Where for art thou Jackson?

So my due date has come and gone and it appears Jackson has decided to stay put for a while longer. If you’re thinking ‘I told you so’ I’d suggest you keep that to yourself as I’m in no mood for more of the ‘first babies are typically late’ or ‘he’ll come when he’s ready’ comments.

Labor has stalled and I’m not ‘favorable’ for induction which means the waiting game continues. We’ve got another appointment scheduled for Wed. next week and hopefully at that point we’ll be able to schedule an induction for the weekend of April 1st. Saying April 1st pains me to no end but at this point but can I do other than throw a pity party for myself?

I know it will all be worth it in the end but after four hours of contractions last Friday and contractions all night Monday into Tuesday, I really thought the end was near and we’d be holding our little man by now. Hurry up, Jackson! Mommy and Daddy are ready to meet you!

The View from Up Here

I took the picture above last week before heading to the gym. At that point we were 38 weeks. Today, we're at 39 and Jackson is the size of a watermelon. Moving around has gotten much harder but I'm still managing to walk or go to the gym and do the elliptical at least three to four days a week. I keep hoping that one of these days it will make me go into labor but so far, not so good. I've also been eating pineapple and eggplant for two weeks but still nothing!

I know what you're going to say, 'he'll come when he's ready', but seriously, I am ready! What about me?! I know, I know, it's not going to be about me for a long time (at least the next 18 years) but still, I have to ask. Maybe I'll get one more all about me moment and he'll decide to make his entrance a bit early... a mom can dream right?

We have Dilation!

Now that we've hit 37 weeks we're going to the doctor on a weekly basis. Jackson cooperated for the nurse this time and she got his heartbeat with little fuss- 138 which is nice and strong. Dr. Barlow checked my cervix and I've started to dilate. I'm only 1cm so far but I'll take it! He's head down and moving in the right direction so hopefully with some long walks and daily doses of salsa and pineapple he'll make his appearance sooner rather than later.

I was very excited to hear that Tylenol PM is on the 'safe' list and Marcus stopped on the way home to pick me up a bottle. I took it last night and while I still woke up three times, I felt a bit more rested this morning so we'll try again tonight and see how it goes. Everyone keeps telling me to sleep while I can but unfortunately sleep has been hard to come by these days due to general discomfort and frequent trips to the bathroom.

I'm feeling good about things at work and I managed to get two weeks ahead of the syllabus in my grad school class so if he came in the next week or so I feel like I'm in a good place. I'm hoping to write my 5 page literature review this weekend to get it out of the way but if I can't get it done I know I'll be able to pull it off later.

And speaking of class, there's nothing like walking (or waddling) through NC State's campus 9 months pregnant to make you feel old and out of place! That said, I'm enjoying the class and am glad I'm pushing through although I'll definitely be glad when it's over.

I'm going to take a break over the summer so we can travel to Block Island and enjoy our time with the little man but I'll be back at it in the fall and hopefully will be able to take two classes in the spring... remind me of this post next spring when I'm registering for classes!

4 weeks and counting!

Hard to believe but we've hit the one month mark! We're at 36 weeks tomorrow and Jackson is getting bigger and bigger every day. At this point he's about 6 lbs and some change and the size of a crenshaw mellon (not quite sure what that is but the picture displayed in Google it makes it look quite large). He's settling into a nice pattern of activity during the day and sleeping at night although that doesn't mean I'm sleeping but that's another story.

My new nickname for Jackson is wiggle worm because he's constantly moving around. At this point it's a lot less kicking and a lot more fluid movement although he did give me quite a few jabs and kicks at the doctor last week when they tried to take his heart rate with the doplar wand. Apparently babies don't like the sound it emits and Jackson is no exception! No matter where the nurse put the wand he would kick. After a couple of minutes, he got frustrated and went into what can only be described as a wiggle rage. He was kicking, punching, and wiggling all over to the point where my stomach was jerking around and the nurse and I were laughing hysterically. By the time the nurse got his heartbeat he was so worked up it had reached 146 beats per minute!

While I love feeling Jackson move around, getting to the end of this journey I'm more than ready to have him here with us. I'm achy and nauseous, not sleeping and my walking has definitely turned to waddling. I know it's all well worth it but it's hard to be patient after months and months of anticipation. We went to church yesterday and I kept repeating the following prayer: "Father, thank you for my beautiful life, my family, my friends, and the precious baby growing inside of me. Please keep him safe and healthy until he is ready to come into this world. And while I realize he will come when he is ready, if it your will, please make him ready in the next couple of weeks. If not, please give me the strength to pursevere, maintain a positive attitude, and enjoy these last few weeks as an expectant mother."

Welcome Charlotte Ives Smith

Lauren and Blake welcomed Charlotte Ives Smith on February 6th, 2011. Hard to believe she's already 2 weeks old! Here she is just a few hours old. I must say, Marcus is a natural and is going to be an amazing dad.

Jackson definitely has the best room in the house!

10 Weeks to go!

So we've made it through the holiday's and are now into the third trimester! Hard to believe we're in the final stretch although my body is definitely telling me we're getting close. My back aches and sleeping through the night is difficult. Poor Marcus, he isn't getting much sleep either but I guess we're just training for when Jackson gets here!

We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and when the nurse walked in she said, 'just 10 weeks to go!"... I'm sorry, what?! 10 weeks?! I'm feeling good about things but there's something about the time being down to weeks we can count on two hands that is a bit overwhelming! Thankfully we worked on the nursery before New Years so I'm feeling much more put together and organized than before Christmas. And now that he's moving around more and growing so fast, it's hard not to get anxious about meeting our little guy. His kicks sometimes make my whole belly move and sometimes when he rolls over I can feel an arm or a foot just underneath the skin. It's the strangest and most amazing feeling ever. He's gotten much less shy around his dad and Marcus has felt him move a number of times now but he's still painfully shy around friends and family and most people haven't experienced his movements. As he gets bigger I'm sure that will change.

Now back to the appointment yesterday... I had the gestational diabetes test at 8am which was absolutely no fun but not as bad as I anticipated. I drank a super sugary solution and then had my blood drawn an hour later. We haven’t heard anything on the blood yet and I think it’s no news is good news again so hopefully I won’t hear from them at all! We then had an ultrasound which was good but an hour and a half after the burst of sugar, Jackson curled up into a ball facing backwards and went to sleep so it was hard to see much. That said, Deanna (the ultrasound technician) says he’s looking really good and weighs in @ 3.3 lbs which is in the 67 percentile in terms of growth! Dr. Clark thinks he’s going to be at least 8lbs when he’s born and we’re thinking he may come a week or so early. The belly is measuring 29 inches and I managed not to gain any weight this month so I’m still on track with 25lbs gained so far (the number on the scale is frightening but I’m at peace with the fact that it’s going to go up again since he still has about 5 more pounds to gain). In fact, since I didn’t gain any weight I ate an extra cookie with frosting at the Fuqua holiday party yesterday afternoon!

Our amazing friends are throwing us a shower next weekend and we absolutely can't wait to see everyone and celebrate our little guy. We've got family coming into town and are looking forward to seeing Matt, Marcus's brother, who we haven't seen in almost a year... my how things have changed! This weekend we have a baptism preparation class and then birthing classes at Rex so I'll definitely check back in soon.

The picture above is of the Delta Zeta girls at Lauren and Blake's shower.

Tiny Tuttle's Not So Tiny...

Sorry it's been a while since my last post but things have been more than just a little hectic. Work is insanely busy and the weekends haven't been very laid back either since they tend to be filled with studying, homework, housework and getting things ready for Jackson.

And while we get things ready around the house, Jackson is getting ready to make his debut in March! I'll have to update the bump photo soon because he has been growing like crazy over the past few weeks. The belly is definitely bigger and my belly button is all but nonexistent at this point. At 22 weeks he weighs almost a full pound and is a foot long. His kicks are getting stronger too and sometimes he kicks so hard he makes me stop what I'm doing. In those cases I assure him that I do in fact remember that he's in there, that I love him and that he needs to do that again when daddy has his hand on my belly. Marcus wants to feel him so bad and I think Jackson will oblige any day now.

Speaking of Marcus, he did an amazing job on the nursery. We moved the guest room into the 'workout room' (don't worry, there's still plenty of room for me to do The Firm) and Marcus and Blake painted the old guest room a new grey/blue color. The crib has been assembled, the glider is in and the closet has been purged of everything but Jackson's new clothes, toys and blankets. The bedding should be here any day and I can't wait to see what it looks like!

We're also signed up for our birthing classes at Rex and our baptism class at the church. Both will be in January which will be here before we know it but in the meantime we have plenty to keep us busy. Baby Small will arrive around Thanksgiving (we absolutely can't wait to meet Jackson's future bestie), Lauren and Blake's couple's shower is later this month, we head to NY and Connecticut for Christmas. Oh yeah, there's also work and I have one more paper to write and a final exam to take before finishing up my last online class.

I think that about covers things for now. We love this little guy more and more every day and can hardly believe he'll be here in less than four months!

And We Have a Bump!

You asked for it, you got it! Here's the bump at 17 weeks! The flutters have started and I must say that feeling Jackson move around is the coolest thing I've ever experienced. Last week when I was lifting weights, he was doing a work out of his own inside by belly which was pretty funny. At this point I'm the only one who can feel it but I'm really looking forward to when Marcus can feel him too.

Baby Boy Tuttle

The secret is out- Tiny Tuttle is a beautiful, healthy baby boy! At 16 weeks we weren't scheduled to find out the sex until November 1st but after a blood screen last week revealed elevated AFP levels, we were asked to come in for a level two ultrasound. After a 45 minute ultrasound that checked every inch of the baby from his head to his toes and everything in between, the doctors concluded that Nugget is completely healthy and in fact a male. Of course I needed verification so after some poking and prodding, he finally turned over so we could see him in all of his glory. While I thought my heart was set on a girl, I didn't feel a smidge of disappointment and in fact, I'm absolutely thrilled! As the ultrasound showed, he's an active little guy and we're already talking about what sports he'll play (right now we're leaning towards golf and soccer). The ultrasound tech also mentioned that he has a 'beautiful brain' so I believe he'll be the total package- sorry ladies, he's already spoken for as we're in talks with the Smith's about an arranged marriage to their sweet Charlotte Ives. As for a name, we decided on Friday- Jackson Stephen Tuttle. Jackson is a nod to my dad's dad Jack and Stephen is Marcus's middle name as well as his dad's so it's a nice blend of both families. Hope you like it but if you don't, keep it to yourself! :)

The Avacado of our Eye

This morning we had the 16 week appointment. I can hardly believe that it's been four months and today nugget is the size of an avocado. We didn't have an ultrasound but the nurse did use a Doppler wand to check the heartbeat and I was able to hear it loud and clear (and fast) at 150 beats a minute which they say is good and strong.

Dr. Littleton was the doctor today and I just love him. He's balding, a bit chubby and wears little round glasses. He talked about his grandchildren and answered all of my questions with patience. I laughed out loud when he said he was going to examine by belly to check the size and verify that there was just one baby inside. I told him if they were to discover today, after four months and two ultrasounds that I was having twins, I might lose a little bit of faith in the practice and he laughed. The first trimester screening came back normal which is a huge relief and they drew more blood for the second trimester screen which we'll hear about at the next appointment.

Speaking of the next appointment, I scheduled it for November 1st. Not only will we be finding out the sex of Tiny Tuttle, but we'll be finding out on Marcus's birthday! Two great reasons to celebrate! I am so happy that this appointment is only four weeks away although I just realized I have two papers and a group project due before then so I'll have plenty to keep me distracted.

And speaking of group projects and homework, I am still plugging away at my fourth grad school course. It's hard to motivate on Saturday's to read and write papers but I love the material and am proud of myself for sticking with it through the morning sickness and the loss of energy. At least this weekend I was able to sit out on the patio and enjoy the gorgeous weather while reading the required text.

Tiny may be a toddler by the time I walk across the stage and graduate with my masters but it will happen one way or the other!

Our Little Lime

Hard to believe but we're through the first trimester! Baby Tuttle is now the size of a lime and my tummy is rapidly expanding! After weeks of nausea and fatigue, I'm starting to have more good days than bad days and my energy is slowly coming back. I never knew that the first few months would be so rough but when we saw Baby Tuttle on the screen at our 12 week appointment I knew it was all worth it. The doctors say everything looks good and s/he was very active. Every time the ultrasound technician pushed on my belly the legs went flying and it seemed like s/he knew we were watching (I think we've got quite the drama queen on our hands).

As for boy or girl, we're not sure. Marcus and I were both leaning towards girl at the beginning but now we're not so sure and there are days I don't think I can make it to November to find out. Either way, this baby is loved beyond belief and we can't wait to meet him or her.

On a personal note, it's amazing how much has changed. Last Saturday I actually went for a decent run which was very exciting although it's definitely harder than it used to be. I knew pregnancy would change a lot of things but I didn't realize I would get winded walking up a small flight of steps! I monitor my heart rate at the gym and it's amazing how 20 minutes on the elliptical can push me to the 'peak high' zone if I'm not careful.

Other random changes- I am now very chatty in the morning which is totally out of character. I LOVE cereal and can't wait to eat it as soon as I wake up. I HATE chicken and Peppermint Patties which is probably the most drastic change given both were major staples in my diet until recently, and I have a strange affinity for oldies music. As I discover more I'll add them to the list.

Presents already?!

This little nugget is going to be one spoiled child I know, but sweet Ginger stopped by last night to spoil me for a bit. She brought a pregnancy survival kit with lots of goodies including crackers, ginger ale, lotion for my tummy, a BeBand, Peppermint Patties (yay!), a sleeping mask, and tons of other things to keep me feeling my best.

It's so nice to have my oldest and best friend in on the secret and to see her so excited about little Tuttle 2.0. It's crazy to think how many milestones we've experienced together- high school, college, moving away, coming home, getting married and now a baby! I can't wait to see what the future holds for us...

Surprise!

We're pregnant! It's been quite a week. I took a test around 2:00pm on Monday and then quickly ran out to buy a non-generic version (yes I am a label snob when it comes to pregnancy tests as well). Dr. Naddler confirmed we were pregnant on Tuesday (somewhere around six weeks) and we have our first ultrasound scheduled for August 4th at 3:00pm.

It's amazing how quickly the body starts changing. I'm achy, gassy and way tired but so far not too nauseous. I could sleep constantly but I'm determined to continue my a.m. workout routine considering my pants are already tight in the waist and my boobs have grown almost another cup size.

Currently I'm mostly craving good things like fruit, cottage cheese, carrots and hummus (shocking I know) and chicken but I also can't get enough Sour Patch Kids. Having given up wine for the next eight months I've struck up a love affair with Clausthaler and O' Doul's.

More to come!