37 Weeks Pregnant : Third Trimester Pregnancy Update, Symptoms, etc.

Week 37 - May 20-26

Our baby boy Calvin Lee was due June 17, 2016! He was born May 27, 2016 at 1:26 pm.

Welcome to my final pregnancy update for this, my first pregnancy, our first little one, our son, Calvin Lee. I'm being induced to have him on Friday May 27, 2016, at exactly 37 weeks. We made it to full term! Besides the fact that I was diagnosed with PROM (premature rupture of membranes, or my water started leaking) at 32 weeks and 1 day, besides the fact that the standard of medicine recommended I be induced at 34 weeks, we made it to full term and we are so blessed.

It might be awhile before I have another post up for you, but it's more likely you'll see pics on my Instagram before anything else. I want to thank you for your support and love during this entire journey. Now let's talk about my final week pregnant!

Bump:
Still no linea nigra, but there are plenty of stretchmarks. Belly button still didn't pop out either, still an innie. This bump is so big, I couldn't imagine it if it made it three more weeks! I almost feel lucky to be on bed rest. Just from wandering around my tiny hospital room, I can tell if I were out in the real world my body would truly be aching by now.

Maternity Clothes:
Not gonna lie, I might miss them when this is all over with. There's just so much cute stuff! But, I really want to invest in some nursing stuff, I really have no in between clothes, so I don't know how this is going to go lol. I have regular skinny me clothes and gigantic maternity clothes, but what to do in the middle...
So I ordered some stuff from Old Navy because they were having 50% off shorts, plus a bunch of nursing tank tops were also on sale. So I gathered a few nursing tops in mediums and larges just to be safe. I also got a few pairs of shorts since I gotta make it through this summer and I have a realistic outlook on my weight loss journey, so I think having some larger shorts is going to be helpful lol. I wore size 4 in bottoms for many years, but right before I got pregnant I was up to size 6 and I had been ordering size 8 in maternity stuff, so I ordered both 8s and 6s in shorts. I only have a couple nursing bras, but I think I'm gonna wait a bit to order those, just to see what these boobies settle down to, and once I lose a little weight and see how that all goes. I have enough bras to survive, plus I don't anticipate leaving the house for awhile so I don't really need anything special, I can survive on thin sports bras if I need to for a bit.

Emotions:
Everything's going well. I can't wait to see what the postpartum period is like though, I just have a feeling I might turn into a psycho. :-P

Food:
Don't worry, this is the last time I'll say it: I hate hospital food. I cannot wait to get home and eat a home-cooked meal! I don't have any idea how hectic having a newborn is going to be, or if I'll ever have time to do it, but at least for this first week while Justin is also home, one of us better make something homemade, even if it's just spaghetti!

Sleep & Dreams:

There can be sleepless nights where I don't fall asleep until after midnight, then have to wake up right at 6:30 am when the sun rises outside my hospital room and stabs me in the eyes and lights everything up. But there are other nights where I sleep awesome. I absolutely have to say just how blessed I am to have slept so well throughout this pregnancy. These sleepless nights are not pregnancy related, just stupid hospital room related. I gotta say the Snoogle was a terrific investment and I'd recommend it to all pregnant women. 

As you know, I haven't really been having dreams to do with Calvin or really anything lately that I can remember. Well this week has been different. 

I had a dream I was with my dad and Calvin started moving like crazy so I called dad over to feel it and he was so excited to get to feel him move. 

I also dreamt that Justin and I were sitting on the front porch of a log cabin in the woods, rocking Calvin. 

And Justin did tell me he had a dream he dropped Calvin in a pond!

Physical Symptoms:
Back ache, even though I am on bed rest and can't really do much. I couldn't imagine how much it would ache if I were still doing things in the real world.
Why acne why?! I really really hope this skin goes back to normal soon!
Super tight tummy like all the time.
Lots of pelvic pressure and full feeling down there.

If you've been following me for awhile, you know that I typically suffer from an excessive amount of headaches, but during this pregnancy I have been delightfully surprised at the lack of headaches. Well this week that all changed and I had a handful of them, nothing really intense, just strange because they've been pretty nonexistent throughout much of the pregnancy. 

Movement:
Like I've said the last couple weeks, his movements are definitely slower and less jabby. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
My mom and dad came up to the hospital Saturday and spent like all day with me! We went out to the little garden here at the hospital, had lunch, played Yahtzee, and just talked. It was actually an awesome time to spend so long together.

Baby Purchases:
I ordered an electric breast pump through our insurance, so just waiting on that to come. I got a little hand pump too last week just in case Calvin came early and couldn't feed and I needed to pump for him. And I think it will be nice to have for back-up too, in case something goes wrong with the other pump or if I want to pump on the go or whatevs. Hoping insurance actually does cover the big pump and they're not gonna be a pain in the butt lol. But insurance is always a pain in the butt...
So, we'll just see what next week brings with our first week at home with a newborn. What did we forget?! I know Justin will be running to the store for something lol.

What I Look Forward To:
I went on a ramble last week about all the things I can't wait for to not be pregnant. Right now I'm thinking about eggs over easy and raw cookie dough. Mmmmmm. I bet I will miss my belly, even though I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again! I'll miss his movements and his kicks even though I'll be able to see him moving about in person!

Random Thoughts:
I absolutely cannot believe this is already coming to an end! 

New tactic of the week to help me not freak out about labor and delivery: looking forward to not being pregnant. I think about all the things I'll get to do, the weight loss, moving around easily, etc. I try to let the idea of no longer being pregnant overpower the scariness of the unknowns of actually giving birth. Not gonna lie though, one minute I think I'm ready and I can totally do this, then the next I'm like holy crap this is going to suck! Lol.

Thanks so much for reading!
Love,
Alaina and Little Calvin

36 Weeks Pregnant : Third Trimester Pregnancy Update, Symptoms, etc.

Week 36 - May 13-19

Our baby boy Calvin Lee is due June 17, 2016!

Robe sent to me by PinkBlushMaternity

Everything is still going awesome and we finally have an induction date! Thursday night May 26, so Calvin should hopefully be here on Friday, May 27, at exactly 37 weeks. So exciting! 

My fluid levels are still awesome, very consistent, even though I'm still leaking fluid. Things really are looking great.

Bump:
Growing so big with every week. Latest ultrasound from last week had Calvin estimated at 6 lbs 8 oz. All the ultrasound techs just say how my belly is all baby. Everywhere you touch is like directly touching Calvin lol. 

Maternity Clothes:
I know if I were out in the real world right now, my clothing supply that still fits would be dwindling. One up side to hospital life is that I can wear yoga pants, pajama pants, and other very comfy stuff all the time and don't even have to worry about looking good or civilized, just comfy lol.

I know I only have one week left but I just wonder how long it's going to take to get back to fitting comfortably in things afterwards too. Even still things are getting tight on me, particularly the only two pairs of pajama shorts I thought I could wear til the end. I'm going to need these shorts afterwards and they're already not comfy! So I hope at least some of this thigh/hip weight is water weight and won't take too long to go down so I can live in comfy PJ's for my 8 weeks of maternity leave lol.

Emotions:
I have actually been feeling more snippy lately, like little things are driving me crazy and making me mad. Perhaps it's just the stress and suckiness of being stuck in the hospital all the time. 

I also feel like things are starting to get to Justin. He's been stressed at work and I know this whole hospital situation isn't helping. And I just feel so bad because I feel like there's nothing I can do to make him better. I really have never seen him like this, he just seems very disconnected and somewhat distant. And it's not just with me, I've noticed it when he talks to his dad too, for example. I do think things are just starting to get to him. 

This just isn't how we imagined our last month just the two of us and I really think that's starting to get to us both.

Food:
Appetite is still smaller than my usual pregnancy appetite. Again, who knows if it's just due to the crappy and repetitive hospital food options.
Also, do I have morning sickness again? For a couple days this week I felt so nauseous when I knew I was hungry. I wanted to eat but just didn't feel like eating because I didn't feel well. Eating fixed this, but it was very strange to me because this sounds like what I experienced months ago with morning sickness. Is this a thing? Is it possible to have morning sickness return this late?

Sleep & Dreams:

Weird dreams are back but I'm not super great at recalling them. Nothing apparently pregnancy related though. I gotta tell you about one I can remember though. I dreamt that Bernie Sanders owned a pet store and it was connected to a gun store! Haha.

Physical Symptoms:

Lots of stuff going on this week. 

My breasts have started leaking! Last week my nipples had been sensitive so I kinda knew this was coming. I definitely thought when I first saw my breasts producing milk that it would freak me out, but I was actually so happy when I saw it!

Acne is crazy this week! Two zits on my chest. What the heck? And the hairline scalp acne has been crazy. A couple zits on my face. 

Also my nose has been so stuffy this week. 

Darkened armpits. I've thought they were getting darker for a few weeks now and while watching other pregnancy vlog updates and seeing ladies mention it, I knew I wasn't losing my mind and they're really darker haha. I really hope that goes away afterwards... it always looks like I have stubbly armpit hair haha. 

I can't decide if Calvin's dropped or not. I feel like I am peeing more often, like he's on my bladder more. All my bottoms are annoying below my bump, but I don't know if it's because he's lower or my bump is just bigger. I don't feel like I am breathing any easier, but one thing that really does stand out to me are my sneezes. I can finally sneeze again every time. For a long while there I would feel a sneeze coming but not be able to get the deep breath before the sneeze, therefore probably 2/3 sneezes ended up not happening lol. I know that may sound strange, but it's definitely a change that's happened this week. 

Movement:
Still doing well. I'm very happy Calvin has been a good little baby in his movements, he's never had me worried, throughout the pregnancy. 

Sometimes it feels like Calvin is literally trying to crawl out, there will be so much pressure down there it feels like he's pushing right up on my cervix. It usually tends to be in the evenings and when I'm sitting up. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Seeing all his hair on the ultrasound. And, of course, getting an induction date!

Baby Purchases:
No new purchases, but I'm starting to worry if we have all we need. I worry about how much stuff to have Justin bring to the hospital for next week when Calvin comes. I had him bring a manual breast pump just in case Calvin has to be in the NICU and I need to pump to feed him breast milk. Justin's in charge of picking out his coming home outfit. Can't wait to see what he picks. Calvin has so many super hero items, I'm sure this is a big decision for Justin to pick which one to represent lol.

What I Look Forward to:
Seeing Calvin! Showing him off to everyone, and especially seeing Justin's reaction to him (just remembering the look on his face when we saw him at our very first ultrasound when he was just a little blob, I can't even imagine his face when he sees him come into this world), and seeing how my two young nieces react to meeting him. Seeing how much hair he has (I hope he has a ton)!

Getting out of the hospital and going home to sleep in my own bed (in small intervals due to the whole having a newborn thing lol), and seeing my cats. Seeing how the cats react to Calvin. Speaking of cats, I can't wait to be in charge of the litter boxes again! And I can't wait for my skin to go back to normal hopefully! It is so unbelievably oily and the random zits are so so frustrating! 

I'm so tired of wearing pads constantly. It's been four weeks of it! Plus I'm going to have to wear them for however long after Calvin comes too! They are so uncomfortable and I feel like I'm wearing a diaper all day every day and it sucks.  

And I know there will not be time or energy for makeup when I get home but I really can't wait to do my makeup in good lighting again! The hospital room lighting sucks sooo bad! And there are a ton of other things I look forward to not just because of Calvin coming, but just the fact that I'll get to go home and not be stuck in the hospital forever.

Random Thoughts:
Wow, this pregnancy has truly just flown by. I know that most women still have a month left at this point, but I'm here with one week left and I really cannot believe it's already almost time to meet our baby boy! I like to say I'm really not fearful of childbirth at this point, I just can't wait to meet him, but I know there's still that fear in the back of my mind that I can't get rid of. I'm excited to meet Calvin of course, but I'm so excited just to get to go home finally! When labor sucks and I feel overwhelmed like I'm going to die I don't know which I'll use to motivate myself: meeting Calvin or knowing this is my ticket out of the hospital lol.

I used to get so very nervous before any public speaking, like giving presentations in school, that was my biggest fear ever. I just wonder how the anxiety about childbirth will end up comparing to public speaking haha.

Thanks so much for reading!
Love,
Alaina and Little Calvin

35 Weeks Pregnant : Third Trimester Pregnancy Update, Symptoms, etc.

Week 35 - May 6-12

Our baby boy Calvin Lee is due June 17, 2016!

35 weeks! Every day and every week is such an awesome blessing! I cannot express how great it is.

In the Hospital:

As you may know, I've been in the hospital since 32+1 weeks. I'm here until our little Calvin comes. At the end of last week/beginning of this week, I've gotten a rash from the antibiotics they were giving me. This rash sucks. It sucks so bad. My hands, feet, belly, boobies, lower back, sometimes the backs of my legs, all itch like mad! It's especially bad in the middle of the night when I can't stop itching and go back to bed. They've been giving me Benedryl for it, but that just makes me pass out when I take it during the day. So I've been napping a lot. I don't know how much longer this thing is going to last but it's starting to look better, I don't think it's itching any less though. Anyway, that's the problem of the week. I just cannot tell you how much it sucks, I think it's really contributing to my overall mood being stuck here in the hospital.
I've been having weekly ultrasounds now. Two weeks ago they estimated his size at 5 lbs, 9 ounces, this week he was 6 lbs, 8 ounces. He's still measuring about two weeks ahead at this point. Although ultrasounds are not 100% accurate and they get even less accurate as time goes on, at least we know he is growing. My fluid levels have been very steady at the same amount ever since my water started leaking. So that's great! I don't know how that works. TMI warning, but the leaking fluctuates a lot. Some days it's quite a bit of fluid and other days it's not very much at all. It's good to see that even after a few days of heavier leaking, the fluid level is still the same as before.
The doctor still has faith we're going to make it full term. He refers to 37 weeks as our end point, even though he tells me there's really not much of a difference between 36 and 37 weeks, he would still like to make sure I get to full term. Although he really thinks I'll make it and we all hope I do, if I were to start going into labor on my own, he has no plan to stop contractions and prevent labor. For awhile there when they had me on the NST monitors I would have up to 6-7 contractions (that I did not feel) pretty regularly in that hour period of observation. These last few days I usually don't have any contractions and when I do it's only like three per hour. So things are looking good in that department too. Everything really is looking awesome and I thank God for that.

Bump:
This bump is getting gigantic! Holy moly, I feel like Calvin weighs ten pounds already. I don't know how this belly is going to get any bigger!

I can really easily feel where Calvin is and what side he's leaning toward. He can lay awfully crooked these days lol.

Emotions:
Not gonna lie, I really feel like this whole being stuck in the hospital thing is starting to get to me at this point. Sometimes I do get a little upset and I feel like all I'm doing is existing, my job right now is only to grow Calvin. I'm not contributing to society in any way right now. I'm not working and contributing to my family financially. I'm not making dinner for my husband or otherwise running a household. I'm just sitting in the hospital 24/7 growing this little boy. And while, yes, I am so thankful he's still in my belly and not stuck in the NICU, and yes, I want him to stay in my belly until he's strong enough to do everything he needs to do on his own so that he can come home with us, being stuck in this hospital room is really starting to get to me.

Wednesday night I couldn't fall asleep and I had a little breakdown. I really just wanted to go home so bad and I did cry about it. I cried because I missed Justin. And even more so, I cried because I felt so selfish for even feeling that way. I wished Calvin was here so I could just go home already. And I felt so terrible for feeling that way. I just got to the point where I was so unbelievably tired of the whole situation and it overwhelmed me that night.

Food:
If only there were new options on the hospital menu... Thank goodness for family bringing me lunch every once in awhile. Thank goodness! Hospital food sucks. I really do feel like my appetite is much smaller than during the rest of my pregnancy though. 

Sleep & Dreams:

Kinda restless since getting the rash. I'll wake up early in the morning and not be able to fall back asleep because I can't stop itching. Then because of the Benadryl, I nap a lot during the day, then I can't fall asleep at night. So sleep has been kinda crappy lately.

I finally had some interesting dreams Wednesday night. I had two dreams with Leonardo Dicaprio in them haha. In one he was young, like Titanic young and he was playing one of the three stooges and they were on a bridge and it was muddy and in black and white. 

In a very separate dream, that finally had something to do with pregnancy, I dreamt that I lost my mucus plug.

Energy:
Taking Benadryl for my rash is not helping my energy levels. I feel like a hobo most days. I get nothing accomplished. I'm taking my sweet time filling out the thank you cards from the shower. Haha. I'm almost positive our wedding thank you cards went out in less than a week! I'm a slacker.

Physical Symptoms:
I got a rash on the last day of the previous week that lasted until Wednesday of this week, one whole week of rash. All over the place; my back, belly, chest, my hands and feet were so itchy. They think it was the antibiotics they had me on. The Benadryl they're giving me just makes me pass out.
Pelvic pressure makes me feel like Calvin weighs ten pounds already. It's not constant though, some days it's worse than others.

Hip pain and achiness.
Still crazy oily skin, as always. No new zits in awhile though, so that's nice. Still having the scalp acne, that's been constant throughout the pregnancy.

My legs, ankles, and feet look magnificent lol. Bed rest does wonders for the swelling. My hands still look somewhat swollen, but holy crap I'm super happy with my feet, etc. 

I feel like my boobies have been more sensitive, especially my nipples. I have even felt a tingling sensation in my nipples on occasion. And overall, I think maybe my boobs have gotten a little bigger lately too.

Movement:
Calvin's moving around just like usual. Sometimes I can feel him super low, stabbing my pelvic bone. And sometimes it feels like he's pushing to get out, there's so much pressure down there. Other days he has his knee or foot all up in my rib cage just hanging out super high up. I feel like he's moving in even less sudden, jabbing ways and more rolling, slow motions. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Justin took me down to the hospital gift shop on mother's day and I actually got to walk around and look at things. I know it sounds so simple, but that really was nice. Not having to be pushed around in the wheelchair and getting to "shop" for a few minutes was such a nice change of scenery really.

Baby Purchases:
I gathered a few remaining things on Target.com from the registry. Gotta love the 15% off coupon you get for that stuff. Ordered a few little random things like a baby carrier, crib mattress protector, bottle drying rack, and a few other things.

What I Miss:
Doing normal everyday things. But this is only because I'm stuck in the hospital, not just because of pregnancy in general. I miss just shopping and walking around, cooking dinner, waking up next to my husband, all of these normal everyday things that I haven't been able to do for three weeks now. But it's okay guys, we're over the halfway point right now (if doc induces me at 37 weeks like we plan)! We can do this. But I can't emphasize enough just how nice it is to know there's an end point in sight.

What I Look Forward To:
Okay, since we only have two weeks left, let's discuss the stuff I can't wait for when I'm no longer pregnant. Yes, I can't wait to see Calvin and all that lovey stuff, but let's be real. Let me tell you why I can't wait to be done being pregnant.
Eggs over easy! I haven't had runny eggs in eight months! And in the same category: cookie dough. Mmm.
Swelling to go down and I can wear my rings again! I can't wait to see how much of my new-found chubbiness is fat and how much is water weight and swelling.
Sleeping on my tummy! Sleeping in whatever position I want. Not having to use the Snoogle.
Wearing real bras and shopping for nursing bras (I've been living in super comfy sports bra type bras for many months because the belly is all up in the booby area, let's just say they really aren't the most flattering haha) And I'm not going to lie, I'm curious to see what my boobies look like once my milk comes in and I start breastfeeding.
Having a glass of the homemade wine my parents and their neighbors made last fall! I've just been so curious as to how it turned out. Lol.

But there is one thing that I am not looking forward to: headaches. In everyday life I suffer from both intense and constant headaches all too often, many times per week. Being pregnant has been a magical cure for these headaches. I had a couple in the very beginning of my pregnancy, but overall, I haven't had them. I really think I've only had 2-3 that made me want to take medicine for them this whole time.

Thanks so much for reading!
Love,
Alaina and Little Calvin

34 Weeks Pregnant : Third Trimester Pregnancy Update, Symptoms, etc.

Week 34 - April 29-May 5 

Our baby boy Calvin Lee is due June 17, 2016!

Ahh, it feels good to be in the 34th week! This was our goal week for keeping this baby boy in my belly! We're excited to meet you Calvin but just wait it out a little while longer! Man, 34 weeks just sounds so much safer than 32 and 33. I think as long as I can keep viewing each day as an accomplishment and each week as a milestone, we can get through this a little more easily.

In the Hospital:
I do feel like this whole experience is making me feel closer to Calvin. Hearing his heart on the monitor twice a day, everybody wondering about him, always checking up on him on the ultrasound, and simply just having more down time to experience his little movements and spend time with him have all helped me get way more connected to this little guy.

What the Doctor Says:

On Saturday the doctor came in to talk to us. After having made it one week since my water has been leaking, the risk of infection essentially plateaus. So, since I don't have an infection right now, and he says I'm in the 5% of those who make it to this point, risk of infection is pretty low from here on out. He anticipates me going into labor beforehand or being induced at 37 weeks.  He did say if we make it to 34 weeks, Calvin would probably spend about 2 weeks in the NICU. For a few days there, I had been having somewhat regular contractions, about 6 per hour when they monitor me twice daily. However, I have not been feeling them. He says that at this rate, it's possible I could already be 3-4 cm dilated once I start feeling contractions and real labor starts. If my body did go into labor at this point, he wouldn't try to stop the contractions. Because Calvin is big and my uterus is big, it's very possible Calvin might want to come early. So overall, it's still sounding all good right now and we are so glad. 

Bump:
People keep telling me it looks somewhat deflated, but I don't think so. The bottom side is perhaps a little more squishy. Great. I'm totally gonna have a belly going on once Calvin pops out. Lol. Otherwise, I think it's just as big.

Maternity Clothes:
Wearing comfy stuff all the time these days is nice. Good thing I haven't bought any new maternity clothes recently, I wouldn't have been able to wear them much! I'm in yoga pants, pajama shorts and pants, tank tops, etc. all the time.

Emotions:
My doctor did come in to talk to me about increased risk of postpartum depression after something like this happens. Just being stuck in the hospital for so long isn't the best for your mental health, plus the fact that many women see themselves as inferior or somehow responsible for what's taking place doesn't help the situation. And I can understand that and I can totally see how those thoughts could creep in to your head. Thank God for the medical advances that we live with today. If I were in this situation one hundred years ago, who knows what would happen! Would Calvin even be able to survive if he came this early? Without medical intervention would we both get an infection? It's scary to think about and I realize, we don't live in that age.
I know that they say your emotions go crazy postpartum anyway and we've been pretty smooth sailing throughout this whole pregnancy so far, so honestly I feel like we're due for some crazy emotional times, perhaps it will come in that postpartum period. Lol.
So although he wants to see us make it to full term for Calvin's sake, the doctor realizes that my mental health is important too. So as long as I'm not going crazy in a couple weeks, all is well. Haha.
Another thing I worry about is future pregnancies. Our doctor said there would be a 1/4 risk of this same scenario playing out in a future pregnancy for us, which really worries me. My thought is, is it irresponsible for us to willingly bring another baby into the world knowing that there's a risk he could come too early and have complications. That really f's with my head. My husband Justin doesn't seem to think about it in the same way. He sees it as this 1/4 chance, we want four kids, so we're already going through this with Calvin and statistically shouldn't have to worry about it with the next babies. I've always wanted a lot of kids, but this just makes me question that. I guess it will all depend on just how much special care Calvin will need and how long he'll be in the hospital without us in the end.

Food:
Like I said last week, I feel like my appetite is more similar to my pre-pregnancy appetite than during pregnancy. I just don't feel the need to snack all the time or eat big meals. I thought perhaps it's just the yucky hospital food, but even when Justin brings me something else, I haven't been able to devour it like usual. 

Sleep & Dreams:

Things are pretty good in this department actually. Still no real different dreams to mention.

Energy:
Energy is good I guess. Life in the hospital is boring, but at least I don't just sleep all day to pass the time, that's a good sign.

Physical Symptoms:
My sisters have both mentioned that they think I'm less puffy than before, that my swelling and overall chubbiness has gone down. Although my rings still don't fit, my fingers are definitely slimmer, as well as my ankles and feet! Yay! I guess laying in bed all day really helps with the swelling lol.
Heartburn has been pretty intense this week. That's sucky, but if it means Calvin will have lots of hair when he's born, I can deal with it! I can't wait to see, I love babies with lots of hair.
My hips are feeling kind of achey again, after awhile of not feeling that way.
The doctor and nurses keep telling me I'm having pretty regular contractions, about six per hour, I'm not feeling them though. If I intentionally press on my belly, I can tell when I'm having one, but I don't feel them otherwise.

Movement:
Calvin is moving around just fine, which I'm so thankful for. I'm so glad that he has no idea what's up. Haha.
We did have an ultrasound Friday where he refused to move at all! We were with the ultrasound tech forever it felt like! She had me sitting up, laying on my side, jiggling my belly, and Calvin would not move! She was concerned about him, but literally just five minutes prior, he was behaving totally normally and moving around like usual. He was just being a stubborn little sleepy baby. Lol.
At the ultrasound he was doing a lot of what they call "practice breathing" and she said that was a really good sign, so that makes me happy.
In another ultrasound perhaps last week, we saw him lick his hand! I didn't see his tongue come out, but he definitely brushed his hand all up against his lips! Haha. That was pretty crazy. And then in another ultrasound, we saw him reaching for his foot with his hand. It's just so crazy all the stuff he's doing in there!

The Baby Shower:
They had it without me physically there, but you can check out the blog post here.

What I Miss:
Being at home, sleeping in my own bed with my kitties and Justin. People probably think I'm crazy, but I really do miss the cats. And I realize that (hopefully, God willing) when I return home I'll have Calvin with me, therefore, last thing I should be worried about is the cats, I'll have a newborn baby to worry about. But they were our first babies! Justin says my cat Nam follows him around the house when he's there. I don't want her to feel like I abandoned her and have replaced her with Calvin. And the idea of me not being with her for several weeks, then once I return I bring a tiny little human who she's probably not going to like at first, I think she's going to be mad at me. Lol.

Thanks so much for reading!
Love,
Alaina and Little Calvin

Calvin Lee's Baby Shower : Woodland Animals Theme

Although I wasn't able to physically attend the shower, Justin had me there on Skype and I was able to see everyone. Here are some pictures. Everything looked so adorable, I wish I could have been there!

My mom, two sisters, and mom and dad's neighbor who we've all grown up with were there to set everything up beforehand. 

Lots of snacks!

My mom made snacks. So many cute cupcakes: owls, foxes, squirrels, bears, logs, bird nests, and even more creatures!

Hedgehogs 

Acorns

This baby picture board turned out so super cute!

I made these little thank you iced sugar cookies a couple weeks back, thank goodness I didn't wait til the last minute lol. 

Thank for reading!

Love,

Alaina