9 tips in 9 months

Coming off the heels of my pregnancy, I feel like I have more wisdom regarding those special 9 months. I realize every woman and every pregnancy are different but the fundamentals are still the same. So, I'm sharing what I've learned this time around.

Month 1. I had absolutely no idea I was pregnant at this point. We weren't trying but we weren't preventing. But luckily I was taking a prenatal vitamin- just in case. I skipped days here and there but I was also trying to improve my diet. 

Takeaway tip #1 Even if you are just "seeing what happens" take the vitamin daily!

Month #2. This is the point when I found out I had baby #2 on board. I was committed to taking my prenatal vitamin. And exercising. Unfortunately for me I couldn't keep up with the exercise. I struggled with fatigue and balancing an already busy life of husband, 3 year old, work, and various other obligations. I was also a nervous wreck that this wouldn't last. I used positive pregnancy affirmations and lots of encouraging talks with my husband to get me through this month. 

Takeaway tip #2: stay positive and enjoy every single moment of this beautiful journey that you can. 

Month #3. This is around the time most couples typically make their big announcement to the world. I opted to wait awhile longer due to my history. I just didn't want to deal with the what-if's. My journey is a very personal one and didn't way to deal with thrones of people with questions and whatnot- so I held onto my joy a little longer than most. But if you have no reason to otherwise I'd say shout it from the mountain tops! It's such a happy time in your life why no let it show?!

Takeaway tip #3: Don't be afraid to share your joy! 

Month 4: Things are getting really real now and probably have already begun to show. If you are the type- do a fun photo project to document your pregnancy.  Even if you don't always feel the best do it anyway. It'll be fun and nostalgic to look back on this time and reminisce on how things were before your family expanded. Perhaps you can use it to compare a future pregnancy or your child may want to know what your experience was. It's crazy how much we can forget as time passes on. 

Takeaway tip #4: Document your journey- it'll be fun to look back on later.

Month #5: Plan a getaway! I know the babymoon market is beginning to take off but seriously if you can-do it. Life as you know it is about to change and who knows when your next opponent might be?! It doesn't have to be an extravagant trip oversees. You can do a cute weekend getaway to just about anywhere. Perhaps explore another place within your state of residence, get a hotel room and indulge in room service, or go to a bed and breakfast and just relax. The possibilities are endless!

Takeaway tip #5: Use the "babymoon" as an opportunity to relax and reconnect with your partner. 

Month #6: Start your baby prep. I actually start my prep a little earlier so I can plan and accommodate unforeseen circumstances. For instance when expecting my son it took me nearly a month to clean out the spare bedroom for his nursery. I didn't realize how much stuff I actually had piled in there. It was our catch all space. But otherwise now is a good time to go ahead and start getting the nursery together. That way you'll have time to make it all come together! 

Takeaway tip #6: Get the nursery together!

Month #7: Get ready for baby's debut. Learn all you can about the labor and delivery process, what to expect, and your options. This will help you to get the most out of baby's debut. But it doesn't stop there- you'll also want to prepare yourself for postpartum changes too. Having the knowledge before hand can make a difference later. 

Takeaway tip #7: Take a childbirth prep course (usually hosted at your local hospital) to get familiar with what to expect. 

Month #8: We opted not to have a baby shower the second time around but for our first- we did. Ideally, someone would be hosting this for you so all you have to do is show up! This is always a fun celebration of your journey into motherhood and your loved ones are likely happy to share in this special time with you. Even if you aren't into cheesy baby shower games there's still fun to be had!

Take away tip #8: Others are likely wanting to share in your joy. Use this as an opportunity to share your impending arrival with your loved ones!

Month #9: The moment you've been preparing for these past nine months is finally here. There is no better moment than meeting your baby for the first time. Enjoy it as much as possible. The birth that you've planned may or may not have happened but don't let that ruin this momentous occasion. Both of my deliveries went better than I anticipated but everyone isn't always as fortunate. If you find yourself delivering in a way you hadn't anticipated- try not to dwell on it. The most important thing is that you and your baby remain safe and healthy. 

Takeaway tip #9: The finish line is oh so sweet. Your life has changed for sure- savor every moment regardless of how your bundle of joy got here.

Bonus: The fourth trimester. A time of foggy bliss. Sleep deprivation, healing, and getting to know your sweet little one hits you like a ton of bricks! It's easier said than done but take it easy! Ease back into your day to day life slowly but surely. You never get these moments back so don't rush it.  

3rd trimester prep

My third trimester began mid May... goodness where did the time go?! As we get closer to D-day, I'd like to get as much as I can situated for baby. Even though we've been through this once before- a lot can change in 3 years. Seriously, this time around I am giving birth in a new state, new health care laws are in affect, and each and every mama, pregnancy, and birth are different. So, today I'm sharing 5 ways to prepare for baby's delivery in your third trimester.

 1. Thanks to the affordable Care Act, most private insurance companies are required to cover the cost of a breast pump. This is huge because when my son was born in 2011- my insurance company did not cover a breast pump. I plan to primarily breast feed initially but would like to keep my baby on breast milk after I can no longer nurse her on demand. Which will require a stored milk supply once she enters daycare. So, I contacted my insurance company and found out the steps I need to take to obtain a breast pump. It was actually quite easy as they use a supplier ( I have 3 to choose from actually) so they are no reimbursement forms, no shopping excursions, essentially a lot of hassle has been taken away. When using a supplier my options are limited but still numerous (if that makes sense) but I kind of like not having the need to stand in front of an array of pumps at the store going eenie-meenie-minie-moe. Ok, I didn't do that last time but I did spend hours on the computer comparing and contrasting pumps.

 2. Birth plan
The hospital where I am delivering requires a birth plan to be submitted for certain patients. I am opting to labor in water so I am included in the 'need a birth plan' population. So, I'm getting that started. I'll be using a fill in the blank form. There are a ton of templates you can find online to use. I seriously need to get cracking on mine and then run it by hubby so that we are all on the same page.

 3. Hospital Classes

We aren't signing up for some of the traditional classes like childbirth, newborn care, or fit & healthy pregnancy because we've done this before, right?!

This time around we did the Sibling class for Buggy which I think will be cute. He's all excited about his new baby sister that's coming and this will further add to it. They are going to go over things like being gentle with baby and even have an arts and crafts project planned to give to baby when they are born! I honestly don't think he will have a problem with the new transition but anything we can do to prepare him, we're going to do!

4. Prenatal yoga

I've been wanting to try my hand at yoga for quite some time. So, I figured now would be a good of time as any! Most yoga studios required you to be in your second trimester to begin. I was three weeks shy of third tri when I start and I really wish I would've done it sooner! It's never too late to start- so if yoga is (or could be) your thing I'd suggest you just go for it!

Since I've begun I noticed that my back pain has completely disappeared. I sit in a chair (probably improperly) all day at work and I know the ill effects that can have on you even when you aren't pregnant. We also do poses that is designed to prepare your body for childbirth. I'm not really sue how any of us manage to get into those poses with basketballs for bellies but we do it! Only time will tell if it actually eases the birthing process.

5. Baby names

Boy oh boy (or should I say girl oh girl!) has this been a struggle. I kinda of knew it would be though. I've always known that no matter who my husband was if we were to have a boy there was a 99% chance that he would be named after his father. The only exception would be if I married a guy named Shitthead (pronounced sha-theed) or the likes there of. Someone actually named their child that. But imagine the first day of kindergarten with that name. Or heck- a job resume'! No way. Luckily I loved my husband's first and middle name so that was a no-brainer for me but it took some convincing to get him on board. My brother is named after our father, who is named after our grandfather, and there's a rumor that he is actually named after his father but was never a Jr. The validity of that will never be known because all pertinent parties in that matter is resting in heaven and took that bit of info with them. So, needless to say I felt it would only be right to name our son after his father. It did take a few months to convince him though. I too am named after my mo's sister and I love the fact that both my brother and I have family names. It's just so much more meaningful to me!

Since we never knew the gender of our baby until he was born we did have a girl name lined up. Problem is- we can't use that this time around. The name has become super duper popular and I'm just not that interested in her being a Jennifer S. (any 80's babies out there who had 4 Jennifer's in their class?? no... just me. ok then. FWIW we also had 2 Ashley's and 2 Crystal's too.) I was so in love with that name because it was my grandfather's name who was name after his mother. This sucks.


In this post (which seems eons ago and clearly needs updating) I did share my favorite names for both boys and girls- none of those made the cut. For one, most of them have been taken by someone else (and Disney princess are just too cliche') and the others just don't seems to fit. I think our daughter might leave the hospital unnamed.



Here they are again- just for pretty pictures and reference.

It's a......!

For our first baby we decided (with lots of reluctance from hubby) to remain team green. I had a number of reasons for doing so- some of which included advice from others. I know they are well meaning as people tend to draw upon their own experiences when giving advice but sometimes advice is not what's needed. I also opted to remain team green because I had intentions of reusing a lots of baby items to reduce costs down the road. Therefore, gender neutral items mean we an reuse items and my future son wouldn't be swinging in a pink swing or vice versa. Of course the fact that we even have these items to begin with is a blessing but I'd rather it not look silly nonetheless.  As a result we have a ton of great items to reuse this time around.

I also liked the suspense of finding out who would be joining our family in the delivery room. And I quite honestly didn't understand the stand point of "I'm a planner so I need to know". There wasn't a single thing that I didn't have planned ahead of time before my son was born. Not one single thing. And I also liked seeing how many people would be wrong or right when guessing baby's gender. We had a pretty even split of guess the first time around but the reasoning as to why some people guessed one gender over another was pretty funny. Especially those who determine their guess by the way a woman "carries" her pregnancy. So far everything has been identical so those people would sure guess boy this time around, right?!

This time around almost no one guessed boy. I think people want the ideal "one of each gender" for every couple as they deem this to be perfect- but all logic and reasoning goes out the window when you already have a child. Suddenly everyone seems to root for the opposite sex.

My husband and I opted out of having a second baby shower. It's just against all etiquette rules, plus we were really good at saving things from our first baby. But I still wanted to do some pre-birth festivities for this one. I am a chronic picture taker and my son has tons and tons of "baby" books already, so when this one looks back on life before his or her arrival he or she might think that we weren't happy to welcome them into the family. Or maybe they won't care.

After mulling it over for a while and going back and forth between a few ideas, we decided that we would do a small gender reveal with close family and find out along side them. However, planning such a feat was proving to be a bit more than I bargained for. My wish list was as such:

- Have "everyone " be present: I didn't want them to find out via text, email, or social media. You needed to be there.
- Announce/find out in a way that presents well in pictures. Cause you know I'm a chronic picture taker and it looks cute on social media announcements.
- Not make it too big of a deal. While everyone was sooooo exited for us- I realize that we aren't the first couple to have a baby, nor do a gender reveal.

So here's what ended up happening. I chose a date that "everyone" was most likely to be available around a time when doctors can check for baby's sex via ultrasound. Once I could find I - I wanted to know. I certainly didn't want to outshine a holy day but Easter Sunday fit the bill. I would be 22 weeks and have had my anatomy scan two weeks prior. That gave me enough time to order what ever it was that I was going to order for the reveal. I didn't want to do balloons in a box because everyone does that now. There's nothing wrong with it but I just didn't want something overdone. Plus that would be harder to pull off without someone "knowing". Also, my family would be together for Easter dinner and that would be over half the crowd who needed to be there. I reached out to my mother & sister in law and they were able to make it! So it was on!

I will admit I wanted fancy decorations, a themed dessert table, and to have everyone make an official guess before doing the big reveal- but it just didn't work out that way. It wasn't cost effective and there would be some other stuff going on that weekend that would have prevented me from being able to do all of that. So I just went with it. I sent out e-invitations and set up a potluck style dinner. Everyone responded and signed up for a dish. Since my parents were hosting ( as she tends to do with holiday events) it helps her out for everyone to bring a dish rather than having her cook everything for 20 people.

After church, my cousin & I set up my son's Easter egg hunt while my husband and father helped my mom set up in the kitchen. Then after the food was prepped and set up  everyone joined us outside.

After my family teased me about how easy I made the hunt (I really under estimated him) they headed back inside to continue to set the table, seating, etc.I was so so excited I was absolutely no help otherwise. Slowly but surely the rest of the family began to arrive. We had to wait until my cousin got off work (at 3 pm) to get started and it seems like it took him forever to get there! He swore to me that he would be there by 3:30, so I was outside promptly at 3:30 waiting for him to turn the corner but nope. Not until about 45 minutes later. I thought I was gonna pass out. As soon as I saw the front bumper of his car turn the corner I made everyone head outside for the big reveal.

The weather wasn't terribly bad but it was a little chilly once the sun went behind the clouds. Also I opted to do this outside because I figured clean up would be easier (the verdict is still out on that one).

Then finally, the moment arrived- everyone was here, in place, and ready to find out. I was nervous and excited as all get out. I'm so excited to say IT'S A.....

I made a 15 second video of the moment we found out. Check it out! We are so happy to welcome a baby girl into our family!!!

HOW WE TOLD EVERYONE

Despite our joy, elation, and pure excitement I was hesitant to share our good news with the world. I just wasn't ready to cope with the possibility of having to "untell"- so it was just our little good news- just me & hubby. However, I was ready to tell our parents and siblings sooner than I thought. We would be spending nearly two weeks at my parents house over the Christmas holiday and my recurrent pregnancy loss was a little cumbersome so they would eventually ask what the heck I was doing. We decided (after a bit of pro and con weighing) that we would share our news on Christmas Day. BEST.DECISION.EVER Everyone's initial reaction was "nuh-uh!" Uhhh guys-why would we lie about this! It was too funny to see them try to put together what we were saying. After everyone had opened gifts, we "found" a gift under the tree to Buggy that must've somehow got skipped. It was a cute t-shirt that I had purchased almost 2 years ago (so it didn't fit anymore) which is why we opted to have him open it up and show it off rather than have him wear it.

Of course there were lots of hugs and well wishes all around along with hopes of a baby girl. And we pulled this off twice- once at my parents house and the other time at hubby's sister's house. Now, we just had to make sure everyone kept our secret- and boy was that hard for them to do!

After another 3 months everyone was getting very antsy. My Dad started telling people and swearing them to secrecy, my brother was slipping up and telling family that we wouldn't be at the family reunion this year...for no apparent reason; we haven't missed a year since we got married and I only missed the year before that because I was in the process of finishing up my surgical tech licensing. My mom was bursting at the SEAMS. My husband was refraining from making fun of me via Facebook statuses. It was crazy y'all. The only person who didn't seem to mind keeping our secret was Buggy- cause we hadn't really told him! When 'made the announcement' with my first pregnancy it was so easy. We did it at my mom's birthday party. There were 100 of our closest family and friends there and she was oh so happy to share the news. Everybody who had a need to know was there- with the exception of some of our friends who we either that the pleasure of telling face-to-face or if they were too far- they got a phone call.  This time around I had no easy way of telling 'everyone'. I pondered how I would do this for weeks! Of course the number one suggestion was to make the Facebook announcement but I really kind of loathe that. I mean (no offense to anyone who does this) but sometimes too many miscellaneous people are in the know. I never made it Facebook official the first time and I was perfectly happy with who knew and who didn't. Plus... what if we had to untell?! We (as well as my physicians) were pretty confident that it was a viable pregnancy and anything that happened from that point on was unrelated to my non-diagnosis but still... what if. I've seen it happen. One of my friends was hashtagging all of her statuses #pregoproblems then one day not anymore. Of course the outpouring of support was great- but I'm just not that type of person. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. But back to my story... In the end I lost the Facebook battle and one Friday evening my husband posted the picture and we let it do what it do. But not before I called my great Aunts & Uncle (who at nearly 70 years old are NOT on Facebook) The response was actually overwhelmingly great. The only thing that freaks me out is when photos get re-shared cause at that point you've lost control over privacy settings and the picture could end up anyway in cyberland. But here it is our 'Facebook announcement'... and yep- I had two different ones... what?! I'm indecisive!

THE OTHER DETAILS

Continued from 'how I told him'

We continued on with these weekly visits much to my surprise and pleasure. Every week there was progress and every week my bloodwork came back great. Despite that Tuesdays were the worse day of the week for me. There would be slight small spotting. At one point I got really freaked out and swore I was miscarrying. One night I was crying so hard my husband had 'had enough'. He made me call the doctors office thee very next morning. We were sitting at the gas station when he was like "call, right now!" I put up a good fight and have a slew of reasons why I would just wait until our next appointment. Then he started to google the number so I had to give in and call. I told the nurse that all my symptoms disappeared and I had major cramps. She assured me that it was normal but then told me to come in the next morning so I didn't worry all weekend.

So Friday, December 12th

HOW I TOLD HIM

Continued from 'how I found out'

The rest of the week went by pretty quickly. I was actually enjoying myself at the conference. Got a chance to see my old boss, met some new colleagues, and hung out with my college roommate one night too! My husband called me a conference geek because I actually ran out of note taking paper on like day 3. My son seemed to be doing well without me but we still missed each other and for the love of God I was pregnant!!!!!

It was always on my mind.

Babymoon!

This girl right here. Lucky. Very lucky I tell ya! Here are 5 wonderful reasons why I'm feeling so lucky right now!!

1. Hubby booked us a babymoon. Yep, a babymoon. Some refer to it as the time after which a baby is born when mom and baby bond together. Others refers to it as the 'last vacation' the parents take before baby is born. I'm going with the latter.

HOW I FOUND OUT

I know it's been awhile since I shared my good amazing news and I'm not sure if it was good or bad that I waited this long to fill ya in on the details. But, here ya go!

Monday December 1, 2014

I woke up ridiculously early that morning because I had a 7 am flight to catch. We had gotten back to our house pretty late the night before as we were traveling back from Thanksgiving break with our family back home.

I got ready and my husband put my bags in the car. We bundled up our sleeping son and

A Mother's Day Announcement

I get so emotional on Mother's (and Father's) Day. I can't help but to think how lucky I am to have an amazing mom who is around to care for us, guide us, and put up with our antics.

my mom & I, mother's day 2014

 Those emotional moments

Blighted.

That's what the doctor called my ovum.

Seriously though?

Of all the things I needed a blighted ovum was not it.

I can't even believe that I am addressing this issue again. Miscarriage.

I'm not even sure I have the words to write or the thoughts to express. It's all just a numbing feeling that won't go away, always in the back of my mind. Another due date come and gone. Another round of the "I'm so sorry"ies. I wish it would all just go away.

There are still days that I think about what my life...

I'm finally hitting publish

I've been debating on writing this post since the day it happened. So many emotions, feelings, and none of the words to convey it. But lately it's been on my mind more and more and a few times I've even let it slip. This post has been in my drafts for quite some time and now it's time for me to come clean.

written wednesday decemeber 14, 2011:

 

WW: This blog just got interesting

 

 

written sunday january 1, 2012

 

I can't believe this is happening. Just a year ago today I found out I was expecting baby #1, now I am losing baby #2. Damn me for thinking that I couldn't do this. Damn me for caring what other people would think about us having "Irish twins". Damn me for wondering how we were going to 'get a double stroller'. Damn it all! I just want my baby back...

 

written friday august 17, 2012

This day last year was supposed to be a huge day for me...

Today was supposed to be another momentous occasion

Today was supposed to be the day I was expected to welcome

Although he'll never be in my arms, he'll always be in my heart...



written monday novemeber 26, 2012

Although he was only with us for 2 months it still kind of hurts. At times I feel I was in someway responsible for losing our baby. So many thoughts ran through my head before I even told my husband. I honestly thought he would be mad (foolish me). I also thought that I wasn't even off maternity leave yet and already I had to put in a request for another (that one actually made me giggle). I was scared because with another baby comes more baby expenses. I don't believe in any way shape or form that it would be someone else's responsibility to support my baby but I could use another baby shower as we could use a double stroller now. I was hopeful because this time around I could possibly have an unmediated birth and breastfeed a little longer.



I first suspected I was pregnant way before I could even take a test. Then I was just afraid to. At first, I even took an OPK instead to see if it would turn positive (there have been extensive world class studies done that shows OPK's can turn positive if you are pregnant. source: peeonastick.com =)). I mean my son was barely 3 months old and I thought I was pregnant again?! I had no signs or symptoms (much like when I was pregnant the first time) just a mother's intuition. We had only been intimate once (okay maybe twice) after I got the go ahead from my doctor. I know I was the only post partum mom in the WORLD  who actually felt in the mood. Clearly it's true what they say (you are more ready around ovulation time). Quite a few people has since mentioned (unbeknown to them about my miscarriage) that you are most fertile after you give birth! Nobody told me! I also worried about people judging us. I worried about what my boss would think, I worried about what my church family would think, and I worried about what my extended family would think. Later I found out that there are some (in their 50's) Irish twins in our congregation!


My doctor was amazing (as usual)! When I called and told them I needed to schedule a pregnancy confirmation appointment but was 17 weeks postpartum she had me come in right away. I am so grateful to have her as my doctor. She assured me that all would be okay and I was fully capable of carrying another baby so soon. It would just take me a little longer to get back into shape. Her nurse took my cell number and checked in on me periodically. I think they could see the panic in my face, lol!

My husband was amazing as well. I know I thought he would be mad because honestly it would have caused a bit of a financial strain on us. However, he thought he was awesome and very proud of his target practice (men!). He promised that nothing would change and he would go to every single appointment just like he did with our son. He assured me we would be fine- we could never go out to dinner again not because we couldn't afford it but because we could never convince anyone to watch our two rugrats!

No one in my family believed me when I shared the news. I told my brother first. We all know I'm not good at keeping secrets. Sadly, I only got to share bad news with anyone who wasn't my brother (my parents didn't believe me until I showed them my hospital bracelet.

I ended up in the hospital because I thought I was having an ectopic. Well- I was probably in such a panic that I just needed to know what the heck was going on. The pain... it was bad.

I remember being in my parents dining room surrounded by family. We were eating dinner, laughing, joking, and just having the perfect Christmas. I started cramping and thought to myself 'ok sweetie- snuggle in tight!'. Then the cramping kept getting more intense. After a few minutes it became pretty bad, awful even. I stopped eating and took some deep breaths. Then I started to feel even worse. The pain was getting awful by the minute. I went in the bathroom doubled over in pain. It was so bad I need to check to make sure I wasn't bleeding. My first thought was this is unreal. I found myself going back through my notes from my first pregnancy trying to remember if the cramping was this bad the first time around. No bleeding but dag did this hurt! After I felt like I been in the bathroom too long and someone would come knocking on the door I went into my parents bedroom to lay down. I must have been gone a good while because my brother found me first. I must have looked like hell because he left (after some encouraging words) and my husband found me next. I don't know if he went to go get him or hot but I was glad to see him. He stayed with me until the pain subsided. Thank God for him.

written saturday decemeber 8, 2012

I was fine for the next couple of days. Still worrying about how the world was going to react to my Irish twins. Thinking of creative ways to let the rest of our family know. My husband wanted to wait until after the first ultrasound which was scheduled for Tuesday January 3, 2012.- my first day back to work. Somehow I was supposed to swing being up in intervals throughout the night with an almost 3 month old who wasn't sleeping through the night, get him to his babysitter, shoot over to the doctor, then make it to work on time... WHAAAT?!  oh, and request another maternity leave too.

I had started my pregnancy photo project for this baby as well. Because I was so caught off guard it was going to be the exact same as I did for my first pregnancy although I will admit I had a hard time keeping up with it.

approximately 6 weeks pregnant, 17 weeks postpartum

On New Year's Eve we decided to keep it really low key. We normally spend it with friends at a big NYE bash until the wee hours of the morning. Well not so much this year. I had a little baby that I wanted to ring in the New Year with and I just wasn't up for the silliness and antics that usually come with NYE bash's. It was just my little family + my parents. I can't even remember if my brother was there or not.

I do remember the pain. That same stupid pain from Christmas day- this time even more intense. As I lay back in my parents bedroom, hubby holding my hand I quietly whispered to him that it was over. He told me not to think like that. But I just knew it was- I knew I would start bleeding at any moment. Just like I felt the life growing inside of me that made me scared to take an HPT, I could no longer feel my baby growing inside and I knew it was just a matter of time. Once the pain subsided I returned to the festivities and held my baby that I already had here with me. Sometime between that night and the next day I started to miscarry. It hurt. Physically and emotionally. I was scared to death that it was an ectopic pregnancy that would rupture and ruin my fallopian tubes ( I know- I'm very dramatic) so I convinced my husband that we should drop off our son with my parents and head to the hospital for an ultrasound.

I'm kind of bitter that I spent the first day of 2012 in the ER with an empty uterus. And how ironic is it that Channing was named People magazine's sexiest man alive?! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of the "what-if's". Hubby and I even discussed asking one of our favorite nurses from the hospital if we could hire her off the books for a day to be at my son's first birthday party. We wanted her to be there for our 1 month old and keeping on track with nursing which I was determined to be more successful at. She was to be his body guard, keep him inside,  and away from germy fingers.

I pray that January 1, 2013 is nothing like January 1, 2012 but I'm not quite ready for a repeat of January 1, 2011.

40 weeks!

Not only am I full-term- I made it to the full 40 weeks! Now instead of counting down, we're counting up! In the back of my mind I was secretly hoping to make it to my due date- but I was often nervous about going before hand.

I of course had a doctor's appointment today and I am 3 cm dilated!!! She also stripped my membranes which caused the most intense contraction I've had thus far (and to think it's going to get worse). I wasn't really fond of the medical interventions to jump start labor but I think it's better than pitocin. I dread receiving pitocin. Once she stripped my membranes, she put me on the monitor because the baby's heart rate had dropped. After 20 minutes of monitoring  I was having contractions at regular intervals. She stated that I may even have the baby this weekend!!! I was starving when we left the doctor's office so we grabbed some food and headed home. So, I've been timing my contractions and trying to stay busy and moving. I am kind of sleepy but I don't want to slow things down by relaxing (although laziness has gotten the best of me for the past hour or so). I also feel like I should get some sort of rest just in case my active labor is really long.

I guess for now I'll continue fielding phone calls letting people know about my progress- however if hubby stays home from work tomorrow, I'm shutting off my phone. I have used more {cell phone} minutes this week than I have in months! I appreciate that everyone cares but calling to ask if I've had the baby is kind of silly considering we'll let everyone know once the baby is born. If we haven't notified you- then the baby hasn't come. Here's hopefully my last progress update!

After months of anticipation, your due date rolls around, and... you're still pregnant. It's a frustrating, but common, situation in which to find yourself. You may not be as late as you think, especially if you're relying solely on a due date calculated from the day of your last period because sometimes women ovulate later than expected. Even with reliable dating, some women have prolonged pregnancies for no apparent reason.
You still have a couple of weeks before you'll be considered "post-term." But to be sure your baby is still thriving, your practitioner will schedule you for testing to keep an eye on her if your pregnancy continues.
You may have a biophysical profile (BPP), which consists of an ultrasound to look at your baby's overall movements, breathing movements (movement of her chest muscles and diaphragm), and muscle tone (whether she opens and closes her hand or extends and then flexes her limbs), as well as the amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds her (important because it's a reflection of how well the placenta is supporting your baby).
Fetal heart rate monitoring (called a nonstress test or NST) will generally be done as well — by itself or as part of the BPP. Or, you may have what's known as a modified BPP, which consists of an NST and an ultrasound to assess the amount of amniotic fluid.
If the fetal testing isn't reassuring — the amniotic fluid level is too low, for example — you'll be induced. If there's a serious, urgent problem, you may have an immediate c-section.
Your practitioner will also check your cervix to see if it's "ripening." Its position, how soft it is, how effaced (thinned out) it is, and how dilated (open) it is can all affect when and how your labor is induced. If you don't go into labor on your own, you'll be induced, usually sometime between 41 and 42 weeks.



Pregnancy: 40 weeks!

Gender: Team Green

Name: It's safe to safe we have names- but that's not to say I won't change my mind. 

Weight Gain: At last week's appointment I gained another pound. Between that appointment and this I gained another so I think I am up to 24 now?

Sleep: Still with the very vivid dreams. However it does take me a long time to fall asleep now. I feel bad for my hubby because he's still getting up and going to work in the mornings so I feel like I'm disturbing him.

Feeling: Still doing great! At times I do have to slow down and I get periods of uncomfortableness but yes, I am still driving (I don't know what's up with this question) and still doing for myself as necessary. BTW- these contractions aren't the funnest thing in the world.

Health: Everything is well enough to continue with the pregnancy. My blood pressure is 112/70 and the baby's heart rate is good (with the exception of that procedure).


Movement: Baby is so comfy, I don't think he or she will come out willingly. I'm still feeling lots of movement, stretching, rolling, and head butts. 

Belly: The itching has subsided a little. Thank God for this EVOO.

Next Appointment: I have to go in Monday if I don't have the baby.

Happy Due Date, Baby!

Dear Pumpkin,

I can't believe how close I am to seeing you face-to-face! This has been a wonderful 40 weeks carrying you around, supporting you, and loving you. But what can I say- you made it easy for me! There were only a few bouts of heartburn and uncomfortable, restless nights (especially as of late) but I will always treasure the moments that only you and I were able to share.  Sometimes I worry if I will 'get it right' with you but I'm sure every first time mom has had her doubts. You are coming into a world full of people who love you and care for you so I'm sure I will have plenty of help. But forgive us if we make any mistakes- you're our first.

So far, we have everything ready for you- just waiting for you to get here. There are plenty of clothes, diapers, toys, blankets, and I even have a can of formula waiting just in case we have a hard time getting this nursing thing down. Your dad still has a few pieces of furniture to put together for your room- but that's no biggie because you're gonna be right by myside for a while and it will be some time before your room has to be fully put together.

Your dad and I are working hard to provide a wonderful furture for you and we have so many big plans for us- I'm looking forward to each and every moment as our family grows. Speaking of your dad- he's going crazy out here. He can't wait to hold you and kiss you and cuddle you. I think we are going to have a hard time deciding who gets to hold you at times, lol! You are going to be spoiled rotten I'm sure. G-Pa, Big Momma, and Uncle are over the moon! I think they all might even move into our house, lol! Your Grandma M and Auntie already have plans made to come and visit. They live out of state- but it's not too far away- so they won't have any problems coming to visit. Not to mention all of your great Aunts, cousins, second, cousins, etc. Don't worry I'll help you remember who all these people are.

I already have your outfits picked out for your newborn pictures and something for each of your first 3 holidays (I'll have to get outfits for your other first hoildays later when you get a little bigger). I know you won't remember any of this so I hope you like to smile for the camera. Your Uncle is a photographer so I'm wondering who is going to get tired of me first- him or you.

Sweet Potato, there are no words to express what how much we love you and look forward to your arrival. You just wait and see...

39 weeks!

I made it another week! Although my husband isn't very happy about this. This means I officially have a September baby :) Now wouldn't it be ironic if I went into labor on labor day?!

Today is also the official start of my maternity leave. So far all I've done was have breakfast, go to the doctor, then have lunch. I'm really worried about getting complacent laying on the couch and getting comfortable doing nothing. Don't get me wrong- there's still stuff to be done around here but I'll say "o, I can do it later, I don't have to go to work!"

So, let's talk about progress:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! S/he continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, about the size of a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.






So, what's next? Well this weekend one of the doctor's in the practice is on call- so that's good should my baby decided to make an appearance. If no baby by my due date? Then they are going to do another sonogram to make sure baby is doing okay in there. So we wait.

Pregnancy: 39 weeks!

Gender: Team Green

Name: Ehhh.

Weight Gain: At last week's appointment my weight was the same. This week I gained a pound. So I think I can surmise that I have gained 23 pounds. I mean I could gain or lose by baby's due date but 23 is a good number.

Sleep: I am having the most vivid dreams ever! They are usually about things that worry me and it's so vivid I wake up worried at times. I imagine I should enjoy sleeping long enough to have dreams.

Feeling: Pretty good. I really thought at this point I would be like many other pregnant women like "get this baby out!" but I'm not.

Health: My BP is still great. My breath still gets taken away but nothing serious.

Movement: Baby seems to be snuggling in tighter, rather than making his or her way out.

Belly: Itchy like crazy. This is really beginning to get on my nerves. Whether I ignore it or scratch it- the itch will not go away. It is really the most uncomfortable thing about my life right now. I'm trying to moisturize as much as possible. I've even taken to getting EVOO right out of the kitchen and slathering it on my belly. It doesn't relieve itch but I don't have any new stretch marks!

Next Appointment: I had an appointment earlier so the next one is next week. I'm due in exactly one week so we will see. My husband is desperately hoping that appointment will be canceled.

38 weeks!

I can't believe I'm still pregnant. Actually I can- it's everyone else's opinions that had gotten to me. So phooey to all of you who said I was going to deliver early (actually it ain't over yet)! And besides I believe the rate of babies born on their due date is 5% and of the remaining 30% are born before and 70% are born after their due date so- it's likely I'm having a September baby *sticks tongue out*!

Your baby has really plumped up. S/he weighs about 6.8 pounds and s/he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). S/he has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his or her hand for the first time! Baby's organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? If s/he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time s/he's 9 months old.



Pregnancy: 38 weeks!

Gender: Team Green

Name: Not yet.

Weight Gain: At last week's appointment I lost a pound. So that bring me to 22 pounds total gain. Not bad but I'm hoping it's all baby and baby by-product and not me. I have a maximum of 3 weeks to go (my doctor won't let me go past 41 weeks) so unless I go on some type of eating binge I think I'm good.

Sleep: Not the best but not the worse. Once I get comfy and fall asleep I'm pretty much okay. I also love my afternoon naps after work. It takes a while before I can fall asleep but on Tuesday I woke up in a puddle of drool so clearly that was a good nap!

Feeling: Heavy, sore, tired and I am easily aggravated. I try to keep to myself at work to prevent rubbing people the wrong way and being annoyed to no end. I only have a week left that I want to complete at work (if baby doesn't come) so I'm just hanging on. I think after September 1- I'm going into hibernation because when I say I am easily aggravated- you have no idea and I know people only care about me us the baby and their intentions are well meaning but I can't believe how many people feel the need to ask me when I'm due and interject their opinion about my pregnancy.

Health: Good. Last week's appointment went pretty well. I am super nervous because I am 1 cm dilated and every twinge sends me into a 'is this it' frenzy. I know I can be 1 cm dilated for weeks but it makes me nervous that my pregnancy is about to end and motherhood is about to begin. 

Movement: There is lots more definitive movement. Sometimes I try to note the time to see if it matches wake patterns once baby is born.

Belly: See below. Another 'view from the top'.

Next Appointment: Tomorrow! I'm still excited about my weekly appointments. Unfortunately I'm going at this one alone. Hubby has to work as it is opening weekend and he really can't miss for a doctor's appointment- he would be able to miss for a delivery though.

37 Weeks!

I am now considered full term in my pregnancy!!!

According to The Bump.com: Today brings two beautiful words:full-term. Now, whenever baby's born, s/he's likely to thrive. Also thriving? Your nesting instincts, which is behind those sudden urges to bake, clean, or embroider a onsie. (feminists, take your issue up with nature, not with us.) Your full-term (yay!) baby is gaining about 1/2 ounce a day and getting his first sticky poop (called meconium) ready. He's also brushing up on skills for the outside world: blinking, sucking, inhaling, exhaling, and gripping (it's getting strong!).

According to Baby Center: Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his or her lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.) Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Pregnancy: 37 weeks!

Gender: Team Green

Name: Still not interested in finalizing a name.

Weight Gain: I get another weigh in tomorrow. I'm thinking it's still going to a big weight gain. I feel very heavy 

Sleep: I'm back to getting numb whenever I stay in one position too long. And it take the force of God for me to shift my weight or change positions in the middle of the night... I'm big.

Feeling: Still sore, still tired. I'm dealing with it though. Sometimes it's manageable. My half day work days are really helpful because I go home and go to sleep.

Health: Good. Last week's appointment went pretty well. I'm not yet dilated so I felt a whole lot better knowing that baby wanted to be in the a little while longer.

Movement: Sometimes it looks like baby is busting outta there! My belly contorts in ways I'd never thing it could. I try to catch it on camera but everytime I push record baby stops.

Belly: I can't believe how big.

Next Appointment: Tomorrow! I'd never thought I'd be so excited to go to the doctor. I love checking on this little one.

36 weeks!

9 months! I can't believe I begin my 9th and final month today!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. S/he now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. S/he's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his/her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during his/her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her/his first bowel movement.
At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely s/he's in a head-down position. But if s/he isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying s/he'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating his/her from the outside of your belly.


Pregnancy: 36 weeks!

Gender: Team Green

Name: Still not interested in finalizing a name.

Weight Gain: I cannot believe how well I have been doing with staying on track. I was watching Tia & Tamera last night and Tia said at that particular point in her pregnancy she had gained 50 pounds. I think she is still super pretty but I would definitely be on freakout if I had reached a 50 pound weight gain.


Sleep: *rolls eyes*

Feeling: I am so sore. At times I feel like I have been working out for hours straight. My body MUST be preparing for childbirth because my pelvis hurts! I am also sleepy at the most random times throughout the day. One minute I'm okay and then the next I feel like I am just going to fall asleep right where I am- even in line at the store!

Health: Good I guess. Every few hours once in a while I have a freak out moment about the baby coming early- so I scheduled another appointment with my doctor.

Movement: I feel this little one moving and rolling and twisting and turning. I hope baby is comfy in there!

Belly: Woah!

Next Appointment: Tomorrow! I couldn't wait another week to see how things are going. I also think I want to start my disability leave sooner rather than later- depending on what she says tomorrow.

PSA: August is...

Breastfeeding Awareness Month

I couldn't find any logos for the campaign :( But I did find this which I think is absolutely hilarious.

Breastfeeding is a truly personal decision that has to be made by a family based on what's best for all parties involved. While there are many benefits to breastfeeding your baby- I can see why some women still choose not to whether it's for work related reasons or otherwise. I personally plan to breast feed. My initial thoughts on this were "I'll do it if it works" then the more I researched, the more I found out that it will always work- you just can't give up. I remember a friend telling me that "her baby just didn't want it". well come to find out there are babies who are very fussy about it and often turn away from the breast- especially if they are uncomfortable. It's up to mom to find a way that will work for her and baby (perhaps changing a position will help). Attending the breastfeeding class was one of the better decisions I've made throughout this pregnancy. I think my husband has become more aware of what's involved with breastfeeding and this is important because I think often times men, because of the absence of boobs, just don't get certain things. Since he has learned all that goes into breastfeeding- I think he will be even more supportive. Don't get me wrong he supported my decision to breastfeed from the beginning but I think that if I we have a difficult start he will understand some of the issues that could arise and may be able to assist with trouble shooting.

My other decisions to breastfeed include cost savings, bonding with baby, and release of hormones that cause uterus to contract. My baby will benefits by receiving food that's easier to digest, good for baby antibodies, and larger IQ!*

I am arming myself with as much info as possible to make this a success. I get that it may not be easy at first but I am willing to make it successful. I still have a few qualms left to tackle regarding breastfeeding like when to switch baby to breast milk from the bottle so dad (and baby sitters) can get involved, being comfortable when pumping when I go back to work and determining when the time is right to start weaning.

Ahh the joys of motherhood.





*Benefits of breastfeeding info was compiled from a number of sources including www.breastfeeding.com, Women's Health, the La Leche League, and Kelly Mom

Y3W: packing while pregnant

In case you you forgot what the heck Y3W is here's a refresh. Okay now down to business.

This week we are traveling to my annual family reunion with a few other stops thrown in along the way. So, in order to make these stops we left early and drove. We initially planned this trek when I was not pregnant- and when we found out we were hopeful that the pregnancy wouldn't throw too much of a wrench in our plans. My doctor gave me the a-ok to make the trip (so you can stop freaking out) and by the way things have been going I knew I'd be alright. Our 14 hour drive will be taken over the course of two days (on the way there). So I of course had to pack accordingly. My husband restricted my luggage to one suitcase (that I had to share with him :/) and a carry on.

I realize it's really difficult to see how this is numbered but bare with me anyway-

1. Pillow/blanket/sweater: for as much comfort as possible. I have a tendency to be colder than others so my sweater was essential -along with my blanket- for warmth. AND who likes falling asleep without a pillow?! Not me and I'm like a baby- I fall asleep on car rides longer than 2 hours.

2. The most recent picture of our little one (from Monday's ultrasound).

3. Laptop: for on the go access to the interwebs.

4. My phone: I actually had to make several important calls on the go.

5. Lots of reading material. I feel like I don't get to do this as much as I'd like.

6. Hubby's candy- it's his favorite... notice one of the boxes are already open :/

7. Lots of water for hydration.

8. My mom's candy- she made us take it so she wouldn't eat it all before we left.

9. My snacks, candy, and mints.

So that should've gotten us off to a good start. Well that was before my hubby stood me in front of the pantry and nearly cleaned it out bringing extras for our entire out of town stay.Then he got the cooler and loaded it with ice, water, and a few other beverages for himself.

Then comes the hard part- sharing a suitcase with my husband. It actually worked out better than I thought it would basically because I wear a lot of lightweight dresses during the summer.

This is my pool gear. I still don't have the guts to show my bare belly in public even with no stretch marks so the first outfit must be accompanied by the cover up- which is not actually a cover up but will be used as one while at the pool.

These are my travel outfits. We are going to be on the road quite a bit so I need something super comfy. My bottoms (which you can't see very well) are maternity gauchos from old navy.

These are random outfits that need to be thrown together. So far I've been away for 3 days and I haven't felt like getting dressed, putting on make-up, or accessorizing ( i think due to my inability to remain comfy all night) so I haven't had much decision making to do besides pulling something out of  a suitcase. I secretly wish I was way more fashionable than I am now but then moments like this happen and all of that goes out the window. I have this vision of 'mommy glam' when my baby will be a few months old and we go out and I am super cute- but somehow I think that will go out the window as well with spit-up accidents, sleep deprivation, and a screaming infant. I'm trying to start my healthy hair journey this month because it's a well known fact that all the beautiful hair you get during pregnancy will likely shed a few weeks after birth so I am trying to counter act that by starting my HHJ now. But more on this later.

Lastly, this is my outfit for the denim and diamonds banquet on Sunday. Every year our banquet is always themed and I love dressing up with that theme. I am so proud that I found a maternity outfit at a reasonable price that fits this years theme.


So all of this accompanied with endless jams, jellies, and  other toiletries rounded out my packing list and much to my surprise- it all fit in with hubby's stuff! Oddly enough there is a trip I want to take in March and while we wouldn't be driving- I can only imagine what my 'packing with a 6 month old' post will be like!