January Baby Update

Dear Hope,

Well, January flew by and unfortunately I have been so busy preparing for the baby that I haven’t been able to take the time to write… so I’ll try to catch you up on what has been going on.

NJ Friends Baby Shower ~
Lets 1^st start with the Baby Shower that my best friend Kelly hosted for me on January 15^th.  I feel so lucky and blessed to have so many people in my life that wanted to celebrate the welcoming of our baby into this world (which has been obvious by having 3 baby showers!!!) My closest friends came from near and far to celebrate and even my mom and “Aunt” Rosanne came from Buffalo to be there too!!!!  Kelly did any amazing job transforming her house into a pink wonderland full of games, food, and even specialty drinks! Kelly has been there for me throughout the entire process of trying and becoming pregnant, so for her to host my baby shower and celebrate with her was truly amazing and meant more than she will ever know!

Baby Prep Classes ~
"Baby Care Basics & Preparation for Childbirth" classes... It is worth mentioning that Brian and I also signed up for 2 classes at the hospital to get us ready for the arrival of the baby.  Unfortunately Brian was still out in Arizona so he could not make the 1st week of classes so I was lucky enough to have a fill in partner... you guessed it! Kelly!!!!  Just another amazing thing that only a true friend would do!!! Especially as she is a super mom already and they were teaching us how to "hold a baby" and then rubbed my back as we were learning to breath during the "Lamaze" section.  Brian was able to join for the 2nd week of classes and I was glad he could share this and just being in the hospital really got us excited and made it all feel more real!!!!

Dr Appointment Update ~

January 16^th – (34weeks 5days pregnant) At this appointment, when the Dr measured my belly she thought that I seemed to be measuring a little big so she sent me for an ultrasound to see how baby was doing.  At first I was a little concerned but then she said she wasn’t concerned at all and if anything it was more for us to get another sneak peak at the baby.  So Brian joined me later that night for the ultrasound and although the technician was not able to tell us too much, she did say that the baby looked great! According to her measurements she did seem to think the baby was measuring ahead (her calculations already measured her at 6lbs7oz! About 2 weeks ahead of schedule! yikes!!!). She also confirmed that baby was already head down! A good sign as we are in the home stretch!!!  But, the dr would go over all the results at my next appointment…

January 31^st – (36weeks 6days pregnant) Today’s appointment once again went really well! My 1^st question to the dr was going over the results of my last ultrasound.  I had been really nervous that because the technician said the baby was big that it may be a prediction that I will be delivering a record setting baby! But, the dr reassured me that ultrasounds taken this far into a pregnancy are extremely inaccurate in determining actual weight and size! That made me feel so much better!!!  She said that our baby was measuring at the 74 percentile and as long as a baby is in between 50-90 percentile they are not concerned. She also “checked me” for the 1^st time and said that I was “softening” but not dilated and baby hadn’t dropped yet. So I was exactly where she expected me to be at that point…

Now I go every week until the baby comes which can be any day now!!!! Although my due date is Feb 22^nd- a baby is concerned “full term” anytime between 37-40 weeks!  I still can’t believe that we are so close!!!!

Next dr appointment ~ February 7^th

^Kate

Ultrasound Pics

January 7th~ Ultrasound (Profile of baby) 

If you look close you can see that the baby is looking right at you - with her right cheek at top of picture



Belly Pics

January 22nd - 8months down

Rest in Peace...

Dear Hope,

It is with complete sadness that I even have to write about this…  This week has been one of the most difficult and sorrowful weeks of my life.  I am not sure where to begin so I will do my best and start with the beginning of the week…

On Monday Brian and I received a text from his Aunt Maureen that his mom was in a lot of pain and was feeling as though she may be close to the end of her fight.  As you all know Eileen had been fighting Pancreatic Cancer and a mix of complications for over the past year.  Brian immediately booked a flight out to Arizona and was able to be there that night. I wanted to join him so desperately but being 8 months pregnant we knew it would not be safe for me to travel so far.  So as I watched him leave I feared the worst and hated that I couldn’t be with him in what was going to be the hardest time of his life. 

The next day January 3^rd, Eileen lost her fight to cancer.  It had been a long battle and we all wanted her to be out of the horrible pain she was in but, I so desperately wanted her to able to hold in her arms her grandbaby.  A friend of my mom’s told me that I didn’t have to fear that Eileen would never meet her…  that she now was able to meet her soul in heaven before she was born.  I believe in that and I believe that these next 7 weeks until our baby is born, Eileen is holding her and filling her with all the love and knowledge that she will need to be the most amazing little person.

Unfortunately tragedy stuck once again… On Wednesday January 4^th, My Uncle Walt was taken from us.  After only 6 days in the hospital he died a peaceful death with family all around him.  He went in last Thursday to the hospital after not feeling well and they found out he had Pancreatic Cancer that had already spread to his liver and lungs.  The disease took over his body so fast that there was nothing the drs could do.  Hearing this news was like a nightmare that we couldn’t wake up from.  We had just had a wonderful Christmas and although he hadn’t been feeling himself we could have never  imagined that only days later he would no longer be here with us.  If you knew my Uncle you knew he was one of the most amazing, genuine, loving people you would ever meet.  He too was so excited to welcome in our baby girl and I still can’t believe he is gone.  But, as I said earlier about Eileen… I know that right now Uncle Walt is up in heaven with her unborn soul… probably dancing with her and telling her a silly joke.

I have to believe things happen for a reason or else all this hard ache would be for nothing…  I truly believe that our baby girl has 2 angels looking over her and with that much love she must be destine for greatness.  I promise to keep the memories of Eileen and Uncle Walt alive and share the wisdom and love that they have instilled in me. 

Rest in Peace

Eileen Gabriel   7/26/51 – 1/3/12

Walt Moroz   7/27/43 – 1/4/12

Buffalo Baby Shower ~ December 28th

Dear Hope,

Buffalo Baby Shower  ~  December 28, 2011

Once again I was blessed to celebrate the welcoming of our baby girl with some of my closest family and friends.  The shower was absolutely perfect.  After years of wondering if I would ever have the opportunity to have such a wonderful celebration, all that I was hoping for finally came through.  The love I felt in the room that night was like nothing I can even explain.  As I opened the gifts and read the most thoughtful cards I again realized that I was never alone on this journey to becoming a mother.  It was such a special day and I will remember it forever.

Dr appointment update ~ January 2, 2012

This a routine appointment to check on the baby but was special because Brian was able to join me…  What was even more exciting was that our dr gave us a sneak peak at the baby by doing an ultrasound. She was having problems with her Doppler machine to hear the heartbeat and since she had some cancellations, she offered to do a quick ultrasound.  Our baby looked perfect!  She has already turned head down and is perfectly on track!!!! As I seem to be growing by the day and becoming more and more uncomfortable I keep reminding myself that in less than 7 weeks I will be holding my baby girl in my arms.  A day I have been waiting for my entire life…

Kate