Joshua Casen Nichols

Little Casen is here. We are so excited. More pics to come : )

T Minus 1 Day to Go

So tomorrow is the Big I Day (Inducement Day). I think something has been trying to happen since Sunday afternoon, but I'm pretty sure I'll have to wait until tomorrow now.
Here's a few things that have occurred in the past couple days:

1. There's something about cats. Yesterday, I asked my doctor about the baby's heartbeat and when it gets slower. He told me that it's so fast because it's so small (don't laugh if you knew this - I did not : ) Once the baby is bigger, the heart rate will slow down like mine. Then he said, "You know like cats - they are little so their heartbeats are really fast too." What?! Why cats? (See earlier post if you are totally confused.)
2. I'm pretty sure I've been having some contractions. For your first baby, it really is hard to know for sure if that's what you are feeling.
3. I walked like a mad woman yesterday (3.5 miles throughout the day). I'm pretty sure I had some intense contractions (at least the most intense up to this point) as a result.
4. I have a great husband who is going to be an awesome coach in the labor room. He calmed me down last night, and the pain was a lot more bearable. He even got me laughing some in between the pains.
5. My dreams are going back to normal. Kinda. Ever since I've started showing in my pregnancy, I've been pregnant in my dreams. It's like I never was NOT going to be pregnant in them again (or maybe even in real life). Last night, I had a dream that the baby had dropped so much, my stomach looked almost flat. In another dream, about half the time, I wasn't pregnant anymore. It's funny how my mind is starting to adjust to the idea that I won't be pregnant for much longer.
6. God keeps reassuring me that He's in control. It's amazing how I'll be concerned or worrying about something, and then somebody (e.g. a doctor, a family member, a friend, etc.) will encourage me. Each occurrence that comes to mind came at a perfect time with perfect words. We serve such a loving Heavenly Father.

41 Weeks

Yes, no baby yet. We now receive random calls or emails asking us if we've had the baby yet. I think we both were grumpy this past week - tired of people asking us or giving us advice. People at church and school and work are telling us all the old wives' tales that will help you go into labor. Here's what I've heard:
1. Drink castor oil. (uh, no thanks, I'm not that desperate.)
2. Eat spicy food. (done that-check.)
3. Eat pizza. (what?! but yes, done that-check.)
4. Go for a bumpy ride. (haven't done a long one, but I've been bumped around in the car riding lately so done that halfway-half check.)
5. Go for a walk. (I tell people, "I've been walking for 3 weeks now.")

We both got good sleep last night so we are in a good mood today. We try to stay busy so we're not just sitting around waiting for baby.

The pictures of me are right before we went to the gym today. I walked my mile and feel pretty good. For several days now, that's my typical outfit - workout pants and one of Josh's shirts. All my maternity clothes are now tight on me.

This past week I've been starving. It's like I'm in my first trimester again. One night this past week, Josh told me the group he was running was ordering pizza to eat. I called him when I thought the group was over to ask if there was any pizza left. (Pizza sounded soooo good.). Of course, he was still in group thinking he needed to answer the phone because it might be baby time. I could hear everybody laughing when he replies, "Uh, yeah there's 2 slices left." I was embarrassed. But not too much - I told him to bring them home for me to eat.

When Does a Baby Arrive?

I was flipping channels during lunch today and came across the end of a documentary about babies. These scientists were studying a baby's sense of smell. They found that babies can recognize their parents' scents. They also found that a baby recognizes and "prefers" smells of food that his/her mother ingested frequently while in the womb. I had read about other studies that suggested this finding.
What caught my attention when I was flipping channels though was how your body knows it's time for labor to begin. Some of it has to do with the woman's hormone levels which I had read about. They also know now that when a baby's lungs are finished developing, the baby releases a protein. This protein, when it hits the uterine wall, sends a signal to start contractions. That's why most babies are born with their lungs fully developed. I thought that was interesting. It also made me a little more patient (just a little mind you ha!) waiting on Baby Nichols. Maybe his lungs are just finishing up their development.

Today's Bible Reading

Some of my bible reading this morning was from Hosea.
I read, "The people have been offered new birth, but they are like a child who resists being born. How stubborn they are! How foolish!" Hosea 13:13
Baby Boy Nichols are you listening? : )

Baby Everhart

April and Clint had their baby yesterday! Heidi Beth weighed 7.6 lbs and is doing well. Mom is doing well too. Congrats to the whole family!!!
I'm so thankful for internet. I was sent these pictures by April who got them from another friend of the Everharts. Maybe my next post will be pictures of my baby : )

Due Date

So today was my due date, but no baby! I pretty much finished up the scrapbook I've been keeping for Baby Boy (at least what I can do for now). I realized how big my stomach has gotten from the pictures we've taken. I wonder how big he is...

I have a doctor's appointment Monday so maybe I'll have some good news that I'm progressing. We'll see!

On a happier note, my best friend April Everhart (who lives in Germany) is at the hospital either having her baby or has already had it. I thought maybe our babies would have the same birthdays. I guess we'll have to settle for them having them close together.

Sales Rep

Q: How do you know when a sales representative is in the Science Building?

A: She greets you with a hello and a warm smile as you walk by. Nobody is that happy or friendly in the Science Building.

Ok, so that might be a slight exageration, but today as I walking through the Biology building, I ran into a sales rep. They are just like drug reps - they are super friendly and dressed very nicely. Sales reps here though stand out differently. The contrast is quite large. You have attractive, friendly sales reps vs. tired-looking grad students in sweats. Hmmm.....

39 Weeks

I'm 39 weeks now - yay! Everyday I think he's as low as he's going to drop, and then in the morning I'm surprised that he's dropped some more. Maybe he'll arrive sometime this week. The blue shirt I'm wearing in the picture was my mom's when she was pregnant with me.

Fun Saturday!

I had a good day on Saturday. I felt good and kept busy which is the best at this point. Josh and I went for my belated birthday lunch with our friends Jennifer and Nic. I picked to go to Red Lobster (I'm still on my seafood kick). Josh behaved this time with the crab legs (see a post from August to see "CrabBoy"). We had a good visit.
While Josh went to the OSU basketball boys' Texas Tech game, I went home and rested and slept. Then we both went to the girls' OSU basketball game against OU. It was a great game - it was sold out, we won, and one our girls set a record of having the 2nd most scores in an OSU basketball game. Pretty fun. Josh ran into his old high school baseball coach and his family (their sons were our ring bearers), and we had fun with our friends we sat with too.

My Birthday

I had a great birthday this year. Baby Boy did not steal my birthday (though I wouldn't have cared too much by this point). Since Josh had to work late, we went to breakfast at IHOP. Of course, it was yummy! Then I came home and opened up some gifts from Sheri (Josh's mom) and Josh. Between those gifts and all the cards and gifts I've received in the mail, I made out like a bandit this year! I feel so blessed.

Observations from a Big Pregnant Lady

1. Strangers, especially men, are usually very nice, polite, and friendly when they see that I'm pregnant.

2. It's still wierd though for a total stranger man to tell me, "Congratulations!" as he passes by, first looking at my tummy and then my face.

3. People can tell when you are tired of being pregnant. I guess they read the tiredness and pain on my face. Then they tell me about it.

4. Many people think that once you're close to your due date, all topics of conversation are fair game. Especially strangers or people you don't know well at all. My friend said, "It's like when you get married...some people think that all topics about sex are okay now to bring up."
i.e. their labor stories, how they were able to get labor going, wierd analogies of the birth, gross stories about the birth, questions if you will have an epidural and will you breastfeed, lectures about why they did what they did and why it's the best thing to do

5. People like to comment that I'm still pregnant. They also like to ask why I haven't had the kid yet or when I will.

6. Some people just don't know what to say, but feel they must say something. Hence, I had the following conversation today in the chemistry building:

A Chemistry Professor: There you are incubating. So you are really big.

Me: Uh, yeah. I'm due in 9 days.

The Chemistry Professor: Yeah, you're almost there. You're really big.

Me: Yeah, I think he'll be a big baby. Both Josh and I were big babies. We were around 9 lbs each.

The Chemistry Professor: That's like a cat! It's like you have a cat inside you.

Me: Uh, Yeah I guess. (As I decide it's time to walk away because who knows what I will be told next.)

The Chemistry Professor: Well, you really are big. (As he's following me .).....at least it's all in the front though.

Me: Uh, thanks. (I turn to the opposite direction.)

And that's my life with other chemists. (sigh)

38 Weeks

Here's the latest picture of me at 38 weeks. When oh when will Baby Boy Nichols arrive???

Padme Has a Cow Now

For those of you who have met our dogs Newman and Padme, you also know about Newman's cow. When he was a puppy, he found this cow pillow in our closet. He's nursed on it ever since. It's been washed, restuffed, and sewn several times, but now it's just a tattered carcass. Well, awhile back, Mamaw (my grandma) sent us a box of her dog's old toys. There was a cow toy that would "moo" (actually it sounded like a groan). Newman played with it a bit for awhile, and then it got left in our garage for a long time. A couple of days ago, Padme found the cow in the garage and brought it inside. It's been hers ever since. When she comes inside the house now, that's the first thing she goes to get out of the basket. It's quite odd because she doesn't really play with toys; she rarely plays in general. Apparently though she wanted a cow for herself.

Happy Anniversary!

We celebrated 7 years of marriage on Sunday. It's flown by! We went and watched National Treasure, and I managed NOT to have to get up and go to the bathroom the whole movie. Of course, I had to hurry there afterwards and some nice lady must have seen the desperation in my eyes because she let me go ahead of her in line. Both Josh and I haven't eaten fast food in a few weeks and were wanting some Sonic. So yep, that's what we got for our anniversary. Haha We'll probably go out for a nice meal later at a restaurant. I've heard we should go before we have the baby, but that would involve me dressing in normal clothes (aka not pajamas or sweats) so we'll see.