[Glory87]

Hey guys, I realized I haven't updated you since my 20 week anatomy scan. I am now at 32 weeks and things are going well.

I did have a pretty scary pre-term labor incident at 22 weeks. I thought I had a UTI and but was actually having contractions and a softened cervix. Spent a night in the hospital and two weeks of bed rest. I got a prescription for a drug to relax the uterus and discovered my irritable uterus gets cranky if it gets dehydrated, so I am drinking nearly a gallon of water a day.

Baby Ethan is now doing beautifully. Since I was high risk, I got weekly ultra sounds, so that was one positive, getting to see him every week. He is measuring absolutely perfectly and my cervix is behaving wonderfully, the doctor thinks I will go to full term (due Jan 13). Which is both awesome (fully cooked baby!!) and terrifying (ugh, 8 more weeks!). He is a big time wiggler and hates it when I lean forward at work. He's giving me the best posture of my life.

I am starting to get that uncomfortable "really full of baby feeling." I also suffered the most incredibly painful thrombosed hemorrhoids ever (big tip learned - go to the doctor immediately, you can get some relief if you get seen early enough). But considering all of the terrible pregnancy symptoms out there (GD, hot flashes, PUPPS, hip pain, tailbone pain, morning sickness, high blood pressure, preclampsia, etc), I'm not doing too badly.

And luckily, the vegetable fatwa is now over. After serious and freaky food aversions the first trimester (and part of the second), I now eat and love vegetables again. My weight gain has slowed to a more normal level. I still am on limited activity and supposed to stay off my feet as much as possible, so no exercise or walks allowed.

We had our baby shower last week and it was awesome. My favorite part was scrapbooking. My wonderful friends made beautiful scrapbook pages, so I have the most gorgeous scrapbook, all ready for cute pictures of Ethan. I love scrapbooks, but I am NOT creative, so it is so awesome to have this ready to go.

Here I am at 30 weeks - I have gained about 30 lbs

[krampus]

Thanks for the update - glad to hear you're doing great and able to enjoy vegetables again!

[bargoo]

Glory, you look beautiful, please tell DH when baby arrives we, after grandparents will be the first ones to know.

[losermom]

Glory, you look great! You're in the home stretch baby!

[midwife]

Beautiful! I'm glad he's hanging in there.

[mandalinn82]

You do look great! I'm glad he stuck in there. We had a bleeding scare at 24 weeks, so I understand that panic for sure.

Almost there!

[junebug41]

So happy to hear Ethan and mama are doing well- you look absolutely beautiful!

[traveling michele]

You look great! Thanks for the update!

I'm glad your scare didn't put you on bedrest indefinitely. I had pre-term labor with dd #1 along with leaking of amniotic fluid and other issues. I was put in the hospital at 25 weeks and told that IF I didn't deliver, I'd be there the remainder of my pregnancy. Once things calmed down somewhat, I begged the doctors to go home and I stayed on bedrest for the remainder of my pregnancy. Awful and wonderful memories. Dd is almost 22 now!!

[carolr3639]

You look great. I had my last baby at age 41, the tenth.

[Glory87]

36 weeks! My new fav pregnancy symptom is one big swollen foot. My blood pressure is still wonderful so my doctor is not concerned. I stopped the medicine I was taking to "relax my uterus" and was kind of wondering if that was the only thing keeping baby in there. But I made 10 dozen cookies yesterday (for a cookie exchange) and then walked all around a Walmart - he stayed put! I am wondering after all the worries of an early arrival if he will ironically go to full term (1-13-13). Due to my age and a couple of other risk factors, my doctor won't let me go past my due date.

[losermom]

Glory, you sound and look so good! Enjoy this exciting time in your and your new baby's life.

[Megan1982]

Glory, glad to hear you're doing well! You look very happy in your picture. Maybe you'll have a New Years' Baby. Glad you're able to join in on the cookie exchange and holiday festivities, too, and aren't on bedrest. Best wishes for a healthy remainder of pregnancy and birth. I can't wait to "meet" your little one!

[kittycat40]

Wow, you're making me cry (joy for u)! Wonderful news, photos....wishing you all the very best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bargoo]

Are we auties yet ?

[paperclippy]

Bargoo, this is what Glory posted on facebook on Jan 11th (I assume since it's on FB it's safe to report here): "It's official Facebook friends and family! Ethan was born this morning at 1:03am. He weighed 6lbs 15oz and was 20 inches long. He was a wonderful baby - waited for us to pick up grandmommy Ann at the airport and have dinner before his arrival."