It's a boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We were so excited to find out.  That’s exactly what we wanted!!!  I think I willed him to be a boy… We had our sonogram on the 23rd of December so that was our Christmas present.  You couldn't slap the smile off of our faces when Dr. Webb told us.  Our actual delivery doctor is Dr Kennedy, but I don't think he does ultra sounds.  We've decided to name him Cooper Henry Witmer.  We just love the name Cooper for no reason, but Henry is Dad Witmer's first name and he passed it to Matt as Matt's middle name, so we've decided that we'd name Cooper with it as well.  I just love the idea of namesakes.  That's so neat and special! 

We had lots of fun during Christmas.  Cooper got his first Ole Miss outfit and bottle from my cousin Jason.  He got his first Bama outfit and booties from his Auntie Ann.  We had a shower on the 28th of December at Mrs Charlene's home in Alabama.  Annie hosted it and it turned out just perfect!  We received tons of awesome gifts.  Then when we got home Mom and Dad Witmer's present arrived!  Cooper's first furniture!  A Sweet Dreams Deluxe Pack n Play (Travel crib, bassinet, changing station, and play pen)  It is awesome...We put all the nice things we have received so far in the bassinet part so we can display them. 

My brain has flown far far away.  I don't know what's happen to it.  Although I read somewhere, where a pregnant woman's brain actually shrinks until like 18 months post partum.  We were in the grocery store the other night and I needed to get chicken broth for Veggie soup.  Matt waited with the buggy at the end of the aisle while I went to get a can.  I looked and looked and looked until I had to turn to Matt and ask; "What'd I need again?"  He gave me a "homey" look and went and got it for me.  Things like that have been happening a lot here lately. 

I had my first bout with Braxton Hicks contractions.  My belly was getting really - really tight and hard after I cleaned the whole house the other day and I freaked out.  Matt and I found out that it is just BH contractions and that that happens if you over do it sometimes.  So I guess I should settle it down!  They supposedly prepare your body for the real labor contractions throughout the end of your 2nd trimester and 3rd... Oh and I have frequent midnight cravings for crunchy peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwiches!!!! There is nothing better in the world....well other than bar-b-q with slaw on top...heh heh

26 Weeks 5 days - 23 January 2003

Everything seems to be moving right along.  My appetite has gotten a little bigger which is not to cool considering gaining a lot more weight is the last thing that I want to do.  At the last doctor's appt. Dr Kennedy weighed us in at 155 lbs!  I have never in my life weighed that much so it was a pretty big shocker when the nurse moved the weight from my usual 100 on the top bar to the 150 bar and then added 5 extra on the bottom bar.  It's like when they move the weight that far, you'll never be the same again.  

We went shopping at Babies R Us while we helped Patrick move in Birmingham.  We got the best diaper bag ever, a Baby Bjorn and lots of other things as well.  Matt kept throwing packages of sheets in the buggy.  He is really worried that every time Cooper looks at the crib cradle or pack n play that he is going to go over and pee on it...heh heh  I laughed so hard at him and his sheet obsession.  We also bought Cooper his first 2 pairs of Khaki short, which if you know me you know that I love khakis better than jeans any day.

Our Portable Crib came in the other day and Matt did such a great job putting it together.  Then the bedding for it came in a week later so we put all of that on there as well.  It a baby Jungle Animal theme, which is the cutest I could find for a little boy.  I'm not into trains planes and cars.... 

I am so glad that I rediscovered crunchy Peanut Butter toast.  I eat that every morning with a banana.  It makes me feel like I am eating healthy for Coopie.  I always worry that he won't have enough good stuff to eat from me.  Even though he gets everything he needs..it is my body that will suffer if I am lacking any important vitamins or anything.

Had to go and buy some sweat suits on Tuesday.  My biggest advice for anybody that is pregnant for the first time is: DO NOT GO OUT AND BUY A WHOLE NEW MATERNITY WARDROBE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW BIG YOU WILL GET OR IF YOU WILL EVEN WANT TO DRESS THAT WAY AT A CERTAIN POINT!  I bought TONS of cute in style maternity clothes from Motherhood, Target, Gap, Old Navy.  Then I hit "maximum capacity" and I could care less if I look cute...I just want to be comfortable.  My velour sweat suit is the best thing that I bought and now I wish I had ten of them and none of the other clothes. 

29 weeks 10 January 2003 - We finally started our Childbirth Classes last Monday.  They are ok...nothing special because I watch those Birth Day TV shows on Discovery Health Channel all day everyday.  All I know is that my rear end always ends up killing me because of those hard chairs.  VERY uncomfortable.  They keep telling us to pack our hospital bags....but I can't get motivated.  Plus I use my toothbrush, shampoo, etc everyday so how am I suppose to pack it up and sit it by the door?  Matt is so cute in the classes though.  He pays serious attention.  I keep zoning out so he has to bump me to make sure I'm paying attention.  Don't know why it happens, but my mind goes in a hundred different directions when I have to be quiet like in these classes.

Our last doctor's appt was January 31st.  We did another Glucose test and it turned out fine.  However, I now weigh a whooping 162lbs! Big Mama!  I don't really care though.  I will wait until Dr Kennedy gets very concerned before I do.  No need for added worries.

Our rocker comes in in about 5 weeks.  I can't wait...We ordered it at Baby Land in Tupelo.  That's a pretty nice store considering location.  We have gotten so much stuff so far.  We're really ready for Cooper to be here now.  We have gotten almost all the big stuff....Pack n Play Travel system (Mom & Dad Witmer), Cradle, Portable Crib, Sheets for all of those, Baby Bjorn (Annie), Ear Thermometer (Annie), Eddie Bauer Diaper Bag, Bath Tub, lots of little cutie clothes, Carter's Loose leaf Baby Book, Hamper, Daddy & Cyn are getting the Eddie Bauer Travel System (stroller) with Infant car seat, Diaper Genie (Dan & Patrick), Lots of Pittsburg Steelers Baby Things (Mom & Dad Witmer), and Carter's Baby Gym Play mat (so cute)!  We still need to get some of the smaller things, but I'm sure we'll take care of it before he gets here.

As for Cooper....he is still growing and growing.  His kicks and turns are harder but fewer.  I guess because he is getting bigger and my belly isn't keeping up like it should.  I'm sure it will do a great job of catch up in the next 2 1/2 months. 

Oh one last thing... I am reading the best Pregnancy book there ever was!  It's called The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine.  I laugh until I cry almost every time I read a chapter of it.  It is such a good depiction of pregnancy and it is very real.  Not to medical and doesn't try to spare your feelings like a lot of those books do.  I recommend it to EVERY pregnant woman! Or if your trying to get pregnant it's good too!   

18 February 2003 - 30 weeks 2 days - I was just reading about "this week in pregnancy" and realized that we are no doubt on the home stretch!  The third trimester isn't that bad when you think of what happens at the end of it.  Watching all these baby shows all day everyday is making me antsy!  I watch A Baby Story at 2pm and 2:30pm daily on TLC.  Those are the best one's and then there is Birth Day that comes on DHC almost all during the day on that channel.  Lot of reruns after I watched for a while.  Cooper's movements are so pronounced now that there is no doubt there is a big lil boy in there and I am ready to meet him!  He makes me laugh because he will get in a tight little ball at the very top my my abdomen right underneath my ribs and he will just poke out.  I know I look deformed when he does this, but that's alright, because it slows down my need to pee every 30 minutes when he is off my bladder like this.  I wonder sometimes which body part is making it's way across my belly...SOme people say they know what it is, but I haven't a clue....

Our childbirth classes are still going pretty good.  Our tour of the hospital is next week.  I'm glad too because I get tired of sitting there for the whole class.  Also there is a breastfeeding class next week on Thursday, but I don't think I will make it...It's Survivor night!  I told Matt to buy me a book and I'll self-educate. 

So I would like to know why anyone would rather hurt than not hurt when it comes to birth.  I want the epidural as soon as possible.  I HATE needles, but I HATE pain worse!  I wouldn't feel any better about myself if I didn't get meds to help me through.  I can imagine I would feel tired and in pain.  I wouldn't feel like Superwoman....I wouldn't want to feel like Superwoman....I want to feel like a mommy and that's it.

I have got to get a Maternity Pillow.  The belly is getting really heavy.  Can't lay on my side without it feeling like my belly is going to fall off. 

Belly Button is popping out now.  It started on the left and is making it's way out all the way around.  I also noticed a bunch of teeny tiny stretch marks on my hips....It's all this tub that I have added to my poor hips....heh heh

Matt bought Cooper some Alabama Gear at the mall yesterday.  He's got Bama socks, Bib, and a beanie hat now!

27 February 2003 - 31 weeks 4 days - Wow...I just ate the mother load piece of Baskin Robins Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Chocolate Cake that was purple.  It was just toooo tasty and I don't feel any remorse!  heh heh  Here is why:  Beginning after my last dr's appt 31Jan2003, I went on an "any kind of sweet food" strike.  I mean NO candy, chocolate, cake, ice cream... Why?  Well every time I go to the Doctor I have gained 7 lbs.  I haven't watched my weight during this entire pregnancy so 7lbs though it is VERY high, it is understandable.  Anyway I decided to see if I could be like a normal pregnant person and gain only 1 to 2 pounds between the 31 of Jan and the next appt Feb 24th.  After not eating my essential sweets for the past three weeks I stepped onto the scale full of confidence.  To my surprise, I went from weighing 152 to 169!  How many pounds is that??? 7 more lbs!  So exactly how much good did going on a Sweet food strike do me? Absolutely no good!  That is why I am not going to worry about it anymore!  If it is good I am going to eat it and I am going to pay dearly when I try to lose it all, but when is there another time in my life that I will have an excuse to eat any and everything I want.....

Either way the doctor's appt went well.  Our appts are very short so there isn't much to say about them.  Dr Kennedy looks a lot like Albert Einstein and I am not kidding a bit!  I think that's one reason I like him.  Plus he is just super sweet.  And he hasn't complained that much about my weight.  He gets a measurement and asks about Cooper (he even called him by name which was awesome), then we go pay and go home.  Next appt is March 10th.  We have started going every two weeks now.  Then at 35 weeks we start every week.  WOW it is so close.

I've got the robe and slippers and one gown for the hospital bag so far.  I am not going to pack it all the way yet cause I use most everything that I have to pack in there.  Toothbrush, shampoo, soap....how can I pack that now??

Something is crazy about my system....sometimes I just open up my mouth and a noise comes out.  It sounds like I say "Herpppp" and Matt looked at me the other day and said "HERP"....what is "HERP"?  I laughed so hard I "HERPED" again! 

Cooper is super active lately.  He is our little wiggle worm!  When he moves just a little you can see it on the outside.  I think he my be head down already because the sharp Cooper limbs I feel below my belly button feel much tinier than the ones above my belly button.  The ones up top feel like knees and feet and the ones at the bottom feel like elbows (they almost hurt).  He has almost gotten this belly button popped out.  It's more weird looking than completely popped out.  I just can't wait to meet him.  I can't wait to see what Matt and I look like when we are combined into one little baby.  Cooper should weigh in at about 3.5-4.3 lbs right about now (31 wks) and should be about 17 inches from head to tip of toes. 

I am so excited that the shower is this weekend.  The theme is Cooper...heh heh....It going to be blue and yellow gingham.  It is at Kirk's Grill from 2-4.  I finally have an outfit with shoes that fit these swollen things below my ankles....some might call them feet, but I ceased to have feet when I went from sz 6 shoes to a whole bigger size.

We toured the hospital at our last Childbirth class.  I am ready to check in now!  I think we did it to soon, so no I am very anxious.  Then I was thinking why they were showing us, the pregnant women, the tour of the hospital.  Why?  Well we are going to check in and go to a labor and delivery suite, where we will labor and deliver Cooper and the I will be wheeled on my bed to my room by a nurse.  I won't leave out of there until we are leaving the hospital, sooooooo then why should I know where anything is if I don't have to walk around the hospital???  Just a thought......