Regan Has Arrived!

As many of you already know, Regan Jean Kerl arrived on Tuesday!

Regan Jean Kerl

Born March 24th, 2009

5 pounds, 10 ounces

18 inches

Baby and mom and dad are doing great!

More to come when we get home from the hospital!

The Last Day

Today is our last day as a family of two.  I made my last run to Target for a few things, then Kevin and I went to Tina's for a final dinner out.  These things won't happen again for a while, I have a feeling.

I've been feeling great all day, but now that I sit here typing this, mere hours away from our big event...the nerves are setting in.  I am so excited it's unbelieveable...BUT, I still have to undergo major surgury tomorrow, and that makes me uneasy and nervous.  I know that everything will be fine, and it's one of those things that I will forget all about once I am holding my beautiful baby in my arms.  

I will be bringing my laptop to the hospital and will hopefully be able to post a few pictures tomorrow or Wednesday.  Wish us luck!  Talk to everyone soon!

Week 38

This is the last full week of my pregnancy! This time next week we will be the proud parents of a baby girl! Time has just flown by so quickly now, and it seems like yesterday we were making our big announcement to the world.

This week we made our last trip to Babies R' Us to get the last few "essentials", though I'm sure there will be a few more trips for the things we will inevitably need. However, I think I will be sending Kevin on those trips, because I still can't stand the sight of that place!

I went to the Dr. today, Kevin had a meeting at work, so Kannan was the 3rd party in the room today. We just chatted about any questions I had about the surgery, and I got all of the paperwork for the hospital. Now all we have to do is wait for Tuesday to get here.

I'm really excited that we get to meet our baby, but I am so nervous about the surgery, and just becoming a mom. I know that there is nothing to be worried about, it's just the fact that all the dreaming about it is going to become "real" next week, and I just hope that I'm as prepared as I can be.

This week I decided that I need to finish a blanket that I had started making about a year or two ago... because otherwise it will never get done. So I guess I converted it into a baby play blanket... I just finished it this morning.

Next time I post will be Monday night!

Week 37 - Full Term!

"At week 37, your pregnancy is considered full term, meaning baby is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world… meaning careful refinement of the blink, suck, inhale and exhale. Meconium, which you’ll probably find in the first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines. If (okay, as) you worry about giving birth, consider what it’s like for the little one. During the journey out of your womb, baby will produce more stress hormones than any other time in life. "

This weeks marks the baby being full term, which means that she could really make her appearance at any time now. We went to the Dr. on Thursday, and I gained 7 pounds in two weeks! The Dr. said it was probobly water weight and it's not a big deal to worry about such a big gain. Kannan was there working on her OB rotation for PA school, so it was fun to have her there too!

A little after the appt. they called me to officilly schedule the surgry for Tuesday March 24th at 9:30am. So we have to be at the hospital two hours before hand so that I can have some blood drawn and an IV catheter placed. I'm seeing a lot of needles in my future. One for the blood draw, one for the IV, a few for the spinal block, one for the actual spinal... and probobly a few more post-op. Fun, fun! But I know it will all be worth it in the end!

Only two more entries until the baby is here!

Week 36

Well, my freezer is officially full of all kinds of casseroles and other easy freezer meals. Kevin and I will not starve once the baby gets here. I even got a sign of good luck while I was cooking; double yolks!

This week we went over to Beth's for Derek's 5th birthday party. He patted my belly and told me that the baby was getting really big in there and that I'm starting to look like Santa. I think that it's great that he is even concerned about the baby at this point. He said that when the baby is born she is going to be very small and you have to be gentle with her, "like Jack". Jack is my in-laws little dog (see picture), who we tell Derek he has to be gentle with because he has "little bones". Too cute.
This weekend we had our all-day childbirth class, which we didn't really need to take, but I think we would of felt like bad parents if we didn't attend something. It was from 8am to 5pm.... ugh. We sat through videos, did "breathing exercises", and learned all about childcare. The truly interesting part was the tour of the delivery rooms, and recovery. We got to oogle at all of the babies in the nursery too! It really hit home, the fact that those people will be us in about two weeks!

Week 35

Well this week was my official last week of work. I have three weeks of maternity leave before the baby is born, and there is so much to do! Today I went to Wegmans and dropped about $200 on groceries to make a ton of freezer meals. I cooked for 4 hours straight today, and only got a few meals done.

I also got my completion coupon for Target in the mail today. So now I have to figure out what I need left on the registry and make an online order so that we can have everything here before the baby comes!

Today I'm including some updated pictures of the baby's room. It still needs some work, like a shelf above the mirror and we still need to order the glider. This week we have to install the car seats in both cars, and hopefully go shopping at Target to get our 10%off.

So much to do! So little time!

Ladies and Gentleman we have a birthdate!

So we went to the doctor today and set a date for the c-section.  I gained a pound since the last time I was there three weeks ago.  The Dr. measured my belly, and I was measuring small.  He thought this was because the baby might still be breech, so he got us in for an ultrasound to see the baby's position and measure the fluid around the baby.

Much to everyone surprise, baby Regan is head down!  She was moving around quite a bit, but we got some measurements that put her at about 4lbs 10oz.  The ultrasound tech said that she would likely be a little less than 7 pounds.  

The doctor said that everything looked good, and that March 24th would be out surgery date, unless I go into labor before then.  Here is a picture of her cute chubby face from today:

Week 34

This week in our baby bump picture I didn't chop off my face so that I could show off my new "mommy" haircut. On Thursday I lost about 7 inches of hair, and I love it!

The belly is ever-expanding, and baby Regan spends a lot of her time kicking mommy in places that cause pain, such as major organs. I am fairly certain that she is still breech, but we may find out for sure on Wednesday at the Dr's.

This week is also my last week at work, and while I will miss everyone there dearly while I am gone, I am very excited to have some time to rest at home, and get things done that need getting done. The nursery is coming together now, after we organized all of our gifts from the shower. Kevin and I made a trip to Babies R' Us on Friday to use some coupons we had on things we still needed.

Babies R' Us is about the most frustrating place on the planet. Everyone who works there is "strange" in their own special way, you need a hieroglyphics decoder to read the registry print out, and obviously nearly everyone shopping there is either largely pregnant or toting a small child, so you think they should make the isles slightly wider than the normal store!

We were looking for the mobile for the crib, and the sheet said that it was in the store but... Location: Unknown
What? You have it, but you can't tell me where to find it...?

Searching for something in this place makes me want to give up and cry... but we persevered and managed to get everything we came for. A trip to Target followed on Saturday to pick up a few more things and some inevitable essentials like diapers and wipes.

I think we are officially at the point where if she decided to come today, we would be OK. I have her bag packed for the hospital, and put as many things as I can live without in a bag for myself, so I am feeling prepared. I think I will spend the next four weeks cleaning the house, making some small final preparations, and resting. I can't wait!

Week 33 and Baby Shower

This week was so much fun in anticipation of the baby shower on Sunday. Mom and I worked on the favors and the prizes for the games on Wednesday, and everything came together very well!

Willie was in charge of making the cake, and I told her she could do whatever she wanted with the design... boy did she wow us all...

Isn't that amazing!!! Do those letters above the baby look familiar? That's because they are just like the ones hanging on her orange bedroom wall!
We received so many great gifts from everyone, and we are truly blessed to have so many caring friends and family. I'm so happy that so many people are excited about our new addition!
More pictures to come!

New Produce

Week 33 makes me officially 8 months along and I get a New Produce!
"Baby’s senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing your lullabies! Growth (at least inside your womb) is starting to slow, and you may notice baby descend into your pelvis at the end of this month. "

Week 32

This week has been another relatively uneventful one for us. We are getting the preparation finished for the shower this weekend, getting baskets and favors ready. We went out to Kevin's parents on Sunday morning and went through some baby clothes that they had from Derek. Also, Kevin's mom got a great deal on a cute lamp that we will use in the baby's room.

Work went well this week... I am not as sore as I was last week, but I am finding that things are becoming increasingly harder to do. My official last day of work is Friday, February 27th... let the countdown commence.

As far as I can tell, the baby is still breech... she has been very active this week, kicking and shaking around. She makes my whole belly giggle, and you can watch it move from across the room.

Next update I will post pictures from the shower!

Week 31... a little late

Finally updating for week 31. Nothing too exciting to report this week. We went to the Doctor today, and I have gained 22 pounds so far. Baby is measuring right on track... my belly is 31.5cm (ideally it's 1cm for every week).

We talked about a c-section today. The baby is still breech, but he told me that we have until 36 weeks for her to flip. We may still do a c-section because of my pelvic issues and tail-bone stuff... but that will be decided at the 37 week appointment. He did tell us if we do have surgery it will either be March 23rd or 24th... so those are potential birthdates!

The baby shower is two weeks from this past Sunday! I am so excited because I think once we have all of our "baby stuff" I will start feeling better prepared. Right now I really want to start "nesting" but we are severely lacking important things like... the stroller, crib mattress, etc...

More updates to come!

Giulianna's Visit

Rachel posted some pictures from their visit to Buffalo!

Me opening my first offical baby gift!

Giulianna prefered to play with the tissue paper

Playing with stacking cups! They gave us a set for baby Regan too! Hopefully she will enjoy them as much as Giulianna does!

Cosmo payed little to no attention to the baby

The Girls

I can't wait until we get to see everyone again!

Onward and Outward...

Here we are at week 30 already and my belly is expanding! According to my pregnancy ticker we are 75% of the way there!

The other night Regan was so active I couldn't fall asleep! She was moving around like crazy, kicking me and jamming her head into my ribs with such force that it sometimes hurt! I called Kevin into the room so he could feel her moving around. When he started talking to her telling her to settle down, she actually stopped! Looks like daddy will have the task of handling her when she starts screaming... :).

This week was rather uneventful as far as baby stuff goes. The work week seemed to have taken its tole on my by Thursday, and my back and hips really started to bother me. I also started washing all the baby clothes, blankets etc. Little clothes are so much fun! Next step is to organize where things are going to end up in the nursery..., but I think I will take on that task after the baby shower.

Week 29

Well this week was kind of an eventful one. I started back to work on Monday, which was a boredom reliever, but they don't call it "work" for nothing. Thankfully our schedule was light on Thursday, so I stayed home and Rachel and Mike came to visit with Giulianna.

She is getting sooo big! They brought lots of goodies for baby Regan, along with lots of advice on baby related matters. Cosmo decided to be brave and stick around while the baby was here... though he did not dare to get too close... Pita on the other hand hid under the bed the whole time. Unfortunately Kevin couldn't make it home in time from work to spend time with them, but he was very excited that they got him a collection of Curious George books that he can read to the baby, and a "new dad" survival manual. Hopefully we can visit them at their house soon!

Also, this past weekend Kevin's parents came over and we got the bathroom finished (mostly)! Here are some pictures of the finished product. The new sink, and the floor turned out great... and we finished adding the baseboard and molding around everything.

All there is left is to find some towel racks and hang some artwork and curtains! I am so happy with the way it turned out!

Baby Regan has been enjoying her time in the womb this week with her head shoved very close to my rib cage! Little arms (I think) have been reaching out to tickle my side, and little feet have been tap dancing on my lower intestine.

Back from the Dr

Good News! No GD!

My blood glucose was exactly 100, and you have to be above 130 to go for the three hour test.

Also, check out the new background!

Week 28

This week has thankfully been uneventful. No natural disasters, no broken or dislocated body parts... so I will chalk it up as a success. I also have not herd the results of my GTT, so I am talking that as a good sign that I don't have GD.

I mailed out the invitations for the baby shower this weekend... the Grandmas are hosting a small gathering of mostly family in mid-February. I just wanted something small, and don't want to make a big fuss having a grand baby shower with all the trimmings. So,... people actually went out and bought things off our registry already! Do you know how exciting that is! I'm really trying not to look at it too much, but I have a feeling I will be stalking it everyday until the shower.

Today was my first day back at work in two weeks, and I feel very tired and sore. I ran around a lot today, and things were pretty busy. Now I just get to countdown till the day  I get to go on Maternity Leave! Which should be about one month and a week or two to go!

Tomorrow I have another Dr's appointment, so maybe I will update then if I learn anything exciting!

New Monthly Produce

Welcome to Month Seven - Squash"Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments. "

GTT Today

So today was my Glucose Tolerance Test. I had to fast for 12 hours before starting the test this morning, so I had my last bowl of ice cream at 8pm last night (rather ceremoniously, in case it turns out I have Gestational Diabetes).

So I went into Quest this morning, and was promptly handed the dreaded "orange drink" (pictured). Everyone makes this stuff out to be sooo bad... while I wouldn't choose to drink it every day, I found it "tolerable" (pun intended). The only thing I can equate it to is when your freez-e pop melts in its plastic sleeve, leaving you with cold gooey orange syrup. That's what it tasted like.

Then, I was told that I only had 5 minutes to drink 10 ounces of said drink. This didn't seem like it was'nt going to be a problem until I had only finished half of it in 4 minutes. So I had to plug my nose and chug the rest. Then we wait... one hour and 3 editions of PARENTS magazine later, it was finally time to draw some blood.

So they needed a mere three tubes this time, one for the GTT, and two for a CBC and anemia panel. So hopefully they will either call me with my results in a few days, or tell them to me at my next appointment on Tuesday.

These make me laugh...

Back From The Chiropractor

So my thoughts were correct. I have a sacroiliac dislocation, which means that the top of my sacrum is rubbing loosely on the iliac area of my pelvis. On top of that, by pelvis is out of alignment, so one side is higher than the other. Sound like fun?!

So he put a heating pad on me for a while, and used this massager to loosen up the muscles around the area so that he could adjust the area. I heard a big "pop" on both sides, but it didn't hurt at all. So now I feel a little sore in my muscles, but all in all I think this is going to help a lot. I have to go back to have it repeated on Thursday, and hopefully it will stay in place until I have the baby. He said that everything should go back to normal after the baby is born.

Next on the list - GTT tomorrow!