Week 38

What a busy Week 38 it has been!! I had my weekly doctor’s appointment as usual. They did another ultrasound to make sure baby was still growing on track, and to check my amniotic fluid level. They also did a cervix check to see if I had dilated any. Overall, baby is right on progress! They said she is head down, and really low, so that is all good news!

Denny and I also took an Infant CPR class. It was one of the many classes I had signed us up for, but definitely one of the most beneficial. This class taught us what to do if in case the baby is found unresponsive or if choking occurs. I know it might seem over the top with all the baby classes, but I would rather be prepared and know what to do in case of an emergency versus the alternative of having something go wrong, and not knowing what to do. I highly recommend any expecting couples taking this class together, so that you have the tools and knowledge necessary if you ever find yourself in one of these situations.

One “symptom” or “instinct” that a lot of women experience later in their pregnancy is called “nesting.” Nesting is when you have the urge to clean almost everything in sight. I think the nesting instinct definitely took over me this week. I went from doing laundry to cleaning bottles, to cleaning out the fridge and even my makeup bag!

I still have an entire list that I need to finish, but it’s almost like an obsession! I just want everything in order and done before baby’s arrival, so I don’t have anything to deal with afterwards.

On Saturday, I took a breastfeeding class. This was another great class to take! I thought it would be a little over the top, but it was very informative. They gave great information on proper latching, feeding schedules, and even pumping. I was surprised by all the guys in the class too! Even though Denny didn’t go, I think it’s very beneficial if your partner goes. Breastfeeding is a huge commitment, and one that you need all the support you can get. I think if your partner has a good understanding of what you are going through and is supportive of your choice to breastfeed, you are more than likely to stick with it than someone who isn’t. So dads don’t be afraid of the breastfeeding class if your wife asks you to go :) It’s definitely a team effort!

I also packed the hospital bag and my diaper bag this week! I was supposed to pack it a couple weeks ago, but I am guilty of procrastinating. So finally it is done! I went online and composed a big list of all the little lists I found on Pinterest and other websites. I believe we have everything we need, but knowing us I will get to the hospital and forget something!

We got the car seats installed too! We went to our local fire station who installs them for you, to make sure they were done right. If you are new parents like us, and don’t really know what you are doing when it comes to car seat installation; I highly recommend going to your local fire department where they can teach you, and show you the proper way to install it. I learned more in the 30 minutes of the fire chief teaching me than I would have in probably the 3 hours of frustration I would have caused myself if trying to do it solo with the directions from the box. The fire department usually designates a day where they dedicate to putting in car seats, and if they are going to do it right, why not get it done there! And it’s free! I am so appreciative that they showed us, and now I know how to do it right when we have to put it in the rental every week at the track!

Anyways it is finally getting down to the wire, and I am ready to pop! If Baby H doesn’t come this week, look forward to next week’s blog!

Xoxo

Jordan

Week 37

On Thursday I had my weekly doctor’s appointment. My doctor was concerned because my belly was measuring smaller than average, so she called for an ultrasound. The ultrasound tech measured the size of the baby and my amniotic fluid. Baby H is measuring a lil on the small side, but nothing to be concerned about. The results showed that I was measuring in the Week 35 range. I thought this would change my due date, but that is not the case. As long as she is healthy, that is all that matters to the doctors and me. My amniotic fluid was measuring low too, but again nothing to be worried about. My doctor just recommended that I be drinking lots of water and getting my rest. 

The rest of the week, I spent a lot of time doing last minute touches on the nursery, and getting the entire house ready! I have gotten a lot of help from my family and friends. WARNING: If you offer me help, I will put you to work ;) Seriously! Ha, my sisters know this because they feel like worker bees whenever they come over! From doing laundry, to screwing holes in the wall; I have an entire baby workshop going on at the house! I can’t tell them enough how much I appreciate their help though, because it is all paying off! Here is just a taste of the nursery so far.. What do you think?

 

If baby hadn’t dropped yet, I definitely think she has dropped now. I have been experiencing a lot of lower back pain, and also some sciatica nerve pain. Sciatica nerve pain is when baby is puts pressure on the nerve, and usually the pain starts at your lower back and shoots down one of your legs. My pain has been mainly on my right side, so I believe she is positioned more on that side because that is also the side I normally sleep on.

New Year’s Eve was on Monday, and it was pretty low key for us. We had dinner with some friends at Red Rocks, then came home and watched the ball drop :) Oh the life of pre parenthood! 

 

Actually it was exactly what I wanted to do. Just a nice relaxing night at home with the dogs and Denny… nowhere else I would rather be.

On Wednesday, I had my “last supper” with my prego girlfriends.  Well probably not the last, but more than likely the last one where I will be pregnant at. I am so glad that I reached out to these girls, because not only did we bond over our pregnancies, but I have a feeling we will become long time friends. We are all going through considerably one of the biggest changes in our lives, and when our babies get here, we will have that much more to bond over. I am so glad I have met such good girls to be friends with, and I look forward to raising our children together. :)

If I don’t have the baby next week, stay tuned for Week 38 blog!

Until next time..

Jordan

Week 36

This week marked an important milestone during my pregnancy. It’s the last week until I am full term!  Not only that, but I had my last day at work on Thursday before I take my maternity leave. I have the holidays off, and probably won’t be returning before the baby gets here. So it was a bittersweet day.

Knowing that I’m leaving is sad because I have made so many great memories at NMG, but also knowing that the baby will be here soon makes me hopeful and happy :) It’s a new chapter, but a good one.

This weekend, we spent a lot of time setting up the nursery and getting everything together. Putting the sheets on the crib, getting the changing table ready, setting up the baby monitor… etc. We also put together the stroller. Aka the biggest pain in the you know what since I don’t know when. But after we got it set up, it’s pretty easy to use and that’s all we really care about.

On Sunday, we went to Christmas Service at Elevation Church in Charlotte. I always love their service, because it’s not your typical sit down church service. It’s always a production, and they have a great worship team! My family, Denny and I really enjoyed ourselves. Afterwards, my mom, sister and I went to Buy Buy Baby to finish my baby registry. We got a lot of stuff from our baby showers, but there were still a lot of items we needed to purchase on our own. We went through every aisle and stocked up on everything! From the diaper pail to breastfeeding supplies, I think we got it all!

Speaking of breastfeeding… I am going to give it my best shot. My mother never breastfed, and neither did Denny’s, but reports say it is really good for baby’s immune system. At least for six months or so. A lot of new moms have told me if you can get past the second week, it gets so much easier. So I am going to give it all I can. If any of you have experience with breastfeeding, please feel free to leave comments on coping mechanisms and tips for successful techniques. I am taking a class next weekend, so we will see how it goes!

Not only did we do a lot for baby this week, but we had Christmas! I love the holidays, and knew that when Christmas got here, our baby would be just right around the corner! We probably watched every Christmas movie there is to watch, and I spent a lot of time wrapping gifts and getting the house cleaned. We just had a nice day spending it with family and loved ones. It was a really special day knowing that this is the last Christmas we will have just the two of us.

Well maybe the four of us.. How cute are our fur babies in their holiday get ups?? :)

To end the week, the sofa for the nursery shipped! It was the last major item I was waiting for so I could finish the room. It pulled everything together!! I finally feel like everything is coming to a close. My pregnancy… the nursery…the holidays… Now from here on out it is just a waiting game to see when she comes! And she can come at any time!

If she doesn’t come this coming week, stay tuned for next week’s blog!

Xoxo

Jordan

Week 35

This week I started my weekly doctor appointment visits. At my visit this week, they gave me a Tdap shot.  The Tdap shot (aka the pertussis vaccine) is a one time vaccination in adults that is suppose to help protect against whooping cough and other highly serious and contagious diseases. I also got tested for Strep B, which I was later confirmed negative for. My doctor also took my blood pressure, and measured my belly as usual at this appointment. Other than our first confirmatory appointment, and our anatomy scan, my doctor’s appointments have been pretty normal. In the next few weeks, they should be getting more in depth, as they will probably start to check my cervix to see if baby has dropped, or to see if I have dilated any.

On Friday, I took some maternity photos :) I have wanted to take some forever, and this week was the perfect time to! I can’t wait to see how they turned out! I have also been taking photos month by month in the same spot, just to track and see how BIG I have gotten over time. Here is a sneak peak pic at month 8! After she comes, I will have to post a photo time lapse of my pregnancy from the beginning to post baby.

My glider and crib finally shipped! I am so excited, and I can’t believe how everything is coming together! It seems like production was on a standstill, but with my crib finally here, I can be put to ease knowing she will at least have a place to sleep!

I spent a lot of time this week going through shower gifts and putting everything away. I got all her clothes together, and started washing them as well. Who knew you had to wash clothes before you wear them? And let me tell you.. this girl has a lot of clothes already! And she isn’t even here yet! 

Our system at work was under some maintenance this week, so I spent a lot of my time writing thank you cards. And boy let me tell you there were a lot of people to thank! Not only family and friends from our showers, but from fans like you!

We are incredibly grateful for all the baby gifts that you guys have sent to us through Denny’s fan club. If you have sent us a gift, but have not gotten a thank you card from me personally, please leave a comment below, and I will be sure to send you one! It’s the least I can do :)

Next week is Christmas, and I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by! I think I am almost done with all my shopping, but it has been crazy with trying to prepare for baby as well!

Until next time!

Xoxo

Jordan

Week 34

This week consisted of a lot of preparation for the baby. I had my Childbirth prep class this weekend, and I can’t believe how much information there was to learn about the entire labor and delivery process! We learned everything that happens from the point of contractions to up to a few weeks after delivery. I even learned different swaddling techniques, and even how to wash and diaper a baby properly. Even though it was a long day, it was a very informative class, and I am glad I went because I learned a lot.

On Sunday, my sister threw me a Christmas themed baby shower for my family and girlfriends! Linsey did a great job putting it all together! She got the cutest invitations made, and the cake was even made to look exactly like them!

 

 

I even got some fun gifts! One of them was a diaper baby cake that was made to look like me! How creepy is this?! Maybe I don’t want her to look like me :/

 

 

I was completely blown away by my shower, and how detailed everything was. My sister and family did a great job, and went above and beyond any expectations I had. I am so blessed to have family and friends who love me, and I felt truly special.

 

After the shower, my mom, sisters, and a couple girlfriends came over and helped me unload and unpack all the gifts. We took everything upstairs to the baby’s room, and we organized it all (for the most part)! We got a lot of stuff, but we needed it because it is going to both the nursery and the motorhome. I can’t believe everything is all finally coming together!

 

On Tuesday, we went car seat/stroller shopping. I didn’t realize all the different car seat/stroller combinations there were.  If you are having a baby, I highly recommend going to the store and trying out each one. You need to “test drive” them to see which one best suits you. For us we wanted something that works with how much we travel. I also wanted something that was light enough that I could carry on my own without much effort. There were so many options, but after a long and tedious two hours we finally decided on the best car seat/stroller combo that fits our lifestyle. 

 

On Wednesday, aka 12-12-12, my friend Scott from high school and his wife Amber had their beautiful daughter! Amber was only three weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy, and she delivered a couple weeks early. I have been stalking her Facebook page to see if she had the baby yet, because I knew after she had hers, I was up next! In just a couple weeks I will be full term, and I can’t even imagine having a baby in three weeks like Amber! Anyways their daughter is absolutely beautiful, and I hope my labor and delivery goes just as smooth as hers went!

 

Until next time..

 

Jordan

Week 33

On Friday, I hitched a flight with Delana Harvick to Vegas so we could go to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Banquet. Denny and Kevin had to leave early, and since I had to work and Delana had Keelan, it worked out perfect that she was able to pick me up. With her being a new mom, and me becoming a mom, we had plenty to talk about! From her labor and delivery, to nursery themes, to what products that worked best for her– it was nice to pick her brain a bit.  A lot of people think all the wives and girlfriends are super close and all best friends, but this was actually the first time I was able to sit and talk with her. She is such a sweet and strong woman, and an incredible mom!

As soon as we landed, I had to start getting ready for the banquet! The Banquet is live, so we had to be ready to go a lot earlier than normal. I got my hair done at the hotel, and did my own make up. I am somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to my make up, so even if someone else had done it, I probably would have washed it all off anyways, and done it myself! I ended up choosing an off the rack dress I found at Neiman Marcus. It was actually not maternity, but it suited me perfectly. I wanted something simple and elegant, and I think I found just that in this dress. Not to mention I had the best looking date of the night, but I am somewhat biased. ;)

Denny and I had a great time, and we really enjoyed the evening. I especially liked the performances of Phillip Phillips and Natasha Bedingfield/Lifehouse. Here is a pic of me and my girls!

Even though I am 8 months pregnant, I had a really good time in Vegas! There wasn’t a lot for me to do considering I can’t really go out to a club and shopping has become incredibly depressing, but I still managed to have a good time! It was a nice little getaway, but I am glad to be home. :)

 

On Monday, we had our coed baby shower! All of our common friends came over to the house, and we had a blast! During the first half of the shower we ate dinner from our favorite restaurant Red Rocks, and we played some fun shower games! My girlfriends went above and beyond any expectations I had for the shower. There was even a full candy bar! They are the best!

 

The guys participated in a couple fun shower games. The first game was a beer chugging contest… through a baby bottle! The second game was a blind folded diaper changing contest, and believe it or not, Denny won! What?!?! Now there is no excuse for not wanting to change diapers ;)

 

After the shower games were over, the guys played cards and watched the football game while the girls unwrapped gifts! Our friends threw us an an amazing shower, and we are so grateful to have them in our lives! We are going to have one spoiled lil girl!

 

It was a very eventful week to say the least, and only going to get busier, as my weeks are progressing faster and faster!

 

Can’t believe we are coming close to the end! Stay tuned for next week’s blog!

 

Jordan

Week 32

We had Thanksgiving this past week, and it was so nice to have both my family and Denny’s family together in one place. Denny’s mom came over and made the turkey, and practically the whole dinner. I wanted to make a dish, but ended up contributing apples with caramel dip instead. :) I don’t know if I was a messy eater before, or if it’s just more prominent now that I have a huge belly to catch every crumb that falls into my lap, but I definitely was the pig at Thanksgiving. Everyone got a good joke out of it, and we had a great time!

Here’s a shot of Linsey and I putting together some furniture for the nursery! Nice face Jordan!

This year, I definitely have a lot to be thankful for. I know I have been guilty of comparing my own life to others, and find myself often thinking.. why can’t I have what they have? But I am truly blessed. I have a great job, an amazing supporting family, great friends, a roof over my head, a loving boyfriend, and a gorgeous baby girl on the way. What else could I ask for? This year I am going to challenge myself to have a new and grateful attitude. Sometimes I complain about my schedule and how busy life can be with work and traveling all the time, but Denny and I are so lucky to get to do what we do. And if it wasn’t for you guys, we wouldn’t be able to live the lives we have. So thank you :)

On Friday, we went in for our last 3D/4D ultrasound. I think our last ultrasound was around 26 weeks, but this time, she was just so much more developed! She was opening and closing her eyes, sticking her tongue out, and she even gave us a little smile! :) She also has a nice set of full lips, and some chunky chipmunk cheeks! It was so cool to see her at this stage, because I’m sure it will be some of the same facial expressions we will get to see when we meet her in person.  

I finally ordered the sofa for the nursery! I had gone online and seen a lot of nursery rooms decorated as lounges. I thought that was neat considering that if Denny or myself wanted to lie down and take a nap in the nursery while she is sleeping we could. Here is a sneak peak pic at some of the pillows and fabrics we chose! 

 

And of course I had to go shopping for all the great after-Thanksgiving sales! How cute is this leopard dress for next fall? I am a leopard fanatic!!

xoxo

Jordan

Week 31

I started Week 31 in beautiful Miami! I love Miami every year, not only for the sunny weather, but because it is the last race of the season :) Don’t get me wrong, I love the race season, but it can get a tad strenuous traveling each and every weekend. So it’s no wonder I have been looking forward to this off-season especially with all the baby preparation that still needs to be done.

While in Miami, Denny’s Mom, Mary Lou, threw me my first baby shower over the weekend! She got a lot of ladies from the track to come, and she did a fabulous job putting it all together! We decorated baby onesies, the girls guessed my tummy size, and Mary Lou even had a racing themed diaper cake! It’s not often that the girls are able to get together and hang out outside from the racetrack, so it was nice change of pace ;)

One fun thing that happened this week is the baby got hiccups! Every now and then my belly will get this repetitive thump, almost like a slow heartbeat. At first I thought it was the baby’s heartbeat until I read somewhere that it is actually the baby having hiccups! I sat my phone on my stomach and you could really see what was happening. The phone would jolt every couple of seconds, almost like it was on vibrate. It was a pretty cool thing to actually see versus just feeling it.

Sunday was a bittersweet day. Not only because it was the last race of the season, and Denny’s birthday, but it was also the last time at the track it would be just the two of us before the baby gets here. It’s so surreal to think that the next time we go out to pit road, we will be carrying our daughter out there with us too. It’s a nerve racking, but an exciting feeling as well. :)

I was hoping Denny could pull out a win for his birthday, and I hated that he didn’t get the finish he wanted, but I cannot tell you how proud I am of him and his team this year. From starting out with a brand new crew chief, and coming out with five wins in their first season together is an accomplishment in itself. It’s a true testament to how committed and hard working the 11 team is, and I think this season was just a taste of all the great things that are to come for this team.

Anyways, I can’t believe it is finally the off-season! So much to do in so little time! Eeeek!

Thanks for reading!

Jordan

Week 30

Welcome to Week 30!

Well… I thought my sickness was over and done with, but I was wrong. I was slightly motion sickness before I got pregnant, and realized that it only got worse being pregnant.  Phoenix was a looooong flight. I rode on the team plane, so 3.5 hours, break to fill plane for gas, and another 3.5 hours… Total runtime=close to 8 hours. Well anyways, on the second half of the flight, we had a little bit of turbulence to say the least, and I got sick. :( It was the first time I’ve been sick in a couple months, so hopefully it will be the last! 

While also in Phoenix, Mary Lou and I went banquet dress shopping, and let me tell you what a challenge it was! My belly is getting bigger and bigger every week, so trying to find a dress that not only looks good on me, but is comfortable and has some wiggle room is difficult to find. But overall, I think we found some good options! Here is one I found!

 

While we were shopping, I came across some strollers. Denny and I haven’t really chosen a stroller just yet. I have been doing tons of research online and watching reviews on YouTube to find the ideal stroller/car seat system.  But with us doing so much traveling, we really need one that is efficient for our lifestyle. So if you have any suggestions please leave a comment below! 

 

I have a few pregnancy apps on my phone, and one of them as a really good timeline of how/what to prepare for before baby gets here. I saw that in just four weeks, we are supposed to pack our hospital bag! Oh my goodness! I can’t believe how fast this is flying by! It seemed like just yesterday we found out, and now we are supposed to pack our hospital bag?! We haven’t even gotten our nursery furniture yet! But I guess that just means she will be here before we know it!

Until next time!

xoxo

Jordan

Week 29

On Thursday, my prego friends and I went and had dinner again! It was so good to see the girls, and see how far everyone is progressing in their pregnancy. We talked about where we all are registered, our upcoming showers, and hospital classes we had signed up for. Luckily, my friend Melissa is due around the same time as me, and her and her husband signed up for the same childbirth prep class as us, so we will have some company. :)

I found out another weird pregnancy craving.. deviled eggs! Ha, I never like them before; I actually despised them, but ever since my Aunt put them in a salad for me, I really want them. So I when I went to lunch this week, I picked some up! Soooo good!

 

 

I have also noticed that my abdominal muscles, or lack there of, are sore on the sides. Since the baby is getting bigger, and heavier, and the fact that I sleep on my side at night has caused her to really stretch out my muscle and make it quite sore during the day. I’m in that part of my pregnancy where I am starting to get uncomfortable. 

 

While in Texas, you may have noticed me holding a baby during pre race.. LOL no I didn’t have mine already. I was holding Yolanda and Darian’s daughter Gabriella. Yolanda and Darian have been great role models for Denny and myself. They have a nice balance between family and racing, and we aspire to be parents like them someday. Here is me holding baby G; even though I think the first time I ever held her she screamed her head off, but I think I am starting to get the hang of this thing..

 

 

 

I also want to thank those of you who got Denny and I baby gifts. It is so very thoughtful of you, and we seriously don’t expect anything. I did have to share this t-shirt that Leiya Brewer and her daughter Madison made for us.. How cute is this???

 

 

Sorry this blog post was a little late and on the short side, but with the chase coming to a close, everything has been getting a little crazier! I promise to update more on a regular basis, especially with the off season coming up :) 

 

Thanks again guys for reading, stayed tuned for Week 30!

 

Jordan