showered and ready!

We are 29 weeks and 4 days pregnant, and according to my countdown, that leaves us with only 73 days left before hendrix's due date.  

Now I realize that he might not come that day.  

He might not even come that month.

BUT, it is crazy to think that we are only two months away.  :)  We are thrilled to meet him finally, and I know that we will just figure things out as we go, so there is nothing to worry about.  It does seem like we still have lots of things to get settled before he makes his appearance though.  Here's an update about what we have been up to lately:

My hubs and I both celebrated our birthdays last week.  Yes, we celebrated them together because they happened in the same week, and for those of you who are wondering, I am a year older than him.  It's not a big deal. :)  

We also celebrated our three-year anniversary.  I am thankful everyday for the man I married, and am also very thankful for these three special years that we had as a pair before we became a three-some. :)

This is my hubby playing soccer in the Iowa Games over the weekend (he is the one in the white shirt in the middle).  He played with a bunch of other alum from our hometown on a recreational league, and had a blast!  Hendrix enjoyed watching his daddy, and he was cheering him on by kicking his own little legs throughout the game. ;)

I had my first baby shower over the weekend - thrown by some dear friends, Amie Rockow-Nelson, Renee Rockow, and Riley Nelson.  Everything was beautiful and I was thrilled to have some very sweet friends with me to celebrate.  We had a fabulous time, and hendrix got some really cool new stuff!  

We put the new stroller together as soon as we got home, and took it for a lil' spin to see how it works.  I can't wait to push my little man 'round the block!

I guess that is about all that we have been up to, now for a little peek on what hendrix has been up to:

• He is now in the seventh month and is about the size of a squash; measuring over 15 inches in length and around 3 pounds.
• His weight should triple in the next 10 weeks, meaning lots of rapid weight gain for the little guy.  This is making him very cramped in his living quarters.
• His spleen is now fully functioning.
• His brain wave activity is high enough now that researchers speculate he might even be capable of dreaming. :)

Things are going pretty well for Momma, though I have been having frequent heartburn and acid reflux.  I have heard from some that this is an indication that he will be born with lots of hair.......

My tummy is awfully bumpy, and I am starting to run out of energy again like I did at the beginning of the pregnancy.   Naps are becoming my friend ;)  Other than that, all is well!  

Hyperactive Hendrix

We are 28 weeks along!

Our little guy is growing and growing.  Sounds like that is really about all he is up to right now.  As of this week his body fat index is only around 2 or 3 % and he is working overtime to get that ratio up a little bit before he is born.  This is good because I want a healthy, chubby little guy! (That is why I have been feeding him so much ice cream!  ;)

He is SOOO active!  It used to be that I would have to patiently wait until I was sitting quietly at lunch, or even laying down in bed to feel him moving around.  Now it seems like hardly 20 minutes pass without him making such strong movements that I can't help but lose my train of thought as I think of how cool it is to see and feel him moving around.   

My hubby and I went to a movie last night, and I was somewhat distracted from the show by the show that was happening right in my lap.....I am not sure if his reaction was from all the noise in the theater, or all the popcorn and junior mints that I was eating ;)

Our topic of research and discussion this week has been circumcision.  Depending on which doctor we go with at the hospital, we can do either a traditional circumcision or a Plastibell circumcision.  You can check out this video of a Plastibell circumcision if you're not familiar with it.  After hearing from lots of friends who have had their boys circumcised, we are quite positive that we would rather do the Plastibell over the traditional because it's easier to clean and maintain in early infancy.  It also appears to be less stressful for the infant from the movies we saw of each. 

I guess that is all for now.  We are spending this weekend doing some celebrating as next week we have some big events in the Baumgartner family.  Tuesday is my hubby's birthday, Wednesday is our anniversary, and Thursday is my birthday.  Good thing Hendrix will have an entirely different month for himself when he gets here!

Happy weekend!

Baby Hiccups

As we crossed into the 27th week of our pregnancy I experienced something for the first time.  Hendrix had the hiccups last night!  It was the first time that I have felt them, though I guess he has probably had them before.  I was laying in bed and I felt a very consistent thumping coming from the lower right part of my belly.  It continued for several minutes and Bud was able to feel them too ;)  It was very cool!


He does lots of moving these days, and it was really fun to share the movements with my family members when I saw them over the holiday weekend.  I really don't mind having hands on my tummy, and it is really fun to share the experience with others.  I am so amazed at how much I feel like I am bonding with my son already.  I wouldn't trade the experience of having him with me all the time throughout this pregnancy for anything........even having my regular shaped body back!  


This week:

• He is about the size of an eggplant, growing in size to be about 2 pounds!
• His nostrils are becoming "unplugged", as he is learning to both inhale and exhale the amniotic fluid around him.
• His hearing is improving to the point that he is capable of recognizing voices that he hears often.  He probably knows my voice and his daddy's for sure.

As for our preparations......this week we had our first session of our birthing class.  We are taking it through the hospital and have two sessions left.  It was helpful to hear more specifics about labor and delivery, and we are learning some relaxation techniques.  Bud has been practicing his massage skills on my hands and feet nearly every night which I am loving!


We finally finished up our gift registries.  We started one at both Target and Babies' R Us, and had a difficult time sifting through all the wants and needs.  The lists of suggested items that they give you are ridiculously long, and I really thought some of the things were going overboard!  It was lots of fun to run around the store trying out all the gear (we wanted to make sure the stroller was going to be easy to fold up, the diaper bag would be daddy and mommy friendly, etc.)  


Throughout this process of registering we finalized our plans to cloth diaper.  It is something that I had been thinking about for a while, and wasn't sure if hubby was on board with me, or if he was just saying "yes, dear".  I have done some extensive research online, and also spoken with some friends who have done this, and I feel confident that it is worth a try!  So far I am planning to go with the Fuzzi Buns pocket diapers:

They are somewhat of a costly initial investment, but I think that it won't take long for them to pay off and actually save us tons of money on diaper costs.  The use of multiple snaps make them versatile for various stages in the baby's growth.  I am not totally opposed to disposable diapers, and will gladly use them when we are away from home for the convenience factor.  A friend told me about the diaper sprayer (so cool) which attaches to your toilet and you can just use to spray the big stuff right into the toilet before washing the diapers.  I also have seen these disposable liners that you place inside the diapers, and when changing you can just take them out and flush them down the toilet.  I consider this option a sort of "hybrid" among cloth diapering, and am excited to give it a shot!  Feedback is welcome!

I am feeing pretty good still, though I have to admit that my energy level is definitely decreasing.  I am wondering if this is because my night's sleep is interrupted by the ever increasing number of trips to the potty in the middle of the night.  Last night I counted four trips.  Yes, four trips.  I think that is ridiculous!  The little guy must be pressing right on my bladder right now.  Maybe that will pass soon.......

I also hope the leg cramps pass soon.  I have been waking up with pretty severe leg cramps in my calves in the middle of the night, and thankfully my hubby will wake up enough to massage them out while I try to relax the muscles and wait it out.  I am wondering if I am learning anything about my pain threshold that I should keep in mind when we make our birth plan........ 

Overall, things are going well and I am still loving being prego!

This is what I see when I look down.....

Goodbye feet.  Hope to see you again this fall. :)

We are so blessed!

This has been an eventful past couple of days, and I would really like to share some of the blessings that we have received this week.

1. We started our third trimester today!  This is such a huge milestone, and makes me realize how little time we have left in the pregnancy!  We are so thankful to have made it thus far with a healthy and uneventful pregnancy ;)


2. My husband accepted a job at an architecture firm here in Ames today.  :)  He has been job hunting since he finished his Master's degree in early May (and actually the process of interviewing and working on his portfolio started much sooner.....like back in January), and I have to admit that I was beginning to feel very discouraged that he didn't have something lined up yet.  He had been thinking that he would have to commute to Des Moines for work (which isn't too far, but does require gas and time) and the job market has been a little weak in the field of architecture right now.   Not only has he procured work in his field, but the firm he will be working for is only about a mile from our new home.  We are so blessed!


3.  We received our first-time homebuyers tax credit check in the mail today!  I had been told that these checks were really backed up, and since we have just been homeowners for about 8 weeks now, I was thoroughly expecting to not get the check until this fall.  Since we have been putting alot of work and money into our home, this will be immensely helpful in getting us into a more comfortable financial position to be prepared for Hendrix to make his arrival soon. :)


4. We have been given the opportunity to purchase a used vehicle from some friends who recently upgraded their situation.  We have been a one-car family for the entire three years of our marriage, which has worked out well enough so far since the bus system in Ames is so reliable.  With my hubby starting his new career, and with the little guy on the way, we realize that a second vehicle is going to be less of a luxury and more of a necessity.  We are thrilled to be helping our friends out while purchasing a modest car that meets our needs for the time being.


I guess that is all for now.  I am very humbled and overwhelmed at the way that God is working in our lives to meet our needs.  :)

Red, White & Blue

Happy 4th of July weekend!  I love this holiday!  Partially because the 4th is my Dad's birthday so I have fond memories of celebrating as a family, and also because I really do love summer and all the fun things that go with it - grilling, swimming, ice cream, sunshine, parades, fireworks, etc.  This year, we bought my Dad a plane ticket to visit his family in New York for his birthday so we won't be seeing him this weekend (sad face), but are happy that he is getting to do something fun with other people who love him!  Happy Birthday, Daddy! Four day weekend, here I come!


Today we start our 26th week.  We have a doctor's appointment this afternoon to check up on little Hendrix's progress, and also to do a check for gestational diabetes.  I am hopeful that we both pass our tests with flying colors!


This week:

• Hendrix's eyelids have finally separated (previously they were fused shut) and he is now experiencing his first ability of sight!
• A little cowlick or two might be forming on his head as his hair is finally starting to come in.  (As is the O'Polka style however, it may be too blonde to see, or not there at all!)
• His little toenails are fully formed
• His hearing, which began developing at week 18, is now fully complete; meaning that he is sensitive to noises, and may even be startled by loud sounds.  
• He is very active and constantly moving around and reacting to his Momma's movements.

My bump pic for this week was taken outside in my screened in porch, which has become one of my new favorite rooms in our house!  It has been really great to get fully moved and more settled into our home and figure out the ways that we are going to use each room to meet our needs.  I have focused my energy on getting my room unpacked and organized, but am now ready to change gears and get Hendrix's room ready.  I hung curtains last night. :)

I plan to post some more finished pictures soon.  In the meantime, enjoy this Patriotic holiday and eat some homemade ice cream!