37 weeks! Woo Hoo....Full term!

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches. Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

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So I am not going to do the whole survey, since I just did it on Sunday but I thought I would celebrate officially being full term and the fact that doctors feel confident he is ready to come out!!! YAY! Making it to Tuesday is our only goal, and I think since the little stinker managed to disengage himself and get back to being transverse (side to side), we are going to be able to reach our goal! My blood pressure did do some funny things Monday, which led to an overnight vacation in antepartum, it has since been good! I am doing the bedrest and taking it easy thing until Tuesday, except for a few car trips here and there (church, parents' houses for Christmas, and a final OB appt). We went to visit with my high risk doctor yesterday and he said that Pierce looks great and is breathing very well on his own!! We also got to catch a glimpse of the little man, via ultrasound, sucking on his two middle fingers; doctor says that is a very good hint of a champion eater!!! I cannot wait for the 28th to get here, I am so ready to see his sweet face and get to cuddle up! I also am very ecstatic about my family and girlfriends getting to meet my little stud, he is going to be the most spoiled child!

36 weeks!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

How far along? 36 weeks and 4 days! Only 9 more days!

Baby Size: Pierce was 6 lbs. and 5 oz. this past Wednesday, so we are expected him to be over 7 lbs. when he comes!!!

Maternity Clothes: Well at this point I am definitely just wearing maternity clothes, and have even outgrown some of them!

Gender: Team Blue! He is still a boy we think, if by some chance he comes out as a girl, we will name her "Amelia" to match the aviation room!

Movement: Well he is officially engaged, so he is stuck in pelvic bone and cannot do anymore "flipping," but he sure can kick really hard still! This week he has also developed chronic hiccups, which is kind of fun for me, but I doubt he loves it!

Sleep: Sleep...what is that? Well between a HUGE tummy and severe heartburn, I no longer sleep! The people that say get all the sleep you can before the baby gets here, must have forgotten what it felt like to be 36 weeks pregnant! The two do not go together!

Symptoms: Wow where do I start?? I have the absolute worst case of heartburn known to man...I have been known to cry it hurts so bad! The past week my blood pressure has been a bit elevated, which means some swelling! The swelling definitely comes and goes, some days I look like Courtney, some days it is the Pillsbury Dough Boy! He is facing the side which puts his shoulder in my sciatic nerve, and that is painful when I first get up, but quickly goes away! Even with all of these wonderful symptoms I still absolute love being pregnant, it has truly been a great experience!

Best Moments this week: Knowing that very soon he will be here, I will be holding my little man in less than 10 days!

Food Aversions: I really do not have any...there are foods that do not work as well for my heartburn, but some days water does not even work for my heartburn!

Food Cravings: It has been something different everyday...one day it was chinese, the next it was bbq! Today it happens to be Maggiano's Rigatoni D! Cheesecake has been a consistent one!

What I miss: Well my "what I miss" has definitely stayed the same for quite awhile...I had pictured this wonderful pregnancy with my best friend experiencing the same thing and us getting to complain to one another about all the aches and pains. God had different plans and that still continues to hurt! I pray that Kelsey and Noah are blessed with a healthy pregnancy very soon!
On a very vain note, I miss a non-swollen Courtney!

What I am Looking forward to: Christmas, and then the arrival of Pierce! I am actually looking forward to diapers and sleep deprivation as long as it means a healthy, happy little boy in the house! I just cannot wait to see what he looks like, I am really hoping for him to look just like his daddy!

Milestones: FULL TERM IN 3 MORE DAYS!

So what has been going on in the baking of our family the last 7 weeks? Obviously a lot since I could not manage to even write one single post...sorry!!!

Where do we begin...Another shower! Paul's mom and her wonderful girlfriends threw me another amazing shower! It was very nice and we had the most adorable cake EVER!!! We had a wonderful turnout again, and I was once again completely spoiled by all the wonderful stuff Mr. Pierce received!! I had a blast that beautiful Sunday afternoon, while enjoying the company of family and friends! Auntie Ann also made pierce the most precious wooden plane art, it looks perfect in his room!!

We also had a chance to do 3D/4D photos of our little man! We had very high hopes for the pictures because Pierce had been so cooperative for all of my previous ultrasounds, not this day! He kept his precious face covered almost the entire time, he either had an arm or both hands across his face! So I am going to assume we do not like having our picture taken...GREAT!!!

I promise to blog again soon with some more updates! Maternity pics, nursery pics and 36 week belly pics to come!

29 weeks and a BIG shower!

Let me just start by saying, IT'S NOVEMBER!!! That means when someone asks when this baby is coming, I can say " NEXT MONTH"!!!!! I cannot believe he will be here so soon! Though I definitely want him to cook for a little longer, I cannot wait to meet him, hold him, and have my husband home with me for as long as 3 months! Yes, you read that right, he is allowed 12 full weeks of paternity leave! If I was still working, I would have only had 8 weeks, and B of A gives dads 3 months. So blessed!

This past weekend was my first shower, and let me just start by saying it was perfect! From the invites all the way to food and decor, I can truly say my best friends know me too well! I had an amazing turnout, and got absolutely spoiled with gifts! It was incredible seeing some girls that I had not seen in awhile and getting to spend time with wonderful friends and family! I cannot even begin to explain how loved I felt!

I could not love these invitations more! Paul always says that he married Punky Brewster, so when Sara and Hillary picked these out they called and said " Your invites are Punky Brewster meets aviation!" How perfect and how true, they are so me! Then it continued on to this incredible diaper cake and blessing board that Shelby made...

The shower was truly precious, from all the airplanes to the pigs in a blanket (my favorite)! I truly adore my girls that did all this work for me! They put so much thought and love into everything! These girls are six of the most amazing people! I could write an entire post about each one of them and still not do them justice! They add so much to my life, and Pierce is going to be so loved and spoiled by them!

28 weeks!

28 weeks means, at the most we have only 10 more weeks left, and that is dependent on a cooperative placenta and baby! I am so very excited, but also getting a little nervous, there is still so much to be done and only 70 days to do it! What is done, you ask? I am packed and Pierce's smallest clothes are ready to be stuck in a diaper bag, along with all the other crazy necessities it says should go to the hospital with me. The list for packing seems a little extreme, we are not moving to the hospital, just vacationing there for a few days. But what do I know, I am just a first time mom! Pierce's room has all of its furniture, except we are still awaiting the glider, and it has wall decor and curtains! Now for the bedding, I am a little slow, I figure I'll need something to do to pass the time on the 29th of December, so why not make bedding the day before! I kid! My goal is to have it done sometime next week and then "VOILA" little man will have his very own room!

Enough about Pierce, let's talk about ME! I am under strict orders to "take it easy," which I thought would be a piece of cake! I had been fantasizing about leading the life of luxury; resting all day with my feet propped up, watching trashy reality TV and starting some new series on Netflix! When Paul was home, he would wait on my every need and there would be no cleaning for this mom to be! Boy was I wrong, there is nothing glamorous about laying around, feeling like pure poo, and your husband telling you not to move, and a whole season of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" did not even help it. My left hip felt like it was going to break and I would have given anything just to get out and run some errands. All of this just because my little placenta is desperately attracted to cervix, and it would not move away from it! My husband's spawn also adores the left side of my body and to put significant pressure on a large artery, which in turn makes mom nauseous and dizzy along with headaches and blood pressure issues. We have figured out how to get him to move to the other side, but he drifts back to his comfort spot often! I go back to the doctor in a week and we shall see what the outlook is for the next couple of months. He, as well as I, are still growing rapidly and I foresee a chunky monkey in my future! A chunky monkey who, as of today, likes to jam to trashy rap songs such as "Baby Got Back!" He kicked his way through most of the song, or maybe it was coincidental hiccups, but I would like to believe he is gangster, therefore much cooler than his father and I! We thought by naming him Pierce we would for sure have a chess-playing, argyle sweater wearing nerd! Maybe I am growing the next P-diddy!! Hey at least he will make the big bucks!

Survey coming tomorrow and 3D/4D pics!!!

26 weeks ! Survey says...

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take two to three days

How far along? 26 weeks, we are on a 12 week countdown!

Weight Gain: 11 lbs., whoa crazy weight gain the past few weeks! Huge growth spurt! At last weeks appointment(25 weeks) my rather large belly was measuring 27-28 weeks!

Baby Size: Well if you have seen a recent belly pic, then you would hope for my sake that he is big! He is indeed! Pierce weighs in a very large 2 lbs. and 4 oz. and measures 15 inches! Basically he is the size of 28 weeker! At this rate, thank goodness for c-sections!

Maternity Clothes: Wearing them, loving them! I just found shower outfits which I am very excited about!

Gender: Team Blue! Yes, it is true his "goods" are still there!

Movement: He is a crazy dancing ninja! He kicks and punches, while flipping and twirling nonstop! This kid is truly amazing!

Sleep: I am actually sleeping quite well, and would be sleeping even better if Pierce's darling father wasn't snoring due to allergies!

Symptoms: Terrible acid reflux and heartburn, which we hope means hair! Sciatica, which means mommy has a hard time walking sometimes! Hopefully my chiropractor can fix that! Swollen fingers, my wedding rings no longer fit, so I need to find a plain band to wear! I look a fool with an indented white ring tan!

Best Moments this week: We traveled to DC, and P-man kicked the whole time to tell me he loves airplanes and travel!

Food Aversions: Pimentos...I know it sounds weird, but I usually like pimento cheese sandwiches and green olives stuffed with the red things, NOT THIS WEEK!

Food Cravings: Pecan Pie, Ranch on anything, and cornbread! You know all the healthy stuff!

What I miss: Having my best friend to share this pregnancy with, not a day goes by that I do not greive for Kelsey and Noah, but I hope Harper is using those sparkly wings to check on her momma!

What I am Looking forward to: My showers, Thanksgiving, Christmas and then Little Man will be here!!!

Milestones: 26 weeks already!?!?

And he shall be called...

Pierce Andrew Nolte!

I know this is not coming as a shock to many of you, since we speak often and we have talked about it! I just felt that it needed to be made official, so now he is no longer baby John Doe!!! We debated the name for quite awhile, we loved Hudson, but I felt like since we were not going to make him a Paul III, we would honor my incredible husband by giving him the same initials! I figure we will have another boy in the future, and Hudson he will be!

As I sit here right now, I can visibly see my shirt moving as he kicks, and kicks, and kicks! I do not think I could ever get tired of this feeling! I know everyone says just wait until he is kicking your ribs, but I will be thankful even then! I praise God for every movement, even for all the lovely pregnancy symptoms, because I know the alternative. I have watched my best friend suffer the loss of her angel baby, I have greived for a life we never got to know. Tomorrow will be one whole week since precious Harper went to be with the Lord, I can honestly say I miss her more now than last week. Kelsey has had to still endure the signs of motherhood, and that is a reminder of what could have been. I got to spend all day Friday with her and we had a wonderful girls night, she is by far the strongest person I know! Her and Noah are definitely missing their princess, but they have held on to the hope that God bless them with a child that they will raise and get to see grow into a wonderful person! Pray for them that her body heals quickly and that their journey to bring a baby home is a quick, positive experience when the time is right!

Be on the lookout for pics of his nursery in the upcoming blog! It is not done, but has come a long way! Just finished up the closet this morning thanks to Pierce's incredible Mimi (my mom), we actually should have a pretty organized nursery! I have no idea what we would do without her!

Heaven's Sweet Princess

Harper Alexis Drennan flew from this world on September 21, at 3:05 in the morning. She weighed 7 oz., and measured in at about 9 inches. To say she is missed would be the understatement of a lifetime, my heart aches so badly, I would love to hold her just one more time. I have felt loss before, but I do not know if I have ever felt so sad saying goodbye. It is not because I grieve for Harper, she lives in paradise, I grieve for all of us here going on without her. We never got to really know her, who would she be like? Docile and kind like her daddy? A beautiful firecracker like her mommy? We will never know here on Earth, and that hurts. I cannot begin to express my gratitude sufficiently to Kelsey and Noah for allowing me to get to know Harper, when they were only given a few hours with her Earthly body.

To be really honest, I feared what a twenty week old baby from the womb would look like, and I regretfully was hesitant to hold her and love her at first entering the room. Once I let myself really look at her I was smitten, she was beautiful. Harper had her mommy’s little nose; she had her daddy’s big ears and definitely had his toes. These feet were absolutely the most precious thing I had ever seen, her little toes were so long and I was told they match her daddy’s perfectly. She had this little mouth, that was slightly open and her tongue just barely poked out. I loved her mouth, probably to the point of mild obsession, I just did not want to forget it so I had to etch it into my memory. There is someone at the hospital that makes clothes for babies like Harper, and it was beautiful. She was in a white girly gown , and she had a perfect little white hat to cover her head. What I do know is that though she looked so sweet and pretty yesterday, it does not even compare to how incredible she looks with those angel wings on up in Heaven. If you know Kelsey, you know she is “Queen of Bling,” and you better believe those wings are bedazzled just like her mommy’s will be.

As far as her birth, Kelsey endured a very long, rough day. She had an epidural that did not work perfectly, and a very achy body. She was tired and weary, as well as completely starved. This does sound like most birth stories you hear, but the difference being she would endure all of this pain and suffering and still the outcome would be the same. Kelsey was so strong and had her usual wit about her all day, Noah really was a strong loving husband all day. At three in the morning, when she came, they became the perfect parents. I wish everyone could see how they were with their little princess. The love in their eyes and the way they would just stare at her with smiles on their faces as tears ran down their cheeks, it was perfect. I have said often in the past week I would grieve for Harper that she would miss out on such incredible, loving parents. Harper knows them, she knows how wonderful they are, she is not being physically held by them any longer, but she is with them. She will not miss a thing. I grieve for Kelsey and Noah’s empty arms, I grieve for their broken hearts, I grieve for their empty house without a baby to console. Although I hoped everybody’s prayers were going to work to create a miracle in this sweet baby, that was not to be, so now I hope that these prayers bring peace and strength to the Drennan/ Hackler families. I hope they feel the Lord’s love surround them and feel Harper’s presence in the little things in life, may it be rainbows or butterflies, I know they will find her.

Harper Alexis was precious, far to precious for this world!