FULL TERM!!!

Yowerz!  Full term.  I can't believe it.  Well, actually I can since I feel like I have been pregnant for 9 years rather than 9 months.  It's crazy to think that I will be having a baby sometime in the next 4 weeks...hoping for sooner rather than later.  I'm getting antsy! :)

Well first off, we are getting soooo close to having the nursery done completely!  Yay!  We have things hung up and everything put away.  The only thing we have left to do is painting a shelf that will hold our baby's brown and green quilt on the wall.  We will also put a few things on top of the shelf, including the name and some cut out painted elephants.  I will take a picture this weekend after Jonny finishes painting them, without the name of course. :)  Jonny has done an awesome job being the little handy man.  He is getting everything ready for the baby to come!

Here is one angle of the nursery

Another angle.  The last angle is what would be right behind me in this picture.  That will make next weeks blog post :)

Other news this week...Apparently I can't call any of my family members in the next 3 weeks without them thinking I am going into labor.  I called my sister Jessica last week to ask her a random question and the first thing she said was "Oh gosh I thought you were calling cause you are in labor!"  Ha.  Nope just calling to ask how to sew the car seat canopy straps on.  Close though.  Then a very similar thing happened with my mom a few days later.  I called to ask her some questions about her flight out here and she missed the call.  Then when she called back, I was at a volleyball lesson so I couldn't answer.  I thought I would text her to tell her I would call her back.  My aunt nae responded (my mom is in Arizona and my aunt is visiting as well) since my mom was driving and said "Don't scare us like that!" Ha.  I understand that they are on the edge of their seats as much as I am and one of these days I won't just be calling to ask about sewing or flight details! 

My doctors appointment this week went well, besides the fact that I didn't leave the office until 5:05pm and we checked in at 2:50pm.  My doctor had every kind of patient that day.  Miscarriages to two different people finding out they are having twins to people having seizures to delivering a baby.  Crazy.  He just did the same appointment that we have been doing the last couple of appointments.  Checking my belly to make sure it was measuring right and listening to the heartbeat.  Everything looked good.  He told me we would be checking dilation and effacement on this coming Tuesday.  I was under the impression that he was going to do that last appointment but he said he normally doesn't check for that until a patient reaches 37 weeks which I was a few days short when I saw him.  So just a couple of days.  Curious to know if any progress has been made! :) Cross your fingers!

Last thing before the pregnancy update...We were at a volleyball lesson on Tuesday and our baby's pediatrician, who happens to be our best friends here, was shagging for his daughters lesson.  We were all helping shag and put stuff away at the end of the lesson and he jokingly came over to my stomach and pretended like he was grabbing the "volleyball" out from under my shirt to put in the ball cart.  We all laughed and his daughter said "it really looks like you are hiding a volleyball under there."  I turned to Jonny and said "you need to put a volleyball under your shirt and we can take a picture."  Neylon, our pediatrician then grabbed a ball and stuck it under his shirt.  We were all dying.  Jonny took a picture and was shocked how similar it was!  I then posted it on Facebook and Instagram and shared with others who found it funny and now I am sharing again for anyone that missed it :)  It still makes me laugh when I look at it...

Ps: I have definitely dropped!

Weekly update time! :)

36.3

36.6

 37 weeks aka Full Term!

 Total weight gain so far: Had a pretty big leap in one week and jumped up a pound and a half.  Up to 22 pounds total weight gain.

How far along are you: 37 weeks

Maternity clothes: No shocker here but yes.

Sleep: Still sleeping well, just tired.  Always.  I occasionally wake up at night but just for me to roll over and then I'm out again within seconds.

Best moment this week: Couple of things this week. 1.) Found out that my mom's flight schedule is SUPER flexible and will (crossing fingers!) make it here for the delivery!  I am sooooo excited about that! 2.) Getting the nursery complete (or really really close) takes a little bit of stress off.  3.) The breastfeeding and infant care class that we attended.  I learned a lot about breastfeeding that made me so much more comfortable and the infant care part of it was so nice for Jonny and I both.  I brought up a lot of topics for us to discuss.  And 4.) seeing the volleyball girls' faces when they see my belly move.  They love it just as much as I do.  I will miss not being able to see and feel her move all the time but it will be nice to get my body back too and have a baby to hold! 

Miss anything: Kind of weird but I miss being able to crack my back.  I used to be able to turn and twist and push on my back to get it to crack and it felt so good but I can't do that right now.  Couple of weeks and I will be able to do that again! :)

Movement: Yes.  I am pretty sure (and so is my doctor) that the babe is head down.  So I try to figure out by what movements are going on, what she is doing and what part of her body I am feeling.  It's kind of fun!

Food cravings: Nope.  I have kind of had the opposite of cravings.  Sometimes I struggle finding something that sounds good to eat.  I will find something I enjoy and pretty much eat that non stop for almost every meal and then a week later it doesn't sound good anymore and the steps repeat.  For example, cereal a couple of weeks ago was so good that I ate it pretty much everyday for breakfast and dinner.  Now I eat it in the mornings but its not as enjoyable as it was a couple of weeks ago.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope. 

Have you started to show yet: Def.

Gender: Girl

Belly button in or out: Flat/in-ish

Labor signs: Not really labor signs but this week I have been having constant menstrual like cramping for hours at a time.  I told my doctor about it and he told me that it is normal and its just the increased pressure from the baby dropping and moving her way down into my pelvic bone.  So I guess that's good cause that means there is something progressing! Hopefully that means that it is dilating and effacing me too! 

Wedding rings on or off: On.  Luckily I have been blessed not to have much swelling.

Looking forward to: having this baby!  Let's face it...I can't focus on anything but this baby lately!  All my thoughts and dreams are about the baby.  I get emotional watching birth stories or seeing pictures of people and their new babies being born.  I just want Baby Neeley here so I can hold her and love her and be her mama the best I can be! <3

Well...here's to another week.  Hopefully there will be an update next week.  Actually hopefully not because that means that I will either have had the baby or be in labor!! Yikes!

Is this real life?!

First, my coworkers son got his wisdom teeth out this week and she took a video of him while he was coming off of anesthesia and he was acting strange.  Then my co worker and I watched the YouTube video of "David after the dentist" and seriously laughed the whole way through.  Hence the blog title :)  Anyway...moving on to more important things.

I have been having a lot of "real" moments where I sit and think about how this is going to be happening...soon.  Soon we will have a baby.  Soon I won't be getting to sleep through the night.  Soon we will get to use all those little baby clothes and cute diaper bags and car seat and everything I have been dying to use since getting it.  Soon school will be starting back up and Jonny won't be around all the time.  Soon I will get to see family.  Soon life is going to change!

Most of these thoughts came from just random realization that this happening and there is no turning back.  But last night, it became even more real.  My best friend, who is 37 weeks went into labor.  She texted me at 10:30 pm with the text "I'm having a baby."  Oh my gosh.  That is crazy.  I can say it all that I want that "I'm pregnant" or "I'm due August 16, in 4 weeks" but in reality, it will be happening very soon, maybe even sooner than I think.  That thought alone is scary but when it actually happens....oh man.

Well these days, as you probably can tell or imagine, I can't think of anything but baby.  When will she come?  How big will see be?  Will my water break or will I just have to know to go into the hospital when I think things are progressing?  How is breastfeeding going to go?  Will I produce enough milk?  Will everything go ok in labor that I will be able to give birth vaginally or will I have to have a c-section?  Will she be too long to fit into newborn clothes?  Will we be prepared?!?

Questions questions questions.  I don't like the thought of uncertainty.  I am a planner.  I like the know when and how things will turn out so I can be prepared.  I am glad that I have work and volleyball to keep my mind sort of distracted.  Luckily I am not stressing about not knowing; I just REALLY want to know! :)

This week has been a good week.  We got the crib sheets and sheet protectors on the crib which means we have finished putting together that part.  We still have decorating to do and a little more organizing.  The clothes have been put away for a couple of weeks but its the other random stuff that I just need to find places for rather than the floor.  Ha.  I will take pictures of the after when its completely done which hopefully will be this weekend.  Jonny has been working his bum off this week and I am extremely grateful.  He did have some time to go golfing which I am glad about.  I know he enjoys it and that makes me happy.  I am glad that he has found something that he loves and that he goes and does with his buddies.  We did go on a golf date which was also nice.  Anyway, Jonny played some days and the other days he worked around the house.  He got the garage cleaned out and organized.  He built himself a work bench to organize his tools on and be able to work on.  He took everything out and brushed out the dirt and leaves that had been accumulating for two years.  After he did that, he went out in the ridiculous heat and mowed the front and back grass.  He amazes me daily of how hard he works.  Check out his work bench!  Pretty cool huh?

This coming Tuesday, I have my first weekly appointment cervical check.  That means they are checking to see if my body has started to progress into labor.  They will be checking to see if I have dilated or effaced at all.  My mom is planning on coming out here when I have the baby so after my appointment I will let her know what happens and she will make her plane flights accordingly!  I am so excited to have her out here to help me learn all I need to know about motherhood.  What a wonderful example I have to look at too!

So really random picture since I don't even know who this little girl is (it was posted on one of my friends Instagram page and I loved it so I had to take a screenshot and send it to Jonny and now sharing with all of you!) I love this picture because little Baby Neeley is going to be this girl in about 6 months and pretty much for the rest of her life.  She will be in the gym watching volleyball games as long as Jonny and/or I will be coaching, starting this August just a couple of weeks after she is born.  :) 

Another random picture...Jonny and I were doing some volleyball lessons yesterday when I was shagging balls and looked down at my hand as I went to pick up a ball and saw this....look at those veins!!  They were monstrous.  I just kept looking at them and thinking, man a nurse would be in heaven right now!  Baby's do some weird things to your body...

Well, that's it for this weeks catch ups.  Now onto the pregnancy update! :)

35.3

35.4

35.6

36 weeks!  Don't I look huge?! And I think the baby has dropped...maybe?

 Total weight gain so far: Well I am down to weekly appointments.  That means my weight will be going up every blog post.  Since my last doctors appointment two weeks ago, I have gained another 1/2 pound to make the total weight gain 20 1/2 pounds.

How far along are you: 36 weeks

Maternity clothes: Ya and I am losing options.  I can't really fit in many pre-maternity tops and I feel like I just wear the same outfits everyday.  Oh well.  Nothing I can do about it.

Sleep: Sleep has actually been good to me except I just can't seem to get enough.  So tired all the time.

Best moment this week: I just love when she is moving around and other people want to feel her too.  I don't mind people touching my stomach because I want them to be able to feel the amazing blessing that is growing inside.  I get to feel her everyday and I am glad I get to share that with people too!

Miss anything: I miss my energy.  I can't do a lot without getting winded and I know a lot of that is my own fault for not doing a better job working out during the pregnancy.  But I know some of it is because of how tired I am and that I am carrying around 20 extra pounds than I am used to.

Movement: All day every day.  Still loving it.  I like to try and guess what she is actually doing in there.

Food cravings: Nope.  I have enjoyed sweets more these days than I did earlier in the pregnancy.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope.  I don't think I ever really had anything that made me sick. 

Have you started to show yet: Um yes.  I feel like a whale some days.

Gender: Girl...at least I hope! :)

Belly button in or out: Flat/in-ish/I have no idea

Labor signs: I am getting Braxton Hicks daily now.  Nothing else though.  The Braxton Hicks don't hurt or anything so I am not worried.

Wedding rings on or off: On.  Luckily I have been blessed not to have much swelling.

Looking forward to: Our breastfeeding/infant care class Tuesday.  Also, I'm looking forward to my first cervical exam (I have heard that it hurts or uncomfortable but I just want to know what my body is doing, if anything).  I am hoping for my body to be progressing somewhat but I am not going to have my hopes up.

We love y'all and thanks for reading! :)

New York, first times and last times, baby update

Before I start...there are a few pictures that were taken with my phone but most of the cool pictures will come off of our camera when we can get an attachment to hook it up to the computer.  So for now....the phone pictures will have to do. :)  Enjoy!

Last week we flew to New York.  I had never been to the state of New York and Jonny had been a couple of times but not since he was 15.  We flew out of Little Rock Wednesday July 3 and arrived in Buffalo New York late that night.  We ended up getting back to Jonny's parents RV, where they are staying for the next couple of months, around 1am.  It was a long day and we were all pretty tired. 

Thursday July 4, we all slept in.  We all got ready for the day and visited our first church history site, the Sacred Grove.  Talk about some seriously amazing stuff.  I know it might just look like a regular forest/grove of trees to the average person but you start to walk in there and its undeniable the spirit you feel.  Although it did rain on us for about 20 minutes of our hour we spent in there, it was still so amazing.  We took pictures, discussed church history, bounced where we thought Joseph Smith, our churches first prophet, had the vision, and listened to Jonny's parents tell some pretty incredible stories. 

The Sacred Grove was sold to 10 different owners before the church bought it.  Time after time, owner after owner, they tried to tear down parts of the Sacred Grove to clear for building.  Every time, every owner, had the same response.  They all said they would walk into the grove and have this overwhelming feeling that they could not clear the grove.  People, not even members of the church couldn't deny the feeling they get when walking in there. 

It was such an amazing feeling to be walking on such a sacred ground.  I got the chills so many times just thinking about what happened there not too long ago and to someone that was even a younger age then me.  Learning about all of this and then visiting the sites has strengthened my testimony drastically.

Also by the Sacred Grove is Joseph Smith's house, log cabin and barn.  We were able to go and walk around there.  We saw they different places that Joseph hid the plates from the mob, where Moroni came and visited him by his bedside and where his family met for family dinners.  I loved listening to all the cool stories the tour guide and Jon and Lynnette told us about.  I felt like we were talking about church history pretty much all day.  It was amazing.  I kind of got a glimpse of what it would be like to be on a mission.  I think I really would have loved that but I am also glad what my life is and to have met Jonny and now have this baby on the way.

 

The night of July 4, we drove a little ways to Rochester and went to a AAA baseball game.  I love baseball games.  It was fun to be there and relax.  After the game, they shot off fireworks.  Seriously, the money we payed for the baseball game was totally worth it because of the fireworks alone.  They lasted probably 15 minutes and we were able to see 2 other fireworks from where we were sitting in the ballpark.  I love the 4th of July and I LOVE fireworks.  It's hard not to smile when seeing them. 

Friday July 5 was another awesome day.  We woke up and did a session at the Palmyra temple.  I have never cried so much in a temple before.  The spirit was incredibly strong and it was exactly what I needed.  I could blame my pregnancy hormones but then I don't know what excuse Jon, Lynnette and Jonny have...I am pretty sure it is just the spirit that we were all feeling.  After we got out of the temple, we took pictures.  The light wasn't great but we still got a few.  We ended up going back to the temple to take pictures 2 other times to get better ones with better light.

This was taken after our session on Friday.  Pretty amazing temple.  I can't wait to show you the other ones that were taken on our camera.  Way better and make the temple look amazing!

 

That afternoon we visited some Amish stores, went to the outlet malls and just had an enjoyable time relaxing in a beautiful state!

Saturday we woke up early and drove to Canada!  It was about 3 hours from where we were staying.  We went to a place in Ontario called Rockport.  It's right on the other side of the border, right along the St. Lawrence River.  We had some lunch there in Canada then hopped on a tour boat and took a 3 hour tour.  In the St. Lawrence River, there is a place called "The 1000 Islands."  There is actually more than just 1000 but that's besides the point.  The islands range from big pieces of land to just big enough to have a tree and a bush.  Some pieces of land had houses that WAS the island!  The edge of the house was on the very edge of the island.  The river actually splits halfway down to be an international border between Canada and the US.  On our boat tour, we actually saw the smallest international bridge that went from one island in Canada to another small island in the US.  The owner owned both islands, one in Canada and one in the US.  Pretty funny!  Check out the pictures to see all the cool stuff we saw.

Also on that boat tour, we stopped and got let out to walk around a castle that was on one of the islands.  This castle was built by a guy who was building it for his wife.  He wanted to make the perfect house for him and his children.  He started constructing the building many years ago.  It was planned to have 127 rooms, 6 stories and a total of 11 other different buildings on the island, including a children's playhouse that was probably bigger than my house right now.  The wife died before the castle was even finished.  The husband left the island and never returned.  For many years, it sat undone and in the mean time got vandalized until someone came and bought it for the purpose of finishing it and making it a tourist place.  Slowly over the years, the owner has worked to get the rooms finished.  It is not completely done yet but what is done is beautiful. 

Sunday July 7 we attended church in Palmyra, went by the temple again to take some more pictures and then headed home for lunch.  That afternoon was filled with a few more church history sites including E.B Grandin Press, the Witmer farm, and Hill Cumorah.  We also went by a pretty awesome lake called Lake Skaneatless (pronounced skinny-atlas).  If I were to live on a lake, I would totally choose this lake because the water was SO clear.  I have never been to Hawaii or Bahamas or anything but I feel like this lake was just as clear as the ocean would be there.  The other church history places were of course awesome.  I learned something new pretty much every place we went and even in the car when we were all just talking about those places. 

Monday July 8, we got up super early and drove to Buffalo where our plane would be leaving around 1pm.  We wanted to hit up Niagria Falls though before we left for home.  We were able to be there for a couple of hours.  We took the "Maid of the Mist" boat ride which is the one you go on at the bottom of the falls.  It was awesome!  We got blue ponchos to wear because at the bottom the mist is so strong that it feel like we were getting poured on!!  We got some pretty awesome pictures and I am glad we were able to go to a place that has been on my bucket list! :) yay.  Niagria Falls...check!  We then drove to the airport and had a safe trip home! 

The one with all four of us was right after we got off the boat.  It was too hard to get one with all of us on the boat without losing our awesome spots by the side.  The one with Jonny and I was taken on Jon's Iphone on the boat at the bottom of Niagria Falls.  It was "misting" which pretty much felt like a downpoor of water.  Jonny and I couldn't see a thing out of our glasses by the end of the tour.

We are so grateful that we were able to take this short but well worth it trip to New York.  My work is the best for letting me take yet another day off work.  Thanks to Jonny's parents for letting us stay with them and they did while we were there.  It is pretty dang weird to think that was our last trip babyless.  The last time we fly anywhere with ease.  The last time that we just have a few bags between the two of us.  The last time we can enjoy our flight and even sleep if we want.  Ha.  Pretty crazy to think about it but exciting at the same time.  It is so close!

Once getting back from New York, life has been pretty normal.  Got back to work and have still been pretty crazy.  Summer time is our busy time because of the weather but I love being busy at work.  It makes the day go by so much faster.  I would much rather be busy then just sit around at my desk all day doing nothing.  We are back in the swing of things for volleyball practice and lessons.  It was a good couple week break but it is good to be back.  We sure do love it.  And we are also trying to finalize the babys room and get everything ready for whenever she decides to come. 

Little side note: When we got back from NY, we had so many packages to open.  Two of them were for our friends that just moved here from Utah.  One of them had the adorable handmade headbands that my sister in law made for me.  I am so excited to put them on baby Neeley's little head :) And two of them were filled with these gems.  I hope I won't have to use them but hey, if I do, at least I got these for free!

Woah...that was a lot of catching up.  Now for this weeks update. :)

 

 33.5 weeks

 

 33.6 weeks
 

 34.1 weeks
 

34.4 weeks
 

 34.5 weeks

 

 35 weeks!

 

 

Total weight gain so far: Officially hit 20 pounds at my last doctors appointment last week.  I have another appointment in 5 days and then we are into weekly appointments from here on out!  I guess this is the best time to be gaining weight because I am supposed to be gaining a pound a week and the babe is supposed to be putting on half a pound a week.  That means half of the weight I gain is going straight to her! 

 

How far along are you: 35 weeks

 

Maternity clothes: Yep.  Pretty much living in dresses.  They seem to be the coolest and most comfortable.

 

Sleep: Sleep varies from night to night.  I had a night this last week that I was so tired all day but when I laid down to go to bed, I was wide awake.  I ended up staying up for another hour hoping I would get tired.  But once I fell asleep, man oh man I was out! 

 

Best moment this week: All of the cool stuff I learned and saw in New York.  It will truly be a trip I will never forget.  I hope I can go back one day and take our children.

 

Miss anything: Family.  Hopefully we will be able to have some come and visit when the babe is born but I know it is not easy nor is it cheap.  Still crossing my fingers!

 

Movement: I feel everything these days.  Sometimes I think that she just likes to roll around in circles.  I feel her high and low, and sometimes even at the same time.  Crazy!  It is just amazing to think that a human is living inside of me.  God is amazing.

 

Food cravings: No.  And sometimes I have the opposite where I could think of 10 different things to eat and none of them sound good.  That's pretty annoying.

 

Anything making you queasy or sick: No except with the stronger sense of smell, it seems like these days I can smell B.O and smokers from miles away.  It's hard not to make it noticable that I am plugging my nose or gasping for air.

 

Have you started to show yet: Yes.  I truly get bigger every day...gaining a pound a week!

 

Gender: Girl

 

Belly button in or out: Just flat.  Still in though

 

Labor signs: Nope.  I told Jonny that I don't think I can tell when I am having Braxton Hicks or if the baby is just moving so much that she is pushing out all over.  I guess if it doesn't hurt then it probably isn't labor signs.

 

Wedding rings on or off: On.  My ankles swelled a little bit in New York.  I think with the traveling and the lack of water really gets to you fast.  After a few days it got a lot better with excersize and lots of water.

 

Looking forward to: Our child birthing class this weekend.  I am not even sure what it will all consist of but I am just glad to be learning about it all and making it just that much more real.  And looking forward to of course meeting our baby girl sometime in the next few weeks!!  

 

Until next week peeps....take care!