Bags are Packed...Ready to Meet our Miracle!

We are packed and ready to head to the hospital!  We are beyond excited to meet Baby H & can't believe that it could be any day now!  Dr. D was pretty pumped that we made it through her vacation week.  On Monday, she checked me and I was dilated to a two and 75% effaced.  She did a procedure called, "stripping the membranes" to help things move along & trust me that it felt just as bad as it sounds....OUCH!  She said that if it works labor usually begins within 12-24 hours of the procedure (totally worth it).  Soon after we left her office I began having contractions and have had them on & off since, but they haven't been closer than 10 minutes apart.  Sadly, here I am on Friday & we're still waiting for the water to break or contractions to get crazy close together so we can get this show on the road! 

The good news is that if she doesn't come before Sunday night then we are heading in to be induced.  Dr. D feels that with all of our troubles getting to this point, we don't want to take any chances with staying pregnant past full term.  So, that means that Baby H will be here very SOON!  I most definitely got a bit emotional when she set the induction date...for the first time we knew that we were for sure going to get to hold her in our arms within days!  I've never been more excited to meet someone in my entire life! 

So, let the countdown continue for a couple more days!  If nothing happens we will either go in to begin the induction process Sunday night late or early Monday Morning.  Oh my goodness...so close!  My parents are here & T's should arrive from ND later tonight...just in time! 

We pray for our baby girl to have a safe, fabulous entry into our arms!  We love you Baby H & can't wait to meet you!

Tummy Update!

It just keeps growing and growing!  Here are weeks 37-39:

36 Week Update:

Our little girl is growing bigger every day and will be here so soon!  Only 3 weeks & 3 days until our due date! Dr. D seems to think based off of my measurements that Baby H will be on the small side of normal for her weight.  She checked me on Monday (exactly 36 weeks) and I was dilated to a one, 50% effaced, and baby girl is head down.  She said that she is very, very low & that she could already feel the top of her head.  That must explain the crazy urge to PEE every FIVE minutes, but totally worth it!

T & I are doing all of the last minute things to prepare for her arrival.  Yesterday, we even packed our bag for the hospital.  It's crazy to think that she could really come any day!  We are beyond excited to finally have our little miracle in our arms for the very first time! We've decided that she's ready, due to her crazy rolls & kicks in my tummy...we're pretty confident she's trying to break out...she's just so excited to meet her Mommy, Daddy, & Big Brother Gus!

Welcome to the World Baby Reed!

On May 23rd at 7:20 pm my brother and sister in-law welcomed our beautiful baby nephew into the world!  Reed Arthur Murray weighed in at 8 pounds/2 ounces & almost 21 inches of pure cuteness!   We have already talked with him about his big cousin role to baby girl & he is completely on-board...he says he can handle keeping all the mean boys away and protecting his side-kick cousin!  Being so close in age...they're going to most definitely be two peas in a pod!

Love Him!

Beautiful Family!

She's already telling him secrets!

Uncle "T" getting some practice!

Reed breaking in Baby Girl's "Pink" changing pad!

Showerd with Love!

We feel so unbelievably blessed to have such great friends and fam whom have supported us and showered us with love as we await the birth of our baby girl!  Below are a few pics from the beautiful showers:

My amazing co-workers at school through me one awesome shower!  The best gift of all was a book full of parenting advice from the teachers and all of the students from OMS!  It is full of love and some hilarious advice of which I will keep forever!  So special and thoughtful!

 The "Murray" Aunts came together and through a dual shower for both T & I and Kelly & Carl!  It was a fabulous time: great food, great company & loads of fun!

Us 4 plus our two bambinos in the bellies!

The "Murray Aunts"!

Kelly & I with our Mom's and Mom In-Laws!

The "Kelly's"!

I have the greatest friends in the entire world!  They suprised me with one special evening!  It was so much fun celebrating Baby Girl and catching up on old times! Love them all!

How awesome are these Pals!

Best Friends for so many Years!

 

Tummy Update!

I have done a not so good job of keeping my blog up to date, but now that school's out I'm determined to do better! Plus, it will give me something to do as I patiently (or not so patiently) wait on our little girl to get here!  So, today will consist of a few posts.  First up: check out the tummy update (weeks 27-36, minus 28)!



So in Love!

Here are a few pictures from todays 28 week ultrasound.  She is still bundled up in a ball with her hands and knees in her face...making it a little difficult to get face shots, but we still got a few.  The ultrasound lady proclaimed that she thinks Baby Girl looks just like her Daddy...I have to say I agree...she even has his cute little dimples! 

We are so in Love with our Little Girl...counting down the weeks until she is here!

Week 27...too much "Orange Drink"!

Thank goodness week 28 starts tomorrow!  Week 27 was a bit too eventful!  We went to see Dr. D last Monday (April 2nd).  Everything with Baby Hardy was awesome...once again she had one heck of a strong heartbeat, my weight gain is ideal with 12 lbs  (or so she says, I on the other hand feel a little more like a whale)  & my belly was measuring good!  I also had to take my one hour glucose test.  It consists of drinking some thick, over-the top, extremely sweet, & syrupy orange beverage in 5 mins...and then one hour later they draw blood to check for signs of gestational diabetes.  Here's a pick after I was one chug down:

Don't be fooled by the smile on my face...nothing about this drink makes me smile or even remotely think about smiling!  The smile was provoked by my husband...he was a champ...pumping me up, talking me through each chug, & doing his best to keep me smiling.  Sure do love that guy!  Back to the orange drink: I got it down/kept it down, waited the hour, had my blood drawn & then celebrated!  I had completed the emphasis nasty drink test of pregnancy that all my pals had told me about!!!

My celebration lasted until Thursday when Dr. D's nurse called and informed me that I had FAILED.  My heart sank because I knew exactly what that meant...more ORANGE DRINK!  Yep, she went on to tell me that I had to come back for a 3 hour test on Friday.  So, Friday morning T & I headed back to the lab.  This time I had to chug double the amount in the same 5 minute time frame.  They took my blood right before the chug & then on the hour for the next 3 hours.  T & I couldn't leave the lab until my last draw.  All I can say is #1:  thank goodness I got it down/kept it down & #2: I have officially retired myself from any & all orange flavored beverages for life!

So, now we wait until tomorrow or the day after to find out the results of the test. Tomorrow we will also go in for our 4D ultrasound.   So excited!  Can't wait to see our Baby Girl!  Fingers crossed that she cooperates and gives us some good face pics...it's been a struggle in the past...she likes to stay all folded up with her hands and long legs covering her face.  I'll try and post some pics tomorrow!

26.5 Week Update:

Its so hard to believe that 6 more weeks have gone by since my last post!  Once again, I have lots of updates so here goes...

Our appointments with Dr. D have all gone very smoothly.  Baby Girl Hardy seems to be growing at a normal pace with a strong heartbeat.  We pray that this continues for 13.5 more weeks!  We go in this weekend for all day labor/delivery classes and then go back on Monday for my next scheduled OB appointment.  This will be the glucose test day...I've been trying to pump myself up to down the glass of flat orange awesomeness, so time will tell how that event goes...lets hope good!  Following Mondays appointment we will be seeing Dr. D every two weeks for the next few and then switching to every week a little later.

Baby Girl took her first trip to Florida for the Reeds/Murrays family reunion!  It was one heck of a trip filled with lots of fun: Mickey Mouse, face paint, golf, pool, beach, & Great Family Time!  Of course we will have to take her back a little later when she can partake in more of the fun rather than just hearing it all as she swam around in my belly! Here are a few FL pics:

Next Update: Growing BELLY!  T has been taking belly pics so we can keep track of some crazy belly growth...so here you go...check out our little Pea growing bigger every week:

16 Weeks

19 Weeks

Its just unbelievable how blessed we are.  God is so amazing...to bless us with this Miracle Baby Girl... We sure do serve one awesome God!  I used to look down at my growing belly and be reminded of this every single day, but back at 22 weeks I finally felt our miracle for the first time & now I'm reminded multiple times a day of God's awesomeness...every time she stretches and wiggles!  T & I just can't get enough of her.  At night as we lay in bed and stare at my belly...we are beginning to see her from the outside rolling around...so cool!  I will say, her and her Daddy already have a special bond.  She can be moving like crazy...he places his hand on my belly & within seconds she settles down.  Looks like he's in charge when she's fussy...lucky guy!

My goal from this point forward is to update my blog every week for the remainder of our Pregnancy Journey.  Next week: the reveal of Baby H's Nursery & the results of the orange drink test!

P.S. Here's a video that T & I made for her to watch one day when she's much older.  We showed it to our friends and family at the Gender Party (click the "Baby Hardy" link below to watch):

Baby Hardy