What a miracle!  J.T. is here.  I have spent the first month getting used to him and our new schedule so I am a month behind...imagine that.  He was born on June 28, 2012. I had a c-section because he was a big boy- 8lbs 13oz, 20.5 inches long.  I pushed for 2 hours and then for everyone's safety my doctor resorted to a c-section.  Healing has been easy and pretty painless.  I was hard on myself in the hospital and made myself get up and walk 4 hours after being cut open.  Needless to say, I came home feeling better after having pulled and stretched the incision.
J.T. is a wonderful baby.  He eats, sleeps and poops just like everyone told us he would.  He is happy most of the time.  He only gets angry when he's hungry.  He is such a joy.  I had no idea how in love I would be.  Now he's here and he is amazing.  Trey is doing really well.  We started bottles 2 days ago and Trey is staying up to feed him.  J.T. enjoys his dad time.  We are all doing well and are enjoying our new family.

Preparing for Thursday

We are counting down the days until Thursday, June 28th!  That is the day we will officially meet our little boy.  It's so hard to comprehend what life will be like but Trey and I cannot wait!  We found out on Wednesday that he is probably close to 9 pounds AND that I have a flatter-than-normal pelvic bone creating a very interesting situation for a natural delivery.  However, I am going to try to deliver him naturally unless it becomes dangerous or my doctor guides me otherwise.  We go in at 5am and they "hook me up" at 6.  It seems so surreal!
Trey has been awesome.  We have washed, folded and still have to put away laundry.  I have made a couple of freezer meals for the first couple of days home.  We agreed that we wanted to come home alone at first and figure J.T. out and then we would call and invite mothers/mothers-in-law as we felt we needed them.  It seems like we have waited forever for this day but I know this was all part of God's plan.  I cannot wait to see his cute little face and hold him in my arms.  Say a prayer for us!

Week 37

We had a rather shocking update last week at the doctor's office...we were at 36 weeks and 3-4cm dilated and 75% effaced.  Evidently, for our first pregnancy that's a big deal.  I had no idea that it was a big deal but my doctor and husband were shocked to say the least!  Needless to say, I rushed home packed bags, loaded the car and even bought the car seat/stroller combo just in case. This week we went to the doctor again to find out we are a full 4 cm dilated and essentially, everything else is the same.  Our doctor requested an ultrasound to check on J.T.'s size and make sure he wasn't "outgrowing" me and he was right on target.  He has chubby cheeks on his face like Trey and I both had as kids and a chubby belly.  He also appears to have a descent amount of hair.  It was hard to see him because he is squished down in my belly but it was neat to see how much he's changed.
I am holding up.  Being pregnant has been easy, but emotionally it was really hard to hear we were 3-4cm this early and then see no progression for a week.  I know friends and family want to know how I am doing but I have to say I have appreciated my day today because I haven't had to talk about babies, labor or doctor's visits at all since I woke up.  I know once he gets here baby talk will start all over again but I think that might be a little different.  Right now it's hard emotionally because of the anticipation of the BIG event.  Either way I have had a great morning and am feeling much better about the days to come with or without baby J.T. here.  In fact, I am about to do some research on freezer meals and how to do them well and make them taste great.  Wish me luck!

Week 35

We are officially at week 35 and it seems so weird to me.  Pregnancy has been so easy- so far, and time has flown by.  I fear I am going to miss being pregnant.  The joys of feeling J.T. move, get the hiccups and kick will all be memories.  I know I'll enjoy having him here with us but it's different.  He's all mine at the moment.  Once his arrives I will have to share him.  

The nursery is ready and very cute.  Not at all what I had imagined but as it came together I liked it more and more.  Next, we plan to finish the closet organizer and get some smaller things done around the house.  I had planned to post nursery pics soon but keep forgetting to add them.  Maybe today or tomorrow while I'm off cleaning the house and making some last minute nesting adjustments I will get a chance to post pics. 

I keep wondering when that burst of energy will hit.  I have read about this nesting burst that pregnant women get.  I can't wait.  I am really tired of being tired.  I slept til 10:15 this morning and thought I'd feel ready to go...not so much.  It took me an hour to wake up. 

Week 36 is exciting because my doctor will check to see if we have dilated at all.  I know it doesn't mean much in the beginning but either way I am pumped.  Updates to come...

Today was our 32 week checkup and all is well!  The doctor said he was growing as he should and his heart rate was 144 beats per minute.  He is very active and always shows off when we go to the doctor.  It's pretty entertaining.  I was surprised that I hadn't gained any weight because for those of you who see me frequently, I certainly look bigger.  I did have blood work done to see if I am immune to "Fifth's Disease" because it is currently circulating my school and causes some small concerns.  Either way we are on the right track and J.T. is growing like a weed.  God is good.

What a weekend!  Yesterday was our first baby shower and it was incredible.  I had no idea how many loving friends and family we had.  I think you always assume you have close friends but then moments in life like this happen and you see how many true friends you really have.  It meant so much to have everyone together yesterday: church friends, family members, etc.  We received more than we would have ever expected.  

When we unloaded the car it looked like Babies'R Us has puked in our living room.  After much sorting and debating on sizes we organized things, hung things up and got the nursery as ready as possible.

I am still in that state of disbelief.  I know we're going to have a baby boy but it still seems so unreal.  Pregnancy has been easy and has passed so quickly and time seems to fly by.  I know when he gets here our lives will never be the same.  I am so ready to hold him and count his fingers and toes.  I am thankful for all of the great people around us who will also be there to support us and help raise a wonderful little boy.  Thanks for a great shower, friends!

Pictures of the nursery coming soon... :)

Wow!  I had no idea how fast pregnancy would go. Thus far, is has been an easy road and we will continue to pray for God's blessing through the end.  Lately, it's been heartburn and back aches.  Walking has helped some but mostly just being lazy which just about drives me crazy.
The room is almost finished.  Trey is working on building JT a closet organizer for all his stuff. I am working on getting pictures and things on the walls so that it feels finished.  The hardest part has been finding a "home" for all the things we had to move OUT of the office to make it the nursery.  I want to just throw everything out.  I am so sick of stuff just sitting around....it drives me nuts!  We are also working on the gutter bookshelves as seen on Pinterest, one of my favorite "go-to's" for neat decorating ideas.
JT is constantly on the move although, he does let me sleep at night.  Hopefully, the doctor is right when she says that if he doesn't wake me now he is on my schedule and could possibly be a sleeper when he gets here.  We'll see if he lets me sleep when he has no where to move to.
We are at week 31 and are all three doing very well.  Dad is panicking over things left to do.  I, mom, am trying to get the nursery finished and looking like a sweet boys room.  Today life in the Rudolph house is good.

Neck deep

This week is spring break for me and so I have put the entire week into cleaning....or nesting as some say.  It's one of those deals where you clean and things look really good but then you realize you haven't touched the overloaded, bursting at the seams, closet.  Not only have you not touched it today, you haven't touched it since you moved in three years ago.  Needless to say, our GoodWill now knows my first and last name. 
Preparing for our little boy is a big job and if you know me you know that I am a little OCD about it.  A friend of mine decided to tell me she has her little boy six weeks early which put me into a state of panic so here I am...cleaning the entire house, every nook and cranny. 
On the good side the nursery is almost finished.  Trey and a friend are planning to paint this weekend.  Once that is finished all we need are supplies, diapers and a baby to bounce around in there.  I can't wait to meet our little boy.  I feel him move and can't imagine meeting him.  What will his favorite color be?  What sport will he be really good at?  I can't wait. Pictures of the nursery to come soon.