Our Schedule

I stick to a schedule...loosely. I want Greta to have a sense or order in her life but at the same time, I strive to be flexible. It's just recently that I feel like I could call our daily routine scheduled so here's an idea of what we do:

7:00 - Breakfast (in bed with mommy and a little more snoozing)
8:00 - Wake up. Greta lays very happily on our bed while I get up, get dressed and do my hair and makeup. I then change her diaper and get her dressed. After that I put her in her bouncy seat while I eat breakfast and do a little cleaning.
9:30 - Second Breakfast.
10:15 to 11:30 - Naptime.
11:30 - Elevenses
12:15 - Playtime, daddy comes up and mommy and daddy eat.
1:30 - Luncheon
1:45 to 3:00 - Naptime
3:30 - Tea
3:45 to 5 - Playtime
5:30 - Dinner
5:45 - Playtime with daddy while mommy makes dinner.
8:00 - Supper
8:30ish - Bedtime

If you're familiar with LOTR you'll recognize all the meal titles. :-)

All these times are approximate. Some days there is quite a bit of shift. For example, she sometimes skips the 2ish nap but takes one between 3 & 5. Also, she does eat every 2 hours but only for around 10 minutes. She's definitely a snacker. Lastly, if at anytime during the day she's agreeable to sitting in her swing or bouncy seat on her own I will clean then as well. Our house isn't nearly as clean as before she arrived but well, there are more important things to do now.

Speaking of which, she's up from her nap so I must say farewell.

Interesting Video

For my friends in the Atlanta area, you should recognize the location.

2 month checkup and other happenings

Today was Greta's two month well check. I was looking forward to this visit and dreading it at the same time. Looking forward because I wanted to see how much she had grown over the past month, dreading because she would get her first shots. (We declined the Hep B and vitamin K shots.) She did much better than I expected. The shots were the last thing they did so by that time she was tired of lying on the examining table. She cried more from us lying her down than she did from the shot. Also, the nurse was incredibly quick. I barely saw her do it and then it was over. I know vaccines can be a bit controversial so I won't get all into it but I will say we are opting to spread her vaccines out a bit to minimize the number of shots she gets at one visit, the number of live virus immunizations she gets at one time and the amount of aluminum put into her system. If you're interested in the alternative schedule we are using and just vaccines in general I really enjoyed reading "The Vaccine Book" by Dr. Bob Sears. I found it interesting to read the science behind vaccines and how they work. I also liked it because I felt well informed about what they were going to do to my child. Now onto the important stuff like how much she's growing! Today she weighed in at 11 pounds 10 1/2 ounces and is 23.5 inches long. She's pretty much staying around the same percentiles she was in when she was born except for her head. She shot up 30 percentiles this visit so the doctor wants to keep an eye on that. He said it's probably nothing to worry about unless she continues at that pace. I say she's just brainy! :-) He did recommend us starting a vitamin D supplement since she nurses exclusively. Is this common? I'm guessing so but would like to know if any of the rest of you have done it.

We received our new ergo last week but I haven't had a chance to try it out. The manufacturer recommends having a 2nd adult around when you put the baby in the first few times until you get comfortable and unfortunately we've had something almost every evening so Graham and I haven't had time where we are together and not somewhere else. I'm hoping to try it out this weekend. Just looking at it I think it will be a lot more comfortable than the Baby Bjorn we've borrowed from a coworker. The Baby Bjorn is great in that I can put her in it and do chores - however, my back does get tired very easily in it and I really would like the option to wear her on my back once she gets older which as far as I know, you can't do in the Baby Bjorn. Hopefully I'll have a better review of the Ergo and comparisons to the Baby Bjorn next week.

I went for my first flu shot on Tuesday. Greta and I were at Costco picking up detergent and I noticed they were having a flu clinic that day starting in 10 minutes. Graham and I had meant to go the night before to Publix but didn't get around to it. Before I could allow myself to chicken out I marched over to the pharmacy and rolled my sleeve up. Well actually, it wasn't that quick, but I did make an effort to do it before I talked myself out of it. It really was better than I expected it to be. Like most people say, the shot really didn't hurt, just the injection of the chemicals and even that wasn't that bad. The next day my arm was a bit sore but since then, no big deal. I also need to get a Tetanus and Pertussis booster and I know that that one won't be as easy. As I recall the Tetanus booster is one of the more painful shots.

Well, gotta end this post for now. The princess is waking up!

Just a reminder

More great pictures of me can be found at my dropshots site. Just click on me to go there!

Coffee Love

I drank coffee before I met Graham but he has introduced me to good coffee. Contrary to many people out there we really don't like Starbucks. We both find it to be over roasted and have a burnt flavor. A while back a coffee shop/roaster opened up near Graham's parents. He received a gift certificate last Christmas for the place so we tried it out over the summer. We have since become addicted to their coffee. To me, there is nothing better. They roast the coffee perfectly and their flavored coffees really taste like the flavor they are supposed to be. Sometimes flavored ones taste fakey - at least to me. If you happen to be in the Greenville area it's worth the short drive up to Travelers Rest (TR) to try it out. We make the 45 minute trek every 3 or so months to replenish our bags. They even give you a discount if you bring back the bag to refill.

Christmas Wishes

Christmas sure has changed this year. Several of the items on our wish list are "baby" items rather than personal items for us. If you'd told me last year I'd have a stroller and baby carrier on my wish list along side requests for clothes and spa gift certificates I'd have told you you were crazy! We're asking for this:

and this:

for Christmas. Any opinions on the color for the carrier?

Gettin' into the swing of things

We held off on buying a swing to see what Greta would like. It turns out Greta loves to swing. It will almost always quiet her down in the evenings. Problem was, her poor daddy's arms were getting quite tired swinging the carseat so I investigated our swing options. My first thought was to get one at a resale shop. Since swings are quite expensive from the get-go used ones are also expensive. Our local shop had one for 69.99. Before purchasing I wanted to make sure it was a good swing so I researched it. It did have good reviews but a new one could be had for only 20 dollars more. Why buy used when you can get new? I then found that this years model also got good reviews and could be battery powered or wired vs only battery powered. Further research revealed that Babies R Us had the new model for 119, Walmart for 109 and Target for 89. Well Target was the clear winner but I really wanted to get it at Walmart since we had a gift card for there. After reading Target's website more closely it was actually on sale in the weekly ad and Walmart will price match competitors ads! We got it for 89 from Walmart and were able use our gift card saving us significant bucks. Greta is now happily swinging away, staring up at the moving mobile and enjoying the relaxing tunes.

Query

Greta took a bottle tonight for the first time. I'm such a rule follower I had to hold out until that 6 week mark before we tried. :-) She complained a bit at first until she figured out there was good stuff inside. I'd tried giving her a pacifier (the kind like they get at the hospital) but she really didn't like it so I wasn't that hopeful for the bottle. She did great and ate 5 ounces. That leads me to my question. Those of you that use a bottle, does this sound like a lot? Granted it was her right before bedtime feeding and she always eats for a long time when I nurse her (40 minutes compared to 10 minutes during the day). I'm just trying to figure out what kind of increments to freeze my milk in. I've been doing 2 or fewer ounces since 2 was what was recommended and I'd only been getting that much but my pumping has been getting more productive so I'm wondering if should freeze in higher increments or split it up into 2 bags. I hate to throw any of the milk away, it seems such a waste.

1 Month Well Check

Greta had her 1 month well check today. I was excited for this visit as I really wanted to know how much she had grown. As of today she weighs just over 10 pounds and is 22.5 inches long. She's in the 85th percentile for her height and the 65th for her weight. The doctor said everything looked good and that her acne was completely normal. This was reassuring because to Graham and I it seems really bad. However, it is getting better.

After a snack we went to the local resale shop to find a dress for her to wear to church on Sunday. She doesn't have that many dresses in her current size and the few she has are very summery and wouldn't be warm enough for the cooler weather we are having. I found a cute Gymboree outfit that I bought a little on the big side so it'll fit her for a while. Next we went to Aunt Julie's work to see her and then all 3 of us went to lunch. Then Greta and I headed to Babies R Us, then the mall where we celebrated her one month check by buying an outfit. (Well in all honesty it was just because I had coupons and couldn't resist!) After leaving the mall we stopped by the local coffee shop to pick up a drink for Graham. Greta started crying as soon as we left the mall and I was so frazzled at the drive through I paid for the drink and drove off before getting the drink. Thankfully I realized this as I was leaving the restaurant so I just pulled back in the drive through to get the drink. After a visit with Daddy at work and seeing all our coworkers we went home. All in all, a pretty good day!

This is what Greta will be sporting this holiday season:

It's been a beautiful week

Highlights of last week:

• Monday - Greta celebrated starting her second month by smiling at me. A REAL smile. She also has outgrown almost all the newborn outfits and quite a few of her 3 month onesies. She's a long girl so although she's not too "big" for most of these, she is too long for anything that is an all over body suit, be it a sleeper or onesie.
  
• Tuesday - Greta and I ventured out together without assistance. We had a wonderful time and I'm sure many more trips to follow. Where did we go, you might ask? Victoria's Secret and William Sonoma. She slept through VS so her virgin eyes were shielded.
• Wednesday - Another trip out and about. I also got my first experience trying to diaper her in our backseat on my lap. It was very chilly outside and she needed a diaper change so I balanced her on my lap and cleaned her up. She was very cooperative and much happier with a clean bum.
• Thursday - nothing exciting - just a day at home.
  
• Friday - Greta started her 6-week growth spurt - or rather she started making sure momma has enough milk for it. I think she nursed constantly most of the night. We also made our first trip out to Target and visited Aunt Julie at work.
• Saturday - Greta attended her first party - a lingerie shower for a friend (hence the midweek visit to VS). She also slept for 5 hours during the night. I hope this trend continues
  
• Sunday - I wore pre-pregnancy jeans for the first time! In the interest of full disclosure they are a bigger pair of my pre-pregnancy jeans and they are tighter than I would wish but they zipped and buttoned and I was able to wear them all day. It was so encouraging to be able to wear pants without elastic and I'm hoping that I'll be able to get into the rest of my pants before too long. On the other end of the spectrum I'm having problems with my shirts. Nursing has "blessed" me so some of my pre-pregnancy shirts are tighter than I would like. I guess being tight in the bust because of nursing is better than being tight elsewhere. I'm gonna hang on to those shirts though because I have a feeling I'll lose some of my "blessing" once we finish nursing.

Tomorrow Greta has her 1 month appointment. I'm excited to see how much she has grown!

Adventures in . . .

Pumping

• Today I pumped for the first time. I got the pump yesterday and was going to pump this morning but my schedule just didn't permit. Greta went down for a nice long nap this afternoon so I pumped then. I must say, it was much easier than I expected. I only pumped for 10 minutes as I wanted to make sure Greta had enough for her next feeding. It wasn't painful at all and the milk seemed to flow pretty easily. One thing I can say, my child has the suction of a barracuda! Compared to her, the pump barely felt like it had any suction! I'm going to start building up my milk supply so that I can leave her for a few hours or Graham and I can go out.

Cloth Diapering

• A while back my doula started a workshop at Babies R Us about cloth diapering. While I was never able to attend the resulting discussion on their message board intrigued me so I researched the whole thing. I really couldn't see any downsides so I bought 13 fuzzi-bunz off of eBay and then bought cloth wipes, a hanging diaper pail, and the recommended detergent from another web site. We used newborn disposables until her meconium (sp?) stopped and also until her umbilical stump was pretty much dried up. It's been really easy and my favorite part is the cloth wipes. They stay warmer much longer from the wipe warmer and unless she has a MAJOR blowout you only need one wipe for even the messiest diaper vs several paper wipes. Graham likes that he doesn't feel like he's throwing away 25 cents every time he changes her. Each evening once she is down for her evening nap I throw the dirty diapers in the washer, run them through a cold rinse then a hot wash with detergent and then either that night or the next morning I pop them in the dryer and they are ready to go. The nicer cloth diapers (meaning those that are more like a disposable) are an investment but I figure we'll be diapering her for a while and we won't have to make this purchase again for future children. My child also loves to be a nudie baby when she gets her diaper changed. We've started letting her lay on her changing pad as long as she likes without a diaper on. I figure this is good for her bum and it makes her happy. I just stick an old fashioned cloth diaper under her to catch any accidents.
  

Bathing

• My doula mentioned to me that Mommy Baby bathing was a good idea if Greta was crying and we weren't able to console her. Once her umbilical stump fell off we decided to try this. It really makes bath time a whole lot easier. She's more comfortable because she's able to be more submersed and Graham and I aren't trying to contort her in all sorts of positions in the little bath tub to get her washed. She really enjoys bathtime. She can be so fussy but as soon as we put her in the tub she gets all relaxed and makes the cutest faces. I would post pictures but as it's Mommy Baby bathing...well you get the idea. I think she is definitely going to be a water baby and will enjoy the pool this summer. I can't wait! And lest you ask, so far she hasn't had any "accidents" in the tub.

Soothing

• All in all, Greta is not a fussy baby. But, she does have periods of fussiness in the evening. Gripe Water has become our salvation. It really calms her down and makes the evenings much more enjoyable for all of us. It's also great for her hiccups which she gets pretty often. And, to top it off, she LOVES the way it tastes.
  

Traveling

• Yesterday was the first day I really got out with Greta by myself. Our day started off at the Midwife/Doula's office to buy the aforementioned pump along with a lactation consultation. After we were done I decided to be adventurous and go to the mall. As it was nearing her feeding time I decided to try and feed her in the car. This worked rather well and we shopped for a bit then I fed her again before we left. We also visited Graham at work and showed her off to all our coworkers.
  

This first month has been a challenge but each week it has gotten easier. I'm looking forward to what next month will bring!

Questions

I hope none of these are stupid questions but they are things I've been wondering about.

1. When Greta starts eating more (as she grows) will she need to eat more often than she does now (about every 2 hours), or will she eat more at a time but less often? I'm assuming the latter but would like to know for certain.
2. When do I start introducing stuffed animals or dolls for her to love on. I'd like for her to get used to something like that as I hope it might help her to fall asleep or soothe herself. We have plenty of options to choose from. She has several great stuffed animals (including Ella the elephant from Aunt Julie & Uncle Jack) and a beautiful soft doll from her Mimi.
   

Sad Yet True

I am excited because today I cleaned our living room, dining area, and hallway for the first time since Greta arrived. I started it during one of her naps today but she didn't nap very long so I finished up this evening during one of her longer naps. Hopefully I can get to the rest of the house this week during her other naps.

Clean House = Happy Kelley

Getting Back to that Pre-Pregnancy Size

I, like every other woman who has had a baby, am eager to get back into my pre-pregnancy clothes. I bravely tried on some of my pre-pregnancy pants and shockingly they weren't that much too small. I expected much worse and it was so nice to be pleasantly surprised. I don't know how long it'll take me to get back into them but I'm hoping that with regular walks in the neighborhood (which Greta & I started last week), sensible eating, and nursing it won't take too horribly long. For jeans I am currently wearing some of the maternity jeans I bought at the very beginning of my pregnancy which I couldn't wear in the last few months. Even though they are maternity jeans it still makes me feel good that I can get back into them. Oh yes, I've also been doing a set of exercises the midwife gave me. Most of them are abdominal but there are a few chest exercises to keep those muscles toned. I'm supposed to do these for a few months and then I plan on transitioning back to pilates. I really missed those core workouts during pregnancy.

On the subject of maternity clothes I have decided that any future pregnancies will not involve pants bought at Motherhood. When I initially bought clothes there I was pleased with the prices and quality but over the course of my pregnancy I had two pairs of khaki capris rip from the fabric being weak - not because they caught on something. My shirts and dresses from there weathered much better - even with frequent washing so I'm still ok buying those items there. I did buy one pair of pants from Ann Taylor Loft and LOVED them. Even though they are a bit pricier I think it's worth it as they fit wonderfully and are really good quality.

So Cool

I'm amazed how much Greta has learned in her 3 short weeks of life. She definitely communicates with us - not always in a way we understand but she tries! I'm definitely picking up her feeding cues much better and we've also figured out the "I'm stinky/wet/both, please change me" sign. (In case you are wondering she starts off fitfully moving her legs up and down and gradually add whimpers and cries if we don't respond quickly enough.) My favorite thing she's learned is that lying down on the boppy means she's gonna eat. She can be crying so hard and as soon as I lay her down on the boppy she stops crying and looks at me with big alert eyes.

We're also trying to transition her to sometimes sleeping in her co-sleeper for naps rather than always sleeping in our arms. Not that I mind holding her - I really enjoy it! But, I do sometimes need to do stuff around the house and nap time is ideal. Graham is better at transitioning her to the sleeper without waking her than I am. I'm not sure what the difference is but he definitely has the touch!

Completely off topic with the rest of the post but I am so glad to have Sushi back in my life. Strangely enough I really didn't like Sushi before I was pregnant but I craved it during pregnancy - right when I couldn't have it. We've had Sushi twice since Greta arrived and as luck would have it a new Japanese restaurant opened very close to our house a few months ago. It's "fast" Japanese food which basically means their sushi selection is limited but it's about 1/2 the price of the fancier sushi restaurants. Sushi also seems semi healthy to me since it's not greasy and it's fish which is not a meat I generally love but for some reason in Sushi (whether cooked or raw) it's different.

This whole leaking milk at random times - very annoying. The only upside I can find is at least I know I have plenty of it!

I've been assured that eventually this will stop but until then. . .

A Day to Remember

NOTE: I've been composing this post since Sunday (9/30) - hence the reference to a week ago.

A week ago this time I was sitting at the computer experiencing some mild contractions. Part of me had a feeling the time had come but since the contractions weren't particularly strong I still had a hard time believing it. Graham and I went to bed around 11:30 - he was quite tired but for some reason I was not. I tried to sleep but my mind would just not settle down so I got up and watched some TV. I ended up seeing the first part of "When Harry Met Sally" and then went back to bed at 2:00. I still was not able to sleep - or at least not deeply. I'm not sure how much sleep I did get but at 4 I woke up with contractions strong enough to make me uncomfortable staying in bed. I got up to walk and around 4:30 I decided I really needed Graham to be up with me to help me handle them. They weren't that bad at this point, I just need the moral support. Things continued in this vein until around 6:00 when Graham called the midwife (Amy) and woke her up. When she learned I was having the pains mostly in my back she asked me to do hula-hoops during my contractions to try to get the baby to turn. At this point the contractions were sporadic - anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute long, 3 to 10 minutes apart. I called my Doula at 6:30 (also woke her up) to let her know what was going on. She had another mother in labor and told me that she would likely be sending her backup to work with me. Around 8:30 I really wanted to get in the car and drive to the Birth Center as it is 20 to 30 minutes away and I wasn't sure I could handle the contractions in the car. The only thing that relieved my pain in any way was to stand up or rock through contractions - neither of which is possible while driving! We called the midwife and she told us to come on in. Thankfully rush hour was over and we didn't have to stop at too many lights. She settled us in and I went to the rocking chair as it was the only place I could sit comfortably (rocking during contractions helped me work through them.) My doula showed up a few minutes later. Her name was Julie and I had not met her before but we clicked well and she was so encouraging. She left shortly thereafter to get Graham breakfast (and a muffin for me although I did not feel like eating). I ate a small amount when she came back but I basically survived that day on fruit juice and gatorade. I didn't feel sick to my stomach - just not interested in food. I actually stayed very well hydrated. Partly from Julie and Graham's prompting to drink often and partly because I was incredibly thirsty. To sum up the next few hours I moved ALL around the room trying to find comfortable positions for labor and transition. I tried everything, lying in bed, the birth ball, etc but the only way I could handle a contraction was standing up. Graham was wonderful in providing counter pressure. His poor arms were so tired the next day. Somewhere during this time my midwife rechecked me and I was at 6cm. It was very disheartening - I had hoped I was further but at least I was making progress. During transition I felt like I couldn't do it and I remember crying out to God many times. My doula was wonderful in quoting scripture to me to encourage me..I hadn't even known she was a Christian. At the point where I was about to give up the midwife said I could get in the tub. For some reason I felt like if I could just make it to the point where I could get in the tub I could get through the rest no problem. She checked me there and I was at 10 and could push! The bad part was, I could not push effectively in the tub. Lying there I again had the feeling I couldn't do it anymore and I voiced this to all present (midwife, doula, & Graham) and my midwife began to pray for me. Again, this was SUCH an encouragement. I also sang a hymn to myself during a break in the contractions but I can't remember what it was. After about an hour in the tub and several position changes the midwife wanted me to get out to try pushing on the bed. I was dead against this since I hadn't been able to lie down comfortably before but I also wanted the baby out SO bad so I complied. I pushed on the bed for about 2 hours and just when the midwife thought I would have to change positions again (she was suggesting a birthing stool) I started to make really good progress. I cannot tell you the relief when her head finally came out. It hurt like crazy but then was numb. I can remember telling them I felt numb down there and was that ok? The midwife laughed and told me I WANTED to feel numb down there. One more push and she slid out. I was overcome with emotion - the relief of the hardest part being over and also of seeing her. We did the normal things, looked at each other, Graham called the family, attempted to nurse (not particularly successfully). The midwife checked me for tears and determined I had two small ones but they didn't require any stitching or glue - she just told me to keep my legs together as much as possible. Graham said she worked really hard to keep me from tearing. I was oblivious to it all so I'm taking his word for it. We got all cleaned up but by that time it was late and although I wanted to go home I also wanted to stay put where it was comfortable. I also was having a hard time emptying my bladder and the midwife said I couldn't go until I did that. We stayed until 2ish the next day. We brought her home and have been learning this parenthood thing ever since.

There have been some REALLY rough days and nights but overall she's been quite good. The nursing gets a bit better each day and on my lowest day my doula came to see me and she along with my mom and Graham were such an encouragement. My doula also told me I was the most polite person she had seen in labor. I said please, thank you, and I'm sorry for taking so long. This is especially funny as Julie's (my sister, not the doula) coworkers told her I would cuss up a storm in labor since I was doing it naturally. She informed them I wasn't that kind of person and you know, cussing never even crossed my mind. Julie (the doula) and Graham laughed afterwards that the "worst" word I used during the whole event was "wowsers." I also suffered from really bad leg and foot cramps while pushing. The midwife and doula said it was because I labored on my feet for so long that my legs were really tired. I think the only thing worse than the pain of pushing has to be the pain of pushing with leg and foot cramps! Sometimes I would be mid-push, get a cramp and Graham or the doula would have to massage it for me. There was no way I could walk it out. :-)

If I've missed something you would like to know, let me know. I think I covered the event fairly well but I'm sure I missed something.

Margaret Rebecca

Born 9/24 @ 5:19pm.
8 lbs 14 1/2 oz.
21 inches long

Labor and Delivery have to be one of the hardest things I have ever done but so completely satisfying. She was born after 13 hours of labor and 3 of pushing (although in my state of mind I only thought I pushed for 30 minutes). I'm sore in muscles and places I never knew I had! We stayed overnight at the birth center and came home today around 2. Nursing has been a bit of a challenge but we are both learning and I'm sure we'll get better at it with practice. I'll try to post more details of the event within the next week or so.

More pictures at www.dropshots.com/ubthere2

Could it be soon?

Since Friday I have been experiencing a low back-ache off and on and some noticeable contractions. I have noticed that my belly tightens up considerably every time my back-ache gets worse but I wouldn't say that the belly tightening hurts - sometimes I don't even notice it unless I put my hands on my belly and can feel the tightening that way. There are also some other signs I have been experiencing since Friday but I won't bore you with those gory details except that they do point to labor happening soon. Also, this morning I woke up and noticed after getting dressed that she has dropped considerably. I actually look less pregnant now! If you all could keep us in your prayers (as many of you have already told me you are doing) - we would really appreciate it. Hopefully this means we will be having a baby soon!

42 week...wait no - 41 week appointment

Yes folks, my due date has changed. To give us some leeway before we have to worry about an induction she has changed my due date to the 15th as determined by an ultrasound early in the pregnancy. So by that date, I'm only 4 days overdue! Here's the highlights from todays appointment:

• I asked her if she could estimate the baby's weight. I had visions of 10 and 11 pounders dancing in my head since I'm overdue and although I know it's possible give birth to a large baby, I just didn't want to try. She said she's not big at all, her guess is 7.5 lbs which is right in line with what I thought she would be given my birth weight and Graham's birth weight.
  
• My weight has dropped a pound.
  
• Her heart rate and my BP are both still good. She gave a HUGE kick while getting her heart rate taken and wouldn't you know, I didn't even feel it. The midwife said my belly jumped and I could hear the kick on the doppler.
• I decided to get my cervix checked, more for curiosity than anything. I am a whole 1cm dilated and 40% effaced. I'm trying to look on the bright side - only 9cm and 60% to go! Can I also just say that getting your cervix checked - really not that pleasant. Granted, what is present when you're dealing with the land down under.
  

I love a good sale!

Maybe today is the day? If so our little girl will share her birthday with Uncle Jack. He turns 29 today. I decided to take the day off as I had a chiropractor appointment this morning and well, I just didn't feel like working! It's really a beautiful day and perfect for relaxing outside on our deck with a good book and a nice cold drink. After my chiropractor appointment I headed to Babies R Us to check out the Halo Sleep Sacks. They were on sale on the website for Buy 1 get 1 half off so i was hoping they were on sale in the store too! (I really hate it when the website for a store has different sales than the store does - unless it specifically states so on the website. It's just such a letdown when you go to the store to avoid shipping only to find out you have to pay full price!) I bought a small and medium size to keep her warm in our very cool house. Graham and I sleep better when our house is a bit on the cool, ok arctic side, so I figured she might need something to keep her warm.

After that I went to the mall to get some walking in and also to check out Children's Place. They had sent me a get $10 off a $30 purchase and I have a really hard time turning down a deal. As luck would have it they were having a 30% off fall sale on already marked down items. I totally racked up...or should I say the baby did. I first picked a smocked 12 month jumper, a plaid flannel 12 month jumper, a cream 12 month onesie to go under both and 2 footed sleepers (0-3 and 3-6). I get to the checkout only to find that the sleepers weren't 5.99 plus 30% off..no they were 99 cents! I asked the girl if that was correct and she said yes. I was just barely short of $30 so I went back and picked up the other two sleepers on the same rack - different styles, same sizes. She rings those up and I am STILL short. (I forgot the 30 had to be before tax.) I hurriedly picked up a pink onesie that would go under both dresses plus other clothes. This finally put me at $30 - not that I'm complaining, it was definitely a good problem to have. I'm still in shock over the sleepers. They retail for 10.50 each or 3 for 25 so depending on which price you use I got them for 88 to 91% off. I hope this is a normal occurrence for Children's place. If it is, I will so be hitting them up for good deals in the future!

In other news my contractions have picked up but still are not painful - just lots of pressure. I have started having a low back ache - reminiscent of cramps which means all signs point to I'm starting to go into labor. I also had spicy Mexican for lunch..maybe that will help? Another interesting note, at my chiropractor appointment today he said I was adjusting differently than I had at any point in the past and it was probably an indication my body was indeed getting ready for labor.

Lastly, I have self diagnosed myself with "Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction". I've been having pain since about 5 months although this past week it has definitely gotten worse. I found a good description of what it feels like on the net and it fits me to a T.

Any activity that involves lifting one leg at a time or parting the legs tends to be particularly painful. Lifting the leg to put on clothes, getting out of a car, bending over, sitting down or getting up, walking up stairs, standing on one leg, lifting heavy objects, and walking in general tend to be difficult at times. Many women report that moving or turning over in bed is especially excruciating. Many movements become difficult when the pubic symphysis area is affected. Although the greatest pain is associated with movements of lifting one leg or parting the legs, some women experience a 'freezing', where they get up out of bed and find it hard to get their bodies moving right away--the hip bone seems stuck in place and won't move at first. Or they describe having to wait for it to 'pop into place' before being able to walk. The range of hip movement is usually affected, and abduction of the hips especially painful."

Oh yes, one more thing. If any of you like Victoria's Secret cotton underwear and shop there occasionally I would recommend looking into getting their store credit card. They send me coupons ALL the time for a free pair of cotton panties with no other purchase required. You are limited on colors (white, cream, nude, pink, or black) but hey, they are free. They are also always sending out coupons for 10 to 15 dollars off of bras and for free body products so if you buy any of those items as well, it may be worth it to consider.

Very Cool Video

Short and neat video of a guy doing shadow puppets to "What a Wonderful World"

Braxton Hicks

I've finally decided I am having braxton hicks. The doctor informed me today the baby was "balling up" during the exam and she asked me if they were painful (which they are not). I've heard contractions can feel like the baby balling up so I'm thinking the things I thought was her moving before are actually braxton hicks. Not to say she isn't still moving - she is, it's just a different sensation.

On a funnier note - during the tour at the hospital I had my hand on the lower part of my belly because my pants are too big and the stretchy waistband has a tendency to fall down. Even though Graham says you can't see my belly when it does I am extremely paranoid that I am flashing my belly at people. The nurse giving the tour comes over to me and asks if I am ok and I replied yes, so she says, "Your just holding your belly?" and responded "Oh! No, my pants just won't stay up." To which everyone in the surrounding group laughed and the girl in front of me informed me she was having the same problem.

39 week appointment

I met with the doctor today who hopefully will actually be able to deliver the baby. She's very much in-line with the midwife and I liked her a lot. It's also nice having someone there who can write prescriptions as I needed a refill on my prenatal. There really isn't anything exciting to report. Everything looks good and her head is way down although I still am carrying very high. She's kind of stretched out. I did find out the strange bump I was feeling was her heel. This practice doesn't do routine cervical checks until you go into labor - and even then they do very few (which is perfectly fine with me) so I have no clue as to my dilation/effacement.

Tonight we go to tour the hospital L&D and OB Units just in case we do end up there. I know in that case I'd be more comfortable already knowing the layout than just thrown into it.

I also found out today that our church is going to be setting up a nursing mothers room. It actually surprised me that they haven't had one until now, considering the size of the church. Up until this point mothers had used the area of the crib nursery where the babies sleep since it's secluded and dark but it's not exactly set up for nursing AND with the amount of new babies we have, I can see that area filling up very quickly. Also, you do get the occasional male back there, since they work in the nursery, so I'm guessing they are trying to give the ladies a place with a bit more privacy.

Nursery

(Click on the pictures for more detail.)

View from Door of Nursery. The picture on the left was made by my grandmother.

Left hand side of nursery. Her diaper bag and car seat all ready to go.


Right hand side of nursery. The pack and play in the corner will move to our room and my new chair will sit there. The quilt in the corner was made by Aunt Julie. Rebecca, I was inspired by your diaper supply shelf to have Graham put up one for us!

Her massive wardrobe. The closet extends another 2 feet to the left and that area is PACKED.

Peanut - This is a bear I crocheted. Instead of having feet the bottom of the bear becomes a blanket so she can cuddle the bear and cover up at the same time. His name is Peanut because before I had his eyes, nose, ears and muzzle sewn on he looked like a hairy peanut (according to Jack & Graham.)

Blanket I crocheted. I really liked the bright yarn and made up my own pattern.

Sweater set for next winter. There is a matching bonnet and matching slippers.

Crocheted dress and headband for next spring.

Close-up of the quilt.

Chair

With 5 days to go we finally bought a chair for the nursery. My main goal was to find a good quality chair that would also work in our bedroom as that is the intended location once I no longer need a comfy chair in the nursery. We went to La-Z-Boy last weekend to see what they had and found one we liked but waited until this weekend to buy it as they were having a big Labor Day sale. We ended up getting the in-stock color they had since it was cheaper and we could have it within a week rather than having to wait 8-10 weeks for them to make it. Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures of it once we actually have it in the nursery.

I thought I wanted a chair and ottoman combo but couldn't find a chair that was comfortable. I really like this recliner because it's supportive but on the petite side so it doesn't overwhelm the space and it fits me well rather than being a huge recliner built for a big guy. Also the arms are a good height for holding the baby and nursing. Lastly, it does rock so if she likes that I'll have a chair in the nursery for rocking her.

Thank You Note Confessions

After writing 60 baby shower thank you notes I've realized I have some idiosyncrasies (which btw, is a hard word to spell!).

• Even though people will probably never compare their thank you notes I cannot write the same thing in each note. I have to figure out a different way to phrase the note and make each one unique. I found this is especially difficult for a group gift with 10 people to thank for the same items.
  
• I really prefer to mail thank you notes vs. hand deliver - who knows why.
• I have to check addresses at the USPS web site and it bothers me not to have the entire extended zip code.
• I feel weird thanking someone for an item I intend to return. It's not that I'm not grateful - I just feel like I'm being dishonest since I'm not keeping it.
  

36 Week Appointment

I had my 36 week appointment this past Wednesday and thought I would post some highlights. I changed to a midwife at my 34 week appointment and have been very pleased. I had interviewed her around 16 weeks but shortly after that appointment found out about the previa and possible kidney issues so Graham and I decided to hold off on transferring until I was in the clear in case I did need a C-Section. We just decided there was no point in transferring if I might have to transfer back.

• She's still head down with her rump on my left and her feet on my right.
• Her heart was beating very strongly and therefore was echoing all around. She had a hard time finding a place to put the doppler where it wouldn't echo.
• I was told I have had an ideal weight gain. I personally feel huge but I have noticed in the past few weeks I've pretty much leveled out which from I read is normal. Gone are the weeks of gaining a pound or two each week.
• I'm measuring perfectly for the week I'm in.
• I'm Group B Strep Negative. (I wasn't really worried about this but it's nice to know I don't have to take antiobiotics before delivery.)
• Last but not least, insurance is going to pay 80% not the 60% we were previously quoted. This is a huge blessing and although we could have paid 40% it's nice not to.

Tomorrow we go to the first of two Childbirth classes. We also have an interview set up with the pediatrician on the 27th. I tried to get in earlier but they were booked solid for parent interviews until then.

Caring for your baby class. . .

Funniest line from the class:

• "When changing a little boy make sure to point"it" down when you get done, not up. If you point "it" up he'll pee out of his diaper every time."
  

I have to be honest I had never thought about that part of changing boys.

Other interesting tidbits

• Our practice doll looked possessed.
• During the bath video the child they were washing that was supposed to represent a baby who was just beyond the umbilical cord falling off looked to be about 2 years old. The baby barely fit in the little tub they were using. I think people were paying more attention to how big the baby was and not how to bathe the baby.
• We had a local celebrity attend our class. I had heard one of the local newscasters was having a baby and the rumor was true because she was there with her mom.
• They only had 1 bathroom for about 15 pregnant women and their 3rd trimester. That is incredibly poor planning. Thankfully I sat near the door so I was able to get out quickly during the break.
• I felt very young in this class. There were several couples our age but there were quite a few who were knocking on 40 and all the couples in this class were having their first baby.
  

It's official

After two showers the baby now has a bigger and better wardrobe than I do.

I also discovered the George baby line at Walmart has REALLY cute outfits. I never even considered Walmart for baby clothes but I received several outfits and they are adorable. I'll try to post a few pictures once I get the clothes laundered and hung up.

In other news I have had a bad cold since Wednesday. It's a strange cold. Some days I feel better and think I am getting over it and the next I feel worse.

Tonight we will attend a "Caring for your Baby" class to learn all those things you need to know like diapering, umbilical cord cleaning, bathing etc. I feel fairly confident in my own skills in most baby care areas but a refresher is always good. Also, Graham hasn't been around many newborns so this class will be especially beneficial for him.

Saturday we attend the first of two childbirth classes. I'm praying the baby decides to stay inside until the second one is over. :-)

The Name Game

Because I've been asked this question a lot, I'm putting the answer to Jen's question as a separate post, rather than a comment.

We haven't chosen a name yet. To be honest, we really haven't talked about it that much. Occasionally we'll bat names around (generally while laying in bed right before we fall asleep). It's not because we fight about it (as does one couple in our SS class) - it's mainly because we both have a hard time pinning down a name without seeing her. I think we are pretty settled on a first name but that could change once she arrives. We haven't really told any of the names on our list - mainly to keep the peanut gallery quiet. It's been nice not having to fend off hideous names. Once people find out we aren't telling anything they stop volunteering.

As for what we call her right now - it's very original - "the baby". :-)

Updated U/S Picture

Here's the latest picture of the baby. She's weighing in at 4 lbs 7 oz based on the US. Her kidneys were completely normal and the placenta had moved way up to the fundus and is no longer near the bottom. I saw my regular doctor on Thurs and she didn't mention anything about my 3 hour GTT so I'm taking that as good news. Most of the U/S wasn't that interesting as she no longer fits very neatly on the monitor and it's really hard to make anything out. The doctor played around with the machine for a while and decided to do a few 3-D shots.

Question: Did anyone out there interview pediatricians before choosing one? My phone nurse suggested I do this.

Our Atlanta Weekend

Our weekend in Atlanta was fun if not a little crazy. The worst part was traffic. I may have grown up in Georgia but I really have never spent much time in downtown Atlanta much less Buckhead so the trip was almost as new for me as it was for Graham. The traffic was a bit stressful as well but I think it was more the lack of familiarity with the area rather than the amount of traffic. We arrived at our swanky Buckhead hotel Saturday evening and pretty much crashed. Sunday morning we woke up late and ended up eating brunch instead of breakfast at the Bear Rock Cafe. It was overcast most of the day and rained a little but that kept the temperatures down which made the Zoo much more enjoyable. We spent about 4 hours at the zoo seeing all the animals and most of the bathrooms (Okay that was really just me :-P). After vegging in our room for a while we decided to be cheap for dinner and get everything to go so we wouldn't have to pay a tip. We went to the Cumberland Mall Cheesecake Factory as the one nearest our hotel only had valet parking and I have this issue with paying people to park my car when I can do it perfectly well. The restaurant was SO crowded and all we wanted was two slices of cheese cake boxed to go. This took 30 MINUTES however it was well worth it. I tried the pineapple upside down cheesecake while Graham got some coffee chocolate concoction which was also very good. For our main course we had decided to get pizza from the California Pizza Kitchen at Lenox. Graham had the number with us so we could order and pick it up on our way back to the hotel. He called and was told they closed at 6:30 (it was now 8). 6:30 seems awfully early to me to close but it was a Sunday. Since our dinner plans fell through we decided to get take out from Maggiano's (neither of us had eaten there) and it was conveniently located right next to the Cheescake Factory. Monday we woke up early to try to get the aquarium early but between traffic and breakfast we didn't get there until 9:45. My parents arrived around 8:45 since they weren't sure how bad traffic would be. I would say the aquarium was definitely worth the money but I have some advice for anyone planning a trip:

• Go on a weekday if at all possible
• Buy your tickets online in advance and for the earliest hour you can. If I went again I would get tickets for 8 am as it was so much easier to view the exhibits before it got really crowded.
  
• Check to see what items are prohibited inside. Graham had to run back to our car with our knives (yes I carry a keychain pocket knife) and my gum as neither are allowed. Also, even though they say no drinks you are allowed water.
• The restaurant had really decent food at prices that weren't bad considering they had a captive crowd. Buy the smallest cup size - it's free refills. Also, drinks aren't allowed in the exhibits but take a purse large enough to put the cup in and just dump it out when you are ready to go back into the exhibits. We did this and just refilled between exhibits.
• Go to the Ocean Explorer exhibit first. It's the biggest, most popular, and most impressive. I guarantee you'll want to spend quite a bit of time there just watching the fish in the HUGE, and I mean HUGE window.
• Park in the first parking garage on Alexander St. It's the same price as the aquarium parking and closer.
  

Well I think that's all. I do have a few pictures but not on this computer so I'll post those later.

We Bring Out the Animal in...Animals?

Rhino Love
During our visit to the zoo we were treated to a show by a male rhino. He had his back to us but decided he needed to prove to us how "manly" he was. Let me just say that by the time he was done there was no doubt and the length was comparable to say, my leg! There were no females in sight so who knows what prompted this show. An older guy next to us said "I have got to get one of those!"

Baby Beluga - Almost
At the aquarium we gathered around the Beluga tank to watch the 3 females and 1 male. They are really graceful creatures, quite social, and remind me of really large dolphins. An aquarium employee was giving us a bunch of facts on the Belugas when he paused and said "It is mating season for the Belugas and I believe we are about to see an example of that." Not once, not twice, but THREE Times the male beluga went after one of the females at the very FRONT of the tank. We were "treated" to very close up views of his anatomy. The female was playing hard to get and he never did succeed while we were there but who knows, maybe that night there was some Beluga love.

31 Weeks

Can I just say that I feel as big as the side of a house? Graham being the loving husband tells me I'm not but as I've never been this large before in my life it is a bit disconcerting. But then, I figure all pregnant women feel that way towards the end.

Long overdue & Long winded

Since it's been a while since I last posted anything of substance I have a feeling this will be long. Consider yourself warned! :-)

Vacation
Our mini vacation at the lake was nice but boy did it make all of us really miss the beach. There's nothing like not getting to go your usual vacation spot to show how much you really enjoy it. I think all of us are sad that we won't get to go this year but we are all looking forward to next year when our newest addition will be joining us. If we go our usual time, September, she will be around 1! Our accommodations were nice but not so nice that I would buy a place there. These town homes were selling for 400K and on up and the craftsmanship left a lot to be desired. Also, the appliances in the unit were base level appliances and since we saw these same appliances in other town homes it must be their standard. If I was paying that much for a 3 Bed, 3 1/2 Bath town home I would really want something more top of the line. We really didn't do too much. Daddy played golf 3 times and Jack played with him once while the rest of us took it easy and enjoyed reading and the swimming pool. Graham and I went fishing a few times and he almost caught one. A fish came after his bait right as he was reeling it in. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures to post - I completely forgot about taking any. We did have several funny things happen on vacation.

1. The people we rented from are also trying to sell their unit. (550K if anyone is interested). On Thursday I noticed flashes in the hallway from the sun like someone had shut a car door outside. I thought maybe it was daddy returning from his golf game. Then we heard someone at the door. Momma walked down the hallway to be greeted by a Realtor who was surprised to see us there. She said her MLS listing showed the unit as unoccupied. She asked if she could show it and Momma told her it wasn't ours and that we were renting. I guess the Realtor figured it probably wouldn't be nice to impose on us and it's probably a good thing as we are fairly neat on vacation but not "show a home" neat. A few days later we had a lady walk right in when Graham was in the hallway and he asked if he could help her, she yelled sorry and ran out of the door. I'm guessing she was another Realtor. (Just to be completely honest, I had to try several spellings to get the right one for Realtor. :-P )
2. On our first night in Seneca we drove down to Clemson to eat at a place called Calhoun Corners. According to the information in our town house it was rated a really good upscale place to eat. We had no clue what to expect and it was good, and quite upscale. After the salad course the server brought out little dishes of lemon sorbet. I wish you could have seen the look on my dad's face. Momma and informed him it was a palate cleanser between courses. Although it tasted really good Graham said he couldn't eat it as it was too weird to have something that tasted like dessert before the main course.
3. As we were driving back from the above restaurant we hit a major rainstorm. We rolled up to the gate where we were staying (it's a gated community at night) and I punch in the code. Nothing worked. I try and try and try and cannot get it to work. We were about call the people we were renting from when daddy came around to try the code. Evidently water has splashed up on the keypad making the bottom three numbers not particularly sensitive. He had to push incredibly hard to make them react. I was quite glad we didn't have to sleep outside the gate that night.
   

Pregnancy
As I said before my GTT really did a number on my blood sugar but I have now recovered and am feeling much better. I haven't heard anything back from the Dr's office and it's been almost 2 weeks so I'm hoping that is a good sign. On July 17th I go back to the maternal-fetal specialist to have another Level 2 U/S to check the placenta and on the 19th I have my regular OB appt. I'm crossing my fingers that all will be well.

Work
Work has been crazy. I have been putting in some incredibly long hours (for me) trying to get a project done. Working those hours has just left me zapped but I think that project has wrapped up and hopefully life will be back to normal. Thus far I haven't felt the need to cut back my hours further and should I continue to feel as good as I have thus far in my pregnancy I plan to work right up until delivery.

Nursery
Now that our nursery is painted we are slowly but surely getting stuff put in there. We've taken down both of the twin beds which Graham's parents will use for guest room beds until we need them back again. They are currently still stored in the nursery but we plan to take them over to his parents house tonight when we go for dinner. Graham bought the dresser on Monday and brought it home on Tuesday. Since we had Wednesday through Friday off he worked on it to get it stained and polyurethaned and we moved it into the nursery today. It came with plain wooden knobs but I plan to use these knobs instead. I just need to order them as our local hardware stores want an arm and leg for them. Can I just say I love shopping on the internet?

Momma, Daddy and my grandmother bought our bassinet/pack and play and that arrived on Tuesday and is now set up. I still need to wash the sheet that goes over the mattress but other than that it's ready to go. I was also excited to see that a few items have been purchased off of my registry. Most notably is my car seat! :-)

Birthdays
Graham and I both celebrated our Birthdays the last week of June along with our anniversary. I told Graham I really wanted a nice watch for my birthday/anniversary. I haven't had one for a while, mainly because the type of watch I wanted was more than I wanted to spend except for as a gift. I gave him my qualifications (silver tone, a scratch resistant crystal, preferably a citizen eco-drive) and he went to work. He did a bunch of research and found 3 he thought I would like. He very nicely offered to let me view them to see what I thought and I'm glad he did as one of the watches was not exactly what I wanted. I told him to pick from the remaining two and on my birthday I got to wear it. I've very much enjoyed having a watch again and it's exactly what I wanted. He did a great job. It's basically this watch without the diamonds.

For Graham's birthday I planned a trip. He has mentioned so many times that he would like to go to the zoo or aquarium. Next weekend, after his cousin's wedding on Saturday, we will leave for Atlanta and stay at a hotel in Buckhead. On Sunday I have tickets to the zoo and on Monday we have tickets (along with my parents) to the aquarium. I haven't really planned out anything else except that we'll eat at the Cheesecake Factory. We really didn't go anywhere special for our anniversary so this will be our anniversary dinner.

Other odds and ends
I've enjoyed my time off this week by working on a crochet project for our newest addition as well as birth announcements. I found some really cool scrapbooking cardstock at Hobby Lobby that I cut into 6x6 squares. I've punched holes in each one for green coordinating ribbon I tied at the top. Once the baby makes her arrival I'll print out the details on white 4x4 cardstock and then glue it onto the 6x6 squares, pop in an envelope, and I am good to go. I spent a lot of time today going over who I need to send announcements to. Right now I am at 70 and plan to make extras just in case. Thankfully I already have 52 done and they really didn't take that long. The other nice thing was almost everything I needed to complete this project was on sale at Hobby Lobby this week! I still need to find/make envelopes, address them, and get stamps.

Well I think that about wraps it up. Congrats if you made it through the whole thing!

Addresses Please

I'm working on my list for announcements and need an address from most of you. If you could send me an email with the address in it, I would greatly appreciate it.

Katie, Amy, Beth, Liz, & Rebecca - I have some of yours but I want to confirm.
Jen - I have yours but I need your parents as I'm sure their address changed even though they just moved across the pond. :-)

My email is kelleyDOTcollinsATgmailDOTcom

Replace the DOT & AT with . and @ respectively :-)

Apology

I apologize for the lack of an update. I've had some major, intense projects at work and I haven't been too enthused at even looking at a computer when not at work. I'll try to update sometime later this week. My GTT went fairly well but gave me a horrific headache which I am having trouble getting rid of. Tylenol just feels like I am taking nothing but as that's all I can take, it'll have to do.

Bummer

Well I got a phone call from the lab this morning that I failed the 1 hour test - but just barely. She said the cutoff was 140 and mine was 146. So, I get to spend the morning of my birthday having the 3 hour test. What fun!

To balance the sad note here's a happy one:
We're heading off to the lake for the rest of the week. We are staying here which is in this development. I really recommend VRBO for finding a place to stay on vacation. We have gotten some great deals and I can't say I regret any of the places we've stayed. Some weren't quite what they seemed online but you get that with hotels as well.

No one told me...

...that being pregnant meant I might slice an artery or vein while shaving. I cannot tell you the last time I had cut myself shaving (it's been years) but in the last two weeks I have done it twice. Both times it was in preparation for wearing a skirt on Sunday.

I have hit the motherload (No Pun Intended)

We have had a ton of girls born recently where I work and therefore I am on the receiving end of their bounty as their daughters grow out of things. Today I found a bag on my desk from a coworker who had a girl in Feb. It contained:

• 3 Hats
• 2 Pairs of 0-3 Socks
• 2 0-3 Onesies (they look so small I thought they were preemie until I checked the tag.)
• 6 0-3 Sleepers (the kind with the elastic at the bottom.
  

Another coworker (actually my former boss) is moving to Chattanooga this summer as her husband is taking a fellowship there. She passed along these items to me so she doesn't have to pack them!

• Infant Tub - Not the one I'd registered for but very similar and it came with her rave reviews.
• Bare Naked Boppy & 2 Slipcovers (Green Vine & Blue Dots Bubble) - Used 3 times. I've left one slipcover on my registry because it goes so nicely with my nursery (Safari)
  
• Bouncy Seat - Used but in great condition.
• 3 Outfits (I think probably 9-12 m) - New
  
• 1 Pair of Striderite White Sandals Size 3 - New
• Gas Drops - Still shrink wrapped.

In other news I have my Glucose Tolerance Test today at 3:45. What fun! :-P

Paint Color

Here's a screen shot of the color we chose as shown by the Behr website. I think this chip makes it look browner than it is. It's actually a very pretty green. The name of the color is rejuvenate. Hopefully it will make the baby feel peaceful and well rested :-)

To Paint or Not To Paint?

We've finally picked out a color for the nursery. I know pregnant women are advised to avoid paint fumes during the first trimeseter but what about later in pregnancy? I actually enjoy painting and wouldn't mind helping but if I need to be a slacker and let Graham do it all I can. :-)

My Turn - Pregnant Me

23 Weeks, 1 Day

Update and Pictures

Before you get all excited about seeing pregnant me I don't have any of those yet. I'll try to get Graham to take a few this weekend.

All has been going well for the 3 of us. Some days Lulu is making herself VERY known and others she's pretty low key. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing but she has more low key days than active ones - at least for now. On Tuesday I had 3 doctors appts. I saw the Chiropractor in the morning for my regular appointment and then in the afternoon I had a Level 2 U/S followed by a visit with my OB. The U/S was much better than my previous ones. First, their equipment was much nicer and clearer. They also had a flat panel monitor on the wall where I could see much easier than having to crank my neck around to see her monitor. Secondly, the girl was very quick and it was over in no time. She did give us a bit of a scare. She asked if we knew what we were having and I said yes, the previous tech said it was a girl. When she gets to that point of the exam she says "So you were told you were having a girl huh?" and then she pauses for what seemed like forever. Both Graham and I were having the same thought that she was going to tell us it was now a boy. But then she said, "yes that looks like a girl" - she looks some more and says, definitely a girl. I would have been fine had it been a boy but since we've told everyone AND I've started on a cute girly layette it's much easier for Lulu not to be. :-) Once she finished her exam she went to get the "Fetal Maternal Specalist" to review my U/S. He wanted to take a look himself so he did a more detailed exam of Lulu's kidneys and the placenta. He said the kidneys looked perfectly fine to him but the placenta was still very low. It is not covering the cervix but it is right at the lip so he has put me on "Pelvic Rest" (yes that's what you think it is) and he wants to recheck in 10 weeks. He said he'll also recheck the kidneys at that time to make sure nothing is up. I did really enjoy seeing Lulu move around during the U/S. This was one of her more active days and she was bouncing ALL around. It was so funny to actually see what she was doing when she kicks/hits me. Towards the end the tech got a nice shot of her profile and then Lulu immediately stuck her thumb in her mouth so we had to get a picture of that. Graham has named the U/S room the "Baby Photo Booth" since the pictures they give you come out in a row like those photo booths they have at the mall.

Profile & Fingers

Sucking Thumb

As I mentioned in a comment on Jennifer's Blog I gained around 8 pounds during the past month. I'm not sure how exact that number is as my weight really fluctuates from day to day and I haven't been weighing myself very regularly. I really think it's all belly as my clothes are only getting "less loose" in the belly area. Everything else is still fitting as it used to. I have been on the lookout for maternity denim shorts and finally found a pair that wasn't tight and wasn't too short. (What pregnant woman wants tight short shorts?) I brought them home and and put them in the wash and when I took them out I noticed a rip in the bottom. As I hadn't worn them I figured they came from the store this way so I returned them only to find out that they were completely sold out in my size! I looked around to see if I could find another pair (no luck) but I did find some really cute cropped/capri jeans that are very comfortable and I can wear to work.

So far I haven't developed any stetch marks. I'd love it if this trend continued but if I do, I do - not much one can do about it. (I know some people swear that lotions and creams will keep you from getting them but stretch marks are formed far below the skin's surface so any moisturizer you put on your skin just makes your skin soft and moisturized - nothing more. It's more related to genetics and the amount of elastin in your skin.) I also haven't gotten a Linea Nigra yet but I know there's still plenty of time for it to show up. If you want to be completely jealous of a pregnant woman check out this blog. I've enjoyed reading her frequent updates of her pregnancy with quads - the result of clomid treatments. She appears to have been in really great shape previous to pregnancy and has kept that thus far. She's also due not too long after me although I fully expect she'll deliver first since she's got four in there!

Book Recommendation

I never thought I would laugh so much while reading a book about breastfeeding. Yes, you read that right. I told Graham I felt like I was watching a comedy routine but learning at the same time. So That's What They're There For was very informative and it kept me interested the whole way through. Not having breastfed I can't say how accurate the information is but what she did say made perfect sense to me so I'm guessing it's pretty close. If you're looking for an informative and entertaining read, I would definitely recommend it. Just be prepared to have those around you asking why you are laughing so hard.

Advice from the Advice People

This is a question for those of you who have been pregnant before. I've had this stretching feeling right below my bust line (like where my belly starts) that feels like I've been doing tons of situps. The rest of my ab muscles feel fine. Anyone experience this before?

One more thing

I am very fair skinned and I avoid burning at all costs. I've tried sunless tanners in the past and results are so-so. I've seen several recomendations for the new gradual tanning lotions so I am trying that out. Supposedly the color is much more subtle and natural looking. I tried it for the first time last night. I'll keep you girls updated in case there are those of you out there that don't want stark white legs but also don't want skin cancer. As a bonus my legs were nice and soft this morning!

Oh, I'm trying Jergens Natural Glow. If anyone else has tried this or similar products I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Hodgepodge

1. I've recently started feeling Lulu (what we are currently calling her) kick and "tickle". She's upside down so I feel stronger movement toward my ribs and tickling sensations down on the "lower end". At first I didn't realize it was her moving as the kicks feel more like muscle twitches than what I imagined movement to feel like but the regularity of it has led me to believe it's the baby. I do go quite awhile without feeling anything but I'm not too concerned as she's still pretty small so it's harder for her to make her presence known.
2. Saturday our neighborhood had a yard sale. I bought 5 outfits and 2 bibs (1 of which was a roo bib) for 8 dollars.
3. I've started our registry at Babies R Us and was quite overwhelmed. When I returned the scanner to the front she handed me my registry along with a page of all the stuff I hadn't added. I was sure I had registered for a ton but it was only 6 pages. I will definitely have to go back and add the things I missed.
4. I've been going to the Chiropractor for two weeks. I will be seeing him a LOT for the next few weeks and then will spread out as my body gets into better alignment. Thus far I think it is helping but the downside is he has limited me to "light" cleaning. My family will tell you I am neat/organization freak and this has seriously frustrated me. What I wouldn't give for a maid right now.
5. Work is going well and I am so loving working PT. That being said I cannot wait until we going on our mini vacation in June. Between now and then Graham's sister is getting married. After the vacation Graham's two cousins (siblings) are both getting married within a one month time period! I bought this dress in green to wear to the weddings. The green is more vivid in person and seems to be fairly flattering to my figure or lack thereof.

Seen on Woodruff Road

I'm driving down Woodruff road on my way to my chiropractor appointment. I see an old van up ahead that's moving slowly in my lane so I pull into the left lane to pass. As I get closer I notice the van is painted to look like a Van Gogh painting. In particular - Starry Night. It is covered completely in this painting and they actually did a pretty good job. On the back doors of the van is a caricature of Van Gogh with a text bubble coming out of his mouth. The words in the bubble - "Look at this Van gogh".

I'd have to say this is one of the more inventive and amusing things I've ever seen painted on an old van.

The money shot

We went for our 20th week ultrasound today. Here's baby's profile:




And the one that everyone wants to see
The 3 lines are hard to see here but were VERY clear at the appointment. Our baby is very modest and had her legs completely together almost the entire time. The ultrasound tech waited quite patiently to see if she would "open up".

A few items of note:
At this time I have partial placenta previa. Neither the tech nor the doctor seemed that concerned - just something to keep an eye on. Chances are it will move up and all will be normal.

Baby's kidneys were slightly dilated. The U/S tech said this is abnormal but not necessarily cause for concern at this point. It will probably correct itself as the baby grows. As a precaution I will have a Level 2 U/S with the High Risk OB in 1 month.

I finally gained a pound! The doctor mentioned the lack of weight gain but didn't seem like it was a huge deal - just said to eat regular meals (which I have been doing). He said the baby was growing normally (10 oz today) so my lack of weight gain isn't a big deal right now.

I'm also measuring a bit ahead of schedule so my date is 9/8 which jives with what I think the date should be.

House Plan

Here's a link to our House Plan. The babies room will be Bedroom #3. For reference we have the option upgrade owners bath and the 2 car garage. Bedroom #2 is our office. The living room & kitchen have valuted ceilings. We also have a deck on the back the previous owner added on that isn't shown.

It's a Boy!

For those of you who know Beth W (Formerly E.) from New Life she gave birth last night to a 9 lb 6oz baby boy. His name is Stephen Terry. I'm assuming there was some type of complication as she had to have an unplanned C-Section but all went well and she and baby are doing fine. The family has asked for prayers for a quick recovery so please keep them in your thoughts.


And you thought I was announcing the gender of our baby! :-)

For Mandi

Annabelle's favorite place to sit

Piper's favorite place to sit. She loves to have her belly rubbed and generally falls asleep like this. She also snores! :-)