm.... I guess only time will tell when she makes her debut into this world.

BTW does anyone have any remedies for heartburn? LOL!

Twenty Five Weeks and Four Days

Today is the birth of McKenna's Blog. I am currently 25 weeks and 4 days in with 101 days to go. That's 14 weeks and 3 days till my due date. McKenna Renea Peterson is due to arrive January 15th, 2006.

My last doctors appointment was on Monday. I have gained 15 lbs. Her heartbeat was 155 beats per minute.

Sometime next during the week of the 17th, I have my RhoGAM Shot. This shot is for mothers with RH negative blood. They give this shot because if the baby's blood is positive my body might think it is a foriegn object and attempt to get rid of it. This shot tricks the body into thinking that it is ok.

The week of the 17th I also need do my gluclose testing... YUCKY! I have to drink this sweet liquid and then in an hour they draw my blood. If I fail... they torture me! LOL! I will then have to go back and do a three hour testing. During this test I have to go there with an empty stomach and drink several bottles of the sweet gluclose stuff. Between this time they make you urinate in a cup serval times and they take your blood several times. Let just say by the end you are shaking and starving. The trick to the test, my midwife says, is to eat a bunch of protien and NO CARBS!

McKenna is a fire craker! She is constantly in motion treating my insides as a punching bag. Michael loves to play the guitar for her. It soothes her into a lulliby I believe.

Katielyn doesn't quite understand yet. She lifts her shirt and show everyone her baby in her belly. It's really cute. I think she will be a good big sister!
Well my family is starving and I need to feed them and myself. Till next week!