Part 1: Q&A on pregnancy and conception

EXCITING NEWS!!!!

As of our doctor appointment yesterday, I am 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Have I mentioned lately that I’ve gained 42 pounds in this pregnancy?! Never saw that one coming… =)

That’s not the exciting news since it doesn’t really give us any prediction as to when he’ll actually get here… BUT, if we don’t see him soon, he’s scheduled for eviction next Thursday at 6 am! We might just have us a little September baby after all =)

 

♥♥♥God willing, by this time next week, we’ll have our son!!!♥♥♥

*******

It’s a drizzly, dreary morning here in Lexington and it’s just what the doctor ordered. I’ve been off of work since Sunday, trying to rest and relax, but hanging around the house means always seeing something that needs to be done. If the sunshine is taking a day off – I am too!

 

In all actuality, there is a little “work” to be done today… laundry, light cleaning, a quick trip to the grocery and some very welcomed Fall decorating. I finally convinced my husband to go up into the attic to get the fall things down last night. I’m not sure “convinced” is the right term to use since I actually threatened him that I would do it myself for 2 days straight if he didn’t.

{I’m not crazy – I wouldn’t dare try to navigate the ladder, attic, and lots of oversized storage totes at 9 months pregnant just for the sake of decorating – but I didn’t tell him that!}

I KNOW it’s not fall yet, but it is my favorite season and I doubt I’ll have much time to decorate for it once the bambino decides to make his grand entrance. Bringing the baby home to the colors of fall and my favorite scents in the world… heavenly!

Fall in the Roberts’ love nest via 2009

Now for the answers to your burning questions!

Q: What did you use on your belly to not get stretch marks? ~Tiffany

A: I used Bio-Oil and lots of lotion. I’ve always been a lotion addict, usually taking a full “lotion bath” after every shower and for the past year, I’ve been using this one exclusively: Target’s version of Vaseline Intensive Rescue. It’s a great heavy duty lotion for a heck of a price! I didn’t start using the Bio-Oil till about the second trimester when all the stretching started meaning lots of itching – which is how the first customer ever figured out I was pregnant before I was even showing!

While moisturizing is important, especially when the itching begins, I’m afraid it is mostly a genetics game. My momma never had the first stretch mark with either of us and I’m thankful for her great skin genes for the future too, she’s aged beautifully and slowly! I love my momma♥

Q: Your hair has gotten so long compared to the early pictures. How much longer will you be growing it out? Or will you chop it off after the baby is born? You see that a lot with new mothers I think. ~Anonymous

A: There will be no hair chopping for this soon-to-be momma! I cut my hair for Locks of Love last October and it cannot grow back quick enough. My round face is much happier with a little more hair to hide behind =) Not to mention it was a whole lot easier to wrangle – short hair is high maintenance! {In my opinion…}

Before & After:

   

 

 

Q: I love your maternity clothes? Can you please help a sister out and tell me where you shop? Please? I need some cute ones! ~Angela

A: I wrote up the best advice this non-fashionista could offer for clothing the bump for 9 months here!

 

 

 

Q: I would LOVE to hear your reasoning for natural vs. "assisted" childbirth! I haven't done any research myself but would love to read what you've learned and how you decided! ~Anonymous

A: My reasoning? I do my best to avoid excessive pain!!! haha

Seriously though, I thought a lot about it and began this pregnancy thinking I would go au naturale just like my mom did… then I got real… real scared. There are lots of things that could go wrong with an epidural, with minimal chance of each. We take a lot of risks in this life and I’ve just decided this is one I could live with after talking to several moms and medical professionals. I wouldn’t turn down any pain medicine for any other procedure – dental extraction, colonoscopy, etc. – and I’m sure you’d think I was crazy if I did! I’m not about to turn it down now, I’m just tiny bit whimpy like that ;)  That’s the best way I can explain it. After this child, if we continue to be blessed with more, I’m still open to going completely natural in the future based on how well this birth goes!

 

Q: Have you guys done maternity pictures and are you going to show them on here? ~Courtney

A: We did do pictures and I can’t wait to get them back and share them on here! As of right now, our gallery is still up with Robin Allen Photography. Click on the link, after the page opens up, click “Client Proofing”. Our password to our gallery is  “Stephanie” and it is case sensitive. You’ll then be able to click through all of our photos while the gallery is still available. I’m not a big fan of the ones where we’re dressed in black but I lovelovelove several of the others. The pictures in the gallery have not been re-touched, the ones we chose to order will be – I would much rather show you these for the first time after we’ve been photo shopped, but hey, we’re all non-judgmental friends here, right?

 

 

That’s all for Part 1 of the Q&A – if you even made it through all of that!!

Part 2 coming soon =)

~Stephanie