Go to Annalise's personalized blog for new posts and pictures!

We just posted several new pictures for you to see on Annalise's own personal blog at http://annalisewedewer.blogspot.com

Introducing...

Annalise Michele, born October 29, 2007 at 5:57pm. She is 6lbs, 8oz, and 18" tall. Mommy and baby girl are doing very well and should be home tomorrow evening! We already have a blogspot just for her now that she has a name too: http://annalisewedewer.blogspot.com/, where future updates from now on will be posted.

False Alarm!

Today we had our first (and hopefully only!) false alarm visit to the hospital. I started having contractions about five minutes apart shortly before 6am. They weren't very strong or painful, but their frequency was enough to have us concerned. When they hadn't subsided by noon, we dropped Tommy off at Aunt Lisa and Uncle Brian's house then went to Summerlin Hospital to see if today would be the day.

Alas, 90 minutes of monitoring recorded only three contractions, none of which were the earth-shattering variety (I guess the natural contractions, as they kick off, are really nothing compared to the Pitocin-induced contractions I had with Tommy). The good news is my body has begun the effacement process...an essential prerequisite for this week's induction, if needed...the nurse estimated I'm 70-80% effaced and still dilated approximately 2cm.

Tuesday we are scheduled to see Dr. Joe for my weekly check-up. Stay tuned!

38 Weeks

Boy, I sure wish babies came with turkey timers! At least then we'd know when they're "done," right? Today is the 38-week mark for Baby Girl. Still no productive contractions, but I'm feeling quite uncomfortable and really can't wait for her to arrive. I feel like I should be saving my complaints 39 Weeks, in case she really takes her sweet time making her debut!

Our appointment this week was very uneventful, which is not what you're looking for at this point in a pregnancy. Her heart rate hovered around 148, my belly measured 36cm, I'm dilated only 2cm and basically not effaced at all. The biggest disappointment for me is that if my body doesn't start the effacement process on its own soon, our 11/1 induction will be a no-go. Reason being, it would likely mean a few days in the hospital BEFORE I'm really ready for labor. No thanks, I'd rather spend that time hanging out with my family and preparing for our new addition.

37 Weeks

Baby Girl is now full term...she can come any day now! We have set an induction appointment for November 1, but Dr. Joe seems to think she'll come before that date anyhow. James isn't fond of the idea of being induced, but I feel very ready and can only imagine I will be beyond miserable in another two weeks. If the doctor is right it will be a moot point and she'll come before that (crossing my fingers!) We're just looking forward to meeting our little girl very soon!

I've been having more contractions, but nothing painful nor at regular intervals. Baby is moving a LOT, but I can tell that her movements are becoming more restricted by her cramped quarters.

36 Weeks - Ninth Month!

Gotta hold her up now...this girl's getting big!We're really in the home stretch! Baby's not only turned head first, but she has "dropped" into my pelvis...which makes for a lovely waddle when I walk. I'm dilated to about 1cm, which isn't much, but it's a start, and I'm pretty sure she'll be here in the next couple of weeks. Baby's heart rate was a little high (170 bpm) during our last appointment, but James and Dr. Joe could also SEE her trying to punch her way out the right side of my belly during the exam. Of course it was high...she was getting a work out! As a precaution, Doc put me on monitors for about 20 minutes and she settled back into the 150s just fine.

Tommy really likes to be in the belly pictures now. What a doting brother he is already! I am getting increasingly tired each day and my efforts to keep up with things around the house are getting pretty pitiful. Tommy's tough to keep up with, but James is being a huge help.

35 Weeks - Baby Shower

I forgot to have James take a belly picture this week, but here's one showing why said belly's getting so big...my love for sweets!

Saturday, October 6 my girlfriends, Tamica & Tava, threw a baby shower for me and Baby Girl. Tava ended up being sick and couldn't make it, but Baby and I are pictured above with our gracious hostess, Tamica, and the delicious cake - white with strawberry cream filling - it was SO good! Many friends attended and spoiled us rotten. I've never seen so much pink in my life! It was such a treat to spend an afternoon amongst so many girlfriends (with our husbands all at home on Daddy Duty!) What an honor to have such wonderful pals!

34 Weeks

Six weeks (or less!) to go...

At this week's OB appointment her heart rate was 159 bpm and my belly is measuring a little big at 35cm (average would be 34cm, or 1cm per week of pregnancy). Dr. Rojas determined she has turned to the head-down position, which was a relief to hear. He also told us he doesn't think I'll make it to 40 weeks based on the fact that this is my second pregnancy. Apparently second-time moms tend to deliver around 39 weeks, so we may have a spooky Halloween baby on our hands!

Here's a shot of Tommy admiring Baby Sister. He really wants to feel her kick! It seems like every time I tell him he it's time to feel her moving, she quiets down the second he touches my belly. Fortunately, Tommy's being much more gentle with me lately. I think he finally understands that Mommy's belly is getting so big because that's where Baby Sister is growing. Anyone who's met Tommy knows how much he likes to roughhouse, so this is a big step for him. Hopefully this translates into a gentle Big Brother, too.

The Nursery

Tonight we finished decorating Baby Girl's nursery. A *VERY* special thanks to Daddy for all his hard work (not to mention putting up with Mommy's indecision on where to hang things). I've had so much fun working on this project! I've certainly learned a thing or two on my sewing machine...I did the diaper stacker, ruffled pillow, rocker and ottoman cushion covers and curtains and I'm still working on a cornice box or valance. (Patting self on back...look out Martha Stewart!)

Here's our little girl's "Hot Air Balloons Over Paris" bedroom. I'm still looking for a few more French-inspired items to put here and there, but those will come in time. The Eiffel Tower lamp was expertly selected by Big Brother Tommy, who loves spending time in his Baby Sister's room. He's already tossing Hot Wheels into the crib so she can play cars with him right away.

This is probably the best representation of the paint color, as I think it's a great muted green that looks pretty yucky in the other photos. Hiding in the corner is the diaper stacker I made...my pride and joy! Ha ha! In lieu of a mobile I found some really cool hot air balloon ornaments to hang over her changing table. By the way, if you ever want to hear James curse like a sailor, ask him to hang something from the ceiling!Here's a slightly closer look at the curtains, knick-knack shelves (map of Paris in the frame) and rocker in which I'll log hundreds of hours in the coming months.And here is a close-up of the fabrics we used.

So there you have it. Don't tell James, but seeing the finished product almost makes me want to start planning #3's nursery already!

33 Weeks - Heartburn!

All is well this week...except I'm hungry ALL the time and I have no room in my crowded torso for food! This is causing a mild case of heartburn after most meals...just part of the whole pregnancy gig, really. Baby Girl continues to flourish, and at this point it's safe to say she's growing by leaps and bounds. She has been wiggling, kicking, punching and rolling around a ton in the past week. I have a feeling we'll have a very busy girl on our hands from day one!

Name Poll

We're looking for a little input on Baby Girl's name. There are no guarantees that the "winner" will be what we end up naming her, but I figured this would be a fun way to put our finger on the pulse of our loved ones' opinions. Her name won't be officially decided upon until we see her sweet little face in the delivery room, but this might help us whittle it down to one or two. Have fun!

This poll is also open to the general public on twiigs.com, a neat little polling site I came across.

more at twiigs.com...

Birthday Pool

It's time to start guessing when Baby Girl will make her official debut! We'll name her after the winner! Not really, but you'll get bragging rights. ;)

Click the following link to hazard a guess:
http://www.expectnet.com/games/babywedewer

Good luck!
James, Andrea & Tommy

32 Weeks - New Ultrasound

Here are a few shots from Baby's 32 week ultrasound. Now that she's so big it's difficult to capture more than one appendage at a time, so we focused on her cute little face. The ultrasound tech kept commenting on what chubby cheeks she has at this point. We can't wait to meet our little chipmunk! Her estimated weight is 3 lbs. 14 oz. (based on measurements from this ultrasound).

Profile. Her forehead is the bright white curved line on the left. You can also see her upper arm extending up like a little chicken wing next to her body:

Face. Now, for this one you have to look a little harder. Concentrate on the crescent moon shape toward the top, which is the left side of her face. Cheek and chin comprise the brightest part of the picture. The void just the to the left is her nasal cavity. And above that you might be able to spot the little black slit between her eyelids...her eyes are open!

Pretty cool, eh?

The night before the ultrasound I felt a very strong rolling sensation in my belly. This was the biggest movement to date, really. The end result? Baby Girl decided to reposition herself in the womb so that she is head-up-bottom-down, known in the obstetrics community as breech. She still has several weeks to change her mind, but I thought the timing of her move was pretty funny.

Here are this week's belly pictures. I'm growing out of everything that isn't completely elastic. I can tell she's growing leaps and bounds because the skin on my stomach is starting to itch from the stretching...time for lots of cocoa butter in hopes that I don't get too many stretch marks.

30 Weeks - 3/4 to the Finish Line!

30 weeks down, 10 more to go! (I think we're working on monthly photos instead of the weeklies I promised earlier!) Baby Girl has grown a LOT in the past three weeks. According to my favorite pregnancy website, www.babycenter.com, she weighs nearly 3 lbs. and measures approximately 15.5" tall by this point. I've had a few Braxton-Hicks contractions, nothing painful, but gentle reminders to slow down and encourage Tommy to walk on his own instead of riding around in my arms.

We are making great progress on her nursery. I've been very busy sewing...how domesticated! I just finished making her diaper stacker (my first-ever sewing project using a pattern) a throw pillow and curtains to match her bedding. They all turned out great and I can't wait to share pictures once we get the room painted. We (meaning Daddy) will be painting very soon and I'll post pictures once we have the right shade of green on the walls. Look how much she's stretching my skirt! I'm wearing the same one in the Week 22 picture for comparison.

Week 27 - Third Trimester

Wow, I've been a slacker with Baby Girl's page (and a slug with her brother's, too). We went on a 3,000 mile road trip for two weeks, so I have a good excuse! I will post pics and stories from our trip on Tommy's page as soon as I can.

If baby's growth was in question before, she's definitely putting on the ounces now! Here's my latest belly picture, taken at 27 weeks. No, Shannon, I wasn't sucking in in that last one! Ha ha.

And here's a bare-belly pic, so you can compare apples to apples. :)Today was our monthly OB appointment and all is going well. Baby's heart rate pitter-pattered along at 147. Doc pointed out that my uterus now stretches several inches above my belly button, which explains the heartburn when I eat a large meal! We return next month for an appointment and one last ultrasound to check our little princess's growth.

Week 23

All is going well with #2! We had our monthly appointment with our OB on Friday and Baby's heart rate is 154...very steady. And comparing this week's picture to Week 22, it almost looks like my belly shrunk. I guarantee it didn't!

Week 22

She's still growing! It's hard to believe a couple of weeks ago I was excited about already being at the halfway mark...now I can't help but think I'm ONLY at the halfway mark. Las Vegas' soaring temperatures aren't helping to make this phase of pregnancy any easier. We've been well into the triple digits lately and it's quite miserable. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

Baby Girl's weight, approximately one pound, is starting to press down on my pelvic bones already. A pound doesn't sound like much, but it can certainly feel like a whole lot more at times. I don't remember this shift happening nearly as early with Tommy. I'm trying to limit lifting heavy loads - groceries, Tommy - to ease the discomfort.

Tommy is getting more and more excited about the baby. Now that he can see my growing belly I think he might understand that Baby Sister is inside. He even goes so far as to speak directly to her...he crawls next to me on the couch, leans over my belly and says, "I love you, Baby Sister!" with a pat and a smile. It's the sweetest thing. He's still, by the way, talking about how he helped to pick out the lamp for her room.

Week 21

Baby is getting bigger by the day! She's a mover and a shaker, and LOVES to wiggle around right before I fall asleep at night. I'm definitely having some growing pains, but nothing unbearable just yet.James and I have made some progress on the nursery...we found a crib set we really like and have narrowed down a bedding selection, too. Tommy helped me pick a great Eiffel Tower lamp for his baby sister's room. He says, "Tommy choose Baby Sister's lamp" with pride every time he sees it. What a mouthful! And here's a peek at the artwork that inspired the room's theme. Sure hope she likes it!

Ultrasound #3

We had our anatomy ultrasound for #2 this morning and according to our doctor she looks perfect! All 10 fingers and 10 toes are accounted for, her little brain and heart are formed just as they should be, and she has a darned cute profile, too:And here is yet another picture confirming her gender. Now that she's been TRIPLE checked, we feel confident in making choices on nursery decor. I'm thinking vintage hot-air balloons over Paris, though you won't catch us with a frou-frou poodle in there. And we may come up with a name one of these days...we'll keep you posted!

Week 20 - Halfway!

20 weeks down, 20 weeks to go! With Thursday, June 21 marking the end of my 20th week of pregnancy, does that mean it's all downhill from here? Oh, how I wish that were the case...

Here is a belly shot to show our progress. When I woke up yesterday morning, I rolled on to my side and could have sworn the bump grew overnight. She's definitely getting bigger and more active...I can feel lots of little kicks and nudges throughout the day.

Here's an extra belly picture to make up for being a slacker the past several weeks!

Week 19

I've been bad about taking the weekly belly shots lately, but here is a photo that kind of documents our "growth." Mommy & Daddy pose with cousin Brennan, 18, at his high school graduation in Las Vegas. At the 19 week point, I'm definitely sporting a roomier dress!

Week 18 - It's a Girl!

Tommy is going to have a little SISTER in November. We had our second ultrasound June 5, which revealed #2's gender as female. The ultrasound technician so eloquently labeled this shot as "No Pee-Pee." What a great vocabulary! Baby Girl was curled up in a little ball most of the session, so we will go back in late June for the doctor to check the rest of her anatomy. Profile. The large diagonal lines you see in the middle are her jaw bones.
And here is a belly photo for Week 18:

Welcome to Baby Girl Wedewer's Blog!

As our family grows, so does our web presence! This medium makes a great "baby book" for Tommy and I hope to use this page as a record for just as many precious memories for his little sister. Plus it's a great way to share progress with our far-flung family and friends. So check back often for new pictures and updates!

This is our first ultrasound, taken 4/30/2007 at approximately 12 weeks gestation. Hard to believe her little profile had already formed by this point. Our estimated due date is November 8, 2007 and we are very excited to meet her.