38 Weeks...

We had our 38 week appointment today. I'm still only 2 cm dilated, but I'm now 80% effaced and his head has moved down quite a bit. Still not engaged, though. He said it's very possible that I could go into labor this week. If I don't, I'll go back next Tuesday for an ultrasound to see how big he is and everything. I'm pretty disappointed that I haven't dilated more, but I know that he will come when it's time! I've been able to get a lot of stuff done at school, so it's actually been pretty good. I think he's waiting for me to finish my thank you notes. So I'm going to get that done tonight=) No more excuses then!

No Baby...

Well, I hit 38 weeks yesterday, and Kamden is still waiting to make his big entrance. I'll be honest, I really thought he was coming this weekend. All our bags are packed and all my school stuff is ready. Yesterday I found out I'd lost 3 lbs. I haven't lost a single thing this entire pregnancy, and I know that this apparently happens when you're close to the end. I also didn't have an appetite and after lunch I felt full for the entire rest of the day. (I always have an appetite.) Last night I started having contractions that came 5 minutes apart, but they only lasted about 30 minutes. They seemed like good ones, too. They hurt in the front and the back, just like they're supposed to. But then they just stopped. I thought for sure my water was about to break because I had to pee, literally, every 10 minutes, and during the contractions I had to after each one. But nothing. And I haven't had another one since 11 something last night, so I guess that was that. I won't lie; I am a little disappointed. I realized how real it all is, though. Last night when I really believed it was time, I came thisclose to absolutely freaking out and breaking down and crying hysterically because what the heck am I supposed to do??? I am confident that my body and the Lord will just take over. :) I'd really like for him to come this week. I'd also really like for him to not come while I'm giving the TAKS test Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. So tonight would be great, Kam. We are all waiting for you!!

Happy Thursday!

I like Friday better than Thursday, but I'll take Thursday over any of its predecessors. Did I spell that right? I am too lazy to spell check it. Okay I just saw the spell check button and did it anyway. I did spell it right.

I am excited about this afternoon! We are taking Ella to Build-a-Bear after work to let her make an animal for herself to be her Big Sister animal and she's going to make one for Kamden that she can give to him when he's born. I totally stole that idea from someone online, but I thought it was a great way to make sure she doesn't feel left out! Woo hoo!!

I went and walked on my conference today, hoping to get this baby moved down. I had a few contractions, but nothing after I finished. Oh well. Guess it just takes time! We don't want him out until he's ready. Just want him to be ready very soon!!! =)

37 Weeks!

The weekend was a lot of fun...we went to Houston with Kaleb's family to Ella's first Astros game and it was so much fun!!! I had 3 contractions during the game and we were a little anxious, but they were still sporadic so we stuck it out. So glad we did...they actually won! Amazing. Sunday was a great time with friends after church--we had dinner with our Sunday School class--and then we watched Fireproof at church Sunday night to jumpstart our HomeBuilders small groups that will begin this Sunday. I'm really excited about this!!

This week has alredy been rough starting out. This morning I hurt so badly I thought my hip was going to swing out of joint. I walked with a limp the entire morning. By the afternoon it was much better, though. We had our 37 week appointment today! I was realllllllly hoping for some dilation, but I'd prepared myself for it to be nothing. We were in luck, though! I'm dilated 2 cm and I'm 60% effaced! Woohoooooooo!! Kamden's head is still pretty high, though, so my doctor doesn't think I'll go this week although he said anything could happen. I think our parents are going to help us out in getting Ella back to her mom's this weekend. I don't think it'd be wise for me to make the trip, and I don't want Kaleb to be 3 hours away if Kam decides to come! I definitely don't think we'll make it to 40 weeks. I think we'll do remarkably well to make it through TAKS next week, which is my main goal. I guess we will see what happens! Just so glad to be making some progress!!!

36 Weeks Down...

This past weekend I hit 36 weeks!! Unbelievable...it's happened so fast, and now it's going sooooooooo slow!!! This weekend was pretty wonderful. Friday we headed to Kaleb's parents for the annual Good Friday/Clair's Birthday Crawfish Boil! It was sooooooo good. So good, in fact, that I ended up sleeping the entire afternoon after we ate!! I felt so bad, but I apparently really needed the rest. Then we headed back to Port Arthur for a Good Friday service at our church, which was great. I got to be lazy all day Saturday AND have a date with my sweet husband that evening. Sunday we had a great Easter church service and with my in-laws for Easter dinner and an afternoon of naps, stuffed bellies, and the Masters. Then my mom and Ella arrived (she picked her up for us since it was her mom's turn to have her for Easter and so that we wouldn't have to make the 6 hour trip in a day again!) and we all played and ate some more and just spent some good time together! My mom has Spring Break this week, so she was able to stay with us through yesterday, which was SO nice. Kaleb and I loved having her there, and Ella squeezed every second of play she could out of her Nan while she was here!!

Monday we had a Staff Development half day and then we all went over to one of the teachers' houses here where they threw me my final baby shower! It was SO nice!!! We have officially gotten just about everything we need!! And what we didn't get, we got a ton of gift cards for!! We are just so amazed at how much God has blessed us through our friends and family. Kam is one loved kiddo and he's not even here yet!!

Tuesday I had my 36 week doctor's appointment, and I was realllllllllllly hoping he would check me, but he didn't. Apparently those will start at my appointment next week. Sigh. I want to know if I'm making progress here!! He feels super low with the pressure he's putting on my lower abdomen and my back. I had quite a few contractions Monday evening, but they were sporadic so we are assuming they were just Braxton Hicks. At least I'm having some now! That's gotta mean we're getting somewhere!

He belly dances almost constantly now. Poor thing must be getting so very squished in there! Although as huge as my belly's gotten it sure seems there should be plenty of room to me! I'll have to take some updated belly pics this week. I want to compare. Everyone says I've dropped, and it definitely feels like I have, but I want to SEE it, you know?

I'm on a message board with some other ladies who are due in May (Hey, girls from the board who read this!! Think it's just Stacie and Carolyn!) and 6 girls have already had their babies!!! Granted, two of them had twins, two had complications with blood pressure and one with her appendix rupturing, but one of them just flat out went into labor!! Another is being induced on Monday and another a week from Friday. This all just blows my mind!! It's getting so close. I'm having some MAJOR nesting urges. Kamden's hospital bag is packed. I'm going to get mine together this week since I finally have everything for it. I've gotten this big urge to get organized, too, in every room in the house and just throw out stuff we don't need anymore. Also, I have started making a million lists...including trying to think of things we can buy ahead of time and freeze for meals. I want to make up several dishes to have in the freezer so we won't be so tempted to eat out once Kam is here. See what I mean? Major nesting. I read this means labor is SO CLOSE. I wonder if I'm pushing it. Ha!

This is long and rambly and random. No pictures because I'm at school again. Next time!!

Picture Post!

Okay! First, a couple pictures of our sweet Kamden from his 3D ultrasound at 30 weeks!

Ohhhhhh, we cannot wait to meet this handsome little man!!!

Here are the latest updates to his side of the room...

Can you tell we are READY?? He really can bake a little longer, though. It's okay.

Here are some pics from our showers! First, the one in Many...

Our sweet Ella was SUCH huge help with all the opening of all the presents!! She is definitely going to be an amazing big sister!!!

She wasn't there to help me at the Grace Church shower, but I managed...

Man! That's maybe the most pictures I've posted ever at once!! Of course, there are a ton more of all of them on my facebook, but I am pretty sure that everyone who reads this also is on my facebook. So.

Oh, and I'd like to take this moment to say how absolutely AMAZING my husband is. He told me last week that he'd ordered a "surprise" for me and the baby. He did so good at not giving it away! It came in the mail today and it's a nursing stool!! I'd never even heard of one, but it's supposed to be a huge help with your back when you're nursing in a rocker/recliner (oh, WE GOT OUR FIRST RECLINER!!!). I'm already using it. My short legs don't have to dangle anymore!! I love him so very much all the time, and his thoughtfulness on this was just so special to me!

We had a wonderful weekend...My mom and sister came down for the church shower and stayed the night Sunday (well, Katie, stayed Saturday night, too!!) and while it was a short visit, it was so great to have them down here with us! Kaleb's mom and sisters came to the church shower, also. We are so very blessed to have such amazing families! I must go to bed now!!!

I know, I know...

I tried to update a couple of weeks ago and the electricity at my house went out so I lost everything! I had pictures and lots of words. A lot has been happening! We had our first shower, in Many, March 21st and got a TON of amazing stuff!!! Kamden has so many adorable little outfits and blankets and burp cloths...we got his room all set up! We also have been SO incredibly blessed by friends and family members who've gotten us all the big items that we registered for! I mean EVERYTHING!!! We were thinking we were going to need to buy stuff ourselves, and we now have all the big items we need! All that's left is him=) I cannot wait to meet him, but he can stay in and bake a little while longer. I have 5 weeks left until my due date, but I am pretty sure he's already dropped. People have been saying they can tell and I have noticed that I now have to run to the restroom at least once an hour. Which is pretty annoying when you're a teacher!

Last night, we had our shower at our church here. WOW. We were so overwhelmed by the love our church family poured out on us! And our moms and sisters were able to come too!!! It was so much fun getting to spend time with everyone. I can't wait to start dressing Kam up and putting up pictures of him in all his little onesies and layettes...so exciting! I have one more 2-week trip to the doctor and then after next week I'll be going every week! I cannot believe it's already time for that!!!

This is a pretty boring update. I'd include pictures, but I'm at school and don't have my hard drive here. Maybe I can liven it up tonight!!

Oh, Spring Break was wonderful!!! We had Ella that week, so she and I got to spend lots of time together. Thursday, we took her to the Butterfly Museum and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. She LOVED it!!! She's such a little scholar. She was educating us on all the different types of dinosaurs. And she's only 4! And a girl! Haha!! She is amazing and so ready for her baby brother to get here!

K, that's it for now. I promise to have a more interesting post tonight!