Baby Kieren at 39 Weeks!

Hello everyone!

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers this past week as our due date gets closer and closer! All three of us really appreciate it :) A few updates for you all, as things are slowly but surely progressing along here. We are eventually going to have a baby - that is a FACT!

Our due date:
So people are always asking about our 'due date,' which is just an estimation given by the doctor, and only 20% of women even deliver on that date. At a very early dr. appointment, they gave us January 18th as the date, and then later said we were actually closer to January 11th. SO, we have always been vague with the date, but it is somewhere in the very near future.

Latest doctor appointment:
On Wednesday we went in for our now weekly doctor appointment. They decided to schedule another ultrasound (not usual for this point, but just to check stuff out) because my belly 'measurements' were a bit small. So we got to see Kieren yesterday! We did confirm she is a girl (yes!), she was yawning and moving around a TON, she has chubby cheeks ALREADY in there, and she looks healthy and happy at this point. She is a very healthy weight already - they are estimating 8.1 pounds right NOW (meaning she could be anywhere from 7.1 to 9.1 pounds), so not a small child even if she was born today! They checked to see if I was dilated and effaced (doctors do an internal exam to see whether your cervix has started ripening: softening, effacing (thinning out), and dilating (opening)), and I am 2cm and 75% effaced. This is exciting because it means SOMETHING is happening, but I could stay at this stage for days or even weeks, so don't hold your breath. My amniotic fluid, the fluid around the baby, is a bit low, but still in the normal range. All other tests, weights, and measurements are normal and healthy, so we are right on track. It was a fun appointment to know she is healthy and that things are progressing a little bit. We are definitely going to have a baby at some point :)


Kieren's size at 39 weeks:
This week, Kieren is the size of a small watermelon - and seeing was believing! She is still very active, and moves all the time, so that's a great sign!

How is Sarah feeling??
Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers for me these past couple weeks - I REALLY appreciate it all! I'm feeling very 'pregnant' :) these days! I have my tired, sick, or achey moments, but for the most part I still feel pretty good. I am still working part-time retail at Ann Taylor Loft, and will probably try to work until I deliver this baby to keep me busy! I get tired being on my feet, but it's fun and keeps me moving. Still working out and walking just to keep strong and get ready for labor, and I think that is still helping me to feel so good. Starting to get a bit more restless as I am running out of things to do before she gets here, but I am definitely not miserable - either physically or emotionally. Every day I try to be thankful and positive, and just use this time to the fullest while I have it! Casey is SO supportive and sweet to me and really takes care of me - he is the BEST. We are enjoying our time together and having lots of dates - yesterday it was ice cream from McDonald's - my choice!

Keep Casey in your prayers as he is preparing to be a dad, and getting youth stuff at Grace squared away for this crazy time ahead. Please pray for Kieren, her health and growth (I would prefer BRAIN growth and not body growth at this point, but whatever...) and peace for her, as HER WORLD is also about to be rocked! You can just pray for health and PEACE for me as I prepare, as well.

We are blessed and just taking in each moment! We are going to have a new little princess in the this world soon!

Love,
Sarah