Counting Down

We're less than a month away from the due date...26 days to be exact! And with only five days until I'm officially full term, the countdown could be even shorter. First babies usually arrive late, but as a first baby who came two weeks early myself, I'm not banking on any set length of time. 

Some days I feel prepared; others, not so much. The nursery is still a mess and we don't have a crib yet. When friends stop over to see the house, I notice a subtle eyebrow raise when they see the nursery, quickly followed by, "It's okay. You'll get there!" I need to kick it into gear this week. But in the most basic ways, we are ready. I have changing table and diapers within reach, teeny tiny clothes washed, and swaddle blankets primed for the swaddling! 

I also want to review the materials we were given at our childbirth, infant care, and breast feeding classes. This week I also plan on packing a bag for the hospital and lining up someone to come feed the cats. 

We took a tour of the maternity ward at Seton Southwest last week. It's a small, quiet hospital, with a very calming atmosphere. It's small enough that it doesn't even have a cafeteria. But we will have a fridge to bring food for Chris and I'll have the wonderful luxury of a private room for the three of us. I felt weird snapping photos on the tour, but I did get a stealthy shot of the baby's first bed, where she'll reside in the room with us during our stay:

Showered with Love

What a weekend! We're still recovering from the excitement of our baby shower, thrown by my amazing friends and hosted by Foodie is the New Forty in her lovely home. It was overwhelming to have so many friends in one place at once and the love in the room was palpable. Not only were we showered with generous baby gifts that will help us take care of, dress, and read to our baby girl, but we ate lots of yummy food with a pop culture and Asian flare.

Pop culture cookies for everyone! A sweet favor.

A popcorn buffet, Asian noodles and chicken lettuce wraps, piles of dumplings and other dim sum treats kept us all satisfied and happy. Even the selection of Dry sodas and desserts were chosen with our tastes in mind. It was all so touching!

It was also delightful to have some family present. It was humbling to have my aunt and cousins take the very long car ride to Austin, and my sister flew in from Philadelphia even though her schedule is crazy. It's a weekend Chris and I will never forget and we are so, so grateful! I'm excited to fold baby clothes and start unboxing all her tiny little things, as well as to write thank you notes.

Where did she get that nose?

In our ultrasound last week, we saw lots of baby girl's face. I had to lay on my side, as her little head was wedged under my hip, but we were still able to get a good visual. We got to see her sucking on her tiny fingers and she stuck her tongue out a few times. She opened her eyes and made lots of cute funny faces.

Her nose is wider and flatter than our noses. In fact, no one in either of our families has a nose like that. Was she pressing up against something in there, distorting her features like when you press your face against a window? Turns out, no. The doctor told us all babies have a wider nose in utero because they simply aren't using them to breathe yet. The cartilage will take a more permanent shape soon enough. 

What we do know is that she has a lot of hair. It remains to be seen whether or not she'll get my curls or Chris' more manageable hair. I was born a baldy and stayed bald for over a year. My hair came in thick and curly all at once and has been a battle ever since. Chris hopes she carries on my curls and I hope she's tall like him. 

Is My Fetus Fat?

In this morning's ultrasound baby girl was estimated to weigh 5 pounds, 11 ounces. I just about fell off the table in shock because she was 3.5 pounds only four weeks ago. I've definitely felt the growth. She's bigger, my belly is bigger, and I've been hungrier these last few weeks. I was proud at how little I'd gained throughout the pregnancy through somewhat controlled eating, a healthy diet, and moderate exercise.

So am I blowing it in the last two months? Will I end up with a 30-pound baby?!

The doctor assured me that the growth is right on track. Baby girl is in the 86th percentile for weight, has a strong heartbeat, great movement, and all her parts are the right size and in the right places. I was assured that her growth would slow down now.

Still, I'm skipping dessert from now on.

What's in a Name?

Almost daily we're asked, "Have you chosen a name yet?" My standard answer is no, because we haven't definitively decided 100% that the name we like will be final. But we haven't budged from our favorite option so far. So...maybe we've got a name?

But we'll keep it a secret either way, because that's the only surprise we'll be able to reveal when she's born. Everyone knows it's a girl, so we'd like to announce her to the whole world by her name. 

Picking a name is tough, by the way. In practical terms, you want it to sound good, be somewhat easy to spell, and jibe with your own name. Chris and I already have people say "Chris and Kristin, that's cute," or "Kristin and Chris, that'll be easy to remember." (They never actually remember.) We're ruling out any names with a hard K sound because two is enough...three if you count our cat, Chloe. 

We're also ruling out any names with even the slightest negative connotation to it, which knocks out a surprising amount of names. One of us might like a name and the other will say, "No. I went to high school with a girl by that name and she had really bad breath." So the struggle is real. :)

For now let's just say her name is Caitlyn Jenner Sheppard. #CallMeCaitlyn

Baby Gear

We finally unpacked our remaining boxes this week, which were stacked in the nursery. Aside from a desk and some office supplies, the room is a blank slate! Today we're hitting Craigslist and mining Austin's older babies for some hand-me-downs in good shape. Our main priorities are a crib, changing table, and glider. I keep making jokes that our baby will just sleep in a drawer, but as I hit the 32-week mark today, I'm realizing that will be our reality if we don't start shopping soon.

Luckily we're not limited by a nursery "theme" and can pick up whatever looks good. I guess our unofficial theme can be "South Austin Eclectic" or "Keep Baby Weird." She'll be a real native Austinite, after all.

Numb Fingers

One of the symptoms of pregnancy that I have, and it seems to surprise people, is carpal tunnel syndrome. It's a normal symptom, although uncommon enough that people raise an eyebrow when I mention it. I've never met anyone else who's experienced pregnancy carpal tunnel other than my OBGYN. I haven't had any feeling in my fingertips for months, but it doesn't stop me from typing, tying my shoes, or doing anything else. Sometimes I need Chris to open a jar or something for me, but for the most part I can do everything myself.

When it really effects me is at night, or whenever I lie down. The numbness turns to pain and in the beginning it was excruciating enough that it would jolt me out of a deep sleep. My doctor recommended getting wrist braces for when I sleep and they've made a world of difference. They are stiff and thick. Not something I'd choose to sleep in if I didn't have to, but right now they are among my favorite possessions.

As far as symptoms go, I've been very lucky. No high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, morning sickness, food cravings or aversions. So I'll take the numb fingers and stiff wrists, but I'll be happy to have full feeling back in my hands again one day. :)