39 Week Appointment

I sure was hoping I would not have to blog about this appointment ... but we had to go to it!

Weight: 2 lbs
Total Gain: 28 lbs

Blood Pressure: Normal

HeartBeat: 130s

So the sad news is ...
I've made no progress since last tuesday. Still a 3, 75%!

She did a "stripping the membrane" process. We will see what that does.

Then she gave us strict orders to "eat spicy food and have sex."

Next Appointment is scheduled for Jan. 4th (one day after my due date)!!!

*Oh and a VERY Happy FIRST Birthday to our friend, ABBY LU!!!*

39 Weeks

-I am very blessed to say that I have not experienced any swelling.
-I have NOT slept well at all this past week. I wake up every couple hours having to pee, and usually i'm experiencing contractions.
-None of the contractions have been worth timing. Besides we don't plan on going in until my water breaks, or the contractions are really strong and really close together!

All in all, we are soooo ready for this baby to be here!

Christmas Day 2009

This morning, we woke up and went to my parent's house.

We got all kinds of goodies, but I only made out with one picture!!

Bryan and I painted a couple of picture frames w/ Brady's name on it.

Auntie J got one of them!!

We had lunch at my Mema's house ...

opened presents ...

then played a little more 88!

Our traditional Christmas picture ...

one w/ the kitty ...

and one w/o.

I hope everyone had a VERY Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Eve 2009

We took it easy this morning.

Around 3PM, we headed to my papa's house for a traditional Christmas.

We played all kinds of games ...

then ate a very yummy turkey with it's fixings ...

played a little 88 in dominos ...

and then we sang Christmas songs!!
Growing up, we always had to sing each and every Christmas song that was requested before we could start opening presents.

All the grandkids, that were around, with Papa.

Mommy, Me and Jill

The Neal/Miller Clan

Another wonderful Christmas Eve!

38 Week Appointment

another great report.

Weight gain: .8 of a lb
Total: 26 lbs.

Blood Pressure: Normal

Heartbeat: At first, she had a hard time hearing it. She said when they get to this stage, they are harder to hear because they move and have their back turned. Then he made a couple of movements (which were easily visible to the nurse) ... and it came in loud and clear.

Dr came and did her weekly check up.

She said I am 3cm dilated, 75% effaced and baby is in the -1 position (very low).

While she was checking me, she asked if i was having a contraction. I actually had to feel my stomach (to see if it was hard) before I could answer YES! I am very thankful that this is how a lot of my contractions have been.

She told that she was leaving in 22 hours (around noon on wed, Dec. 23rd) ... so if I had him by then, she would be there for delivery! Otherwise, she is pretty positive that he will make his big entrance before next Sunday (Dec. 27th) ... the day she comes home from Christmas vacation.

If I was fine with getting induced, she would have checked me into the hospital after my appointment!

So, now we are officially due any day now .... on baby watch!

38 Weeks

I can not believe how close we are! We are both sooo ready to meet this little one!!

-I clean the house EVERY three days. Bryan helps me if he's around and not at work. I not only want to have a really clean house for when he comes ... but I also know that I will not want to clean in the first week or so after he comes home!
-I walk and bounce on my ball every single day!!
-Yesterday, we hit up SAM's and Wal-Mart .... and stocked up on food! I'm pretty sure we could eat for a month! I just have this feeling I will not want to grocery shop for awhile!

We are praying for another forward progress report on tuesday!

Our Christmas 2009

Since we could have a baby any day now ... we decided to do our Christmas with each other early!

Our ornament exchange ...
Tony Romo and Merry Smoochmas!!

Just showing my camera skills ...
see the gift card that was falling out of his hand!

a navy Polo hat, a gift card to academy and buffalo ...
and i helped with a down Browning jacket!
he got me jon hart checkbook cover and id wallet!

i love them.

bevo checking out his gift.

Violet found hers!

digging in.

We have one more present for each other ...
we are not sure if it will be an early Christmas present or a late!! :)

Good Reports

I realized the other day ... that from every single one of our dr appointments, we have had all good reports!

Blood pressure always good ... heartbeat loud, clear ... all tests that i have taken come back negative ... sonograms all looked great!

I don't think i've heard a negative thing about this pregnancy from the doc!

What a blessing!

Onto this 37 1/2 week appointment (yesterday):

Weight: gain of a .2 lbs.
total: 25.2 lbs

Blood Pressure: Good

Heartbeat: in the 130s

She said I'm basically a 2 and 50% effaced. She said the baby's head is right there in a great position.

Also, she asked if I had my H1N1 shot ... i said no (I was only going to get it if she asked me to)! Well, she asked ... so I said ok! Luckily they gave it to me there at the office!

Next appointment:
Tuesday, Dec. 22nd @ 2:20pm
(she leaves that afternoon for Christmas holiday)

As we were talking to the receptionist, making our next appointment ... I asked when she would be returning. She said, monday the 28th! Then she said, if i had to guess, you will probably have him while i'm gone! That got me excited ... then I was like wait, you have to be here!

We will see what she thinks at the next appointment!!!

One last date ...

I heard on the radio that Cory Morrow, Jason Boland and Roger Creager were all playing an acoustic set together on Tuesday night at the Midnight Rodeo. I know that Bryan loves all of those guys ... so i thought I would take him for one of our last dates as just the two of us!

You might be thinking ... what is this girl doing? Going to a bar when she is just about ready to pop!? It honestly did not cross my mind how out of place I looked until we were walking up to the bar, and Bryan said i hope people don't look at us like we are that couple that goes to a bar when they are preggo!

Boy, did we ever stick out! Like Bryan says, "We stuck out like a turd in a punch bowl!"

So, maybe it wasn't the best idea ... but i do know that my husband had a great time!!

Meeting Brynna

My friend, Amy, who I have been following in pregnancy ... had her little girl on monday morning!

Amy was about a week and a half ahead of me.

that means ... I'm Next!

I don't know anybody else do before us! Yeah!

Me and the Beautiful Brynna!!

37 Weeks

Today, we are celebrating!

Today, marks the day that we are no longer carrying a premie ... but a FULL TERM baby!

We are now letting him know that he really can come anytime!

-I have definitely been experiencing braxton hicks. they usually come at night, but today i have felt them a lot!
-i bounce on my exercise ball quite often.
-i feel his hiccups extremely low ... which is good because it means he is staying low.
-he punches my bladder daily.

I have an appointment on wednesday afternoon ...
we are praying for more good news!!!

crafty idea.

i saw this online and had to try them out.

we made them for hostess gifts for our recent baby shower.

then there were 4 extra, so we made one for mom, dad, bryan and i.

i thought they turned out cute and very personal.

Friends Baby Shower

This past sunday we had yet another shower ... this one w/ paulann friends.

check out the cute cookies.

Auntie J and her super cute gift!!

mom, me and the biggie belly.

someone is just as excited as bryan and i.
stacey, lacely and kaela ...
who is holding makyleigh (lacey's 3 weeks old).

trying to figure exactly what it was ...
the hostesses gave us a boppy cover and giftcard to buy what we needed.
the last shower before brady is born. the boys ranch wants to throw us one after he is born! that should be fun!! :)

Maternity Pictures

These pictures were taken on November 14th, 2009 ...
one day short of 33 weeks!

i love them.

36 Week Appointment

This morning we had another appointment.

Weight: 25lbs. total gained

Blood Pressure: normal

Heartbeat: 142 bpm

Stomach measures 35 cm at 36 weeks. Perfect.

We did a GB test ... will get results back next time.

Also, I am dialted to a 1 (yeah)! She said baby is in a good position for vaginal delivery. She said everything looks great!

Thank You, Jesus for a great doctors report!! :)

Next Appointment: Dec. 16th, 4PM

the nursery.

finally, more pictures of the nursery.

my sister painted this for her nephew.

Brady Wade Neal
"Behold, like the clay
in the potter's hand, so
are you in My hand."
Jeremiah 18:6

we placed it over his crib.
the bedding.
minus the bed skirt ... because it was way too long. whoops!

his cute bags.

cool board to hold pictures of all of his friends and places for his books/toys.

auntie j has claimed this as her bed.
bags packed ... with a list of what it's missing next to it.
it's missing one very important item. and we expect it to arrive any day now.

36 Weeks

-i am about 75% positive that i had some braxton hick contractions on saturday. they were in the middle of the night, and were not too intense. but still not wonderful.
-we had a combo baby class on saturday. infant basics/safety/prepared childbirth combined into one day. it was very informative. bryan and i both enjoyed it.

come on, brady ... it's great out here.

Beautiful Day

The rumor was that it was supposed to snow last night/early this morning ... but that doesn't always happen!

But what a beautiful sight to see when we got a call this morning at 6:30AM ... one of the cottage parents was calling Bryan to say school starts at 10AM!

I think this is the first time for Bevo and Violet to see snow ...
neither one was impressed!

Have a Wonderful Friday and Great Weekend!