Week 38 started off pretty exciting! We went to spend Saturday at the Whitmire ranch where Tyler proposed to Kendall. We're excited for Maddox to have another awesome aunt!
I still have the pain in my back but after having it there consistently for over a week I'm just getting used to it, but still am ready for it to be gone!
We had another doctor's appointment and I was still about 50% effaced and not dialated. We also interviewed another pediatrician that we ended up choosing. She comes highly recommended and we really liked her. The office has a separate waiting area for sick children. There's also a separate entrance for newborns so you don't have to be in the waiting room and exposed to the other kiddos germs!
This week has definitely been the most difficult of my pregnancy. Thursday afternoon I got a pain in my lower back. By Friday it had become so intense that walking was extremely painful. I've tried several things to relieve the pain but nothing has worked.
Sunday Garrett and I were blessed with one more shower from our home group from church. It was another beautiful shower and we are so thankful for each of the individuals who contributed and prayed over us.
Monday I had another doctors appointment. She said there wasn't really anything we can do about the pain and offered to put me on bed rest. I told her I'd rather go to work and if the pain is still as bad after Thanksgiving then I won't go back. I am 50% effaced and the doctor said she didn't think I would make it to the 6th, however she wouldn't give me an idea of when to expect Maddox.
On Thursday I noticed and felt quite a bit of swelling in my ankles. I spent most of the day at work with my feet in a chair. Teaching is definitely not the easiest job to do from a chair. I'm thankful that my class doesn't seem to mind picking up things that I drop and going to get things for me!
I'm praying that next week is easier.
We are officially a month away from the arrival of our sweet boy. In some ways I am so ready and in others I am not at all close to being ready. I am totally over being pregnant, waddling around, and being flat out uncomfortable. On the other hand I don't know if I will ever feel totally prepared for Maddox's arrival.
This week has been a very productive one. I was able to take off of work Friday and mom, dad, and Sue came down and helped with more things than you can imagine. I got all of Maddox's clothes washed, we cleaned the entire house probably better than it's been cleaned since we moved in, set up Maddox's room, set up the world's most difficult monitor, and several other house projects. Maddox's room looks so good! Everything has come together beautifully. Garrett and I are so appreciative of our parents and everything they continue to do for us throughout this process. Again, we are so blessed.
Last week I finished sub plans for when I'm out for maternity leave. This was probably one of my biggest accomplishments since being pregnant. It took months of work and I am so glad that I am finished!
Saturday, after a quick visit with Tyler and Kendall, mom helped me prepare 23 freezer meals for when Maddox comes! Believe it or not, all of this only took 4 hours and around $150! I'm so glad that she was able to come help or else this process would have taken days.
Garrett and I were able to purchase most of things that were left on our registry (which was very few) with gift cards and a few of the things we had to return. We were also able to splurge on a swing that Garrett has wanted for quiet a while. I'm not sure if he is more excited about Maddox arriving soon or this swing. :)
We started our weekly appointments Monday. I had some kind of bacteria test...obviously I listened really well. Maddox is head down and I am not dialated yet. The process of her checking to see if I was or wasn't was extremely uncomfortable. Upon her checking all I could think was "oh my gosh I'm definitely going to need an epidural."
We also interviewed our first pediatrician. It's funny how I can google doctors for myself and choose them based on a thing or two I read online but a pediatrician requires an interview. We have two more interviews the week of Thanksgiving but we really liked this woman so we will see how the other interviews go.
This week we've started having gifts arrive from some of our friends. We are already so blessed, thank you all so much! One of my former students who is now a 5th grader came to my room the other day and said, "Mrs. Giles what are you having?" I told her and a boy and she said, "Okay, I'll tell my mom." I came into my classroom and found a sack on my desk with some baby slippers and a stuffed rabbit. There was a note that said: Mrs. Giles you were my best teacher ever! I hope your baby has a great first birthday. It was super sweet.
We also worked on Maddox's room a little bit. I'm ready for it to all be put together though. I loved how this wall turned out!
Maddox has been super busy moving all over the place. I feel like he is already about 12 pounds and NEVER sleeps. Let's pray this isn't true! Every time I see this commercial I'm convinced that this is how big Maddox actually is.
Maddox
We spent all day Saturday at our last (thank goodness) class at the hospital. This class was over child birth and everything that it entails. We even practiced the hee hee hoo. I didn't realize that people actually did that, I just thought it was for the movies. The class was pretty informative but I'm sure I won't remember any of the information once labor actually starts, nor am I sure anyone but the doctor needs to know what to do.
We're almost at week 34 and honestly I don't remember much of week 32 but here's the gist....we went to another class at the hospital. This class was over infant safety so we learned baby CPR and some other helpful tips. We also had another doctor's appointment to hear Maddox's heartbeat. Everything looked and sounded good. The doctor said that if it came down to it she wouldn't let me go past December 12th so we can expect a baby by then!
I can't believe we're at 31 weeks! It doesn't seem like that long ago we were finding out that we were pregnant.
Another couple weeks have gotten away from me without blogging. We've been crazy busy and the next few weeks only look just as busy!
Maddox got to attend his third wedding in week 30. I've been experiencing quite a bit of heartburn and indigestion. It's really bad at night and I've lost a few hours of sleep from this already. I'm hoping that it'll get better soon. There's nothing in particular that seems to trigger it other than just food itself...and I'm not at all willing to not eat! I enjoy food WAY too much. I got the results back from my glucose test and they came back good. However, my blood tests showed that I am anemic. My doctor put me on an iron supplement to help. Before that I noticed I was getting out of breath really easily and super tired. Since starting the supplement both of these things have gotten better.
For week 31 Maddox got to go visit Tyler and Kendall for the second time in Lubbock. The last time I was there I was telling Tyler I was pregnant. Maddox got his first Texas Tech apparel and a few other outfits on this trip!
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