4 months old

Chase is now 4 months old.  He weighs 15 lbs 6 oz which puts him in the 50th percentile for his age.  He measures 27 inches long which puts him in the 95th percentile for his age.  He has rolled from his belly to his back a few times and can get to his side from his back, but hasn't turned all the way over from his back yet.  We have started some rice cereal and oatmeal mixed with formula.  He is doing very well with it and will begin fruits and vegetables soon.  He is doing everything that a 4-month-old should be doing.  He is still perfect! 

He is a very good baby.  He sleeps through the night most of the time. It is hard for me to leave him when I have to go to work, but we are managing. 

2 months old

Chase had his 2 month check-up.  He now weighs 11 lbs 11 1/2 oz and measures 23 3/4 inches long.  He is doing everything a 2-month-old should be doing and still perfect!

1 month old

Chase went to the doctor for his 1 month check-up.  He now weighs 10 lbs 1/2 oz and measures 22 3/4 inches long.  He got a shot, but only cried for a minute.  He is absolutely perfect!

Chase Joseph Ruble's arrival

Chase Joseph Ruble arrived on August 9, 2010 at 9:05pm.  He weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and measured 21.5 inches long. 

I actually began having contractions on Friday morning (August 6) while at work.  These contractions continued irregularly all weekend.  Finally, on Monday morning (August 9) at 1am, they were intense and regular enough for me to get up and start counting them.  At 6am, we decided it was time to go to the hospital.  I continued having contractions every 3-5 minutes, but was slow to dilate.  I was able to have epidural before the pain was very severe, and I felt nothing after that.  It was amazing! Then, the doctor started Pitocin to try to get labor to progress, but Chase did not tolerate that well.  His heart rate kept dropping when it was started, so he decided to do a c-section.  At this point, it was just a routine c-section for fetal intolerance to labor.  Once we got the operating room, his heart rate remained low for several minutes turning it into an emergent c-section.  They began cutting before Cory was able to make it in the room.  (They make the dads stay out of the OR until they are sure the mother is able to stay awake for the procedure.  Dads aren;t allowed if the mother requires general anesthesia).  Fortunately, Cory made it into the room before Chase was delivered.

 

39 weeks and counting...

Another doctor visit today.  I am currently dilated 1 cm and 70% effaced.  I haven't felt any contractions at this point.  I am scheduled to be induced on Friday, August 13, but hopefully I will go on my own before then.  They just don't want me to go more than a week past my due date.  Everything is still checking out good.  We are anxiously awaiting for him to make his arrival. 

38 week check-up

I did go to the doctor last week, but had nothing to report so skipped the blog post.  I went back again today.  Everything is still checking perfectly.  I have a total weight gain of 23 pounds, which is great.  My goal was between 25-35 pounds.  The doctor checked my cervix.  I am dilated a finger tip (less than 1cm) and 60% effaced (thinning out).  I have not felt any contractions, but he said I may start to have some.  The baby is at -2 station, so he is moving into the pelvic cavity, but still pretty high.  I still feel like he sits at the top of my belly and tries to climb my ribs.  He is head down like he is supposed to be.  There is no way to predict when labor will start, but they do not like anyone to go more than a week overdue.  If it doesn't come naturally, I will be induced at a week after my due date.  Nothing scheduled at this point, but it is a possibility.

I still feel good, but I finally am starting to get uncomfortable.  I have started to have some back pain and sciatica, but have been able to manage it pretty well.  The baby is very active (which is good), but he is starting to kick very hard.  I feel like my belly is so big it gets in the way, and I ripped another pair of pants this week when I bent over.  I feel tired all of the time now, and it seems any little activity makes it worse.  Seems like a lot of complaining, but I am glad I made it to this point before I have had any problems.  I am still loving it.  I am planning to work up until the day he decides to arrive and then get to take more time off with him before I go back to work. 

I think we finally have everything we need for him so we are ready in that aspect.  It has been fun for me to watch Cory put baby things together and learn how to work them.  :-) We are a little nervous at this point, but getting very excited for him to arrive. 

I go back to the doctor next week.  They will check my cervix again at that appointment.

36 week check-up

Another routine check-up today.  Everything is still checking perfectly.  It took the nurse a while to find the heartbeat again, but it is only because he moves so much.  He doesn't like to be picked on, I guess. 

The doctor also checked my cervix and it is not dilated at all.  He also checked the baby's position.  He is head down like he should be, but not down in the pelvic cavity yet.  So I guess that means we will be waiting a while before he arrives.  That is fine with me so we have more time to get everything together. :-)

Now I start going in every week now until the baby comes. 

34 week check-up

I went for another routine check-up today.  Everything is still perfect, so we are lucky to have nothing to report.  The baby was moving a lot again so she had some trouble trying to listen to his heartbeat.  I don't think he likes to have it done.  She found it in one place where she tried to listen, and then he rolled over far enough she had to find it on the other side.  :-) It made me laugh. 

I was very lucky to have my first baby shower this past weekend.  Thanks to Jessica, Melanie, and Alyssia for having it for me.  We had a lot of fun and got a lot of very cute stuff!  I have 3 more to come, so I look forward to more fun! 

I am still feeling great and loving pregnancy! I love feeling the baby move.  I feel like the he is surely out of room by now, but it seems like my belly gets a little bigger every day!  He is most active at night, so I am just a little afraid I am getting him on the wrong schedule with me working night shift.  I hope we can transition him to a normal schedule after he arrives. 

I go back to see the doctor again in 2 weeks for another check-up. 

32 weeks

We are now at 32 weeks and I went for another check-up today.  Another uneventful visit, but I know that is a good thing.  Everything is still perfect.  Mt blood pressure, the baby's heartbeat and my belly measurement.  I gained another 2 pounds, which is exaclty what they are expecting.  I go back for another check-up in 2 weeks. 

Less than 8 weeks left at this point, we are getting both excited and a little nervous.  I am still feeling good with the exception of being hot all of the time.  Other than that I am loving being pregnant.  The baby is very active, and I love to sit and feel him move.  A lot of time I can even see my belly moving around, which makes me laugh.  I am also getting excited about my baby showers coming up soon.  I know they will be a lot of fun!

30 week check-up

A very uneventful appointment.  The doctor told me I was perfect! I'll try not to let that go to my head.... But the baby's heartbeat was good, my blood pressure was great, and my belly is measuring perfect.  I have gained a total of 15 pounds at this point, which is also great.  From this point on, I am expected to gain 1 pound per week.  I go back again in 2 weeks for my next check-up. 

28 week appointment

Another check-up today.  I think it is a good thing that there is not much to report.  Everything is still measuring well.  It took the nurse a while to find the heartbeat because he kept kicking the doppler.  I guess he did not like being poked on.  I haven't gained any more weight so still at a total of 10 pounds. 

Cory and I have been working to get the baby's room ready.  We finally have everything cleaned out except for a few things left in the closet.  We put the crib together over the past weekend, so we are starting to get prepared.

We have not decided on a name yet.  I have started a list of names I like, but am having trouble narrowing it down much.  It is so hard knowing he will be stuck with whatever name we give him for the rest of his life.  Such a difficult decision to make.

It seems like the time is starting to go faster and faster.  I now have to start going in for check-ups every 2 weeks. 

25 week appointment

Another routine appointment today.  Measured my belly and listened to the baby's heart rate.  Everything still checking out well.  I am finally gaining weight.  I am embarrassed to say I gained 10 lbs in the last month, but the doctor thinks I was probably just catching up.  I actually went all month without being sick, so I had a good appetite.  To have only a 10 lbs weight gain at this point is pretty good. 

I feel the baby move a lot now, which is reassuring.  Sometimes I still use the doppler at work to listen to the heartbeat, though. :-)

My next appointment is in 3 weeks.  Another routine check with the third trimester labs which includes the sugar test. 

Cory felt the baby kick!

The baby is moving pretty frequently now, and Cory got to feel him move this morning.  It's not too strong yet, so he really wasn't for sure if the baby moved or I moved.  I assured him it was the baby moving.  I am sure there will be many more oppurtunities as he gets stronger.  :-)

It's a Boy!

We had our ultrasound today that showed we are having a baby boy.  Neither Cory or I had a preference over a boy or a girl, so we are very excited!

The ultrasound tech told us he was folded up like a taco and had his hands and his feet in front of his face so we didn't get any great pictures of his face, but that's ok.  I am sure he is not going to look all gray and fuzzy when he comes out, so it wouldn't be very realistic anyway...  All of the measurements were good, and everything looked ok.  

I am feeling the baby move pretty frequently, but it is still light movements.  My overall weight gain to this point is -1 lbs, but the doctor is still not concerned so I will not complain.  She simply says I will gain eventually and at this rate will not gain too much.  

I am still doing fine, but the hardest part has been being sick.  I got over my strep throat and had a sinus infection with a terrible headache.  I got over that and now have had a cough  and cold symptoms for the last week.  My family doctor said it was either the cold of flu and gave me cough medicine.  I have recovered withh all except the cough.  My OB doctor said that it could be allergies.  I am sure it will pass eventually.

We are now about 22 weeks.  Some days it seems like it is going realy fast, and others it seems like August is so far away.  We go back to see the doctor in 4 weeks.

First movements

I felt the baby move this morning for the first time that I was sure it was the baby.  I have been so anxious about feeling it, I have felt some things, but haven't been sure it was the baby or just my normal digestive movements.  I was laying in bed not ready to get up yet when I felt it.  It literally felt like someone poked me from the inside.  Very different feeling, but very exciting!

17 week check-up

I went back to the doctor today.  They measured my belly and listened to the baby's heartbeat and said everything was good.  I am back to my starting weight, but the doctor is not concerned. She just said I will gain eventually.  With the exception of having strep throat last week, I am feeling great.  I do seem to get tired easily, but we're hanging in.

My next appointment is currently scheduled for April 2, and we will have another ultrasound.  Hopefully we will find out the baby's sex then. Be sure to take the poll before we find out!

13 week check-up

I went back to the doctor today. We are now 13 weeks along. They measured my belly and listened to the baby's heart rate. She didn't count how fast it was, but said everything was checking out good. I actually lost weight since the last time I was in, but the doctor was ok with that at this point.

I still don't feel any different yet. I am still wearing my regular clothes, except my fitted dress pants aren't fitting very well anymore. It was reassuring for me to hear the heartbeat.

I am scheduled to go back in 4 weeks for another check-up. We will have our ultrasound at the appointment after that (8 weeks from now). They want to wait until after 20 weeks so it is easier to see, so hopefully we will find out the sex then.

First Doctor's Appointment

We were able to see the doctor for the first time today and had our first ultrasound. Of course it is too early to tell the sex, but everything looked good. The baby measures 1 inch long with a heartrate of 182 bpm. The tech said the heart rate would slow down as the heart developed more. It definitely makes it seem more real to actually see the baby. Everything checked out well, so we are happy.