Carolina Dawn Penn

Carolina Dawn Penn
Born on January 17th at 8:41pm
7 lbs 13 oz

21 1/2 inches long

Sorry for the image not being very good, we didn't get to take many pictures in the hospital due to my recovering from surgery. 

More details later...

Doctor's Update on Our Little Chunky Monkey!

Well today has been a little nerve racking... Today we got up at about 9am to get ready for our appt. at the Perinatology Center at Mary Washington at 10:30am, even though we had to be there 30 minutes early to fill out paper work. I think we ended up sitting in the waiting room for like an hour until we were called back. They called us back to check my weight and blood pressure and get a little history about my pregnancy so far since it was my first time there. After being asked a MILLION questions, we were back to the waiting room. My mother was on her way there from NC, she had been in NC visiting family for a few days prior. She got there at about 11:40-11:50 and we were finally called back for our sonogram maybe 20-30 minutes later. A nurse did the sonogram first to check on a few things before the dr. had come in to talk to us about our options. We were finally able to get a little profile picture of our little girl so I will post that shortly as well. After spending about 30 minutes or so looking at our beautiful little girl with the nurse, the dr. came in and took a look at all of the images the nurse had taken. Right away the dr. noticed that we had a little chunky monkey that is currently weighting about 8lbs 1oz, give or take a pound or so... Also he had noticed that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and arm and that made him a little nervous due to her moving and being able to hurt herself. Unfortunately they were not able to turn her, nor did he even suggest moving her due to all of the issues present. I am not too happy about having to have a c-section but at this point I am only thinking about my little girls safety. The high risk dr. recommended doing an amniocentesis procedure to see if her lungs are fully developed. The only thing standing in our way as of right now is talking to our regular OB about scheduling a c-section. Hopefully she is ok with doing one soon and if so then there is a high chance of scheduling the Amniocentesis for tomorrow and then the c-section for Friday and us having her by this weekend! I promise to keep family and friend's updated on what is going on and I guess my appt. tomorrow will tell us what is going to happen these next few days!

38 Weeks!

How far along? 38 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Same as last week
Maternity clothes? All maternity clothes these days
Stretch marks? Same as last week
Sleep: I wish I could get some sleep, I haven't slept in a long time!
Best moment this week: Getting Carolina's nursery together… I LOVE IT!!! 10 times better than what I thought it would be, I could stay in there 24/7 and be one happy camper.
Movement: Some days she is a little wild child in there and some days she is slow moving… But I still get kicks and jabbed daily and honestly I am going to miss that 
Food cravings: Apple juice, water and yogurt!
Gender: We had an ultrasound this past Thursday and she is still a little GIRL!!!
Labor Signs: I feel like EVERY DAY / ALL DAY!!! Last night was another bad one. I was having some really strong ones but that are not close enough to go to the hospital plus I am being a little stubborn butt and waiting because I don’t want to just be sent back home.
Belly button in or out? IN but some days it's flat.
What I miss: Being able to just jump up and go… It takes me a second these days
What I am looking forward to: Meeting this little girl very soon!
Milestones: Having everything baby related done before miss Carolina is here!

I have a doctors appointment again this Thursday and I am praying this little girl will flip very soon. I have been having good strong contractions for awhile now but they come and go and to far apart to do anything about. I am seriously starting to consider the c section so this little girl will hurry up and get here. I guess we will see what the doctor says Thursday, hopefully something good soon!!

37 Weeks!

How far along? 37 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I'm up about 40 lbs since pre-pregnancy. I am ready for this little girl to get out so I can get my butt back into shape!!
Maternity clothes? Still the usual... Maternity jeans and tops, and leggings occasionally.
Stretch marks? Same as last week, thankfully none are getting worse.
Sleep: haha… What is sleep?
Best moment this week: Nursery done before baby... Woot Woot!!
Movement: She has slowed down dramatically! I still feel her 5-6 times a day but it is a change from last week.
Food cravings: Apple Juice and water!
Gender: GIRL!!!
Labor Signs: I feel like I am having contractions all day, every day. I swear they are not just Braxton Hicks, they are PAINFUL. And this pressure is going to drive me up the wall if she doesn't decide to bring her little butt on soon!!!
Belly button in or out? In but it is usually flat by the end of the day.
What I miss: Sleep!!
What I am looking forward to: Doctor’s appointment Thursday and hopefully meeting this little girl very soon. I am really hoping that she will decide to come sometime this week or possibly next week!!
Milestones: FULL TERM!! Now they can’t stop me... Bring it on little girl!!

Doctor's update, well not really...

I HATE going to the doctor’s office. I have been going to the same doctor for the past 5 years and now I am having to see a new doctor. 

I had my 36 weeks appointment yesterday and other than getting the Strep B test done, I honestly should have just stayed home. I saw the same doctor as last time and she is not even a doctor, she is just a PA. I LOVE my old doctor and sometimes I wish I was still in NC so I could still see him instead. This is my first time giving birth and I do have question, this isn’t something I do everyday. 

Finally after waiting for a little while and having to strip down from my waist down, the doctor came in and we were able to hear Carolina's heart beat and then she measured my belly. The PA checked me and I'm currently not dilating and my cervix is still closed as of yesterday, which I am hoping will change soon. 

After having a pretty much pointless appointment. The PA recommended an ultrasound to find out Carolina's exact position and weight. The other night at the hospital, the doctor said she was currently breeched and according to the PA yesterday, she still is. I am really hoping that she decides to turn her butt around soon because we are getting close to the wire now. 

My next appointment is Thursday, the 10th and I'm praying that things will have progressed a little by then so we can get this show on the road. I am getting to the point of being anxious and tired of waiting. I am just ready for this little girl to come already so I can meet her!!

Hey there. Its been quite awhile since Ive gotten on here and actually posted anything. Life has been quite busy but Im sure Brandie has been keeping you all updated on it.
We have, since my last post, moved to Virginia and I have started a new job working PMO. I love the job and Im doing well learning a new side of my job. Its what I originally signed on for and Im glad Im actually getting the chance to do it now. I should be stationed here for the next two years or so.
The new area were in is quite comfortable, I like how we are so close to everything around. There is a lot of stuff to do and we dont have to travel 30 min (unless traffic gets too heavy) to get to anywhere. And since I am working shift hours at base I am headed north when everyone else is headed south going home. So honestly everything is pretty good right now.
Our lil girl Carolina is on the way still...due date is Jan 28th but I have a feeling we are going to have her a little early. Hopefully we will because Brandie seems to be in a lot of pain and just wants her to pop her lil head out. :) Im looking forward to seeing her but Im also a little bit nervous. Everyone says to wait to have kids until you're prepared but honestly it seems like no one is ever prepared so why wait ;) Im glad were having a little girl and this will be our only kid. At least for now. You never know what the future will bring. Besides who would want to risk having twins on the next time ;)
Life is good right now. So relaxing. I am finally getting our debts paid off. Its interesting to look back on the past and see how much we have come close to going bankrupt or farther in debt, but we have by the grace of God been able to pull it off with people helping us and us being blessed with extra money here and there. Everything has worked together for good and I am so relieved I am able to provide for my wife and family. I cant wait to be debt free (minus the car payment) lol and I hope it is something I can continue for the rest of our lives. I mean, I have a wedding to pay for 18 years from now wont I? ;) That is if any boys pass the application process for our little Carolina...
Take care everyone and Ill try to get on here a little more often.
Nathan

36 Weeks!

How far along? 36 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: SAME
Maternity clothes? All the time now...
Stretch marks? Same but I am still bathing myself in bio-oil in hopes that they will not get any worse. It has been working pretty good so far!
Sleep: I  am waking up at least 2-3 times a night to run to the bathroom. I have not slept in a long time!
Best moment this week: Finally getting the nursery finished!
Movement: She is still moving around in there but she is a lot slower than usual. 
Food cravings: Nothing really… I am pretty obsessed with apple juice lately. 
Gender: It’s A GIRL!!! 
Labor Signs: Having contractions throughout the day but nothing major yet… We are hoping she will give us one more week before she decides to come, we are wanting to be full term first!
Belly button in or out? There are days it is in and days where it is flat.
What I miss: Fitting into my skinny jeans. I think I have finally hit the depression stage of this pregnancy. I am so ready to have her so I can finally get back to normal.
What I am looking forward to: My doctors appointment this Thursday, the 3rd. I am really hoping that she will schedule an ultrasound so we can find out how big our little girl has gotten and roughly how big she will be when she gets here.
Milestones: Only one more week and I will be FULL TERM!!

Nursery Progress

Ever since we moved to VA, I have been going crazy trying to get everything set up in the nursery for when little miss Carolina decides to join us!

I must say that I am in love with her crib bedding. I made everything myself so I am pretty proud of myself for how it has turned out so far. I am still working on the crib bumper but I know it is going to look perfect in there!

The letters I plan on hanging over her bed are laying her crib, I am just waiting to hang them. Also the blanket to the right is a blanket I made for her car seat. he blanket hanging on the front of the crib is a quilt I made to match her bedding, it is so cute!!

Nathan finally got her dresser put together and I m still working on packing it full with blankets, diapers and clothes!

The left drawer is little knick knack stuff... Such as bibs, hats, mittens, and socks! The big letter "C" is going to be hanging on the outside of her room door, facing the hallway. I plan on making a mesh wreath and to put the "C" in the middle of it. We also still need to get a changing pad to go on top of the dresser, we should be getting the pad and stuff to make the wreath this week so I plan on posting more pictures once we are done!

We are installing the car seat tomorrow so I promise to get some more pictures posted once that is put together!

I have some letters that I need to get hung up in her room to go over her crib but I am needing to get a curtain rod first. I also need to add the curtains in her room, which I have yet to do! I will be sure to post pictures of those once they are up as well!

  

This is the glider that my great mother gave me that has been in the family for like 30 years. I am in the process of reupholstering it. I currently have the back piece done but now I am working on the bottom cushion. I am so excited to see it when it is done! There is also a little end table next to the glider that my great great grandmother gave my mother when she was younger , it has been in the family for over 70 years! Also as you can tell I have my hospital bag, boppy pillow and accessories ready to go to the hospital for our little girl to make her big arrival!

I just hung up the wire hanger today and I love it! More info on it below...

This is the picture frame I had found awhile ago. It was black but I decided to paint it a turquoise blue (I know this picture makes it look darker) and I put her initials as a monogram in the middle. I LOVE IT!

This is a wire hanger I found at Ikea the other day when Nathan and I had lunch with his cousin and wife. They are also expecting a little girl, only a month behind me on the due date! I am so excited how this turned out. it is perfect for hanger all of her headbands so they aren't taking up so much room else where in the nursery, but I need a LOT more clips for the rest of her headbands to go up. I am thinking of hanging another underneath it as well so I can hang all of her little hats and bibs up too.

On the little wall between the door to her room and closet door I hung the bow holder I made... I still thinks I need to make little ones for each side. I plan on this little girl having TONS of hair bows!!

Her closet is no way near as packed as I thought it would be but I guess I need to change that and start buying more clothes to go in it. I hadn't bought much clothes due to not knowing how big she is going to be when she is born. I don't want to buy tons of clothes if she is going to be small and her not able to wear anything and have to go out and buy smaller stuff for her.  The outfit hanging on the door to the right is the outfit I wore home from the hospital 20 years ago. Now I am going to bring her home in the same outfit!

There aren't many diapers up there due to the fact that I decided to go with cloth diapers. I do have a few boxes of disposables but I am gonna give the cloth a try!

 All of her clothes organized by size and even by what type they are. (like onesies, sleepers, etc...) I got this shelf from Lowes and I love how perfect it goes in her closet, it is so cute in there with the bins. They are full of blankets, socks, shoes, toys, diapers, and even little bloomers and leggings for her to wear! ;)

 We still have some wooden letters that spell out her name that I got from Hobby Lobby awhile ago, they were white but I just had to paint them pink! I still have to hang up those over her crib and to get a few more picture frames here and there but it is finally coming together. If she came tonight I would feel a little better about her coming home!

Pardon all of the horrible looking pictures that are all dark and splotchy. It is 9pm and the flash on my phone just washes it out even more. I promise to post more and better pictures when we are totally done.

Have a WONDERFUL New Years everyone!!!

35 Weeks, 3 Days!

Today I am 35 weeks, 3 days pregnant!

I can't believe in 32 days or sooner I will FINALLY be a mommy!!

How far along? 35 weeks, 3 days along
Total weight gain/loss: I am about +40 lbs but I am determined to lose ALL of it and MORE once she is out!
Maternity clothes? I am wearing my maternity jeans and loving them.
Stretch marks? Just the few that I had before that are getting a tad darker... I have been soaking myself in Bio-Oil!!
Sleep: All bad nights lately. It is completely impossible to get comfortable to get any decent sleep!
Best moment this week: Finally getting all of Carolina's clothes washed and put up. I am slowly but surely getting the nursery together. I am determined to have it done before she gets here!
Movement: The punches, jabs, and kicks are a LOT stronger now, I think she is getting pretty cramped in there!
Food cravings: I really haven’t had any cravings other than sushi, which I can't have!
Gender: It’s A GIRL!! Carolina Dawn and I can’t wait to hold and kiss her.
Labor Signs: At least 1 more week before anything big happens. I am thinking she is going to come a little early though. Still having Braxton Hicks daily and they just keep getting worse, along with the lower stomach and vaginal pressure.
Belly button in or out? FLAT, I don't think it is going to pop!
What I miss: Feeling normal and not hurting 24/7:(
What I am looking forward to: My doctors appointment coming up, I can't wait to see our little girl again!
Milestones: Carolina’s hospital bag and diaper bag are packed and ready to go, now I just need to get me packed.

This past Monday, Christmas Eve I had a little spill at Walmart. Of course it was raining out and Nathan and I had to make a run by Walmart to pick up a few things for Christmas dinner. On the way in the front door, the floor was soaking wet and of course no one cleans up. I slipped on the way in and took a little spill. Now I have been having some stomach pressure along with increased contractions that are a lot stronger than normal. If the contractions and pressure don't ease up, I will most likely be going to the hospital in the morning to get checked out. I will be sure to keep everyone updated if anything happens!

34 Weeks!

How far along? 34 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I am +32 lbs since pre-pregnancy! I plan on ALL of this weight, plus some, being gone the minute this baby comes out!
Maternity clothes? All maternity jeans and mainly sweaters since it is getting cold out.
Stretch marks? I have 2 so far and they were old stretch marks that have just gotten a little darker.
Sleep: I haven't slept in god knows how long... I wake up at least 3-4 times every night to use the restroom.
Best moment this week: Finally getting the dresser, mattress and other little things for the nursery. The only thing left is curtains and other little knick knacks here and there.
Movement: Some days she is pretty quiet and then some days she is doing cartwheels in there.  
Food cravings: Nothing... I have still been drinking TONS of water to keep from swelling so bad.
Gender: GIRL GIRL GIRL!!!
Labor Signs: Only those wonderful Braxton Hicks so far, with some vaginal pressure. I am hoping things start to progress before too long though.
Belly button in or out? Still in, but by the end of the day it is pretty flat.
What I miss: Being able to move and not feel miserable from hurting so bad.
What I am looking forward to: My first OB appointment since we have moved to VA. This Thursday, the 20th we finally get to see and her our little girl again. It has been so long since we have been able to see her sweet little face! I am also really hoping that we will find out a rough estimate of how big she is in there.
Milestones: 34 weeks today!!! Only 43 days or less before we meet our little girl, I can't wait!!