D-Day is Set, Let the Countdown Begin!

Steve and I found out at our last appointment that we are going to have a Cesarean section. This is in part due to my narrow pelvic arch. We could have chosen to attempt a vaginal delivery, but the doctor warned it could be very difficult or impossible depending on Parker's size. Right now he is measuring a tad big for his age (2.5 lbs). We believe that a scheduled c section is what is best for us and our little Parker. So......March 3rd is our big day! Given that we don't go into labor early this will be Parker's official birthday. Now that we have a "date" we are even more excited and scared. I have been watching as many episode's of the Baby Story as I can in hopes of catching a bunch of c section births. My goal being that I will become desensitized to the whole process. I have never had to go to the hospital or have surgery so I am a little nervous about going into an OR filled with a ton of people in full scrubs and masks. Although, I am sure that by March I will be so excited to meet Parker and not be pregnant anymore that I wont care about any of the scary stuff. Right?

4D Ultrasound-27 weeks 5 days

Steve and I got to see our precious little Parker again at our 4D sono appointment this week. This time he looked a lot more like a real baby. He has filled out a great deal and all of his body parts are proportional to one another. It was very cool to feel and see him move at the same time. Our tech got some pretty good shots, but they are still a little distorted from the fluid surrounding our little man. It was so exciting to see Parker again and for Steve and I, rejuvenated the reality of what is going on inside my belly. I cant fully describe how awesome it is to know that you have created a living being with the person you love and it is growing inside of you! It is when I stop and think about the magnitude of what is going on that I feel truly blessed that Steve and I are able to experience all of this!

Here he is rubbing his sweet little eye.

Peace, man!

Parker fell asleep at one point during our session, but the tech jostled him around enough to wake him up.

As you can see he was not so happy when she woke him up.

Those are definitely his daddy's feet!

26 1/2 Week Belly Shot

I know this picture is a little shocking, but it is my reality:) I am feeling more and more like Humpty Dumpty every day. It was against my better judgment to post this, but quite a few people have demanded a recent picture so here it is............

Family Shower

Over Thanksgiving weekend my mom graciously threw Steve and I a baby shower in honor of Parker. It was a wonderful day filled with love, laughter, and lots of baby goodies! Having everyone together was very special and solidified how anticipated Parker is by all. Steve and I are truly grateful for all our family and the support they provide. It was a memorable day that we look forward to telling Parker about in the future!

Here are Steve and I opening one of the many wonderful gifts we received!

Fischer joined in on the fun, too!

This is a rocking a chair I had as a little girl. My mom sent it from Colorado to my dad in Florida to restore. Seeing this beloved chair again brought tears to my eyes. It looks absolutely beautiful and I cant wait to see Parker in it one day!

21 weeks and counting

I am proud to say that I have finally begun to feel Parker move. I have spent the last four weeks concentrating so hard on feeling movement that I have driven myself crazy! I wasn't convinced any of the sensations I was experiencing were actually Parker until this week. His movements are now very apparent and quite frequent! Currently, he is said to be about 11 inches from head to toe and weighs approximately 12 ounces (about the size of a large banana.) Parker is most active around 3pm and 9pm. They say that by this age babies have begun to form their sleeping schedule so it is likely he will be awake around these times once he is born. Last night was an exciting one as Steve was actually able to feel Parker move. We were sitting on the couch and I commented that Parker was going crazy, Steve quickly put his hand on my belly and POW Parker gave his daddy his first kick. Steve was in awe of what he felt, it was a very cool moment:)
As you can see, I am now obviously showing. I have found this to have both its advantages and drawbacks. I am relieved that strangers are now commenting on my pregnancy and are inquisitive as to how far along I am. Friends and acquaintances now enjoy running my belly whenever they see me. Some people find this a annoying, but I do not. I think it is really endearing! The only drawbacks have been the sharp pains I have been experiencing in my lower abdomen. The doctor explained that this was very normal and is caused from the separation of my abdominal muscles. My back has also been flaring up quite a bit. I have an appointment with a chiropractor today so hopefully he can work some magic. Other than these two minor things, I am feeling great! Our next appointment is the week of Thanksgiving so my mom will be able to join me. She will get to hear her grandson's heartbeat for the first time, which will be pretty special. Until next time.....

Happy Halloween!

Steve and I helped throw one of dear friends, Christa a 30th Birthday/Halloween Party. We dressed up as Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. At the party there were a number of people that asked me what I used to stuff my belly. They were surprised to find out it was a real belly with a real baby inside. It was the first time either of us have dressed up for Halloween in a really long time so it was a ton of fun. The party was a great success!

Dr.'s Appt-20 weeks

We are now 20 weeks, 3 days, which is more than halfway until the big day!!!!!! We went to the Dr.'s on Tuesday for our 5-month appointment. Our doctor went over the results from our Anatomy Sonogram and Quad Screen blood work. Everything came back completely normal!!!! This is exciting news as it is the last major testing we will have. The only thing I have left is my glucose screen for gestational diabetes, which will take place in another 6 weeks. Below are a couple of pictures from our anatomy sonogram which we had last week. We are thankful Parker wasn't as modest at our sneak peek sonogram as he was during this session. He had his legs crossed the entire time and we wouldn't have been able to find out his gender. I guess he figured that once was all we needed to see:)