One Month Old....

Seamus is a month old today and had a great check up.  Here is how he is growing:

• Weight: 10 pounds even, 50th percentile
• Height: 22 1/4 inches, 75th percentile
• Head: 39 cm, 75th percentile
• Still waking up every 3 hours at night to eat...but all in good time...hopefully.
• He will follow things with his eyes...when he feels like it...and focus on us.
• He is not a fan of tummy time but he will move his head from one side to the other and he lifts his head and moves it around when we burp him in the sitting position.
• And he is finally starting to have days where he stays awake for most of the day.

Unfortunately he will have to start his shots at his 2 month appointment...we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.  For now he is a happy, snuggly little boy.

Seamus Michael...picture perfect.

Seamus Michael Steele is here....and perfect!

Seth and I finally got to meet our little man Sunday at 8:30 pm.  My water broke at 7:30 that morning and it was pretty smooth sailing from there.  I would say I had a smooth labor and delivery and hopefully a fast recovery.  I am happy he came a little early, even almost a week early he still weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces and measured 21 inches in length.  His head measured at 14.5 inches around, pretty sure he got that from Seth.  He is precious and perfect in every way and Seth and I are over the moon!

Finally Full Term!

I thought this day would never come.....and yet it will probably be the longest 3 weeks of my life!  Seamus is officially full term so he can technically come any time now....but I'm trying not to get my hopes up.  My doctors don't think I'll make it to my due date, but you never know.  Thursday's appointment updates: he is fully engaged (dropped into the pelvis), 70% effaced (thinned), but still 0 dilation...so who knows....except maybe Seamus.  I want him to stay in there and take as long as he needs....but at this point I think I'm more ready for him to come than him taking his time!  This last month is not the most comfortable and more than that I'm just ready to meet him!!

Shower weekend with family and friends.

We had a wonderful weekend back in Cleveland County.  I am very thankful to my wonderful family for taking time to put together baby showers for me. I was blessed with two showers, a Steele shower and a McRorie shower.  Seamus is ready to go now...or should I say we are now ready for Seamus to come!  Below are some pictures from the festivities.....

Seamus' two cousins: Brooks and Desmond.  Only about 3 months older than Seamus will be.

Our wonderful nieces coloring while waiting for the shower to wrap up.

Clearly the drive from Raleigh to Lawndale wore Seth and Jae out.

Apparently I look much bigger than I really am to most.....

I don't care what anyone says....boys clothes are adorable!!!

Showers are a Go!

Went to my OB Thursday after noticing a lot of tightening the past day.....more than 6/hour.  They put me on the monitor and I was having contractions....but luckily not dilated at all.  So they told me to drink more water than humanly possible and come back this morning to go back on monitors and then they would decide if they wanted me traveling over 3 hours away.  Went back...still having contractions...now more cramping with them...but there is no pattern to them and still not dilated at all so they said I won't go into labor the next two days so go ahead.  I was going to be pretty bummed if I had to call my family and say we couldn't go this weekend.  I have a checklist for preterm labor and when I need to call...but they think I should make it to full term, which is in two weeks, but probably not to my due date!  Never a dull moment with Seamus already!!  Hope to post some shower pics after this weekend!

34 weeks and still sitting way up there....

My 34 week appointment went well.  Stomach measuring perfect, despite no weight gain in a month, Seamus is moving like crazy, and heart rate at 148 during appointment.  It was cute, when the doctor did the doppler for the heart he had the hiccups.  He is getting so big, head is still down...just not far enough in my opinion.  His little bum would be the culprit for my rib pain and popping lately.  I know he is running out of room because his movements are now uncomfortable for mom.

Mom isn't in as tip top shape as baby, but still doing well.  Still fighting this dang head cold.  Doctor said if start coughing too much to call them for a prescription because it can trigger labor and if I go in to labor after another week I'll be far enough along that they won't try to stop it....talk about home stretch!  My iron levels are back down so now 2 iron supplements on top of my prenatals.  Everything else checked out great.  Now I'm ready for our newborn basics class next week and my baby showers! 

Can't wait to meet my little boy! 

8 Months.....

I have officially entered into my 8th month of pregnancy today at 32 weeks....sounds so much closer now.  I'm ready to start filling the nursery with stuff for my boy...it's been so hard not to buy things and wait til after my showers!  Everyone is well and excited....but I think Jae may be sensing something different.  She has been unusually clingy to me lately...I'm anxious to see how she is with Seamus.

Kick counts and record carrying....

Had a follow up with my OB after my ER visit today...luckily they let me squeeze in my 32 week appointment while I was there so I don't have to go back yet again on Tuesday!  Everything looks good, the tests from the hospital all came back good and everything was fine during my check up today. 

Seamus is no longer breached!  He isn't quite where he should be yet, but he has time.  The doctor figured out which body part has probably been doing the rib bruising....his heels.  She said feel free to push him down when it gets uncomfortable....so it's on Seamus...the battle for rib space begins!

I feel like another milestone has passed....they gave me copies of all my records and told me to carry them with me at all times in case I go in to labor and they will update them each time I come in.  I also have a kick count sheet...have to count his kicks daily from now until labor to make sure he stays active...thinking that won't be a problem.

All's well that ends well!

Seth, me, and Seamus had an eventful day/evening/night on Friday!  I was having some tightness in my chest and short of breath at work on Friday so my doctor wanted me to go to the ER to get checked out.  Seth met me there at 2:30 and we didn't leave until 11!!!  Everything turned out fine, they are now thinking muscular/skeletal issues.  After an EKG, chest x-ray, and blood work they were worried about a blood clot in my lungs because of one blood test that came back abnormal and my pain in my upper right side.  At that point we had to sign a waiver for a radioactive scan...I was not happy about that seeing as how I'm pregnant and all.  My OB was there and he wanted me to get it done so I did it.  Everything was clean.  So after 8 hours...upper right side still hurts, no diagnosis....but the doctor said they at least ruled out the serious stuff....so that's good.  He says tylenol and if it gets worse come back....so here's hoping it doesn't get worse...not looking forward to that bill!  November can hurry up and get here....or Seamus if you would like to come a week early I don't think I would object one little bit...just a thought.

Nursery Photos....still a work in progress...

Seth and I have a long to-do-list before Seamus gets here.  Today we decided to focus on one of the more fun things on the list...the nursery.  We painted some letter for above Seamus' crib, Seth set up the shelves in the closet while I went to buy storage baskets for it, I found cute little bears to use as labels, and we Seth hung up the blanket.  Seth still thinks it's too bland....but we're not finished.  Now he has decided that a stenciled tree on one wall will be necessary...we'll see how that works out...luckily we have plenty of paint left if we mess up.  So here it is so far:

Belly Updates....

30 week belly....any bets on if I'll make it til November 12th?!  Co-workers don't think I will so now I'm working backwards on my lesson plans for my sub....times like this an office job sure would be nice!

Seamus has "seen" a lot of weather....

Since I have been pregnant with Seamus we have had bad tornadoes (hitting a mile from our house), felt an earthquake, and now a tree landed on our house from the wind gusts of Hurricane Irene....eventful!

Nursery

Pictures are taken on Seth's phone so couldn't zoom out....the room is bigger than it appears.  Nothing on the walls yet but at least our furniture is together and beautiful!  More to come once we put finishing touches on it.

Follow up ultrasound....

Busy day today.  Had my glucose screening test, fingers crossed everything comes back normal, my regular 4 week check up, and our follow up ultrasound from our 18 week u/s.  Everything looks great!  Placenta is where it's supposed to be now (that's what they were checking on), fluids are great, heart rate 134, even the cysts on his brain are gone!  He is breached for now...but he should move in a few weeks they said...it just made it difficult to get any good pictures of him :(.  The "biggest" surprise was how big he is!  He is measuring in the 84th percentile for his age!!  They said as long as he stays under the 90 mark it's ok...just a big boy!  The biggest part was of course his head....measuring about 2 weeks ahead.  The ultrasound tech asked us if we were sure on his conception date....which of course we can nail down to the hour since it was IVF.  Now begins the every 2 weeks appointments so we are hoping for smooth sailing until November!!!

New Nephew/Cousin #2!

8 days after our first nephew was born, we have nephew number 2!  Seth's sister and brother-in-law Brad and Cortney had their 3rd child today...but first boy: William Brooks Walker.  Seamus now has two boy cousins to play with.....now we just have to wait for him to get here....only 10 weeks or so...hopefully.

28 weeks....

When I tell everyone I still have 3 months left they look at me like I've lost my mind and tell me they think he may come a week early....

New Nephew/Cousin!

Seth's brother Zach and his lovely wife Laura had their second child yesterday evening, August 15th.  The first of 3 grandsons coming along.  Should have nephew number 2 a week from today and then Seamus will make 3 in November.  Holidays are sure to be crazy once the cousins are running around in a few years and plotting some trouble to get in to...can't wait!

27 weeks....

And baby makes 3.....or is it 6?

After almost 4 years of trying, it's no secret now that we are expecting our first child!  We couldn't be more thrilled.  At 27 weeks I am approaching the final 3 month stretch....just as school is starting back.

For those unaware of our journey...just a brief recap.  It has been a long and expensive journey to get here.  After 6 months of fertility drugs, two IUIs, and 2 IVFs we were successful and are expecting little bit to arrive around November 12th.   Needless to say, it's been a long time coming and worth it all!

We found out we are having a little boy, which we are thrilled about.  Both Seth's sister and brother are expecting boys any day now....so he'll have cousins his age to play with.  We have decided on the name Seamus Michael Steele ("shaymus).....it's the Irish form of James and I have no doubt he will be correcting people his whole life....but it's an awesome name.  We finally feel like our family is whole....although we are hoping for more kids....we may be adopting a few years down the road.  We are going to have a house full with the new baby, a dog, and two cats....but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thank you to everyone who has been there for me and Seth and all the thoughts and prayers....we know Seamus will be very loved....and hopefully not too spoiled.

Our living room after we found out we are having a boy.  Our friends came in while we were at work and decorated.