Harper Nicole Daughtry

Doctor visit today.  We’re 39 weeks, 5 days….so still before estimated due date.  We hoped Baby D would be here by now, but Baby knows best at this point.  Still 4cm and 90% effaced….hopefully this means labor will be faster when it does happen.  Baby’s head is in position and ready to go.  It’s just more of playing the waiting game at this point.

We go back to the doctor on Monday.  (The official PA holiday - Groundhog Day).  We’ll do a non-stress test just to make sure all is well.  The doctor does this routinely when baby is overdue.  The doc did say that stating a due date is not an exact science and baby will come when it’s ready.  If no baby by next week, we’ll talk about inducing.  Inducing at this point would involve breaking the bag of water….that would be enough at this point to start our labor.

In other news, we planned our first family vacation.  We’re traveling to Montana in August to visit Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, and our friends that live in Great Falls.  It should be a fun and relaxing trip!  We had lots of frequent flyer miles to be used so we decided to go on the trip that would be too expensive otherwise.  It’s amazing how expensive it can be to fly to Montana.  And we’ll get to hang out with Sara, Cameron, and their two boys.  Sara and Cameron use to live in State College and are partially to blame for our board game addiction - they introduced us to Settlers of Catan.

More news as it happens…..

Good News from yesterday’s doctor appointment….

Amber is 4cm dialated and the baby is ready - dropped down and in position.  According to the doctor - “Wow!  You’re 4cm and I’m pretty conservative with my estimates.  Any moment now, honey”.  She also said to schedule the appointment for next week, but she doesn’t think we’ll make it to that appointment.  Hopes are high, but it’s all out of our hands at this point.

Baby’s heartbeat is great - doctor said “Kiddo is cozy in there”.

Lots of predictions for Friday - that would be an easy birthday to remember - 123.  Here’s hoping for a baby SOON!

Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions:

• Yes, I am.
• Fine
• Any day now.
• When the baby comes or probably end of next week - depends on how I feel.
• Nope, only one.
• He’s ok - excited and nervous.
• Nope, just swiss rolls, toast and jelly, and potatoes - nothing weird.  Oh….and Ham and Swiss Sandwiches.
• Just sleepy and dealing wth a cold and some swelling.

And here are the questions:

• You’re still here?
• How are you doing?
• When’s that baby coming?
• When are you going on maternity leave?
• Are you sure it’s not twins?
• How’s John?
• Any weird cravings?
• How are you feeling?

And that concludes our question and answer session for the day.

Here is a photo that shows not only my huge belly (I did have at least one pillow behind my back and I was slumped down on the sofa - but, yeah, still a pretty big bump now) and me looking rough in some pjs, but our crazy little pup decided that my belly would be a good place to lay down and sleep.  It was super cute….like Toby was listening in on the baby.  Pickwick on the other hand is completely confused because my lap disappeared - he keeps trying to find ways to lay on my non-existent lap.

Doctor’s Appointment again today.  No changes from last week.  Doc says that if we dialate or efface anymore, we’ll be in labor.  He then gave me permission to go into labor at any point - all systems are a go.  The only to-do from the doc is to start sleeping and laying on my left side so that the baby will move over.  Right now my right side is all baby and we need the kiddo to move over to the right a bit to get ready.  Not an issue, just something to help things along.

Our video camera arrived, so we’ll have live video to share - NOT OF THE EVENT.  We plan on taking lots of fun video of the celebration that follows the event - otherwise known as the fun events of the kiddo’s life.

Still waiting…..in the snow…..and the cold.  Kiddo is welcome to join us any day now.

Full moon tonight….

And watching the Golden Globe awards (Amber’s an award’s show junkie!)…..

Still waiting for baby…..

Here are some pictures from a photo shoot with our good friend, Phil Torbert.  For those in and around State College, you should check out Phil’s photography website…..www.phillipmackenzie.net

He has some really cool photos and is available for hire (weddings, headshots, families, etc.)

Oh yeah…and he’s a fun dude, too.

Doctor Visit today - first internal visit.  Doctor’s report is that we are “a good 3cm dialated and 80% effaced”.  There’s no turning back now.  She feels that we will most likely go at least a week earlier than the due date - so, by January 23rd.

We’re excited and nervous and all the emotions in between.

Baby’s room continues to “come together”.  John is busy getting the windows back in (had to have them reglazed, etc.).  We are happy to be using lots of things that we both cherished as children.  We have quite a few things to hang on the walls for the finishing touches.

Amber is feeling okay.  She caught another cold, but other than that, all is well.  Just very pregnant at this point and anxious for the baby to arrive.

We’ve had a bit of ice and snow in PA.  Everyone is so willing to help us out - Amber is practically “carried” across the parking lot by concerned friends and coworkers.  Maybe a good set of ice spike shoes would be helpful.

Next Doctor’s appointment is Wednesday morning, January 14th.  That is, if the kiddo doesn’t decide to make a debut before then.

The nusery has been a major home project (3 years in the making) and we’re happy to announce that it is now a functional room.  We live in an older house (1928 Bungalow), so in an attempt to take wallpaper off the walls we managed to have the walls fall off (stupid horsehair plaster).  Well, since the walls are out, might as well use the room as home base for rewiring the entire upstairs.  John worked soooooo hard for sooooo long getting the old wiring out of the attic space (that was not accessible until he made a new hole in the ceiling).  After that project was finished, we found out that little Baby D would be making a debut in January.  Phase 2 - putting walls back in the room.  John hung dry wall in the entire room (including the sloped ceiling), mudded the drywall (with a little help from our wonderful friend, Phil Ayoub), and then painted the room.  Parents came up for the holidays.  Daughtry’s helped with painting touchups and restoring the doors (the doors were stripped and stained).  Haigler’s helped put in trim work, paint trim and load in the furniture.  And, the wonderful radiator cover was the handywork of both John and Aubrey (Amber’s Dad).  John got the windows glazed and the sashes done this week.  The crib bedding is in and decor is ready to be put on the walls.  We can post more pictures when the room is complete.  John is going to be so happy when he doesn’t have to work on the “front room” anymore.