34 Weeks 1 Day - Happy Anniversary!!! 3 Years!

3 years ago today, Tate and I were married. It is so crazy to think it has already been 3 years since we were married and this October will mark 5 years of us being together. I can definitely tell you that my love for my husband has grown more and more each year. He has been great being there for me throughout my pregnancy and especially now that I have been experiencing early contractions. Tate has a game tonight so we are going to celebrate our anniversary on Saturday night.

I took the doctor's advice and decided to work from home today. My body is really tired and little Ava has been moving around constantly all day long. I have had a couple of intense contractions again today, but not as bad as yesterday. I have been drinking a ton of water and doing my best to stay hydrated. Now that we have wireless Internet here at the house I am able to work while on the couch with my feet up. I am hoping the contractions lessen a little tonight, but I may be working from home again tomorrow. I just don't want to do anything to get them started again like yesterday. I am doing what I need to do now for Mommy and Ava. I have a feeling Ava really wants to come out and greet everyone and I am doing my best to keep her safe and sound inside my tummy for at least the next 3 weeks. I have a feeling I can make it too.

Happy Anniversary Tate! I love you so much and I don't know what I would do without you.

34 Weeks - Long Day with the Doctors

Today marked my 34th week and little did I know what my day was going to be like. It started out at 3:00 AM when I woke up with stomach pains and ended up throwing up in the bathroom for awhile. I drank some water and headed back to bed. I tried to rest awhile, which was impossible and started to feel some smaller contractions. I was scheduled today for my 34th week ultrasound so Tate and I headed out at 9 for our appointment. On the way to the clinic I started experiencing some very intense contractions. They were so strong, they brought tears to my eyes. I have never felt contractions like this before so I became a little scared. We got to the clinic and my contractions continued as I waited to for my ultrasound. When the doctor had me in the ultrasound room and started the procedure, I became really sick again and couldn't stop throwing up. We had to cut my ultrasound short, but the doctor did see that Ava looks great and all of her organs are in good shape and developing as they should. She also was able to see that Ava is head down with her bottom up. I also found out that it's her little tooshie that keeps pushing out my tummy all the time. :) She also noticed some little white specks in the fluid surrounding Ava which means that she is developing and growing perfectly. Because I was having strong contractions again we cut the ultrasound short so she could get me over to see my doctor right away. When I got to the OBGYN, they hooked my tummy up to several monitors to measure my contractions and to check on how Ava was doing. I was hooked up for about 30 minutes and continued to have a hard time keeping anything down. Finally, the contractions seemed to lessen a little and my doctor decided to do a medical exam to check on my cervix. After my examination, we found out that my cervix was mostly closed and the ultrasound showed that it is still long. This was good news for us because it means that Ava is not exactly ready to come out to play yet. My doctor spoke with another doctor and they came to the conclusion that I really needed to be admitted to Labor and Delivery over at the hospital to get some fluids and to be monitored for a few more hours. So, Tate and I headed over to the hospital and got our first experience on what it will be like the day Ava does enter this world. After I received the fluids, I felt much better and my contractions started to slow down and become much less intense. After spending a couple of hours there the hospital decided to let me go home with instructions to drink lots of fluids, get some rest and to hold off on taking my daily walks for awhile until I start to feel better. Good news is that Ava has decided to stay put in my tummy for awhile longer. We just need to make it another 3 weeks so I can be officially "full term". I just don't want her to come out too early and have to struggle. I can not wait for the day she is here and today Tate and I really thought she could be entering our family. I am going to take this whole experience as a sign to get all of the last minute little details done with her room and I will definitely be packing my bag for the hospital just in case. Who knows? Ava might be trying to tell us something. :)

Daddy and Auntie Kimmy's Birthday!!! July 25th

Today was a very special day since it was both my loving husband's birthday and also my sister's birthday as well. Two of the most important people in the world to me share the same birthday so it is always a special day for me. I wanted to take Tate out for a nice steak dinner so I made reservations at Monte Carlo in downtown Minneapolis. Tate picked me up after work and we headed over for our reservations. It was nice having a date night night just the two and a half of us. :) After dinner, Tate and I met my sister out at Otho for her birthday party gathering. It was really nice to see all of her friends again and to just be with the people I love the most. This mommy-to-be did my best to hang out as long as I could, but by 10:00 PM, I had hit a wall and my sweet husband made sure to get me out of there while I could still keep my eyes open. Even though we were only there for 2 hours, it was still really nice to be there together. Happy Birthday Tater and Kimmy!!! I love you both very much!

33 Weeks 3 Days - XO Baby Shower :)

Today my wonderful work, XO Communciations threw me a great baby shower. It was so much fun and everyone joined in. We had a barbecue (thanks Dan-O for grilling) and a pot luck. Of course I can't forget the super yummy cake that Jen picked up. I had to indulge in it even though I knew it would kick start my acid reflux. It was worth it. Everyone was so sweet and they were very generous. I loved spending every minute with everyone. After being at XO Communications for 4 years now, everyone there is like family to me. I am actually the first women at XO Communications to be pregnant so everyone has been really into my pregnancy. They love watching my "transformation" and they all take a very genuine concern for how the baby and I am doing all the time. It's so nice to work in an environment like that where everyone is not only my co-workers, but my dear friends as well. Thanks again XO, it was a perfect day!!

33 Weeks Pregnant - 7 Weeks to Go!!

It is really hard for me to believe that little Ava will be with us in 7 short weeks. However, I am starting to realize it more and more as my tummy continues to grow. I can not believe how much I have changed within the last week. My stomach has become so hard and my skin is starting to feel a little irritated. I am sure that is because it is being stretched out so I have been adding extra lotion to it every chance I get. I experienced my first Braxton Hicks contractions tonight, well at least I think they were my first. They were definitely pretty strong but they didn't last too long. I wish I would have learned more about breathing techniques last night at class. :) My wonderful parents bought Ava her stroller this weekend! Thank you so much Mom and Dad. I love you very much!! Tate and I still need to put it together, but at least we have it now after many months of research. We still have a few more things to do to complete the nursery such as getting blinds, putting up pictures, getting a little table and lamp and moving the recliner downstairs. :) I get such a great feeling when I walk into Ava's room. Daddy Tate did a great job painting and the room feels so warm and comfortable. Wow, 7 weeks to go....I can't wait. :)

32 Weeks - First Birth and Parenting Preparation Classes

Tonight was the first night of our 6 week Birth and Parenting Preparation classes. Although Tate and I showed up a little late (we got lost, go figure), the class was actually not that bad. I was expecting to be really bored, but the time went by pretty quickly. Tate and I found out that we have the earliest due date of 9/9/08. It just showed me again how quickly the time has passed by. The first class was more like an advanced version of one of our health classes we took back in 6th grade. But, it was a good refresher course. My favorite part of the night was the relaxation part. I got to lay down on my blanket and pillows and listen to our instructor help the mom's get themselves relaxed. She did this part at the end of class which was around 9:00 PM and I have to admit, I didn't want to get up. I really think Tate and I will learn a lot from this class and I am excited for our next one. It was neat seeing all of the other pregnant women there and being able to share experiences with each other. I really think this will be a great bonding time for Tate and I. It's weird to know that we only have 5 more classes to go. It feels like I just signed up for these classes the other day when in fact I've already been signed up for a month now. Time is ticking away. :)

32 Weeks - 8 Months Pregnant - Doctor Visit

Today was a hard day for this Mommy-to-be. I have been really suffering with my acid reflux and heart burn lately. Last night I woke up at midnight and had severe heartburn. I took a few Tums and tried falling back asleep. I was awaken at 2:30 AM with even worse heartburn and I barely made it to the bathroom in time before I threw up. It was horrible. My stomach was so upset and I have been so careful lately choosing food that will not upset my tummy. I tried going back to bed, but that was not going to happen. I grabbed Bailey and headed down stairs so Tate could at least get some rest. I was not able to lie down right away so I sat up for 45 minutes until my Zantac kicked in. Finally around 4:00 AM I was able to fall asleep again. I woke up at 5:30 AM starving so I had my daily bowl of Special K. I would have thought I was safe to eat that, but my tummy disagreed. I was back in the bathroom on 4 separate occasions completely sick. Tate became really worried about me and I have to admit, I was beginning to worry too. I had my 32 week check up at 8:20 AM so I was pushing myself to just make it to the doctor's office. At my appointment my doctor told me that there is unfortunately not much else I can do regarding my acid reflux. At this stage in my pregnancy, everything surrounding my stomach begins to relax to allow for the baby to grow. My esophagus has become relaxed and the little closing between my esophagus and my stomach does not shut all the way, thus allowing for acid to rise up. My doctor said that all women suffer some kind of discomfort, whether it is acid reflux, swollen feet, back aches or even hemorrhoids and this just happens to be my one thing. He told me that I am doing all the right things and that I will just need to wait it out. He said, on the bright side, I will be cured in about 55 days from now after Ava is born, so that is a positive way to look at it. Other than my acid reflux, he said I am measuring perfectly and I am right on target. I am going to try to keep eating smaller meals and making sure not to eat 3 hours before bedtime to see if that helps. If this is the small price I have to pay for a healthy baby girl then I am more than willing to suffer through it. Ava is worth any kind of discomfort I may feel. After all, she is mommy's little angel. :)

31 Weeks 5 Days - Nephew Lincoln's Baptism

Today my amazing little nephew, Lincoln was welcomed by God into his Kingdom through baptism. I was determined to be there for my little guy so I got up at 5:00 AM so I could leave the house by 7:00 AM and drive to back to the Cities. His baptism started at 9:45 AM and I made it there just in time thanks to Tate for helping me with directions. :) It was great to see little LJ being baptized and being able to share that experience with family. Pops, Tate's grandfather was in town with his friend Millie and it was so nice to be able to see him again. Pop's is an amazing guy and he promises to come back to visit his great granddaughter this fall after she is born. Tate's mom, Shelley was in town to visit her first grandchild and witness his baptism. It is always so nice to be able to see her again as well. Adam and Jenna hosted everyone at their house after the service and they had a TON of great food, including red velvet cupcakes. Yummy! I was still full later on that night and could barely eat dinner. :) We spent the day hanging out with family and holding our new little LJ. It was so nice to see Molly, Greg and the kids again. Hopefully I will be able to see all of the again before Ava comes. :) This was the perfect ending to a great fun-filled weekend.

31 Weeks 4 Days - Baby Shower with Family and Friends

Today my Mom and my Godmother Sue, threw me an unbelievable baby shower. I had so many wonderful family members and friends there and it meant the world to me. It was a complete blast! Mom and Sue did a fantastic job hosting with tons of great food and fun games. Mom had her famous fruit pizza (which takes forever to make) and Sue kept everyone very happy with the variety of unique baby games. We all had a great time. The shower was scheduled to start at 1:30 PM, however I had my first guest at noon (I am so glad you could make it Mary!!!) and the last person left around 5:00 PM. We all had so much fun, it was hard to end the day. Little Miss Ava was showered with a ton of ADORABLE baby clothes and Mommy even received a cute pajama set for herself to wear after Ava is born (thanks Kristie)! I can not begin to tell you how much it meant for me to be with so many of my loved family members and friends. Thank you all for coming and sharing this day with me. A special thank you goes out to my amazing Mom for all of the extra little things you did to make this day really special for me. I love you!

31 Weeks - 2 Days - Growth Spurt

It is hard for me to imagine that I will be in my 8th month very soon. The time has really flown by and I am hoping the rest of my pregnancy will be the same way (doubtful, but maybe). I really can't complain about too many things except for my acid reflux. But I think I now have that under control by taking Zantac and as long as I eat pretty healthy I am usually in good shape. Speaking of shape, my tummy has really started to become hard and very round. Our little girl feels like she is wedged horizontally in my stomach pushing outwards. At times she is so strong that I need to gently reposition her. After reading my weekly update on babycenter.com they stated that little Ava will be heading into a growth spurt. She is measuring somewhere around 16-17 inches and weighs in around 3.5 lbs. She was 2 lbs 14 oz at my last ultrasound 3 weeks ago so I am sure she is at least 3.5 lbs now. I can not believe how much I feel her now. Every time I touch my stomach, I feel a part of her sticking out. They say it is a good sign for babies to be moving around a lot so I don't mind all of the little kicks and somersaults. :) It actually brings a smile to my face each time she moves. :)

Queen Fisherwoman

Tate and I headed out to our new hot spot this morning and tried our luck again at catching a few more fish for Mom and Dad and Shelley (who will be here in 5 days). The three of us (Tate, myself and bailey) headed straight for our fishing spot and dropped our lines in. Believe it or not, but I had fish biting like crazy at first. I managed to catch 3 crappies and 1 2-3 lb large mouth bass in a matter of minutes. Tate was busy taking off my fishing and re-baiting my hook so I could cast out and catch a few more. This was the first time that I saw my husband a little depressed because he wanted to catch a few fish too. Unfortunately, the wind started picking up due to a storm heading our way and we needed to move the boat to a new location. We tried several different spots and Tate managed to catch a few fish here and there. I had a little harder time, but I did get a few more. Between the clouds there were a few breaks when the sun came out and boy, was it hot. Since we were back in our boat, I wasn't able to jump into the water so Tate jumped in and splashed water on me while I sat on the side of the boat to help me cool off. What a sweetheart huh? We had a great day fishing and just hanging out together. Our new boat makes it very comfortable for me to move around when I get sore. I was watching the weather closely because I saw a few really dark clouds moving in. Of course Tate wanted to keep on fishing, but the clouds were moving in quickly and I was not about to be stuck on our boat in the middle of a storm. Thankfully I was able to talk Tate into heading to shore and wouldn't you know it, the second we started putting the tarp on the boat, it began to rain. I am SOOOOO thankful we made it off in time. Tate admitted it was a good call on my part. :) We are heading back to the Cities tonight after dinner to enjoy our last day of vacation together tomorrow. It's been a great trip and one that I will always remember. Thanks Mom and Dad for all of the meals and entertainment. We had a great time and love you very much!

Day of Fishing with the Family

Today we decided to take both fishing boats out on one of the nearby lakes around Spicer. Tate got up bright and early and headed out for the new "hot spot". After church, Mom and Dad, Kim and I met up with Tate and Bailey. Tate had already managed to catch 6 crappies and was set on getting a bunch more. I started off fishing with Tate and Bailey and managed to catch one after awhile of jigging. Kimmer started out hot right away with a couple of crappies. Poor Mom was the last one to catch a fish, but she had a lot of fun when she did catch one. I stayed on the boat with Tate until I needed to go to the bathroom. Tate had left our portable ladder back in the Cities and I was not about to jump out of our boat because I knew there was no way I would get back in. Tate thought that he could pull me back in but I was not having any of that. Granted, my sweet husband is very strong and all, but I was not about to hurt myself or this little babe of ours for anything. Therefore, I jumped over to my parent's boat and used their ladder. :) Thank goodness for Mom and Dad! It was really hot out today so I decided to sit on the ladder for awhile to cool off. Everyone was able to see me sporting my bikini even though I am almost 8 months pregnant. I haven't had to buy a maternity one, I just got a size bigger from Old Navy and it has worked out great. Hopefully I haven't offended too many people. :) You all can be the judge. I can't believe I have actually posted a picture of myself on here, but heh...I'm pregnant and proud after all. :) Tate told me that I looked great and I guess that is all I needed to hear. I managed to catch a few other fish on mom and dad's boat and then headed back over to our boat when my family was fished out. Of course Tate was ready to fish for a couple more hours, but I managed to get him to agree to just 30 mins more. :) We had fun just hanging out together and it was nice to be with everyone. Plus, I got some great color as well. Pregnant and tan is the way to go. :)

Others Golf and I Walk. :)

Today Dad, Tate and Kim decided to play golf. Of course mom and I wanted to be a part of the group so we tagged along. I walked the course with the golfers while mom followed closely behind with the golf cart. She is still recovering from her surgery and we don't want her over doing anything (which she still manages to do anyway.) :) I was glad she had the cart because I could rest at each hole while waiting for the crew to move on to the next one. I have been trying really hard to keep up on my walking. I know it is really good for me and it really helps elevate stress. Plus, I have heard that the better shape you are in going into labor, the easier it will be (I use the word easier lightly). ;) I also managed to swing Tate's driver a few times. I can definitely say that I am not a golfer. I still have managed to keep my softball swing. :) But, it was a lot of fun getting out and enjoying the day together. I was pretty tired towards the end of the course, but it felt great to walk for awhile. Later that day, Tate took mom and I out fishing on Long Lake, I call it the Dead Sea while Dad made us some dinner. Unfortunately we were not able to catch anything except a few weeds here and there. We got in around 8:30 PM and after eating dinner, we headed to the bon fire dad had started for us. Tate was in charge of making the smores for the group, with the exception of me (chocolate really gives me heartburn). We stayed out by the fire for awhile until this mommy-to-be's back started hurting and I needed to go for a walk with Bailey. It was pretty warm out so I didn't last as long as I thought I would by the fire. I had to wear jeans and a sweatshirt because I am not suppose to put bug spray on my skin. Needless to say, I became over-heated pretty quickly. It was still nice hanging out with my family again.

Happy 4th of July!!!

Today is the 4th of July and Tate and I spent the day with my family back in Willmar. My grandpa Kaufenberg, Uncle Scott, Aunt Lori and Uncle Scott and Grandma H all came over to my parents house to celebrate. Kimmy surprised us all and showed up on Thursday night. We all had a lot of fun today playing lawn darts, cards and going for boat rides (compliments of Tate). Us girls of course enjoyed sitting out in the sun enjoying each other's company. It was so nice to see everyone again. Family is so important and it was great to spend the holiday with them. My dad cooked up a huge turkey on the grill and my Aunt Lori made her famous shrimp salad. For desert mom had made some special K bars and Tate made his now famous home-made ice cream. That was a huge hit except for the fact that it gave 3 separate people huge brain freezes! LOL! I have had to stay away from the sweets lately because of my acid reflux. It has been pretty bad lately so it is best for me to stay away from fatty and acidic foods. I guess that is the price I have to pay for our little girl. I can't complain too much because I do manage to find little "treats" here and there that my tummy will allow. After dinner, Mom and Dad, Kim, Tate and I packed up our boat and headed to Spicer to watch the fireworks from the boat. Dad and Tate launched the boat for us ladies and we joined them shortly afterwards. This was the very first time we have all ventured out on the boat for fireworks. You would not believe how many boats were out there. It was like a little city of boats. The fireworks lasted for 30 minutes and we all had a great time hanging out together watching them (despite the bugs). :) Tate did a great job maneuvering the boat around as well. It was a great time and the perfect way to end the 4th of July.

30 Weeks 2 Days - Ava the Super Star - Nursery Update

I can not believe how active our little girl has been the past couple of days. She is actually kicking and moving around so hard that she startles me at times. I will be talking to someone at work and all of a sudden Ava does some sort of back flip and I jump. Everyone at the office thinks it is pretty funny. I am still trying to figure out what Braxton Hicks contractions feel like. I have been having a little bit of cramping at the top of my tummy (it kind of feels like a menstrual cramp but much less) and it goes away after a few seconds. I asked my doctor if I might be experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions and she didn't think I was. From what I have heard from others, a contraction feels like someone is hugging you really tight and your tummy becomes really hard. Well, my tummy has definitely become really hard at times, but I never seem to feel any sort of pressure. I don't know, I think I am confusing myself. LOL. It's so hard to know anything for sure when I have never experienced this before. My doctor told me I could go my whole pregnancy and never experience Braxton Hicks contractions until it's time to deliver. That would be pretty darn amazing.

Update on the nursery....I came home yesterday and Tate had finished painting all of the walls in Ava's room. Yippee!!! He still has to do all of the trim work on the top and bottom and after that is done we will need to get another coat of paint on the walls. He tried pretty hard to convince me that we only need one coat, but that didn't go very far. It definitely needs a second coat, but at least all of the walls are now "chewy caramel". I may have to start recruiting people to help get this painting done because Tate really truly hates it. I feel like I am on his case a lot to get it done because my nesting instincts are now in high gear. I really want it all completed soon so I can re-arrange all of the furniture and get Ava's room ready for her arrival. Who knows, I may have to strap on a mask and help get it done before I am too big to bend over. LOL. I found a really cute "angel" picture for Ava's room and I plan to place it above her crib. After all, she is our little dream come true and Momma's little angel. Love you Ava!!!

30 Weeks - Good bye to the 20's - Doctor Appt

It's hard for me to believe I have finally hit the 30 week marker. I have to admit, it's pretty exciting. I saw my little nephew LJ last night and it was so nice. It was hard to leave him. I can only imagine what I will be like when Ava is here. Today I had my 30 week appointment and everything went very well. My doctor told me that I am measuring out perfectly and the nurse told me again that she thinks I need to go to NY to be a pregnant model. That not only made me blush, but it made my entire week. :) I told her that it's because of those compliments why I keep coming back to them. LOL! My ear infections are finally gone and I am for the most part over my cough. It feels good to hear that I am healthy and no longer need to take any antibiotics. After I left the doctor's office, they told me to go ahead and schedule the remaining appointments. I will be heading back every two weeks for the next 6 weeks and then after my 36 week appointment I will be making weekly appointments. I am actually really excited for them. :) I just can't wait for the day to hold my little peanut in my arms; but until then, daddy and I have a lot of work to do to get ready for her big arrival. She is already so loved. :)