29 Weeks! Doctors and Needles and Kicks, Oh My!

As we head into the 29th week of this pregnancy, I'm torn between thinking, "29 weeks, that's it?!?!" and "Good Heavens, only 11 weeks left!" It's a half-full, half-empty thing, I guess. Sutton has really started to pick up in his movements; I can almost constantly feel him moving around down there and some of those movements are pretty strong! Every single one of them is so exciting, though. I have never felt so confident in my body and what it's capable of doing than I have during my pregnancy. Being pregnant just feels 'right.' I love how I look carrying our son. I wouldn't change anything, no matter how much I complain!
Just a couple new developments on the medical side of things. I did have to go into my OB's office unexpectedly last Monday because I was having some severe abdominal cramps. Normally, when I have these little contractions, they're completely painless. This time was different and while I could still feel Sutton swimmin' around in there and they weren't 'come and go' like contractions are said to be during pre-term labor (but really, who am I to know? Never been through child birth!) I was still concerned and when I described how I was feeling to the office staff at my OB's, they agreed I should come in to get checked out. Everything turned out to be just fine, no thinning of the cervix or any signs of pre-term labor. My OB, Dr Kittrell, said my uterus was just 'tired.' "Well, hell!" I thought. "Me, too, uterus! Me, too!" He showed me some exercises to do to both relieve back pain and improve blood circulation to my uterus. I look awfully funny, but they work! I feel so much better after doing them a couple times a day. I even suggested Rusty try them for his back so we could both look stupid and feel better!
Tuesday the 16th, I went in for my Glucose Tolerance Test. If you're not familiar with the Gestational Diabetes testing, then get pregnant and you'll learn real quick! If you don't have a family history of diabetes, you can start with a one-hour, two-needle procedure: the Glucose Screening Test. Blood is drawn, you drink the equivalent of a melted orange Popsicle, wait an hour and have your blood drawn again to see how your body handles the glucose.
If you're like me, and have a family history of diabetes, you get to skip the one-hour, two-needle procedure and go straight to the 3 HOUR, FOUR-NEEDLE PROCEDURE. Lucky me. Woo. After not eating sweets for 2 days prior and fasting after 10pm the night before the procedure, you have your blood drawn (needle one) drink your orange-syrup/Popsicle-sugar-sludge, and wait. For the next three hours, you have your blood drawn THREE TIMES (that's needles two, three and four) to determine how your body processes glucose. Only after those three hours are up are you allowed to eat or drink. Hoping for a negative result, we should know something at our next appointment tomorrow afternoon.
Rusty was so sweet to come with me and make sure I would be OK through the first of the blood draws. I just took my Kindle and read the whole time, so the time actually passed pretty quickly. I also got to meet Rusty at Chesters for a bacon-cheese-jalapeno burger and onion rings afterwards. BEST HAMBURGER EVER!
Baby shower season has started and we are so blessed to have so many friends and family that want to host showers. I can't wait to see everyone and start filling up Sutton's room!
Starting tomorrow, I will be seeing the Dr every two weeks and then once a week starting at about 36 weeks (mid-April.) I've been doing some more thinking on actually delivering our son, but it's still not scaring me at all! Maybe it still isn't real or I'm just approaching it with my usual, matter-of-fact, has-to-be-done attitude. All I know is that it's going to be the best experience of our lives so far! I truly think Rusty and I both were born to be parents and we can't wait to start!

Holy Moly!

Only 93 days left!?!?!

PS: 27 week belly picture coming soon. Viewers beware: I'm HUGE.

Sutton's 25 Week Appointment

Sutton and I had our 25-week appointment this morning and everything is going as expected. Just a few random things:

• I've gained 6 pounds since our last appointment.
• Fundal height at 26 inches (one inch larger than it should be. Which accounts for the extra weight gain, I was quick to point out!)
• Gestational Diabetes testing was set up. I have to go in before our next appointment to have all the testing done. Apparently for a couple days beforehand, I can't eat sweets and I can't have anything to eat after 10pm the night before the test. I have to be in the testing center for 3 HOURS and have blood drawn every hour. YUCK! You can bet I'm going in right when they open at 7:30am so I can eat as soon as I'm done.
• We're not getting a sonogram at our next appointment after all; I'm not sure when the next one is going to be scheduled, but it should be soon.
• After this next appointment at the end of February, my appointments increase in frequency to once every two weeks instead of once every four. Which means we're getting closer!

Sutton's Room: A Work in Progress

My mom, Jeff and Brooke came in this weekend to see us and help work in the nursery. Thank heavens for all their help! We got pretty much everything put up as far as decor, now all we're waiting on is the actual baby stuff! It was so much fun doing everything with my mom, Brooke and Marli. We worked pretty much all afternoon Saturday and finished up this morning. Here's some pictures of what we got done:

I know one of the main reasons everyone came down (and Kolby and Marli came over) was to feel Sutton kickin' up a storm like he is so apt to do nowadays. No such luck! He was SO quiet all weekend. My mom finally got to feel him move a bit this morning before they left. Little stinker. Not 1/2 an hour after everyone leaves he starts squirmin' around and hasn't stopped yet. I can definitely tell where he's at now, I'm just not sure if the little bumps are a foot or an elbow and the big bumps are his head or his heinie. It's so funny when you put your hand on whatever he's sticking out and he moves away from the pressure.

We have a Dr's appointment on Tuesday morning, but it's just a check up to make sure I'm doing what I'm supposed to as a Mommy and Sutton is doing what he's supposed to as a growing baby! Our next appointment at the end of February should be another big one: gestational diabetes testing (we get to skip the screening test since I have a family history,) more blood work (boo!) and another sonogram where we'll have all his measurements taken to make sure he's as normal as a kiddo of mine and Rusty's can be!

Next weekend we're heading up to Granbury to see some friends of ours that we haven't see in TOO LONG and attend a couple's shower for some friends who are also having a little boy, just a few weeks before Sutton is due.

So ready to meet our son! I just can't believe we still have several more months until he's here...

Our Not-So-Secret Baby Name

It was supposed to be a suprise. If we couldn't stand to wait until the birth to let everyone know if we're having a boy or girl, at least we could keep the name a secret until then, right?
Wrong. We spilled the beans. We just couldn't keep it to ourselves! As most of y'all know by now, our son's name is :

SUTTON DON BROWN

It was originally a name I liked, but Rusty wanted to wait until we found out if we were having a boy or girl to even consider names. Once we knew we were going to welcome a son, this was a name that was towards the top of both of our lists. It means "from the South" which we thought was pretty appropriate and it's also a county in Texas.
In other belly news, Sutton is kicking up a storm! Rusty was able to feel him kick for the first time on December 23rd and a couple of times since then. The favorite punching bag seems to be down low on my bladder, so not alot of kicks are felt on the tummy unless Sutton wiggles around and starts thumpin' on the front or sides. I love feeling him move. It's so amazing.
We've started on the nursery and it's going to have a cowboy theme. But not baby-cowboy, more along the lines of something he can live with for awhile. It's pretty cool; I'll post some pics as soon as we get some of the mess cleaned up.
That's our update for now! We're still looking at May 8th as Sutton's expected birthday, so circle the day on your calendars!

On a Rollercoaster of Baby Boy Fun!

Baby Boy Brown is on the move! He has been so active today. I've been feeling him move off and on for a couple of weeks now, but this is the first time he's just gone crazy and hasn't stopped all day. I kept expecting little flutters and there's a few of those, but mostly it's a "riding a rollercoaster" sensation. Love it! Keep on keepin' on, my son.
Rusty and I have also decided on a name, but as most of y'all are aware, we're choosing to reveal the name only once our kiddo arrives. To keep you all guessing, I can tell you that Baby Boy Brown's first name starts with an S and his middle name is Don, after Rusty's middle name, Larry's middle name and Larry's dad's first name.

Initials of the next Texas Tech Red Raider Kicker: SDB!

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails!

We're having a boy! Rusty and I found out this morning that we are expecting a little boy. A little boy with rather big feet and the cutest, sweetest little nose. Everything is perfect, healthy and exactly as it should be. He was just a wigglin' and jumpin' around in there and would move his arms up to his face and then wave them around and squirm some more. I do believe we're going to be blessed with a hyperactive little boy, just like his Daddy! When we went in for the 'money shot' he had his feetsies crossed one on top of the other and the technician said, "Well, you can see his feet are one on top of the other and his legs are drawn up but what we need him to do is straighten out his legs and spread them!" And just like that, the baby did! We have a very cooperative little man! Pictures are forthcoming as soon as we can get them scanned. Thanks for all the well-wishes from everyone!

Ok, here's all pictures of our son!

Here he is, all stretched out, relaxing with his hands behind his head:

His face with his cute, little nose that looks like his Daddy's and one of his BIG feet:

Another of his profile and one of him showing off his 'guns':