38 weeks!!!

YES! The best news of the day - we've been released from high risk care! I am thankful for the medical excellent medical care, but I'm very happy not to have to go back next week...unless it's to have a baby!

Two weeks of lower fluid levels! This week was up from last week but still in the normal range. 

Baby Woo's heartbeat  was normal as well. 

I have to attend an antenatal clinic on our due date if Baby Woo has not arrived by then & I'm penciled into the Day Unit's diary for 28th January which will be 10 days over due. Hopefully I won't need to keep either of those appointments. 

I got a mocha from Starbucks to celebrate & two tiny tubs of haagen dazs too =)

Yippee! 

Not Really Up To Much

Truman posing skillfully for my new camera! He's so handsome I can't stand it! 

 We had such a lovely Christmas as I told you about last time.With the exception of an ill-advised trip to Liverpool  I've been properly taking it easy and Mr Woo has been out for the count with a cold. Besides going to the hospital for my checks I've only ventured as far as the village shop. I know lots of people recommend walking as much as possible to help baby get into position...I just can't go very far. My whole bump gets rock hard and feels full of cramps that won't stop until I sit down. SO the walking option isn't a great one for me. 

Check the size of my 37 week bump and me with no makeup, at least my hair is clean!!!

Changing pad cover all cut out! 

I've tried to stay busy with a few little projects like a cover for the changing pad & some hair bows for Baby Woo. 

Baby Woo HAD to have at  least one leopard print bow! There's a little leopard accent on the silver bow too ;)

 Do you see my fab Union Jack pincushion??? It was a gift from Vicky,  from Alexandra's Wishes, for receiving my spouse visa a couple of years ago! She is so talented and so thoughtful! 

The gingham one is Baby Woo's Dorothy Gale bow! Like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz's dress and a red vintage button to hint at the Ruby Slippers :)
There's also the bright green one a nod to the Emerald City. 

 I must also show you the gorgeous bows Auntie Lindsay sent! I'll have an excuse to play with my new camera again! 

some more handsome poses by our little man, I know I'm a bit prejudiced, but he is incredibly cute!  

On my way to the shop! Oh my swollen nose & face....I've been assured it does go back to normal....right???

And it won't be long til my mom comes to visit! 

37 Weeks!

37 weeks! 

9 months and one week. 

wow. 

I am feeling it though. Feet that look like hams & a bladder that must resemble a sad little deflated balloon. With that being said, they're signs of my body getting near time for my sweet babe to arrive. I'm showing other signs too. I've felt a rush of hormones and can check off some of the typical things that should be happening at this point...but I'm too embarrassed to mention them by name! Just know all is well! 

I had my scan and monitoring yesterday. It was quite stressful just trying to get to the hospital, town was PACKED with people & the buses weren't running properly. Ya know those hormones I mentioned? Well by the time I decided to get a taxi to the hospital I was fighting back the tears. 

As usual Baby Woo's heart rate was great! One midwife who stuck her head through to check on us said the print outs looked "beautiful"! That's what I like to hear!
In the scan there were lots of smaller pools of fluid instead of the one big one we usually have, so the fluid measured smaller than it has been, by 3 cm! Very dramatic, but the midwife said we'd still need to come back next week as 2 weeks of lowered levels are required before we could be released from this high risk category. She seemed to think that the lower level had to do with the position Baby Woo was in. 

I'm being cautious. I don't want to get excited yet. I want to wait and see. 

Mr Woo & I had a wonderful, quiet, laid back, & yummy Christmas. 

He really spoiled me. I still can't believe it! Get ready to start seeing much nicer photos around here as I've been given a big fancy Digital SLR camera!!!!! I've wanted to replace my wonderful film camera for years but we've never had the money. I so wanted to get a decent camera before Baby Woo's arrival because I want to document EVERYTHING SHE DOES! Haha! And my incredibly sweet & thoughtful husband made my wish come true! He didn't stop there, he also got a vintage style digital radio/IPOD dock for me! 

I've been shopping for an ipod dock for a while as I want to bring music to the hospital for labor. I'd been hunting on ebay for a while but never saw anything I really liked. Wouldn't you know Mr Woo kept telling me the ones I was looking at weren't great and I should keep looking because he'd bought the most perfect one ever in secret! 

He is so thoughtful.

I love him so. 

Uncle Laurie (Mr Woo's brother) is also a very thoughtful man, he gave us a game system! Haha! I think it's a hilarious gift but very sweet. He said it's for the times when we need a break when baby comes. Mr Woo has already worked out how we can use it to watch BBC iplayer on the tv using the system and so on...he's very high tech. 

I just want to play some type of Mario Brothers :)

Gifts are LOVELY but the nicest part about our quiet Christmas we just spending the entire day together doing not much. We ate and laughed and played with our new game system. I felt totally relaxed (which for me is rare). We never even got out of our PJs! I'm really blessed to be married to such a good friend.

 It's pouring rain and very windy & cold at the moment. I'm so glad my midwife's appointment is only across the street. 

I'd better get showered and dressed for my check up! 

Ok....I'm really going now....

Merry Christ-Mouse To All!

36 weeks!

Another week has flown by and taken me into what should be my final month of pregnancy. 

I CAN NOT believe it! 

CHRISTMAS is in 4 days! 

Mr Woo is going to do the Christmas food shopping on Friday. We've decided to take it easy and graze all day rather than have a huge meal. It'll just be the two of us relaxing, eating yummy food and watching Christmas movies & enjoying our last Christmas as a family of 2. 

Another reason we're taking it easy is because I am struggling. I went to the hospital today for my scan to measure the amount of fluid in with the baby. 2 weeks ago I was diagnosed with Polyhydramnois , too much amniotic fluid. I was hoping it would have been reduced, buuuut, it has actually increased. It was 8.1cm last time and today it was 9.5 cm. 8cm is the top of the normal range at our hospital.
Because of the worry of heart defect, which could be one cause of polyhydramnois, I'm going to have to go the hospital once a week as an out patient to have Baby Woo's heart monitored and a scan taken to measure the fluid levels. 

Another possible cause is a birth defect which effects the baby's ability to swallow, but we won't know until she's born. The midwife seems to think that if there is a defect it would have been spotted by now in the ultrasounds. The other, according to the midwife, most likely reason for the extra fluid is that Baby Woo is growing well, that she's probably going to be a big baby so therefore more water is surrounding her. 

We just have to go to our appointments, wait and see. We're being well looked after. Today was a bit scary when I was sent in for fetal heart monitoring and I didn't understand why. Mr Woo has assured me that it's just to be careful & that we'll be fine. There is a possibility that Baby Woo could come early with some help from the doctors. I'd like to avoid induction if possible, but I'll do whatever is best for Baby Woo. 

Mr Woo did some research and is ordering me to rest and relax. So that's what I'm gonna do. 

Take it easy & enjoy the next few weeks!

Tomorrow is going to be a big baking day! I will be taking lots of breaks lots of taste tests ;)

We're getting together with our friends who are coming home for Christmas. We usually meet up in the pub but this year we've been invited to a more formal get together! 

So I'm bringing cookies!!!! 

The Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies are by special request, our host loves them!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate Espresso Snow Caps 

and 

Rolo Turtles!

and maybe

Salted Chocolate Shortbread Cookies! 

Here's to rest and goodies!
I've got a pint of Mince Pie ice cream in the freezer as a special treat too! 

Hope you're well and ready for the big day! 

xoxoxo