The Bright Baby News!

On April 10th we planned to get everyone near and dear together to celebrate April's Birthday. We met at Kilkenney's and ate dinner and caught up with each other - there were 21 of us! It was so much fun :)

We decided to take a group photo, so April went and got the hostess. I gave her my camera as well and we all cheesed for the picture. She took a few with my camera and a few with April's camera.
Then April said "Lets take a fun one!" The hostess counted down and right before she got to one April exclaimed "We're Pregnant!!!"

Silence washed over everyone! Ryan loudly said "REALLY?? Congratulations!!!" I stared at April with my mouth open and tears welling up in my eyes. I was completely speechless until Cara said "get the Fing Sht out!!" We all died laughing then attacked April and Chris with congratulatory hugs. It took me at least an hour to realize this was really happening. I have wished this for them with every inch of my being and I can not be more ecstatic that they are having a baby!



















Group shot! Finger over the flash :(



















Kylie+Dave Newlyweds fresh off the Honeymoon boat!



















Nate+Sirikit Wedding will be here before you know it!



















April's surprise mini Birthday cake that Sil hid in her purse :)
Thank you April for letting me eat most of it - yum!



















Parents to Be :)



















The four of us! April, Baby Bright, Myself & Baby Smith!



















Cheers to Chris & April!

























April's first Ultrasound



















The Mexico clan
xoxo



Its all coming true sweetie!!
"BABIES!!!"

The Ultimate Miracle

Baby Smith with its mouth open and the little hand balled into a fist.



















Sucking it's little thumb



















Big yawn!



















One of our first shots of the little one...soundly sleeping.



















p.s. Don't forget you can click on each picture to view it in a larger size!

Miracle in the Womb

Yesterday was so much fun! I worked my very last Saturday, went home and curled up on the couch and took a nap with Ryan and Chloe then we went to our 3/d 4/d Ultrasound!!

Miracle in the Womb was a cute little place tucked in a shopping center in Broken Arrow. It was decorated with a mix of baby cakes, childrens memorabilia, neat 4d pictures they have taken and a dash of the owner's Indian culture.






















































The Ultrasound Tech, Bonnie was so sweet! We chatted in the lobby for a bit and then she led us back to the Ultrasound room. I laid down on the comfy bed and Ryan sat in the Daddy chair next to me. She sat on the bed with me and worked the machine while we relaxed and watched the images on a big flat screen in front of us.

Bonnie turned on some classical Baby Einstein music and got started by squirting (warm - finally) goop all over my belly. We looked away while she found the orientation of baby Smith. Head down & curled in a tight little ball, our little one was laying on its side looking Dad's way :) We spent the majority of the thirty minutes watching the face and arms. Because the baby is so big there isn't a lot of room to move around, so no backflips or big kicks while we were there. She said my fluid looked great and would make for some good pictures (Thank you Kylie for telling me to drink water like crazy!) I am pretty sure we woke him/her up because the arms flew up and covered where she was poking around and the little eyebrows kept furrowing! Both Ryan and I have high cheekbones and big cheeks and so does baby!! We kept giggling at the chubby cheeks...the tech laughed and "he" looked like a lil' chimpunk ;) (She told us ahead of time that she calls all un-known gender babies "he.") Baby was making fists and then spreading its fingers and we got to count all five!! *whew* She had us look away while she searched for the tootsies, but they were curled up and hidden. We enjoyed our time with the baby and it made us both even more excited to see it in person - can't wait to meet you!!!!



















The experience was very fun! Big thanks to Kylie, Dave, & Aisley!! We appreciate the opportunity so much!

32 Weeks - BIG baby!!

We went to our 32 week appointment as well as our Pre-Admission today!

























We went to the Birthing floor of St. John's and after filling out gobs of paperwork we met the sweetest nurse named Penny. She went over every bit of the birthing process with us.

We went over the early labor warning signs and how to react to them. She explained how its not a rushed crazy dramatic episode when I go into labor. It really eased Ryan's nerves when she told us its nothing like the movies. Penny explained that after my water broke we would calmly gather our things and that I could even take a quick shower before we left the house!

We talked about my preference on an Epidural - I am planning on going natural! However we will have the option if I am so inclined to change my mind. She told me every step of getting the monster shot...*shudder* I had no idea they poke you with that beast of a needle then leave a catheter in your back! Also that the fluids they give me before the Epi will keep me in bed with no option of walking around, and the morphine in my system after the shot will keep me in bed for up to 6 hours! All very interesting! We talked about breastfeeding and how I will have the opportunity to feed the baby almost immediately after birth which is wonderful! She said they used to whisk the baby away right after birth, but now they bring the scale, and ink pads for foot and hand prints into your room and you get to spend an hour with the baby before his/her first bath. They have to bathe the baby in the nursery under a warmer so it doesn't get too chilly!

We learned so much and she was ecstatic we were taking our classes soon. May 8th Ryan and I will spend the day in Childbirth Education (Lamaze) and then on the 12th my Mom and I will go to my Breastfeeding class. We are on a waiting list for Child Safety/CPR. On our way out of the meeting she asked our names and smiled when she heard Olivia. Her good friend Olivia Smith has a birthday on June 6th!!! Is it a sign??


















Next we had our Ultrasound! The baby is the size of a baby!!! haha I know, obvious right? It is just so nuts to see the changes since our last visit. The Sonographer we had today is very good at her job, but it is apparent she has been doing this for many many years. She was very cut and dry, doing everything very quickly. We got to see little one squirm around best he/she could in the tight space available now. We saw the little face with the hands up close by. Then she looked at the wide open legs and kindly instructed we turn away (Thank You!) She pointed at the screen and said "And there's the BIG foot!" and we giggled not thinking much of it. She printed off two pictures and whisked us in the see Howerton.
























Dr. Howerton came in smiling and said "the baby is SO healthy!! I am happy! We will do another Ultrasound in a month." Confused, I said that this was supposed to be our last. That's when she dropped the bomb! "Due to the size of the baby we will do one more just to see where to go from there...based on the Ultrasound it looks like we are at 6 pounds." {At 32 weeks the "normal" approximate size is about 3.5lbs} We just stared at her until I said "I'm sorry, what?!" I jokingly asked if this meant I was going to deliver a 10 pound baby to which she answered (still with a big smile) "probably!" Ahhhhhhhhh!! She explained how it is a great thing because it means I have a great placenta (thank you!) and the baby is very healthy and getting lots of nutrients. This could possibly change our birth plan, but we are up for anything and ecstatic that the baby is so healthy.
When the Sonographer said big foot, she meant it! We might have a pro-basketball player in our midst :)

More Updates soon!!

xoxo

I love you Ryan, with all my heart!

31 Weeks

Baby Update:
From this week on, your baby will continue to gain around ½ pound a week until shortly before birth (even though it may feel like a whole lot more with every step you take).

Other highlights this week:

Due to increasing space constraints, your baby's arms and legs stay drawn up close to the body now, known as the fetal position (oh, so that's where that name came from!). Plus, your baby can now process information from all five senses—so she'll be all set to smell the pureed peas, taste them, feel them as she mashes them into her hair, hear you crack up and then see the flash as you grab the camera to snap picture after picture.

By now, your baby's lungs are the only system not fully mature. And by mature, we're not saying that the rest of your baby's systems are mature enough to be out past 10 PM with the neighborhood hooligan, just that her lungs need a little bit more time to bake before they can kick it in the outside world.

Miracle in the Womb

I had to share my fun news! Our good friends, Dave, Kylie & Aisley have gotten us an early Baby Shower gift! Kylie called me on April 1st and said that she had an awesome gift for us and we needed to get together soon. The very next day I look up from the Teller Line at work and there she is! When she and Dave were pregnant they went to this place called Miracle in the Womb for a 3d/4d Prenatal Ultrasound. She loved it so much that she wanted to share the experience with us.
We got an Ultimate Miracle Package:
This Ultimate Miracle 3D/4D motion ultrasound is just that! This experience is dedicated solely for the purpose of bonding and therefore you can expect to spend quality time with your unborn child. From a yawn to a stretch, or the beating of your baby's heart, your ultrasound will allow you to take a début at your baby's first movements inside the womb. This exciting new 3D/4D ultrasound technology, you can actually see what your baby is going to look like before he or she is born is indeed the ultimate! Plus a Live 4D motion of the entire session set to music!
• 30 minute 2D/3D/4D session
• 2 black and white thermal 2D prints
• 4 colorized thermal 3D prints
• 1 Miracle in the Womb DVD of entire session, set to music
• 1 Miracle in the Womb CD with all your baby's images taken throughout the session
• Listen to baby’s heartbeat
• Gender determination (upon request) (noo thank you!)

While Ryan and I are a weee bit nervous since we are not planning on finding out the gender of the baby and the 3/d 4 /d is SO very clear. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for no accidents! I talked with a sonographer with MITW and he said there should be absolutely no issue at all.
We are super excited to do this!! Our appointment is this Saturday @ 4:00!!!
It was such a thoughtful gift and I can not wait to see how they turn out. I will keep you updated...pictures to come :)
Thank you Lindenberg Family!!!!

Pregnant Rant & Rave

Strangers, you need to think before you speak.
As pregnant women we suddenly, somehow find ourselves public figures just because we have these big bellies sticking out. Everyone's got an opinion on every aspect of YOUR nine months and boy are they going to tell you about it. While most comments are not meant to hurt or slander, it really blows my mind that they would even consider saying them our loud.
Here's my favorite list of

"Things Pregnant Women Do NOT Want to Hear"

Some have been directed at me, some I have read from other pregnant women who feel the same way I do...

• Are you having twins?
• No really...are you sure there's just one baby in there?
  
• Oh my God, you look like you are about to pop/Wow, you are really getting big!
• When are you due again? You have to be at least 9 months?!
  
• Were you planning on this pregnancy?
• When did you conceive?
  
• Are you really going to eat/drink that?
• Aw honey you are too young to be having children!
• You aren't going natural are you? I don't think you'll be able to make it!
• You look really tired!
• I bet you are counting down the days until you get to be done with this huh?
  
• What are your baby names? Oh, I knew someone with that name - they were horrible.
  
• You've started retaining water huh? I can see it in your face.
• When is your due date? Ohhh...a Gemini - good luck with that.
• Eating again?
• Enjoy your last few months of freedom!
  
• Has this ______(fill in awful side effect) happened yet?

I could keep going for days! Sometimes they wound you for a split moment, but my excitement along with the admiration of family and friends, and the look in my husband's eyes when he looks at me...it all makes it disappear.

Thank you for the customers, co-workers, strangers, friends, and family that:

• Tell me there is nothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman.
• Call me "glowy" (our ATM Security Guard has nicknamed me)
• Remind me how much of a blessing children are.
• Get so excited when they find out its our first - and tell me how insanely, wildly fun life is about to be.
• Tell me how cute my maternity clothes are.
• Giggle at my "cute marshmallow feet" - I know, you thought I'd be offended right? They really do look like marshmallows though :)
• Tell me how amazing it is to not find out the gender of the baby and how it is so worth the wait!
• Tell me no matter what I have, it will be handsome/beautiful
• Show me pictures of their new baby/grand-baby and tell me how happy we are about to make our family!
• Ask kindly before they touch my belly...and are gentle when they do it!
• Act shocked that I am still working on my feet and call me a "superstar" :p
• Pick up all the random items my belly knocks off counters.
• Rub my back (friends and family only!)
• Tell me what a great Mom I am going to be.

Week 31 - Happy Easter!

Today was Easter and it was wonderful! Ryan has been reading at church all throughout Holy Week. He read the part of Jesus on Palm Sunday and the compliments are still flowing in from the congregation. He read at the Good Friday service and with our families by our side today he read the Prayers of the People over a Baptism for the Easter service. Father Mckee has come up to him twice and shook his hand in thanks. I can't express how proud of him I am!

























The service today was immaculate! Easter lilies and baby's breath filled the church with the feeling of rebirth and spring time. The smell of incense flowing through the pews reminded me of our wedding. The choir - as always - left me choking back the tears on at least three occasions. Casey, the choir director and organist, pulled out all the stops (haha get it?) and ended with horns blazing accompanied with three men on the french horn, trombone, & trumpet. It was amazing!



















My Mom and Grandma and Ryan's Mom all joined us at our house for a delicious Easter brunch of ham, honey potatoes, pineapple, cantaloupe, and a slew of candy goodies :) It was so nice to sit and relax and catch up. Easter has always been one of my very favorite days of the year and this one was no different. Happy Easter!!

Glucose Goodness - Week 30

A few weeks ago I had my glucose screening to check and see if I have gestational diabetes. Ryan and I went to the 6th floor where my doctor is, grabbed my paperwork and headed to the lab. They called my name and I went back and guzzled this orange sugary substance...not so yum.
It tasted like flat orange Crush with about two cups of sugar added :/




















Then we set our watch countdown to an hour and headed back up to see Dr. Howerton. She measured my "fundal height" to make sure baby was growing properly. We also got to listen to the heartbeat which is now at about 130bpm. Everything checked out! She said the baby was growing perfectly and she even things little one is on its way to being "vertex" (upside down) and getting prepared for it's big debut :)
We talked to her about getting aquainted with the hospital and getting enrolled in our classes.

We have an appointment on April 15th to get set up for pre-admission. For about an hour we will meet with someone from the hospital to discuss options for pain control and if we will decide for an epidural, my medical history, assessment my physical, socioeconomic and educational needs and the fun insurance talk! Then we will head back to Dr. Howerton for my last Ultrasound with Associated Women's Specialists!!

After the hour passed I went and gave blood *shudder* and awaited my phone call to hear the test results! I have a terrible history of my veins bleeding into my arm and creating some pretty nasty bruises. This time was no different :( Here are my battle wounds...

























I got the phone call at work two days later that my tests were negative for G.D.!! I am so lucky to be in such good health!
My appointments are going to start happening every two weeks for the next three or so weeks, and then they will be happening every week until the baby is born! I can't believe we are making birth plans and enrolling in Lamaze classes already!