Quick Update: Baby Rory Arrived!

Look who decided to join us a little early!

Rory Ann Steadman

9/17/14     7lbs 2oz     20 inches

Photo Credit: @jduds27

We are loving her to pieces already. Really just can't get enough! When I have more time I will post my labor and delivery story. Til then, I just wanted you to get the quick update. I'll likely be MIA for a bit taking care of the little one, and sleeping when I can. Not much free time around here (well, not much free time with available hands to type!)

 

37 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 37 Weeks (completed 9/13/14)

Skirt: Target   Shirt & Jacket: No idea!

 Total weight gain: Up another 2lbs this week. That makes 40lbs total.

Maternity/baby clothes: Bought some nursing bras this week. Hard to believe the size they suggested will fit me after delivery. I guess when the milk comes in though, it should make sense. We also got our pack and play delivered this week! Big thanks to Johns parents for gifting it to us! Our little one will be sleeping in the attached bassinett for the first while til she is older and we get our crib in too.

Still need to set it up of course, but I think we've got a little time before we'll need to.
 

Stretch marks? No new ones. 

Sleep: Average. Usual waking up for the restroom and generally uncomfortable, but really not terrible. Thank goodness!

Best moment this week: Having a good check up at the doctor. We started with our once a week appointments this week. Crazy how time flies! But baby is still doing well, and that is always a joy to hear!

Also, spent a day with some of my girlfriends and we spontaneously decided to stop and make our single friend try on wedding dresses. It was a blast! And we actually found the perfect dress for her. Now we just need the guy!  Such a fun day!

Sorry the photo is fuzzy! We couldn't get over how huge our bellies were.

Lastly this week, and I didn't take any pictures... but John and I had what we are assuming will be our last date night. We recreated our first date and it really was just a wonderful night! We went to Chilis for dinner (yes, we're kind of obsessed with that place), then to Hollywood Connection to go mini golfing. Shocker, John beat me at mini golf for the first time ever. Good job babe ;) Then we went to Baskin Robbins for some seriously delicious ice cream. Bonus, while we were sitting at Baskin Robbins we got to see a full Firework show! We don't know where they were coming from, but we had the perfect view. Love our date nights, and I think I'm going to miss them for a while.
 
Miss anything? Simply not being pregnant, huge, and uncomfortable. I'm ready when you are baby!

Movement: Yes! Always active. It's so hard to believe how big and strong she is. I mean... how does she fit in there!?

Food cravings: Nadda

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nothing this week.

Gender: Girl!

Symptoms:
PUPPPS
(so much more bearable now, and so grateful for that)
congestion
acid reflux
dry skin
leg cramps
swollen feet/ankles
back pain
hip pain
snorting

Somehow I've always left out contractions in this section. I get them several times a week (sometimes several times a day), and have gotten them that frequently for probably the last 4 months. They started early! Anyway, I'm still getting them. Not often or strong enough to be in labor of course, but they are getting a bit more frequent. 
 

Belly button in or out? Still in! Really just a miracle I think!

Wedding rings on or off? On and Off. Good news, I finally got my real ring back from being re-plated and its gorgeous! However, towards the end of this week... maybe the last two days, it wasn't fitting. So I ended up wearing the fake one again.

I can't believe I waited so long to get it cleaned and re-plated. I think it looks better than the day I got it. Love it!

Happy or moody most of the time? Happy!

 Looking forward to: Our next appointment. We will find out if I am progressing towards labor at all. So exciting!

36 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 36 Weeks (completed 9/6/14)

Capris: Motherhood Maternity    Tops: Too old to remember! So they aren't maternity.

 Total weight gain: Oh my gosh, I'm a little afraid to admit this... but I gained a LOT this week. Not sure why this week was such a drastic change, but can we blame some of it on the fact that I was super swollen all week? Thanks :)
Up 4lbs this week... that brings me to a total of 38lbs to date. Yikes!

Maternity/baby clothes: Went shopping with my mom this week for some stuff we still needed for the baby. Got a couple more onesies in sizes we didn't really have any for. Got a diaper bag too! Went cheap with that one. I can't believe how expensive some of them are! Just crazy.

Stretch marks? Nothing new (thank goodness!) Though I was thinking about stretch marks this week and how unlucky I have been with them. Then I decided that we should start a new 'old' wives tale. It should be said that the more stretch marks you get, the cuter your baby will be. Haha! I just am seriously covered in them, so I'm chalking it up to her cuteness... even though it makes no sense, but really, isn't that how all old wives tales are?

Sleep: Aside from the typical waking up to use the restroom, and general uncomfortableness that comes with a giant belly, not too bad. Only woke up 1 night due to reflux which led me to sleeping sitting up on the couch. I think I'm just getting used to all this stuff now, it doesn't really phase me like it used to.

Best moment this week:
This...

Best picture we've been able to get of our little girl this entire pregnancy. I wasn't scheduled for an ultrasound, but after our last appt, the u/s tech said we could try one more time at my next appt to get a good shot. Well, it was a different u/s tech that was there, but they let us go in real quick anyway since the room was free. We didn't ask for a 3D photo or anything, but so glad we got this gem. She was still a little shy and hidden, but I'm in love! If you can't tell, she is sucking her thumb in this photo. It is a profile shot, and the placenta and umbilical cord are hiding her a little, but maybe this will help you visualize...

Hope that helped! Anyway, seriously... I can't get over the photo. It seems to make it all a little more real.

Another great moment this week was getting to do a maternity shoot with Ashley! At first I wasn't going to do one, but she wanted to do one with me and I decided it'd be kind of fun. I'm not going to post any pictures from it today, but soon I'll do a whole separate post with all our favorites from the shoot. So stay tuned!

Me and Miss Ashley after the shoot! Love her :)

Miss anything? Same as last week, just ready for all the symptoms to magically disappear after delivery. Ah, what would it be like to have ankles again ;) Haha

Movement: Yes indeedio! Movements are getting a little more uncomfortable these days, but still always happy to know she's active.

Food cravings: Nadda

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nothing this week.

Gender: Girl!

Went to one of my cousins weddings over the weekend and my brother decided to take some pictures for me! Thanks Jason!

My favorite!

Symptoms:
PUPPPS
(so much more bearable now, and so grateful for that)
congestion
acid reflux
dry skin
leg cramps
swollen feet/ankles
back pain
hip pain
snorting

 

Belly button in or out? Still in!

Wedding rings on or off? On (Except I took it in to get re-plated and cleaned, so we bought me a fake one to wear for the week, I miss my real one already!)

Happy or moody most of the time? Happy!

At my cousin's wedding up Millcreek Canyon. It was beautiful!

 Looking forward to: Continuing getting things ready for baby's arrival, and of course to meet her. It's so close!

35 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 35 Weeks (completed 8/30/14)

Capris: Motherhood Maternity  Shirts (& flip flops): Old Navy

 Total weight gain: 1lb this week. 34 total.

Maternity/baby clothes: Hubby and I stopped by Carters this week to look at the clearance racks. Got some cute stuff on clearance, but may have picked up something else too! It was 40% off though, so I didn't feel too bad. Check out the cuteness...

All the onesies were on clearance, then I just couldn't resist the adorable jacket... I mean, just look how adorable it is! Haha she's going to be a little polar bear in that thing.

Stretch marks? Nothing new.

Sleep: Better... much better than last week!

Best moment this week: One of the best moment this week had to be my last day of work! It's just so crazy to think that I won't be going back. Got some pictures with the guys I've worked with for about 3 years now (just one month shy).

I enjoyed my time at Warp 9, but I'm so excited for my next chapter of life to begin!

Official last day in the office! I know, its plain and boring... haha, I never got around to decorating my office. Loved having my own space though!

This is Chantelle, my replacement! We worked together at my job before Warp 9, so I know I've left the office in good hands. Good luck Chantelle! Don't let the guys drive you off!

Another just fantastic moment this week was girls night. Games, girl (and baby) talk, and lots of laughing! Too much fun! Love my girls :)
Ashley took some fun pictures of the three of us that are pregnant right now. I think they're my new favorite photos! I love that we are not in this pregnancy thing alone. It makes things so much better to have someone that can relate to you, you know? And really, how much fun will it be that our babies are so close in age? Couldn't be more excited to be going through this with two of my besties!

Shanae: Due Nov 25       Laura: Due Oct 25       Me: Due Sept 28

Shanae: Boy      Laura: Girl       Me: Girl

Thanks Ash for making us take this picture! I'm sure it'll be the only we get of us all pregnant together, and it's too fun not to be remembered.

Miss anything? Hmm.... right now, probably everything. I'm just ready for the pregnancy to be over you know? Get my body back and be able to move! Not have swollen feet, or acid reflux, or be itchy. Haha, as much fun as it's all been. I'm ready for it to be over.

Movement: Yes! She has still been getting all A's on the kick count chart. Good job baby girl!
One thing I've heard and read about a lot since being pregnant, is that usually late in the third trimester people will wake up to their baby moving and/or kicking really hard at night. I'm surprised (and possibly jinxing myself), but I haven't had that happen yet. Sometimes its hard to fall asleep when she is super active, but I have yet to wake up to a hard jab of some sort. I'll consider myself lucky for that!

Food cravings: Nadda

Anything making you queasy or sick? Does Acid Reflux count? Because wow... just wow. On Tuesday night it was by far the worst I've ever had it. I ended up throwing up everything that I had eaten that night. Delicious, I know...
I felt great after though! So there's that.

Gender: Girl! Would you like to know what we have decided to name our little girl? I thought so! It really hasn't been a secret. If you know me in person, you likely already know the name. If you don't know me in person, then now is your time to find out! Our little girl will forever be known as:

RORY ANN STEADMAN
 I don't expect everyone to love it. Not everyone loves every name that parents choose for their children, but we love it! And hopefully she will too :)

Symptoms: Okay, last week I was super negative in this section. I apologize. That was just an extremely rough week, and I was taking it out on the blog. I'm happy to inform you that the PUPPPS was much more bearable this week compared to last week. Yes, I was still itchy... but I think all my home remedies helped out a lot. I got better sleep, and the itching didn't drive me to tears this week! YAY! However, towards the end of the week I got a little too confident that it was clearing up and got lazier with my home remedies, so its started to flare up again. Bad move Melissa, bad move. Back to full force with all remedies, which have included the following (for those that might sadly end up with this in a pregnancy):

1. Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap!!
2. 2-3 cold showers a day using the pine tar soap
3. Nightly oatmeal baths
(just warm enough to dissolve the oatmeal packet)
4. Itch oils & creams after every shower or bath
5. V8 juice! And a lot of it
(I use v8 splash, as I can't handle the vegetable one)
6. Zyrtec in the mornings
7. Bendryl during the day (if you can handle it)
8. Prescribed medication before bed

Fun right? It's a lot, but it all really really does help!

Other symptoms are the usuals:
congestion
acid reflux
dry skin
leg cramps
swollen feet/ankles
back pain
hip pain
snorting

 

Belly button in or out? Still in! Think I'll make it to delivery without it popping!?

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or moody most of the time? Pretty happy the first half of the week. Moody towards the end, especially on Saturday. Yikes, be glad you weren't around me. I was not a happy camper. Sorry John! (He of course got the worst of my bad mood.)

 Looking forward to: No more work! Getting the house ready for the baby, and shopping for the final things we need. Also looking forward to seeing little Rory for the first time. It's so close, and I just can't wait!