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Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Whew! Sorry!

I know it's been a while, but I'm sure you can relate, what with Thanksgiving and Christmas and all the crazy that comes with it. Not to mention that my little Etsy shop has seen a nutso spike in sales and I've been crocheting my ever-expanding tush off. Every spare moment is spent with yarn and hooks.

BUT, now that I have a few minutes, I'm gonna catch all three of my readers up on my progress!

At our 28 week appt. I was up to 146lbs and had the glucose screening, which came back completely normal! Wut wut! The growth ultrasound went well, but the tech couldn't get a clear shot of the goods, so I didn't get the boy confirmation I was hoping for. That hasn't really stopped me from buying cute little boy things :)


LM and I made a 14 hour trek to Colorado with my parents and grandma to be with my sister for Thanksgiving and her baby shower. Looking back now, I wish I hadn't gone. First, MyLovf had to work, so he couldn't come with us. I HATED to leave him by himself, but I really wanted to be there for the shower. Such a freaking waste of five days. The only plus I got out of it was a couple cute pictures of my sister and I all preggo together.

Me: 28 Weeks. Her: 34 Weeks

The week was full of eye rolls over my ridiculous BIL (Seriously. Ridiculous. He's a 24-year-old 12-year-old and so annoying), having to fight my parents and grandma for a decent place to sleep, and stressing out over the complete lack of planning for the shower. Her SIL took everything over and... *sigh*... suffice it to say that it was bad. My mom was in tears over how bad it was. The only people there were us, his parents, and his sister. That's it. The SIL just made it completely about her and inconvenienced everyone else, e.g. we were set to leave for home at 6:00 and she didn't even start the party until 5:00. So yeah. That was fun. I was also left to cook Thanksgiving dinner entirely by myself because she had gone into pre-term labor the night before and everyone but my grandma, me, and LM went to the hospital with her. They were all exhausted, so I had to cook it all. My favorite part was when my grandma, who had done nothing all day but put on an apron and then SIT DOWN, complained that it was taking too long and she was so hungry. Hmm... how about you actually do something to help speed things along instead of sitting on your ass and complaining? Oh wait, that would make too much sense. Super wonderful trip.

The Tuesday after we got back, MyLovf and I went on the hospital tour. Is it weird to say that I'm so excited to deliver in this hospital? It's so nice! I think they engineered it so that there couldn't be a lot of visitors after the fact. The L&D suite is pretty big, but the recovery rooms are not. LOL! I have a feeling that we were the only non-first-time parents there. Everyone in the group was so straight faced and serious! It was a little funny and we kept getting evil glares because we were joking around and acting stupid. They probably thought we should be taking it a bit more seriously. At the end, we found out that all the couples except one are having boys. Kinda interesting.


On the 8th we had our family portrait taken and then went to MyLovf's work Christmas party. I got some uninvited belly rubs (full on rubs) from none other than the owner of the company. So not awkward *she said sarcastically*. That happened twice. Yep. Twice. But the awful food and lack of anything fun totally made up for it. LM had a good time though and was very excited to be able to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what he wants for Christmas. This is the first year he didn't cry! Yay!



At our 30 week appt. my midwife said everything is pretty much text book, baby is head down already, and she is happy with development. We also heard the heartbeat again! Lovf that sound :)

And that brings us to week 31 and the survey that has been missing for the last month or so:

Weekly Survey
  • How far along?: 31 Weeks
  • Total weight gain: 149: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: Almost 4 pounds and closing in on 19 inches (LM was 19 inches at birth)
  • Maternity clothes?: Der
  • Sleep?: I really cannot complain. Sleep has been pretty fabulous and I'm even able to stay on my back (preferred) as long as I'm propped up on my snoogle nest.
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: Bought myself a Moby wrap on Sunday. I can't wait to try it out! AND my sex drive is totally back. There are more than a few differences and things that weren't issues before are definitely issues now, but all in all, it's been fantastic!
  • Movement: It would be easier to tell you when he's NOT moving. Crazy bugger is all over the place :)
  • Food cravings?: Oranges!
  • Belly button in or out?: It officially flattened out two weeks ago, but it isn't poking out yet. The asshole linea nigra is also back. Bitch.
  • What I miss: Not a damn thing.
  • What I'm looking forward to: CHRISTMAS!!!
  • Developments: He's developing at an impressive clip: baby's brain connections (he's got to make trillions of them!). He's now processing information, tracking light, and perceiving signals from all five senses. He's also putting in longer stretches of sleep, which is why you're probably noticing more defined patterns of wakefulness (and movement) and rest (when he’s pretty still).
Belly Pic!


And *drum roll please* our 2013 family portrait:


 

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 27 Weeks!

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 27 Weeks
  • Total weight gain: ?: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: Baby is two pounds and 15 inches long.
  • Maternity clothes?: Exclusively and I'm trying to get creative with it. I don't like wearing the same few outfits all the time, so I'm experimenting with accessories and shoes and such.
  • Sleep?: Still pretty good!
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: THIRD TRIMESTER! OMG! I can't freakin' believe that it's going by so fast. We hit it hard and started moving stuff around to make room for baby stuff in our bedroom. We got all the big stuff moved, but now our space is a disaster of pictures that need to be rehung and displaced junk that needs to be gone through. We made a trip to IKEA to get a better storage system for LM's toys and other random stuff. He also got a new big boy dresser. It all proved to be a little much for me and I had to sit and relax for a little while to stop the braxton hicks contractions. As much as I hate seeing all the clutter and crap laying around, I can't bring myself to get up out of my recliner to do anything about it.
  • Movement?: It's getting crazy. I'm watching LO have a dance party right now :)
  • Food cravings?: Oatmeal Cream Pies. It's a sickness.
  • Belly button in or out?: Same as last week
  • What I miss: I miss alcohol today. It's my mom's birthday and we took her out to dinner. The drink she ordered looked so yummy. Want!
  • What I'm looking forward to: Our appointment is on Thursday! I can't wait to see this little guy again. I am NOT looking forward to the glucose test. Call me paranoid, but I'm also anxious to make sure he's still a boy. The money shot we got at 20 weeks was only ok.
  • Developments: He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.
  • Other Stuff: I ended up having to get that root canal on Monday. There was just no getting around it or postponing it. 
    • Wednesday brought an adjustment to my braces that nearly killed me. They had to reposition five of the brackets and taking off the old ones was awful! It felt like they were trying to yank my teeth out of my head... with no anesthesia. I went from being super excited about finally getting them off to being terrified. It's gonna hurt so bad :(
    • Our hospital tour was moved to December 3rd. So much for a baby centered afternoon.
    • I've recently developed an obsession for Origami Owl lockets. I discovered them a couple of weeks ago and have systematically spent all of the money I made from my Etsy shop on charms and dangles for my necklace. I'm tapped out now, but my locket is so pretty! My mom also got one for her birthday :)
    • I got my baby carrier and diaper bag backpack this week too. I think those were really the only things we NEED for this LO.
Belly Pic!


 

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 26 Weeks

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 26 Weeks
  • Total weight gain: ?: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: Baby is almost two pounds. I celebrated this milestone with a two-pound box of chocolates. You know, in order to really get a good VISUAL. ;)
  • Maternity clothes?: Exclusively.
  • Stretch marks?: *Le sigh* Should I just accept my fate and take this one down?
  • Sleep?: My Snoogle/pillow nest is still working. I don't wake up at all unless LM comes to our bed.
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: Double Digits! What what!? Freakin' everything was awesome this week. I dunno what it was, but it was pretty wonderful... except that I found out I need to get a prior root canal/crown retreated. So super fun. I'm trying to put it off as long as possible.
  • Movement?: Yeppers. My mom finally copped a feel on Friday night when this little guy got a good wiggle session going. She could see my belly moving, so of course she HAD to feel him! At least one of us was happy...
  • Food cravings?: Sweets!
  • Belly button in or out?: Flattening and almost starting to pop out.
  • What I miss: I dunno right now.
  • What I'm looking forward to: Our next appointment is in 11 days and I'm supposed to get a growth ultrasound (hopefully with 3D) and we're taking our hospital tour then, too. Should be an exciting baby centered afternoon.
  • Developments: The network of nerves in baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. 
Belly Pic!


I think my dad talked to my mom about grabbing on me all the time. I had mentioned to him that our next door neighbor had touched me without invitation or warning and that it really upset me, (this was a few weeks ago) and she has really toned it down... until Friday. Now if I could just hide my bouncing belly, it would be all good :)

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Double Digits!!!

There are officially less than 100 days to go! I'm half super excited to meet this little guy and half so sad that it seems to be going by so quickly. I have to remind myself to take a minute and just experience whatever is happening at the moment. I have to take that extra beat to cherish the feeling of this baby moving. It's the last time I'll get to do it.

ALSO! We're decided on a name! We've only told our parents and my sister what it is even though it's not a secret or anything. Surprisingly, they're the only people that have asked if we'd chosen one yet. I haven't noticed any wrinkled noses or awkward hesitations about it, so I'm taking it as a good sign :)

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 25 Weeks!

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 25 Weeks
  • Total weight gain:140: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: Baby weighs about 1½ pounds and is 13½ inches long. He's about the size of a rutabaga (where the hell do they come up with these size comparisons???)
  • Maternity clothes?: Exclusively now.
  • Stretch marks?: I'm just gonna go with yes. I doubt I would be able to tell new ones from old ones anyway.
  • Sleep?: I officially can't sleep lying down anymore. I've tried every which way I can think of with my Snoogle, but I always wake up with something sore. I've resorted to my 3rd Tri trick from LM and make a nest with my Snoogle and a bunch of pillows so that I'm sleeping at an angle. It's working well so far :)
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: We had our monthly appointment on Wednesday and my midwife is very happy with mine and tiny one's progress. His heartbeat was thumping away at 146 beats per minute and I've gained 14 pounds (as opposed to 21 with LM). "Very healthy" she kept saying. Yay.
  • Movement?: Oh yes; and today I am more appreciative of it than ever.
  • Food cravings?: I had to have some animal style fries from In N Out... and I got them :)
  • Belly button in or out?: Flattening and almost starting to pop out.
  • What I miss: I dunno right now.
  • What I'm looking forward to: Almost in double digits! This is going by so fast; it feels like we just found out I was pregnant yesterday.
  • Developments: He's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.
Belly Pic!


I had a pretty bad fall yesterday thanks to LM thinking it was a hilarious game to squirt the dog with a water bottle. I had no idea the tile floor was wet and slipped in it. I hit hard on my right side before I knew what the hell was happening and started screaming like a possessed person. I had a nightmare about it last night. The screaming. Even though I didn't land on my stomach, I was so terrified that I had just killed my baby. My poor grandma came flying down the stairs (which was a feat in itself because she has had both knees replaced) to find me still on the floor sobbing and screaming. I didn't get up until after I had called my midwife and MyLovf who immediately left work yelling to his co-workers that I had fallen and he was leaving. A normally hour long commute only took him 40 minutes. I don't like to think about how fast he must've been driving. By the time he got home I was lying down, chugging water, and allowing the tiny one to calm me down with frequent kicks. We got to the hospital and after what seemed like forever in Intake, they wheeled me up to L&D triage. I was hooked up to the monitors for about an hour listening to an amplified tiny one rolling, kicking, and thumping away. Sweet music. Thank God that aside from my arm, hip, and side being crazy sore, neither of us was seriously injured.

I spent today parked on the couch with my crochet bag.

 

Friday, November 1, 2013

AW: Little Man's Halloween Costume

Oh.Mah.Gah!

Little Man's costume turned out so.freakin'.AWESOME! I'm just going to go ahead and proclaim myself the winner of Halloween! LOL

This sucker took two weeks to build and is comprised of cardboard boxes, poster board, and two miles of grey and black duck tape. I cut out, drew, and put everything together myself with the exception of the wheel gears. MyLovf did those.

Little Man was a total hit while trick or treating. We were stopped in the street multiple times and at every house. Everyone wanted to see it and a few people even asked to take pictures with him. Talk about inflating my ego :) There was one couple that even proclaimed it good enough to wear at Comic Con. Pardon my big head.

One down side is that it ended up being heavier than I anticipated and LM only wore it for about 40 minutes; now it's just sitting by the door. Comic Con will be coming to Phoenix in June. I'm wondering if I would be able to sell it?


Sunday, October 27, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 24 Weeks!

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 24 Weeks
  • Total weight gain: I'll find out on Wednesday: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: Is just about a foot long now. I believe it is a tradition to consume a foot-long sub sandwich or hot dog in baby’s honor at this point. I also believe I just made that up.
  • Maternity clothes?: Yep
  • Stretch marks?: I should stop looking for them. I do lotion every day and coconut oil when I'm feeling particularly itchy, but really, there's nothing I can do about it.
  • Sleep?: Allergies have died down and I've gotten over the cold LM brought home from school, so it's getting back to normal.
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: VIABILITY DAY!!! The weight of paranoia is lifting
  • Movement?:Starting to get predictable; looks like this tiny one is working himself out a routine. Unfortunately, most of his beebopping happens when I'm trying to rest.
  • Food cravings?: Mmm FOOD!
  • Belly button in or out?: It's mostly flat, but still a little concave.
  • What I miss: Good sex. Perhaps I should be happy that we're having sex at all because at this time with LM I was four weeks into pelvic rest and going crazy. I hate to say it, but it pretty much sucks right now. We've cut way back from our pre-baby routine (which is understandable and not really the problem), but why does it feel like a hot poker? And once I get past that, why can't I get to my freaking orgasm!? MyLovf is being so patient with me and I know he's doing everything he can think of to get me there, but it's just not happening! None of the usual tricks work and all the new stuff we've tried just isn't doing it. I don't know what to do at this point and I am not happy :(
  • What I'm looking forward to: We have an appointment on Wednesday, but I don't think it's going to be that exciting. I'm really looking forward to Halloween. LM wanted to be Wall-E, so mama went on a mission to find a reasonably priced one... no such luck. I ended up making it myself, and it turned out so flippin' cute! Definitely patting myself on the back :)
  • Developments: Baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at about 1 1/3 pounds. Since he's almost a foot long, he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.
Belly Pic!


And because I still have the same dress:

Pregnancy #1 vs. Pregnancy #2

 

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 23 Weeks

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 23 Weeks
  • Total weight gain: ?: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: A tad bigger than last week! Are you sensing a pattern!? Goodness, I never realized how boring this stretch of pregnancy is, what with the “close to a pound, just over a pound, 11 inches long, 11 2/3 inches long” comparisons week after week.
  • Maternity clothes?: Yep
  • Stretch marks?: I think I'm still only sporting the ones from LM.
  • Sleep?: Not so good the last couple of days. Allergies have hit me hard and I can't freakin' breathe! I've only tried Benadryl so far, but it's not helping much. I'm going to try Claritin today.
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: A friend of ours from California sent us a BUNCH of stuff including the exact same car seat model that I got last month. I took the one I bought right back to Babies R Us and saved myself $150! Yay for not taking that bad boy out of it's box! I think I'll put some of the money I saved toward a cute diaper bag backpack :)
  • Movement?: Yeppers. Mostly at night though. It's a long day waiting for this little guy to get moving, but once he does, it's like a dance party in my ute. Upside to it is that MyLovf is around to feel it.
  • Food cravings?: Mmm FOOD!
  • Belly button in or out?: It's flattening out!
  • What I miss: Erm...hmm...
  • What I'm looking forward to: Viability day! One.more.week!
  • Developments: The pancreas is kicking into gear and blood vessels continue to develop in the lungs. Lung development is a Big Thing right now, since babies born around 24 weeks gestation can often survive outside the womb. 23 weeks is pretty questionable, and 24 weeks certainly isn’t a peachy keen time to be born or anything, but still. If you’re the morbid sort who gets a tiny bit of comfort knowing that your baby has a fighting chance If Something Terrible Were To Happen, well, there you go.
  • Other Stuff: 
    • In listening to my mom talking to my brother on the phone, I am starting to worry that she thinks she's going to have a super active role in this baby's day-to-day including putting him to bed "every night"... I wonder what I'm going to be doing? If I know myself (and I think I do), this is going to cause problems. I tend to be kind of selfish about the things I push out my brittney and I can't stand people overstepping boundaries with my kids.
    • My grandma kissed.my.stomach on Friday. It took everything in me not to say anything or push her away. I HATE IT! What makes it worse is that she and my mom KNOW that I don't like stuff like that and they do it anyway! Agh! WTF?
    • LM asks me multiple times per day "What's the baby doing?" Me: "Eating/Wiggling/Kicking me" LM: "That's what babies do?" Me: "Yep, that's what babies do!" The way he says it though, is so adorable. I gotta get it on film :)
Belly Pic!


Sunday, October 13, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 22 Weeks

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 22 Weeks
  • Total weight gain: ?: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: At 11 inches, baby is about the length of a Barbie but weighs about a pound and doesn’t have big boobs and unachievable body proportions.
  • Maternity clothes?: Yep
  • Stretch marks?: I haven't noticed any new ones; I'm hoping that I'm not just deluding myself...
  • Sleep?: I've been having some weird dreams lately. I don't remember them, but I wake up knowing they were weird. I'm also not feeling as rested, so it must be effecting my sleep more than I realize.
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: Both DH and LM have felt outside kicks. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to deny their happening to everyone else and I am not looking forward to other people's hands on my stomach.
  • Movement?: I had a tense morning/afternoon on Friday. I hadn't felt any kicking and all the old tricks weren't working. I was just starting to get worked up when he got moving again. Talk about relief! I dunno if he was just taking an extra long nap or what, but he needs to not do that to me again!
  • Food cravings?: Mmm FOOD!
  • Belly button in or out?: Starting to get a little stretched out.
  • What I miss: Erm...hmm...
  • What I'm looking forward to: Viability day! Just two more weeks :)
  • Developments:  He has real eyebrows and eyelashes now (hoping they're as long as his brother's and daddy's!), which is more than we can say for Barbie – suck on that, doll! He's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises still lack pigment. He can  perceive light and dark, hear your voice, your heartbeat, your gurgling stomach, and the whoosh-whoosh of blood circulating through your body. As his brain and nerve endings develop, he may reach for his face (or whatever he can reach) just to experiment with his newfound sense of touch.
  • Other Stuff: 
    • The other day, LM put a sticker on my belly that I totally did not see until someone pointed it out to me. It had to've been there the better part of the day. I about died laughing :)  
    • LM has his first school picture day on Monday. I cannot believe this is about to happen! 
    • I can feel myself turning into a raging bitch, but can't seem to get a handle on it even when I'm conscious of it happening. Every.little.thing grates on my nerves and I just want to scream and throw things and then lock myself in my room and not talk to anyone. Obviously, I can't do that, but I want to.
    • I'm feeling Braxton Hicks contractions on and off now. I don't like them. Thankfully, I only get two or three and then they stop.
Belly Pic!

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 21 Weeks

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 21 Weeks!
  • Total weight gain: 135: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: According to the u/s tech, baby is just a couple of ounces shy of a pound and is about 10½  inches long. That's close to the size of the worlds largest gummy bear, although, the gummy bear is a lot heavier (5 pounds) – I like the reference better than a banana.


  • Maternity clothes?: Yes!
  • Stretch marks?: It rubs the lotion on the skin ;)
  • Sleep?: Still good when LM isn't kicking me. He's been making his way to our bed in the middle of the night. Not so fun to get woken up by a kick to the head.
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: We went to the anatomy scan on Thursday and everything is absolutely perfect. The tiny one is measuring two days ahead, which puts me in on Valentine's Day, but since it's only a two day difference, they didn't officially change my due date. The heart is beating away at 158 beats per minute! MyLovf was very close to missing the entire scan. Usually he beats me to the office, but traffic was horrible on the way and he was running late. My midwife's office however, was not. That is one thing I lovf (and now hate) about them. They are extremely punctual. If you're scheduled for a 4:00 appointment, that's when they're taking you back. I was texting him frantically trying to find out where he was and he wasn't answering! He finally called me while I was already in the room. I asked her to stay away from the money shots until he got there and she was happy to oblige, as well and going slowly to get the pics she needed. He ran through the door as she was finishing up, but she was nice enough to go back and quickly show him everything again. We got some awesome pictures.





  • Movement?: More and more every day!
  • Food cravings?: Nothing really this week.
  • Belly button in or out?: Same
  • What I miss: Having our bed to ourselves.
  • What I'm looking forward to: The tech told us that we would be getting another scan at 28 weeks! I was surprised, I wasn't expecting to see LO again before February, but they're going to be doing a much more extensive 3D scan (we only got two 3D pics this last time). We didn't have that option at all with LM and I'm excited for the experience!
  • Developments: Baby is steadily gaining fat to keep warm. Growth rate is slowing down but organ systems, like digestion, are continuing to mature. A waxy film, called the vernix caseosa, is being produced by your baby's oil glands and covers the skin to keep it supple in the amniotic fluid. Buds for permanent teeth are beginning to form.
Belly Pic!


Yep, the tech was right at our 12 week scan!


I cannot be more thrilled! While a little girl would have been really exciting, in the deepest, most secret places of my heart I was hoping for another boy. I think because my sister and I were such teenage terrors compared to my brothers; I didn't want to go through what my mother went through.

I guess my name post from a couple months ago was an all-for-nothing freak-out. We've got the middle name for this little guy locked down and have two front runners for the first name. I prefer one over the other and MyLovf likes them both equally. He even said he could flip a coin and be happy with either, so I'm thinking that means it's up to me... yes? I'm thinking yes ;) He technically picked out LM's name, so this one is mine, right? LOL

 

Monday, September 30, 2013

Holy Crap

There an infant car seat sitting in my living room! Eek!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 20 Weeks

Half baked today!

Weekly Survey
  • How far along?: 20 Weeks!
  • Total weight gain: ?: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: Baby weighs about 10½ ounces and is about 10 inches long from head to heel.
  • Maternity clothes?: Yes!
  • Stretch marks?: Trying to ward off new ones by applying copious amounts of lotion.
  • Sleep?: Still good!
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: Learning that MyLovf would finally be back doing a job and working with people he actually likes! It was such a joy to be with him this weekend. He hasn't been this happy for a couple of months. He starts tomorrow and I can tell he's excited :)
  • Movement?: Most activity seems to be happening at night and in the early morning... unless I try to cross my legs. This action is unacceptable to the tiny one; I always get a good set of  protest kicks.
  • Food cravings?: Nothing really this week.
  • Belly button in or out?: Same
  • What I miss: Sleeping on my back and stomach.
  • What I'm looking forward to: Ultrasound on Thursday! I'm starting to get really nervous!
  • Developments: He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).
Belly Pic!


And for fun, a comparison shot!

Pregnancy #1 vs. Pregnancy #2

It actually looks to be about the same size. At least to me.

 

Saturday, September 28, 2013

He's Not Impressed

Me: "Hey LM, do you wanna come feel the baby kicking?"

LM: "No"

Hmm... Well alrighty then...

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Excellent, Wonderful, Happy News!

I am so so so excited! MyLovf just called to let me know that his old boss offered him a job today at his new business and for the same pay he was making with him before!

I am so relieved and happy! My poor honey was miserable with the new owners. Not to mention the nasty pay cut. Now, come Monday, he will be back to being surrounded by people that he lovfs to work with and won't have to worry about how we're going to survive another 25% cut in pay with a tiny one on the way.

So thankful! I can't stop smiling!

Yay!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Mah Berfday!

As expected, my parents didn't make the same big deal out of my birthday as they did my brother's, but MyLovf made sure I still had a pretty great day (well, weekend).

My mom made me breakfast and we headed out to hit my favorite antique shops. I didn't find anything I wanted to buy, but I really liked walking around and looking at everything. It would've been way more fun if LM hadn't needed to touch every.single.thing in every.single.store, but such is the nature of a 4 year old. They took us out for a late lunch/early dinner and we all shared a giant boat of sushi. Yum. Our waitress was awesome. She kept bringing me free stuff because it was my birthday. I left there feeling like a stuffed turkey!


Once the sun went down, we all went to Scottsdale to check out a car show. Not exactly what I had in mind for my birthday, but I didn't want to make plans for myself and no one else had any other ideas. So off to the car show I went. We walked around A LOT and then MyLovf wanted to take me to the movies so we sent LM home with my parents. We ended up not going because the showings were all super late and I was getting pretty tired.

On Sunday my honey took me to Olive Garden for dinner and gave me a new Nook HD! Feeling pretty blessed overall :)

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 19 Weeks

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 19 Weeks
  • Total weight gain: ?: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: Baby now weighs about 8½ ounces and measures 6 inches, as long as a turkey sub from Subway on warm, delicious Italian Herbs and Cheese bread!
  • Maternity clothes?:Yes!
  • Stretch marks?: No new ones so far.
  • Sleep?: Good, but still totally exhausted.
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: My birthday was on Saturday! It was a pretty low key day, but nice.
  • Movement?: Usually more at night and early in the morning. I think this little one will be another night owl.
  • Food cravings?: Grapes! OMG I can't get enough of them! It's become kind of a joke around the house and people are finally starting to figure out that they'd better leave my effing grapes alone! It can get pretty ugly if I go to get some and they're all gone.
  • Belly button in or out?: Same
  • What I miss: Being able to pick LM up. He asks me all the time to hold him, but he's so heavy.
  • What I'm looking forward to: 10 days till the anatomy scan!!
  • Developments: Baby's sensory development is exploding! His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to him, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on his skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.
Belly Pic!


Sunday, September 15, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 18 Weeks

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 18 Weeks 
  • Total weight gain: ?: starting weight was 126. 
  • How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream! Yum... my baby sounds delicious!
  • Maternity clothes?: Yes! 
  • Stretch marks?: No new ones so far. 
  •  Sleep?: Good, but still totally exhausted. 
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: LM started preschool! He did so great and the teachers said that he got along with all the other kids. I cried like an idiot after dropping him off (but not till I got back to the car). I called a couple hours later to check on him and cried again when the teacher said he was just fine  ('cause that's not weird...). Such a proud mama :)
  • Movement?: Yep! Little one is kicking me right now :)
  • Food cravings?: Still on a red grape kick. They are so freakin' good and such a better alternative to the 10 pounds of Smarties I want to eat.
  • Belly button in or out?: Same 
  • What I miss: To not have people rubbing on my stomach...
  • What I'm looking forward to: My birthday next weekend!
  • Developments: Baby’s ears are functioning now and the neurological connections from the ear to the brain are now developed, allowing it to hear. Throughout the rest of your pregnancy, your baby will hear and process all the sounds around it. Your baby is beginning to get tuned into your voice and your partner’s voice, and at birth will recognize and be soothed by your voices. Your baby’s bones are beginning to harden, a process called ossification. Your baby is beginning to develop a grasping reflex, grabbing hold of its hands, fingers, toes, and umbilical cord. Full strength of the grasping reflex will not be achieved for many more weeks.
Belly Pic!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Ticker Change Day: 17 Weeks

Weekly Survey

  • How far along?: 17 Weeks
  • Total weight gain: 131: starting weight was 126.
  • How big is baby?: About 5 inches long from head to rump (I have no idea why they don’t count legs. Legs count in my book, but whatevs) and weighs about 5oz. That's roughly the length and weight of an iPhone.
  • Maternity clothes?:Yes!
  • Stretch marks?: No new ones so far.
  • Sleep?: Good, but still totally exhausted.
  • Best moment this week/Milestones?: We DID get to hear the heart beat at the appointment on Thursday! Didn't even have to ask; I guess it's a regular thing. Going strong at 154! :)
  • Movement?: Oh yes! MyLovf was even lucky enough to catch one particularly big kick earlier tonight :)
  • Food cravings?: Steak fries (which I got right after our appt) and red grapes (which I'm eating right now). Satisfying the steak fries craving produced a different one because now I can't get the burger I had out of my mind! It was amazing. Mama wants another!!
  • Belly button in or out?: Same
  • What I miss: Umm... nothing springs to mind.
  • What I'm looking forward to: The anatomy scan is scheduled for October 3rd. I.cannot.wait!
  • Developments: By 17 weeks, the fetal heart is formed and is pumping up to 25 quarts of blood a day since week 16. Meconium, the first stool, has begun to form in the intestines. Fat is beginning  to accumulate under the skin. Sucking and swallowing skills are put to the test recycling amniotic fluid. Bone is starting to form in place of cartilage.
  • Other stuff: LM is starting to react to me being pregnant. I try really hard to keep his routine and environment as normal for him as possible, but he has been going through some potty training regression and stopped wanting to sleep in his own bed. We're working on it, but it's been annoying and hard. I thought I was done with all of this!
Belly Pic!


Friday, September 6, 2013

Appointment Update

I had my monthly check-up yesterday! I am happy to report that everything with the tiny one is perfectly perfect! There was one little mar on the visit, and that was the annoying conversation I had with the nurse after she had taken my vitals and measurements.

Nurse: So, do you guys want to find out what you're having?
Me: Definitely!
Nurse: Any feelings on what it is?
Me: Well, when we had the NT scan done, the u/s tech guessed it's another boy!
Nurse: Oh, don't worry about that. ♪ She could be wrong ♪


Yeah, that last part was said in a sing-song voice. I will never understand why people think that just because we already have a son that we wouldn't be thrilled with another. The tech could end up being wrong, sure, but what does it matter to anyone else? My idea of a complete family is two happy, healthy children. I don't think it's possible for me to care any less whether we have one of each sex or if they're both boys.

I can see it now: we'll find out that we're for sure having another boy and people will immediately start asking if we're going to have a 3rd and try for a girl.

Um. No. No we're not. This baby factory is closing after this LO is born. It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl.

Whatever will be, will be.