Can't Sleep

This is the second night in a row that I haven't been able to sleep. Last night I woke up at the same time. Just after 12:30. I go to the bathroom and then I am just awake. Last night I fell back asleep around 4, but I am not feeling sleepy yet tonight...so we'll see. As you can imagine this makes for a sluggish work day!

(TMI ALERT) I had big news at my 36 week check up. When Dr. Straughn examined me she found that I was 90% effaced and 1 cm dilated. I'd prepared myself for no news and assumed that Baby James would be late...just like all first babies. Dr. S was also able to feel Baby James's head during the exam. She said he was low and ready. She also told me that I didn't have to worry about seeing 40 weeks! What a relief. Since we had the low amnionic fluid scare she said that we can plan to induce IF I make it to 39 weeks (the week of May 24th). This is in my plan now!

I am not sure if it's just my mind or what, but since the exam I've been showing early signs of labor. It's exciting and disappointing all at the same time. I get excited thinking his arrival might be near, and then nothing concrete really happens...so I go back to thinking it'll be a while. Wish I had a crystal ball and already knew my precious son's birthday. Of course...I guess every pregnant woman wishes that!

Today is Greg and my 3rd anniversary! I can't believe it's really been 3 years. Greg pointed out that I have now been pregnant 1/4 of our marriage...haha. I didn't think that sounded as good as he did. Greg is an amazing husband. As I reflect on these past 3 years I can't remember any bad (even though I know there were times), I just think of how much fun we've had. I hope Greg can say the same.

I can't wait to bring baby James into our family :)

36 Weeks...Tips for Patience??

We're finally getting close...36 weeks. This time next week baby James will actually be full term! I am so excited to be this close to holding our precious little boy. When I feel his movements now I can tell what parts they are and can imagine what his weight will feel like when it is in my hands instead of on my bladder.

I've never been very good at waiting. I am not terribly patient, so this whole process has been long for me. Now that we're so close to the end it's just like waiting on Christmas everyday for a month. I need advice for waiting out these last few weeks...any words of wisdom?

Greg and I have taken care of almost all of the baby details. We've washed all the little clothes, made sure we had enough newborn outfits, shopped for bottles and everything else we could possibly need after our baby gets here. I am sure we'll learn that we need more as soon as he is here, but thankfully my mother and mother-in-law will be here to help out :) We have a couple more things to buy and then I told Greg we should probably just try to think of ourselves for a while instead of the baby. That way I don't get so anxious.

Good timing...our 3 year anniversary is Wednesday. The past 2 years I've anticipated our anniversary for weeks before the date. This year it's been so backseat to the anticipation of baby James that I almost forgot it was on Wednesday! Greg and I are planning to purchase a piece of artwork to celebrate this year of our marriage. We've looked at 1 art show, but need to look around some more to find the right thing. I think it'll be a lot of fun and hopefully a tradition that we can continue each year of our marriage. We're thinking about going to a nice dinner, which is something we haven't done in while. I am excited about the "date night". It'll probably be one of our last for a while so we should really enjoy it :)

My energy level is low these days and I've started to feel completely out of control of my own body. I never know when to trust it. I've been having sciatic nerve issues in my left upper thigh. Sharp shooting pains that can make me jump out of a chair, stop in my steps, or scream out in pain. Greg is not a fan of my reaction to any of this, but what can I do?

Hopefully baby will be here soon :)

35 Week Check Up

Everything looks great! James is cooking along just fine :). The fluid measured around 8 on the index today so there is nothing to worry about there.

The ultrasoundographer measured him today. Their estimate is that he weighs 5lbs 10oz right now. This sounds large, but it puts him in the 45th percentile and just average for babies! Dr. Straughn said that based on this estimate the most he should weigh at birth is 8lbs. This is a relief...I was worried we'd have some gigantic baby. No big surprise though, his head is measuring large. A week ahead and with a diameter of 9cm. This is apparently the same for all Machamers!

The ultrasoundographer told me that last week a baby was born in their practice with "ambiguous genitalia". This poor baby was born with only parts of both sex organs. He was typed as a boy. She told me all of this just to explain why she was looking for James's testicles. Luckily, we found them!

We had an amazing time in Maine for Tim's wedding. I will be sure to post pics when I get them up online. I am glad we were able to make the trip, but so glad that we are now home to wait on our precious baby boy :) Hopefully he'll come sooner than later, but that appointment sort of gave me the idea that he was taking his time!

dress rehearsal!

so i am writing from the hospital bed. i am strapped into a fetal heart monitor, a contractions monitor,and an iv. i am snoozing to the precious sounds of james heartbeat.


it all started because i hadn't felt movement from baby james all morning. i thought i was just being paranoid so i decided to do a count test and he still wasn't moving. i called becky and was surprised when she brought me right in for an ultrasound. we discovered that james was ok first and then she measured him and the fluid un my sac. turns out hes measuring at 4lbs 13ounces. the fluid was too low. this is the reason he wasn't moving. the nurse compared it to having a gold fish in a teaspoon of water.

so with that dr. Straughn admitted me for a night of fluid and monitoring. they will ultrasound me in the am to see if the fluid has already improved. then we'll go from there.

this trip to the hospital has been great to teach us the things we need to have packed in our emergency bag.

greg just gave up trying to sleep in the room with us and is hopefully getting good zzzzs at home so he can come back early in the am. we will update you tomorrow after we speak to the doc.

i love you baby james...you and all your silly jokes...more than you'll ever know.

Pillow for the Nursery

I finally finished 1 of the 2 pillows I am making for the nursery. I started around 5 yesterday and finished at 1 today. I love the way it turned out, but factoring in the time it took and the materials...I'd probably have to charge $500 to make up for time spent and frustration hahaha! So I won't be sewing for money any time soon.

I do think it does a great job tying the chair into the nursery. We just got our rocker in a couple of weeks ago...it's very comfortable. Don't worry...it's been treated with amazing stain resistant stuff. We've been promised that it won't stain and if it does the company will recover. That's the only way I thought a white rocker in a nursery made sense :)

I am 30 weeks today. I am still pretty on target for weight gain, just a couple pounds over, but it varies depending on the day. I am getting more and more excited about seeing our baby James. I can't wait to look at his face and just be able to put my hands on him. I haven't had many of the symptoms my other pregnant friends have complained about. I get a little acid reflux now and then, but that's the worst of it. I walked for 1 1/2 hours with Leah yesterday and felt great...just really tired after. My feet haven't swollen or my ankles. I know there is still plenty of time though :)

Just counting down the days until Greg and my lives change forever for the better...

4-D Ultrasound

Greg, James and I went in for our 4-D ultrasound this past Monday. Until we got to the office, we had no idea what the 4th dimension was. We were excited to find out it means time!

James wasn't being cooperative on our first try. This is the second ultrasoundographer that has told us our little guy is "stubborn"...hope that's not a bad sign :( We did get a few glimpses of his face on the first try. She asked me to go drink a little coffee and then come back. Greg was so unimpressed with the first try he didn't even want to wait around for the second. Luckily I talked him into it. On the second go around we were able to see his face so clearly.

It took a day for it to settle in, but as I pinned the picture of his precious face up on my office wall it hit me - this is our child! It's pretty amazing to put a face with all that kicking and squirming. It does make waiting 2 1/2 more months to see it that much harder though. I can't wait for our little guy to be here...he's going to be so amazing.

Look at all the pics here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/claire.machamer/BabyJames#

Most everyone thinks he looks like me from these pics. It's a little early to tell...but what do you think?

DROID

So yesterday Greg and I went to a birthday party for one of his friends who has a 3 year old son. He showed us his Android phone from verizon and all the features that came along with it. My favorite features were the 5 megapixel camera and the video that uploads straight to You Tube! I thought...we have to have this to capture every last one of James's precious moments and upload to the internet to share with the Grandmothers!

Greg has been begging for a data plan for months, but I was being practical and thought that we didn't need it. I caved and now I've moved over to the dark side. I can now check my gmail and facebook anywhere I am. Cell phone etiquette is going to get a little bit harder after this...please don't be afraid to call either one of us out!

One thing I have noticed is that this phone is a little on the large side. I have a feeling that when James gets his first phone it will make this one look like the Zach Morris version. haha.