Esme Is One Month Old!

Our happy bug is one month old!

Age? Esme was born July 29, 2012. She is exactly one month old today! It feels like she's been a part of our family for so much longer than just a month. After all the planning, praying and pregnancy it seems like she's been with us always. She's a perfect fit.

July, 29, 2012, 9:35 am

 

 

July 30, 2012-one day old

Weight? Her last weigh in a week ago she was about 10.5 lbs (A weight gain of almost 2 lbs in just 3 weeks!)

Length? She was about 21 inches when she was born and she's now 21.5 inches long. The health visitor thought she looked really long but she's in the 50-75% for length.

Milestones met? She's holding her head up really well! Also, she's started smiling more this week and making little cooing sounds.

Look what I can do...I'm holding my head up!

Favorite toy/activity? She LOVES her Lamaze outer space playmat. It rotates the toys around above her head and keeps her busy so mommy can eat a meal. On several occasions she's worn herself out playing and falls asleep on her mat.

Sleeping habits? Esme and I have been getting adjusted to sleeping and eating at night. The great news is that she's sleeping for longer periods of time (at night) but we still vary naptimes from day to day. Last night she slept a whole 5.5 hours consecutively! Mommy was VERY happy with that. We will try tonight to replicate the same schedule as last night in hopes that we can have another long nighttime sleep (Bath at 9pm, eat at 10:15, in bed by 10:30).

Eating habits? Whenever she wakes up. We have an eat, waketime/playtime, sleep rotation (usually about a 3 hour cycle) that research indicates helps infants sleep through the night by 7-9 weeks old. So far, so good.  She's a very efficient eater so it usually only takes her 12-16 minutes to get a full meal in and she's usually good to go for at least 2.5-3 hours.

Biggest adventure this month? Going to the Olympics at one week old! The morning of Esme's one week birthday we packed up the car and made the four hour car trip to London. Thankfully Grandma was with us so she could watch Little Bug while David and I went to all of our events.

Olympic rings at London Bridge

Royal Albert Monument

Looking forward to? Having Granddaddio visit in just over a week! Our family photo session and also moving home to America (Virginia) in less than a month! We are soooo busy but really looking forward to living in America (Seriously, God bless America) and close to family again. It's been an amazing 4.5 years in England but with Esme's arrival we feel now, more than ever, the importance of having our loved ones close.

Daddy's thoughts...being so busy, it seems like it was just yesterday that I was arriving at the hospital to bring Esme into the world (well I only helped with moral support...Jess did all of the hard work).  As Jess said earlier in the post, it feels like Esme has been here for a very long time.  She feels like a natural part of our family.  Jess has been and is a wonderful mother and wife, she amazes me every day.  We have been very blessed with Esme and everything surrounding her.  God's hand has been with us every step of the way, including our return home.

Having a daughter is an indescribable feeling.  It is very difficult to place into words the immediate change, for good, she has brought and the feelings of joys she brings.  No matter the type of day or moment we maybe having...her smile or small noises brings an instant smile and comfort to my face.  There are a lot of exciting and busy times ahead of us in a very short time, so Esme's effect on Jess and I will be extremely important.  As we will be able to sit and look at her and (temporarily) forget the busyness of the world around us.

41 Weeks and Induction day

On our way out the door to the hospital!

How far along? 41 weeks exactly.  

Size of Esme?  Large pumpkin.

Movement? She was so active yesterday her heart rate was never below 160. For this reason they moved up my induction day to today!

Miss Anything? Coffee...it was a sleepless night and an early morning.

Best moments this week? I think it's about to come today or tomorrow...holding our little girl.

Sleep? At least not for the next couple months. I'm ready. Let's do this.

Baby's position?  Head down, engaged.

Food cravings? Spicy!

Anything making you queasy or sick?  Anticipation.

Labor Signs? Shortly.

Symptoms? All of them. Mostly heartburn and swelling.

Looking forward to?  Meeting Esme.

Happy or Moody most of the time? HAPPY and anxious. Last night I was more worried about what to do with Reese than going through labor. I must be in denial.

Four-Oh (40) My Gosh When Will She Come??

How far along? 40 weeks plus 4 days overdue.   

Size of Esme? The size of a child who should be breathing air and not amniotic fluid!

Movement? Yes, she's still a squirmy worm.

Miss Anything? Patience.

Best moments this week? Lots of great moments this week. We've had several visits to the hospital (this is not one of the great moments) due to high blood pressure. Midwives and Doctor say she's perfect and healthy, just taking her time (great moment one). They strapped two monitors to my tummy; One for Esme's heartbeat and another for uterine activity. David and I watched Esme's heartbeat rise and fall and I thought, "I wonder if she recognizes David's voice." He sang "you are my sunshine, my only sunshine" and we watched her heartbeat rise at the sound of his voice (great moment two). After that, the Doctor came in to perform a 'stretch and sweep" and pulled my insides into the optimum position to start dilation and effacement (great moment three but also horrible moment as the pain was excruciating).  Yesterday's hospital adventure (hooked up to monitors) showed that I was having contractions and I was in the latent stages of labor (great moment four). Also, I had a midwife appointment today and she scheduled induction for me on July 31 but was fairly certain we wouldn't need it as I should be going into labor sooner than that (great moment five). Unfortunately, she had no professional information to back up that claim other than "It's just a feeling." I'll take it.

The final 'best moment' this week was watching Sophie and David complete their first 10K run in Harrogate. I am so proud of them!

Sleep? Some.

Baby's position? 4/5 engaged in my pelvis and ready at any time.

Food cravings? None.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Sugar, leaning back when I'm sitting down.

Labor Signs? I'm having mild contractions that the midwife says can last anywhere from several days to weeks.

Symptoms? All of them.

Looking forward to?  Meeting Esme.

Happy or Moody most of the time? I'm a big ball of hormones! But, mostly happy.

39+ Weeks

So tired!!

How far along? 39w 3d...only 4 more days til she's due!

  

Size of Esme? Small pumpkin size.

Movement? Absolutely. All the time.

Miss Anything? Spicy food. Working out in the gym. Getting out of a chair/off the sofa without groaning...

Best moments this week? Sophie arriving! It was a long wait and a dramatic trip but she's finally here safe and sound.

Sleep?  A few hours from 11pm to 4 am then I take a nap from 7 am to 9/10 am.

Baby's position? Still down and ready.

Food cravings? Ice cream.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Migraines. Not fun!

Labor Signs? False labor pains but nothing consistent. I'm taking red raspberry leaf vitamins and they are supposed to either induce labor or prepare/exercise the uterus to make labor go more smoothly.

Symptoms? Braxton Hicks, swelling, fire in my chest.

Belly Button in or out? In.

Looking forward to?  Esme arriving!! Will it be this week???

Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy and exhausted.

38+ Weeks

How far along? 38w 4d.

  

Size of Esme? Real baby size. Anywhere from 6-8 lbs and 20-22 inches.  They say my tummy measurements are normal at 40 cm. 

Movement? She likes to flip flops her bottom from the right to the left side and back again. I guess she still has plenty of room in there!

Miss Anything? Volleyball.

Best moments this week? David getting a job offer! Here we come Virginia...

Also, finishing up my last book on babies. I definitely feel more prepared!

Sleep? For a few hours at a time. I think my body's preparing for the next few months of night time feedings.

Baby's position? She's still head down but the midwife confirmed again that she's not yet engaged. Not to worry though since some babies don't engage in the pelvis until labor starts.

Food cravings? I'm mostly uninterested in food unless I'm bored. Occasionally I crave something sweet.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Sugar. It's cruel.

Labor Signs? More Braxton Hicks.

Symptoms? Swelling. Heartburn.  The usual.

Belly Button in or out? In.

Looking forward to? Family visits and holding our little girl (on the outside)!

Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy and antsy, not at all moody. Yay.

37+ Weeks

 

How far along? 37w 4d.

  

Size of Esme? Big and heavy. Between 19 and 22 inches long and she is about 6.8 pounds. In the next few weeks she will be developing more fat under her skin and her growth (and mine) will slow down/stop.

 

Movement? She's very strong. Between 9-11pm is her very active period (and my very inactive period). Her movements are often painful. Every night I give her an ultimatum, "Stop kicking mommy or come out." She's already ignoring me!

Miss Anything? Sleep. Sunshine. Comfort.

Best moments this week? Hitting the full term mark! Any day now...

Sleep? Nada.

Baby's position? Perfect position for delivery, except she's not engaged.

Food cravings? Mint chocolate.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Not eating enough. I don't have much of an appetite so I'm eating a lot less and I get hungry suddenly which causes nausea. 

Labor Signs? No. :(

Symptoms? Swelling, big time. Shoes and jewelry don't fit and my wrists feel like they have rubber bands around them cutting off circulation. Crazy, crazy, crazy dreams. Oh yes, and extreme excitement at the thought of holding our little girl.

Belly Button in or out? Innie. Forevermore.

Looking forward to? Sophie visiting for 3 whole weeks!!

Happy or Moody most of the time? Delirious with joyful anticipation (and tired).

36+ Weeks

 

How far along? 36w 4d.

  

Size of Esme? About 19.25 inches and weighs about 6.3 lbs. Her body fat is about 8% but will increase to 15% in the next 3 weeks.

 

Movement? Her movement is much less this week but still consistent and routine. I can press on her bottom and feel her legs squish into the other side of my tummy. I can also feel her head pressing lower and lower into my pelvis/onto my bladder when she squirms. Bathroom breaks have increased a lot this week.

Miss Anything? Sleeping on my back, an empty bladder, and wine.

Best moments this week? We had a preliminary inspection by Crown Movers for our trip back home (if that's where we are going). It's exciting to think that we are close enough to moving to have an inspection of the household items!

Also, spending the whole weekend with David and puppy sitting for this little guy...

Sleep? No :*(

Baby's position? Still head down!

Food cravings? Milk, coffee, ice cold drinks.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Consuming sugar. It makes me feel really funny and yucky inside.

Labor Signs? No. But still having Braxton Hicks. 

Symptoms? Same as last week... Swelling, numbness in my hands and feet, incredibly sore wrists, loose pelvis, and HEARTBURN. I'm eating a lot less now too (thankfully). I think my stomach space is really diminished. It's really nice to not feel hungry all the time.

Belly Button in or out? Innie...just barely.

Looking forward to? Next Saturday David and I are attending a couples workshop put on by my Daisy Birthing teacher. It's 4 hours long but I think it will be really informative and helpful when it comes time to deliver. I'm also excited for the midwife appointment we have on Tuesday.

Happy or Moody most of the time? Exhausted but happy, happy happy.

35+ Weeks

This is what a sleepless night looks like!

 

How far along? 35w 4d.

  

Size of Esme? About 18.75 inches and weighs about 5.75 lbs. The size of a crenshaw melon.

Movement? Our JJB is living up to her reputation. She's squirmy all the time (active for more of the day than inactive). 

Miss Anything? Oh my...traveling. Usually David and I would just be getting back from some amazing trip right now. Morocco was in the cards for this year but that's on hold for awhile. I'm noticeably antsy with being unable to quickly move around and visit new and exciting places that blow my mind. However, in a month or so, Esme will arrive and give us the MOST mind blowing experience we've ever had. 

Best moments this week? Finding out Esme moved into a head down position and the risk of C-section is reduced. 

Taking an aquafit class at the gym with a bunch of great-grandmothers. They are the cutest women ever. I love all the stories the like to tell me which are very helpful, positive and sweet.

Friday morning David and I had an anniversary breakfast at Betty's Tea Rooms. If you've ever been there, you'd understand why it was the best part of my week. Mmmm.

Saturday, we decoupaged the drawers to Esme's dresser (David measured and cut, you know, the manly part of decoupage). We only have a little bit of painting left and it will be finished. We will hopefully finish that today and I can add some photos. 

Sleep? Here and there. Naps are wonderful.

Baby's position? Head down (YAHOOOOO!!) and ready for the world. 

Food cravings? Cereal and blended slushies. In particular, I'm really loving blended virgin margaritas (hold the salt). 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Laying on my back. 

Labor Signs? No. But I've been having intermittent period like cramps a few times a day for a few days. I don't know what labor is supposed to feel like but it seems like my body is practicing. The pain doesn't happen often so I don't worry about it...yet. 

Symptoms? Swelling, numbness in my hands, incredibly sore wrists (I can hardly use my hands at all!), waddling and HEARTBURN. 

 

Wedding rings on or off? My engagement ring fits but I've give up on wearing it. I can't remember to put it on and, frankly, conjuring the motivation to get dressed is hard enough let alone to put on jewelry.

Belly Button in or out? Innie. 

Looking forward to? Holding our baby.

Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy, tired and excited!

34+ Weeks

How far along? 34w 4d.

Size of Esme? About 18 inches and weighs about 5.25 lbs.

Movement? There's a party in my belly everyday at 6 am, 9 am and 9pm (there are probably more times but I'm too busy to feel them).

Miss Anything? Confidence in my body, shoes that fit, breathing.

Best moments this week? Celebrating David and my six year wedding anniversary tonight. Getting the stroller in the mail (it's a little ridiculous how excited I am about this stroller). Getting pictures of the finished crib skirt. Antenatal class last Thursday. Finalizing our trip down to London for the Olympics!

With the car seat adapter.

Sideview. Please disregard the mess in the background!

Frontview.

Sleep? Not much this week.

Baby's position? Transverse (sideways).

Food cravings? Smoothies, cream soda, coffee and water. Apparently I've been thirsty! 

Anything making you queasy or sick? No.

Labor Signs? No.

Symptoms? The worst heartburn EVER. I think this is why I haven't been sleeping.

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding ring-off. Engagement ring-on.

Belly Button in or out? Innie. 

Looking forward to? Midwife appointment (am) and Daisy Birthing class (pm) on Tuesday and the second and final antenatal class at the hospital this Thursday night.  

Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy and positive!

33+ Weeks

How far along? 33w 4d.

Size of Esme? About 17.75 inches and weighs about 4.75 lbs.

Movement: Definitely an athletic little girl. Lots of wiggles, kicks and tumbling.

Miss Anything? Back to missing sunshine.  Last weeks many days of sunshine were the absolute best (even though my hands/fingers and ankles disagreed).  But, I don't miss working out anymore because I've been swimming which is a REALLY hard workout. 

Best moment this week? Baby shower yesterday! Five of us girls got together at Paula's house, ate some delicious food (thanks Kelsey!), did some activities and chatted for over 4 hours. It was amazing. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures of us all together. Three of the girls there were Non-Americans so we had to explain what the purpose of a baby shower was. I don't know that they understood it but they were troopers to go along with our crazy American traditions.

Decorations all made by Kelsey

Children's book themed goodies and table

Our Baby Shower Activities

Also, getting the changing table upstairs. It's not finished yet but we needed to take advantage of having strong helpers available to move it. We will finish is at some point int he next 4 weeks.

Finally, getting a good work out in the pool was awesome. It was great to feel like I worked hard. I was incredibly sore and tired the rest of the day but it was worth it!

Sleep? I can sleep anywhere, anytime. It's my new talent.

Stretch marks? Don't make me say it...yes. BUT, I think they're less noticeable.

Food cravings: Chocolate-namely Ben and Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No.

Labor Signs: No.

Symptoms: Crazy heartburn (I've become a connoisseur of chewable antacids). Also, exhaustion, pregnancy brain, and swelling. New development though-swimming decreases inflammation in my fingers and ankles!

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding ring-off. Engagement ring-on. Seems as though my knuckles have swollen more than the fleshy part of my fingers. Odd.

Belly Button in or out? Innie. 

Looking forward to? Antenatal (prenatal in USA) class at the hospital on Thursday night. Maybe I can get some of my questions answered! I think it's supposed to be like a mini Lamaze class with additional hospital information. We only get one class though so I'm curious how much information we are really going to get in just a few hours. 


Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy and very tired (but not at all moody).

32+ Weeks

How far along? 32w 4d.

Size of Esme? About 17 inches and weighs about 4.25 lbs.

Movement: She's very active in the morning, late evening, after meals and exercise. When she squirms my tummy looks like an alien is trying to crawl out of my bellybutton!

Miss Anything? Nitrates. I've been craving hotdogs, deli meat and salami. I also miss having a sense of balance (physically and mentally). A strong wind can cause me waver on my feet and my lack of energy/production causes me to feel lazy and inept.

Best moment this week? The days and days of endless sunshine and getting some pigmentation back in my skin! Also, watching David play softball while Reese was bombarded by children (she loved the attention). Yesterday, I attended a going away brunch with some friends in Leeds. We ate at an outdoor cafe and enjoyed the sunshine and great conversation. 

Sleep? Nights-mostly. Nap-almost daily (when I'm not working).

Stretch marks? Grr, yes, boo, hiss.

Food cravings: So many this week! Pretty much all picnic food, such as, grilled meat, fresh squeezed lemonade, and veggies with dip. I've also been the decaf vanilla or caramel iced latte queen this week. I justify this indulgence as getting my dairy for the day.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing makes me queasy or sick but I get really dizzy after sneezing.  I have to make sure I'm sitting down or I have something to lean on so I don't tip over.

Labor Signs: No, but I can feel my body preparing.

Symptoms: Lots of swelling (especially in the heat), numb hands and feet, heartburn, and waddling (that's a symptom right?). 

Wedding rings on or off? On. 

Belly Button in or out? Innie. 

Looking forward to? Daisy birthing class tomorrow night, and open swimming Wednesday night. Next Saturday Kelsey and Paula are throwing a baby shower for me so I'm really excited about that! Also, next Sunday I'm hosting a puppy party. Several of our friends have dogs so we've invited them all over to have a play date and picnic. I hope the weather is great next weekend too!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Super happy and relaxed.

31+ Weeks

How far along? 31w 4d.

Size of Esme? About 16.7 inches and weighs about 3.75 lbs.

Movement: Lots and lots! Sometimes hiccups too. 

Miss Anything? Mobility. 

Best moment this week? The day the sun came out (today) and implementing my new 'pregnant lady' work out plan. 

Sleep? A few great nights and a few horrible nights.

Stretch marks? Despite my best efforts, there are a few.

Food cravings: Cereal, milk, coffee, fruit, and chocolate.

Anything making you queasy or sick: The smell of overripe bananas.

Labor Signs: No. 

Symptoms: Super dry skin, swelling, and heartburn.  

Wedding rings on or off? On. 

Belly Button in or out? Innie. 

Looking forward to? Tuesdays midwife appointment, spending time with David and working on Esme's dresser/changing table (in the sunshine).

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy (unless someone tells me I look like I'm ready to give birth any minute. This has happened several times.).

Woohoo...the BIG 3-0!

Happy Mother's Day! Thank you to all the awesome Mom's who have been there to Support David and I on our journey to become parents. We love and appreciate all that you do. xoxo

How far along? 30w 4d.

Size of Esme? About 16.25 inches and weighs about 3.3 lbs. Lots of growth this week! In the next 7-8 weeks Esme's weight will double. 

Movement: A lot less this week. Up until this week she concentrated on using my bladder as a punching/kicking bag but this week she's been expanding her range of movement to all over the tummy.

Miss Anything? Sweat (aka exercise). I miss being active without needing a nap or tylenol afterwards.

Best moment this week? Girl time and "learning" to sew. We made several parts of Esme's mobile (pictures will come later). We won't be able to put it up until we move back to America but having something to keep busy with (and creatively express myself) has been another remedy for moodiness.   

We had some sun this week so I was able to sit outside with my sunglasses and ice cold sparkling elderflower water and read Bringing Up Bebe. I also planted some flowers in tubs and hanging baskets. All the sunshine this week (all 2 days) has reversed last weeks moodiness and happiness has been abundant!!  

Also, having the house cleaned by someone other than myself or David put my serotonin levels into overdrive (I did a little dance then took a nap).

Sleep? No. 

Stretch marks? Just a few. 

Food cravings: Fruit, cereal, COOKIES.  

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope. 

Labor Signs: No. 

Symptoms:  Swelling, carpal tunnel, and heartburn. 

Wedding rings on or off? On. 

Belly Button in or out? Innie. 

Looking forward to? Doing some refurb on Esme's changing table with David tomorrow (Monday). I also look forward to (possibly) some more sunshine next week.  

Happy or Moody most of the time: Oh so happy (Praise God)!

29+ Weeks

How far along? 29 w 4d. 

Size of Esme? About 15.7 inches and 2.7 lbs. Our (new) midwife took measurements of my tummy on Tuesday at our appointment. I guess Esme is a little bigger than she should be. My bump measured at 32 cm and should be 29cm (one cm for every week). 

Movement: She's busy being a JJB. At night, if I stay on one side for too long it feels like parts of her squirm to become lodged in between my ribs (ouchie!).

Miss Anything? Skinny jeans and fitness. I've also been missing a sunny disposition. Can you have postpartum BEFORE having a baby? It's really irritating which only adds to the depression. Vicious cycle I tell you!  I hope this goes away soon because it is not fun!

Best moment this week? I really enjoyed the new "exercise" prenatal class. It wasn't really much exercise as much as a little gentle stretching, lots of controlled breathing and some really good information. The instructor is awesome so I hope to finish out my pregnancy taking this class. I've also started back at prenatal yoga. Thankfully it's a lot harder then it was 8 weeks ago! I did a class this morning and I'm incredibly sore now. I feel like I actually did something strenuous! Woohoo!

Also, we hired a gentleman to come clean the house every couple of weeks. I became irrationally elated once we struck a deal. The prospect of a sparkly clean house brought back a sunny disposition!

Sleep? Not much. Just a few hours at a time.

Stretch marks? Just the two little ones stretching out into longer ones. No new ones though!

Food cravings: Shrimp, pasta, fruit smoothies, strawberry popsicles, hamburgers (of course), and coffee (seems to work as an anti-depressant).

 This couldn't be more true.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope.

Labor Signs: No.

Symptoms:  Swelling, depression/mood swings, heartburn, and really horrible sharp/shooting back pains. Sciatica maybe?

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Belly Button in or out? Innie.

Looking forward to? Having the house cleaned on Friday!!  I also have some girl time with Kelsey this week (hello shopping/gardening/crafting/baking!). David's working all week so Kelsey is coming to keep me company (and keep me sane).

Happy or Moody most of the time: Mooooooooooody! Yuck.