8 months!!

8 months down. 2 to go. Or at least one more to go for the baby to be safe and born healthy. This morning I woke up and she was positioned way up at the top of my belly. It is fun now that she is getting bigger (about 4 pounds big!) that she can move around and we can feel different parts. It's one of our favorite games to guess which part is sticking out. Is it a butt, or a head, or an elbow?
I had my 30th bday party on Friday. It was so much fun to have my friends over. We haven't had people over to our house since we moved in! I can't believe that almost 20 people fit in here. Laura brought a beautiful cake and we sang happy bday. Justin's daughter, Sophie, followed me around the whole time and was the best little hostess. She showed everyone the new nursery and helped me open my gift! We also did karaoke and played my favorite game, Catch Phrase.

Yesterday we had our first parenting class on breastfeeding. It was fun to be in a room with 10 other couples in our same situation. We learned all about the different ways to hold her and how much to feed her (10-12 times a day!) It sounds like it will take some hard work and practice at the beginning but I hope so much that breastfeeding works out for us! The teacher's main point was "Trust your body; trust your baby!" She will tell me when she wants to eat.

Braxton Hicks

I had contractions today. Basically it felt like my entire belly getting really tight for 5-10 seconds. It was painless but still a little weird feeling. So I made an appointment with my OB. She said it sounded like Braxton Hicks contractions and as long as I wasn't bleeding, they didn't hurt or they weren't happening more than every 10 minutes in an hour that I was fine. She did check my cervix which was not dilated but was "soft." I guess this is one finding seen early in labor but all of the other things (anterior cervix, dilation and effacement) were not present. So that is re-assuring. She also didn't give me any restrictions in terms of work. I did ask to leave a little early today (a whole 45 minutes!) My chief resident, Adam, asked why he couldn't leave early. I said "YOU DIDN'T HAVE CONTRACTIONS TODAY!!"
She also told me that she thinks I will deliver early. Of course because she said that I will probably deliver late! She thinks that because I'm on my feet a lot that the baby will come early. She said anytime after 34 weeks is fine. 34 weeks! That is three weeks from now!! I better start packing my hospital bag! But seriously... next month I am definitely planning on buying diapers and starting to wash all of these new baby clothes. I can't believe how fast it is coming up!
My parents are coming out next month too which will be good. My dad is going to be running the Boston marathon. This sort of happened at the last minute but I am so excited to see them! And my dad is looking foward to seeing my super pregnant. (Or with a baby if things go the way my OB is predicting!)
Also, today is the last day of my life in my 20s. It was a good decade. I graduated from Gustavus and medical school. I got married and got pregnant. I learned a lot but still feel young and excited for what lies ahead!! I actually am really looking forward to my 30s. I hope it will be as much fun and that I will learn as much as I did in my 20s!

'Cuse baby

Laura and Jon were back at their alma mater, Syracuse University, last month and brought the baby a little gift. Thanks you guys! Super sweet!! But just so you know she is going to Gustavus!

29 weeks and lots of kicks!

Baby Stapleton does not like it when her mommy doesn't eat well and stands up too long! She lets me know with kicks in the ribs. She also loves her daddy. Whenever I come home from work and Mark starts talking to her she starts her kicking and rolling. I'm supposed to be counting kicks everday but I don't feel the need to....she is always moving and kicking!

Mark helped me buy my first pair of maternity jeans this weekend. We also found some cute onesies for the baby. If you can't read them they say "Mommy's Little Sweetie" and "Daddy's Little Sweetie."

It's already 10 days into March. This month we will have a birthday party for me (30!) and our first baby preparation class. I love March. The days are longer and the weather is getting nicer. I am so glad that the baby will be here in the spring. We can go for walks and be outside!!