35 Weeks and Counting

I am officially 5 weeks from my due date! And even though the baby has started descending, I still have not experienced any Braxton Hicks contractions, or heartburn.

Baby is kicking like crazy! Since the visit to the hospital last week for lack of movement, and the scary experience of possible difficulties, I am never going to complain about the movement again. However, since he is getting so much bigger, the kicks are much stronger. He has turned back down to head-down. The docs says he will most likely stay there for the next five weeks. At the appointment on Monday morning, the doctor let Justin find the heartbeat with the doppler! It was the highlight of his day. The heartbeat was in the upper 140's, so a healthy beat. Measurements two weeks ago were 35 cm, and on Monday I was at a 34 cm. At least 1 cm drop! I'm still pretty convinced that he might come early, even if it is just a week or a few days, I think it will happen. I am still in the low weight-gain category at a total of 12 lbs gained in the last 35 weeks.

I have been having dreams of perfect little fingers and toes making their way out of my belly causing a need for stitches! As in, not being delivered, but being strong enough to actually make it through my muscles and everything else. Morbid, I know. As far as cravings, it is still Fish-Fillet from McDonald's, and soft-serve ice cream.

We are working more and more on getting the house in order so that family can come and visit. We are also currently planning a trip in the early part of June to visit Utah with baby and to have him meet the whole family. However, due to the need of money and paid bills, it will be a quick trip, lasting only three days or so in Utah. Three days in Utah and four days traveling will make for one busy, exhausting week for our little family.

I just got the birth plan finalized and will be presenting it to the Doctors on Tuesday. I think I will be a pretty easy patient. There are a few things I am adamant about, and some that I am willing to budge. However, if anyone plans on visiting me at the hospital, yes... that means all family.... I may not be willing to let you in the room. I know that I will be exhausted and for the first few hours I will probably be pretty selfish with Baby and Justin.

Two weeks until full-term! I can't believe how time is flying! I just can't wait to hold our sweet baby boy in my arms and experience the joy of having such a pure, innocent, spirit in my presence.

Hospital Visit

I am now 34 weeks pregnant and I am really starting to grow! It is getting closer to the due date and I am getting more and more excited. Yesterday, Wednesday, I couldn't get me kick counts in. It is harder normally to get them because of my anterior placenta, however, yesterday I couldn't get them at all.

I had to make an emergency visit to Labor and Delivery. I was hooked up to the contraction monitor and the heartbeat monitor. It was awesome to hear his strong heartbeat for the whole hour I was there! Baby Furnell has switched from head-down to head-up, I hope he turns back down before I deliver him. They were able to find his heartbeat right under my rib cage. She was surprised at how far up he was. It took 40 whole minutes for him to start moving. The last 20 minutes we got the results we needed. He is still healthy and moving, but having him flipped upside down from normal is the reason I couldn't feel him. My blood pressure is still right where it should be, it is actually kind of low at 125/65.

Because I haven't noticed any Braxton Hicks contractions, they want me to really pay attention and to monitor what my belly is doing all day. They also have me watching for signs of preterm labor since there is significant pressure when walking and laying down in my pelvic region. I don't know yet if its because the baby has dropped, or if he is just getting so big.

But for the time being, we are both healthy and becoming more and more excited for the next few weeks.

As a side note, Justin and I get to be tour guides at the Kansas City Open House. I will be just barely into my ninth month of pregnancy when we go to do the tours, hopefully I can handle the whole six hours!

Keep in touch!

Tag!

My wonderful cousin Melanie tagged me in her post about a blog game called "Tag", so I decided to follow through and tell you a little about myself! If you read this and you want to do your own "Tag", follow the rules below.

Rules

1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag 11 people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/facebook/twitter and let them know you have tagged them.

11 Random Things

1. I was born and raised in Utah.
2. I am deathly afraid of tornadoes. So it is quite ironic that I choose to continue living in Tornado Alley, in Sedalia, Missouri!
3. I am currently 33 weeks pregnant with our first child.
4. I own two black animals. A dog, Sadie, and a cat, Suki.
5. I love to make things beautiful! In the Spring, I love to weed flower beds and cultivate the gardens so that the beauty on this Earth is more visible.
6. I love rainstorms! I love to hear the sound of the rain as it hits the ground and the roof. But... If the rain is accompanied with thunder and lighting, you will probably find me with a pillow over my head or sitting on the bathroom floor waiting for it to pass. 
7. I am a young bride (married at 19), and I will be a young mom.
8. I have a very sensitive nose... Not just because I'm pregnant, my husband will tell you that it was sensitive way before that!
9. I love sushi! I think that fish are meant to be eaten, and that they are fun to look at. However, they stink and cleaning their tanks is a chore that I save for last every month.
10. I have an Associates Degree in Accounting,  a Certificate in Accounting, and yet... I have no intention of ever returning to school to pursue Accounting!
11. I have very white skin that is covered almost 75% with freckles. The first time I met my nieces and nephew, the then two-year old, patted my arm and asked why my skin was so dirty! I love my freckles.

My Answers to Mel's Questions

• If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
• I would love to go to Scotland, or Ireland. I want to witness in person the green and lush beauty that we see in the pictures.
• If you didn't have to be a responsible adult and work and worry about money, what would you do with your time?
• I am very lucky to have a husband that understands my want to be a stay-at-home-mom. He works, I worry about the money and bills, and I get to stay home with our two furry children and patiently await our new baby. I wouldn't change a thing about how I am living now, except maybe that I want to hire little fairies to make sure the house stays clean.
• If you were a kitchen appliance, what would you be and why?
• Well, I think I would be a fridge. My normal body temperature is already lower than average by almost two degrees, and as a women, we harbor very precious things! Yes... I just referred to food as precious. 
• What do you crave most?
• I crave chocolate more than anything. I did before I was pregnant, now it is just ten times stronger and more expensive.
• What is the most daring/brave/adventurous thing you've ever done?
• The most daring thing I have ever done was to work in a factory filled with people of a different faith. These women were very strong in their own religions and had some crazy things to say about the LDS church. I hope I made a lasting impression regarding the goodness of being LDS before I left.
• What is one of your guilty pleasures?
• One of my guilty pleasures is sitting alone in a quiet house while awaiting the arrival of my husband. I love to be alone and often the only person I want to share my day with is my husband and my son (when he gets here.)
• Silver or Gold?
• Silver. Makes me look thinner!
• What is your favorite movie?
• Currently. my favorite movie is... I'll let you know when I can figure that out! We have seen so many great movies lately, and of course all the classics like 'Footloose' and 'Dirty Dancing' will always be in my top ten.
• If you could relive any year of your life, which one would it be and why?
• I would probably relive senior year. I was called to be Seminary Council President, and I also participated on the Performing Arts Dance Troupe. I would relive Senior year so that I could be the better example that my Heavenly Father wanted me to be. I had some rebellious moments and I was not very nice to my family that year (or any year.)
• Who is someone that inspires you?
• I am constantly inspired by the many women in the Relief Society for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am always trying to figure out how these women find the time to do all that they do and still have time for husbands and callings. It is so inspiring to me to watch them and learn from them.
• What is your favorite time of day (yes, I want the exact time) and why?
• My favorite time of day is probably 6:00 AM. It is the time that the alarm goes off and I get to try over and over to wake up my husband so that he will actually make it to work! I love getting to cuddle with him first thing in the morning, with Justin, everyday truly is a new day.

My Questions for You

1. Where is your dream place to live? Not just visit, but actually live.
2. What is your dream job/career? Many of you probably attend college or plan to, I want to know what your dreams are.
3. If you could have any pet in the world, what pet would you choose and why?
4. What color would you choose for your master bedroom?
5. If you could own any car in the world, what car would you choose and why?
6. What is your favorite food, and who makes it best?
7. What is your biggest weakness that you wish you could change and why?
8. What is your favorite season and why?
9. What is your biggest fear?
10. What is your favorite thing to do in your alone time?
11. If you could eat any dessert, from any country, what would that dessert be?

People I have tagged:

• Julia Dawn Cowell The Canny Canner
• Hannah Wetzel Me Oh My! Desserts!
• Joy Schroeder ...The Craziness of the Schroeder Family...
• Nikki Davison Learning to Breathe
• Caitlin Tappana It's Just Another Saturday
• Erika Smith Our Little Family