Week 26 - The Picture-less Update

The pictures for this week will be posted later, when I am feeling up to messing with my camera card and the card reader. I've been instructed (by Steve) to keep my feet up and not be messing with things I don't need to mess with to try and alleviate my swollen ankles.

We had a great time up north. Steve didn't get a contract to sign when we were up there, but he got the word that the contract is on the way and he has the job. We were both really excited about the opportunity and really like everyone that Steve will be working with. His co-workers are all really wonderful people and we had a great time having lunch with them last Friday. I'm sure there will be much joking going on in that office. While Steve was checking out the clinic, Sparky and I made our stops around town. We went to the courthouse and found out that I will be able to go back to doing Probate (wills, estates, guardianships) as a court appointed attorney. We also stopped by a realtor's office to get someone started on a house hunt for us. We are hoping to find a nice rental so you all can come visit Sparky and have a place to stay.

My belly didn't grow this week (praise the Lord!) so I've been in a lot less pain. I think my poor stomach muscles have finally adjusted to the 43.5 inch circumference. Hopefully the next expansion will be a little more gradual. Sparky is still super active, but seems to elude Steve's attempts to feel her kicking. He claims to have the "magic touch". We will see how magical it is once Sparky is born.

Tomorrow is doctor day, so we will see how cooperative or uncooperative Sparky decides to be this time. At least they decided to save all the pokes and shots for the next visit.

Have a GREAT week - from Jen & Sparky (and Maize who is trying to help type this and not being very helpful).

Week 25 - Only 105 days (and then some) left

Things are "growing" or going nicely for Sparky. My waistline expanded by a whole painful inch (up to 43 1/2 inches). All week I've felt like my belly was going to split right down the middle. Sparky is up to about 13 inches and is around 1.5 pounds, but after walking all around Ann Arbor tonight she feels more like 1.5 tons.

Not only is my belly getting big, I've also started retaining extra fluids in my legs and I've got some extra weight in my face. Other than that I've been feeling pretty good, except for leg pains during the night and waking up a whole lot (5 or 6 or 7 times each night). I guess it is good training for all of those late night feedings that we will be doing soon.

Steve and I are taking Sparky on her 3rd trip to the Upper Peninsula this week. We are leaving Thursday morning for Sault Ste. Marie and Steve's second interview with the Chippewa Tribe for the open dental position. We've been assured that the job is his if he wants it, so Sparky and I are going to focus our efforts on finding suitable housing while we are up there. We may also try to catch the Lake Superior State hockey game on Friday night. Sparky's favorite dog Maize is already safely in Hastings - so we will have to make a stop there on the way back on Saturday.

Below are samples from the baby afghan that I'm making for Sparky - I have 4.5 of the 9 squares done. 5 of the squares are going to be different and 4 are going to be solid yellow. Hopefully we will have this done before Sparky's first appearance.

What Sparky did at work today...

Here is the play by play of Sparky's day at work with me (starting with the waking up process):

5:40 - 6:15 - I was supposed to be sleeping during this time, but it was apparently kickboxing class for Sparky

7:40 - 9:10 - after her short nap, Sparky woke up again for more gym class during the ride to work and the first hour plus of me trying to get things done

9:25-9:26 - just when I thought Sparky was back to sleep, she decided to roll over and through in a few stretches in the process

10:20 - 10:28 - a brief flurry of activity before a little rest

10:50 - another stretch during the nap

12:15-12:45 - gym class part two (not very long, but super active)

1:25 - 1:50 - more gym class, followed by a nap

2:25 - stretching/kicking during the nap

3:25 - 4:00 - since too much gym class had already occurred for the day, Sparky switched to Tae Bo

5:30 - 6:30 - wide awake and kicking time (also known as me trying to make dinner and relax a little)

The 24 Week Check-In

Steve, Sparky, Maize, and I are watching the Capital One Bowl and hoping that Sparky will not be embarrassed to wear all of the maize and blue gear she has. While we had a great time in Florida, it is wonderful to be at home and back to a more relaxing pace of life. I sure get tired quickly. I also seemed to develop what my brother's affectionately called "cankles" (when your calf and ankle are indistinguishable) from traveling, but I can now see both ankle bones, so I should be back to normal soon.

Sparky may have been the only Obreiter in this house that was awake when midnight hit last night. I was out by 8:30 and Steve was asleep before 11. Even Maize was snoring long before 11. If Sparky was awake, she was being well behaved and let me sleep until about 4 a.m.

This week's stats: My belly measures 42 1/2 inches around (about 1/2 inch in the last two weeks - I didn't measure last week, so we aren't sure when the stretch happened). Sparky is about 12 inches long and 1 pound 5 ounces. I'm sure that is a mere fraction of her final weight. She's been busily beating me up from the inside out. I've decided she must think that gym class is a daily requirement. We've started piling up all of the clothing that people have given Sparky - she is already well stocked until at least 6 months (and I am sure for much longer since most of her gear is still at my mom's house).

Happy New Year to you all from the four of us!

Another Cousin for Sparky

Sparky's Aunt Melissa and Uncle Glenn will be providing Sparky with her fourth cousin sometime around July 23rd. We are all very excited for a playmate for Sparky on the Hodges side of her family. It was a wonderful Christmas surprise for everyone!

More Pictures from Sparky's Florida Vacation

Pictures from Sparky's Florida Vacation

Sparky's First Christmas Presents

We celebrated Christmas with most of the Hodges family last night (Melissa and Glenn will have to wait to receive their presents until we are all in lovely Vero Beach, Florida tomorrow). It was a good day on the present front for Sparky. Without knowing it, she has already collected a really soft Pooh Bear blanket, a Pooh Bear outfit, 2 University of Michigan books, and a play yard (or pack and play as they used to be called). She was quite the lucky girl. On top of that, Steve and I also got an iHome system, which I am sure will find its way into Sparky's room to help her sleep and for entertainment during the many late night feedings.

And now... Sparky and I are off to get ready to head to Florida for a week of well earned rest and relaxation. It may be the last such week before Sparky's big appearance.

Steve, Sparky, and I (and Maize too), wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2008.

Uncooperative Part 2

Another visit to the doctor, another display of our daughter's stubborn streak. This is the second visit, of not too many where "Sparky" decided that the doctor didn't really need to listen to her heartbeat. At least this time he caught it for a second and then lost it. With all the movement, Dr. Sammarco figured we were just fine until the next checkup in 4 weeks. Now... 3 days until the big plane trip to Florida and a few days on the beach.

Merry Christmas to you all!

It's week 22...

Well, week 22 is off to an uneventful start. We get to visit Dr. Sammarco tomorrow morning, but other than that, life has been rather boring, not that I am going to complain about boring. I think Sparky may have made the move to the head down position since I've been battling a bulge that is frequently stuck right up under my rib cage. The kicking hasn't stopped and I'm sure the 11 or so inches of little girl must be bent up in someway or another resulting in her bottom in my ribs and her feet kicking away below my belly button.

Speaking of that - my belly button is mere days away from disappearing. Everyday it gets a little shallower and shallower. My waistline is 42 inches as of this evening and I've gained 3 pounds in the last 4 weeks. I'm sure the weight gain will pick up as Sparky starts growing faster and faster.

As for this week's photos - Steve says this depicts the exhausted, right out of the shower after work version of my pregnant self very well. Maize is already feeling very sad now that she can't sit on my lap anymore, she's been stuck laying on the cold, hard wood floor doing dog things. She will be very sad when Sparky comes home and she can't sit on Steve's lap either.