38 Week Checkup

Christmas is already over and it's so hard to believe. This year has flown by so fast. It feels like just yesterday Josh and I were cruising the Caribbean on our New Years cruise! Our Christmas holiday was very eventful. The day before Christmas Eve we had dinner with Jimmy, Brenda, and the brothers at La Parilla Mexican Restaurant. After dinner we headed over to Jimmy's house and played a couple of games of pool and then opened gifts. After gifts the boys played a couple of more games of pool and we headed home around 11:30 pm, I was so exhausted. Christmas Eve I got up at 8am and went shopping with Uncle Glenn to get Bev's Christmas gifts. We headed to the mall to stop by Bath & Body Works and then over to Linen's N Things. When we got back to the house Josh had already started making sausage and cheese omelets, hashbrowns, and toast. It was delicious! After breakfast Josh told Glenn that he wanted to show him something up in Tristyn's room and for me to come too. We all went upstairs and to my surprise there was a glider chair setup in her room with a name tag that said To: Taylor, From: Josh & Melanie. I was so shocked! I have wanted a glider chair really bad for the past couple of months and I never expected Josh & Mel to surprise me. It really made me feel special and loved to know that my hubby cares so much :) After that I wrapped Bev's gifts up and then Glenn headed home. James and Marissa stopped by to see Tristyn's room and then we headed to Melanie's house for the Christmas Eve celebration. We opened gifts first and then had spaghetti and lasagna for dinner, everything was great. We had a wonderful time and stayed later than everyone. Christmas morning I woke up and got in the shower and got ready. I woke Josh up with the video camera and had him come downstairs to open his gifts. I am carrying on my father's Christmas morning tradition of waking everyone up with with video camera...it's so much fun! Mom and Glenn stopped by with a breakfast casserole and then headed out to visit Glenn's family. Josh and I got a call from Raul saying that Amanda had given birth to little baby Elijah on Christmas morning so we decided to pack up and head to Northside Hospital to see them. He was adorable, weighing in at only 5lbs 7oz, she was originally due the same day as Tristyn but little Elijah came early. After our visit we headed up to Josh's Aunt Christy's house and had Christmas with Melanie's family. We had a great time with all of them, it's always so much fun spending the holidays with a bunch of people. On Sunday we went over to Mom's house and Josh and Glenn headed up to Home Depot to get some organizational stuff for our garage. Mom and I stopped and picked up a bucket of chicken and headed over to our house. She helped me pickup around the house because my back has been killing me. After they left Josh and I watched 'Man on Fire' with Denzel Washington, which by the way is an awesome movie, and then went to bed. Monday I slept a lot and stayed around the house because of my back. Yesterday Mom stopped by and picked me up and we went to Sam's Club, Sofa Express, and Wal-Mart. We had fun spending time together.

And that leaves us with today, Wednesday, December 29th, 2004! I did not sleep a wink last night...I moved from the master bed to the couch, to the master bed, and then to the guest bed! I think I got a total of 2 hours of sleep! I woke up with Josh and took a shower and got ready for his cousin Alisha to come over. She is a professional massage therapist and offered to give me a massage so I took her up on it! She brought over her 8 month old niece, Cheyenne, and gave me a wonderful massage. She's so thoughtful and caring! Afterwards I headed to the doctor where they did just a routine checkup. Next week they will start doing cervical exams so that is pretty exciting. Today I saw Nurse Kelley who I really like. I told her about my back pain and she said it was probably from the way that Tristyn was positioned. She told me to take some Tylenol PM if I have trouble sleeping, so I am totally relieved to know that. I told her that I felt like Tristyn had started her descent to the pelvis and she said that was wonderful! I guess we'll find out more next week on far she has come down and if I have dilated and effaced anymore.

The last couple of weeks of pregnancy really seem to be strenuous. My upper back has been in constant pain, feeling like there is knife stuck in it and no way to pull it out! The insomnia is getting worse but atleast I can nap during the day. I do feel like Tristyn has moved down a lot, I can breathe easier and sitting is more uncomfortable. Josh and Mom also say that my belly looks lower...all a good sign since the baby is supposed to drop 2-4 weeks before delivery. Sometimes I feel pressure in my lower abdomen area, especially when I first stand up or start walking, so Mom got me a pregnancy belt which helps to lift the belly. It is pretty nice for walking around but very uncomfortable to sit down in. All in all everything else is great, besides the fact that none of my shirts will cover my belly!

Josh and I are getting very excited. Our daily plans now revolve around the fact that we might go into labor at any time! The anticipation is killing me but Josh seems to handle it well, like he does everything. Everything is set and ready for her arrival...now we just have to sit and wait! Hopefully it will not be too long ;)

Josh just finished washing my baby, the Expedition, and we are going to have dinner at a little country place called Home Spun and then go see 'Meet the Fockers' which I am totally excited about seeing! I'll let you know how it is!

Happy New Year to all!