35 1/2 week update

35 1/2 week update Tammy: 

This is a picture of me at my friend Taylor's swanky downtown loft. We went to grab some lunch and go to Whole Foods. It was sprinkling at first and then started to pour. We had a great day chatting and selling some of her furniture (she is moving to Montreal this Spring because her husband will be doing a fellowship in Plastic Surgery). She has a sweet baby girl. Here is a picture of them at a Halloween party. Taylor is super crafty and made their sweet peacock outfits! <3



Baby G seems to be dropping. Due date is December 1st, but you will not hear me complaining if he comes anytime around 37 weeks on....not late....fingers crossed. I am having to wake up in the middle of the night a good 4 times. I really think this is priming me for the lack of sleep and the frequency I will have to wake up for feedings. Phew! No real big complaints this week. My feet swelled for the first time, but Matt was a good hubby and rubbed them and my legs. They felt much better and they seem to be doing well now!

Wonderful Neighbors....
Our amazing neighbors wanted to treat and surprise Matt this weekend by finishing up the baby's room and doing some handy work. Doug replaced two holey pipes from our furnace, hung the baby's mirror, wall shelf, and picture (a picture that was once in my  baby room). Leiloni and I put up wall stickers, went through Grayson's closet, opened up things, etc. His room is just about finished. I am waiting on a Pooh/Piglet wall decal to go over his bed and I am looking for maybe a little tree sticker for a corner of his room. I will take pictures of his room soon and post pictures! HUGE thank you to the best neighbors two people could ever ask for. If you guys have some great ideas to thank people let me know... always looking of ways to show them our appreciation

Here are some pictures of the neighbors:

Here is Doug and Leiloni. I stole these pictures from facebook :)

Here are their boys. Kevin is a sophomore in college and Brad is a junior in high school. They are sweet boys just like their parents.

Matt's update
The end of university wards has finally COME!! Yay! No more of those horrendous hours, well at least for a couple of weeks. Matt has clinic this week, which means better hours. He woke up early today and went in early to study for his test on Wednesday/Thursday, but we both cannot wait until this test is over.  While on wards, Matt had to do a lumbar puncture. This is a procedure when a doctor inserts a needle into the area below the spinal cord where there is spinal fluid. The goal is to get anything, but red blood cells. The champagne color indicates that you got a "clean" collection. Matt did exactly this and his attending was so proud, she gave him this. 


He felt a little awkward walking out of the hospital with the beer, so he put it in his white coat to hide it. hahah. Yayy! Matty!

He is taking the last of his USMLE Step exams. Once Matt has taken and passed this exam, he will be a licensed physician! Woohoo! Go Matt! There is no "magic" number like the first 2 Step tests; he just needs to pass. We all know Matt is hard core, and I am sure he will rock this test like all the others!

pic of one of his study materials

Next week, he will be on night float. He usually is a bit of a zombie on this kind of rotation. Eat, sleep, work...will be the routine. It is only a week. We can do it! Here is a reminder of what he looked like when he came off his first night float...


Matt found out he has latent TB. It could become active, so he needs to treat it to get rid of it. We are sure he contracted the disease while he was studying in El Paso. It is an endemic disease there and he had a couple of patients with TB. Unfortunately, Texas Tech will not assume any responsibilities and will not pay for it. Luckily, he has great insurance through OHSU and the insurance will cover it. He has to take 9 pills once a week. He has to take it in front of his doctor and will take it weekly for 12 weeks. Glad, he will be TB free soon! PS he is obviously not contagious. Below is his meds.

Next week: Hopefully I will have a completed picture of baby G's room, fall decorations and my 36 1/2 week pic update :)

Week 34 1/2

34 1/2 week update: 

The doctor said everything is feeling and looking well. Grayson has a great heartbeat and seems to be positioned head down already! I have another appointment in 2 weeks and then go weekly after that! It is starting to sink in that D-day is coming very very soon! Grayson has hiccups daily. Sometimes multiple times a day....my mom said I was the same way. <3 it

My baby pump app says that Grayson is about the size of an average cantaloupe (head to booty) and wears around 5 lbs. My doctor says the same thing, but I have heard that they can be really off. I am thinking about getting a ultra sound in the next few weeks to see him, but Matt also said they can be off by a lb. I just want to see him and make sure everything looks well. We haven't had an ultrasound since I was about 5months. It's about that time ;)

I am starting to get some right back pain. The baby is sitting on my sciatic nerve on the right...not cool baby Grayson. I have also had TERRIBLE heart burn. It makes me way more compassionate to Matt who has to take Prilosec everyday. I use to only have take tums at night, but now it is practically after I eat and if I lay down.....It should all go away soon and will be well worth it! If heartburn and back pain are my only problems, I still consider this a very great and easy going pregnancy....let's hope delivery is the same!

Here I am at 34 1/2 weeks...almost there!

 This was taken outside when I was having lunch with some of my girlfriends. I love that you can see the fall trees in the background!

This past week and a half has been the week of gifts! Hey I am not complaining! It feels like Christmas in October lol!

One of my MOST favorite gifts! This is what little Grayson will wear for his newborn pics! Get ready!! Wreck 'Em! PS that is a sweet little ornament with all of our names on it under the double T! Thanks Auntie Stevie! <3

Sweet little blanket that a friend from El Paso sent us. I love it! Thank you Lourdes! It is beautiful!!  

This was a wonderful surprise gift from my lovely sister in law! Very sweet! Thanks for thinking of me :)

Neighbors: I know I have told some of you guys and talked about my neighbors on facebook...but I think everyone needs to know...I absolutely LOVE my neighbors. I do not know how Matt and I got so lucky, but we really did. 

The man of the house, Doug, is the ultimate handy man. He knows everything that has to do with fixing, hanging, lawn work, etc. It is great for Matt since he is not so handy. Doug has mowed our lawn a couple of times because he is so sweet and knows Matt works such horrendous hours. This pregnant lady is not complaining. He has also fixed our possessed door bell and other things I am sure I just cannot recall due to pregnancy brain.

The wifey, Leiloni, is amazing. She is very crafty and just sweet. She is the one that introduced me to the public library. She helped me make my Halloween wreath. She is just a great friend to have, and she is right next door. They take really good care of us. They have 2 boys that are wonderful; they are very polite and also always willing to help. We do not just love them because they help us, but because they have become such great friends. We appreciate them so much! We really got lucky not just with our house but with our neighbors!

This is the outside of their house with their decorations. We hope we can become as festive one day....even Matt liked it...and he never wants me to buy more holiday decorations lol!!!

Jealous!!! They also have fog that comes out around the door. Those are little jack-o-lantern lights along the doorway....I LOVE the holidays even more now...festive neighbors...makes us less homesick. They are now part of our family. Grayson is lucky that he has some Oregonian family too :) <3

Pictures of Our House: 

 Side view of our house

 you can see inside our garage a little...hehe, Matt's car is obviously not there; he was at work!

Another angle

Dining room from our family room

Dining room from our kitchen 

 Kitchen

 Kitchen

front door from our kitchen 

 kitchen and entry way table from our front door

 front door closet, with our greeting buddha, and new wall light

 living room with our awesome sectional

 part of our living room

 above the entryway to our family room/kitchen

 connected to our living room...we are getting rid of the 2 printers below...

 decorations in our family room

 fireplace in our family room

 Buddha area in our family room

Family room! 

hallway from front entryway 

 Guest bedroom

 Matt's awesome design of all the shows we have been to in NYC in the guest room...you can see our dresser and night stand too

 Guest room closer view

 Guest room chest of drawers

hallway pictures... 

our bedroom...Grayson's bassinet is courtesy of my friend Cammie :) 

 Master bathroom...we have a sink that is not connected...did not take a picture...just a sink and a mirror :)

Guest Bathroom

 Guest bathroom

 Guest bathroom, we got this mirror from Home Goods! I love the framed mirror look...

 Need pictures of you family and friends! Please email me a picture of you and or you and your family (Vertical pic only) I would like these temporary people to go away! Thanks <3 email to:  tamara.richards28@gmail.com

garage storage! A lot of it is teaching junk and old boxes....we have moved too many times to get rid of boxes....

Laundry room 

 backyard...Matt stained this deck himself

 another view of the beautiful porch

backyard 

Baking to make the docs happy :)

 Whenever Matt goes on a new rotation he asks me to bake something for his attending, resident, and students. He has become "known" for this lol. He had mentioned he was bringing some carrot cake cupcakes and his resident said, "oooo, I have heard your wife is a fabulous baker" If only she knew that it is truly Betty Crocker ;) I plan to make some peanut butter with Hershey kisses on top for the next rotation he goes on...I believe it is night float....

One Yummy Apple!

This is the HUGEST apple I have ever seen! I have become OBSESSED with Honey crisp apples! This is another reason why I LOVE Fall!!! Mmmm....This the apple next to a liter water bottle and our toaster!

Matt's Minutes:
Matt is still on University Wards. I have to write his note for him since he is still so busy! He is still working pretty terrible hours, but he is such a hard worker and great doctor. I am very proud of him. He continues to get good praise and his attending pushed rounds back a couple of hours so that Matt could sleep in a little bit one day. That was really nice :) He is finally finished with Wards Friday, but then he starts really studying for his boards and has clinic next week. After that is the always fun NIGHT float!

I took him to the beautiful public library less than a mile from our house and he is going to go there to study and concentrate this weekend. Please keep him in your thoughts, prayers, or send good vibes for him. He takes his boards Oct. 31st and Nov. 1st. I know he has nothing to worry about, but he always worries. 

 This is a pic of the hospital Matt is working at right now...during WARDS

Here is where Matt does his Clinic rotations