37 weeks, stomach virus, Penny's play

I am officially 37 weeks pregnant, which means that if I go into labor I can now have this baby at home.

So that's a relief... not that I thought I was going to give birth early - there's been no signs of impending labor and I'm 100% ok with that. I still have 3 weeks left of work and a whole bunch of work-related things to do before this baby comes. Not a lot of actual birth prep yet though, I'm pretty much ready for birth. Just work. It's always work..

Anyway, for comparison, here are some pictures:

Baby #3 @37 weeks 1 day

Griffin @ 37 weeks 5 days

Penelope @ 37 weeks

I think I look the same.

I did have a dream that the baby was a girl. But I've had dreams that they were all girls and Griffin is clearly a boy. So my dreams are obviously not prophetic.

Anyway, 20 days until my EDD. I'll be counting down the minutes.

If you'd like to be a part of the guessing pool as to this baby's birth date, sex, weight, and length, go here: http://bebepool.com/sinatra1981

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Sissy and Bubs are both recovering from a wicked stomach virus. Sis went through hers in 3 days with an extra day or two of recovery/weakness. G is now on day 6, poor dude. I hate it when they're sick but I'm so, so glad that so far it seems to have left the adults alone. I don't think Grandma would do well with this one. I won't feel like we're out of the woods until G has been diarrhea free for a week though, he started his about a week after Sis recovered from hers. So either this bug has a long incubation period or he picked it up from school and not from home.

Either way, I'll be glad when the house is bug-free.

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I was planning on blogging about Penny's play, but I'll save it for later. I don't have the pics readily available and I have grading to do before tomorrow so I should probably do that. Suffice it to say, she was cute and loved being on stage. This will not be the last production she's in, that's for sure.

Resolutions, 2015 edition

I have posted yearly resolutions for awhile now. There was 2014, 2013, 2012, & 2011. I've been mostly successful at keeping these resolutions, so I figured what the heck, lets try a new set for 2015. Only I'm tired and pregnant and busy, so lets make these really, really attainable.

So here are my 2015 New Years Resolutions.

1. Have a baby. That one will be easy to keep if not easy to actually accomplish.

2. Finish the paperwork for my Clear Credential which has been sitting on my desk for 2 years. This one I HAVE to do since my credential expires soon.

3. Run again after baby is born and I've gotten the all clear. This one I've been dying to do for ages, but since I was so sick the 1st trimester I got out of the habit and I don't think picking up running again at 30 weeks is such a good idea.

4. Try not to stress myself out over losing baby weight. This one will be the hardest, by far. It's my 3rd baby, I'm in my 30s, and losing weight won't come as easily (not like it was ever easy, but you get my drift) as it did when I was in my 20s. So I need to cut myself some slack. It will have taken 40 weeks to earn these enormous lunch lady arms, so it's gonna take awhile to make them go away.

Speaking of being 30 weeks and having lunch lady arms, here's a belly pic. Scroll down for comparison w/ G & P pregnancies.

Now w/ Penelope - only at 31 weeks

And with Griffin at 32 weeks

Things to note:
1. I miss that dress, why did I ever get rid of it?
2. Uh, that's it. So really "Thing to note."

We did have a 30 week appointment this Saturday, in addition to hosting a group prenatal at our house. Baby looks good, things are normal and boring.

The group prenatal was interesting. Everyone brought food and we sat around and shared birth stories while the midwives pulled people into the back room for their individual visits. Overall it was nice. Exhausting, but nice. We haven't met a lot of people here outside of our respective places of employment (and more so my work than B's), so it was nice to meet people who not only had kids, but were also home birthers. While home birthers can be a diverse group, they tend to share some things in common and so it's nice to get to know people who have similar philosophies as we do. I don't know if we'll find new besties, and I doubt any group could replace the MSN/One Heart community we had out in Sacramento, but hopefully we'll get to know a few families to add to our social circle.

I'm now on bi monthly pre natal visits, so I see the midwives again in 2 weeks. Come mid-February we'll be on weekly visits until baby 3 decides to make an appearance. I'm really hopeful this one follows in its sister & brother's footsteps and comes on its EDD (3/14/15) because Pi Day is an awesome day on which to be born. We'll see. There's only so much say I have in the matter.

Fun with Old Wives Tales

So the other day I came across this site which lists 10 Old Wives Tales for baby sex prediction and I thought it would be fun to go through them all and see what the Old Wives have to say and then compare once baby Tre gets here.

So, here we go!

Old Wives Tale (OWT) #1: How you carry
Apparently one carries girls high and boys low. So based on this post I think it's safe to say I'm carrying high, which means that this OWT predicts a baby girl. Although if you look at all the pictures, I carry high in all of them and Griffin is most definitely a boy.

Tally: Girl: 1  Boy: 0  No Result: 0

OWT #2: Body clues
Acne = girl
Dry hands = boy
Cold feet = boy

I have both acne and dry hands. No cold feet though, just cold hands.

So this one is a tie. No winners here.

Tally: Girl: 1  Boy: 0  No Result: 1

OWT #3: The Ring Test
You take your wedding ring, string, and see if it swings back and forth (girl) or in a circle (boy) over your belly.

Result? Back and forth. So another OWT for a baby girl.

Tally: Girl: 2  Boy: 0  No Result: 1

OWT #4: The Drano Test
You're supposed to mix your pee with Drano. How many old wives actually had Drano?
Not doing this one, counting it as a no result.

Tally: Girl: 2  Boy: 0  No Result: 2

OWT #5: Heartbeat!
If baby heartbeat is under 140, boy. Over? Girl.

We've heard it both under and over 140. So another no result.

Tally: Girl: 2  Boy: 0  No Result: 3

OWT #6: Cravings
Sweet cravings are supposed to mean a girl, while sour means a boy.

I don't actually crave much, just food. I want sweets after a meal, but I wanted that pre-pregnancy too. I do really like spicy foods when I'm pregnant, but then they give me wicked heartburn. I can say that I definitely do NOT crave anything remotely sour (except in the first trimester when pickles were one of the only things I could eat without throwing up).

So I guess this one is a "no result" as well.

Tally: Girl: 2  Boy: 0  No Result: 4

OWT #7: Chinese Gender Predictor
This is all based on mother's age at conception, or something like that.

Anyway, it says girl.

Tally: Girl: 3  Boy: 0  No Result: 4

OWT #8: Husband Sympathy Weight
If baby's daddy is gaining along with you, then you're having a girl. If he's not, then it's a boy.

Bryan doesn't gain weight. Bastard. So this one says boy.

Tally: Girl: 3  Boy: 1  No Result: 4

OWT #9: Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is supposed to indicate that you're having a girl.

What it really indicates is that evolution is an asshole.

Tally: Girl: 4  Boy: 1  No Result: 4

OWT #10: The Key Test
So you take a kay and if the pregnant person picks it up by the pointy bit, then girl (can you feel me rolling my eyes?) but if she picks it up by the rounded part then boy.

I pick up my keys by the keychain. Also, this one is stupider than the other 9. I'm calling it a "no result."

Final Tally: Girl: 4  Boy: 1  No Result: 5

Alright, so the Old Wives are just as blind about this whole thing as I am. While girl does win out over boy, No Result takes the cake and proves just how silly these things are.

Although I do kinda think it's a girl.

26 weeks

The last time I posted comparison belly pics, I was 20 weeks... I didn't have a 20 picture of my Penelope pregnancy, so I used the 26 week picture. But now that I'm 26 weeks, I have pictures of all 3 pregnancies.

So, to refresh, here's 26 weeks with Penelope

Also, I like my arms in that picture. That *never* happens.

And now 26 weeks with Griffin:

And finally, 26 weeks with baby 3:

Note: Photobucket was being a jerk and the text is on there twice. I'm too lazy to fix it.

Other than the fact that I should NEVER go without bangs again (because good lord my forehead is huge), I think I'm much rounder this time around. Other than that, they look the same to me. I'm terrible at this stuff. I still have NO idea if it's a girl or a boy and am 1,000% ok not knowing.

While this weekend was my 26 week "milestone" - it was also Penny's 6th birthday. We had a tea party and I have pics to post as soon as I can find the cord to upload them. Sissy and her friends had a good time. I still can't believe she's 6!

Halfway point - 20 weeks

Today I am officially 20 weeks pregnant with the Third Musketeer.

Comparison pics are below if you'd prefer to skip the text update.

Everything looks fine thus far. Genetic testing came back clear, ultrasound came back with nothing but good news (baby is measuring on schedule, is 50% for weight, all organs in place and looking good, pretty much a normal healthy baby from all that they can see). My uterus is measuring exactly where it should. My vitals are good.

Baby's heartbeat today was between 125-130, which is in the normal range. It's lower, so my midwives now think it's a boy; but just 4 weeks ago it was in the 160s so they thought it was a girl.

I think it's a human. Pretty sure I'm right.

We had a girls name picked, but Bryan found another he liked so we've opened up the list. Still no consensus on a boy's name. We do agree on middle names though. Claire for a girl and Vernon for a boy. So at least we agree on something.

I'm ok if we just have a list of names at delivery time and then choose that day or a few days after. Seemed to work with Griffin.

And now for the pictures.

20 weeks with Baby #3

20 weeks with Griffin

26 weeks with Penelope

Comparison Pics

It's been ages since I did a true update, but school is in session and I don't have time for much of anything. Besides, I go to bed at 8:30 lately so there's not much updated happening.

But I DID (finally) find time for this. Belly comparison pics.

Things to note.

1. I was TINY with Penny, but she was my first so duh.
2. My arms get bigger, why is that? I'm not growing a baby in my arms.
3. My belly is rounder this time, IMO.

So here's 19 weeks with Penny:

And 16 weeks with the Bubs:

And now 16 weeks with Baby #3:

#mybirthcontrolstory

This whole Hobby Lobby decision makes my head and my heart ache. Especially combined with all the recent restrictions on Planned Parenthood clinics; this past year has been a bad one for women's health.

So I feel the need to tell #mybirthcontrolstory so that maybe people who don't understand why these issues are so important will start to see what the fuss is about. It's about people, it's about health, it's about an individual's rights.

And this one is about me:

I had been on various forms of hormonal birth control (think "the pill") since high school. The pill, for me, was much more about regulating my period and getting rid of my awful cramps than actual pregnancy prevention, but as I continued into my 20s pregnancy prevention became much more important (although I still used the pill as medicine because horrible periods don't just go away once you turn 20).

When I had health insurance, I would get my medication from my doctor. When I didn't have health insurance I would visit Planned Parenthood. They were a godsend, I could get an exam (which screens for cancer & STDs) and get the medication I needed at a price I could afford. I don't know what I would have done without them, because birth control isn't exactly cheap. I tried a variety of methods then - the pill, the ring, the patch - trying to find the medication that worked best for me.

Shortly before Bryan and I got married, I started having these dizzy spells and weird "floaters" in my vision. I went to see an opthamologist and after the exam he said (with grave concern in his voice):

"Are you on birth control?"

My answer was yes... there was a pause, and then this "You need to see your doctor. Today."

So I called. I couldn't get an appointment (this was campus health insurance, I was a student at CSU Sacramento and didn't have employer health insurance). The nurse who took my call told me, without mincing words "Stop taking your birth control until you see the doctor. It could kill you."

So I stopped.

During my appointment, my doctor informed me that my symptoms - which were more numerous than the dizziness & vision problems - meant that I could never take synthetic hormones again without putting myself at risk for stroke. My birth control options shrunk considerably.

So my doctor and I decided on a diaphragm. I was getting married and we wanted kids at some point, so the IUD was out.

B and I married 2 months later. Penelope was conceived 3 months after that. So much for effective birth control.

After Penny, our insurance situation didn't improve. I had graduated, I was working as a nanny (no insurance), and the insurance Bryan got through work was terrible and limited. The diaphragm was out, we couldn't afford an IUD, and I couldn't take hormonal birth control.

Hence, 7 months after Penelope's birth, we got pregnant with Griffin.

I know at this point, some people would say things like "well, that's what happens when you have sex" or "if you didn't want a baby you shouldn't have had sex." I don't understand these perspectives. A part of a healthy marriage (and a healthy relationship) is sex. It is normal. It is natural. Yes, sometimes pregnancy is a result, but as it's my body and my marriage, I should be able to make decisions about when I want to get pregnant. Birth control allows me to do this.

Griffin was born 9 months later.

I do not regret having my son (or daughter) even though both were unplanned. But having 2 babies so close together was difficult. I suffered from PPD, I lost my job because of my pregnancy... I was lucky to qualify for WIC (which was both helpful and a sometimes humiliating experience) and the kids were able to qualify for MediCal (neither B nor I could).

Again, Planned Parenthood came to my rescue. I was finally able to get an IUD at a price I could afford (free).

When I finished my Masters program and got a job in Salinas, we all breathed a huge sigh of relief. We were all covered. My insurance covers any form on birth control I need. We are lucky.

But so many women, who are just like me, are not so lucky. They don't have the family support in place to be able to handle unplanned pregnancies, their state may have enacted legislature that forced the closing of Planned Parenthood clinics and thus they cannot access the birth control and annual exams they need, they make work for a company like Hobby Lobby who uses belief instead of science to make decisions about what is, and is not, appropriate medical coverage.

These women deserve better. They deserve a government who doesn't infantalize them, but rather allows them to make informed decisions for themselves. They deserve an employer who keeps their noses out of their employee's health care decisions.

They deserve better.

Owls and 39 weeks

The owls are done!!!!!!!!

Thanks to Sarah for letting me borrow her sewing machine today, I was able to get them finished during Penny's nap and after dinner. Here's a picture (and they look 100x better in real life, the camera doesn't do them justice - especially the yellow/orange one).



So one more thing to check off the list.

I also found out today that I passed TPA 1, which is super awesome. Now I just have to work on TPA 2. It's a lesson plan and I've always gotten high marks on those, so I'm not too worried. I do have to make some calls and e-mail people in order to figure out how they want me to submit the TPA... I should have e-mailed the lead professor on Monday, but it was one of those days. And then Tuesday just *sucked*. Bryan got some really bad news at work and I don't think I thought of school at all. I should have done it today, but I finished the owls. Excuses, excuses.

Tomorrow my Dad has Penny for the morning/afternoon so I'll be able to focus on school stuff. It's so much easier to work on school work when I'm not at home (I hit up Starbucks and spend the morning in their very uncomfortable chairs).

Anyway, TPA 2 is tomorrow's priority.

Tomorrow also starts the 39th week of pregnancy. So it's time for comparison pictures.

39 weeks with "&"


And 39 weeks with Penelope


Not quite the same angle, so it's hard to get a real comparison... but at 39 weeks with Penelope I wasn't interested in standing unless absolutely necessary. I'm much more active this time around, but probably only because I have to be - Penny doesn't let me lounge around in my sweats. She's so demanding :D

Speaking of which, here's a picture of her from Tuesday. Bryan's grandma sent her this really cute dress and I figured since we didn't have anyplace fancy to wear it, we might as well make Tuesday Dress-Up Day.





Sometime this weekend I need to go through P's closet and pack away all of her 24 month sized clothing. They don't fit at all - they're all much too short (although not too tight). Some of her 2T stuff is also a little small... today she wore a 3T outfit and it fit quite well. She's still mostly in 2T, but any new clothes we buy will have to be 3T. She's getting so big so fast!

Her next Pediatrician appointment is at the end of May and I wouldn't be surprised if she was close to or slightly over 36" by the time we go. I need to get her one of those wall hanging measurement thing so we can keep track at home.

Should be very interesting to see how the two kids compare growth-wise...

Head up, head down

So I've already posted this on Facebook, but since this blog doubles as the kids' baby books I figured I should post about it on here as well.

Wednesday was our 38 week prenatal appointment. Everything was pretty normal, but Kaleem was concerned that the baby seemed to be breech. Since I have a LOT of water, it was a little hard to tell, but the heart tones were up very high and the baby's movement had changed over the past few days. So we scheduled an ultrasound for today to double check and so (if baby was indeed breech) we could work on trying to turn him/her before delivery.

I was really nervous about the whole thing. For whatever reason I've had a lot more anxiety with this baby than I ever did with Penelope... I think it's because there's so much else going on. Grad school, unemployment, Bryan's weird work situation (short story: they suck), and not having insurance combine to make me a little on edge. So the possibility of a breech baby/delivery was really difficult for me to contemplate. A complication I really didn't need.

So Thursday wasn't a very good day for me (mental-health wise) and I was a bit of an emotional wreck. I got a lot of great advise from friends about yoga positions, acupuncture, chiropractic work, etc that have helped women turn babies, and Kaleem was confident she could turn the baby if necessary; but I was still a little freaked out and very stressed about the whole thing.

I had a heart to heart with "&" before bed on Wednesday and Thursday and told him/her that Mommy would really appreciate it if he/she would flip back and get ready for labor. I know I had told the baby last week that I wasn't ready for his/her appearance, but flipping back would really make Mommy feel better. I also told "&" that he/she could come whenever he/she was ready - I wasn't finished with all of my work, but that was less important than his/her safe arrival.

Movement Wednesday night and Thursday was all over the place and frequent. Friday morning it seemed as though baby had changed position, but I though he/she might be transverse.

Before we went in for the ultrasound, Kaleem felt my belly and told me she was pretty sure the baby had flipped and was now head down and in the perfect birthing position.

So we went in, the tech spent a few seconds checking and confirmed - baby is head down!

PLUS, he/she is in the perfect birthing position. There are a few ways babies can present, but one is ideal for delivery - and "&" has positioned itself perfectly. Mommy is so proud!

It was a huge relief - for everyone! But it really helps my stress level. I still have work to do, but I'm ready for the baby to come whenever he/she is ready. I know I can get my work done on time no matter when this baby decides to show up - so I'll just let baby be my guide.

My contractions and the pressure have increased throughout the day, but I don't think labor is imminent. A couple days, a week, two weeks... who knows? I'll get as much done as I can and then I'll finish things up after baby arrives. My Mother In Law will be out to help, my mom will be here, my dad is always available, and Bryan should be able to take some time off. I know everything will get done... eventually. And the most important thing is a healthy baby and delivery, and the timing of that I shall leave to "&".

Mommy is ready whenever you are baby!


Oh - and we've narrowed our names list. So here it is:

Girls: Isadora, Calliope, Athena, Jolie (that one is new)
Boys: Dexter, Milo, Griffin

Update & 38 weeks

I've been meaning to do a real update for awhile, but it's been hard to find the time to sit down and actually write one out. I probably should be working on TPA 1, but I'm so burnt out right now. Thursday when my Dad has Pen I'll be able to focus and get it finished - I'm about 3/4 of the way done.

If I remember correctly, TPA 2 is a lesson plan and I have a bunch of those already written so hopefully I can take something I have and modify it to fit the requirements of that particular TPA. Lesson plans aren't too terribly hard to write, even with the 1/3 + model they ask for (which means I have to specifically consider the needs of the top 1/3, middle 1/3, and bottom 1/3 of students).

I'm hoping that both TPAs will be done by the end of next week... which is a week before my due date. The moment I get them turned in this baby can come. But not before. NOT before.

Luckily I haven't been having too many contractions lately. The more I exercise (i.e. walk or lift Penny) the more I get, so I've been limiting those activities. This, of course, makes me feel like a huge lazy pregnant house. This last stage of pregnancy is neither comfortable nor sexy.

I did get the maternity proofs back and I like them, Bree is a great photographer... although the pictures of Penelope are the best :) She's so photogenic.

Although since I haven't posted a pregnancy picture in awhile I owe you one. Here's one from today, I'm 37 weeks 5 days. And then there's a picture of me @ 38 weeks with Penelope for comparison.





So lately people have making comments like "you've gotten so big!" and "are you sure there's only one?" and "wow, you've really exploded there!"

Let me just state that none of these things are ever, ever, ever ok to say to a pregnant woman. Ever. The ONLY thing that is appropriate to say to a woman whose 38 weeks pregnant is "you look great". ONLY THING.

Anyway, our next prenatal is tomorrow and I have a feeling it will be pretty boring. My blood pressure will be low, the baby's heartbeat will be in the 140 range, and he/she will still be head-down and in my pelvis. I don't get checked unless I ask and since it's only 38 weeks and I'm not having regular contractions I don't see the need to ask to be checked. Maybe at 39 weeks if I'm having more contractions.

I still don't think I'll make it to 40 weeks, but I could be wrong. It's just a feeling, not based on anything concrete. We'll see! We were going to put together a betting pool for date/time/gender, but I don't know if it'll happen. I have my TPAs to finish and Bryan started school last night, so we're both just trying to keep our heads above water.

There's probably a lot more I could update about, but I'm drawing a blank. Time to put away the computer and finish crocheting a hat for "&".

Working on The List

I still have a lot of school and credentialing work to do, but I have a paper topic so that's a start. If I want to get a B in this class I only need to get a C on the paper... although a C on the paper might actually get me an A- in the class depending on how my last assignments are graded. But that's just the final assignment for the class I still have a lot of TPA work to do. It's just going to have to wait until the class is over, one thing at a time.

I did get some research done today, which is good. I also did laundry, cleaned the master bedroom (Bryan re-arranged it so it's labor/tub ready), and cooked extra dinner and froze the rest (I now have 4 meals frozen). So I feel as though I accomplished a lot today. In addition to rearranging the bedroom, Bryan finished texturing Penny's new room (all it needs now is to be painted), and between yesterday and today he did a LOT of yardwork. So both of our Lists got at least a few things checked off so far this weekend.

Tomorrow we're going to a fundraiser potluck for Mother's Support Network, and then I hope to be able to work a bit more on my paper.

And now for the interesting stuff that people actually care about, a Penelope update.

She can now reach the deadbolt on the back door... without standing on her tip toes. It's 41" off the ground. She can't quite lock or unlock in yet, but that will come soon; that will be fun when it happens. Not.

I don't think she could do too much damage in the backyard (to herself or what's out there), but if she figures out how to get into the garage we're in trouble. I don't think it's possible to toddler-proof the garage and I don't want to even try.

Penelope has also decided that it's fun to get in trouble. She purposefully stands up on the couch or our bed even though she knows she's not supposed to. Then she grins at me when I tell her to sit on her bottom. When I get close enough to take her off the furniture she sits right down with a very pleased look on her face. Brat.

I've started counting to three before I impose a consequence, and the smarty pants will hold up her fingers while I count as if we're playing a game. It's actually pretty hilarious and I have a hard time not laughing at her; and boy is it hard to giggle and be stern at the same time.

She's also started taking her frustrations out on things. So if I tell her "no" she'll try and hit me or pull on the dog if Harley-Quinn happens to be nearby (and she's always nearby, that d@mn dog is never out of reach). She gets told "no", "we don't hit", and "be gentle" when she does those things - I don't know what else I can do. I know this is normal behavior, but it's still a little frustrating. Welcome to parenthood, right?

She's also consistently taking naps and going to bed at night on her own without crying. Which is SO nice. I'm sure we'll still have days and nights where sleep is a struggle, but for the most part she puts herself to sleep without a fuss and then sleeps for 2+ hours (nap) or 11+ hours (bed). No crying. Although she was never really a bedtime crier - but perhaps that's because we always put her to bed asleep (until recently). I always figured she'd let us know when she was ready to sleep on her own... and she did! Thankfully it corresponded with when WE were ready to have her sleep on her own. I think we lucked out on that one.

Now on to "&"

I'm 36 weeks pregnant and have been given the "ok" for a homebirth. My midwives don't expect me to go into labor this week, but they estimate the baby's weight at 5 1/2 lbs which means that if I should go into labor now I can safely have the baby at home.

This is wonderful news, even though I desperately hope the baby decides to wait at least until all of my classwork and credential work is done... so while I don't enjoy pregnancy and while I'm so very ready to no longer be pregnant, I'm hoping to actually go the full 40 weeks. A month ago I would have never said that. A month ago I would have hoped to go into labor the moment I was given the green light... but a month ago I didn't realize how much I have to get done before April 15th.

Baby is in the right position for labor - head down, in my pelvis, etc. But that doesn't mean labor is imminent. While I'm having contractions (mostly BH) every day, they're not regular and don't increase in intensity. I know I'm not going into labor anytime soon.

My next visit in Tuesday, it's actually a home visit so Marlene and Kaleem come to our house. That way they can (re)familiarize themselves with the layout, where supplies are, etc. Which is why I'm glad our bedroom is now "properly" arranged, our birth kit is done, and Penny's room is close to being finished.

Next week I may also get to see my maternity photos! Bree (who took P's 1 year pictures) took them on the 13th and she said they'd be ready in about 2 weeks. Penny and I had a lot of fun working with her and I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures. She took some of P and I together, just the belly, and then a bunch of just Penny. She's also going to come over 7-10 days after the baby is born and take newborn photos. Her photography is beautiful - check out her website: http://www.breehesterphotography.com/

Ok, time for bed. Here's one of my new favorite pictures of Penelope (with her Uncle Nic at the Steinheart Aquarium in San Francisco):

A general update

It's been awhile since I posted (yes? I can't remember and am too lazy to check).

Anyway, things have been hectic. Bryan's schedule will soon include school (in addition to softball, soccer, and room remodeling... and work), and I have a lot of classwork, exams, cooking, and nesting to do before April. The most urgent things on my list are classwork and exams, two weeks left of this course (equals four assignments) and two TPAs to complete (which are basically just really LONG assignments). They need to be finished before I deliver since getting them accomplished with a newborn will make life so much harder.

But it's not going to be easy to get everything done before baby gets here. Not by a long shot.

So I've been feeling very overwhelmed lately... as in weepy. Saturday afternoon I lost it after Pen and I came home from the grocery store. Bryan wasn't able to get out of his obligation to play a tournament to come home, but my parents were able to make it over to entertain the baby so I could piece myself back together. It wasn't pretty. Although I did realize that I need to ask for help, so I'm trying to get better about that. It's not easy - I'm one of those people who enjoys a little bit of stress. But this stress is really just too much. Here's a list of things that I need to do before April 15th:

*Finish coursework for TED 666 (the class I'm currently enrolled in, which ends 3/27)
*Finish TPA 1
*Finish TPA 2
*Get birthing kit together
*Start/finish the owl project for Penny's room (a sewing project)
*Cook at least a week's worth of food and freeze it (preferably 2 weeks, but that's a stretch)
*Stock up on groceries
*Clean the bathrooms
*Put Penny's new room together (once Bryan is done)
*Clean closet and rearrange master bedroom (so the birthing tub will fit)
*Clean the rest of the house (lower on my priority list since cleaning gives me some pretty lovely contractions)
*Set up automatic bill pay so our bills get paid on time no matter when I go into labor

There's probably more, but this is all I can remember off the top of my head.

Bryan's list is equally extensive - he's got a lot on his plate as well.

Suffice it to say, overwhelmed is a bit of an understatement.

I do have some awesome family and friends who have offered to help out. My Dad takes Penny once a week so I can get school work done and my Aunt has offered to babysit as well so I can work on classwork and TPAs. I have some mommy friends who are going to come over sometime in the next few weeks and help me make/freeze food, they've also offered to bring food over after I deliver (hooray!). My brother spent a day helping Bryan remodel P's room, which was a big help. My parents are going to watch her Thursday night so we can make it to our childbirth class and our next prenatal... and they're going to take her next Friday night which will allow us to get stuff done as well. Although it would be nice to have one last date night before "&" arrives so we may do that instead of work on our list(s).

I'm sure it will all work out... although sometimes it's hard to fathom exactly *how* it will all work out.

I'll just have to count my blessings and take on day at a time (and a host of other cliches as well).

But enough of that, on to the good stuff.

Penelope's sleep has been stellar the last week. I'm so excited about it and I really hope it continues post-new baby. This afternoon I put her in her crib for naptime (awake but tired) and she fell asleep on her own. Score! She does this for bedtime (and has for a little while) but this was the first time it's worked for naps. I hope this continues, because it makes my afternoons so much easier. Especially since I'm getting to that point of pregnancy where I'm just uncomfortable, period.

I'll be 36 weeks on Thursday and while I'm ready to no longer be pregnant, I am in no way ready for this baby to be born (see above list). So I'm going to try to not complain about how much I dislike this phase of pregnancy because no matter which was you slice it, babies are easier to care for when they're inside then when they're out.

I am getting excited to meet this baby and find out his/her gender and finally choose a name. So there's something to look forward to - and it will hopefully make these next four weeks slightly more bearable.

Ok, on to a different topic. Baby signs. Penny now signs please, more, eat, all done, thank you, and socks. I'm working on teaching her mommy, daddy, potty, banana, apple, shoes, water, and up. She says nanas (food), mama, dada, da (for dog), key (kitty), verde (Spanish for green), and has other random words that she doesn't use consistently (like rabbit). It's still not as many words as she had before, but her vocabulary continues to expand so I'm not too worried. She sees her pediatrician in 3 more months.

She understands A TON. I can give her simple and complex tasks and she does them. She knows the names of a large number of people - most of whom she doesn't see everyday. She recognizes pictures of cousins she's only met once (she loves her cousin Gadge's pictures) and can point out her grandparents, Aunt Franny, Cousin Bobby, her friend Orson, O's mom Kim, Sarah, Sophia, and more from the pictures we have. She also knows who Lisa & Lisa are (one runs a toy store and one teaches music) and will greet them with a wave and a smile when she sees them (once a week).

She puts away her toys, will pick out specific books when asked, knows which stuffed animals are which, and knows a bunch of body parts (eyes, mouth, nose, ears, belly, fingers, toes, feet, legs, bottom, and hair). She really enjoys coloring, playing pretend with her doctor kit and her kitchen, and really loves feeding the dog (which Harley-Quinn also loves, but which Mommy & Daddy do not).

I'm probably forgetting a dozen things that she does, or has just started doing, but it's hard to keep track! Life goes by so quickly when you're running after a toddler all day!

Alright, I should get some stuff on my list done (or at least started) while she's still sleeping. Pics later!

35 weeks - appointment

Our 35 week appointment was today. Rather uneventful, but here's the stats.

Baby's HB: 144
My BP: 110/68
Measuring: 36 weeks
Cervix: closed

I'd been having a lot of contractions and cramping, which is normal, but both Bryan and I were happy to hear that my cervix is closed. No baby this week! Baby needs to wait until at least March 27th (that's when my class is over). Although it's still possible that I'll go a full 40 weeks, which is fine. While delivering at 38 weeks would be nice, I'll be ok if I go a full 40.

My midwives do want me to take a few supplements to help relax things, so I'll pick those up this weekend.

The next few days: San Francisco zoo (or aquarium), maternity photos, and sewing projects

Things for next time: diapers are finished! Pics will be taken and uploaded soon.

Baby? What baby?

It's official (and it has been for awhile, but I'm just finally admitting it). We no longer have a baby. We have a "big girl"... a toddler... an almost 3 foot tall person with her own, very distinct personality.

A troublemaker. A diva. A child who in no way takes after her mother (haha).

As evidence I give you these:











See? Not a baby anymore.

But speaking of baby, my delivery date is fast approaching. I've been having a lot of contractions and cramping, a lot more than with Penelope. It makes me feel as though I won't make it to 40 weeks (although I certainly hope I at least make it to 37) but who knows. I could still go up to or past my EDD... I have an appointment Thursday evening and I may ask them to check me just to see what's going on in there. The cramping and contractions would seem to indicate that my cervix is ripening and getting ready, but it's not certain. Luckily I haven't lost my mucous plug or have any other signs of impending labor. I'm not ready to give birth yet! There's still so much left to do and I'm in the middle of a Graduate level class... it would be incredibly inconvenient to have the baby before this class ends. I'm trying to get my stuff done a little early, but that's easier said than done.

I'm finally getting around to doing our taxes - hopefully they'll be done today so at least that chore is off of our list. Now we just have a thousand other things to do.

So I should get to that.

I have new video of Penelope, I'll try and get around to uploading it sometime this week.

34 Weeks

So yesterday marked the start of my 9th month of pregnancy (which lasts *forever*). I'm 34 weeks 1 day and am so. ready. to be finished.

I think I've dropped a little since the last pregnancy photos I posted, so here's a new one with a pic of me @ 35 weeks with Penelope:





As you can see, I now have to wear 2 shirts to cover the belly. But I do think the baby has dropped a little. We have an appointment in a week so we'll see what the midwives say.

Appointment Update

Just a quick update - we had our 33 week appointment today. As predicted, it was rather uneventful. Next appointment is in 2 weeks.

Stats:
My BP: 98/60
Baby's HB: 160
Measuring at 33 weeks exactly

I apparently have a lot of amniotic fluid so they weren't 100% sure of baby's position. They're pretty sure he/she is head down, but it should be easier to tell next appointment. IF baby is breech we'll work on turning him/her, but I'm not worried. Since most of my kicks are up and to the right it feels as though baby is head down with its back facing my left side - a lot like Penelope was at this point in the pregnancy. Baby's head is still floating and not really anywhere close to my pelvis. This explains why I'm carrying so high and my plentiful amounts of amniotic fluid explain why I'm much further "out" than before.

Kaleem and Marlene mentioned that the baby was still small - which isn't abnormal - but I am hoping that this one is slightly smaller than Pen. She was 7.15 and I wouldn't mind delivering a baby in the mid-low 7lb range (instead of a 8lb or more baby). No matter what the size I know I can have a successful natural vaginal delivery, but if I had any control over it the smaller side of normal would be preferable :)

Soon I'll make up a spreadsheet so people can start placing bets on date/time and gender! We're getting close to the end!!!

33 weeks, 7 left

Today I am officially 33 weeks pregnant. I have no idea what that is in months. Since months don't really tell you much I tend to ignore them, plus one "month" has an extra 2 weeks in it to make up for the first two weeks after your LMP so the whole month thing is just silly anyway. If you didn't understand that last sentence don't feel bad - it means you're lucky enough to have never read one of the countless books on pregnancy (the worst offender is What to Expect When You're Expecting - horrible book, I wouldn't recommend it to any pregnant woman. Dr. Sear's The Pregnancy Book is 1,000x better).

Anyway. 33 weeks. So I have 7 weeks left until my due date and 4 weeks left until I'm technically full term. Since due dates are estimates and based off of a 28 day cycle they're not generally very accurate. Although my EDD is based off of my ovulation date (since I'm weird and know exactly when I ovulate - down to the minute) my EDD should be pretty accurate. Although who knows. This baby may decide that he/she doesn't need the "extra" 3 weeks of baking and is ready to meet the world sooner rather than later. Or he/she may decide that my uterus is super-awesome and decide to stay in until Kindergarten.

I'd rather deliver at 37 weeks than go "overdue" but since I really don't have any control over when I go into labor I'll just have to take what I get.

Tomorrow I have another appointment with our midwives (I feel like I just had one - well, I did... two weeks ago). It should be uneventful.

I really, really, really, should be writing my research paper for this class. School has me a little stressed out lately - there's just so much I need to do before the baby comes! Ok, back to work.

The blog drought is over!

So it's been awhile since I updated, things have been busy! I'll get right into the updates...

I'm 32 1/2 weeks pregnant - less than 8 weeks to go! This baby feels much higher than Penelope - you be the judge. Here's a picture of the belly today & then one of me with Penelope at 33 weeks:





Kicks are right in my ribs - and they're VERY uncomfortable. Baby is most active at night, but kicks around all day. I think we're all ready for this pregnancy to be over, but we're still not quite ready to have an infant in the house :)

Bryan is busy fixing Penny's new room so that the nursery will be open for "&" - and I'm busy making diapers so that we can cover his/her little butt! Here's a picture of two diaper patterns:



There's also playgroups, music class, school (me, and soon Bryan!), job hunting (a seeming exercise in futility, but necessary nonetheless), and everything else. I have a hard time keeping track of the days, they tend to run into each other.

In Penelope-news, she now has all 16 teeth (and has for a week or so). So teething is *almost* at an end. They've all broken through but are still moving into place, so soon we'll be done with teething (until her 2 year molars). This is very exciting, we'll all be so happy when teething is over.

She's also off formula. She still gets a bottle before bath time, but it's whole milk. At some point we'll need to wean her off the bottle, but it helps her sleep better so for now it stays. One bottle a day isn't going to hurt her and we brush her teeth afterward so I'm not going to sweat it.

Wednesday she has her 15 month appointment (technically a week early, but still - 15 months?!?!?). She's a pro at walking, tries running, is getting very good with her sign language (she can combine signs now - so she'll say "please eat" or "more eat"), and is constantly babbling. We have a lot of fun together during the day...

I probably have a lot more I could write about, but it's late and I'm exhausted. I'll try and update regularly, especially as "&"'s due date gets closer. For now I'll leave you with a picture of Penelope and Orson.

31 week appointment

Today was our 31 week prenatal appointment. Next appointment is at the end of February, already into our every 2 week appointments!

So here's the stats:

Baby: heartbeat 154, head down (but still floating, not in the pelvis), feet are lodged into my ribs, measuring at 34 weeks on one side and 31 weeks on the other - so we're going with 31 weeks.

Me: Blood pressure 98/60 (eep!), Iron 10 (low as well), and I'm gaining more than I'd like but not more than I should.

So I need to take my Iron supplements (I've been lax), get in plenty of cranberry, and walk when the weather is nice.

6 weeks until I'm full term and 9 weeks until my due date.

Tomorrow is going to be crazy-busy so I should at least attempt to sleep.

Are we there yet?

This post could have also been titled "Get me out!"

Apparently "&" dislikes his/her solitary confinement.

I'm tired of it as well... but we both have to hold out at least 7 more weeks. These are going to be a long seven weeks. "&" has not stopped moving all day. While it's nice to know that he/she is active and healthy, it's getting incredibly uncomfortable. I don't remember Penelope being this active - maybe she was and I've forgotten just how much I dislike this phase. Or maybe this one is just much more exuberant than his/her big sister.

I'm also getting to the point in this pregnancy where sleep is nearly impossible. Between my hips (which ache and burn no matter what position I'm in), my back, leg cramps, having to pee often, and the baby's movement, I'm getting less and less sleep (not that I was getting a ton beforehand).

Our next appointment is next week, I'll be just about 31 weeks (I'm 30 weeks today). In about 5 weeks we'll take maternity photos (and by "we" I mean me... and Penny will come as well - I want to get pictures of her and the belly).

Tomorrow Pen and I will spend some time with other mamas, having lunch, and going swimming in an indoor pool. Should be fun :)