BLOOD WORK NEGATIVE -- YAY!!!

Bad news...  I still have this God-aweful rash.  Good news....  the blood work came back negative and I am cleared of all systemic related reasons for it.  This means no liver issues, no bacterial or viral issues, just plain old allergic to the baby issues.  No.  I am just kidding.  I am not allergic to her, but the hormone surge that takes place in late pregnancy combined with the heat was more than my body could bare and... BAM.... PUPPS.  Now we just have to wait for little girl to be born and the rash should clear up.  There is a small chance that the rash will clear, on it's own, before she arrives, but we are not holding on to hope!!!

LITTLE GIRL IS WORKING HARD

At 34 weeks 1 day little Everly decided that it was time to start working on getting out.  Momma is VERY happy about that!!!  Everly's movements have changed from slow rolls and kicks to stretching straight out and bearing down very hard on the ole cervix.  She is busy now trying to efface and soften the cervix in preparation for her arrival.  It is so amazing to have experienced this before and to  be in a place now where I know exactly what I am feeling and what is happening to baby and me.  Hopefully she will work hard for the next few weeks and get the cervix thin and soft so that she can make her way to station 0 by 37 weeks at which point momma plans to start walking and bouncing her way to dilating and trying all of the natural induction techniques that we did to get Lennon home to us 10 days early.  This rash is no joke and momma wants a safe, healthy, and EARLY baby Everly, so this rash can clear up.  For now, we are just cheering our princess on as she gets ready for game day!!!  Go, Evy, GO!!!

MATERNITY PICS - PHOTO BOMB

Here they are!!!  There a ton of them and they came out pretty great. I mean, of course they did, Jay Jay took them!!!

LATE POST - 32 WEEK BUMP PIC

Sorry it is nearly 2 weeks late to be posted, this is our little Everly Bump at 32 weeks. We are now nearly 34 weeks and she is just getting bigger and bigger!!!

34 WEEKS PREGNANT

Watch what you say! Your curious baby is listening in to your conversations at 34 weeks -- and might enjoy a lullaby or two -- so go ahead and sing to him. Some say that baby will recognize songs mom sings while he’s in the womb, and may even be more easily soothed by them if he’s used to them once he’s on the “outside.” At week 34, you might breathe a little easier, since baby may descend lower into your pelvis and give your lungs some space. (Ahh!) Of course, some babies don’t do this until the day they’re born, so we’re not making any guarantees. The pitfall of this descent, of course, is even more pressure on your bladder, so be prepared to make even more trips to the ladies room over the coming weeks.

Your baby's the size of a butternut squash!

At less than two months to go, he weighs in at about 4.2 pounds to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches.

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your baby at 34 weeks

• He's recognizing and reacting to simple songs, if you're singing them. (If you're not, start! He may find them soothing after birth.)
• He's also urinating about a pint a day.

 pregnancy symptoms at 34 weeks

• Blurry vision, created by a combination of hormones, fluid buildup and lack of sleep.
• Fatigue. Now, if only you could sleep at night!
• Constipation and hemorrhoids. Make sure you're getting plenty of fiber.
• Swollen ankles and feet. Put up those feet, mama-to-be!
• As baby prepares for her arrival, you might feel pressure down lower in your pelvis, and even more frequent peeing.

 your must-do's

• Schedule your prenatal visit to the OB, which is now weekly.

 your nice-to-do's

• Wash baby's bedding and clothing.

PUPPS OR PRURITIC RASH OF PREGNANCY....

I JUST COPIED THIS FROM OUR SHUTTERFLY PAGE. IF YOU ALREADY READ IT THERE..... SORRY....  I AM SO MISERABLE FROM THE RASH THAT I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO WRITE A SEPARATE POST!!!

It has been nearly 7 days nows since I developed what we thought was a contact dermatitis rash.  It started out mild and has since graduated to an all over, very severe and itchy rash.  It was so bad last night that I could not sleep and we finally called in a visit with our backup OB Dr. Yasharpour.  Turns out that it is either PUPPS or a Pruritic Rash associated with liver function.  The blood work will be back either tomorrow or Monday and then we will know for sure.  Neither rash is life threatening to me or our little girl.  We are both safe except for the part where I feel like I am going to die or lose my mind from the insane itching.  Dr. Yasharpour does not think that we will need to induce early and that really the only way for this to clear up is for baby to be born.  He did note, optimistically, that because of the stress that the rash is causing me and my body that it is most likely Everly will come early.  He guesstimates she will arrive in about 4 to 4 1/2 weeks. That puts her arriving right about when we had hoped.  We are definitely keeping our fingers crossed.  4-4 1/2 weeks is still a long time to have to live with this rash, but it is so much more doable than the 6-8 we could have to wait if she comes on time or late.   For the time being I am guzzling gallons of dandelion tea to help my liver detoxify and taking benadryl and zyrtec alternately.  I go in for a non-stress test tomorrow to monitor Everly and make sure that she really is doing fine and I will likely go in for a non-stress test again in a week or 2 and another 2 weeks after that.  Dr. Yasharpour is confidant that she is fine, but he ordered the tests to put my mind at ease. Jason and I are a little on edge about mine and Everly's safety so this is all a big comfort to us.  I will update when we get the blood work back!!!

THIS SUITS "PREGNANT ME" JUST FINE!!!

LOL....  The more pregnant I get the more often this little meme seems appropriate.

NURSERY PHOTO BOMB

 

Here it is.... the room that little Everly Wynn will live in when she comes home to us!!!  We are really proud of this and have submitted it to several online blogs and publications for feature.  Some include Apartment Therapy, Lay Baby Lay, Chic and Cheap Nursery, and The Bump.  Keep your fingers crossed that we will get a feature.

BABY GIRL ULTRASOUND

This post comes a little late.... we saw our beautiful Everly Wynn at 29 weeks gestation and she was just absolutely perfect.  Look at those fluffy cheeks, pouty lips, and that adorable button nose.  If she looks this cute in ultrasound we cant imagine how cute she will be in person.  Love that amazing little girl.

10 WEEKS LEFT!!!

Let the countdown begin.  We have only 10 weeks left until our estimated due date and that feels pretty good!!!  We are so excited to meet our little Everly Wynn and we just can't wait to get started on our new adventure as a family of five.  Momma is also really looking forward to moving on from pregnant to postpartum and feeling a little bit of relief from the third trimester aches and pains.  Yes.... it's true....  I am really looking forward to the sleepless nights if it means that my poor, throbbing varicosities will receive a break. In order to get some much needed relief I have been enjoying MANY long, hot, epsom salt soaks in the bath tub.  They feel so luxurious and baby Everly loves the baths so much that she flips and kicks and squirms the whole time.  She must really like the feeling of the water warming my belly.  At 10 weeks out we really don't have too much left to do.  The nursery and bathroom are complete and Nana gifted us an awesome car seat and stroller base.  We still need a few necessities like bath supplies, a bath tub, and what not, but for the most part, she could arrive tomorrow (God forbid) and we would be prepared.  That feels really good.  Well, I do still need to get my birth kit together, but  that requires one order over the net.  With that being said, we really don't NEED Everly to wait the full 10 weeks (or more) to get here, and it would be mighty nice if she decided to make a 38 week arrival!!!  Is that asking too much?  At the very least we hope she arrives 10 days early just like her big brother Lennon. Here's to hoping!!!

30 WEEKS PREGNANT - OUR NOT SO LITTLE CUCUMBER

30 weeks pregnant

At 30 weeks, your belly’s doing more than just making it tough to find a comfortable sleeping position. It’s made itself a conversation piece. Everywhere you go, someone seems to have a comment about your physical appearance, which isn’t always so fun. And no doubt, you’ve encountered quite a few people who don’t think before they speak and say something embarrassing or hurtful (what’s up with that?) Try not to take those comments seriously, but know which ones should be taken to heart. Like when they tell you you’re glowing, believe them! And take advantage of some of the perks (when someone offers you their seat on the train -- take it!) At week 30, your dreams might be getting even weirder -- if you’re actually sleeping, that is. That could be a result of anxiety, so consider doing some prep work to help you rest easier. One idea? Do a test drive to see exactly how long it really takes you to get to the hospital. Then maybe you’ll stop having nightmares about giving birth in your car.

Your baby's the size of a cucumber!

Your 15.2- to 16.7-inch, 2.5- to 3.8-pound baby continues to grow.

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your baby at 30 weeks

• His skin is getting smoother.
• But his brain is getting wrinklier -- to make way for all that essential brain tissue.
• He's now strong enough to grasp a finger!

 pregnancy symptoms at 30 weeks

• Heartburn, which might be making sleep hard to come by.
• Swelling -- it's totally normal, as long as it's not sudden or severe.
• General discomfort, thanks to your big belly.
• Shortness of breath. Those lungs just keep getting more crowded, right?
• Trouble sleeping, which leads to another issue: Fatigue.
• Weird, vivid dreams. One word (a familiar one): Hormones.

 your must-do's

• Schedule your bi-monthly prenatal visit to the OB.

 your nice-to-do's

• Start practicing kegel exercises, if you haven't already.
• Do a test drive to see how long it really takes you to get to the hospital.