Today's our Due Date...

...but it looks like she's staying on snug in my belly! I've been very optimistic and positive today, and now we'll continue to wait for her. My sisters are in town, which is really nice because I have people to hang out with and talk to during the day! We went swimming for a bit today, but it's so hot in Houston that the pool water wasn't even relaxing. I swam a few laps to work out my arms, and knowing my luck (and lack of exercise) I'll probably be sore tomorrow. Besides that we've just been lounging around, cleaning the house, and washing the dog. Anyways - I wanted to post some 40 week belly pictures so you can see why I am feeling so large nowadays! Enjoy!

From the front

From the side...I don't know how much further I can stick out!!

What's Going on Inside my Belly This Week...

Look at that little baby all snug as a bug...

Kelsey is continuing to build up a fat layer to help her control her temperature after birth, but if she is anything like John and I were, there will be NO problem with the extra pudge! haha She measures a little over 20 inches at this point and a bit over 7 pounds! I think that sounds like a great birth weight, let's get her into the world now :) She's the size of a mini watermelon now! (Sorry I haven't updated the fruit analogies lately!) Anyways, I've been weighing the pros and cons of inducing in my head. I want her to come naturally, but I just don't know how much longer I can take it. I really want some quality summer time with her and the summer is swiftly passing by. I've already been out of school for 3 weeks! What have I been able to accomplish in that time? Not much...house cleaning, running some errands, but besides that I just lay around with Bailey all day or browse the internet. Now I know things will dramatically change when she gets here, but I don't like being a lazy person. I feel my days are wasted when I'm just sitting around watching the newest shows on HGTV and DIY Network! So I have a doctors appointment tomorrow and I'm going to ask her what she thinks about induction. I think I would do it maybe Tuesday of next week if she would allow it. My biggest fear is havng to do a C-Section because I was impatient and chose to go this way. That is definitely one of my biggest concerns.

On a great note, I got accepted into SFA's Grad School Program, so it looks like I will be working toward my Master's in the Fall! I hope I can stay this motivated throughout the entire program! According to my schedule, I will hopefully be able to finish in 2 1/2 years. That will require me to take 2 classes each semester and 1 class over the summer. I think it will be very worth it! If nothing else, I'll get a little extra stipend for a while until a principal position opens up. Well, I have to go get ready, I'm going to drive out to meet John for lunch at Bridgeland! I'll post some belly pictures when I get ready, maybe you guys can help me determine if she looks any lower...I'm not thinking so. She still gets me in the ribs every day!

38 & 1/2 Weeks...

Well, it looks like we are going to head to our full term status. I know none of the family is disappointed as Katie has her summer school final on Saturday the 27th, my Mom also has a busy Saturday at the Tearoom, and Diane won't be coming down until July 4th! So with all that, I hope everyone is happy with the news. I, on the other hand, just want her to be here now!! I feel like I'm just wasting these summer days away and I won't get enough time with her before school! Hopefully that's not the case, but I know it's going to feel that way :(

As of yesterday, I was only 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. So the cervix has softened a little but nothing else is really happening. Also, my cervix is posterior right now. From what I've read about this, it is still tilted backwards and hasn't positioned itself for labor. So basically ... it's not that time!

It's been getting difficult on me b/c I am so ready. Sleeping is so uncomfortable right now, especially laying on my side like I'm supposed too. The front of me weighs so much that it is causing my back to sway at night and causing it to be sore in the morning. I take advantage of John leaving for work each morning because it gives me a change to spread out and take up as much space as I want.

Other than that...I did great on the GRE, so hopefully I'll get an acceptance letter to SFA Grad School soon! Bailey and I are getting a lot of bonding time because we are at the house all day, every day together. And the house is SLOWLY getting cleaned. One room at a time! I still need to pack my hospital bag...I think I may put that on the agenda for today! That's all for now...

More Pictures!

Prego Pictures!

...more to come, the website is being slllllooooww this morning!

In the words of my doctor...

.."That baby's not going anywhere for a while!" :( No, I'm not sad, I didn't expect anything to be changed at this point. If it was that means I would be almost 3 and 1/2 weeks early. Apparently nothing has changed inside at all, so we'll just keep waiting. I'm down to weekly visits though, next one being Wednesday at 9:45. Yep, during the day...because today is the LAST day of school!!! yay! It's going to be so nice to sleep in. I've been extremely tired lately. So tired that I woke John up numerous times Monday night because I was snoring so loud! If you know me, I never snore, so I must have been out...then later that morning, I woke up in a nice puddle of drool. Nice huh?! :) I told him I was just giving him a taste of his own medicine.

We have our 4th birthing class this evening. Last Thursday was canceled because our poor teacher had a stomach bug. We did get a quick tour of the birthing center at Memorial Hermann. It's very nice! I think the private suite is as large as John and I's bedroom. It has a nice fold out couch so Daddy can sleep in the room, a stand up shower (unfortunately no jacuzzi tub) for hydrotherapy, dimmer lights, tv/vcr, and a small mini-fridge. I think we'll be set. I'm going to make a CD to listen to in the room, something that will calm me down. John and I were joking that we should put hardcore pump up music to keep me motivated, or any songs that deals with babies...of course the first one we both thought of was Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby, One More Time"...haha I don't think that's gonna work out to well.

I'm still feeling good. No contractions and I don't think she's dropped much. No stretch marks (keep praying please!) and only 3 1/2 weeks left. I'm going to take next week to clean the house and get her room all ready. I also need to pack the hospital suitcase. I have a meet and greet with the pediatrician today, so I'll update you on how that goes either tomorrow or this weekend. I'm also going to take the GRE next week for Grad School. Have I mentioned I'm going back? I've been studying the vocabulary a lot because I feel very comfortable with the math side of things. Dad proof read my essay last night, and now all I have to do is pray for good results! I'm going back to get my Masters in Educational Leadership so I can become a Principal one day. If I'm going to have to work, I might as well make the most of it :)

Can't think of anything else going on right now...hope everyone will get to enjoy the summer like I soon will!!

36 Week Belly Pictures!

The Big Belly from the Front

Snug as a Bug in there..

We're In the Month of June!!!

...Can you believe it? It's Kelsey's due date month, yay!! To be honest, I can't look back and say "It feels like just yesterday we found out", because it doesn't feel that way! :) This last month is dragging on slowly and I feel like I've been pregnant forever! It is weird to think that this journey is coming to a close (less than 4 weeks, hopefully), but I can't wait to hold my little girl! Such an exciting thought!!