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)

32 Weeks - Baby Westerholm

Today makes it exactly 2 weeks since our last appointment, and since our next appointment isn't until Monday, we'll have to wait a little over 2 weeks for an update. As I'm sure many of you know, this close to the "end," it's hard to wait that long!!!

The good news is that at our next appointment we're also scheduled for a sonogram. How sweet it will be to see that tiny little face again! 

Since my last update I have torn our house apart and put it back together (almost). I'm not sure if this is me officially entering the nesting stage, or if that part of my heart that's OCD just got the best of me. I really want everything to be as organized as possible before the baby arrives because, as I hear, nothing will ever be the same! 

So, I have organized and reorganized and slapped a label on everything that can possibly be labeled! I also have some new storage from The Container Store being delivered today AND Brandon built me some additional kitchen appliance storage this past weekend. It's like the angels are singing!

Brandon really hung in there with me for the entire duration that our house was a wreck. I guess he knows that you have to make a complete disaster before you can really CLEAN something. Or he just doesn't want to face the wrath of a hormonal pregnant woman. (I'm going to choose to ignore the latter of the two.) 

If this baby is a girl, she is still nameless. No, I'm not sure what we're going to do about it. We'll just continue trying to come to an agreement and I figure that it will eventually come to us. If not, well, it better be a boy, I guess! (And, because I've been asked by multiple people: no, we honestly do not know the gender of this baby. I promise! Our sonogram tech is the only person that knows and our doctor, while I'm sure she once knew when checking our sonograms, admittedly doesn't remember.)

Since I've been at home this summer, and particularly in the last 2 weeks, I've rarely had swollen ankles. I try to take frequent breaks and prop my feet up when I eat lunch and dinner. It seems to be working!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:

32 Weeks

Due Date:
August 17, 2015

Next Appointment:
June 29, 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 in the past week. 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:

Vivid dreams
Hot (temperature-wise, unfortunately)

31 Weeks - Baby Westerholm

Well, we survived two birthing classes last week! 

I'll admit that my anxiety was pretty much at a high listening to all of the details. I'm a thinker and when I have too much time to analyze something, the anticipation of it will drive me crazy.

I sat and recorded the new questions I had for my doctor during the classes and fought back the tears with a caramel sundae afterward on both days. Ice cream fixes a lot these days!

Time is flying by so very quickly! I've had many people ask me about whether or not I'm going back to teaching. The answer: yes.

As much as I love the idea of being a stay-at-home mom, I really need to try balancing both worlds because I also love being a teacher and I think it fills a big part of my heart! 

Brandon and I have also come so far after taking the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class. We've met many of our financial goals, and are still working on some. If I continue to work, that will, of course, aide us in our efforts. So, I'm going back with plans of continuing to teach, but in the back of my mind I know I have other options in the future.

This week I plan on starting to put together some of the materials that I'm gathering for my longterm sub. The plan - for now, if it fits with God's plan for the delivery and health of our baby and myself - is for me to be out of school for seven weeks total. That's one week of inservice and the first six weeks of school.

Please say prayers for me in that area, too! The less anxiety I have about not being there for my kids, the more I'll enjoy my 7 weeks with our sweet little one! 

For now, only 14 more days until our next sonogram! I can't WAIT to see Baby Westerholm!!!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:

31 Weeks

Due Date:
August 17, 2015

Next Appointment:
June 29, 2015

Movement:

Yes, often. This baby is ACTIVE!

Sleep:

I've really had a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep in the past week. 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:

Food. I want to eat everything again!
Sprite, or anything other than water.
Something cold because I'm HOT. Always.

Symptoms:

Swollen ankles

30 Weeks - Baby Westerholm

Well hello there Week THIRTY!!!

Now we're at about 9-10 weeks until we meet Baby Westerholm (who is still nameless if it's a girl). When I was a little girl, I always had names in mind. I would name each one of my baby dolls about 5 times over. I thought naming my baby would be the easiest and most fun thing I'd do!

Turns out it's much more complicated than I thought and that the daddy does have a say after all! 

The nursery is coming together in some ways. We've finally decided on a color scheme to go with - navy and mustard yellow/gold. My mentor teacher at Navarro made me the sweetest banner for the nursery in those colors and now I'm desperately searching for the perfect bedding to match.

What? I did that backwards? Don't act surprised! I picked our nursery colors from scrapbook paper and patterns; the rest should just follow suit! (And, yes, Brandon had a say in the colors. He's picky about things that are "too girly," in case this wee one is a boy! I already asked for permission to turn the gold into a glittery gold if we have a girl. It was a yes! I hope you heard me squeal from wherever you're reading this.)

For now, here's the crib! It has a matching dresser, as well. It is beautiful! These colors are pretty much spot on with what you see in person.

And, it literally still looks the same. I promise I'm not just holding back! 

I'm not panicking about the nursery because we plan on keeping Baby Westerholm in a bassinet in our room for a little while. The nursery is a transition that will take place later. I'd like to have it done, but there's no sense in rushing it if we haven't found the perfect pieces for it yet.

On the agenda this week: doctor's appointment and birthing classes!

I'm both excited and nervous about them. It's another one of those "this is REAL moments." 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers for continued health for the baby and both of us and for a smooth delivery when the baby is healthy and ready!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:

30 Weeks

Due Date:
August 17, 2015

Next Appointment:
June 10, 2015

Movement:

Yes, often. This baby is ACTIVE!

Sleep:

Some nights I struggle to fall asleep because I can't get comfortable, but most nights I sleep really well once I get there! 

What I Miss:

Fitting comfortably in my clothes.
Caffeine

Cravings:

Food. I want to eat everything again!
Sprite, or anything other than water.
Something cold because I'm HOT. Always.

Symptoms:

Swollen ankles

29 Weeks - Baby Westerholm

It's our last week in the 20-somethings of this pregnancy! 

We discussed so much with our doctor at our last appointment. I asked about inductions and c-sections specifically. Dr. Kirchner informed us that she likes to induce on the 39 week of pregnancy if there are no signs of me going into labor on my own (which we'll start checking for around 35 weeks). She believes this is safest for mommy and baby.

I was relieved to hear her say that a c-section is the last thing that she wants to do, but she's of course willing to do it - and will - if it means keeping us safe. She says her motto is, "Healthy mom, healthy baby." You got it!

I briefly discussed epidurals with her, as well. I plan on getting one. I have some anxiety about this because, as I've mentioned before, I'm slightly terrified of needles. I'm pretty good though when it comes to working my way through it if it's something that needs to happen, so I know I'll pull it together when the time comes. There's just a lot of time to think about it between now and then!

If we were to induce in the 39th week, that would put us in the week of August 10. That's only ten weeks away. Less time than the 1st trimester. Seventy days. Not even three months. Basically, not long!  

Next on the agenda: sign up for birthing classes. It's getting real, y'all! More and more every week! 

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:

29 Weeks

Due Date:
August 17, 2015

Next Appointment:
June 10, 2015

Movement:

Yes, often. This baby is ACTIVE!

Sleep:

Some nights I struggle to fall asleep because I can't get comfortable, but most nights I sleep really well once I get there! 

What I Miss:

Fitting comfortably in my clothes.
Caffeine

Cravings:

Food. I want to eat everything again!
Sprite, or anything other than water.

Symptoms:

Swollen ankles