The Baldwin Experience: My Journey Through Life

23 days until my due date! I can’t believe it. After “changing the date”, I thought it would drag on, but everything still seems to be flying by. In two days I will be 37 weeks officially, and Bennett will be considered “full term”. That is a great relief for me – not that I thought he would be premature or had any reason to worry, it’s just a milestone. Baby size averages for this point are just over six pounds and 19 inches… pretty incredible! We had an ultrasound on Tuesday, but it was a quick one. They wanted to see how my fluids were, and all levels are still normal. I’ve gained another 1.5 pounds in two weeks and am starting to feel Bennett drop! It’s the strangest sensation… I feel a lot of pressure low, especially in the morning for some reason. The Braxton Hicks contractions I have been having for weeks seem to be increasing, but with no rhythm or reason to make me believe I am close to labor. I am going to the doctor weekly now and will start getting physically examined to de...

Last weekend we finished all the baby laundry with the “special detergent” and installed the car seat! We also got Bennett’s “temporary Lansing room” (the one he’ll be in for ~ one month until we relocate up north for the summer) all finished, including the beautiful bassinet Grandpa and Sherryl got us! Other than that, nothing too notable happening! We were grocery shopping at Meijer yesterday and I looked down and my fingers looked like kielbasas!! They swelled up for the first time since being pregnant! It was funny… probably because it only lasted about an hour and then went away. Also, I had some minor back pain for the first time last week, but I think it was partially a result of scrubbing the walls up north that weekend before. I am feeling really great in general. Here are a couple of weekend pics! We also went to our friends Jim and Lisa's house on Saturday... It was a beautiful day and about 75 degrees! I picked Lisa's brain on breast feeding (she has a five-year-ol...

So, we had an appointment on Monday (Bennett’s heart rate was 134 and I’ve gained a total of 23 pounds so far). Our doctor thinks that I could go into labor any time between May 14 and May 23… May 23 was our “set” due date, and then at 20 weeks they gave us the date of May 14. My good friend Kelly told me that they don’t typically “change” a due date, but again at my next appointment they confirmed May 14. However, when I was completing my FMLA paperwork for work, I saw that the doctor had written May 23, so we asked them about it Monday. They said that they weren’t sure and saw in their notes where, on two occasions, they said May 14, but would stick to May 23, LOL… I am so new to this, I don’t know!! So I may be a week behind what I thought. ?? Either way, it doesn’t make a huge difference. My only concern is going into labor on the date that my sis-in-law has her c-section scheduled: May 28. But we will deal with that as it comes, I suppose! SO, going BACK to May 23 as the due date ...

So, I really don't have anything of "substance" to write but thought I would share a couple of funny pregnancy stories. First of all, (and again, if you don't want to hear the intimate details that I so proudly share, stop reading ;-)) I have recently found that "maintaining" certain areas is nearly impossible. The other day I thought I cut myself shaving... only to my amazement, when I looked down to inspect, I couldn't see past my belly! There goes that novelty! ;-) Secondly, I think running is officially an activity of the past for now... I went to the gym last Saturday and got on the treadmill. I speed-walked (if you can even call it that) my regular 30 minutes, then was feeling "ballsy" and thought I would try running. I ran for a whole six minutes, but as I am looking around I noticed a reflection... I looked like a giant ball bouncing down a hallway! I wasn't uncomfortable (beyond the normal feeling of needing to urinate, whic...

So, here is my ever-growing belly! ;-) ONLY 38 DAYS UNTIL MY DUE DATE!!!!

Time is flying by! I am 34 weeks today… that means I only have 42 days until my due date, but who’s counting? ;-) I know that a due date is not a “sure thing”; In fact, only about 5% (or less) of women deliver on their due date and ~ 85% give birth sometime between two weeks before and two weeks after… It’s more like a “due month”! ;-) Either way, mine is fast approaching and we’re getting anxious! Our birthing class last weekend was… informative. We opted for the all day class instead of breaking it up over several weekends, and that was a good call. We were told to bring pillows and a blanket to learn stretches, positions and breathing techniques, so in a sense it seemed like a kindergarten class nap time – except with 15 pregnant women on the floor instead of 5-year-olds. ;-) We watched breast feeding and birthing videos (intense) and covered many topics. I had an appointment yesterday and am now going every two weeks. I’ll give the “usual” stats: my blood pressure was 100/60, I’ve ...