39 Week Appointment

Well I'm not very happy with my appointment today, although my blood pressure was good, his heartbeat was strong at 147bpm and I'm another half centimeter dilated at 3cm. I am 3 days away from 40 weeks - full term - my due date. The doctor wanted to strip my membranes (separating the amniotic sac from the bottom of the uterus) hoping to naturally induce labor, meaning without medication, although it doesn't always work. She never asked if I wanted her to. I told her that I did not want that done before my due date, even if it is only 3 days away. She didn't seem too happy about that decision and was adamant that we need to start thinking induction. It makes me mad that she seems in such a rush to get my baby out. Nothing is wrong with me and nothing is wrong with him, he will come when he is ready and I still feel like I have plenty of time. Trust me, I'm uncomfortable and I want this baby out, but I feel like I need to be allowed time to go into labor naturally. It's not like I'm not progressing. I'm already 3cm dilated and 75% effaced all before my due date! I have had contractions, just nothing consistent. If I'm not in that big of a rush, why is my doctor! My next appointment is Tuesday, September 7, if I don't have him before then. I'm guessing at that appointment I won't have an option of whether to have my membranes stripped or not and will be choosing a date for a medical induction.

Serg's Song For Our Baby

Brad Paisley - Anything Like Me

I don't think this song could fit Serg more perfectly!

39 Weeks

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Well I had a few contractions last night and it was so funny, Serg had his watch all ready to time them :).Nothing consistent though. He just cannot wait and talks to my stomach all the time telling him to come out! Last night he did tell him, either come out or stop with the contractions so he could go to sleep, he had work in the morning! :) Baby's still moving good, just slower movements since he's pretty much out of room. I've developed a rash all over my stretch marks that apparently only 1% of pregnant women get. It's extremely itchy so I have to keep applying Benadryl cream. Bags have been packed for a week or so now and his room has been ready for awhile. Just waiting now. My family is so excited and it just makes me feel so blessed. A lot of babies don't get the chance to be born into such a great family. He's already such a lucky guy! My next appointment will be next Tuesday, August 31 if he doesn't come before then. If he doesn't, I hoping to be 100% effaced and even more dilated. The more painless dilation I can do, the better!

38 Week Appt. - 38w 3d

On Monday at my 38 week appointment I lost another pound putting me at -7 for the entire pregnancy. My blood pressure was great and so was his heartbeat. I am still 75% effaced but am now 2.5 cm dilated, up from "almost 2" at my last appointment. I have had no contractions, just cramping and will take any painless dilation that I can before I go to the hospital! The doctor said that everything looks perfect! My next appointment will be Tuesday, 3 days before my due date, if I make it that long.

Another just because....

Little Davey Baby

This is what my brother hopes his new nephew will look like!!

The inside story on this is that when we were on the way home from picking my brother up from boot camp, he drew a picture of me. Well what he said was me. Really it looks like a cross between Dee Snider and the guy featured above (He was Charlie Bucket's teacher on Willy Wonka). So now my loving brother calls me David Battley (the actors name) and has named the baby Little Davey Baby. The original picture always makes us laugh and I even got him a shirt with "my face" on it :). May not be funny to others...but I sure get a kick out of it! :D

Just because it makes me laugh....

My sister found a baby snake in her room and I'm now calling her Bindi (The Croc Hunter's daughter). In my free time I decide to play around with photoshop a little and this is what I created. It makes me laugh so hard! Oh my little Bindi :) Needless to say....she didn't think it was as funny as I did. :D

38 Weeks - 2 Weeks to go

Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? If he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he's 9 months old.

37 Week Appt. - 37w 4d

At my appointment today I gained another pound and a half, bringing my total to -6 pounds for the entire pregnancy. My blood pressure was good and his heartbeat was also at 140 bpm. I am almost 2 cm dilated and 75% effaced. (Effacement: Thinning of the cervix. Usually in the last month the cervix begins to stretch and thin. This process means the lower segment of the uterus is getting ready for delivery. A thin cervix will also allow the cervix to dilate more easily.) While all this means that my body is preparing for delivery, it doesn't mean that it will be in the next day although I'm hoping it is. It is finally getting to the miserable part after I couldn't complain for 36 weeks, now it's back pain, cramping, peeing 10 times a night, not getting a lot of sleep, pressure constantly, all the joys of being pregnant! :) Here's to hoping that it's sooner than later!

35 Week Photo Shoot

This was my stomach 2.5 weeks ago....it's only getting better....not :)

37 Weeks - Full Term

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb.
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

My Brothers Wedding

Dad, Cam and Mom

Serg, Me, Cam, Meg, Mom and Dad

Serg, Cam and Dad....the men of the family

Serg, Me and Baby

The Handsome Groom

Groomsman....Kyle, Serg, Brad, Grant, Dad and Noah

Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Carpenter....I have a new sister-in-law!

4 out of the 8 Bickford Kids...Uncle Dave, Mom, Aunt Trish and Aunt Cathy

Cutting the cake!

Tom Church, Mom, Nick Lannan, Megann

Couple's first dance

Mom and Serg

Mother/Son Dance

Meg and Serg

Meg, my cousin Ashley and Lannan

Lannan, Meg, Ash and Church

Meg, my cousin Sam, Aunt Trish and Ashley

My beautiful Mom and handsome Dad! <3

Jasmine and Megann

Church, Serg and Lannan

Megann, Church, Serg and Lannan

On Saturday my brother got married! The wedding was so beautiful and couldn't have been better. We had such a good time!! I'm so happy for them!

36 Weeks 4 days Appointment

Well today I had my 36 week regular doctor appointment. I gained 3.5lbs since my last appointment on July 22. I am now at -7.5lbs since Dec. 31 (my first appointment). His heartbeat was 137 bpm. I am now 1 cm dilated and she actually felt his head. I think when she said that, it was a little bit of a reality check that I'm actually having a baby. I know it sounds weird that I've been pregnant for 9 months and now with 3 weeks left I'm JUST now realizing I'm having a baby, but I guess it just hasn't been real until now.

36 Week Ultrasound

Well this morning we had our 36 week ultrasound. He is now 6lbs. 6 oz. and is in the 72% for his gestational age. He is measuring 36 weeks and 3 days, so he has really evened out. I'm guessing that the tech was right at the last appointment when she said he may be big because he is going through a growth spurt. I must say I'm relieved! They also said that he has a full head of hair and that it's pretty long! I'm wondering if he will make it to his 1st birthday for his 1st haircut. I have been having pains throughout the day today and am hoping that this isn't the start of labor! I have 4 weeks to go and my brother's wedding tomorrow! I am ready to get his huge booty (just like his Daddy) out of my ribcage! The first picture is a pretty good profile shot and I think looks just like Serg and the second one is pretty creepy and makes him look like a skeleton! We're both excited to see what he will be like and what he will look like. It's so hard to believe that we have about 28 days left and then we will be parents....wow.

36 Weeks - 28 Days Left

Well less than a month now! I can't believe it! I've started to get extremely tired, I can't seem to get enough sleep. I guess I should get used to it, I'm sure this is what I'll feel like for the next 18 years :). We have an ultrasound this morning to check his growth again. At my appointment on Monday I guess they will decide their suggestion as far as inducing at 39 weeks. Serg and I have talked about it and are thinking that unless he is over 8 or 9lbs. now with 4 weeks to go that we will wait until he is ready. I still have a feeling that he will be coming early on his own, for no other reason than I have a feeling. I was right about him being a boy so we'll see! He has been in the position pictured below for a week or so now. I know this because I've felt his 'precious' baby feet and huge butt that he certainly got from his father in my ribs. He's moving less and there is just a lot of pressure. I am definitely full of baby! Tonight and tomorrow Serg and I will be busy with my brother's rehearsal dinner and wedding, so ultrasound updates probably won't come until Sunday or Monday. Hopefully he is growing great and doing good!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position.