Baby Shower #3

The sweet people in the Accounting & Administration department at Rapides Hospital threw Ben & I a baby shower on Friday, August 1, 2008. Ben works in Accounting & my mom works in Administration. We had such a good time & Avery got some very nice things. She got some precious booties, a newborn gown & a great gift card to Wal-Mart. I have a feeling we will have lots of visitors in the hospital once Avery decides to grace us with her presence. =) Here are a few pictures from the shower.

The adorable cake!


Ben & I with the cake!


The first cake they bought. They thought the ladybugs looked like mutated cockroaches, so they decided to get another "baby" themed cake. It was a big joke around the office. =)


Newborn nightgown from Jennifer.


Cute little booties Jodie's mom made for Avery. I can't wait until she can wear them.

Work...

Several people have been asking me lately if i'm going back to work. The answer is yes, but not right now. My plan is to take the fall semester off to stay home with Avery (if she ever gets here...haha). I hope to find an open teaching position for the spring semester starting in January, but it all depends on what positions are open & available at that time. I still would love to go back to PreK, but the chances of a PreK position being open in January are very slim. We'll see what happens. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that something amazing will come along. In the mean time i'm just trying to relax & take it easy because I know my days are numbers without Avery.

I've made an appointment to get a prenatal massage tomorrow. I'm so excited!! I was reading that this is one way to "naturally" induce labor. The relaxation releases hormones in your body that tells your baby it's time. I also read that eating pineapple & spicy food helps induce. I'm trying anything & everything. I have another doctors appointment tomorrow afternoon. I will update if he tells me anything interesting. As of last Thursday (July 31st) Avery was "head down", but I was "closed". Hopefully she has started her descent & she'll be here soon! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

We're now at T minus 3 1/2 weeks (24 days!!)

Recent Preggy Pics

Casey & Jessica's Wedding
July 26, 2008
35 weeks pregnant.


All the Cooper girls minus Julie.
Lindsay, Mrs. Sally, Jessica & Rachel


Aunt Jess wanted a picture with Avery.

Avery's Nursery

Avery's nursery is finally finished. It turned out really cute with all the ladybug decorations. Here are a few snapshots of her nursery.


Crib with the ladybug canvases Angela painted for Avery.


Glider & nightstand...rocking area.


Changing table/ dresser


Adorable diaper bag I found at Life's Little Treasures


Closet full of clothes, books & toys.

If you want to see the entire album you can go to the following link.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2345424&l=aa291&id=23401590

From Poppy Seed to Pumpkin: How big is your baby?

I found this really neat slide show at Babycenter.com that compares your baby to fruits & vegetables. It's neat to see how much they grow over the weeks. This week Avery is as big as a honeydew melon!! =)

http://www.babycenter.com/slideshow-baby-size

Baby Shower #2 & Luncheon

Baby Shower #2 & a luncheon was held at my Aunt Carolyn's NEW house on Saturday, July 19, 2008. Aunt Carolyn, Cathey, Aunt Frances, Aunt Diane, mom & Addyson were there. We had a delicious lunch (definently Southern Living style), then I opened presents. Avery got a really cute LSU diaper bag, Target gift card, picture frame, teddy bear, towel, washcloth, burp cloth & LOTS OF BOOKS!! I really hope Avery likes books because she already has tons!!

After lunch & presents we got a tour of the new house & visited. It was so nice visiting with everyone. It is not very often that I get to see my mom's best friends! We had a wonderful time & it was very sweet of them to think of me & Avery.

34 1/2 weeks down, Only 5 1/2 more to go!!

Since it has been a little less than a month since my last post, I thought I would update those of you who like to be in "the know" and know what has been going on.

My last doctors appointment was the scariest one I have been to so far. I started my two week appointments last Thursday, July 17, 2008. I have been having some "female problems", so when I went to the doctor I told him what has been going on to see if he could run some tests or at least tell me what I can do to make my "problem" go away. He asked me what I had for breakfast that day & I told him Oatmeal Crisp Almond Crunch cereal (side note: This is the best cereal I have ever tasted, so I have been having it every day since I discovered it in May.) Well, he then proceeded to tell me that I had A LOT of sugar in my urine that morning & they wanted me to come back the nest day (Friday) for another blood glucose test. (I took this same test at 24 weeks & passed with flying colors.) So, I go home not sure about what to think or what do do at this point. I go back to the doctors office at 8AM on Friday morning for the 1 hour blood glucose test. Well, to sum it all up, the results came back that I "failed" the blood glucose test this time. I have gestational diabetes!! I was instructed to buy a glucose meter & check my sugar levels first thing in the morning (8 hour fasting blood) & two hours after every meal & a dietitian would be contacting me to go over a diabetic diet. I'm still having my "problem", but hopefully it will go away soon & that it's not something else.

Ben & I met with the dietitian, Amy, on Monday. I read her what my sugar levels have been over the weekend (Friday-Monday) & they were in the "normal" range. They should be between 70-120. Only a few times have they been over 120, which she said is normal for the levels to fluctuate every now and then. She gave us a list of what a diabetic diet consists of & some food choice ideas.

Ben is such a sweet husband! He is doing the 2000 calorie diabetic diet with me even though he doesn't have to. He said that if I have to go through it then he will too. He has been so sweet, understanding & makes me feel like i'm not alone on this whole adventure. He told the dietitian that the only way he eats 2000 calories a day is if he sleeps most of the day!! haha. Funny, but true!! The diet is somewhat hard to get used to because we are both used to eating whatever & whenever we want. Now we have to watch our carbs & sugars. I am still craving ice cream & icees which are big no-no's, but I know that this is in the best interest of me & Avery. And plus, I only have 5 1/2 more weeks & the diabetes usually goes away after birth. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!

So, today is Wednesday & my sugar levels are still in the "normal" range, so that is very good news. I go back to the doctor next Thursday, July 31, 2008. Starting in August is when I will start going weekly. Avery moves ALL THE TIME & sometimes I feel like she is going to bust through my belly button. But that's ok because I would rathar feel her move than not.

Please continue to keep Ben, Avery & I in your prayers.