39 Weeks and No Baby Yet!

All About Us


This week has been one of the most normal weeks we have had to date. Jason and I kept busy at our respective jobs and spent most every night going on our 2 mile walk. We had a very successful doctors appointment in which we found out I have gained 29 pounds so far in this pregnancy. The normal range is 25-30 pounds, so I am pretty content. Let's hope that there is no more weight gain in these last days! Also, we found out that my blood pressure is slightly elevated, which is completely normal for this stage in pregnancy. I am a little more closer to being 2 cm dilated and I am now 50% effaced. The doctor stated that I had a "perfect" pelvis, so hopefully that means Lidia will just slide out of me like a torpedo! She also commented on my great skin and said I must have good genes to not have gotten any stretch marks. I am extremely surprised by this because I feel like my skin has been stretched to the ultimate max and I certainly haven't been doing anything to prevent stretch marks. Score one for me for avoidance of annoying pregnancy symptoms! It is getting extremely hard for me to walk these days, especially since I over-did it yesterday with a 3 mile walk and a day full of cleaning. I almost cried each time I had to get up and walk. I have been holding onto Jason's arm so tightly lately that I think he is going to have bruises before this is all said and done! I had deemed today a bed rest day, but after talking to my sister, I felt that the best thing I could do for me and Lidia was to keep moving. So Jason and I decided to check out the new outlet mall in Cincinnati which was so totally awesome. If anyone would like to come down and visit, I would LOVE to take you to these new outlets - they have everything! I especially enjoyed the Polo store where they had the cutest little Polo outfits for babies. Lidia will definitely be getting some once she is here!




And how could we forget to mention our baby boy's 4th birthday? He sure enjoyed his jr. hamburger cake!





As you can tell, we are just patiently waiting for our little lady to arrive. We are trying to live as normal a life as possible so we do not get overly anxious. Throughout pregnancy, many statistics were thrown my way. As I near the end of this pregnancy, I am hoping not to be in the 50% that deliver after their due date and in the 20% that need to be induced. So to avoid these two statistics, Jason and I have been doing everything under the sun. From walking, to massaging pressure points, to eating pineapple and spicy foods, and to some unmentionable things, we are all for urging the labor process on. I really hope to not be writing a 40 weeks blog next week, but as the date gets closer I am having my doubts. I have had every single labor sign that a woman could have, minus the painful contractions. And until those lovely baby-movers arrive, we are stuck here in pregnancy land indefinitely. A frustrating time, but through this frustration I have thought of another list. The top 10 things I will miss about pregnancy and the top 10 things I will not miss.


The Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Pregnancy


10. Having the excuse, "I'm pregnant" work for about anything I don't want to or can't do.
9. Having an excuse to eat ice cream everyday (and I do, just ask Jason).
8. Having an excuse to eat anything I want.
7. Wasting away parts of my work day with coworkers that want to talk babies and pregnancy.
6. Wearing my cute maternity clothes - I think they are much cuter than my non-pregnancy clothes!
5. Going to the doctor - I really enjoy those check-ups!
4. Sleeping as much as I want to.
3. Feeling Lidia move.
2. Getting daily massages from my hubby
1. Having everyday be "Bring your child to work day"


The Top 10 Things I Will NOT Miss About Being Pregnant

10. Constipation.
9. The aches and pains.
8. The constant weight gain.
7. People constantly asking me baby questions.
6. People constantly giving me their opinions without being asked.
5. Not being able to indulge in an adult beverage every now and then.
4. Not being able to lay on my back or stomach.
3. Having to seriously think about everything I am putting into my body.
2. Constantly worrying about Lidia since I cannot see or hear her.
1. Not being able to run!



Baby Come Out!


Hi sweet Lidia. There is not much going on with you as far as development is concerned. Of course, your brain is growing as rapidly as ever. Your weight gain has begun to slow and you shouldn't have any languo (fuzzy hair all over your body) or vernix (a cheesy coating that kept your skin safe from the amniotic fluid) left on your body when you arrive. Speaking of your arrival, your daddy and I just cannot wait for you to get here! I just read where there is a chemical in your brain that will actually set off the hormones in my body that trigger labor. You must just really love it in that cozy place- I don't think you have plans of leaving the Uterine Hotel anytime soon. We want a happy baby, so come as you please my dear. Just know we will be waiting with open, loving arms when you finally decide to arrive!

38 Weeks - Surprise!

All About Us - Turn up your volume for this video:)

I am very surprised to be writing this blog tonight. Last night around this time, I was for sure that Lidia was trying to make her debut into this world. Jason and I decided to use one of our last Saturdays as just the two of us as a date night. We had the whole night planned - movie, dinner, and a Girl Scout cookie blizzard from Dairy Queen. The movie we chose was The Hangover - very crude, but very funny. During the movie, I was getting the traditional Braxton-Hicks contractions that I have had since about week 20 of this pregnancy. I thought nothing of them until they started coming more furiously. At around 6:30, I decided to start timing them. They were lasting about a minute long and coming at various frequencies, but never more than 5 minutes apart. I alerted Jason of the contractions and his eyes showed a little bit of panic. I reassured him that I was OK for the time being. I decided to wait until after the movie and then assess the situation. The contractions were still coming steady after the movie, so we decided to go home. After sitting at home for another hour with the contractions not easing up, it started to get extremely real to us that we could be having a baby in the next couple of hours. So we went upstairs to make sure our bag was packed with everything we needed. I called my parents to put them on alert and Jason called his sister Terri to put her on alert. So we sat and waited for the contractions to start hurting, but they never did. We were so excited and really couldn't believe that this could actually be it - our baby girl was about to be in our arms!

About 3 hours into it, I decided to call the doctor. I thought if it was false labor, the contractions would have subsided by then and they wouldn't have been so timeable. The doctor called me back and is quoted as saying, "Your message is cracking me up!" She said I was way too calm for a woman who was in labor. I had let her know in the message that I was not in pain, but the contractions were coming at regular intervals for quite some time. She said that until they get painful and until I'm no longer able to talk through them, then I didn't need to think about coming to the hospital. She said it could be 12 hours to many days until I went into active labor. She instructed me to get some sleep and that's exactly what I tried to do. After 5 straight hours of consistent contractions, I went to bed. I didn't necessarily wake up to them in the night, but I did wake up a lot due to a lower back ache. This morning I could tell that the contractions had subsided. Throughout the day today they have still been coming, but with frequency with which I am familiar. At mass today, Jason asked me if I was feeling OK and I frowned and said "Yes, but I wish I was feeling miserable." Needless to say, Lidia is not ready for this world quite yet. We will keep praying for her speedy arrival, as well as continuing our 2 mile daily walks to guide her into position. We will continue to live our lives as normal. After all, it's up to God when Lidia will arrive...which will hopefully be soon!

Playing Games

You seem to be unfazed with all the squishing mommy's uterus has been putting you through in the past 24 hours. You are still moving like crazy and playing your games with mommy's ribs and bladder. You will be happy to know that mommy and daddy finished our 7 weeks of childbirth classes this past week, so we are totally prepared for you to come now. At our last doctor's appointment, the dr. informed us that there was no change in your progression into this world - mommy is still 1 1/2 cm dilated and 25% effaced. If we make it to Thursday's appointment, I have a feeling we might see a little more progress due to all the activity this weekend.

According to all the books, you are about 7 pounds now, which contradicts what one doctor has predicted - that you will only be around 7 pounds if you are to make it to 40 weeks. You do seem like a pretty small baby, which I don't quite understand because I have always done well to feed you. It could be because mommy has been quite active during this pregnancy, which supposedly leads to smaller babies. The smaller, the better to push you out my dear!

Well, Lidia, we may see you soon or we may not see you for another 2 weeks. No matter when it will be, it will still be the absolute best day of our lives. We love you!

37 Weeks = Full Term Baby!

All About Us


As we near the end of this journey, I have a need to look back on everything that we have been through. There have been close to 40 blogs written, each documented the many lessons learned. At the start of this pregnancy, I was a blank slate. Having taken many child development classes in the past, no book or lecture could have prepared me for what I was about to go through for the next 9 months. Of the lessons learned, I compiled a list of the 10 most important lessons learned:


10) Not all pregnancy symptoms are by the book. My first clues to being pregnant were menstrual cramps and massive headaches - none of which were on the list of early pregnancy symptoms. Always trust your instincts over what a book may tell you.


9) Always eat. No matter how sick I was in the first trimester, I always ate. Whether it was watermelon, White Cheddar Cheez-Its, or toast, my body needed food. I learned to eat whatever sounded "OK." Even though it didn't make me feel better, I think it at least made it so I didn't feel worse.


8) Don't be afraid to exercise. I was, at first. If you read the books, they will all tell you to exercise, but with certain restrictions. I was healthy, so there was no need for me to exercise with restrictions. I listened to my body and my body said keep going, so go I did. I strongly believe that is why I have been able to stay within a healthy pregnancy weight gain (we all know I haven't been shy with the ice cream and cake (and pizza, and french fries, and..!).


7) Look forward to dates. Having different activities going on throughout my pregnancy helped break up the time so I didn't go absolutely crazy. I would highly recommend planning at least one new activity every week.


6) Don't compare yourself to other pregnant women. Even though my sister is at about the same stage in pregnancy I am, our pregnancies have been very different. You would think sisters would have equal pregnancy symptoms due to the genetic link, but that is not true. My pregnancy is my own - very unique and individual.


5) Don't be afraid to call the doctor. I never wanted to be one of those women whose doctors' office secretaries cringed whenever they heard who was calling. But it was amazing what fears were non-existent when the need to protect my baby came into the picture. I learned to adopt the attitude of "who cares what others think," which in turn gave me piece of mind. While I have only called the doctor's office with questions 5 times during my pregnancy, I may have never if I let my pride get in the way.


4) You don't have to take other people's advice. Becoming pregnant, I realized that many people wanted to become my OB as they dispensed medical advice like they had a M.D. behind their name. From the dental hygienist who told me that I was killing my baby's brain cells by drinking diet pop, to the many people who try to convince me to give birth with medication, I have realized that the only thing they are dispensing is their opinions. People will voice their opinions whether you ask or not. I have learned to smile and nod, except in the case of the dental hygienist. There's only so far I let people go with their opinions. Then it is my responsibility to stick up for myself and my baby.


3) Pamper yourself. Pedicures, massages, shopping sprees. All these were needed to reward myself for being completely selfless for 9 straight months.


2) Eat nutritiously. Yes, I have blizzards and McFlurrys. But, I always make sure I have my daily servings of fruit, vegetables, protein and carbs. It's not just my health I'm worried about - it's my baby's health. Everything I put in my mouth goes to her. So while she may get a sugar rush, she's also getting the good stuff, too. And crazy as it is, I have never been this healthy in my entire life. I have had 1 sickness this entire pregnancy when usually I am sick close to 5 times a year. My parents can affirm that!


1) I wouldn't have had such a smooth pregnancy without my support person. Jason, my husband, has been an absolute angel throughout this entire pregnancy. He has been present for nearly every dr's appointment and every birthing class. He has given me massages just about every single night. He doesn't do everything I ask him to - he senses what I need and does it without me even asking. I truly believe that he has such a pure and holy soul. I have never met anyone as caring and selfless as he. We all know how much I adore this man!

All in all, I believe I have had a very smooth pregnancy. Jason and I have savored every moment - from the very first positive pregnancy test, to the first ultrasound, to our baby bash. This pregnancy has been a life-altering experience for us in more ways than one. My blank slate is now filled with information to bring with me to my next pregnancy...and the one after that...and the one after that:)

Our Little Italian Bun!

You're almost done cookin' baby girl! I cannot believe that we are already at this point where you can be born and considered full-term. We had an amazing doctor's appointment this past week. The Dr. let your daddy and I know that you are very close to making your arrival. Mommy is 1 1/2 cm dilated and 25% effaced. You are still head down, thank God! The doctor estimated that if you were to go to 40 weeks, you wouldn't be more than 7 pounds. This is good news to us, as it means that labor and delivery won't be as difficult. The term no pain, no gain has taken on a whole new meaning for us. I actually want to be completely miserable with labor and delivery - that is how nature intended it! It will make seeing and holding you for the first time that much better.


I am still amazed at how much you are moving and growing. Your lungs are now completely mature. So apparently it is up to you now when you want to arrive. Mommy would prefer you come very soon, but you come when you're ready dear. Mommy is not really happy with the 2 people who voted that you will be a week late. Don't make me wait that long! Your daddy and I are so excited to meet you, we almost can't take it anymore. Until then, we will be here cleaning and biding time. Will there be a 38 Weeks blog next week? It's not so certain anymore!

36 Weeks - The Beginning of the End

All About Us


We have some very exciting news to share - Lidia has a new cousin! Brandon Michael Schneider was born on August 4, weighing in at 5 lbs, 7 oz and measuring 19 inches. Despite his early arrival, Brandon is doing marvelous! Congratulations to the proud parents, Erin & Brian, and big brother Kyle. We hope to see pictures very soon!


The bigger I get, the harder I fall. Yes, I fell again this week. Thankfully, the healing process took 3 days and not 3 weeks, so it obviously wasn't as big of a fall as the first one. It was a bit more embarrassing, being that it happened in front of 50 college students taking an ACT. They all just stared at me and I picked myself up and announced that I was OK. And of course, Lidia was OK. This is beginning to be a common occurrence for her - something that she is used to by now, sadly!


Has it hit us that in 4 weeks or less we will be parents? I don't think it has. We are more than prepared for Lidia's arrival and I have confidence that Jason and I are definitely ready to be parents. But, I just don't think it has hit us yet that we are actually going to be parents in less than 30 days. One thing my confidence is shaky on is the actual labor and delivery itself. I have no doubt that I can handle the level of pain, it's just the duration of the pain that worries me. Jason and I plan on staying at home as long as possible during labor. When I am no longer able to talk or walk through the contractions, that will be a good indication that it's hospital time. We are doing everything in our power to prepare for the labor and delivery, but since it is something we have ever experienced before, it's just so hard to have complete confidence that I will be able to manage without medication. The reality is that 95% of women have medicated births. Its hard to believe that I can be in the 5% that is able to go unmedicated. Please pray for me! The first reading at mass definitely spoke to Jason and I today. Basically, when I think that I have had enough, that I can't take anymore, the Lord just wants me to take a break, drink some water, relax, and then get back to work. That reading will be my inspiration!




Last, but not least, Saturday was dedicated to our babies, Ava and Angelo. It was their favorite day of the year - the Wiener Nationals! This is their 2nd year of running in the race, with many more to come, I'm sure. No, they didn't win their race, but they sure had fun trying. Their Aunt Terri and Uncle Dave came to help with the pictures and the "holding" of Ava, since Jason could only hold Angelo. They sprinted out pretty fast, but slowed down as they got towards the end. It was definitely the hottest, most humid day of the summer, so they were understandably exhausted before we even got to the starting line. Mommy was struggling as well! Being 36 weeks pregnant outside on a heat advisory day for 3 hours is no walk in the park. But we are so happy that we got to give the pups this experience.











Peek-A-Boo, I See You!


Hello my dear! Let me first say that Daddy has obviously been there with us throughout this whole pregnancy. He has been to every single one of our doctor's appointments, even the unscheduled ones, which is probably close to 12 or so. We had another appointment this past Friday and Daddy decided to play golf instead of attend this appointment. There is no need to be upset about this, though, because we got him back in the end! It was very busy at the doctor's office and they had to put me in the ultrasound room. When the doctor walked in, she said, "Well since we are in here, lets take a peak at the baby." I got to see you again! You are doing so fabulously in there - you are in a perfect birth position (head down, of course), your heart is beating strong, and you've got a great amount of amniotic fluid for swimming. I also got to see your beautiful face. It wasn't as clear as our 3D photos of you, but it was just as sweet. I just love you so much! The doctor said that if I happened to go into labor soon, she would not try to stop it. She said if you were born soon, you would be just as healthy and would probably even be able to go home with us. So you can guess how upset your daddy was when he learned what he had missed! He made me tell him every detail about the visit. Something tells me he won't pick golf over us anymore:)


You are almost 100% ready to enter into the real world. You've got about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs left to gain and your lungs have a little more maturing to do. You are moving around as usual in my tummy, which I always enjoy. I am guessing that you haven't dropped yet, but that is to be expected. The pressure that your growing body is putting on my pelvic area is sometimes unbearable - I have to stop and just take deep breaths. The positive thing about this is that I know it is one of the tell-tale signs of the end. And it's not really an end, per say, but the beginning of something extremely remarkable and exciting- the start of our life with you.

35 Weeks of Pure Joy!

All About Us

Well, folks, the end is definitely in sight. Something that signified the closing of this journey was the extremely successful baby bash we had last night. While it was sad that it was missing my siblings, the friends and family that did attend made up for their absence. Everyone who attended deserves a HUGE thank you - many people traveled from afar to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Lidia Louise. And many people spent much of their time, energy, thoughts, and money on making this party one for us to remember forever. Lidia was showered with many presents and many well wishes. We really feel extremely blessed to have such great friends and family who have provided us with so much to make our start with Lidia as smooth and stress-free as possible. Plus, with all the great clothes she has received, she will definitely be one stylin' little lady!

Aside from the fabulous time we had at the baby bash, our week has been filled with surprises and not necessarily good ones. Lidia's other cousin (who is due to arrive around the same time she is) decided to try and get out a little early. Luckily, the doctors were able to stop this from happening and both mommy and baby are resting safely at home. Our prayers were answered yet again! These babies seem to want to race to see who is going to arrive first, but what they don't realize is that this is not a fun game for their mommies and daddies! Listen up babies, you all 3 need to stay in your respective ovns until it is time for you to arrive!

Speaking of misbehaving babies, Lidia decided to scare us this week as well. Tonight as I sit here, Lidia has been moving non-stop for the last 3 hours. Last Thursday and into Friday, Lidia decided to hide out for awhile and not move much at all. This caused me and Jason to be very worried, so off we went to the Doctor's office. They hooked me up to a non-stress test and little Lidia moved about 15 times within 10 minutes. The doctor reassured us that as long as we felt 10 movements within an hour once a day, then our baby is perfectly fine. A little misinformation is what brought us there, but the doctor stated she was glad we came so we could have piece of mind. And what a piece of mind it is to know that our baby is perfectly healthy.

I Dream of Lidia

Wow. 5 more weeks and you will grace us with your presence for the first time. I have been dreaming about you a lot lately - more than I ever have this entire pregnancy. I try to concentrate on other life activities, but it is getting extremely difficult to think of anything but you. I feel so extremely blessed to be carrying the most beautiful baby ever and even more blessed knowing that you were made by two people who are over-the-top in love with one another. Your daddy and I worked all day putting all of your items together. I was so proud to watch him walk along, pushing the stroller and pretending you were in it. As nature puts its finishing touches on you, we are anxiously awaiting your arrival. Goodnight sweetheart, mommy and daddy love you dearly!