Yolande

Thirty One weeks: 3.28.12





Photo Thoughts: It's hard to hold four oranges at once. And I really do love my 'new' clothes my friends have let me borrow.
 
Size of baby: Very random. Four oranges according to BC and still a squash or maybe even a pineapple. But I'm going to use that bad boy around 33 weeks-ish. I guess not all of the remaining fruits are totally random but this week...four oranges is just a funny choice.

Cravings: Nothing really. I fought off an urge to have a glass of wine last week after the stress of a sick toddler and moving came to a head. Mostly because I knew I'd be asleep in 0.2 seconds, not because I was really that worried about it affecting baby girl. Very much looking forward to a day I can have a glass of wine and not feel guilty and also not fall asleep immediately. Wonder when that will be?

What I love: Being just 9 weeks away from d-day. This is no joke, guys, she is going to have to come out sometime very soon!

What I'm looking forward to the most: The birth itself. And nursing. Both of those things have been on my mind a lot this week.

Worries: I wasn't too happy with baby girl last week when she scared me with very obvious Braxton Hicks contractions. I even got out the contraction timer on my phone and they were consistently every 9 minutes apart. But then I decided to just chill out a bit and drink water and it did get better. It was also a night (early morning?) when I was lugging my sick boy around and a little stressed, and as many of you commenters said---second time around the body knows what to do and gets prepared a little sooner. I still want to ask my OB about the BH contractions on Thursday when I see her and hopefully she does not care at all.

What is different this time around: With Truman's pregnancy at 31 weeks, I was getting a chubby face, I finally bought my own maternity wardrobe, we had just attended our childbirth class and found out we were going to get five freaking baby showers. This time obviously no showers and no classes and luckily I have amazing friends who have upped my maternity wardrobe very nicely this time around. Also, I think maybe my face is not yet *that* fat and my bump is just about caught up to last time. For being 31 weeks I feel both more prepared and somehow less prepared than last time. I guess more prepared because I just don't stress about all of the little details this second time around. But less prepared because baby girl does not even have a nursery set up yet and only has about 10 outfits to wear for her whole life. I realize it will all come together in good time and I'm hoping the next 9 weeks provide for lots of nesting/baby prep time.

Symptoms:My skin to the right side of my belly button is KILLING me at times! I keep checking for a stretch mark but there is nothing---just really sensitive skin. I vaguely remember something like this from last time but it was much higher up my belly. Getting BH contractions also goes down as a symptom. And it's still odd to feel so clumsy when changing positions.

Sleep: Still, no issues. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I ever had true sleeping problems even with Truman's pregnancy. Count me lucky on this one!


Movement: I love it. She's wild and the movements are definitely more rolls and vague jabs instead of jumpy little kicks. I've been worried that she won't get head-down in there but this week I swear most of her movement is up under my ribs, so maybe her feet are finally settling in a bit.

The belly: It's there and I know it's just going to get bigger in the next 9 weeks but man, it already feels pretty big! My belly button actually pops through some shirts now. I can definitely feel the baby across my entire torso now and she seems really high up there. This is a week when I love the baby bump and can't help rubbing it at times.

Milestones:  She is a big girl in there at 16 inches and almost 3.5 pounds. I remember my two friends Erin N. and Erin R. saying that week 31 was the MOST movement they'd ever felt because after that the babies run out of space in there. I believe it and also cannot believe it's my turn to be at the 31 week mark when the Erin's were JUST HERE, it seems.

Amusing comments from the general public: Mostly good this week, actually! While furniture shopping I had one lady ask when I was due, and when I told her she said, 'You look SO good for being that far along.' Then the next dude at a different store had an interesting approach. He asked when Truman was going to be a big brother (since T was with us) and I told him 'end of May.' The dude stopped for a second and asked, 'Of what year?' Never heard that one before!

Best moment of the week: Sort of a rough week around here with Truman being sick and Nate working a ton, and with the realization that we are moving NEXT WEEK on Friday. I think the best moment was probably on Sunday when Truman really turned a corner and started feeling good enough to laugh and play again. Everything before that was just crap but we are hanging in there, and very thankful that Nate and I didn't get the Virus From Hell.

Twenty-Seven weeks: 2.29.12 (this post is SUPER late this week--whoops!)






Photo thoughts: I've been writing these posts on Tuesday nights since I turn weeks over on Wednesdays. I usually try to take the picture Tuesday afternoon so that the post can be up 'on time' on Wednesdays, but this time after writing the post on Tuesday we didn't take the picture until Saturday. Hence the very late post. However, I'm glad we waited because we got beautiful snow Friday night which made for pretty pictures complete with icy trees. Almost broke my neck walking on our deck with my dressy boots but it was worth it. Also--wow. My belly is no joke now.

 
Size of baby: A 'Chinese cabbage' according to BC and still an eggplant according to TB, assuming you go by the old standard list they have always had for the monthly foods. I think they also mention a cauliflower for this week somewhere in the internets, but I'm going to have to use that baby down the line when these odd/huge foods are difficult to obtain. And so, obviously, I just used a regular old cabbage this time anyway. No idea what a Chinese cabbage looks like.

Cravings: Sweets. And really, all food. All the time. Still starving and still enduring the battle between my brain that wants to exercise some will power over my giant appetite, and my stomach-mouth combo that only cares about getting fed all the freaking time. Baby girl better be very appreciative of my ever-growing body in her honor.

What I love: Pretty sure 27 weeks is the third trimester milestone, right? I love that in itself. Plus, not sure I've adequately gushed over how much I simply love being pregnant. I'm definitely one of those girls out there who adores the entire process: marveling at how my body can grow another human being inside, feeling her move like crazy, and anticipating meeting this baby girl is all too much to handle sometimes. I just love it all and I'm not just saying that because I'm in the 'perfect' stage of pregnancy before I get too big to enjoy it. I really do feel so incredibly blessed to be in this position after such a rough miscarriage last year. Thank you, God.

What I'm looking forward to the most: Besides meeting our little girl THE MONTH AFTER NEXT (!!!), I can't wait to be settled into the new house so I can nest like a mad pregnant chick.

Worries: I used the doppler for the first time in weeks (months?) the other morning when I realized I hadn't felt her kick much in the past few hours. Really hate that sense of dread and panic, like something just HAS to be wrong. But really like when she proves my negative instinct wrong with a perfectly strong heartbeat and then a ton of kicks just minutes later. Again: thank goodness for my doppler.

What is different this time around: Aww, last time my belly was finally starting to pop out and I was shocked at how much growth Truman had in the past month. I was getting ready for my first baby shower and was still running three days per week. This time I'm still pretty shocked at the growth spurt weeks 23-27 have produced but we definitely don't have any showers on the horizon and I'm  happy if I get out to walk a few days per week with Truman and Henry in tow. Can't imagine what it would be like to run with this pregnant belly this time around. Pretty sure I'd pee myself in 2 minutes flat.

Symptoms: Some more mild back pain every now and then but nothing too horrible. And I officially have to 'cheat' and use my arms to sit up from a laying down position now, or else I have to roll on my side to push up to sitting. Those ab muscles are definitely stretching out to the point of ridiculousness and it only makes sense to grunt and moan when moving around, just to get a little compassion from the old hubs. Right? Also, had a few nights while reading to Truman in his bed when my heart was sort of racing and I couldn't catch my breath. Pretty weird but I'll chalk that up to a big belly and internal organs pushing on my lungs and will refrain from assuming I'm having a heart attack.

Sleep: Love it. No complaints. Even took a few naps this week just to relive what it was like in my first trimester:)

Movement: Still all over the place and definitely getting stronger. As in, sometimes she will catch me off guard and I almost gasp at how hard she just kicked/punched me in the bladder. Love to watch my belly bounce around when I'm laying on the couch. It just never gets old.

The belly: Very round, belly button is looking pretty freaky, and my skin is starting to itch. No stretch marks just yet but I'm wondering if I could possibly be lucky enough to avoid them again. Time will tell, I suppose, but I'm hoping my mom's good 'anti-stretch mark genes' are still on my side.


Milestones: In this THIRD TRIMESTER milestone week, baby girl is 2 pounds and 14.5 inches long. Isn't that gigantic?? She has regular sleep/wake cycles, is opening her eyes, and sucking on her fingers. Baby's lungs are still very immature but they could probably function in the outside world with a lot of medical help. Of course, I don't want her to get any ideas from that statement but it's just neat to think she is really gearing up to be outside of the womb. Oh, and I passed my glucose test and my blood counts are just fine, too. 
  
Amusing comments from the general public:  This actually happened on Wednesday--the exact day I turned 27 weeks, and it has to be the worst comment I've received yet. A patient's caregiver asked when I was due and when I told her 'the end of May' she raised her eyebrow and said, 'You are so small.' I spouted off my usual response with phrases like 'long torso, I'm 5'10" so it spreads out' and she was obviously formulating her own opinions as I spoke. Then she uttered the kicker: 'Well, I can tell you are sort of pudgy right now (gesturing to her own cheeks), but normally you are thin everywhere else outside of pregnancy.' I was floored. You are telling me that my face is fat but normally I'm thin when not pregnant? Really? This chick is not exactly a size 2 by any means and in my pregnant fury I wanted to seriously smack her in her in the non-pregnant cheeks. Then I spent way too long staring at my face in the mirror that night and I have decided that sure---I've probably gained some of my weight there, but it's not nearly as bad as it was at the end of my pregnancy with Truman. So I suppose I better come up with a better come back to insensitive comments like these to prepare for further bashing. Maybe something like, 'Oh yeah? My face might be swollen but at least I'm not a rude/idiotic wench' sounds about right to me. :)

Best moment of the week: I discovered an amazing children's consignment shop in our area and had to exercise some SERIOUS restraint to avoid buying about 25 baby girl outfits there. I only came away with 5 and felt very proud of this feat. I cannot get over the adorable girl clothes out there and although I love dressing my little boy, it's definitely 100 times easier to find cute things for girls. I also have to put my 26 week OB appointment down as a 'best moment' because I just love her to death and can't believe it's already time to increase the frequency of my appointments. I go back in 2 weeks, then another 3 weeks to bring me to 32 weeks and then after that she wants to see me every single week to monitor my BP very closely in light of my pre-E last time (which, in case you were wondering, my BP has been fab thus far). Dude, weekly appointments are just around the corner. And I have been having lightbulb moments this week, like: I am actually having a baby in the near future.

August 2, 2009

Buh-bye, blueberry.....hello raspberry!


Seriously? What an adorable little fruit? And 8 weeks sounds incredibly official to me, just so you know. We have now known about our little raspberry for a whole month. And in the exact same amount of time, we will be headed out of the first tri and probably ready to announce it here on this blog. Cannot.Freaking.Wait. Keeping this fatty secret is hard, you guys, seriously.

My 8 week belly pic is complete with a creepy face, since I had to use the tripod for this one instead of my hubby. A little more bloat this week, perhaps?


So I had my first parenting-related freak out moment today. I was in the shower, getting ready for work when BAM, it hit me. OMG. When I have a newborn baby to care for I will not be able to roll out of bed 30 minutes before I leave for work and focus on making myself presentable. How will I manage myself AND a newborn before work? I mean, I'm sure the baby will just wake up whenever, then need to be changed, fed, and dressed all before I even get a shower or breakfast. The logistics freak me out sometimes. Like, how in the heck am I going to manage that? I was also thinking about the grocery store (something I completely despise even when I'm all alone) and wondered, "Hmm, do you take the baby in with you, in the carseat? Where in the heck do you put the carseat when you push the cart?" I got a little panicky then realized that I have some time before I worry about those types of baby juggling issues. Let's make it to our first appointment first.

Which, oh em geeeee, it's only 7 days away now. Eeek! I think I'm going to be both a wreck and ridiculously excited for next Monday. Can't even breathe thinking about it but I'm trying to be all Zen and calm and stuff. Please, God, let it all go well.

So this week I have felt Fatigue like none other. I know I say that every week, but I am not joking with the following scenario: I came home from work one day and almost fell asleep at the wheel. Then walking up our stairs took me about 10 minutes because I couldn't muster up the energy to put one foot in front of the other. When I finally arrived upstairs, I had to literally collapse on the bed and just rest my eyes before I could even change clothes or tell Nate 'hello.' I even begged him to please change me out of my work clothes and into lounge wear but he didn't bite on that one. Ugh. He's both impressed and a little frightened of my new-found ability to sleep. Seriously. Let me give a little shout out to naps on the couch. Holla at your girl. I love you much. See you in a few hours, no doubt, drooling onto every single throw pillow we own is my new goal.

A little more barfy this week, too, but still nothing that is crippling me. And I had an epiphany while doing a little online reading: sometimes docs prescribe vitamin B6 for morning sickness. Well, duh....I already take 100 mg daily aside from my prenatal. I started taking it the month before we got pregnant to help lengthen out my cycle (guess it worked!) and now I wonder if that helps stave off my lurking morning sickness? Who knows, but so far I'm pretty stinking lucky to avoid bowing to the porcelain gods. I really just feel it lumping up in the back of my throat sometimes and food looks totally disgusting to me even if I'm starved. And when I become famished that's when I really feel nauseated, so it's truly a vicious cycle. Starving but nauseated. Fun times, I tell you.

But the gas, you guys. I think what I'm lacking in nausea I've made up for in gas. And bloat. And a disgusting taste in my mouth all the time. And peeing a lot. And sore boobs. Which, btw, are like porn star boobs in my opinion. I had a tiny bit of cleavage IN MY SPORTS BRA the other day. Fellow A-cuppers, there is hope, my friends!!

Oh and my sense of smell is out of control. Did I tell you about the time I SWORE I caught a whiff of Southern Comfort? Yeah, disgusting. I started sniffing around the house and asked Nate if he was secretly pounding shots of SoCo somewhere without my knowledge. It was at that point he backed away from his crazy pregnant wife and said, "Sweetie, do you need another nap?" Of course I did, what a fab idea.

I tried my first real cup of decaffinated coffee at brunch the other day and since it's been a whole month since I partook in my favorite leisure activity, I thought I would love it. However, I thought it tasted like battery acid and made Nate try it out to confirm. Guess it was just my wimpy taste buds because Nate thought it was totally fine. I still cannot believe I've stopped drinking coffee and my body hasn't gone into convulsions. Just wow. I still love you more than life itself, dear Starbeezie. Someday we will be lovers again. But not right now cause you taste like a dirty trashcan.

And finally, I've discovered a new favorite hobby: scouring the internet for nursery ideas. Holy cow. I am addicted. Lots of pictures to follow I'm sure but it's almost scary how much time I can waste dreaming about decorating a nursery. The nesting instinct is in full force....or maybe it's just my inner Martha Stewart coming out of hiding. Either way I'm literally dreaming about glorious cribs and mobiles and gliders, oh my!

So that's that. Me and my blueberry turned raspberry are hanging at 8 weeks trying to remain calm.

Sixteen weeks: 12.14.11







Size of baby: an avocado! Both The Bump and Baby Center agree on this one. Makes me crave guacamole for sure.

Cravings: still with the sugar. We threw a little holiday party here last weekend so Truman and I made peanut butter blossom cookies and then these amazing oreo truffles. To say that I had my share of both treats would be severe understatement.

What I love: feeling little kicks, seeing an actual pregnant bump, and mostly just being pregnant.

What I'm looking forward to the most: Anatomy scan in just 4 more weeks!!

Worries: Surprisingly sane this week. I mean, I'm still using my doppler daily but mostly I feel fairly relaxed at the moment.

What is different this time around: The 'second-timer' bump is freaking out of control. Also, I'm not spending every spare moment researching baby gear, nurseries, etc etc.

Symptoms: Not much at all. In fact, I was just reveling in the idea that I feel SO much better now than I did in the first trimester. I don't have to nap when Truman naps, I can actually amp up my caseload at work, and I have energy in the evenings to do fun Christmas-y things (and learned to blog again). No complaints here! Well except I did have a few days of lower back pain after standing or sitting in one place too long, I had some weird acid reflux one day that made me want to gag for a whole evening, and then I thought I might be getting hemorrhoids. But at the moment I feel great, so I'm going with that!

Sleep: Yes, lots. No naps but really good sleep at night, but that urge to pee as soon as I awaken for the day is back.

Movement: A few more strong jabs, nearly every day now. I love feeling the babe move so much it's sort of sickening. :) Also, at exactly 16 weeks I promise you that I felt the baby kick from the outside, with my hand on my belly. It was fairly light but I am 100% sure this was baby. You may be rolling your eyes at me for this proclamation because it's ridiculously early but I have to document it anyway!

The belly: Not really fluctuating anymore, staying out there all the time. I officially brought my maternity clothes out of hiding because I just cannot stand how short my shirts have gotten and how uncomfortable my pants have become. I can still wear my regular jeans and one pair of work pants but that is it. Of course, most of my maternity stuff is still way too big but I don't even care, it's comfortable. And according to this blog I didn't wear maternity clothes until 24 weeks with Truman. INSANITY.

Boy or Girl: Honestly, I'm going out on a limb here (because I truly pride myself on guessing the sex of babies right in most all of my friends and myself in the past). But I really think girl right now. VERY weird to admit because I've thought boy for so long, even before I was pregnant---I just pictured us with another boy. But for some reason this past week has been a 'girlie' week. Maybe my intuition will change but for now I'm thinking of girl names (all of which Nate will surely shoot down).

Milestones: The babe is 4.5 inches long and 3.5 ounces and apparently is gearing up for a major growth spurt in the next few weeks, doubling in weight by then. And baby has grown toenails by now. Cue the Juno quote with that one:)

Best moment of the week: It's really just been a good week overall, sorry to be cheesy and annoying and all high on life. I really think 16 weeks seems like a hurdle of some sorts, since being 4 months pregnant makes it feel pretty darn real, you know? I did have my Quad Screen blood work done on Thursday but I'm trying not to worry too much about the results just yet. And look at this adorable ornament my mom sent me tonight: remembering baby Wren will always help put things into perspective for me.



{and because I hadn't updated my blog layout and header since FEBRUARY I figured it was high time. Loving the new color scheme and pictures, might keep it this way for another year or so:) }

Nineteen Weeks: 2.11.14



Photo thoughts: Belly is getting round, my hair is getting long, and I really need some sun.

Size of baby: A mango, 6 inches long and 8.5 ounces. Oh really, baby? You gained 2 ounces last week? Me, too. Hahahahahaha.

Cravings/Aversions: Tell me more about this concept of an 'aversion.' What is that? All food is amazing and dangerous. Sometimes I'm a never-ending pit of an appetite that needs physical restraint from consuming 1000s of calories in a sitting.

What I'm loving: Baby kicks. Our new mini-van. The kids sharing a room SO well. Being pregnant. Sunshine even on ridiculously cold days, and the sun setting later and later each day. (Searching for positivity when it comes to this winter but the sun is a big one for me).

What I'm anticipating the most: One week from today we will know if baby is healthy and if it's a he or a she!! Cannot wait. Nate is off the entire day with me and after the US we will get the kids and go to Andrea's studio for a little photo sesh. Nothing huge or anything, as I don't think we can top the excitement of the balloons but still---it's going to be cute, I think.

Miss anything?  Duh, wine. Pretty sure I may have my first teeny glass on Friday for Valentines Day. Nothing says 'I love you' more than having his third baby and therefore I deserve a small drink. It's hard work and a lot of sacrifice. Wine and pregnancy and love...it's all related, right?

Worries: Under control this week, except when I get a little demanding about wanting to feel the baby right this instant and it doesn't happen until a few hours later. Always very reassuring to feel this babe using my bladder as a punching bag though! Haven't used my doppler in some time and even lent it out to a friend;)

Differences between pregnancies: Apparently I wasn't eating like a horse with Cecelia, and this was the week when a stranger commented on my belly. AND Nate got to feel her kick. What the heck?? Come on baby #3! Not like I've really had Nate try too much, but still.

I hate myself in Truman's 19 week pregnancy. Seriously, I thought that was a bump? And I painted the nursery in one day all by myself because ME TIME was that unlimited? Different lifetime, for sure.

How I'm feeling: We stayed up until midnight one time over the weekend and although we got 7 hours of sleep after that, I was cashed out. Dead tired. Had to nap for almost 2 hours the next day and that did not even mess up my next night's sleep. So I guess I'm feeling a little more tired lately. And I can't sit up from laying down all that gracefully anymore and I'm a little crankier than my usual. I blame that last part on the winter from hell and not so much this pregnancy but no matter what, I'm feeling it a little more lately. I did manage to exercise four times this week which helps with my energy level, but mostly I want Spring to be here already.

Sleep: Good. Tired a lot. Feeling like the early morning hours are not very restful anymore, as if I'm partially awake and aware of the world from about 3 am on. Still not waking up to pee or anything---that has always been a claim to fame of mine during pregnancy, as I very rarely wake to pee until maybe the very end. I really can't wrap my head around the broken sleep we tolerated for so many YEARS with these kids and the fact that we are going to do it all over again starting in a few more months. Hold me.

Movement: This baby is a mover and a shaker and seems to kick me super low. As in, I'm going to ask at my ultrasound whether the baby is really crunched up down in my pelvis or something. Maybe I just don't remember kicks at 19 weeks being this much in the crotch region, assuming they were already around my belly button. But no, definitely really low (i.e. bladder and ovary punches). Is that weird? Kicks multiple times every day now and definitely most active at night when I lay down. Uh-oh. Looks like we might have another night owl on our hands.

Boy or Girl: I'm wishy-washy and for all of the weeks I was sure this was a girl, now I really feel more boy vibes coming from the ute. Who knows, basically. Well, we ALL will know soon enough!

The Bump: I like it. Feeling huge somedays and shocking small others. Still no comments from strangers but as Nate says, 'Maybe they think you just had a rough holiday season'. Ha. I definitely think this is an undeniable baby bump but I appreciate the lack of inappropriate comments for now.

Time for a bare belly comparison of weeks. Definitely bigger, lower, and rounder now! Goodbye, ab muscles. Never mind the maternity pants with a full panel rolled down--my lower back isn't actually housing a random fat pad at this point.



Milestones: Does being almost half baked count?

Best moment of the week: My buddy Dizzy had her third baby this weekend, one week early and it's a boy! Holding that tiny bundle of newborn goodness made me even more excited and thankful for my own number three nestled inside me at the moment. Dizzy is the first of our group of friends to have the third baby and it definitely feels surreal to think about me going next. Babies. Love them. And I always forget how tiny they are at first. Is there anything sweeter? No.

I'm officially 9 months pregnant today, going by the strange '10 total months of pregnancy' thing. Wow. Just wow.





At 36 weeks I'm not quite considered 'full term' but if I would go into labor on my own, my doctor would not do anything to stop it. Totally crazy, right? Even crazier: I'm pretty sure I've been having more frequent and definitely more intense contractions lately. I'm going to call them 'Braxton Hicks' because they aren't at regular intervals or anything so I doubt they are anything productive. But every now and then, especially when I'm laying down on a side or sometimes when I'm up walking around, I'll feel very crampy as if I'm about to start my period. I'll feel my belly and it is hard as a rock so I know my entire uterus is contracting a bit and it's not just baby boy poking his head on my ovaries or something. I've had that crampy feeling a lot more over the past few weeks but now it's getting to the point where it's a lot more painful and noticeable so we'll see what my doc thinks about that when I see her on Monday. Oh, and this is possibly too much information for you but last Wednesday night I had some very light brown spotting which my doctor is not concerned about but it could be a sign of changes in my cervix preparing for birth, or possibly the beginnings of my mucous plug. Whoo hoo! :)

My last appointment on Thursday was a long one, but luckily nothing has really changed with my status yet. My blood pressures are hanging right around the acceptable mark but even so my doctor ordered a whole battery of tests since it's been over a week with high pressures to make sure there aren't any other signs of pre-eclampsia. She ordered more blood tests, I had to pee in another giant jug for 24 hours (and this time I did it at work, which was incredibly fun and challenging to pour my pee into a jug and refrigerate it during a work day), they did a non-stress test on baby Carlos to make sure he's moving around okay, and ordered an ultrasound for Tuesday to check his growth and amniotic fluid levels. The stress test was fine, I think--he moved like crazy at first but once I got comfortable during the 20 minute test so did he and I think he fell asleep for awhile. So the nurse came in with a mini-tazer gun of sorts to zap my belly and he woke up for a few seconds before settling down again. Maybe that means we have a good sleeper in our future? :) His heart rate was fine throughout and the nurse didn't seem too concerned so I'll take that test off my worry list. The ultrasound on Tuesday is something I'm looking forward to because normally I wouldn't get any more after our 20 week session, so this is a chance to see our boy again! But of course, I'm hoping the fluid levels are okay and his growth is normal...I'm not getting too excited for their weight estimate on him since I always hear about techs over-estimating a HUGE baby and then they come out 2 pounds lighter than predicted. We shall see what they say but of course, I hope he is okay in there!

I also had my first internal exam after the Strep B test and it wasn't bad at all. I'm not dilated yet but to quote my doctor, the baby is 'locked and loaded with his head VERY low' so apparently he's in position to make his move. I really think this fact paired with my more frequent contractions and the light spotting means I might go into labor before I have to get induced but I'm trying not to get too attached to that idea just yet. My friend Laura, who is possibly one of the most intelligent people I know as the chief resident at her hospital, says there are studies out there that show women who work in physically demanding jobs and work on their feet have a greater chance of going into labor earlier than their 'desk job' friends. I'm starting to see why that is true.

I managed to work full 8 hour days on Wed, Thurs, and Friday last week with Friday being a whole day of patient care on my feet. I was totally exhausted afterward and took a 2 hour nap that evening but the good news is my pressure stayed under the red line the whole time. I know my doctor is trying to buy me more time at work, without using my maternity leave, by running these tests and making sure there isn't a reason to pull me out early. But in my heart I really believe she won't let me work until the very end because my pressures will go up or something will show in my tests and I'm willing to accept that when it comes. It's SO hard to be at work and feel like I'm not pulling my weight around there, especially when we are crazy busy and I can't go into overdrive like I usually do to see extra patients and take the load off my coworkers. It's a mental battle for sure, as I remind myself that right now my baby boy is most important and if that means I walk slower and sit more often while I work then so be it. I'm still doing my job and functioning at work but I have to take it easy or I won't be able to help at all on bedrest at home:) I'm lucky to have understanding and 'mother hen' coworkers who don't resent my new 'slow but sure' speed but it's more of a challenge for myself as I feel guilty for seeing less patients than my normal. Ultimately my doctor has the final say regarding my safety at work and when she says I'm done I won't fight it next time. But for now I'm taking it a day at a time and scheduled all week long....cross your fingers I can make it!

Other than hitting an awesome milestone of 36 weeks, Nate and I celebrated our 7th Valentines Day together on Sunday by going to one of our favorite brunch joints. It's amazing to think we've been together for almost 8 years and married for almost 3 and this will be our last V-day with just the two of us. I am one lucky lady to have such a hawt, thoughtful, and caring Valentine and through all of this end-of-pregnancy drama Nate has proven to be my voice of reason, as always. He loves me and I love him and we're going to be parents soon. That about sums it up:)



Pretty centerpiece at brunch


My stuffed french toast: complete with strawberry banana cream cheese filling. (((drool)))


Mostly decaff coffee with a few splashes of caffeine. I know, I got SO wild, didn't I?


So that's it for week 36. More of the same issues but nothing has worsened as of yet, so I'm still plugging away as I can. Just taking a heck of a lot more naps in the process...

Twenty-six weeks: 2.22.12







Photo thoughts: That belly sure is growing, huh? Also, still not feeling the outdoor shots. And at least I have a teeny hint of ab muscles trying to hang on for dear life, I suppose. Just for fun, you should peek at my 26 week belly photo from Truman's pregnancy and compare it to this time. Boggles my mind.

 
Size of baby: An English hothouse according to BC, which I mistakenly assumed was a tomato. Thankfully I googled it and realized it's just a big cucumber, so I grabbed a plain ol' cuc from the store and called it a day. The Bump is getting lazy and has gone to the 'one fruit a month' thing now. Woah. That time already?

Cravings: Really digging Oreos this week. And diet soda of course. Still sort of grossed out by myself and my lack of restraint with food, but I'm just starving all the freaking time.  And against my better judgment I weighed myself at home and discovered I've gained 8 pounds in the past 4 weeks, bringing my grand total up to 20 pounds already. So basically, right on par with where I was at with Truman. Sigh.

What I love: Nearing the third trimester. It's starting to feel more real every day.

What I'm looking forward to the most: This sounds really odd and a little ridiculous but I'm really starting to look forward to the actual labor. Two of my besties had their babies last week and just hearing them describe their experiences the second time around is enough to get me all giddy with anticipation. No, it won't be 'fun' by any means. But it's just such a magical event and I hope my labor and delivery go smooth and quick, just like theirs. Anything will be better than my 40 hours/2 day induction with Truman. (Well, not ANYTHING, but you know what I mean).

Worries:  Still can't believe she isn't strangling herself in there with all of that crazy movement in every direction. Still hoping those super low kicks don't mean she's settling in breech for the long run. And I have my glucose screen on Thursday so I'm hoping my horrendous sweet tooth doesn't come back to bite me in the big old butt.

What is different this time around: At 26 weeks with Truman's pregnancy, I was having a mental breakdown over some jeans that shrunk in the dryer since my body was morphing at alarming speeds. I was also being a total annoying over-achiever in the nursery decorating department. And this time I don't really care that much about jeans that don't fit properly. In fact I'm wearing both of my maternity pairs just fine---both the 'too short' Old Navy ones and the slightly roomier Gap version, too. I'm not freaking out about the changes my body is making just yet because I know it's going to get a LOT weirder up in here. Also, I have a lot of work to do on her nursery but at least I've painted her walls. I feel like having 3 months left is a lot of time but in reality I know it's going to fly.

Symptoms: My back has been bugging me a bit this week, probably since I pushed it a little too much over the weekend and painted walls in our new house for a total of 14 hours. Whoops. But otherwise, I still feel really good.

Sleep: Had a few nights when I woke up really easily for no good reason, then had a little trouble falling back to sleep. But overall, I'm so freaking exhausted in the evenings that I'm bumping my bedtime up to 9 pm and sleeping like a pregnant rock.

Movement: Yes, lots. Up high, down low, in the vag....you know, like she's some sort of acrobat in there. I love it so much it hurts. 

The belly: I think it's getting more and more noticeable each day and yet, I'm not getting many stranger comments right now. Hmmm. Either people are still on the fence about whether or not I'm actually pregnant and they don't want to offend, or they just don't care that much. I did have one patient (who I haven't seen since last year at this time, but she is one of my faves) say, 'WHAT IS THAT!' when I took off my coat, pointing to my tummy. That really made me smile, like okay--I really am pregnant and people sometimes notice. Plus Nate had his first 'WOAH---your belly is huge' moment the other day when I got out from the shower. Pregnancy is just such a weird thing when you think about it---growing a human inside of another human, slowly but surely. I think sometimes I forget I'm pregnant and then look down to see this growing belly and I have to smile. Pretty amazing.  

Milestones: Baby girl is now 1 and 2/3 pounds and 14 inches long, and she is beginning to breathe in the womb. Her ears are better developed than before so I'm sure she can hear me talk to myself as I paint numerous rooms in our house. I really think she must have had a growth spurt in the past 4 weeks, too, based on my belly and my weight gain.
  
Amusing comments from the general public: As I said above, most people are not asking blunt questions and so I'm not offering up any answers.  

Best moment of the week: Picking a paint color for the little missy's nursery. Although it was totally painful to put down my light pink paint chips, I know I made the logical decision by picking a robin's egg blue. Since, you know, that allows free reign for TONS of pink accents throughout the room. It's been really fun and satisfying to get into the house and start working our fingers to the bone. I can't wait to bring baby girl home from the hospital and show her where she is going to grow up with her big brother!

Since I usually write these weekly posts on Sundays, I can say that today is my 35/35. Not sure what that means? It's the really sweet day in your pregnancy when you have completed 35 weeks and have 35 days to go. Pretty cool, huh? I can't believe I'm here already/finally.



Must be the fact that my pants are lower than usual or something, but it looks like my belly dropped a bit and is more round on bottom now? I dunno.

And I don't think I've shown a full frontal shot before:)

At least I can see a hint of ab muscles up there?

This past week has definitely been one of the most eventful weeks in my pregnancy complete with abnormally high blood pressure out of nowhere, bedrest, peeing in jugs the size of milk containers, startling numbers on the scale, lots of unplanned time off from work, and two baby showers in one day. See? Doesn't it make you tired just to read about my week? Me, too. I need another nap.

Let's talk about a few of those events, shall we?

Blood pressure: I only worked for a few hours on Thursday before my pressure went up to the 'goal' point of 140/90. Then on Saturday I worked all day and it hovered right around that point all day, sometimes testing a little lower and a few times it was a couple of points higher. I lasted 6.5 hours that day and then required a 2 hour nap afterward, which I guess is a success? On Sunday I was scheduled for a full day but my nice coworkers let me leave after 4 hours. The numbers started off very high for my BP (higher than my goal for sure) but then simmered down to below the red line...so I'm not sure what to make of that day as a whole.

I can't help but wonder if I'll make it at my job for the remaining 5 weeks. My boss has said they will be flexible with me and if I need to drop down my hours, they will try to accommodate that. I just hope my pressures stay about like they are and don't spike up again and if I can hold them to this point it should be okay. If these mediocre numbers are a precursor for worse things to happen then I'm certain I won't make it until the end. Why do I have to work on my feet all day, walking/bending/pushing/pulling and talking until I'm blue in the face? Right about now I'm wishing for a comfy desk chair and a computer job but I'm sure that would get old in no time, so I'll just do my best while I can.

Showers: yes, we had TWO in one day. One thrown by Nate's PT school classmates and one thrown by my co-workers at the hospital. Both were so much fun and it left us with that familiar 'humbled and overwhelmed' feeling of gratitude. We feel the love, for sure. Baby boy got some amazing gifts and we ate lots of yummy food and enjoyed celebrating with friends outside the confines of work and school. There's always something special about removing yourself from those four walls that can be stressful and hassled, then seeing each other 'in the real world' and realizing that socializing is fun! And talking about a newborn baby is even more fun! Have I mentioned that I cannot freaking wait?

I'm sure it's because of my little scare this week but labor & delivery is seeming REALLY close these days. My initial reaction to the idea he might arrive earlier than planned was one of panic for many reasons, but mostly I felt like I had so much more to do to prepare for mister man. But honestly, all that is left on 'The List' are little piddly things like : installing the car seat, doing a final load of baby clothes laundry, packing a hospital bag, and buying some nursing bra/tank supplies. That doesn't mean you can pop out any time soon, Carlos, but if that HAD to happen I'm sure we'd manage just fine. I guess that's one of the perks of being Type-A and ahead of the game, huh?

I've definitely been more tired lately and it's getting to the point where I've reverted back to my first-tri ways of daily naps. But this time, I'm sleeping a lot worse during the night so it's somewhat justified. The other night I got up twice to pee (which is a lot for me!) and could not fall back asleep either time. I was just too uncomfortable and had too many thoughts running through my mind. I finally decided to get up and start the day at 5 am, which scared the crap out of Nate because he thought something was wrong with me. No, of course not, honey--isn't it totally normal to organize baby gifts at 5 am? :)

As far as baby blueberry Carlos goes, he is packing on the el bees right with his momma, and is expected to gain a half a pound for each remaining week, probably tipping the scales at 5.5 pounds or so at this point. He might not grow much more in length but will add a lot more fat in the rest of his time incubating. Another fun fact? His testicles should be headed south this week, descending to the outside of his little body. Growing up so fast, aren't we, baby boy?

So I'm pretty pumped for this upcoming week, mostly because on Monday I have my maternity pictures with the one and only Andrea followed by lunch with her and Erin, followed by another OB appointment (I hope she's still happy with me!). I work the rest of the week after that but I will not work another weekend until after my maternity leave is over....do you know how amazing that feels? I usually work about 7 weekend dates in a 4 month period so to have NONE on the horizon until June or so feels like a huge gift. Just working normal hours during the week? Whatever will I do with myself (oh, who am I kidding---we all know I'll be napping, reading and doing low-key projects as able).

At 35 weeks, the back cover for my pregnancy album is looking pretty darn good. (It already has 108 pages, too, don't worry). Care to peek?

Only 5 more weeks....give or take! Eek!

A long and slender week, apparently...but I suppose we are to focus on the length, only. Week of the banana.

And that weight guess is right on because our boy weighed 13 ounces at his big US! And speaking of weight and the lucky number 13....guess who's packed on 13 of the big lbs? (And yes, I got my hair chopped off tonight. Could not take it anymore. Does it make my face look fat?)



Yeah, totally freaked out at my 20 week appointment last Tuesday. Where are those 13 pounds, I ask, because I'm still in normal clothes and people are still badgering me about not really being pregnant. I asked the doctor if that was an obscene amount of weight to gain thus far. And do you know what that saintly woman told me? "Oh no, that is actually low. I would have liked to see you at 20 pounds at this point being halfway through already." To which my eyes bulged in reply--we've never discussed weight gain before, so this was news to me. I asked, "Do you mean you want me to gain 40 pounds total?" and she informed me that yes--I am to shoot for the stars with this pregnancy. Something about me being on the borderline of 'underweight' for my BMI before pregnancy and so she wants me above the standard 20-35 pound mark. Score for me, I guess? I cannot fathom stepping on the scale and seeing a number FORTY FREAKING POUNDS heavier than my norm. Sorry for yelling, but holy cow. I guess it's doctor's orders so I won't complain too much. But please, Lord, let me lose the weight fairly easily. I'm so tempted to sign up for a half marathon next fall just to taunt myself with jumping headfirst into training again, but alas...I will not to that to myself just yet.

Besides the majorly awesome milestone of seeing our little man on the US screen last week and falling totally, madly in love with him, mister man has also turned up the kicking a notch. To the point where my new favorite pass time is laying down, pulling up my shirt, and watching the show he puts on for me. Nate is still working out the timing on these performances by our guy because he still gets a bit shy with daddy watching. But the kicks are insanely powerful right now and I wonder if this is the happy medium for movement during my pregnancy: when he has enough room to go nuts and kick like crazy, before he gets too cramped and has to deliver dull nudges instead. I suppose we shall find out.

The big question everyone wants to know now that the cat is out of the bag with his gender is: "So have you thought of names?" The short answer is yes, we have. The long answer? We (and by 'we' I mostly mean 'me) have been compiling very large lists of both boy and girl names that we (ahem, I) liked since even before I got pregnant. I went through the lists with Nate a few months ago and jotted down his reactions to some of my choices and got hilarious responses. From 'Okay, but dorky' to 'Not going to happen in a million years ' to a flat out 'NO'--he certainly had his opinions. So I let it drop, figuring it was way too early to decide something this monumental anyway. But on Friday morning, as we drove up to Madison and back to pick up our amazingly awesome dresser/ changer from Craigslist, we really narrowed down the name options. The night before we both made our own separate boy name lists of seven options each. Then on Friday we went through the lists and consolidated a Top Four, if you will. We each like all four of the names and although Nate informed me that he could make a final decision immediately, I want to wait it out just a little longer. You know, let the big four marinate a little bit, ponder it, and probably second and third guess all of them. THEN I might be ready to commit.

But it looks like we might be keeping this big decision a secret. Nate would prefer it this way and I guess that makes sense since we did find out the sex and everything. Either way we know the middle name will be Nate's middle name, Anthony, which is also Nate's dad's first name and Nate's late Grandpa's first name. Something about four generations of men with the same name is just way too cool in my opinion. My middle name is the same way, so someday we already have our girl's middle name settled (Lorene) !

So that's that. We now have a pimped out dresser changer that needs to be re-painted white and needs new knobs AND if that weren't exciting enough, we might have found our rocker, too! You'll never guess where we found it. No, not on Craigslist, despite my devoted stalking every day. No, not some other online store, or even a store at all. We found it in my in-laws attic. You see, they LOVE to store furniture up there like it's no one's business. When we needed a dining room table, we scoured stores for months before we decided we didn't like any of them. And then my in-laws informed us that they had three spare full dining room sets for us to choose from. Isn't that insane? You need a little step stool or a side table? Head on up to the attic of my in-laws and go crazy....they have it all. And we knew they had at least 3 rockers up there but we didn't think they'd like us to paint any of them white, since most are sentimental antiques. And I will not budge on the 'all white furniture' idea. But Nate's dad let us know about one of the 'somewhat modern' rockers that could be painted and whaddya know? It seriously looks just like the rocker from Ikea I've been stalking! All it needs is a little sanding, priming, and painting white. Then add two fatty upholstered cushions and voila...our nursery furniture is almost complete!

I am purposely not showing you pictures of the dresser/changer and the rocker to drive you mad. Not really, but I want to do a big reveal on both pieces once I get them both finished. My parents are making the trek up north to see us this weekend and I have a list of about 10 projects my mom and I will try to tackle while she's here. So patience, my friends. I'm dying to see them finished, too:)

Baby boy is moving right along on his developmental time line this week and get this: he is growing taste buds! Just imagine him, gulping down some yummy amniotic fluid and practicing his digestive process. Isn't he squeezable? But the weirdest thing is that some studies say that after he is born, baby might be more interested in tastes he's already experienced through my amniotic fluid. Guess this boy is going to love sweets then, huh? I totally need to lay off the sugar but it was Halloween and I just love them, okay? Okay.

I think that's it for week 21. I also had an eventful and fun weekend down in St. Louis throwing Hannah a baby shower. Pictures to come!

Twenty-eight weeks: 3.7.12







Photo thoughts: Thinking that outside pictures will be few and far between now. And how do you like my wife-beater tank? Trying to avoid wearing the same tops in pictures is getting difficult already. Geesh.

 
Size of baby: Whoops! I think last week was supposed to be a cauliflower and this week was supposed to be the cabbage, according to BC. Look at me making up my own timeline!

Cravings: Well, I finally feel full, you guys. As in, last week I was not famished 24/7 and could actually go without snacks and sweets. Maybe baby girl is giving me a break on her growth spurt or something? But for the first time in months, no true cravings.

What I love: Still in that honeymoon stage with this pregnancy because I just love it all right now. Especially being in my third trimester. It's for real, folks!

What I'm looking forward to the most: Snuggling my newborn. Nursing her. Staring at her face for absurd amounts of time. Maternity leave. Being a mom of two. Seeing Truman as a big brother. Shall I go on?

Worries: It's been a pretty sane week around here! Too busy with house stuff, birthday stuff, and out of town visitors to worry. Even when painting the ceiling of a room in our new house this weekend, I didn't automatically assume that stretching my arms over head for countless hours would hurt baby girl. I just knew it would hurt my neck and she will probably be just fine. And yes, in case you were wondering---I wear a mask and my OB did say painting the house is 100% fine as long as it's ventilated in there. Look at me, not worrying this week!!

What is different this time around: With Truman's pregnancy I was complaining of an itchy belly, running three days per week, had a bad cold for a while, and was interviewing pediatricians for Truman. Oh, and being the ever-annoying over-achiever with nursery decor. It's funny because this week I had my first pregnancy cold and it was AWFUL, just like with Truman. I'm definitely not running or doing nursery related things but our found-pediatrician is still amazing and I'm glad I don't have to hunt for another one. Overall, week 28 with both of these pregnancies seems pretty similar!

Symptoms: This is sort of gross but I must document: flossing my teeth causes my gums to bleed in a scary way. I looked it up and apparently it's not uncommon to have sensitive gums during pregnancy but man--my 6 month check up is approaching in a few weeks and I'm sure my dental hygienist is just going to love me this time. Sick. I also had a cold for about 24 hours this week and thought I might die without taking a decongestant. But somehow I lived to tell the tale.

Sleep: Yes. Lots. Had my first night when my belly felt uncomfortable for a bit when I was trying to get positioned in bed. But really, I have no problems passing out like a rock every night. I might get up at 3 am to pee occasionally but not even that happens every night. I'm lucky so far, I know.


Movement: She is a superstar mover in there. My mom and Memaw even got to feel her jabs when they were visiting this weekend! She is still up high and down low and sometimes all over my torso. I really do hope she settles into the head-down position sooner than later. Isn't she getting a little big to have room to swim around like a fish?

The belly: Round, big, and no joke. I love it. Belly button is sometimes out and sometimes in. No stretchies but the itchy skin is still there.

Milestones:  Baby girl is 2.25 pounds and 14.8 inches long (very random numbers this week, in my opinion). She can blink her eyes and maybe even see some light that shines into my uterus (??). Basically, she is a real baby now and I picture her packing on the pounds from here on out.

Amusing comments from the general public:  Nothing new this week, thank goodness. But the chick from last week is still ringing in my ears. I forgot to mention that after she told me my face is pudgy (but she can tell I'm normally thin----thanks, biyatch) she proceeded to ask me if I'm a runner. What? I do get that question a lot when I'm not pregnant and usually I can answer with a solid 'Yes, I am'. This time I stammered out that I normally run when not pregnant but have been taking it easy for these 9 months out of my life and stick to walking instead (did not mention that this baby was basically a 'pending miscarriage' with a giant bloody episode at 6 weeks that has left me somewhat paralyzed in the exercise department. It's really none of her business anyway, if I'm running or not). Then the psycho lady went on to tell me about how she knew of a woman who ran on the treadmill next to her at the gym until the day she delivered. (Big whoop. Good for her.) And then the lady tells me that said-pregnant chick was back at the gym two weeks after giving birth. Sounds a little overdone to me, but maybe that's just my laziness/defensiveness talking. I was literally trying to walk out the door the entire time my best comment friend was telling me all of this because I wanted that awful conversation to end immediately.

Best moment of the week: Truman's birthday party, seeing my family from Missouri, getting a lot accomplished at the house, and realizing that it's freaking March already. Busy but fun times!

Thirty-six weeks: 5.2.12







Photo Thoughts: I think the top makes my bump seem even bigger than usual---something about the gathering around the boobs, and the fact I'm wearing a too small sports bra that smashes the girls down. But wow. Pretty huge. And yay for an outdoor shot WITH Truman!!

Size of baby: A coconut according to TB or a crenshaw melon according to BC. The coconut was easier to find but it just seems SO much smaller than the past few weeks of foods. I mean, a coconut is not any bigger than a honeydew melon from last week, or even the cauliflower from week 27.  As someone said on Facebook, is that supposed to be the size of just her head? Whatever, I guess there are only four more fruits to go!

Cravings/Diet: Really into sweets. What else is new?

What I love: Saying the following phrase--- "I am going to have a baby THIS MONTH!!" {we will not discuss the option of her being late as a June baby. I will be very upset with her if she makes me a liar when I say I'm due this month}

What I'm looking forward to the most: Labor and delivery. Birth photography. Meeting our little lady. I can barely stand it all, really.

Worries: I was seriously convinced that baby girl was going to make an extremely early appearance last week. On Wednesday after work, I started having very regular and fairly intense contractions to the point that I was timing them on my phone and freaking out. They were anywhere from 4-11 minutes apart and quite uncomfortable, with period-like cramps accompanying them. Nate was totally freaked out when I finally started packing my hospital bag and printing off disability forms online. Luckily I had my OB appointment the next day and she is not worried about the contractions at all because if baby girl decides to come at this point, they aren't going to stop her! Also, I had my first internal during the strep B test and I'm totally closed up, so these crazy contractions are just more BH/bogus ones. Very odd to feel like I COULD have her at any moment though! I am a total newbie to a natural labor so I have no idea if I will know when to go to the hospital :)

What is different this time around: Last time at 36 weeks I was having lots of BH (huh, I don't even remember them last time!) and dealing with high BP. I was getting weekly NSTs and was preparing to see my boy on an ultrasound again to check his growth. This time my BP is still my friend and I'm having those silly contractions again, but no NST and no ultrasounds for me. I want to say that I'm a little more uncomfortable this time around but I don't know if that is really true or I'm just blocking it out from my memory the first time around. I know that since my BP is so much better, I'm not napping as much (or at all, really) so I must be doing fine. It boggles my mind to think that I only took ONE MORE weekly photo with Truman's pregnancy before I got induced!!!

Symptoms: Contractions, cramps, slowly leaking pee on myself which makes me wonder if my water is breaking (TMI? Sorry.), difficulty getting up from any position, pain in back with sitting, super sore upper belly, feeling overly full with eating, getting really winded on the stairs, and overall feeling like a giant pregnant blob. I wouldn't say I've hit The Wall or anything, and I am still enjoying this pregnancy, but wow. I finally feel pregnant. 

Sleep: Love it, but feeling really congested again like I did in the second trimester. And rolling over is getting a little ridiculous.

Movement: She has NOT slowed down at all in the past few weeks even though I know she has no room in there. Some of her kicks are definitely painful and take my breath away. My least favorite kicks are the ones to the inside of my ribs. Ouch, baby girl!

The belly: Massive and totally tight/stretched. Like my ab muscles are seriously hurting me right now from being pulled away from each other. I still cannot believe I don't have stretch marks. I startled myself in the mirror the other day, when my reflection caught my eye and I wasn't prepared for the belly. Pretty sure she had another growth spurt. Also, isn't my outie belly button funny?

Milestones: Hitting the 'one month left' milestone and reaching the month of May in general are both HUGE for me. Baby girl is just packing on the fat at this point but is mostly developed and almost ready to meet us! I still think that hitting 38 weeks will make me feel better about an early arrival, just because that is when I had Truman and he was totally fine and ready to come out early.

Amusing comments from the general public: Huh. Nobody told me I'm small this week. Wonder why:)

Best moment of the week: I scored MORE clothes for baby girl at my favorite consignment shop---about 17 new pieces for just $50. I think she has everything she needs at this point which is SO exciting to type. I also got a great start on nursery decor projects and am dying over how fun it is to work on little things for the room each night. Packing my hospital bag made this seem very real too, and my fabulous OB appointment (complete with great BP, good weight gain, and measuring right on track) is always a highlight for me. I'm so glad I have an OB who doubles as my psychologist because she makes me feel so confident and excited when I leave her office. Also, my birthday was on Friday and we had an amazing weekend of celebration (and food). I even splurged on myself with some birthday money and bought two new nursing tanks and an adorable nursing gown/robe to wear both in the hospital and beyond. It seems so frivolous to get something like this but isn't that what birthday money is for? Oh, and I got a mani/pedi with a friend last weekend, too, which was divine. I guess I'm really treating myself lately (I type as I'm off to schedule a pre-natal massage....).

Instagrammed shot of my favorite thing: lists! For baby girl! Check out my obsession with keeping tabs on my BP:)


Me and my boy on my birthday:




Another Instagram of the canvas I painted for her nursery---it's a sneak peek because this is before I painted her first and middle names on there. Pretty fun to read everyone's response to this little tease of a photo. I really can't see how this blank white space would give away ANYTHING about which name went in there, but I love reading the theories!


And just for fun, the sixes:

26w5d is practically 27 weeks, but I'll do the post now anyway! I can't bring myself to combine weeks yet, but it could very well happen for this baby. I'm sure he won't care either way.

This was taken right at 26 weeks, actually. Again, because you care.


I had my OB appointment today and it went well, drank the nasty glucose drink and will hear back only if it's abnormal. Ute is measuring on track, baby's heart rate is145, my weight gain is 19 pounds which is spot-on for both Cecelia and Porter's pregnancies. I guess time will tell through this final trimester if I keep packing them on (like with T and C) or if things level off significantly (like with P) but I don't feel huge yet. BP is good, too, and now I'll go back every two weeks until 36 weeks when it's weekly. Holy moly.

This morning before work, before I had a million hot flashes and had to ditch the cardigan. Also, this post contains a ridiculous amount of belly selfies.


Post-hot flash, at the OB. Dresses are my jam lately, just so you know.


I didn't have a chance to tell my OB that I started listening to the Hypnobabies CDs and reading the home study workbook, but I'm going for it. I am all for trying to reign in the anxiety, pain, and worry that comes with labor for me and aiming for the most peaceful, calm, enjoyable birth possible sounds divine. Trying really hard not to feel like a skeptic, because I do believe the in power of positive thoughts. I don't want to earn bragging rights for going without an epidural at all, but mostly want to experience a peaceful and quick birth on this last go-round. So really, meditating for 30 minutes a night is a win-win situation because I usually pass out and feel incredibly relaxed within a few minutes.



Also, we picked a name!! I mean, I'm 99% sure we picked the name. I literally could not take going back and forth between two names for this child and ended up going with Nate's preferred pick. It feels awesome to identify this baby as more than 'baby' and naming him makes it even more real. Hearing the kids call him by name will never get old, either. This is really happening!! I guess there is still a small chance my indecisive hormones will get the best of me and we will change it to something else, but I doubt it. Yay for a name!

Comments from the public: 'You look so cute pregnant,' came from a nurse at work today, completely out of the blue. Thank you, dear nurse! 'You don't even look like you're going to have a baby,' came from my OB, which is awesome because she does not sugar coat things. And also, she just saw my weight gain;) 'Is this your first baby? Your FOURTH? Good lord, you look good for having four kids,' came from my lab tech during my glucose blood draw today. She is my new best friend, and I invited her over for dinner and a movie later. 'Oh, THERE is your belly, you really are pregnant,' came from both Truman and Cecelia's teachers this week. I'm not sure if I've popped or it was just wearing my coat unzipped that caught them off guard.

Changes!


House updates: it looks like we might be able to sit in front of the board to get all plans officially approved at the end of this month! That means we could potentially break ground in May and this makes us really happy. I mean, fingers crossed that all goes well with the structural engineer, then the board, and the appraisal. We are moving right along with the addition, and perhaps we will have a new roof by the time baby comes. YES!

Comparing pregnancies: with Porter I was working away on his nursery and felt hungry constantly. With Cecelia I was busy painting every single wall in this house, and was hungry constantly. With Truman I was freaking out over shrunken jeans, was reading baby books, and had basically completed the entire nursery. Sigh. I do feel satisfied with the progress we are making in the attic, taking more toys and clothes and JUNK to Goodwill. This will be how I prepare for baby: spend my nesting energy on purging everything we own, in order to have it cleaned out for the messy addition. Works for me!

This little guy remains quite active and will kick me with a 360 degree round-house kick. Literally, kicks to my cervix, my ribs, my belly button---he is doing cartwheels in there and I love it. I'm not sleeping great some nights and considered buying a pregnancy pillow one night when I laid awake for 2 hours. But some nights are heavenly and I am seriously paralyzed, I sleep so well. I still have that strange acidic taste in my throat and I CAN actually achieve 'belly is full' status, but mostly I'm pretty ravenous anyway. Exercising consists of chasing three kids and working part time, but also I do enjoy walks on the treadmill or outside with Henry dog.

Truman, Cecelia, and Porter are already so sweet to this child. My favorite moments are when Truman kisses my belly goodbye most mornings before school. Cecelia tells me that she loves her baby brother (this one, not Porter as much, depending on the day) and can't wait to hold him. Even Porter will get in on the 'gushing over baby bro' action at times. I still can't believe he is going to be a big brother and no longer our baby. I have a feeling he will rock that title better than expected!

That's pretty much it for this week. See you in about two days, third trimester!

Another week down! I feel like I don't have a lot to say about this past week but that is probably a good sign, since there isn't much new to report. I had to read back over Truman's seven week post and compare my two kids to remember that yes, Truman did hate his car seat and he was grunty and starting to smile but still a little helpless baby. That momnesia is no joke for me--thank goodness for my blog or I wouldn't remember any details of the newborn days!

Guess whose acne is gone!? It lasted exactly 10 days starting at 5 weeks and then magically vanished. This is when it was starting to clear up and her Kate G. hairdo was out of control!


Well, let's see--Cecelia is still sleeping about the same at night. Usually she will go down for good around 8:45 and will last about 4-5 hours until her next feeding. After that, she usually goes about 2-3 hours before waking and she is still in our room in the co-sleeper. I'm starting to get the courage to start her off in the nursery and then I'd bring her in with us after her first wake up, but I'm not *quite* there yet. Some days I feel really exhausted but most of the time I'm fine, because waking up just twice a night is pretty manageable. I'm still hoping she extends out her longest stretch to 6 hours sometime soon but even those random 5-ers are pretty nice.

I've noticed that she cat naps for about 30-45 minutes at a time throughout the day but then she almost always takes at least one solid 2-3 hour nap, too. It's almost always in the swing or my arms, but whatever---it still counts! She likes the car seat a lot more lately and will usually snooze in the car while we are out and about, and I've started taking her on runs in the BOB which always cause a nap, too. But of course as soon as we stop she is wide-eyed and alert.

Speaking of being alert, she is REALLY starting to notice her surroundings now. Her favorite buddies are the little elephants hanging above her pack and play. She will stare and smile at those buggers every time I lay her down to change her diaper.



She loves to find windows in the house, obsessed with the light, and also seems to like my picture frames on the wall---maybe something about the contrasting shapes? The biggest change I've seen this week is that she will smile socially a lot more consistently than she ever did before. If she has taken a nice nap and had a good meal, watch out because sister knows how to put on a grinning show. And of course, it makes me melt and snap 839 pictures at a time. She still won't smile a ton for other people besides me but that is probably because I'm with her 90% of the time. I'm trying to share the smiling wealth but the mood has to strike her just right.

My little love bugs. Can't handle it.


Twins? Seriously.








And speaking of moods and preferences, it's starting to break my heart to see that she cries when other people hold her. I guess it's not every single time, but it sure feels like when Nate or my in-laws or friends hold Cece she lets them know within a minute or two that mommy is her fave. I am really not flattered and mostly feel embarrassed when I have to take her back from whoever wanted to hold her in the first place. I guess this is a normal thing for babies but again, I don't really remember Truman being a fuss-butt about others holding him. I especially hate that Nate can't bond with Cecelia like I'm doing because he basically only sees her in the evenings (which are not her finest time) or when he's trying to give her a bottle (which is the same as starting World War 3 in our house). Sigh. It's definitely harder for husbands to bond with newborn babies, right? I actually do remember that feeling last time.

Big brother might have given her a gift or two here. She's thrilled.

Bottles are still causing me major stress as little lady still won't take a drop. I'm so sick of analyzing and trying new things and worrying about it that I don't even feel like going into it on the blog anymore. But I think I'm going to take Cecelia to Lori's for a bit one of these days and let Lori try her turn at this before I return to work. Praying it somehow works because although I know we still have 5 weeks before d-day, I can just picture that first day being an emotional disaster for everyone involved. Even more than what would be normal for a first day back to work. Sigh. Thank you for all of your suggestions last week though! I've tried almost every single one at this point and now I am resigned to the fact that Cece is going to have to take a bottle outside of this house first, because it is NOT working inside her domain.

Back to some more positive points on my baby girl, because there are so many more happy things than stressful ones.

Cloth diapering is going well! The extra laundry from a second child in cloth is pretty substantial but not horrible. I'm back to doing cloth dipe laundry every-other-day again, which isn't too bad since I'm doing regular laundry at LEAST that often, too. And man, her cloth diapered butt plus her brother's? Adorable.


cloth diaper stash in the pack and play:


Discovering anatomy...


A Bum Genius ad:)


Smile!




We've been to the pool quite a bit this summer and although the water is way too cold for her to actually like it (and she is in the shade 99% of the time anyway), I just had to break out the one swimming suit I have for her. And OMG. I die.





And this post isn't about Truman but how cute is he with his two buddies, Henry and Charlotte? Summer time is officially the best time in the entire universe. I love it so much.


Miss thing is still eating like a champ (as long as it's from my real nipple and not a fake one, heaven forbid!!) and is just so content when she is awake now, it's amazing. She will still have an occasional fussy evening here and there but I've found tricks that usually work most of the time (swaddle, walk, music, nursery setting, or outside). She will usually eat every 1.5-2.5 hours during the day based on when she naps and I'm definitely not trying to force any type of schedule for eating or napping. I want to start the eat-play-sleep routine soon----along with doing a few naps in her crib, and starting her off there at night. But man, it's just so easy to hold baby girl while she snoozes and I know these itty bitty days are so fleeting that I just want to soak it up while I can. Schedules and routines will come soon enough and she won't want to cuddle with mama anymore. Just look at this face and tell me you wouldn't want to hold her all day long:)






She still has about 1-2 major spit ups per week but I find they aren't terrifying me as much as they did before. It still sucks to change her clothes, my clothes, and anything else around her but she really does seem content and is growing so I guess that's just a normal baby thing. Between her giant barfs, refusal of the bottle, and refusal of the paci I find myself shocked at how different my two kids seem to be. I think it's true when people generalize girls to be more picky and dramatic than boys--at least in our case!

That's my girl at 7 weeks: mostly happy, very smiley, loves her mommy most of all, hates bottles and pacis with a passion, sleeping about 4-5 hours at the longest stretch, and has to be on the move.

And now for my 'I told you she smiles!' photo shoot:)







But don't worry, that smile can vanish in a second and little diva comes back to play.

Love this little girl more than anything. Even on the hard days, she is such an incredible blessing. Now if she would just take a bottle and prove to others that she is a social butterfly I'd be even happier. Until that next 'thing' comes along that we have to conquer. Everything is a phase, right?