WE MADE IT! (week 40)

Lunch on the waterfront the last day before baby :)

Well...today is officially our due date :) It is exciting and frustrating all at the same time since I still have no baby to hold! However, tomorrow we will get the process started and we should see him by Tuesday at the latest - YAY!!!!

I am still feeling pretty good - just ready to have the baby out here in the world. Everything is set up and ready and Nick and I are just waiting for Monday to roll around :)

The baby is as big and long as he will be at birth - so hopefully it isn't too big or too long! We just can't wait to meet him :)

The next post will be a picture of him...CAN'T WAIT! Stay tuned...

Love,

The Bales

Sad mama...

Well, we went to the doctor today and I am still not dilated :( Soooo...we are set to see the doctor on Monday morning for our last check up and then he will induce on Monday night at 8pm. Not the ideal situation and not what I was hoping for, but in a week we will for sure have our little man. We will keep you all updated and let you know if by chance (PLEASE!) he comes on his own earlier :)

Love,

The Bales

Home Stretch (week 39)

Well...I am still preggo :) I guessed my date wrong...so we are holding out for Nick's now. Things are good though - with my time off I have cleaned our house top to bottom and packed for the hospital. The car is ready to go and Nick and I finished our Newborn Care classes...so we really just need little man now :) Just can't wait to meet him...the suspense is killing me!

I am doing a lot of walking, eating spicy foods and anything else that can start labor. I have been getting more consistent contractions and HOPE this means I am dilating. Other than that, I am still feeling good. Pretty tired towards the end of the day, but sleeping is getting harder and harder.

Baby boy is just getting bigger (over 7 pounds and 20 inches on average) and waiting to say hello. He is still moving around a lot and pushing on his mom :)

We see the doctor on Tuesday afternoon for a checkup and to schedule the inducing - and then we just wait to see if he comes on his own. Hopefully we will have some good news...that I am dilating and effaced! Never thought I would want those things...haha :)

Love,

The Bales

Labor Update

Well, we went to the doctor today and had our first pelvic exam (fun fun) and we got good and bad news. The bad news is he doesn't look like he is coming early, but the good news is he doesn't look like he will be late either. Haha...so I guess that is why they have due dates :)

We found out we are 0 centimeters dilated, 10% effaced and baby is at +1 in the birth canal. So he has for sure done his part of the work...just need my body to cooperate :)

We will be checked again on Tuesday the 20th and at that point we will schedule induction for the 27th and then wait to see if he comes on his own before then. Crazy close to having a son...YAY!

More to come...

The Bales

So close... (week 38)

We are getting down to the wire now...only a couple more weeks and he will for sure be here! YAY :) We are thinking of starting a pool to see when he will make his arrival...I am sticking with July 15th and Nick thinks the 20th...we are both being optimistic I think ;) Last week was my last week of work so now I can just "sit around" until baby comes. Of course, I have a whole list of things I'd like to get done in the next two weeks which means I will probably be working harder :) This weekend we attended Duncan and Robbi's wedding in Beaverton and it was fantastic! Gorgeous day, gorgeous couple and sweet wedding. Congrats to them!

I am officially DONE being preggo...just waiting on my sweet baby boy to be done as well. This heat isn't helping and the constant contractions are starting to get to me. However, on the bright side I made it to 38 weeks before I REALLY started to be over all of this so yay me :) I just can't wait until he is here...and to have my body somewhat back to myself.

Baby boy is about 7 pounds now and about 20 inches long...he is just growing and growing at this point. He is still a very active little one and I think wants to be out here hanging with all of us. I'm still thinking blue eyes and brown hair - but we are holding out hope for a little red head :)

This week we will be checked to see if I am dilated or effaced...I am HOPING something has happened!

Love,

The Bales

Happy 4th of July! (week 37)

Hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July weekend...we are staying close to home since we are officially full term today :) The last couple weeks have been eventful, to say the least. I was actually laid off on Friday, June 25th as my company is restructuring and downsizing. Sort of a scary time to have that happen, but we are focusing on the silver lining...I get to spend some time before baby comes nesting, get to spend as much time as I need or want with baby once he is here and we get to collect unemployment. My last day will be July 9th - so only one more week to go. All in all, it is a blessing in disguise. Along with all of that, we have been spending our free time preparing the house and ourselves for baby boy's arrival. I think we are JUST about ready - last thing to do is get the carseat in the car and set up the monitor. Then he can arrive whenever he wants ;)

As for me, I am having a lot of contractions (which are getting closer and closer) and can feel my body getting ready for labor. It is such a weird/incredible experience...the woman's body is unbelievable! The doctor said this week that all is well and that we are right on track...so we go back on Wednesday the 7th for another check up. He will check me in week 38 to see if I am dilated or effaced so see where we are in the process. Fun stuff!

Baby boy weighs over 6 pounds now and is over 19 inches long...he is letting me know he has no room! :) He is considered "full term" now since his development is strong enough to survive being outside the womb if he were born now. Crazy! We have a full little boy in me just waiting to come out! So now the real waiting game begins...I hope he comes soon!

Today we are off to a BBQ and then to watch the fireworks downtown...have a safe and happy 4th!

Love,

The Bales

Maternity Pics

Here are a few of our favorite maternity pictures...can't WAIT for the newborn ones :)

END IN SIGHT!!!

We met with the doctor yesterday and he said if baby Bales doesn't come by his due date (July 25th) we will induce on Tuesday, July 27th!!!! YAY! SO exciting to have an actual date to look forward to and also to know this part is really almost over :) Mark your calendars...another Bales boy is about to stir things up!

Next appointment is Wednesday the 7th...only a couple more to go!

Love,
Happy mom
:)

SUMMER! (week 36)

YAY! Summer has finally arrived :) We have had awesome weather and I am loving it...even with these kankles! :) This week was a busy one with work and trying to have some "one on one" time as husband and wife before baby is here. Friday I had the day off so Nick and I went to lunch and a movie - it was so fun and great to just hang out together. Saturday we cleaned the house and did chores before we went to Michelle and Garette's wedding. It was a lovely evening to get hitched and they both looked so happy and in love :) Today I am throwing a "Celebration" shower for Caryn and baby Jake so we can show him off and celebrate the two of them. Should be a fun day with great weather...

As the picture tells you - I am HUGE! :) Only 4 weeks to go...which is SO exciting. I have certainly been feeling the aches and pains of being this pregnant, but again am so lucky to still be so active and feel as good as I do. Thank goodness...I don't know what I would do if I had to be on bed rest or something. One more week and we are full term...which means I am almost done! YAY :)

Our little man is now about 6 pounds (WOW!) and a little over 19 inches. He is gaining about an ounce a day now...which explains the late pregnancy weight gain for mom ;) He has shed most of his body hair that was keeping him warm during pregnancy. He is already heads down so now we just wait until he is ready to say hello :) He is still VERY active (which I was told would slow down) so we have fun games of poking each other...he is winning :)

This week we have our 36 week check up and then will see the doctor weekly until he makes his debut. We are both beyond excited and thank all of our family and friends for their awesome support during this period in our lives :)

Love,

The Bales

Baby Shower Fun

Well...my girlfriends put on a FABULOUS shower for me this past weekend :) It was done a moon and star theme...which is the same as our nursery. They made everything - from the confetti on the table to the amazing "Baby Bales" sign! It was so adorable and such a fun afternoon - I am such a lucky mommy to have great friends and family :) Here are a few pictures (GOD I am big!) of the special day...I will post others as they come in.

Thanks again to Taylor and Kim (and all of their helpers!) for such a great and fun shower! Love you all :)

Happy Father's Day! (week 35)

This week was a fun one - we met the pediatrician on Wednesday and LOVE him! He is very laid back and very funny so we got along with him well. We had my 34 week check up which was simple and easy...everything is right on track! So we have 5 weeks and counting...crazy! This weekend we had a blast too...Saturday was my baby shower and Taylor and Kim did an AMAZING job :) I will post pictures later... and then Sunday was Father's Day so we had a nice little breakfast at home, lunch at the Bales, afternoon open house at Grandma and Grandpa Webers and then had my parents over for dinner. It was a BUSY day, but so much fun and a great first Father's Day for my hubby :)BTW - the dogs are doing well with the new addition on his way...as you can see they are still very spoiled :)

This week I came down with a little cold that really caught up to me by the end of the week :( Really sucks not being able to take anything - but it is starting to get much better. Other than that, I am still doing well. Sleep is not really happening, but it gives me time to make all of our to do lists (I'm sure Nick loves that!) :) Typical aches and pains at this point - but really still trucking along.

Little man weighs over 5 pounds and is about 19 inches long...CRAZY! No wonder he is fighting for room in there all the time :) Most of his development is now over...so he is just getting bigger and staying healthy at this point. We are SO excited to meet him and I am ALMOST over the fear of labor...just so I can hold him :)

This week is another busy one...but once July hits we are laying low and counting down until the guy in our life is here! Next doctor appointment is Wed the 30th (36 weeks)...woo hoo!

Love,

The Bales

Sunny days...finally! (week 34)

Although the week was fairly rainy, the weekend has been fantastic! We had our first 80 degree day on Saturday and today looks like it will follow suit :) This week we had dinner with the Sleeman's and the Myers...it was fun catching up with both couples. Saturday we watched the USA vs. England World Cup game with some friends and then had an impromptu BBQ...it was a great day. Today we are cleaning, setting up baby gear and I am finishing the initial "pack for the hospital" bag. A little early, but you never know :)

I am doing well - again getting bigger and bigger. At this point, it is just uncomfortable...and the heat (although I LOVE it) is not helping with the swelling. I just keep thinking, "Soon, this part will be over and I will have my little man!" so I am trying to stay positive :) It is really crazy how quickly and how much you grow at the end of the pregnancy!

Baby Bales is almost 5 pounds now and is dreaming while he sleeps...I hope it is of us! :) His kidney's and lungs are getting stronger and he is getting "fatter" which is great! He is loosing his Lanugo hair now...thanks to the extra fat that is keeping him warm. He is still REALLY active so all is well in the womb :)

This week we will meet with our pediatrician and have my 34 week check up. Looking forward to my baby shower and Father's Day next weekend...:)

Love,

The Bales

Getting Bigger...(week 33)

What an exciting week...our new nephew joined us (Jake) and we had our maternity pictures taken - which ended up being a blast! We went to the Rose Gardens and had so much fun with Katie and Greg, the photographers. They were awesome and let us have fun with it...check out their site if you want professional pics taken - they are great! www.ka-photography.com.

This is how I feel...BIG! :) We only have 7 more weeks and although that seems short - it also feels REALLY long! I am having more hip and lower abdominal pains than I have the whole pregnancy - which is not fun. However, with the baby dropping and my body preparing I guess it is normal. Ahhhh...can't wait until this part is over :)

As for baby boy - he is now about 4 1/2 pounds and 18 1/2 inches long. His bones are hardening and he is getting bigger and bigger. His skin is not as translucent now and his wrinkles are starting to disappear. YAY!

Now...if only this weather would cooperate everything would be great :) Is it June?!

Love, 

The Bales

Our New Nephew!

Yes...Nick and I are the new auntie and uncle to a beautiful baby boy :) Jake Michael Barney made his debut at 1:15pm on June 4th, 2010. Both mom and baby are doing great and Caryn said it was a fairly smooth delivery (only 10 minutes of pushing!). To say I am jealous is an understatement! :) 

Congratulations to the Barney family and their newest member...we are so happy for all four of them :)

Love,

The Bales

Lindquist Ladies Weekend (week 32)

This past week seems like a year ago...I can hardly remember what we did! :) We had our labor class, our dr appt on Wed, hung out at home and had Nick's family over Friday night. It was so great to see all the kids and get a chance to catch up with everyone. Our newest nephew should be here any day now - so we are anxiously awaiting that :) This weekend we had our annual Lindquist Ladies Weekend and decided to head to Kah Nee Ta this year. We had high hopes for the weather - and although it wasn't great, it wasn't raining :) It was so good to catch up with my mom and sister and just hang out and relax. Next year we will kick it up a notch ;)

I am officially ready to be done being preggo...this last two months is going to be hard. I am just getting bigger and more uncomfortable at this point. Sleeping is a thing of the past...which I suppose is good preparation. I am just glad the nursery is done and the clothes are washed...so now I can take some time to just relax. Or at least try :) We have our maternity pictures this Saturday so I am hoping I like at least one! Pictures are not my favorite anymore...some day I will want to see how giant I got, but right now not so much :)

As for our little man, he is about 4 pounds now and is around 18 inches long! He is still VERY active which the doctor said would slow as he gets bigger. He is head down in the birth canal and is engaged...so once he is ready, he will be a step ahead :) He has his finger nails, toe nails and REAL hair! No peach fuzz...of course this is if he has hair at all yet :) Only 5 more weeks until we are full term and then 8 weeks until the due date. Getting so close to meeting our baby boy!

Tonight is the last labor class...hopefully we know what to do now when the time comes :)

Love,
The Bales

Girls weekend (week 31)

We had a great week...stayed busy, but also took time to just "be" at home. I wasn't feeling all that well so it forced us to slow down and I think it was a good thing :) This weekend we had our annual Girls Beach Trip at Seaside...it was SO fun and a great chance to bond and hang out. While we were at the beach, all the boys got together for a boys weekend and Nick's "last hoorah" before little man comes. From what I hear, they had a good time :)

As I mentioned, I wasn't feeling 100 percent this week but I think that is just par for the course at this stage in the game. I am having more pains and was running a slight fever Thursday, but really am still doing well over all. I am ready getting to the point though where I can "almost" deal with the idea of labor so that this part can be over :)

Our baby boy is about 16 inches long and around 3.3 pounds (hold four naval oranges and that is his weight). He is moving his head from side to side now and is VERY active. He is about to move into a "growth spurt" which means I will get a LOT bigger. Oh joy :)

This week we have another dr appt and will make sure he is growing as he should. My guess is he is right on track!

Love,

The Bales

Baby Shower time :) (week 30)

Well...as usual, we had a busy week :) Thursday night the Sleeman's had us over for a BBQ dinner - it was so fun to see them and Parker boy. The weather started to get nice toward the end of the week so it made for a great evening. Friday night was our 6 month anniversay...crazy we have only been married 6 months! Yes, we decided to celebrate 6 months because at the one year mark, we will have a 3 1/2 month old and likely will not get a chance to do something just the two of us. We went to dinner at Higgins, which was great, and then came home and laid on the couch. BIG night out :) Saturday was the first of two baby showers we are lucky enough to get. It was SO much fun - I got to see a ton of family and we made out on the gift front! Below are a couple pictures from the day...thanks again to Caryn and Laurie for making it so special :) Sunday we cleaned house, went to the store, did yard work and finished putting away everything baby in the nursery. A packed day...but it will be followed up with a BBQ and great friends - nice and relaxing.

As for me, I have been having a TON of Braxton Hicks contractions which has been a little scary. I have been assured that everything is fine - I just need to take it easy :) Hard for me to do...but it looks like baby is running this body for a while. So, other than needing to chill out, I am still pretty good. More pains and aches...but nothing I can't handle at this point. Only 10 weeks to go...I can make it!

Baby boy is officially 3 pounds and 17 inches...he is gaining weight and height rapidly at this point. His lungs are continuing to develop and his brain is growing like crazy. From here on out, his main job is to gain fat and get bigger :)

This week is looking like a packed one, but I promise I will take it easy and rest as much as possible. If I don't - we could have this baby too early! Not how I want labor to go :)

Love, 

The Bales