34 Week Maternity pictures

On Wednesday November 25, I had my husband take some maternity pictures of me at a local park.  My husband is definitely not a photographer, but he did a good job taking these.  With all the pregnancies I have had, I never got professional pictures taken of me while pregnant.  So we tried to do as professional as possible.

Baby Shower and pregnancy update

My wonderful church friends gave a baby shower for me on November 14.  One of the ladies made an awesome Italian creme cake with a Texas Longhorns theme.  She did an awesome job and it tasted so yummy.  I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends in my church who have supported Thomas and I with our girls and now Brandon.

Yummy Italian Creme cake

Yummy food for the shower

Picture of me at 32 weeks and on the day of my baby shower:

32 weeks (11/14/15)

Below is a picture of me at 33 weeks.  I sure am getting big!!!

33 weeks (11/20/15)

I haven't taken the 34 week picture yet, but I am finally 34 weeks!!!  I'm so glad to be at 34 weeks and knowing that Brandon will be ok if he were to be born soon.  In fact my doctor doesn't think I will go much longer since Brandon is already 7 pounds!  He is going to be a big boy!  I had an ultrasound done a couple of days ago and he is looking good despite the spina bifida.  He is definitely growing and moving.  We even saw him move his ankles which is a very good sign.  The sonographer said the spina bifida defect was at L5.  We were told it was at L3-4 in past ultrasounds from a different doctor so hopefully it is at L5 which is lower and better.  We will just have to wait and see when he is born to find out exactly where it is at.  So we are just waiting for Brandon to be born.  I hope to go one more week and make it to 35 weeks....

31 Week Update

The time is flying by and I'm already 31 weeks with baby boy!  The second trimester seemed to go slow but since getting into the third trimester time is going so fast.  I'm getting so big with this boy!  I am much bigger at this point than I was when I was pregnant with Kayla at 31 weeks.  He is bigger than Kayla was at 31 weeks and is weighing roughly 4 pounds already!  I do have some extra amniotic fluid as well so that is also contributing to the large belly.

31 Weeks

   

I saw my new doctor last week and nothing really new to report.  I will go back to see the doctor next week.  I had to switch doctors due to baby boy's spina bifida.  I will be delivering at Memorial Hermann Hospital instead of Women's hospital due to needing to deliver him at a hospital with a good neurosurgeon.  Women's hospital just didn't have a neurosurgeon to do the surgery he will need when he is born.  We already met with baby boy's neurosurgeon and are happy with him.  I miss my other doctor (Dr. Pinell) at Women's hospital, but I have to do what is best for baby boy.

We have already decided on a name for baby boy!  His name will be Brandon Thomas Stansel.  Thomas is a family name as my dad and my husband are named Thomas.  As for the name Brandon well I just liked it.  

Slowly but surely I am working on his nursery.  He will get the same crib that Kayla had and his room will be Kayla's room.  Kayla is moving to our guest bedroom which is bigger so it all works out.  Brandon's nursery theme is sports as daddy loves sports!  Its been fun shopping for a boy this time around.

So things are just moving along and we continue to pray for Brandon and his health.  On the most part I'm optimistic, but there are times I get so discouraged and sad.  We love this boy already and are excited to see him.  Hoping to make it to 37 weeks as that will be the best for him to be ready for the surgeries he will have to endure.