The final countdown...last 24 hours.

So we have hit the last 24 hours, and its 9:30am, and depending on where i am on the surgery list we could quite possibly have this baby in the world by this time tomorrow morning!

I started to have a freak out last night, it was bound to start eventually and I'm surprised it hasn't already really.

The freaking out is not so much about beginning parenthood and all that comes after the baby is born, its more so everything leading up to him being out and those few days- weeks afterwards.

After having the appointment with the anesthesiologist during the week i came home a little disappointed as it turns out all available pain meds for the surgery are going to be morphine based, and of course, i have a less than desirable reaction to morphine by throwing up continuously amongst other things.

Anything else they can offer me, either wont have enough of an effect and would be pointless, or would affect me wanting to breastfeed.

So basically i have been told that the whole thing is going to be trial and error, and i few things will be tried and we will go with whatever makes the least amount of discomfort and illness.Oh joy.

I found out also that even the spinal block, which is what i will be having to go in, in the first place is a morphine/anesthesia mix and i can expect to get sick pretty much within 10 Min's of it being inserted.

This is the one fear i have head all along, that, i will be stupid sick and not enjoy the first few days of him being born, and of course, be so much more useless because of it as well.

So lucky Aaron will be there for the days i am in, and i just have to get through the nights on my own until he is allowed back in, in the morning to help again.

That first night, tomorrow night is going to be hell i imagine.

I imagine i am going to be quite ill, and not the nicest of people to be around, going by my post op history with anything to do with morphine.

They have a 12 hour mark that you are not even allowed to attempt to get up until you have hit, as your bladder is the last thing to get complete feeling and movement back in after the spinal wears off, and they will not take the catheter out until they know you can walk...and they WILL push you to do it.

i will hit that 12 hour mark sometime during the night, and no one will be in visiting hours to be there and support me in it.By the time Aaron is back in the morning, i would be expected to have gotten up and gone to the toilet on my own etc, and should be at least able to have a shower when he arrives.

I am terrified of what the spinal is going to feel like when they put it in, Aaron cant even be in the room for that we have been told.

Terrified of feeling that first onset of nausea kicking in and wondering just how long it will last.

The surgery itself i wont even go into! If this wasn't my only option, this whole c-section thing would be my LAST choice in the way this baby comes into the world.

Wondering if Aaron will even be able to handle being in for the whole procedure to start with too, or if it will all be too much for him as well.

Anxious as all hell to see what our little "lumpy" figure is going to look like, and if he is going to be perfectly fine physically and mentally.If he is going to need assistance with breathing etc and if i will even want him near me straight away.

Absolutely terrified of the whole breastfeeding thing.Will i be able to do it, will he be able to do it, how much are the contractions of the cervix going to hurt doing it since that seems to be most peoples complaints after a c-section.

Will he cry and cry all night long when i feel helpless and cant just stand up and get him on my own and Aaron is not there to help?

Am i even going to know how to hold him without breaking him?

Bath him without drowning him?

Change his nappy without picking him up and it just falling off? lol.

I guess when we wake up tomorrow morning, every single one of those things will be answered pretty quickly.

At that is not as comforting as it should be.

Can we turn back time? Can we have a few more weeks to prepare??

No.

This is happening.

This is happening, now.

37 weeks our last week before the BIG week.

It was the final check up with the antenatal team at the hospital this week, i didn't get Nigel again(whom we loved last week) but the lady surgeon i got was still fantastic and very helpful.

Carter was still head down bum up as always, his heartbeat was a steady 115bpm or so.

As usual he didn't like the Doppler on my belly to get his heartbeat, he seems to hate the cold gel anytime someone wants to put one on there and he kicks at it non stop, making it hard to get a good reading at first.Little bugger! The surgeon thought it was very cute.

Friday was Aaron's official last day off work before we are to be parents and so we decided to get dressed up a little and go out for dinner.
It ended up pouring all night long and we ended up grabbing burgers and battling the rain.lol.It was very funny but still quite enjoyable.

My car got taken away finally, and so that's the end of that era.Time to start thinking about another car for the near future, once baby is born and i am over that initial 6 weeks that i cant drive we will look at what we want to get.As the car will basically be my mode of transport and Aaron would rarely use it, we have to wait until i am able to test drive and make a decision.

The baby really dropped this week, and i have been able to breathe so much easier which is so fantastic, although the pressure down below now is a little unbearable at times.

This also meant that i got more lovely stretch marks...they are horrible and i hate them and its not even fair that women do this whole baking a baby thing and have to have their body ripped up this way.Its depressing.And i am so sick of hearing people tell me they will fade, or go away completely, those are the people that either haven't had their body go through 9 months of growing a baby, or who did and were lucky enough to avoid the marks all together.

I'm not stupid, these things are deep, and red, and hurt like hell and they aren't ever going to go away.

My two best friends have booked their accommodation to come up for his birth this week.

They arrive on Monday and will be staying for 7 days and are pretty excited to see the little man come into the world.It will also be nice to have some people up here from back home to spend some time with before the big day too.

Its still crazy to think that we have less than a week to go...i never thought this day would come and its so terrifying now its almost here.lol.

Week 37

This week the average size is about 6.3 pounds (2859gm) now and 19.1 inches (48.6cm) length.
She is official full term now but can still benefit from extra days in the womb.
Your baby continues to practice breathing movements. Isn't it amazing how she can breathe "under water?"
Grasp is firm now. It won't be long until you'll feel that strong little fist confidently grasping your finger (or tightly clenching your hair)!
A few weeks ago, your baby would move her eyes toward light. Now she turns towards light outside the uterus.
" As the uterine wall stretches and thins allowing more light to permeate, he develops definite daily activity cycles. You will want to be sure to establish good patterns yourself at this time, thus encouraging them in your child. Ever heard of a baby getting his days/nights mixed up? Now's the time to try to avoid that!

Week 36 and we are booked in!

We have a date!! This week we had our big appointment with the hospital to talk about what our plans were and to schedule the c-section.

We all agreed on June 26th.

The Dr wanted to actually go for 29th or 1st but they were both booked out anyways, and he wouldn't allow me to go as early as 24th...so we negotiated in the middle.lol.

The surgeon we met with was fantastic and i really would like to hope by some chance i get him on the day to get this baby out.

He had Aaron get up and find the heartbeat with the Doppler, instead of him doing it, which was a really cool thing to do and i think Aaron enjoyed playing Dr for 2 minutes.

My pelvis has split, i found this out by the crazy amount of pain i felt when he went to get my fundal height and i flinched in pain not expecting it at all to feel like it did.

He is still head down and i assume will stay that way from here on out.

His heartbeat was in the 120's, which hasn't changed since we had the trip to hospital for the kidney infection a while back.

My blood pressure came back great so the migraines i have been experiencing every 2 days or so is not due to pre-eclampsia like i had feared.Which is fantastic.

My urine was clear of infections etc. So all in all it was great

We got the admission papers and were sent up stairs to book in, that's now all done and i meet with the anesthetist on 22nd to discuss pain relief options and how i go under anesthetic etc. A quick physical will be done.

Outside of the baby stuff, we had another series of unfortunate events this week when Aaron's car was stolen.Yes.

Yes.

We seem to be that unlucky.We now have both cars gone out of action with 2 weeks to go until our baby is born.Woo.Not.

It is now inevitable that we purchase another car in the very near future...as soon as we work out just how we can go about doing that.

So as it stands, if all goes to plan, we have 2 weeks and we will be parents.

Scary, Scary and exciting...
Week 36

Your baby is almost ready and so are you! The only organ still to mature is the lungs. While certainly you are both growing anxious to meet, remember that each day (up to 42 weeks), that your little one stays within your womb will multiply his chances to breathe on his own.
If he hasn't already, this week your baby may drop into the birth canal. While breathing for mom becomes easier, walking may be the exact opposite! If he's not your first baby, this "lightening" may not occur until right before labor.
Fat is dimpling your baby's elbows and knees, and forming creases in the neck and wrists.
His skin is growing smooth and, shall we say it, "baby" soft.
His gums are very rigid. It won't be many months before you'll see his teeth.
She has a fully developed pair of kidneys and her liver has begun processing some waste products.
Your child's average size is now 18.66 inches (47.4cm) and 5.78 pounds (2622 g). Between now and birth she will gain about an ounce a day!

Week 35

I am now officially at the point where i DO NOT want this baby in me anymore. I have had enough. I am so uncomfortable, tired and miserable.I have stretch marks from here to Timbuktu from having no room at all left for him, i was doing so well up until this past week, when 4 billion decided to show up, they are red, deep and sore as all hell!
This is worse than morning sickness in the first trimester.My back is KILLING me, day and night, my legs and feet are constantly swollen.
I feel like a whale now.I am not used to this weight and my body cant take it anymore.This is the most horrible feeling!!The next 3 weeks CANNOT go quicker for me.
I am now up to 70kgs!I did not at all expect to get to this weight, not in a million years, but it seems i was never going to be able to prevent it really, although i admit i could have done ALOT better food wise.But its too late for that now.
I have started to get very severe migraines this week.
I have suffered from them since i was about 12, but i only ever got them maybe 4 times a year where they knocked me off my feet and actually affected me to the point where i was incapable of doing anything.
I have had THREE, yes THREE this wee alone since Tuesday.
I am getting no warning for them, like i used to (the dotty eyes etc) they are just coming on and hurting like a bitch until they leave.Thursday a actually lost feeling in my right side, from my fingertips and all along that side of my face.I didnt know what the hell was going on.
And last night i was bought to tears after waking to the pain instantly during the night.
I really hope this is just my bodies reaction to this stage of being pregnant, and that it is normal and that it goes away as soon as i have Carter out of me.It could be hormone related, as i think the hormones start to drop off at this point? I;m not sure.
I intend on asking the hospital when i see them Tuesday, and speaking to my OB on Wednesday when i see him.I am hoping it is not blood pressure related and i am developing pre-eclampsia!

Anyways, we have our big 36 week appointment on Tuesday, and the c-section will be booked in and we will know 100% when this baby boys birthday will be unless he comes on his own before then.Cant wait!

Week 35
The average baby weighs five and a half pounds now.
Most babies born now will survive and without many long-term problems.
Fat accumulations plumps up the arms and legs this week. These layers of fat will help him regulate his body temperature. They also provide those cute little dimples on elbows and knees!
Her hearing is fully developed, so be sure to talk to your daughter. Do you find yourself speaking in a high-pitched tone? That's okay since some studies show babies respond better to higher pitches.
It's getting crowded! Your baby is now taking up most of the uterus and you may even feel like your chest has run out of room! Soon enough though, baby will move down and you'll be able to breathe easily again (just not walk so easily! Ha!).
Your baby is 18.2 inches (46.2cm) long and weighs 5.3 pounds (2383gm).
The testes have completed their descent in males.

34 Weeks

We may be starting something!
I started to loose my mucous plug this week. I have no dialation or effacement, but its a good start at least.Things are getting so different. Each and every night i am having so much trouble moving around, especially in and out of bed due to my hips obviously moving and separating and Carter moving down.
I'm starting to get very anxious/impatient for him to make his arrival so i can 1) be comfortable and 2) see him!
He may make it to this C-section date after all.
We had a regular OB appointment this week too, and we were actually going to get away with the first ever visit without a cervix check because we are so far along and dont need to worry about it anymore...but after Dr Dunn asked me how i was and i explained the Mucous and the pain he had to take a look and see if i was making any progress.
Carter looked good, as usual.He was actually sucking his thumb!!
He is still just on average size/weight from the u/s.I'm very interested to see what eh is like when he comes out though, those things can be so off.
I am still on and off with this cold i got last week, i dont even want to think about the fact that swine flu has hit my local area.
Aaron and i bought ourselves our first "family" investment this week too...a shiny new Video Camera!!Its a JVC Everio HD-30.We have wanted one for about forever and thought there was no better time than now to finally buy it with Carter's arrival coming and family being so far away.His life will be documented always now, and hopefully everyone wont miss too much this way.Now we must just remember to always have it with us and use it! heh. It was ALOT more than we had intended to spend but i think it will be worth it.

Week 34
Your baby acts exactly like a newborn, with her eyes opened when awake and closed when sleeping. You may also find her settling into more of a routine for sleeping & awake times.
She has learned to blink. She can also see more clearly when there is a bright light on your stomach and probably has the outline of all your organs memorized!
Antibodies from your blood are being transferred to him. These immunities continue to build until birth. Then breast milk will add even more protection against disease.
Your baby may have already turned to a head-down position in preparation for birth. If he is your first baby, he may be settling into the pelvis with his head pressing against your cervix.
Fingernails have reached the end of the fingertips now. She may scratch her face even before she is born!
Your little one's length is 17.7 inches (45cm) and weight is 4.7 pounds (2146 g).

33 Weeks

Well this week the dreaded stretchmarks started to appear :( i noticed one line when getting out of the shower the other night and sure enough, it was a stretch mark, i seem to only have the one, and a couple of sort of dots that will ineviatably turn into lines as well.

Oh well, the price you pay i guess.

We both got colds this week too. Aaron got one and i woke up the very next day suffering the same symptoms.Aaron luckily got over his quite quickly and i am still holding onto mine, but hopefully its getting better than it is worse.Its miserable having a cold, not being able to breath anymore than i already cant because of the limited space from the baby.

We have had horrible weather up here this week!Its been all over the news everyday.I hope it doesnt last long because its terrifying.The wond is so strong and the rain comes down and just floods everywhere within hours of it starting.I dont like Aaron having to drive to work in it.And i dont like being home alone with it even more so.

Week 33

Amniotic fluid is at its highest level during pregnancy.

Your baby's head size has increased 3/8ths of an inch due to rapid brain growth.
Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in your baby's brain will give him the skills he needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, he may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing.
While most of his bones are hardening, his skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier.
You baby takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since she gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages her lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development).
If your baby is a boy, his testicles will be descending from his abdomen into his scrotum. Sometimes one or both testicles won't move into position until after birth.
Your infant is now 17.2 inches (43.7cm) long and weighs 4.23 pounds (1918gm).

32 Weeks! A milestone.

This week we reached the original goal that was set from the very start of this whole thing.
My Dr wanted us to at least make it to 32 weeks with this baby boy still inside.And well, here we are, still going strong, and he is still baking away, obviously nice and comfy.
It felt good to walk into the room to see Dr Dunn and know we had made it. He is as surprised as i am at the achievement. No one expected me to still be pregnant at this stage, and doing as well as we have.
At the appointment, i saw Carter again, he is still just on average size wise, except his head is slightly more in front than the rest of him, lol, so in that sense, he is like his dad!
I dont care, as long as that means the boy is as smart as his dad and his lots of space for useful knowledge over the years.
So congrats to us! For getting this far, and still going strong.

Week 32
Yours baby is up to 3.75 pounds (1702grams) now and is 16.7 inches (42.4cm) long.
You might notice she's not moving around as much now. Don't worry! She is fine -- just running short on room. She still has plenty of growing to do though, believe it or not!
All five senses are working. Your little one is fascinated and practicing testing these out as much as possible!
Toenails are completely formed even though she may not be quite ready for a French manicure.
Hair on your infant's head continues to grow in. Will he have dad's black hair or your red hair?
Brain scans have shown that babies have periods of dream sleep (REM) starting around the eight month. What do you suppose your son is dreaming about?

Week 31

Week 31
The rate of physical growth slows down just a bit, but even though she doesn't get much longer, she will gain a lot of weight the rest of the pregnancy.
Fat continues accumulating. This layer of fat turns her skin from red to the rosy pink she will have as a newborn.
Calcium, phosphorus and iron are being stored and his bones are growing and hardening.
Your baby is 16.2 inches (41.1cm) long and weighs 3.3 pounds (1502gm)
His brain enters another period of rapid growth, producing hundreds of billions of new nerve cells! Amazing!
She may move to the rhythm of music. Studies with heart rates show that she also prefers some types of music to others -- already!
Lungs are the only major organ left to complete development. Remember, that while you may be anxious to meet your little one that these last few weeks can be vital - with each day increasing your baby's ability to breathe on her own.

30 weeks.

Can you believe we are at 30 weeks??? I know i cant.If this little man stays put like he should we now only have 8 weeks to go until his arrival.
Its so amazing how quickly the time now feels like it has gone.Everyone keeps saying these next 8 weeks will be the slowest time ever...but i dont think they will.We are all still convinced Carter will make an early appearance and so in saying that i managed to get all of his washing done this weekend.All of his clothes, and towels and blankets etc.I think we are almost ready for him!I actually feel kinda sad not really having much else to organise.lol.
But yeh, if he were to arrive tomorrow i think we would have pretty much everything we need.Which feels good!It means we can relax and just wait...hurry up and wait.
This week i got my first stretch mark, which is not really a normal stretch mark, it goes from my belly button upwards and its from having my navel pierced when i was younger.its about 1.5cm and is pretty deep and purple :( Aaron keeps telling me i should be really happy if thats all i manage to come out of this with...but i'm starting to think i am going to get the dreaded tire tracks because he is sitting so so low and i am getting quite big.Maybe it really would be nice if he came early...so to avoid much more damage.ha.
Nothing really exciting happened this week, we had a regular OB appointment, Carter is head down, he is measuring right on 30 weeks, Dr says he will be average or just below average size.My cervix is still perfect in length, even after the mishaps last week in the hospital!
We only have 2 weeks to go and we reached the goal that was set at the start of this whole pregnancy.My Dr says i can then sit back and take it easy and not worry too much about him coming early.It will be nice.
I am almost at 65kgs now, so just going on 10kgs heavier than pre-pregnancy.Sometimes to look at me you really would not think i have put on a single gram...but i can feel it and i am going to try and be careful for the next few weeks in case it gets out of hand.The least i put on that isn't necessary now, the least i will need to take off when he is here and i go back to normal.
Week 30
Did you know your baby is nearly three pounds now?
His head is getting larger to accommodate a period of rapid brain growth. Don't forget to continue to "teach" your baby in the womb by exposing to music, literature, and simply talking to him.
A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him. As he grows and fills your uterus, the amount of amniotic fluid will decrease. Funny, you certainly won't feel any lighter!
She spends more and more time practicing opening and closing eyelids. Her eyes can move from side to side, following a light source. She may even reach out to touch the light.
Early lanugo is beginning to disappear that served to protect your baby's skin from the water in the womb. Your little one's own hair may begin to appear.
Toenails are entering their final growth stage.
Bone marrow is now in charge of red blood cell production. These red blood cells will continue to service your child's body by transporting oxygen and removing the wastes (carbon monoxide and other gases).
Your baby has the capability now to produce tears -- yes, within the womb.
By the end of this week, your baby is now 15.7 inches (39.9cm) long and weighs 2.91 pounds (1319gm).

week 29-and OH! what a week it was!

What a week this has been! Honestly, i didnt think it could get any worse as each event happened.
The week started pleasantly, we celebrated Aarons 26th Birthday, he went to work as normal, and i cooked a lovely meal at home for him to come home to, as well as some yummy cakes :)
Dinner went great, we had mum home for the night too so she ate with us and then her and Aaron got stuck into a bit of arranging in the garage together.
At this point in the night, i was starting to experience some back pain out of nowhere...it got progressively worse in a short amount of time and i decided to sit/lay down while they did what they did.Aaron and i watched a movie, and i layed with my wheat pack on my back hoping to relieve some of the pain...i thought this had worked and managed to actually fall asleep on the couch...only to wake up an hour later, everyone else having gone to bed, and i could not move the pain was excruciating.
I attempted to get up and walk and it was clearly not going to be the easiest thing to do...i went in and told Aaron something was wrong, he could see that the pain was pretty bad.
I decided to try and have a shower and see if the warm water could help...it didnt.
When i got out of the shower i told him we need to go to the hospital and he was quick to get a few things together for us to take.After going to the hospital close to home and them not being able to actually do anything for me(they have no facilities for pregnancy related problems), we headed to Gold Coast hospital and straight to the emergency room, who directed us straight to the labour and delivery ward.We got in, i explained what i was feeling, they hooked my up to all the monitors, put the bands on me to monitor Carters heartbeat and any contractions i was having.At this stage they had taken a urine sample and determined i had an infection, but were not sure on the extent of it.
Aaron was falling asleep, i think it was about 3am at this point.
Carters heartbeat was loud on the monitor, he was doing well, and then he was not.
His heartbeat was fluctuating from 122-196 and at one stage the Dr lost it altogether.
I was having mild contractions, but nothing that would indicate labour.
At around 5am the Dr came in and told me that the infection had spread very rapidly to my kidneys and it was quite severe, i would be getting admitted right away to stay in and be put on an antibiotic drip.
I woke Aaron and before i knew it, he was in the elevator going down to go home and i was going up to have a permanent bed for the night.
I got a couple of hours sleep, and then the high risk Dr saw me first thing in the morning, she had already gone over my history and knew the risks associated with everything and had decided that our best shot right now was for me to have steroid injections (betamethasone) to strengthen Carters lungs in case he was to come right now.I didnt hesitate, i think i was too tired and worried to even think too much about what she was actually saying.
That needle...hurt...like...hell!! But it was the best chance he had.
By lunch that next day i was told that i wouldn't be leaving and i would be staying another night, staying on the drip and having to have another steroid shot in the morning before i could go home.So i spent the night again.
The next day i felt alot better, very tired but so ready to go home....i had the other shot (hurt like hell x2 this time)! we waited for my last round of antibiotics to go through the drip and then we went home.
All was well, i was put on a course of antibiotics for 10 days...But Carter was not moving...and did not move for almost 24 hours.
We cancelled our trip away we had planned and just waited to see if we needed to go back to the hospital or if perhaps he was just tired.
Saturday morning, he was back to normal and so we decided to take our 6 hour trip away to see Aarons family, everything was fine when we were away, Carter was over active if anything, but we were glad to get home on the Sunday so we weren't far away after the week we had had.
Aside from that, my car was assessed and they worked out that the damage done to it was $3031!!

Week 29
Your baby's head is in proportion with body now. He appears more like a newborn each and every day!
Fat continues to accumulate under the skin -- only now preparing for entering the *real world*.
Your baby's brain can control primitive breathing and body temperatures.
His eyes can move in their sockets. Soon he will be able to follow a blinking light.
Your baby is increasingly sensitive to changes in light, sound, taste, and smell! Various studies show that your baby may indicate preferences (or disdain) for particular tastes or odors at this stage
He is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, he will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if he is performing somersaults for a circus act!
Her length is now approximately 15.2 inches (38.6cm) and weight is 2.54 pounds (1153gm)

Week 28

This week we had all of our furniture from Sydney sent up and it arrived....unsafely!I wont even go into how disappointed with the service i am, we have a few bit of furniture which were destroyed in transit somehow and are now completely useless!Luckily though our cot and change table were in the original packaging unopened so they were safe, and so on Thursday Aaron and i put them together. It started off a bit badly, when one half of the cot decided it was going to fall directly on my stomach and this made for some sitting with some pain for about 20 mins, but in the end we survived and are ok.lol.Poor Carter is already getting bashed around.The furniture looks great and now as you can see the room is really starting to take shape and look like there is a baby coming very very soon.
Here is a snippet of his current wardrobe attire.Yes, there is quite alot...i have started sorting through it all and working out what i will use straight away and what will be stored for later dates...and then comes the washing...i have pulled most of the tags of things already.
I had my regular fortnightly OB appointment and again, everything looks fantastic! My cervix has shortened again since last time but it is still not in the red zone just yet.Carter looked great as usual and i am just waiting on the results of my 1 hour Glucose tolerance test i had the day before.Which this right here was a result of mind you!! OUCH!!My iron results were in and i am anaemic again and need to stay on supplements now until for probably a good 6 months solidly.UGH! i hate those things with a passion, but i will do what i need to do to make sure i am ok and in return then Carter will be ok.He is draining me lately...i am sooo tired, so sore and am already complaining that i want him out.haha.Not too long to go i suppose.
As it stands, at 28 weeks i have put on a total of 8kgs so far, which my Dr says is fantastic and i am doing a good job.I hope not to put on much more though!!
Carter is measuring 1 week ahead.
We bought a rocker/Bouncer this week for him too so thats another thing to cross off the list.Its the same brand as our Pram and is very nice.I got it for a great price too.Carter has been going nuts lately with kicking, and on Friday night he decided he was going to play little games with his Dad for a good half hour.Aaron was singing and mumbling on one spot on my tummy and Carter was responding to it by kicking each time he stopped.He actually managed to kick Aaron square in the chin at one point...maybe he didnt like his singing :P Aaron was stoked and it was very cute.They are already getting along like a house on fire. And i am completely in love with both of them.

Week 28
Eyebrows and eyelashes are now very noticeable!
Hair on baby's head is growing longer. Some babies are born with almost none at all, while others appear to be ready for their first haircut!
Eyes are completely formed now. Quite a view from inside!
Your baby's body is getting plump and rounded. Most of that increase is muscle tissue and bone. Fat will be added during the third trimester.
Muscle tone is improving. Preparation for the Olympics feels like it is taking place in your womb!
Lungs are capable of breathing now (but baby would still struggle and require medical attention if born now)
Talk to your baby often, reading stories, singing songs and more. He or she can recognize your voice now and will often calm to it later on!
Your baby weighs in now at 2.2 pounds (1005gm) and is 14.8 inches (37.6cm).

27 weeks- 3RD TRMESTER!

Yeh, we are getting pretty big now.heh.
We are officially in the home straight.The final trimester.It feels so strange being here already.We have 11 weeks to go until he is here and these last 6 or so months have really just flown by.
This week consisted of shopping and planning.
The shopping took us off to ToysRUs to buy Carters mattress for his cot, and while we were there we picked up our first boxes of nappies.2 jumbo boxes at that.
There were also a few little items of clothing that were too hard to resist for the price they were on sale for, and a very cute throw blanket which i decided is perfect for everyday int he pram.
Outside of shopping for him, we planned a trip to Kempsey for the ANZAC day weekend for Aaron and I to see his family, since it will probably be the last trip we make before Carter arrives due to it being so many hours away.
Aside from that we organised and booked the truck to bring our things from Sydney up here and hopefully they arrive within the week, then we can put his cot and change table together and really feel like we are making some progress towards his arrival.

Week 27
Your little one's brain continues its rapid growth. Don't forget to share music, conversation, and even books with your baby!
Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. Your baby's hearing continues to develop, he or she may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's.
Lungs continue to grow and prepare for functioning outside of the womb. Each day in the womb greatly increases survival rates!
He also continues to take small breaths and although he's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when he's born.
Eyelids are now open more. Your baby can distinguish between light and dark.
Retinas have formed.
Your baby will grow over an inch this week alone! You may suspect this phenomenal growth rate repeats in the preteen years!
Average size is now 14.4 inches (36.6cm) and 1.9 pound (875gm).

26 weeks

So i arrived back in Sydney this week, as much as i didnt want to!! There was non stop rain and i was so afraid to get on the plane, and as it just so happens, with good cause too, the turbulence was terrible and i almost threw up at one stage, but thankfully i didnt and i arrived safe at GC airport to the wonderful smiling face of my fiance.
It was so good to see him after the terrible week i had,had.I think i hugged him for a good solid 5 mins without letting go before we even got out of the walkway.heh.
The week got full on straight away, with an OB appointment very early the next morning.It came with the good news that my cervix is really holding up fantastically and everything looks really great! Dr and i discussed what we will do in the coming weeks, and the plan is that we will continue to check my cervix for the reasons we have been until i hit 32-34 weeks, then we will just let nature take its course and if Carter decides to come early then they will do nothing to prevent it as his chances are good enough for survival...i still want him to be in there until the c-section date though...i want him to bake properly and get as strong as he can before he comes.
But, its at least good to know that basically in about 6 weeks or so we can sit back and relax, and know that things should go well from there on in.
Annnnnnnd i wont have to be poked and prodded!! Hooray! lol. I feel like thats all this pregnancy has been about, now i want to focus on him, his growth, his size and what he is up to.

We had a special ultrasound this week too, it was all put on video and Carter looked amazing and he was so photogenic.He was laying perfectly all the time even though he was kicking and carrying on!We got some wonderful footage of his face, he has chubby little cheeks and we saw his eyelids squeezed shut and he yawned, also he definitely so far has Aarons nose!!its the exact shape.once i get around to it i will try and post a bit of it.But i need to get it transferred to disk.He is 2 pounds,1 ounce (935grams)and measuring right on track.He is just below average for his gestational age,I do not think he will be a crazy big baby.which i'm glad about.He was such a good boy.
We have definitely had some changes this week, i am constantly tired, and yet cannot sleep at night.He never stops kicking and moving around, he is quite high alot of the time and i have trouble breathing, coughing and sneezing.My belly is exactly like a soccer ball has been eaten and its constantly obvious i am quite a fair way into this.I am always having random people asking me how long i have left now...not expecting it to still be 12 weeks.lol.Oh well...

Week 26

Your baby may weigh about 2 pounds now (average is 1.7 pound, 760gm) and is 14 inches (35.6cm) in length
To support the fetus's growing body, the spine is getting stronger and more supple. Though no longer than the span of the average adult hand, it is now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings, and some 1,000 ligaments.
Air sacs in the lungs form now.
Lungs begin to secrete a greasy substance called surfactant. Without surfactant the fetal lungs would stick together and couldn't expand after the baby is born.
Although they've been sealed shut for the last few months, your baby's eyes are opening and beginning to blink this week. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first 6 months of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes.
Retinas begin to form.
Brain wave activity for hearing and sight begins to be detectable.
Fetal brain scans show response to touch. If you shine a light on your abdomen, your baby will turn his head, which according to researchers, means his optic nerve is working.

25 weeks and a baby shower!

Carter and I set off for a trip to Sydney, back home to see friends and family and to attend my baby shower that was being held at my Aunts house.The week wasnt great, but the baby shower was alot of fun and am glad it went so well.It was great to see some family again that i have not seen in a long time,(some years infact!) and to have a day about me, and Carter and noone else.lol.He got spoilt by everyone with some wonderful things.Soooo many clothes and things like that, i will have so much washing to do before he comes!I love it all though! He is certainly going to be a very well dressed child thats for sure.Very fashionable even at a few days old.heh.Its os amazing how people get themselves so excited about a new baby coming.It makes you feel very special and appreciate them alot.

Here are a few pictures...there are more to come.
His first ever VANS! :), from his godmother (whom has spoilt him beyond belief and is sure to go broke before he is even here!)

Week 25
The structures of the spine begin to form--
Joints, ligaments and rings. These will protect the all important spinal cord which serves as the information transmitter for your child's body.
Blood vessels of the lungs develop.
Your baby's nostrils begin to open. There is a study out of Belfast that suggests babies at this stage have the capability of scent preferences!
The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. When baby is rooting for food later on, these will be valuable!
His swallowing reflexes are developing.
Dexterity is improving. Your baby can make a fist and would clasp objects placed in palm.
Your child has now obtained an approximate length of 13.6 inches (34.6cm) and weighs 1.46 pound (660gm).

24 weeks. Time is going by so quickly!

We are coming into 6 months now and i cant believe it!
This week, statistically baby is considered viable and if he were to come early would carry at least 10-15% chance of surviving (that's both scary and comforting at the same time!)
Best case Carter will be here in 14 weeks!? Its starting to feel like we wont, and haven't gotten anything done. I think this is normal panic that all first time mums have though speaking to others. I think the panic has started because we just dont know if he is going to make this easy or not and stay in there for the time he is meant to.
Either way, i fly down to Sydney this coming week, for a weeks little holiday away and to attend my baby shower that my Aunt has so kindly thrown for me for my family in Sydney.
I'm very excited to go, its only a small event approx 15 people, but everyone that will be there is very special and will be a big part of Carters life.I will be seeing a few people i haven't seen in a long while and cannot wait.
My mum is also flying down, just for the night though and its good for her too as all of her sisters live down there and so she gets to spend time with them and see some old family friends who will be coming too that she has not seen since her and Dad split 4 years ago.
All in all it should really make for a good day, good company, some nice food, and of course...PRESENTS!! hehe.
I hope we get some nice things from people, anything will help us out in any way possible.You just dont know doing this for the first time how much of anything you are really going to need.
Its also exciting that we can finally organise to have the cot and change table moved up here that i purchased a few months ago, since it has been sitting at my dads, waiting.
Then Carters room will start to take shape and we will really see the things we will need more.

We had a fortnightly check up with the OB this week and my cervix is still doing really well and Carter looked to be fine as well :) So s far everything is going alot smoother than expected for this stage.Hopefully it continues that way too.
Week 24
Bring on the bulk! Baby gains about 6 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs.
His body begins to fill out with his appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn.
Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his distaste.
Little creases have appeared on his palms. The muscular coordination of his hands has improved as he sucks his thumb.
Over the next seven days the sweat glands will be forming in the skin.
His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
This week your baby is officially considered viable.
Baby weighs 1.3 pound (600gm) and is 11.8 inches (30cm) long -- almost the length of a ruler!

Week 23

We are getting really big now! there is nothing at all i can posssibly wear now that hides the fact that this little boy is coming in a few months.lol.
My belly button has officially vanished, i had a serious innie which is now, becomming an outie, it completely flush with my skin and is starting to raise depending on the time of the day and if i have eaten.
Everyday i battle with itchy stretching skin on my stomach which can be really annoying if it doesnt stop. I am trying everything i can to make it stop though! I think i will inevitably end up with stretch marks, my mum got them, and i just feel like my skin is not going to handle it at all. I have never been any kind of "weighty" and even putting on a few kgs when we moved to Golburn i got tiny faint lines on my hips...my stomach now is taking a beating i'm sure and it will be obvious soon enough. ugh :(
Aaron is always talking to Carter (well mumbling something at least) haha. I'm sure they know whats going on even though i dont half the time. Daddy secrets!
Carter is kicking up a storm now days! It seems like he never stops to sleep sometimes.I still love it though, its so comforting every time he makes a movement because it reminds me he is there, alive and doing at least something.lol.The kicks are very strong now and can be felt by anyone whenever he starts up.
He has clearly moved up inside too because my poor ribs and lungs have had so much pressure on them all the time and its getting very hard to wear a bra, or even sit on the couch without reclining at least a little.
I am up to 60kgs, so i have put on in total maybe 6kgs so far. This is quite good and doesn't worry me in the least since its so far along into the pregnancy.
Things are getting organised for my baby shower as we speak.Everything got 'effed up with the first plans due to a certain person and her drama, but its coming together again now and should be worked out soon!
Family still arent being talked to, or heard from which is quite upsetting for us both. I guess alot of the time we just wonder how there are going to be decent role models in Carters life when people are too stubborn, or peeved off about anything and everything to reflect on him well and teach him how things are and how they work and how people should be towards one another.
In so many ways, a few of the people in our lives are making things so hard and making us both so miserable, and not to mention confused by their actions.
Hopefully things will settle and go back to normal and we can really enjoy this time with EVERYONE, not just the ones who are involving themselves directly (which BTW thank you, for those who are, it means alot!).
I keep getting told this is meant to be the happiest time of our lives...whoever first said that...i really think they may have been on crack.heh.

Week 23
Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since he hasn't begun to form body fat.
Bones located in the middle ear harden.
Your baby is able to hear. (Dads, did you know: low-frequency sounds mimicking a male voice penetrate the abdomen and uterine wall better than the higher frequencies of the female voice?)
The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation.
The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. She has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars.
If born now, your baby has a 15% chance of survival, his odds going up with each passing day.
The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.

22 weeks.

We moved house this week. We are still living with mum and Iain but we moved into a nice house with more space etc.
Carter now has his own little room, which hopefully we can set up in the next month or so to see what we still need to buy.
We no longer have our massive TV in our bedroom either which is fantastic.
I am happy and pleased to have a wonderful kitchen to cook in since i prefer doing that to just knocking stuff up or going out to eat.
We should have some good times here.
But of course, its still only temporary for us, in our minds at least. Once Carter is here and i am doing better after the c-section and we know what its like to have a newborn etc, the search will be on for our own place and a decision on where we want to move our little family to.
But for now, we are here and making things work :)

Aside from that, there has been nothing but drama with my Dad and his GF this week! Plans got fucked around because "she" isnt happy with a few situations (that in everyone who knows abouts, opinion, she shouldnt even have an opinion as yet).
I mean its been bad enough that Aaron has had a hard time with a few things on his side that he is still very very upset and angry about, but now mine had to start too?? It seems like it never ends, and it seems like people will never change.
It seems like really, that's life, like it or not.
Anyways, we have our baby on the way, and all we really care about is his health and the health of both of us. I think so much of either of us thought we would need more help than we have gotten, not financially, but emotionally through this as we haven't stepped foot in these new waters before ever.
But it turns out, the more and more that Aaron and i talk, that we realise we can do this alot more on our own. I think we are going to be great parents, i really do, we are forever discussing how we would like things to be, what sort of an upbringing we are going to try and give him, and certain goals we would like to achieve that we consider to make good parents.
I'm very excited to be doing this with him, and he is getting more and more excited as the days go by which is even more exciting for me again! lol.
I think our little boy is going to go ok, i think he is going to get all the knowledge he needs for life from both of our experiences. we have both had very different upbringings, and very different childhoods and teen years, different friends and interests. He is going to get alot from both of us and i hope he loves us for it all.
Some cute cothes we have ought for him, he will look like such a little man.

Week 22
Your baby weighs close to a pound at this point!
Your baby can now hear your conversations more clearly than before!. When you talk, read, or sing, expect her to hear you. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero.
Eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed.
Fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers.
Be prepared for all those "Why" questions coming! Your baby's brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in what's called the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth. But the brain's amazing expansion program continues until around the five birthday.
With some help from mom, baby's liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells.
If your baby is male his testes begin their descent to the scrotum.
Primitive sperm have formed and he is producing testosterone.
Length is 10.94 inches (27.8cm); weight is nearly 1 pound (430gm).

21 weeks.

It was a busy week for us this week.We had two appointments, first was with the GC hospital, to register in and to discuss a few options and my medical history from the operations etc.
WHAT A WASTE OF THE ENTIRE MORNING FOR US!!
I officially cannot stand the GC hospital, and really wish i had another choice of where to go to have this little boy.After sitting for about 2 hours, having some god awful jealous stares from other pregnant woman without partners there because we are quite close and have fun and smile and are genuinely excited, we were finally seen by a midwife (who had a medical student with her)...she got me on a table and tried to find Carter's heartbeat by the Doppler...she obviously had no idea for a while what was going on as there was nothing but gushing waters sounds...in my head i was laughing, because i could feel him kicking around and knew he was OK.She decided the machine was crap, and as soon as she did this there was the sound i had not heard yet...his little heart beating away.It was in a healthy range of the 150's and sounded so amazing.I had been waiting to hear it as none of my Dr's visits had my Dr used a Doppler at all as they are always u/s.
The med student then tried to get my fundal length and apparently it was spot on...again, not too sure he knew what he was doing let alone if it was right or not.
A long story short, she scheduled me in for 36 weeks to arrange the c-section and delivery...yes, nothing in between?? Apparently i just need to see my Dr as he is taking most of the care of me...We wont even go into just how pissed off both Aaron and i were about the whole situation and the way they were approaching it. I mean there are so many risks associated with this pregnancy, and they are dealing with it in a way of basically waiting until i am going into labour to decide what to do.No prep or reassurance for us beforehand, no, just hey, IF you make it to 36 weeks, we will see you then, if not, here is the emergency door, make your way there and we will deal with it then! ha!
Then we went up stair and had a little tour around, the lady that did this with us was so full of everything bean like it wasn't even funny, so.much.energy!
She then sat us down and discussed a little about what my history was, what i thought my options were....blah blah blah, then proceeded to tell me, or suggest to me that i try to have a normal vaginal birth????!!!
yes, yes....that's going to be wise now isn't it.
She asked me if that's what i would want, (which of course, yes, if i HAD A CHOICE that's what i would do, no correction IF I HAD A CHOICE i would have my baby at home without the hospital, without drugs and without a complication in the world), but no, i said, for 12 years i have been told, by 4 separate Dr's that i WILL NOT be having, nor should try to have, a vaginal birth as it is impossible.
She then proceeded to ask Aaron what his opinion was on the subject and of course, knowing my history also, he had the same things to say as i did.
She would not let up on this at all and even until we left was still in suggestion mode for it...clearly not understanding the situation, nor bothering to check my history to see that the option is not even there.UGH! M.O.R.O.N.S!
Anyway, we left the hospital completely dissatisfied, but at least have an idea of the way things may go down, that being of course, that we will probably not have the greatest time with these people when this baby boy is ready to come into the world.
The next day i had my regular appointment with my Dr, my cervix looked good, baby was doing his thing, and Dr Dunn was not at all surprised by the way we were treated at the hospital.
I now see him on the 20th, and then every 2 weeks after that until i hit 32 or so weeks, then weekly (unless something goes wrong beforehand), he will relay as much information as he can tot he morons at the hospital, and we will just keep our fingers crossed that Carter stays in there until he is Due so we don't have to deal with them in between.

Week 21
White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense system. They help fight infections and diseases. Your little one's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque. Your infant's tongue is fully formed. If you were able to peek you might catch your son or daughter practicing giving you a raspberry! If your baby is a girl, her womb and vagina are formed. Unlike males, females have a limited supply of eggs in their lifetime. At this point your daughter will have 6 million eggs. This amount decreases to approximately one million by birth. Baby swallows more this week. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. This is good practice for his digestive system! Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that baby sets her internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! Your eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as her signals. Length is now measured crown to heel. Baby measures about 10.51 inches (26.7cm) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces (360g).