HE'S HERE! - Introducing Maxwell Clinton Lang

Well! Stripping my membranes worked.  Immediately after the appointment, I started to feel sharper cramps. We were sitting in the assembly (Scenes from Peter Pan, our musical) and I could not get comfortable. Every once in awhile I would have a stabbing pain too.  I played it off like everything was okay but I also informed my boss and others what had happened at that morning's appointment. And, being the preparer that I am, I made a "Just in Case" set of lesson plans for the sub.

Fast forward to 5 pm. I was in the middle of giving the National Spanish Exam to about 19 of my students.  The pains were closer together but not in any timed interval. I was doing my best to conceal my situation from the kids but even walking around the room to check on their progress was difficult. Little did I know, I was in early labor!

Got home, begged Clint to go to the store for me because I couldn't really move around without being in pain, settled on the couch and proceeded to complain for the next four hours.  Even while I was eating chocolate, raspberry ice-cream (Ben and Jerry's Core - You have to try it), I was complaining about the pain. That's how Clint and I knew I was really feeling it.  Ice cream usually cures everything.

Called my mom, asked about timing contractions because I didn't really know what I was experiencing. Tried to time a few, decided to settle into bed after calling the doctor. He recommended waiting it out.  But, by about 11:30 am, the pains were consistently awful and I felt like I had to pee every minute.  I woke Clint and told him I wanted to go to the hospital just to get checked out.  I wanted peace of mind, and I was in PAIN!!!

Okay….I will give you part two in the next post. But for now, here he is!! Maxwell Clinton Lang born March 6, 2014 at 7:47 pm. He was 7 lbs 11 oz and 20 inches long.

BABY BOY:

38 weeks preggo - SPOILER ALERT - last preggo post!

How far along? - 38 weeks - could come anytime
Total weight gain: -Actually lost a pound at this week's appointment on Wednesday  
Maternity clothes? - Ughhh…I am so over them. I cannot wait until I can dress fashionably and in cute clothes again. 
Stretch marks? - None
Sleep: Bad!  Labor pains often keep me up at night or wake me up in the middle of night. I have also been having anxiety that wakes me up too. For example, the latest worry is that I have scared off my long-term sub and will have to scramble to find a replacement in the last two weeks. It's not going to happen but my brain has a weird way of working itself up. 
Best moment this week: Just the usual, although I am pretty sure my husband is nesting. In the past few days, he has cleaned out our storage to make room for baby stuff, fixed the vacuum that was clogged with one needles from Christmas, vacuumed downstairs, and put up final little odds and ends in the nursery.  I had off Monday and Tuesday due to snow and I went through all our bills in the office.  If you can call that nesting, then I guess I was nesting.  
Anything making you queasy or sick: No just painful contractions.
Gender: Boy!  I am so excited to see what he looks like and how he acts. 
Symptoms: Labor pains (early I guess).  Wednesday during the day, I was 70% effaced and 2 cm dilated. The midwife stripped my membranes and told me if my body was ready, I could go into labor within 24 hours (SPOILER ALERT- It worked!) 
Belly button in or out: Flat 
Wedding rings on or off: off
Looking forward to: March 17? 

Some pics: 

 Last preggo pics…(38 w 2 days)

 Oskar says, "I'm ready now, Mama. You can have that baby!"

37 weeks preggo

How far along? - 37 weeks - 3 to go...
Total weight gain: -Gained about 2 pounds this week (up to 151). Started at 124. You do the math
Maternity clothes? - I seriously don't know how much longer I will be able to hold out…nothing fits!! 
Stretch marks? - I don't think so...
Sleep: Still sleeping okay although some Braxton Hicks keep me awake.  
Best moment this week: Met with my long-term sub and he shadowed me for two days this week. Everything went really well. I feel great leaving the kids in his hands. This is getting real. Also, Clint and I did our last minute shopping- got a stroller, high chair, and some last minute odds and ends 
Anything making you queasy or sick: No 
Gender: Boy!  We cannot wait to meet you, buddy : ) 
Symptoms: Just Braxton Hicks…although they might be early labor pains now. Still no change in cervix. Just feeling very heavy 
Belly button in or out: Neither. It's flat or nonexistent 
Wedding rings on or off: off 
Looking forward to: his birth! (Well, minus the pain part) 

Some 37 week pics (Some 36 week too) 

36 weeks preggo

How far along? - 36 weeks - A MONTH TO GO - EEK! 
Total weight gain: -I didn't gain any weight when I went to the OB on Tuesday. Guess that puts me at 25 lbs gained total. 
Maternity clothes? - I hate maternity clothes - the pants are starting to fall down and the shirts don't always cover the bump anymore…bring on the dresses and leggings. 
Stretch marks? - I don't think so...
Sleep: As my husband said while I was rolling over the other night "You might be able to get to that other side before the week is over."  That means it is increasingly harder to move around. 
Best moment this week: Not that exciting of a week but I can tell you my least favorite moment this week - Wednesday, I was walking back from assembly with the kids and literally almost passed out.   I got that clammy, fuzzy feeling and starting wobbling.  I burst into my upper school head's office and told him I needed someone to take my class and I needed to go sit down.  Then, about an hour later, it passed.  I read up on this - totally normal. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope although I did feel a little nauseous when I almost fainted 
Gender: Boy!  We cannot wait to meet you, buddy : ) 
Symptoms: Still have pain late at night (I'm thinking it's round ligament pain); developed a yeast infection so have to take antibiotics; they did check my cervix at my last appointment - I was fully closed and not effaced at all. Trust me, I was happy about this. 
Belly button in or out: I guess it's still in but I really don't like looking at my belly button. It's weird looking 
Wedding rings on or off: on 
Looking forward to: March - after next week, we will be in March which means the birth month (hopefully) of this little guy. 

Some of these pics are actually from last weekend.

35 weeks preggo

How far along? - 35 weeks - only 5 or so to go 
Total weight gain: -Not too sure - but at OB appointment this week the midwife said my weight looks good - on track to gain about 35 pounds total
Maternity clothes? - I actually went through my closet and got rid of all my MATERNITY clothes that don't fit anymore. Shirts are really challenging because they have to be long enough to cover the belly. 
Stretch marks? - I don't think so...
Sleep: I sleep pretty well but shifting in bed is getting more and more uncomfortable
Best moment this week: Last date night with husband before baby comes - We went to an amazing French restaurant and really "lived" it up.  
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope
Gender: Boy - getting so excited! 
Symptoms: late night pain - cannot get comfortable on our couch anymore - Braxton Hicks 
Belly button in or out: I guess it's still in but I really don't like looking at my belly button. It's weird looking 
Wedding rings on or off: on 
Looking forward to: final preparations which are already taking place - going next weekend to purchase the last of our baby stuff; my comments and grades are almost done; the long-term sub is hired and ready; Still need to clean carpets, make freezer meals, find daycare, and just finish up details in the nursery 

Oh yeah, one side note - my very generous workplace gifted us with our carseat so we will be working on installing that in the next few weeks.  And, I packed the hospital bag this week - weird!  

A few pics: 

34 weeks preggo

How far along? - 34 weeks - only 6 or so to go 
Total weight gain: -I got on scale this week at home - 148 (going up, up, up) The baby feels like he magically grew overnight too. 
Maternity clothes? - Oh yeah, I'm loving the long sweaters and I'm down to about three pairs of pants that still work….home stretch? 
Stretch marks? - I don't think so...
Sleep: I am still sleeping pretty well and it's a good thing because I am ALWAYS tired
Best moment this week: Two - first going to Salisbury with my husband to finish up stuff at Baby's R' Us and getting a killer deal on diapers.  Second- finding out they FINALLY hired a long-term sub for me : ) 
Food cravings:  ice cream - strawberry this time 
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope
Gender: Boy - a big boy at that…I think he is in my pelvis too cause sometimes when he moves it feels like my hips are going to break in two
Symptoms: just lots of pain; Braxton Hicks, and heartburn - It's just all of a sudden very difficult to move around... 
Belly button in or out: I don't even look at my belly button anymore. I think it's on its way out but I can't tell 
Wedding rings on or off: They are still falling off - knock on wood -no swelling here 
Looking forward to: everything - meeting this little guy, getting the house prepared, finishing up the nursery, Spring Break at school, finishing up comments and grades (because it will really feel like it's time then!) 

33 weeks preggo

How far along? - 33 weeks 
Total weight gain: -I am at about 145 now so I gained the expected amount since last time. The OB (Dr. this time) said I'm doing great. He thinks I will likely gain about 30-35 pounds total this pregnancy which I am okay with. Let's just hope he's right. 
Maternity clothes? - Yes and I'm loving t-shirts and jeans lately. I don't really have the energy to dress up in cute stuff anymore…although I try for school at least 
Stretch marks? - No - just very veiny...
Sleep: I am surprisingly sleeping better now than I did in my second trimester. Maybe my body got used to this situation. 
Best moment this week: Probably our birthing class. I had been dreading it because it was an all day affair (8:30-4:30) but our instructor was very entertaining and I feel like I learned so much. It actually made me excited to go through the birthing process (and it made me give a second thought to maybe having a natural birth). We'll see what tune I'm singing when the time comes though ; )  Oh, and my advisory kids threw me a surprise baby shower!! That was really fun and sweet of them…the cake with the owls on it in the pictures is from that shower. So, technically I got 3 baby showers…WOW - I am lucky. 
Food cravings:  ice-cream - although I don't know if that is a craving. I always want ice cream
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope
Gender: Boy - lots of boys this time of year. At our birthing class, I'd say it was 75% boys. Hmm…what's in the water in the summer? 
Symptoms: same old, same old - peeing a lot, uncomfortable, boobs hurting, heartburn, movement, some contractions - maybe? 
Belly button in or out: I guess it's in but it is basically flat
Wedding rings on or off: off -  no reason…just lazy 
Looking forward to: 34 weeks - because that means 6 weeks to go; getting all my sub plans done, comments written, and the rest of baby boy''s nursery done…then we'll be in the home stretch.