34 Weeks

Well, my baby shower is this Sunday! Here is a picture of the invitation...

Isn't it cute? I'm really excited. I keep seeing things in stores that I want to get for the baby, and have to make myself wait to see what Baby Dolton receives at the shower first! I've already gotten a few things in the mail... A card and check from my wonderful Aunt Sandy and Uncle Greg, a Target Baby gift certificate from my cousin Todd and his wife Amy, and this cute suitcase from Mike and Melody Gevaza...

It even comes with it's own matching blanket! I think it's adorable. Thanks to all, and expect your thank-you notes soon!!!

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Hopefully I'll post pictures from the shower next week... Depends on how long it takes me to get them downloaded.

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Adam and Ryan left yesterday for Disneyworld - I so wish I could have gone!!! Oh well. They're driving out there with Adam's folks, Donna and Randy; along with his sisters Aubrey and Angelique, and his nephew Britian - all in a Ford Expedition. Maybe I'm glad I'm not going... Ha ha! I did request Mickey Mouse ears for the baby, though.

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I passed the non-stress test with flying colors... It took a long time to do since Baby Dolton was so active. They had a hard time getting his resting heart rate! He moves all the time now. They say to make sure the baby moves at least 10 times a day - I don't think 10 minutes go by without him kicking me!!!

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Well, I've finished the cat I was making in the last post... I don't have any beads for the eyes, though - I'll have get some later this week. I guess being an eyeless cat isn't as bad as being an earless cat! Poor Smokey. Anyway, here are some pics of the toy...

I took them on my couch, if you're wondering about the weird paisley background. He's not exactly appropriate for a child's toy, since the arms and legs are just sewn on with yarn, but I still think he's cute. I've also made a crocheted jellyfish to hang in the baby's room out of that same yarn. Once I get it hung, I'll post pictures of that as well. It didn't photograph too well laying on it's side!

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With all the boy stuff floating around here, I decided to get something girly for myself. I ordered a Little Dead Ragdolly from Pandora's Button Box. Her name is Lucinda LaGrippe, and she is beautiful! I love the fact that she's dead, since I was never that into dolls growing up. It just seemed to fit!

Note to self... Make Ryan tell all his friends that he will be gone the next time he goes out of town - I just answered the door for the sixth time today for a kid wanting him to come out and play!

The Baby Center website has this to say about the 34th week: "Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is probably almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which he'll need to regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His central nervous system is still maturing and his lungs are well developed by now. If you've been nervous about going into preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 percent of babies this age can survive outside the womb — and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity.

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"You may be feeling a little fatigued lately, and that's perfectly understandable. Let yourself slow down and save some energy for labor day. If you have to spend a lot of time on your feet, try wearing a maternity belt that supports your abdomen and helps redistribute some of the weight. And if you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, which may cause a temporary (but rapid) drop in your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy when you get up.

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"You may notice itchy red bumps or welts on your belly (they might even spread to your thighs and buttocks). This is usually a harmless condition called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP for short), but let your practitioner make a diagnosis to be sure. Also be sure to call him if you feel itchy all over your body, even if you don't have a rash. It could signal a liver problem."

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I came to a sad realization today... I am too big to do laundry. I can put clothes into the washer and get it started, and I can put clothes in and take clothes out of the dryer, but I can no longer get the clothes out of the washer. My belly is too big for me to get close enough to reach the bottom! Either that or my arms are too short... Ah, the joys of pregnancy!