Doctor's appointment

We saw the doctor today. She said I'm already 1 cm dilated and just barely effaced. Which really means nothing at all. She said the ultrasound next week is basically just to make sure Evan has enough amniotic fluid and that he's doing okay. She said not to expect him before the 14th at the earliest. And she didn't seem to think we'd need a c-section. She wants to see us next week after the ultrasound and go over what's going on. Ray thinks I'm only gonna make it another couple of weeks before I pop.

Belly week 35

Family Shower

My mom and Donna threw us a shower on Valentines day. It was really nice. They had everything decorated really cute. And there was lots of food and the cake was really cute and delicious. It had a little baby laying in the middle of a flower. We had a good turn out, about 20 people. Ray and I cleaned up! We got so much stuff for Evan that we couldn't bring it all home with us. My parents are going to bring up the rest. We got a lot of the big stuff we needed, a stroller/car seat combo from my parents, a pack and play travel crib from Donna and Ted, and a highchair from my aunts. And we got a ton of clothes. I think Evan will definitely be well dressed. Mom and Lindsay also got a lot of the odds and ends that we still needed. It was definitely a great shower.
I've been trying to pack our hospital bag so we're ready to go if Evan comes early. Which I think he might. And we brought the car seat home with us. It's in the car but Ray still has to install the base before Evan comes home. It shouldn't be too hard though.
Today was my birthday. I spent most of it doing our laundry and washing Evan's so it's ready to go. I also ran around and shopped for some last minute stuff I still need. When Ray got home he took me to the Olive Garden for dinner and then we came back and had ice cream cake. It was a pretty low key b-day.
We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and then and ultrasound next week.

Week 34 Developments

How your baby's growing:
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

I had a surprise shower on Sunday. My friends Annie and Tracie wanted to have lunch and go shopping. So Annie picked me up and we went to Tracie's to pick her up. When we got there she had another friend there that we used to work with. And about ten minutes later, another former co-worker showed up. She's pregnant too, 33 weeks, and due 4 days before us. So it was a surprise joint shower for the both of us. We were both really surprised. It was a lot of fun. They had made lots of vegetarian food. One of the girls had also made a delicious homemade cake too. Evan got lots of nice presents that will really come in handy. Ray and I are going to be busy over the next week. Mine and lins' b-day is on Monday and my mom's was last Saturday. So were going down on Friday to celebrate everybody's b-day. Then on Saturday mom and Donna are giving us a shower on Valentine's day. Which should be a lot of fun. And my cousin, Eryn and aunt Barb who I hardly ever see are going to come down. Then next Friday night, Ray's previous boss and his wife are throwing us a couples shower. Then on Saturday we're having a mini shower with Will and Ryan! We're going to be worn out be next Sunday but it will be worth it! Here are some pictures from the surprise shower.

Week 33 Developments

See the big picture
How your baby's growing:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Here are some pics from the baby shower this weekend. We got lots of clothes and bath accessories for Evan.