Maternity Pictures - Baby Westerholm

I was so excited to open up my email inbox this morning and find the link to our maternity pictures! These were some of my favorites! 

I'm typically so picky when it comes to pictures of myself, and while some of that pickiness most certainly still resides inside my mind, my pregnancy has taught me more about embracing what the entire picture stands for. 

Our photographer was Chelsea of Chelsea Lietz Photography. We went to her ranch in Bulverde to take pictures when we were about 34 weeks pregnant. She will also be taking newborn pictures of Baby Westerholm! Can't wait for those!  

These pictures are so special to us. Enjoy! 

37 Weeks - Baby Westerholm

Hi! My name is Jessica and I'm over being pregnant.

I'll be the first person to admit that I've really had a great pregnancy - no major health concerns, no major illnesses. I've been blessed. But, it's also the end of July in Texas. I'm feeling huge. I know I'm puffy. It's hot. And I want to meet my baby already!!!

We're to the point where people now say to us, "I may not see you again before you have that baby. If I don't, good luck!" That means we're really, really, really close. Yay!

Last night I had dreams about the gender of the baby. My dreams aren't as vivid as they used to be, but I remember stating, "The doctor said he's 99% sure it's a boy." Is that a sign? I guess we'll see!

Last Wednesday, I woke up with a headache and slightly blurry vision. When I took my blood pressure it was high - for me - 142/70. About an hour later it was 132/84. I ended up falling back asleep and when I woke up it was down to 126/79.

That afternoon I shared that with my doctor because my feet and calves were so swollen that my skin just felt stretched - as stretched as it could possibly be. To play it safe, Dr. Kirchner decided to monitor baby and myself on the NST Machine for about 10-20 minutes. This machine monitors baby's heartbeat, my heartbeat, and I also indicate when I feel the baby moving.

Initially, baby wasn't moving as much as she wanted him/her to, but then after some water and some nudging baby seemed to wake up and wiggle around. We also had to do blood work and a 24-hour urine collection. All tests came back normal!

This week Dr. Kirchner is out of town, so she has me going to see Dr. Remsing tomorrow, and also ordered another sonogram for me on Thursday with our regular sonogram tech. I'm praying I don't forget to ask how big the baby is - I'm so nervous about the size of this wee one!

(I had a labor and delivery nurse tell me yesterday at church that a 4 lb 8 oz baby at 33 weeks is a big baby. She did agree though that I likely wouldn't have a 10 lb baby, but only after she saw the sheer panic in my eyes! Ha!)

One more thing before I go...a sneak peek at my maternity pictures! This is the only one I've seen, and I hope to see more this week. When I get them, I promise I'll share!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:

37 Weeks

Due Date:
August 17, 2015

Next Appointment:
July 28, 2015

Movement:

Yes, often. This baby is ACTIVE and running out of room quickly!

Sleep:

I've really had a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep. I'm uncomfortable, hot, and wide awake at the most inconvenient times.

What I Miss:

Fitting comfortably in my clothes and shoes
Sleeping well at night
Caffeine

Cravings:

Something cold because I'm HOT. Always.

Symptoms:

Hot (temperature-wise, unfortunately)
Swollen ankles/feet
Puffiness in my face 

35-36 Weeks - Baby Westerholm

I am running so late with last week's post that I'm combining it with next week's post. It's just been one of those weeks! Before I lose all together, I'm going to throw in the towel on two posts and try to pull it off with just one.

This week I finished all of my thank you notes for Baby Shower #1 so that I am ready to go for Baby Shower #2, I attended a baby shower for my sister-in-law, and spent Friday and Saturday evenings celebrating my youngest sister's birthday.

Did I also mention that my long-term substitute for my classroom took a full-time position?! It's been a busy week! :) I'm actually taking that news pretty well. I would have expected myself to freak out.

I cried for a little while and tried to explain to Brandon through tears why it couldn't be just anyone in my classroom, but then I decided that there was nothing I could do to change it and reminded myself what's most important right now...Baby Westerholm! I love, love, love my [school] kids, but my baby and the size of my ankles - still swollen - have to be my priority right now!

As far as everything else goes, I feel like I've officially entered that not-so-glamorous phase of pregnancy. So not exciting, or comfortable! I just have to keep whispering to myself, "4 weeks...or less...4 weeks...or less!"

I also remind myself frequently that it could be so much worse! I have truly been blessed with an easy pregnancy; please pray for an equally as easy delivery! 

I have started to get weekly doctor's appointments at this point, so we go again on Wednesday. Yay! I was disappointed last time when we realized that Dr. Kirchner doesn't start checking to see if I've dilated until Week 37. I'm just going to chalk that up to pregnancy brain...I have no idea why I thought it was Week 35, but I did! 

Have I mentioned that I can't wait to find out the gender of this baby?! This weekend I also worked on tidying up the nursery and I've spent many moments in my glider gazing around the room trying to imagine the little person that's about to take over our entire world. I really can't wait any more, but I will! I'm just ready!!!  

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:

35-36 Weeks

Due Date:
August 17, 2015

Next Appointment:
July 22, 2015

Movement:

Yes, often. This baby is ACTIVE and running out of room quickly!

Sleep:

I've really had a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep. I'm uncomfortable, hot, and wide awake at the most inconvenient times.

What I Miss:

Fitting comfortably in my clothes and shoes
Sleeping well at night
Caffeine

Cravings:

Something cold because I'm HOT. Always.

Symptoms:

Hot (temperature-wise, unfortunately)
Swollen ankles/feet
Puffiness in my face 

Baby Shower #1 - Baby Westerholm

This past weekend I had my very first baby shower. Everything was beautiful!!!

Each guest was invited to bring a book to help build Baby Westerholm's library, and we got so many wonderful books - over 20! - to put in the nursery!

Guests signed in on a wooden block using a pink or blue marker to indicate what gender they think Baby Westerholm is. Then, they used a pink or blue pen to predict Baby Westerholm's birthday!

Most people think Baby Westerholm is a boy! The earliest birthday predicted was August 5 - my cousin Brooke's birthday, and the latest birthday predicted was August 26 - picked by my friend Becky who has lost her mind!

Each place setting was so cute, too! Everyone wrote a letter to Baby Westerholm, and these were so much fun to come home and read. Each letter said...

Dear Baby Westerholm, 

I hope you learn...

I hope you know...

I hope you love...

I hope you have...

I hope you ignore...

I hope you become...

I hope you aren't afraid...

I hope you never forget...

I hope you get your Mom's...

I hope you get your Dad's...

And most of all I hope you...

Love, .....

Brandon and I both filled one out, too. I thought his was so sweet!

At first he said he was going to write, "I hope you ignore boys if you're a girl." Ha! He's so paranoid about having a girl. This past weekend claimed he would tell his daughter, "You can spend as much money on burkas as you'd like! Thousands! I don't care." He's going to be such a good daddy, and perhaps slightly over-protective if it's a girl! 

We were very blessed to receive so many thoughtful gifts for Baby Westerholm, including this quilt that Auntie McKenna sewed herself for Baby Westerholm's nursery, unknowingly matching some of the nursery colors quite perfectly!

One of the most special things about this quilt is that it has some of Grandpa Scott's shirts in it - the two plaid squares and one blue. Isn't it beautiful?

Before looking at this next picture, I have to point out - because I'd hate for you to think this in your head assuming I'm not aware of it since I'm super paranoid like that - that my face was so puffy! I hate that, but I'm trying to ignore it for the sake of sharing the picture, which I would usually just hide!

Super excited GiGi, Mommy, & Nana

(Grandma Darla, who's undecided on her official Grandma name, was taking the picture!)

Aunt Kimmie, Mommy, & Auntie McKenna

Hostesses & Guest of Honor

Gender Prediction Results

As most of you know, Brandon and I don't plan on finding out the gender of Baby Westerholm. Initially, this was my idea and I got Brandon on board with me. He first tried arguing, "If it's a girl, I HAVE to know."

He thinks he's destined to have nothing but girls because he apparently has always said he doesn't want them. He's always told me, "What would I DO with a girl?" I always tell him, "The same thing my dad did with me - take her hunting!"

I figure that there aren't many genuinely happy surprises in life, and this is one of those rare times. I've said it over and over again and always will - we've seen and experienced too much to worry about anything other than a healthy baby!

Honestly. Truthfully. So don't pull your, "Oh come on! I know you have a preference!" card. I really, seriously don't. If we have a boy, there will be someone to carry on our family name. If we have a girl, well, that's like a real-life game of dress up...FUN! There's nothing like being a mom to a boy, and nothing like being a dad to a girl - and vice versa, I'm sure!

Even though we're not finding out the baby's gender via blood test, or sonogram, I'm still curious as can be about what our baby will be. I'm looking forward to that moment when the doctor says, "It's a -----!!!!" It gives me chills just to think about how overwhelmingly full our hearts will be.

For fun, here are some gender prediction test results...

Chinese Gender Predictor - GIRL
Weird thing about this one is that I've done a couple version of this test - all very similar. Two say girl, but one says boy.

Baby's Heartbeat - GIRL
Baby's heartbeat has been over 140 at every appointment, which says girl. Our sonogram tech swears she doesn't believe in this predictor. I also talked to a mom of 10 at church and she said all her babies had heartbeats in the 140s.

Wedding Ring Test - BOY and GIRL
Two people have done this test on me, but they've varied. The first person was a woman who asked me to lay down and used a wedding band; she said girl. The second person was a man who did the test while I was sitting in a chair and it was with an ordinary ring, not a wedding band; he said boy.

Cravings - BOY and GIRL 
I've had cravings for both sweet and salty things. Twins? NO.

Morning Sickness - BOY
Fortunately, I've had no morning sickness, which indicates boy.

Carrying - BOY
Most days I think I'm carrying the baby low, which many people think is a sign of a boy.

Of course, everyone has varying versions of each of these wives tales, too!

Here are some predictions from some of our family members and us...

Brandon - BOY*

Jessica - GIRL**

DeWayne - GIRL

Melissa - BOY

Darla - BOY

McKenna - GIRL

Mark - BOY

Sharon - BOY

*He changes this weekly, and sometimes daily. In fact, I originally drafted and had "girl" there (because of the above statements that he's made), and had to change it when I asked him at 10:29 pm on Monday, June 1. I obviously didn't publish this post immediately since it's July, but I bet if I asked him again he would say girl. Ha!

**This is what I'd pick if you absolutely forced me to make a guess. And I mean forced me. I am confused and often go back and forth like my husband. I've always thought I would have girls, but something - I don't know what or why - something makes me think it could be a boy.

Many other family members not listed above think BOY.

On June 8, I uploaded the picture above to Facebook and out of the 22 people that guessed the baby's gender, 16 of them said GIRL. I love that this baby has confused us all! So...what do you think?

34 Weeks - Baby Westerholm

Week 35 is going to fly by this week! I have a lot going on - Vacation Bible School, shopping/lunch/movies with my mom and a friend, hair appointment, maternity pictures, and preparing for my first baby shower this weekend. I've said this quite often lately, but right about this time, I'm really grateful for the timing of my pregnancy...I don't have to balance working all while being 8+ months pregnant. Yay! 

Fortunately, I've continued to feel good for the most part. I'm still hot, but it's July, and summer hasn't been as brutal as previous summers, thank goodness! 

I've really noticed swelling in my face; it's not a lot, just puffiness, and I finally had someone else admit that they saw it, too. I've been telling Brandon for weeks that my face is fat, but for some reason I can't get him to say, "Yep, sure is!" :)

Since Friday my ankles have been swelling again and I'm proud to admit that this weekend I consumed SO MUCH water I thought I was going to drown. Well, that may be a bit dramatic, but I've admitted in the past that I'm not much of a water drinker. With all the time we spent outside and running around this weekend though, I knew I needed to up my consumption. 

My shoes aren't fitting the same and I can't get my wedding ring on any more. My grandma insists that my fingers don't look swollen, but I've had to remind her that I have tiny hands. My size 4 1/4 (yes four and a quarter) wedding ring no longer fits, and I bought a fake band for now that's a size 6. Basically, I have normal-sized fingers for the time being - or permanently, who knows!

I've been checking my blood pressure regularly just to keep an eye on it and it's been normal, only slightly above normal (but nothing alarming) twice.

Bring on Week 35! I can't wait to share my maternity pictures with you all!  

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:

34 Weeks

Due Date:
August 17, 2015

Next Appointment:
July 15, 2015

Movement:

Yes, often. This baby is ACTIVE and running out of room quickly!

Sleep:

I've really had a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep. I'm uncomfortable, hot, and wide awake at the most inconvenient times. The couch has become my new best friend.

What I Miss:

Fitting comfortably in my clothes
Sleeping well at night
Caffeine

Cravings:

Something cold because I'm HOT. Always.

Symptoms:

Hot (temperature-wise, unfortunately)
Swollen ankles/feet
Puffiness in my face

33 Weeks - Baby Westerholm

The countdown continues! We have 7 weeks (or less!) to go.

During our sonogram, Baby Westerholm was playing a really cute game of peek-a-boo. Baby Westerholm's hands kept going in front of his/her eyes and then they would move after awhile. So cute!

That's the face I can't WAIT to see! I'm so curious who this baby will look like and to find out if we're the proud parents of a sweet little girl or sweet little boy. Gender talk is getting serious with our family and I think the suspense is killing everyone else more than it is killing us! It's been really fun to hear what people think we're having though!

Our doctor is so excited that we're not finding out the gender and told us more than once at our appointment, "I'm so excited to see this baby!!!"

 A few quick updates for now....

*Baby Westerholm is weighing in at 4 lbs 8 oz right now. Does that seem huge to you? It did to me, so I immediately piped up and asked if I was going to need to prepare myself to deliver a big baby. Both the doctor and sonogram tech said no. I plan on asking this every time I visit from here on out! Ha!

*There don't appear to be any major birth defects at this point. Remember we opted not to have genetic testing done, so there could be some undetectable defects, but it's unlikely. All of the major organs appear to be functioning - baby swallows, has a full tummy, & has a full bladder - good signs that things are working the way they should.

*Induction talk isn't off the table, but has been delayed until we see where my body is starting at Week 35. From that point forward, I will go in weekly to be measured.

*If we induce, it will not be before Week 39 (August 10), unless medically necessary. The decision to voluntarily be induced will be made by Brandon, our doctor, and me. My doctor will not allow me to go past Week 41. She is also planning to be off on Week 41.

*Baby is starting to turn downward. These hits to my lungs that make me have to stand or sit up straight have definitely been caused by tiny feet kicking me. I've never been so happy to be kicked in my life!

*We have Maternity Portraits scheduled for July 9. I hope these turn out! I can't wait to document this part of our lives with some pretty pictures!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:

33 Weeks

Due Date:
August 17, 2015

Next Appointment:
July 15, 2015

Movement:

Yes, often. This baby is ACTIVE and running out of room quickly!

Sleep:

I've really had a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep. I'm uncomfortable, hot, and wide awake at the most inconvenient times.

What I Miss:

Fitting comfortably in my clothes
Sleeping well at night
Caffeine

Cravings:

Sprite, or anything other than water.
Something cold because I'm HOT. Always.

Symptoms:

Hot (temperature-wise, unfortunately)