Sideways

Well, I'm 35 weeks pregnant and our baby girl is in a transverse lie which means she is sideways in my belly. Sideways is no way for a baby to come out naturally so this is not good news for us. I have less than a week to try every trick and technique out there to encourage her to move head down. After 36-37 weeks, she will be too big to make her move. We have an ultrasound scheduled next week to check the progress and from there, we may need to schedule a procedure called an external version done in the hospital to move the baby head down. External version may result in labor so we may be having a baby in two weeks! We are currently facing a C-section as our only option for the delivery so we are praying for miss Elizabeth to turn soon so we are able to have the natural, unmedicated birth we have been planning for and are hoping for. We will keep you posted!

Babymoon - Part II

After we left our B&B, The Sobotta Manor, in Mt. Airy, we headed up to Virginia to an old farmhouse in the beautiful, rolling foothills. We were so blessed by the time we spent there relaxing and restoring our lives and marriage. Both Clint and I know how important it is to give precious time to our marriage to work out the challenging issues and just to enjoy each other's company as well. We were able to accomplish both on our trip and we are so grateful to our friends and hosts, Gary and Lisa, for giving us this incredible gift through their ministry, Job's Retreat. Enjoy the scenery...

We sat on this back porch and listened to the rain for a while and then watched the steam rise through the hills. Clint was right at home in the country and had seen this kind of landscape in his own backyard. I, of course, was like a little kid seeing it all for the first time and I was in awe of it all.

Babymoon - Part I

Clint and I went to the mountains last weekend to spend some time together and try to get some rest before the baby comes. Evidently, there is a new word for this kind of vacation prior to the birth of a baby...the "babymoon". How funny! Anyway, we had an amazing weekend and we feel as ready as we can be (mentally and emotionally) for our baby to arrive. We have about 6 weeks to go! Now, as far as having our to do list finished, we have many, many more tasks to complete. We do have a carseat in the car and a crib for her to sleep in, but that is pretty much it. I guess we need to get busy, but first, here are some photos from our weekend trip...

Clint and I outside of our B&B

34 weeks pregnant...6 weeks to go!

The beautiful English Manor Bed & Breakfast that we stayed at in Mt. Airy, NC

The gardens were unbelievable...

The view out of our window

We spent some time in downtown Mt. Airy as well which is full of history, cute shops, and friendly people. I'll post some more pics of our downtown adventure later.

Part II of the "Babymoon" was spent in an old farmhouse in the rolling foothills of Virginia. Our stay was so restful and peace-filled. All we could see was land for miles and miles. I'll add a post about this portion of our trip later as well.

The Countdown Has Begun

Elizabeth's Birth Day is almost here! We have 8 weeks to go so it seems fitting to begin a countdown. Here is what Baby Center says about her development this week...

Your pregnancy: 32 weeks

How your baby's growing: By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth!

She is moving so much now...pushing, kicking and stretching to the point of pain for me. Last night for 45 minutes I watched in amazement as my belly took on very odd shapes and rolled from side to side. I actually measured something (probably her foot) stretch out nearly 2 inches from my belly. I thought she was going to break the surface!! Sophie did not seem to be as active as her little sister in my belly, however, Sophie is a very active child. Does that mean Elizabeth could actually be more energetic than Sophie? I may have my hands full and sooner than planned! I had to go see our midwife yesterday because I was having some pretty significant preterm labor symptoms. The contractions and cramping did eventually calm down, but I have been ordered to take it very easy. My midwife actually prescribed sitting down, putting my feet up, and watching Lifetime on TV. Rest...is it possible to get rest as a mom (lol)? I will have to find my moments! Although we are all excited to meet Elizabeth, we want her to be big enough and strong enough to begin her life outside of the womb. Despite the discomforts of being this pregnant now, I do hope to make it through the entire 8 week countdown!