34 weeks....and COUNTING!

34 weeks today! Although I feel more like I am 44 weeks. I am starting to not only feel pregnant but not enjoy being pregnant!! I am having a hard time at night sleeping - I guess I'll just be good to go when the baby comes because I am up about every 2 hours to go to the bathroom, or to turn over (very slowly), or to move one of my dumb 60lb dogs off me!!!

I know I have 6 more weeks to go, but I honestly don't think it is going to be that long. I have always thought I was a week or two further along than what was first recorded and add in the fact that at 29 weeks, the baby was measuring at 31 - I am thinking that Baby Welte won't make it til March. As long as it is healthy and everything is OK - then I wouldn't mind that either!!!

I go back to the doctor on February 1st and then the weekly appointments start so I guess I'll know more about what's to come after those appointments. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated!!

33 Weeks

Had a doctor's appointment today and everything is going well! My blood pressure was a little high, so I need to monitor that, but everything else was fine! I go back in two weeks and then I go on a WEEKLY basis. OK so now I am starting to really believe that I am having a baby soon. Today actually I was sitting on the couch and I kid you not, the baby's head, butt, arm (some body part) pushed so far out of my stomach...like inches out. It totally freaked me out! I guess he/she is lacking some space in there :)

Here is a 33 week photo. It's not the best as my photographer husband was too lazy to get of the recliner to take it and I am not even looking at the camera, but the battery died right after so this is it....




Brody and Dakine sleeping in the recliner....





On a business note - we were featured in an online newsletter in the Tampa Bay area called "83 Degrees". Check out the link here, http://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/paddle011910.aspx, you can read the article and then there is a slideshow - make sure your volume is turned up cause Brody is narrating!!

PREGNANT

I am feeling very much pregnant. Back aches, heartburn, CONSTANT trips to the bathroom, and a lot of other not so fun pregnancy symptoms seem to plague me these days..

I am 32 weeks and find it hard to believe I have another 8 to go! I know that they will FLY by and pretty soon all this will seem like a distant memory, but for today -I feel like I have been pregnant for 10 years!

Baby Welte is still very active and lets me know of his/her strength with the elbows and knee bumps I experience daily. Hiccups are also a cool (and sometimes annoying) new habit of Baby W. Especially when he/she gets them at 2a.m.!!!

We are trying to stay warm, as I am sure most of you have heard of the extreme cold front that has been settling over FL these past few weeks. It is in the 40s and 20s at night! That is unheard of for this area and we are READY for our seasonal temps of the lows 70s. It is supposed to warm up soon, so fingers crossed!

I'll post a belly picture soon!

31 Weeks

Well I am officially 31 weeks today! Crazy that I am already in the 30s...Baby Welte will be here before we know it! He or she (I hate saying that BTW) is moving around quite a bit and likes to kick me, elbow me, head butt me....whatever they can to let me know I know they are in there!


Here are two different 31 week pics of me! Belly is definetly GROWING!



We took Charlie and Dakine to this new dog park that opened in Clearwater. It's a bit of a drive from our house, but worth it once the dogs get in! It has an agility course and trail system where the dogs can go off leash and the owners can get some exercise too! They have no idea how much their life is going to change soon - I actually feel pretty bad for them! Vizslas are known to be great with kids and amazing family dogs, so we are hopeful the transition will go smoothly, but I have to admit I am a bit nervous about it. If you have met my dogs you'll understand why - they are C-R-A-Z-Y!!!!


Charlie is too fat to jump over the hurdle :( And Dakine could care less, Brody tried to bribe them with a ball, but they weren't fooled!


Wrestling


Charlie LOVES going through the tunnel....he actually looks proud when he comes out.


He is pretty good at going over these boards too


The trail where you can walk around off leash - great for our hunting dogs who love to sniff around!


Dakine pointing at some ponies that live right next to the dog park.

Business has slowed A LOT! Well to be fair is has been a balmy 45 degress in FL these past few weeks. 45 degrees to Floridians is like -0 to everyone else - not the best conditions for paddling. We are just trying to bunker down and hold out til the Spring where we will hopefully we will be booming (fingers crossed). My crazy husband is headed for Wilmington, NC tomorrow for a Paddle Board Race. It's called the "Cold Stroke Paddle" and cold it will be. I think they may actually be calling for snow. Hopefully he doesn't fall in!!! I have come to learn that waterman are just a crazy bunch. They'll do anything for the sport they love, like Brody who will paddle in the middle of the Atlantic in 30 degree weather 12 hours from his home.

Christmas, Nursery and BIG babies!!!

I had a great Christmas with my Mom and Dad who arrived last Tuesday after a long drive from Ahoskie, NC. They made it in one day and were troopers! It was great having my mom cook all the meals :) My favorite part of the Holidays!!


Charlie and Dakine eyeing our Christmas turkey!!

My mom's one goal when she was here was to get our nursery done....which we pretty much did! It was a lot of fun decorating and finally getting everything orgainzed. I feel more prepared now and am anxiously awaiting Baby Welte's arrival.



It's hard to make "neutral" stuff not look boyish, but hopefully it will work if we have a girl!!



Charlie LOVED the mobile when I was putting it together, all they wanted to do was eat the stuffed animals....I am going to have my hands full trying to get them to not chew on baby toys!

I had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday where I got to see the baby for the first time since I was 17 weeks - it was amazing how much he/she has grown! The doctor said the baby was probably 3lbs 7ozs which is about 1 1/2 ahead of my "29" week status, so looks like Baby Welte is going to be BIG! Everything else looked great and I don't go back for another 4 weeks. Mom and Dad were in the room w/ us which was a really cool experience for them too. Mom was straining to find out the sex of the baby - but no luck!!! I still have no clue, I used to think girl, now I am leaning more toward boy. I know Brody wants a boy -- he bought the baby some gifts for Christmas that were clearly for a boy!!


Baby Welte at 29 weeks

Cute little face!

We have Brody's cousin Burton and his wife dropping in today so we are excited to see them for a visit. Mom and Dad left this morning for their trek back to NC. They were planning on stopping this time and enjoying the drive, checking out some beaches on the East Coast of FL. My mom will be back in the beginning of March for a few weeks to help us out with the baby!

Hope everyone had a MERRY Christmas & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Lights Paddle

We had our monthly paddle social last night and decided to do a "Christmas Lights Tour" along the waterfront downtown. We had some last minute cancellations - I think the 60 degree weather scared them off, but nonetheless, our regulars came out and enjoyed a really fun evening! Saint Petersburg does a really nice job decorating for Christmas and there were lots of sights and sounds to see from the water.

I went out and got everyone hot chocolate and donuts to warm them up when they got back! We'll definetly be making this event a Stand Up Fitness tradition!!

Baby Shower

I am home from Maryland!! I had a wonderful trip up North this past weekend - wonderful but COLD! I am a total whimp now with anything below 60 degrees and it was a toasty 22 degrees when I arrived on Thursday!

It was so great to see everyone - friends and family! Thanks to Uncle Jim and Aunt Barb for hosting us! I got a lot of great things for Baby Welte!!! Opening up baby gifts defintely is making this whole experience more real.....I had a few moments where I was like "wait, these are for me, for my baby, I am having a baby???...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

I was able to catch up with some friends I hadn't seen since high school which was a lot of fun and got to spend some QT with all my JMU girls! It was so nice to be surrounded by everyone I love and the time flew by as I was sitting in BWI airport way too soon.

Opening Presents!!!

Me with my Grandmas (soon to be Great-Grandmas!)

Got to see Kendall and Angie from high school - it's been almost 10 years!!
My JMU girls!
My big belly at 27 1/2 weeks!


I now have to prepare for the Fahey Family Christmas as my parents are heading down to FL next week for a warm holiday! Mom and I are really excited to decorate the nursery!! Then I think it will really feel like a baby is on the way!