All About You
Your uterus is getting busy this week. You've probably been experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions as your body gets ready for labor. These contractions are usually painless or even pleasurable, similar to contractions you might feel after orgasm. Speaking of which, if you ramp up your sex life a bit now, the prostaglandins in your partner's semen will help ripen your cervix for labor. In fact, sex is one of the natural ways to help jumpstart labor. Sounds great... in theory. With your sore back, bloated feet, sluggish bowels, and general discomfort, getting your groove on might be the last thing on your mind.
http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/week/article/38th-week-pregnancy
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Baby Book... started.
Decided to get a leg-up while I have some time to spare. I started filling out what I could in Schwally's baby book. Its both helpful that I keep a blog (so I can go back and get dates/info to jot down in the book) and also silly that I have all this info archived in this blog (how can I print out all these entries and bind them for future reference? Why am I just re-writing all this into a baby book?).
I feel bad that the sections that talk about "How mommy and daddy prepared for my arrival!" really have nothing worth mentioning considering we didn't do any prep at all with him being baby #2. And the section about "Parties people held for mommy and daddy!" are blank with no gifts (Baby Showers are for first-time babies).... we have a lot of great hand-me-downs worth mentioning but will he feel slighted compared to Evie's plethera of gifts (?), boo. And lastly, the section about "What mom and dad did to celebrate when they found out about me!"... how does one say we didn't celebrate for months after having experienced a miscarriage just 4-5 months earlier.
Bah!
Thank goodness baby #2 is a boy cause... I really think I am over-thinking all this. Boys don't care about such silliness (do they?). And, even still, I'm an only child. I bet most seconds understand the laws of hand-me-downs and re-purposing baby stuff. Right? Right. Just as long as we draw the line on re-purposing Evie's pink frilly dresses. ;-)
I feel bad that the sections that talk about "How mommy and daddy prepared for my arrival!" really have nothing worth mentioning considering we didn't do any prep at all with him being baby #2. And the section about "Parties people held for mommy and daddy!" are blank with no gifts (Baby Showers are for first-time babies).... we have a lot of great hand-me-downs worth mentioning but will he feel slighted compared to Evie's plethera of gifts (?), boo. And lastly, the section about "What mom and dad did to celebrate when they found out about me!"... how does one say we didn't celebrate for months after having experienced a miscarriage just 4-5 months earlier.
Bah!
Thank goodness baby #2 is a boy cause... I really think I am over-thinking all this. Boys don't care about such silliness (do they?). And, even still, I'm an only child. I bet most seconds understand the laws of hand-me-downs and re-purposing baby stuff. Right? Right. Just as long as we draw the line on re-purposing Evie's pink frilly dresses. ;-)
37 Week Check-Up
I have no idea what I measured... I was too busy asking questions about the C-Section! I also never asked about my dialation and effacement... cause... again... I'm having a C-Section (who cares!).
I can say this, my Strep B test came back positive... which, means nothing cause I'm drum roll, please) having a C-Section!
(Wow, why am I even going to the doctor for check-ups if nothing matters?)
I managed to gaine 1.5 lbs in the last week, too. Weight gain is so odd... it took me 2 weeks to gain .5lbs but only 1 week to gain 1.5lbs. Go figure. So, I'm up about 26.5lbs overall with 2 weeks to go...
I asked about Rob being able to cut the cord. Can't... cause I'm having a C-Section (boo!)
I also asked about the circumcision. Not much to report there except that he'll be getting one (yes, yes... I feel terrible for him pain-wise but I honestly do believe in it overall so we'll all get through this OK).
So... one more check-up to go next Thursday...
I can say this, my Strep B test came back positive... which, means nothing cause I'm drum roll, please) having a C-Section!
(Wow, why am I even going to the doctor for check-ups if nothing matters?)
I managed to gaine 1.5 lbs in the last week, too. Weight gain is so odd... it took me 2 weeks to gain .5lbs but only 1 week to gain 1.5lbs. Go figure. So, I'm up about 26.5lbs overall with 2 weeks to go...
I asked about Rob being able to cut the cord. Can't... cause I'm having a C-Section (boo!)
I also asked about the circumcision. Not much to report there except that he'll be getting one (yes, yes... I feel terrible for him pain-wise but I honestly do believe in it overall so we'll all get through this OK).
So... one more check-up to go next Thursday...
First Chocolate Easter Bunny
I might have gotten Evie a very small bunny last year but I really can't recall. She would have been over 2.5 years and I was probably still trying to curb the candy addiction at that time. After having a year of pre-school under her belt... I've given that all up. We are bombarded with candy all the time. OK, maybe that's my fault... I am a candy addict, everyone knows this.
We must have at LEAST 2 lbs of candy in full rotation at all times. I keep a big bowl by the kitchen door and Evie is actually very good at not getting into it or going bonkers for candy throughout the day... granted she asks for a piece of candy every night after dinner, but it's always just one piece and then she's done.
This year's Easter Basket was... full.
I had, *ahem*... the Easter Bunny had, filled her basket with a large chocolate bunny, Nerds, Sweet Tart bunnies, Skittles, a few plastic eggs with more candy, a small Rapunzel doll, princess-themed socks, head bands, princess band-aids, princess toothbrushes, princess lip gloss, and a stuffed basket filled with play vegetables ('cause the bunny knows Evie's into playing house lately, and frankly, those are the kinds of foods a bunny likes).
So that was all Easter Sunday morning, April 24th (the morning after staying up all night vomiting... needless to say we took our time about diving into any treats that day).
A few days after Easter I goaded Evie to take a bite of her bunny. She eagerly ate off his ears... and then (even more enthusiastically) chomped off his candy eyes. She seemed to like the candy bits better than the chocolate. I remember liking chocolate as a kid but preferring candy, too. so this wasn't a total shock to me. The part that WAS a shock was that after I cut off some more for her to eat before packing it away... she handed a piece to me... a piece to her dad... and then she left behind a piece on the table because she was "done."
Who's child IS THIS?
We must have at LEAST 2 lbs of candy in full rotation at all times. I keep a big bowl by the kitchen door and Evie is actually very good at not getting into it or going bonkers for candy throughout the day... granted she asks for a piece of candy every night after dinner, but it's always just one piece and then she's done.
This year's Easter Basket was... full.
I had, *ahem*... the Easter Bunny had, filled her basket with a large chocolate bunny, Nerds, Sweet Tart bunnies, Skittles, a few plastic eggs with more candy, a small Rapunzel doll, princess-themed socks, head bands, princess band-aids, princess toothbrushes, princess lip gloss, and a stuffed basket filled with play vegetables ('cause the bunny knows Evie's into playing house lately, and frankly, those are the kinds of foods a bunny likes).
So that was all Easter Sunday morning, April 24th (the morning after staying up all night vomiting... needless to say we took our time about diving into any treats that day).
A few days after Easter I goaded Evie to take a bite of her bunny. She eagerly ate off his ears... and then (even more enthusiastically) chomped off his candy eyes. She seemed to like the candy bits better than the chocolate. I remember liking chocolate as a kid but preferring candy, too. so this wasn't a total shock to me. The part that WAS a shock was that after I cut off some more for her to eat before packing it away... she handed a piece to me... a piece to her dad... and then she left behind a piece on the table because she was "done."
Who's child IS THIS?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
The Easter "Swallows"
Saturday night. About 12:29AM.
"Mommy!"
"What?"
"Turn my stars on!" Evie has a turtle night light that turns itself off after 30 minutes. We keep it up high on a shelf where only we can turn out when she goes to sleep. I reluctantly roll over.. walk on over and flip on the lights.
Its now just after 1AM and I am awoken by noises. I hear verbal sounds that Evie's making, but I can't make it out. "Evie!" I yell, "What are you doing?"
"I'm swallowing!" she yells back.
Now, back-story time, Evie sucked down a Hersey's strawberry milk box & container of goldfish right after we got in the car en route for Ohio last July. I brought these treats to snack on within the next 2 hours (right before she was to fall asleep for our night-time drive) but she saw them and insisted on having them. She had just eaten a very filling dinner. Twenty minutes into the drive she upchucked all over herself. Fortunately, the car seat caught all of it... like a bucket. Unfortunately she was now sitting in it... absorbing it all and completely freaked-out. We cleaned up at the nearest truck stop and decided to end the road trip... we went back home for the night (the smell was unbearable just 5 minutes later... there's no way any of us would have survived a 9hr car ride). Evie referred to all of this as "swallowing" since that's what she was doing before, well, she threw-up! I tried to explain it all to her but the term "swallowing" has stuck ever since.
I jump out of bed and yell at Rob to follow me.
I grab Evie just under her arms (she is sitting prone and throwing up atop her comforter). I carry/walk her to the bathroom and she promptly pukes in the toilet (holding the handles of her little potty seat which is still in position on the toilet. Its both cute and horribly sad at the same time).
"I'm done." she says standing up. I coax her to sit down on her step stool. I fix up a warm wash cloth and wipe of her face. I teach her how to rinse out her mouth with some water and we walk together back to bed. I thought I had caught her in time but the site of Rob standing amongst soiled bed linens reveals how wrong I am. Evie and I sit on the edge of the bed... she is ghastly pale... I pull her into my and she doesn't resist. Poor thing.
We only had to whisk away a bed pad (for night-time potty training) and the comforter so, the clean-up wasn't too bad. We laid Evie back down and covered her up while Rob explained why he was putting her trash can on the floor next to her. Evie was as calm and collected as can be (frankly, it was both awesome she was handling this all so well and slightly unnerving that a kid just under 4 years old remained so collected about such a yucky hing to experience!).
I tell Evie that I don't think she'll need the bucket (I don't want her to panic about it being there and work herself up over nothing) and she nodded OK... and smiled.
We go to bed. Rob starts to drift off... I have my mom ears on. I wake up when I hear scuffling about 30 minutes later. I race into her room and Rob's close on my heels. I find Evie hunched over the edge of the bed with her face over the trash can. Poor thing is vomiting so forcibly that she's straining and coughing. Whatever was in her stomach is really getting the boot at this point. Rob hits the lights and Evie stops... tears down her face. I tell Rob to get a washcloth and I wipe her up. We go to the bathroom and rinse out her mouth... we go back to bed. I stroke her hair and she looks up at me proud as can be, "I didn't get any on my nightgown!" Man, this girl is brave.
I turn out the light and tell Evie I think she's done for the night and I really do believe this... but I still take ashort while to fall back to sleep.
Another 30 minutes later and I was in a light doze when I hear Evie scuffle again.
Rob's out cold.
I jump out of bed again and yell at Rob to follow me. I find Evie is laying flat-out on her belly with her hands on the edge of the trash can... face completely down in the can. I hold her hair back ( a little too late... but it was clean-up-able). Its not very much at all and this has got to be the final sicktime tonight. Evie sits up and asks for water. She rinses and spits in the can before taking a small sip. She lays back and again is very proud of herself for doing a good job (as well as she should be!) I mop up her hair with the cloth and pin her hair back just in case we have a 4th event.
I shower Evie with accolades - seriously, what a brave & big girl to be handling this all like a champ - and we say good night.
8AM and Evie wakes up. She slept in for an extra hour (thank goodness, we all needed that extra time).
"Mommy! There's something on the table!"
The Easter Bunny left a huge basket of treats: princess socks, princess tooth brushes, head bands, skittles, gummy bunnies, nerds candies, a small Rapunzel doll, a big chocolate bunny and a few candy-filled plastic eggs. SCORE.
Easter day is spent running errands with mom (she was a GEM at the grocery store playing with her new doll)... I am amazed what a trooper this kid is. I take Evie's temp mid-day and she is running around 100.4 but is keeping up with everything just fine.... so we all 3 go to DSW (I had free money for a birthday gift that expired today!), World Market ($10 birthday coupon that expires today!) and Tom Leonards (dinner supplies!) before heading home around 3:30PM. We read 2 stories with popsicles in hand and we ALL crash out for about an hour long nap.
Too bad the night leading up to today was rough ...but today... was great.
"Mommy!"
"What?"
"Turn my stars on!" Evie has a turtle night light that turns itself off after 30 minutes. We keep it up high on a shelf where only we can turn out when she goes to sleep. I reluctantly roll over.. walk on over and flip on the lights.
Its now just after 1AM and I am awoken by noises. I hear verbal sounds that Evie's making, but I can't make it out. "Evie!" I yell, "What are you doing?"
"I'm swallowing!" she yells back.
Now, back-story time, Evie sucked down a Hersey's strawberry milk box & container of goldfish right after we got in the car en route for Ohio last July. I brought these treats to snack on within the next 2 hours (right before she was to fall asleep for our night-time drive) but she saw them and insisted on having them. She had just eaten a very filling dinner. Twenty minutes into the drive she upchucked all over herself. Fortunately, the car seat caught all of it... like a bucket. Unfortunately she was now sitting in it... absorbing it all and completely freaked-out. We cleaned up at the nearest truck stop and decided to end the road trip... we went back home for the night (the smell was unbearable just 5 minutes later... there's no way any of us would have survived a 9hr car ride). Evie referred to all of this as "swallowing" since that's what she was doing before, well, she threw-up! I tried to explain it all to her but the term "swallowing" has stuck ever since.
I jump out of bed and yell at Rob to follow me.
I grab Evie just under her arms (she is sitting prone and throwing up atop her comforter). I carry/walk her to the bathroom and she promptly pukes in the toilet (holding the handles of her little potty seat which is still in position on the toilet. Its both cute and horribly sad at the same time).
"I'm done." she says standing up. I coax her to sit down on her step stool. I fix up a warm wash cloth and wipe of her face. I teach her how to rinse out her mouth with some water and we walk together back to bed. I thought I had caught her in time but the site of Rob standing amongst soiled bed linens reveals how wrong I am. Evie and I sit on the edge of the bed... she is ghastly pale... I pull her into my and she doesn't resist. Poor thing.
We only had to whisk away a bed pad (for night-time potty training) and the comforter so, the clean-up wasn't too bad. We laid Evie back down and covered her up while Rob explained why he was putting her trash can on the floor next to her. Evie was as calm and collected as can be (frankly, it was both awesome she was handling this all so well and slightly unnerving that a kid just under 4 years old remained so collected about such a yucky hing to experience!).
I tell Evie that I don't think she'll need the bucket (I don't want her to panic about it being there and work herself up over nothing) and she nodded OK... and smiled.
We go to bed. Rob starts to drift off... I have my mom ears on. I wake up when I hear scuffling about 30 minutes later. I race into her room and Rob's close on my heels. I find Evie hunched over the edge of the bed with her face over the trash can. Poor thing is vomiting so forcibly that she's straining and coughing. Whatever was in her stomach is really getting the boot at this point. Rob hits the lights and Evie stops... tears down her face. I tell Rob to get a washcloth and I wipe her up. We go to the bathroom and rinse out her mouth... we go back to bed. I stroke her hair and she looks up at me proud as can be, "I didn't get any on my nightgown!" Man, this girl is brave.
I turn out the light and tell Evie I think she's done for the night and I really do believe this... but I still take ashort while to fall back to sleep.
Another 30 minutes later and I was in a light doze when I hear Evie scuffle again.
Rob's out cold.
I jump out of bed again and yell at Rob to follow me. I find Evie is laying flat-out on her belly with her hands on the edge of the trash can... face completely down in the can. I hold her hair back ( a little too late... but it was clean-up-able). Its not very much at all and this has got to be the final sicktime tonight. Evie sits up and asks for water. She rinses and spits in the can before taking a small sip. She lays back and again is very proud of herself for doing a good job (as well as she should be!) I mop up her hair with the cloth and pin her hair back just in case we have a 4th event.
I shower Evie with accolades - seriously, what a brave & big girl to be handling this all like a champ - and we say good night.
8AM and Evie wakes up. She slept in for an extra hour (thank goodness, we all needed that extra time).
"Mommy! There's something on the table!"
The Easter Bunny left a huge basket of treats: princess socks, princess tooth brushes, head bands, skittles, gummy bunnies, nerds candies, a small Rapunzel doll, a big chocolate bunny and a few candy-filled plastic eggs. SCORE.
Easter day is spent running errands with mom (she was a GEM at the grocery store playing with her new doll)... I am amazed what a trooper this kid is. I take Evie's temp mid-day and she is running around 100.4 but is keeping up with everything just fine.... so we all 3 go to DSW (I had free money for a birthday gift that expired today!), World Market ($10 birthday coupon that expires today!) and Tom Leonards (dinner supplies!) before heading home around 3:30PM. We read 2 stories with popsicles in hand and we ALL crash out for about an hour long nap.
Too bad the night leading up to today was rough ...but today... was great.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Easter Brunch
I decided to host an Easter Brunch at our house. It was excuse to have an egg hunt... to dye eggs... to see friends before baby #2 gets here... and to relish n the joys of what Easter is (candy!). *wink*
I served up coffee, muffins and an egg/sausage casserole (that for some reason took Way-y-y longer than it should have to cook). Davis & Catherine made "fairy cakes" (angel food with strawberries and whipped cream!), Kelly & Eric made crepes! and Dany & Greg brought fresh fruit. Some hard-boiled eggs were also brought to accompany the 18 or so I boiled the night before. Catherine also brought over even more eggs for the egg hunt (I *think* we ended up with some 36 eggs or more just for Duncan and Evie... sheesh!).
The morning began with egg dying during brunch. We found that if we abandoned this activity and left the eggs (more like forgot about), the colors were amazing. Ha!
After some breakfast we tore up the front lawn in a matter of seconds... hiding that many eggs in that small a space was rather silly. Evie and Duncan were like guided missiles all over the yard. It was cute and hilarious to watch.
Candy eggs were torn open and the bounty was calculated.
All and all, a great kick-off to the Easter Weekend!
I served up coffee, muffins and an egg/sausage casserole (that for some reason took Way-y-y longer than it should have to cook). Davis & Catherine made "fairy cakes" (angel food with strawberries and whipped cream!), Kelly & Eric made crepes! and Dany & Greg brought fresh fruit. Some hard-boiled eggs were also brought to accompany the 18 or so I boiled the night before. Catherine also brought over even more eggs for the egg hunt (I *think* we ended up with some 36 eggs or more just for Duncan and Evie... sheesh!).
The morning began with egg dying during brunch. We found that if we abandoned this activity and left the eggs (more like forgot about), the colors were amazing. Ha!
After some breakfast we tore up the front lawn in a matter of seconds... hiding that many eggs in that small a space was rather silly. Evie and Duncan were like guided missiles all over the yard. It was cute and hilarious to watch.
Candy eggs were torn open and the bounty was calculated.
All and all, a great kick-off to the Easter Weekend!
Evie's First Dream: The Blue Baby
"Mommy!"
Its 1:44AM.
"Yes!" I shout back just as clear as day since she startled me into complete alertness.
"There's a baby in my bed," she yells.
"OK, well, ...I dunno Evie," I begin to zone out realizing I've been awoken for a stupid reason.
"Mo-o-om (like a teenager would exasperate). There's a BABY in my BED!"
"OK, well, ...what do you want me to do about it?" I look over to see Rob now sitting up. I tell him that she went to bed with no toys in her bed so I have no idea what she's talking about. He trudges into her room as she yells back.
"There's a blue baby in my bed!"
Um, OK, a BLUE baby... now I'm kinda freaked-out. "Well," I reply, "Play with him or tell him to go away."
Evie,"Get this baby out of my bed!"
There's a long pause while Rob handles the situation. He returns with very little to report and we quickly fade back into a deep sleep. The next morning I ask for some details.
"So, what's this about a blue baby? In your bed?" I'll admit, the thought of the kid from The Sixth Sense comes to mind.
"Yeah, he was behind my headboard."
I ask more,"What was he doing back there?"
"He was sneaking around the room like this and then he went like this behind my bed!" Evie freeze-frames in a position as if she were running and someone yelled out "red light!" She has her tongue sticking out and eyes wide... her fingers spread apart... its completely silly like a pose a Disney cartoon would take if a spotlight suddenly shone on them.
We all kinda laugh.
I'll admit I was a little freaked-out at the thought of a blue baby making his appearance just two weeks before a real baby is to make his appearance in this house... but I guess at least she wasn't having night terrors or mad at the baby for doing something awful to her stuff I her room.
One thing's for sure, this is the first real dream Evie has ever shared with us... and it sure was interesting.
Its 1:44AM.
"Yes!" I shout back just as clear as day since she startled me into complete alertness.
"There's a baby in my bed," she yells.
"OK, well, ...I dunno Evie," I begin to zone out realizing I've been awoken for a stupid reason.
"Mo-o-om (like a teenager would exasperate). There's a BABY in my BED!"
"OK, well, ...what do you want me to do about it?" I look over to see Rob now sitting up. I tell him that she went to bed with no toys in her bed so I have no idea what she's talking about. He trudges into her room as she yells back.
"There's a blue baby in my bed!"
Um, OK, a BLUE baby... now I'm kinda freaked-out. "Well," I reply, "Play with him or tell him to go away."
Evie,"Get this baby out of my bed!"
There's a long pause while Rob handles the situation. He returns with very little to report and we quickly fade back into a deep sleep. The next morning I ask for some details.
"So, what's this about a blue baby? In your bed?" I'll admit, the thought of the kid from The Sixth Sense comes to mind.
"Yeah, he was behind my headboard."
I ask more,"What was he doing back there?"
"He was sneaking around the room like this and then he went like this behind my bed!" Evie freeze-frames in a position as if she were running and someone yelled out "red light!" She has her tongue sticking out and eyes wide... her fingers spread apart... its completely silly like a pose a Disney cartoon would take if a spotlight suddenly shone on them.
We all kinda laugh.
I'll admit I was a little freaked-out at the thought of a blue baby making his appearance just two weeks before a real baby is to make his appearance in this house... but I guess at least she wasn't having night terrors or mad at the baby for doing something awful to her stuff I her room.
One thing's for sure, this is the first real dream Evie has ever shared with us... and it sure was interesting.
Friday, April 22, 2011
The mixed-up language & musings of a near 4-year-old
Translating what Evie says into what she means can be a hilarious ride.
Latest highlights include:
"Mommy (exasperated) I very want to go to the park!"
"Mommy, these commercials don't know I'm trying to watch my show!"
"Mommy, is that a bat?" I ask what she is talking about. She continues with her hand to her ear, "Do you hear it? Listen. Its a squeaking sound...."
*silence*
Evie starts making a squeaking sound. I listen harder imagining how awful its going to be when we have to go get rabies shots. Then I hear it... its a crow in the distance outside... and I tell her such. I then ask, "How do you know about bats?" Answer, "From Scooby Doo." Ah, yes. the intro song to Scooby Doo... such an educational theme.
Evie, "Mommy, sit with me."
Me, "Baby, I have to get ready for work."
Look of shear genius on her face, "I know! You can work at home!"
Me, "No, I have to sit in front of a computer all day ....and you'll want to do things with me."
Evie, "Why do you do that?"
Me, "For money. So I can buy you things."
Evie, questioning, "Buy me things?"
Me, "Yeah."
*pause*
Evie, "I want a purse."
"That tickles my foots."
Latest highlights include:
"Mommy (exasperated) I very want to go to the park!"
"Mommy, these commercials don't know I'm trying to watch my show!"
"Mommy, is that a bat?" I ask what she is talking about. She continues with her hand to her ear, "Do you hear it? Listen. Its a squeaking sound...."
*silence*
Evie starts making a squeaking sound. I listen harder imagining how awful its going to be when we have to go get rabies shots. Then I hear it... its a crow in the distance outside... and I tell her such. I then ask, "How do you know about bats?" Answer, "From Scooby Doo." Ah, yes. the intro song to Scooby Doo... such an educational theme.
Evie, "Mommy, sit with me."
Me, "Baby, I have to get ready for work."
Look of shear genius on her face, "I know! You can work at home!"
Me, "No, I have to sit in front of a computer all day ....and you'll want to do things with me."
Evie, "Why do you do that?"
Me, "For money. So I can buy you things."
Evie, questioning, "Buy me things?"
Me, "Yeah."
*pause*
Evie, "I want a purse."
"That tickles my foots."
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Photo: 36 Weeks today
Only 3 more weeks for me! Ah, the confidence and convenience of having a C-Section. I feel like a cheater and yet I also don't feel like a cheater when someone goes over their due date by a week (or more!)... that's just cruel Mother Nature!
I am 36 weeks today and just went in for my 1st of the final 4 visits (although, I'll just have a final 3 visits).
I am only .5lbs more than 2 weeks ago! I have absolutely no idea how that has happened considering yesterday's lunch was peanut-butter on toast with a fruit juice & ice cream. All crap/garbage food. I eat candy like a teenager on Halloween night and I scarf convenience foods cause they're... well... convenient. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining... just amazed that you can physically see my stomach expanding and yet the numbers on the scale do not move... make zero sense to me.
So, in conclusion, by my estimates... I have gained 25lbs so far with this pregnancy. That's roughly where I was at this point with Evie. Interesting!
I am measuring at 37 weeks (means nothing, really, for all you soon-to-be moms who think that just means you'll have the kid sooner... you won't necessarily!).
I am .3cm dialated and 30% effaced.... again, means nothing unless you are actually in labor!
OK, this post is making me hungry. I'm off to get a burrito. Hmmm....
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
What's in a Name?
Decisions, Decisions.
With Evie we listed about 8 names and after finding out most were VERY popular, we landed on Eve after I played on Baby Name Voyager.
After I picked her name from the list... I discovered my mom's list that she had for me & put them both in Evie's keepsake baby book.
Cue the heartfelt Hallmark muzak.
With Schwally... the decision is just so different.
Rob and I loved, I mean LOVED the name "Jack" after I overheard a mother call after her son while at the eye doctor... back when we were dating. But now, here we are a decade later, and the name is so very popular (and even used by close friends) that we just can't do it. Boo.
Back to the drawing board.
Rob threw out the name "Owen" pretty quickly as a counter to my "Henry." I considered it... I liked it and we hadn't really discussed anything else for a long time. We shared "Owen" with many and somehow it became a done deal.
But...
I'm not 100% sold. Ugh, the agony over this is getting so ridiculous.
I love the name "Owen", but I am left wondering how it sounds as a complete name. When you spend your life having to say your first & last name together over the phone... you get sensitive to "mouthful" names.
Evie's sold on Owen. Somewhere along the way (after over hearing us sharing this name with many people who ask) she has come to understand that we "call him Schwally... but his real name is Owen."
Evie is borderline distraught at my attempts to unravel what we've done.
I told her this past week, "Evie, what if we don't name your baby brother Owen? What if we named him... Max?"
She laughed at this... Evie only knows the TV Show 'Max and Ruby' and cannot conceive of anyone sharing a name... she thinks I am joking.
I then suggest, "What about Henry?"
Now Evie gets mad, "Henry's in my class!" She, again, thinks I am teasing her and isn't liking that I'm changing something she thought we were firmly settled on.
Evie changes the subject... so much for that.
Rob calls to tell me that he overheard Evie tell someone, "His name is Owen... but mommy likes Max."
Interesting... maybe I can still keep my options open (or Evie can)...
Only 3 more weeks till a final decision must be made.
Daunting.
With Evie we listed about 8 names and after finding out most were VERY popular, we landed on Eve after I played on Baby Name Voyager.
After I picked her name from the list... I discovered my mom's list that she had for me & put them both in Evie's keepsake baby book.
Cue the heartfelt Hallmark muzak.
With Schwally... the decision is just so different.
Rob and I loved, I mean LOVED the name "Jack" after I overheard a mother call after her son while at the eye doctor... back when we were dating. But now, here we are a decade later, and the name is so very popular (and even used by close friends) that we just can't do it. Boo.
Back to the drawing board.
Rob threw out the name "Owen" pretty quickly as a counter to my "Henry." I considered it... I liked it and we hadn't really discussed anything else for a long time. We shared "Owen" with many and somehow it became a done deal.
But...
I'm not 100% sold. Ugh, the agony over this is getting so ridiculous.
I love the name "Owen", but I am left wondering how it sounds as a complete name. When you spend your life having to say your first & last name together over the phone... you get sensitive to "mouthful" names.
Evie's sold on Owen. Somewhere along the way (after over hearing us sharing this name with many people who ask) she has come to understand that we "call him Schwally... but his real name is Owen."
Evie is borderline distraught at my attempts to unravel what we've done.
I told her this past week, "Evie, what if we don't name your baby brother Owen? What if we named him... Max?"
She laughed at this... Evie only knows the TV Show 'Max and Ruby' and cannot conceive of anyone sharing a name... she thinks I am joking.
I then suggest, "What about Henry?"
Now Evie gets mad, "Henry's in my class!" She, again, thinks I am teasing her and isn't liking that I'm changing something she thought we were firmly settled on.
Evie changes the subject... so much for that.
Rob calls to tell me that he overheard Evie tell someone, "His name is Owen... but mommy likes Max."
Interesting... maybe I can still keep my options open (or Evie can)...
Only 3 more weeks till a final decision must be made.
Daunting.
Conversation with Natalie
I call Natalie who had, in November, described a pain she had in her 9th month. A pain that sounded awful.
Me: "Hey."
Natalie: "What's up?"
Me: "You remember telling me about that pain you had? In your pelvis? The one where you couldn't walk?"
Natalie: "Yeah. The one that felt like an ice-pick jabbing into your bones?"
Me: (gulping, 'cause YES, that is the feeling. And, although I have found someone who shares in my pain,... it's someone who experienced this pain off/on for an entire month until the baby was born) "Yeah, that's the feeling. Its like someone sticking an ice-pick into your bone... right where my right leg hinges into my pelvis. And its just on the right side... where the baby sits. If I'm up on my feet for only 2-3 hours and then I sit for awhile... its like I lock-up and can't walk! If I lift my leg to take a step, it takes my breathe away until I put it back down again... if I can even lift it. Rob's helped me to the bedroom twice when this has happened... its horrible!"
Natalie: "Yeah, that's it. Remember when I told you about trying to shop... realizing I couldn't walk and leaving the store?"
Me: "Yeah?"
Natalie: "That was it."
Great.
Only 3 weeks to go and 37 things to do between now and then.
Pregnancy the second-time 'round is hard!
http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/ask-heidi/pelvic-pain.aspx
Me: "Hey."
Natalie: "What's up?"
Me: "You remember telling me about that pain you had? In your pelvis? The one where you couldn't walk?"
Natalie: "Yeah. The one that felt like an ice-pick jabbing into your bones?"
Me: (gulping, 'cause YES, that is the feeling. And, although I have found someone who shares in my pain,... it's someone who experienced this pain off/on for an entire month until the baby was born) "Yeah, that's the feeling. Its like someone sticking an ice-pick into your bone... right where my right leg hinges into my pelvis. And its just on the right side... where the baby sits. If I'm up on my feet for only 2-3 hours and then I sit for awhile... its like I lock-up and can't walk! If I lift my leg to take a step, it takes my breathe away until I put it back down again... if I can even lift it. Rob's helped me to the bedroom twice when this has happened... its horrible!"
Natalie: "Yeah, that's it. Remember when I told you about trying to shop... realizing I couldn't walk and leaving the store?"
Me: "Yeah?"
Natalie: "That was it."
Great.
Only 3 weeks to go and 37 things to do between now and then.
Pregnancy the second-time 'round is hard!
http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/ask-heidi/pelvic-pain.aspx
Sunday, April 17, 2011
A Day at Maymont
Alycia came in town for an overnight with baby Ryan. It was the first time for a visit in a l-o-n-g time (well, them coming outto our neck-in-the-woods at least). After a ridiculously long traffic jam en route here, the ladies arrived in the rainy evening and stayed overnight to enjoy a beautiful today.
Alycia, Evie and I enjoy a coffee shop breakfast this morning (with guest star Tim Kaine! He lives 'round these parts) before grabbing a freshly nap-rested Ryan and heading off to Maymont Park. We toured some petting zoo goats and chickens. We walked down the very steep hillside (read: 35.5 weeks pregnant!) to where the foxes, owls and eagles are all rescued. Evie and I shared a cherry snowcone, we all watched the bears and picked many flowers before walking back uphill and heading out ...homeward bound.
W-O-W. I caught a profile of myself in the restrooms moments before this picture was taken so, yes, I am aware of my enormity. I still can't tell if its the shirt that makes me look huge or if I truly AM this huge.
Evie and I kept giggling that Ryan looks like she's excited to nibble on a piece of poo she found (to be fair I think its one of those "gumballs" from the trees).
Ah, the goats! They come running for outstretched hands and then quickly leave if you don't have a hand-out for them...
Alycia, Evie and I enjoy a coffee shop breakfast this morning (with guest star Tim Kaine! He lives 'round these parts) before grabbing a freshly nap-rested Ryan and heading off to Maymont Park. We toured some petting zoo goats and chickens. We walked down the very steep hillside (read: 35.5 weeks pregnant!) to where the foxes, owls and eagles are all rescued. Evie and I shared a cherry snowcone, we all watched the bears and picked many flowers before walking back uphill and heading out ...homeward bound.
W-O-W. I caught a profile of myself in the restrooms moments before this picture was taken so, yes, I am aware of my enormity. I still can't tell if its the shirt that makes me look huge or if I truly AM this huge.
Evie and I kept giggling that Ryan looks like she's excited to nibble on a piece of poo she found (to be fair I think its one of those "gumballs" from the trees).
Ah, the goats! They come running for outstretched hands and then quickly leave if you don't have a hand-out for them...
Monday, April 11, 2011
Dear Schwally,
One month.
Just one more month till we meet face-to-face.
I tore open the doctor's letter eagerly knowing that inside would be the official date & time that you would enter this world. It's funny to think this decision is made for you... and done so to accommodate all people involved (not at all including you). Your sister suffered this same pre-determined fate. This "having no input" on when she'd be born. But hers was much more unsettling when it was scheduled. She had to arrive here via C-Section... yours is more a matter of convenience.
I have a feeling much of your life will be a little more at your expense than your sister's life has been... let me go ahead and apologize for that now. You will probably be dragged around when you'd rather be sitting. You will have someone whining while you are trying to nap. Your space on my lap will be split with your sister who isn't sure about letting you have all the limelight. And, you may be left to cry a little longer than your sister cause, let's be honest, there's a lot going on in this house and a lot less patience all around.
But its not all bad. You've been eavesdropping these last few months - you should be pretty well prepared for what to expect (minus the visuals).
You get your own bedroom. Yes, much of it is hand-me-downs but I assure you that you will neither notice nor care much. Once we know what it is that you like (your sister LOVES pink and anything having to do with princesses) we'll be sure to have stuff for you to have as your very own (cars? trains? dinosaurs? Maybe even super heroes... oh your daddy would be so excited!).
The weather should be beautiful when you are forced to leave your climate-controlled environment. Spring is great for sunshine, small breezes and being snuggled in a blanket. Your sister never had that - she was here in the peak of hot season... snuggling was at a minimum and did not include fluffy blankets.
You already have your first trip planned. You'll be going back to the very location where your existence even began... the beach! We'll take a family trip to the Outer Banks and we are all very hopeful that you love it as much as we all do. You've already got a little sun tent and new clothes for this special vacation... I can't wait to have you see the ocean for the very first time! Well, ok, to be fair your vision might not be the best for long-distance sight-seeing but you'll look back at photos from this trip and see it, wink!
I've been spending time with Evie getting prepared for your arrival. She is very good with babies, but, be prepared... she's going to be very jealous of the time you spend with, well, everyone. I do hope you don't take it personally. Frankly, you won't know any different (sorry about never having the experience of having mommy and daddy all to yourself like Evie's had for nearly 4 years). I'm not worried that you won't take it in stride... so far you've been pretty easy while in my belly (albeit strong!). I just want you to know that we all have a lot to learn and that you remain understanding. Mom and dad will be much more relaxed with you after having a baby in the house once before so this will be an advantage never felt by your big sister. But mom and dad never had to juggle two personalities seeking help so there may be some rough times ahead. We'll get through it.
Dad has been sharing videos with your big sister from when she was little. Its amazing to think about how much she has accomplished in 4 short years... and how long ago many of these feats seem when we watch them on screen. Your daddy and I are excited to see how you'll tackle big moments like crawling, giggling, walking, hiding, eating big people food and saying "mommy" or "daddy!" We are also going to try our best to let you do things your way, too. We pushed Evie... oh you will get pushed, too! But I am going to try and let you be your own person with no comparison to your bigger sister. Nothing makes your mommy more upset then one kid being in the shadow of another. So, let me just say for the record, I will try and let you be your own little person. I might point out how you two are different but I will let you explore your world in the fashion you like just as how your sister has decided to explore her world through music, being silly, coloring and close observations.
Your sister and I just went through her "Baby's First Month" photo album (you'll have one, too!) and I tried to explain to her that she, too, was once in my belly. She often eagerly holds my belly and yells to you, "Kick my hand, Schwally!" so she knows all about you. She didn't know that she once had the same beginning. Incidentally, she's the one who named you Schwally.
I wonder who you'll look like. Looking in that photo album of Evie when she was first born brought back a lot of memories... mostly ones filled with anxiety. I remember everyone saying she looked like your daddy and, boy, did she ever. She's really changed a lot since then so its hard for me to see Evie in that newborn face. I really wonder if you'll look like daddy... or me... or Evie! And then wonder how you'll change as you grow up. I wonder if you'll be a redhead like Evie and me... or if you and daddy will both be the brunettes in the family. I wonder if you'll have my long oval shaped head. I wonder if you'll have your dad's wide shoulders. I already know you have your daddy's feet! We actually had two more ultrasounds with you (one very recently)... and we saw your toes on the last one! So there's one mystery solved! Daddy apologizes for this... he doesn't have the best feet. :-)
I hope you hold my hand. I could just cry at how badly I want you to squeeze my fingers. Me and Evie weren't very snuggly with each other when she was little... she snuggles up now when we read books or watch shows. But, I really hope you are snuggly with me when you get here. I want you to be independent, adventurous and courageous... just not all in the first weeks, please!
I want you to know that you will be very loved. Its hard to imagine just how much but I know, after all the time we've waited for you to be here,... its going to be big.
See you in 4 weeks,
Love, mom.
Just one more month till we meet face-to-face.
I tore open the doctor's letter eagerly knowing that inside would be the official date & time that you would enter this world. It's funny to think this decision is made for you... and done so to accommodate all people involved (not at all including you). Your sister suffered this same pre-determined fate. This "having no input" on when she'd be born. But hers was much more unsettling when it was scheduled. She had to arrive here via C-Section... yours is more a matter of convenience.
I have a feeling much of your life will be a little more at your expense than your sister's life has been... let me go ahead and apologize for that now. You will probably be dragged around when you'd rather be sitting. You will have someone whining while you are trying to nap. Your space on my lap will be split with your sister who isn't sure about letting you have all the limelight. And, you may be left to cry a little longer than your sister cause, let's be honest, there's a lot going on in this house and a lot less patience all around.
But its not all bad. You've been eavesdropping these last few months - you should be pretty well prepared for what to expect (minus the visuals).
You get your own bedroom. Yes, much of it is hand-me-downs but I assure you that you will neither notice nor care much. Once we know what it is that you like (your sister LOVES pink and anything having to do with princesses) we'll be sure to have stuff for you to have as your very own (cars? trains? dinosaurs? Maybe even super heroes... oh your daddy would be so excited!).
The weather should be beautiful when you are forced to leave your climate-controlled environment. Spring is great for sunshine, small breezes and being snuggled in a blanket. Your sister never had that - she was here in the peak of hot season... snuggling was at a minimum and did not include fluffy blankets.
You already have your first trip planned. You'll be going back to the very location where your existence even began... the beach! We'll take a family trip to the Outer Banks and we are all very hopeful that you love it as much as we all do. You've already got a little sun tent and new clothes for this special vacation... I can't wait to have you see the ocean for the very first time! Well, ok, to be fair your vision might not be the best for long-distance sight-seeing but you'll look back at photos from this trip and see it, wink!
I've been spending time with Evie getting prepared for your arrival. She is very good with babies, but, be prepared... she's going to be very jealous of the time you spend with, well, everyone. I do hope you don't take it personally. Frankly, you won't know any different (sorry about never having the experience of having mommy and daddy all to yourself like Evie's had for nearly 4 years). I'm not worried that you won't take it in stride... so far you've been pretty easy while in my belly (albeit strong!). I just want you to know that we all have a lot to learn and that you remain understanding. Mom and dad will be much more relaxed with you after having a baby in the house once before so this will be an advantage never felt by your big sister. But mom and dad never had to juggle two personalities seeking help so there may be some rough times ahead. We'll get through it.
Dad has been sharing videos with your big sister from when she was little. Its amazing to think about how much she has accomplished in 4 short years... and how long ago many of these feats seem when we watch them on screen. Your daddy and I are excited to see how you'll tackle big moments like crawling, giggling, walking, hiding, eating big people food and saying "mommy" or "daddy!" We are also going to try our best to let you do things your way, too. We pushed Evie... oh you will get pushed, too! But I am going to try and let you be your own person with no comparison to your bigger sister. Nothing makes your mommy more upset then one kid being in the shadow of another. So, let me just say for the record, I will try and let you be your own little person. I might point out how you two are different but I will let you explore your world in the fashion you like just as how your sister has decided to explore her world through music, being silly, coloring and close observations.
Your sister and I just went through her "Baby's First Month" photo album (you'll have one, too!) and I tried to explain to her that she, too, was once in my belly. She often eagerly holds my belly and yells to you, "Kick my hand, Schwally!" so she knows all about you. She didn't know that she once had the same beginning. Incidentally, she's the one who named you Schwally.
I wonder who you'll look like. Looking in that photo album of Evie when she was first born brought back a lot of memories... mostly ones filled with anxiety. I remember everyone saying she looked like your daddy and, boy, did she ever. She's really changed a lot since then so its hard for me to see Evie in that newborn face. I really wonder if you'll look like daddy... or me... or Evie! And then wonder how you'll change as you grow up. I wonder if you'll be a redhead like Evie and me... or if you and daddy will both be the brunettes in the family. I wonder if you'll have my long oval shaped head. I wonder if you'll have your dad's wide shoulders. I already know you have your daddy's feet! We actually had two more ultrasounds with you (one very recently)... and we saw your toes on the last one! So there's one mystery solved! Daddy apologizes for this... he doesn't have the best feet. :-)
I hope you hold my hand. I could just cry at how badly I want you to squeeze my fingers. Me and Evie weren't very snuggly with each other when she was little... she snuggles up now when we read books or watch shows. But, I really hope you are snuggly with me when you get here. I want you to be independent, adventurous and courageous... just not all in the first weeks, please!
I want you to know that you will be very loved. Its hard to imagine just how much but I know, after all the time we've waited for you to be here,... its going to be big.
See you in 4 weeks,
Love, mom.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
...and a date is set...
Rob handed my yesterday's mail this morning. I received my letter confirming my 10AM C-section appointment for May 11. Suddenly this whole thing I have been experiencing is real... and I spend the rest of the morning cleaning the shower grout with a toothbrush.
Ack!
A small private freak-out about what time remains... and I am feeling ok again.
It turns out that I'll now have the C-section on a Wednesday morning. And C-sections now involve some hospital bloodwork/testing done 24hrs beforehand. (Funny how much has changed in just 4 years). This leaves me questioning if I should just leave my workplace on Friday the week before (cause, ... why would I work on just a Monday right before a 12 week leave?). My calendar suddenly needs slight re-working.
I feel so unprepared for what I have been preparing for for months. Funny, I really must have prego-brain to be surprised at this point...
Ack!
A small private freak-out about what time remains... and I am feeling ok again.
It turns out that I'll now have the C-section on a Wednesday morning. And C-sections now involve some hospital bloodwork/testing done 24hrs beforehand. (Funny how much has changed in just 4 years). This leaves me questioning if I should just leave my workplace on Friday the week before (cause, ... why would I work on just a Monday right before a 12 week leave?). My calendar suddenly needs slight re-working.
I feel so unprepared for what I have been preparing for for months. Funny, I really must have prego-brain to be surprised at this point...
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
34 Week Check-Up
OK, again, I'm technically seeing my doctor 1 day before so I'm really 33weeks 6 days... but whatever... at this point he just gets fatter, its not like 1 day makes that pivotal of a difference!
The doctor got a new digital scale! Yeah, 21st century! It read 164.6 and I think I was about 140lbs when I got pregnant (but they wrote down 142lbs at my 9 week check-up... I swear I packed that on in carbs o keep from puking so I like to say I was really 140lbs). So, I have put on about 25.5lbs so far. That's not too bad given the amazing amount of pure candy/dessert crap I have managed to consume in this pregnancy verses when I was carrying Evie...
So, again, I'm at 34weeks but measuring at 35.5weeks. That's rather consistent with this pregnancy... I seem to always be off by about a week.
The doctor said he is still head down and has his butt curled up against the same side of my belly that Evie favored. I'm super curious why my babies like to hang out on my right side... there's got to be some hidden meaning to this, right?
I told the doctor I wanted a morning timeslot for my C-section above all else. I even told him I didn't care if it was, gasp!, Friday the 13th! I just want a morning slot, period. They scheduled me for 3PM with Evie and by the time they gave her to me that night... it was 9PM... and that all counted as 1 of 3 days in the hospitol. F that S. If I am paying some $700 a night for such fancy accomodations... I demand an early check-in. Harumphf!
Fortunately, my doctor finds my hysterical and not at all a pain-in-the-ass so I think he'll make my request happen. So, stay tuned, I go back in 2 weeks (April 21) and we should have a date set by then!
The doctor got a new digital scale! Yeah, 21st century! It read 164.6 and I think I was about 140lbs when I got pregnant (but they wrote down 142lbs at my 9 week check-up... I swear I packed that on in carbs o keep from puking so I like to say I was really 140lbs). So, I have put on about 25.5lbs so far. That's not too bad given the amazing amount of pure candy/dessert crap I have managed to consume in this pregnancy verses when I was carrying Evie...
So, again, I'm at 34weeks but measuring at 35.5weeks. That's rather consistent with this pregnancy... I seem to always be off by about a week.
The doctor said he is still head down and has his butt curled up against the same side of my belly that Evie favored. I'm super curious why my babies like to hang out on my right side... there's got to be some hidden meaning to this, right?
I told the doctor I wanted a morning timeslot for my C-section above all else. I even told him I didn't care if it was, gasp!, Friday the 13th! I just want a morning slot, period. They scheduled me for 3PM with Evie and by the time they gave her to me that night... it was 9PM... and that all counted as 1 of 3 days in the hospitol. F that S. If I am paying some $700 a night for such fancy accomodations... I demand an early check-in. Harumphf!
Fortunately, my doctor finds my hysterical and not at all a pain-in-the-ass so I think he'll make my request happen. So, stay tuned, I go back in 2 weeks (April 21) and we should have a date set by then!
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