In the meantime, however, it occurred to me that I never posted any of the pics she took of us from our last shoot as a family of three. So, let's all take a step back in time and enjoy the following from a few months ago...
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
Monday, September 17, 2012
Back in time...
Last night was our first official photo shoot as a family of four. Our photographer, of course, was our beloved Jackie Petersen. I can't wait to see how they turned out!
In the meantime, however, it occurred to me that I never posted any of the pics she took of us from our last shoot as a family of three. So, let's all take a step back in time and enjoy the following from a few months ago...
In the meantime, however, it occurred to me that I never posted any of the pics she took of us from our last shoot as a family of three. So, let's all take a step back in time and enjoy the following from a few months ago...
Thursday, May 24, 2012
To all my mom (and mom-to-be) readers
At 3 weeks in, I'm glad to say that the "baby blues" seem to have missed me this time around. But I can still remember vividly the first few weeks and months of Owen's life as being a very dark time for me. I just stumbled across the article below and it struck such a cord that I had to share. It really put into words the indescribable emotions that I recall feeling when I first became a mother and then provides a gentle, but positive reminder that...things will get better! Definitely worth a read...
Postpartum Depression: What They Don't Tell You
Postpartum Depression: What They Don't Tell You
Monday, April 30, 2012
Pom Poms and such
Today is the LAST day of April. And my April baby is not here. All along, I've thought that I was having a baby in April and now it's clear that her birthday will be in May. I'm not sure why it matters, but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that one. But, anyway...
As promised, I am posting some pictures and a few words on the last little design details that I was able to get accomplished in the baby's room — since I acquired all kinds of extra time that I hadn't planned on.
The first is actually something I had nothing to do with. A very lovely, very talented, and very generous woman with whom I am acquainted through a Bible study group at church offered to paint what she called a "baby name mural" on one of the walls in the nursery. It was her gift to me (and all the other expectant mommas) at a group baby shower held a few weeks back. But, since I already have plans to affix a vinyl print of the baby's name on the round mirror above the changing table (you can read more about that and the rest of what we did in the nursery here), I didn't feel like we needed to also have her name painted on the adjacent wall. (Not to mention the fact that she doesn't officially have a name yet. We have it narrowed down to two and are waiting to meet her — as we did with Owen — before we decide on one.) So, instead, I searched around on Pinterest for other interesting images that might work in the sad, empty wall space above the crib. After a quick consult with Davella (she's pictured below) to address size, space, and color issues, here is the finished product.
How sweet is that, right? The phrase printed on the larger bird, "I carry your heart in my heart," is a spin off of the E.E. Cummings poem, "i carry your heart with me." Here is the artwork shown to scale above the crib.
And, of course, here is the lovely artist herself, Davella Santiago.
Based on this original artwork found on Pinterest (via Etsy), I couldn't be more pleased with it. It is so sweet and whimsical, which is the vibe I was going for in this room. And the colors are absolutely perfect! Way to go, Davella! I just love it!
See that odd, pink, poufy, ball-type object resting in the crib in the picture above? That brings me to the other project that I'm proud to say was completed before baby's arrival. Inspired by this idea (also found on Pinterest), here are the "pom poms" hung above the glider.
I would encourage you to click on this direct link to the tutorial where these came from for more detailed instructions, but basically, these were made using three paper lanterns (which can be found at any party supply store) and a ton of inexpensive fabric. I guess I also used scissors and a hot glue gun, too, if you're keeping track of my supply list.
I couldn't find the exact size lanterns that the tutorial describes — these are actually much bigger, which I kind of like for the size of this room — so I just increased my fabric yardage accordingly. My lanterns were 8, 10, and 12 inches in diameter, so I purchased 3, 3 1/2, and almost 5 yards of corresponding fabric. (At $2.99/yard in fabric and $5 for the lanterns, this little project came out a bit on the high end at just over $40.)
Basically, I made a 4-inch circle template for the two smaller lanterns (I went with 4 1/2 inch circles for the largest one) and then traced and cut out a bazillion circles in all of the fabric. Then, I folded each circle in half, secured it closed with a dot of hot glue, folded it in half again (making a triangular shape) and affixed it to the lanterns (in alternating directions) with another dot of hot glue. I didn't do exact counts each time, but I would say I probably used between 250-350 circles for each pom pom. It was time consuming, but mindless, so I was able to complete the project in a few evenings while parked in front of the TV. Again, for the full details on how to do this simple project, click on over here.
Unfortunately, my camera doesn't take the gorgeous pictures that I dream of. And I've kind of been waiting for another sunny day to take advantage of better lighting. But this is April after all, and so the somewhat dark images you see here are the best I could do, I'm afraid. I assure you, though, that in person this room is really light and airy and exactly as I had hoped. I just can't wait to get that little peanut in there soon!
As promised, I am posting some pictures and a few words on the last little design details that I was able to get accomplished in the baby's room — since I acquired all kinds of extra time that I hadn't planned on.
The first is actually something I had nothing to do with. A very lovely, very talented, and very generous woman with whom I am acquainted through a Bible study group at church offered to paint what she called a "baby name mural" on one of the walls in the nursery. It was her gift to me (and all the other expectant mommas) at a group baby shower held a few weeks back. But, since I already have plans to affix a vinyl print of the baby's name on the round mirror above the changing table (you can read more about that and the rest of what we did in the nursery here), I didn't feel like we needed to also have her name painted on the adjacent wall. (Not to mention the fact that she doesn't officially have a name yet. We have it narrowed down to two and are waiting to meet her — as we did with Owen — before we decide on one.) So, instead, I searched around on Pinterest for other interesting images that might work in the sad, empty wall space above the crib. After a quick consult with Davella (she's pictured below) to address size, space, and color issues, here is the finished product.
How sweet is that, right? The phrase printed on the larger bird, "I carry your heart in my heart," is a spin off of the E.E. Cummings poem, "i carry your heart with me." Here is the artwork shown to scale above the crib.
And, of course, here is the lovely artist herself, Davella Santiago.
Based on this original artwork found on Pinterest (via Etsy), I couldn't be more pleased with it. It is so sweet and whimsical, which is the vibe I was going for in this room. And the colors are absolutely perfect! Way to go, Davella! I just love it!
See that odd, pink, poufy, ball-type object resting in the crib in the picture above? That brings me to the other project that I'm proud to say was completed before baby's arrival. Inspired by this idea (also found on Pinterest), here are the "pom poms" hung above the glider.
I would encourage you to click on this direct link to the tutorial where these came from for more detailed instructions, but basically, these were made using three paper lanterns (which can be found at any party supply store) and a ton of inexpensive fabric. I guess I also used scissors and a hot glue gun, too, if you're keeping track of my supply list.
I couldn't find the exact size lanterns that the tutorial describes — these are actually much bigger, which I kind of like for the size of this room — so I just increased my fabric yardage accordingly. My lanterns were 8, 10, and 12 inches in diameter, so I purchased 3, 3 1/2, and almost 5 yards of corresponding fabric. (At $2.99/yard in fabric and $5 for the lanterns, this little project came out a bit on the high end at just over $40.)
Basically, I made a 4-inch circle template for the two smaller lanterns (I went with 4 1/2 inch circles for the largest one) and then traced and cut out a bazillion circles in all of the fabric. Then, I folded each circle in half, secured it closed with a dot of hot glue, folded it in half again (making a triangular shape) and affixed it to the lanterns (in alternating directions) with another dot of hot glue. I didn't do exact counts each time, but I would say I probably used between 250-350 circles for each pom pom. It was time consuming, but mindless, so I was able to complete the project in a few evenings while parked in front of the TV. Again, for the full details on how to do this simple project, click on over here.
Unfortunately, my camera doesn't take the gorgeous pictures that I dream of. And I've kind of been waiting for another sunny day to take advantage of better lighting. But this is April after all, and so the somewhat dark images you see here are the best I could do, I'm afraid. I assure you, though, that in person this room is really light and airy and exactly as I had hoped. I just can't wait to get that little peanut in there soon!
Friday, April 27, 2012
40 weeks and counting
Well, my due date (April 24) has come and gone, and still there is no baby in my arms. Here is the latest after my appointment this morning...
I am still only dilated about 1 cm (maybe 2), 70-80% effaced, and baby is at about a -1 station. (None of that has really changed much since the last two weekly updates.) The ultrasound today revealed that my AFI reading has gone down slightly. It was only about 7 cm today, as opposed to the 8+ range of the past few weeks. So, although I didn't originally have one scheduled, they also did another NST today to make sure baby's movements were still good. Although her activity was a little less dramatic during that half-hour test than in previous ones, she still tested within normal ranges for movement and heart rate. And I had two decent contractions while I was hooked up, so that was fun to see.
Also, the ultrasound tech estimated the baby's weight to be about 9 pounds right now (yikes!), but she freely admitted that their measurements almost always come out on the high end — usually between 1/2 to 1 full pound off, in fact. The midwife, based on her assessment, estimated that she is more likely only about 8 pounds.
Although everyone is hopeful that it won't be necessary and I'll finally go into labor over the weekend, I did schedule my next appointment for Tuesday. That will put me at 41 weeks gestation and they want to do another full round of tests at that time (i.e., ultrasound, NST, and cervical check). That is fine by me because the thought of waiting yet another whole week before learning any new information seemed way too long to bear.
The midwife I met with today mentioned that very few women (she didn't give me a specific number or anything) go beyond 41 weeks without going into labor. I'm not sure exactly how precise of an assessment that is, but it is encouraging. She also felt that waiting until I'm fully 42 weeks along (which would be May 8), is probably too long. She felt that, for the safety of the baby, we shouldn't go past the end of next week without getting things moving one way or another. That means that within one week from today, baby girl will be here!!! Yay! The end is in sight!
She did sweep my membranes again, as was done last week, and suggested taking an herbal supplement called evening primrose and drinking red raspberry leaf tea as possible natural ways to ripen the cervix and induce labor. The verdict is still out on whether these actually have any real impact, but I've already taken my first dose of the former and plan to purchase some of the latter later this afternoon. I figure, it can't hurt, I guess.
I am told (by two midwives now), that if I do, in fact, get to that point (41+ weeks), I don't necessarily have to have an immediate c-section. As long as my fluid levels and baby's heart rate, etc., are still ok, they can break my water (and possibly give me a low level of pitocin, depending on which doctor is on call when I come in to deliver) to give my body one final push to get things moving on its own. And of course, if that doesn't work, than it's off to the operating room I go. But I will be able to assuredly say at that point that I tried every.last.thing.possible to avoid that and it is just God's will.
On the bright side, the excruciating hip pain that I referenced here, which had kept me fairly immobile for a couple of weeks (and didn't help in the progression of labor department either), has miraculously eased quite a bit this week. I would not go so far as to say that it's totally gone, but I am motoring around MUCH easier these days and with significantly less pain than before. Can I get a Hallelujah????
And stay tuned for another post soon on some additional design details that we've managed to get accomplished in the nursery over the past few weeks. (One small silver lining in this waiting game hand I've been dealt.)
I am still only dilated about 1 cm (maybe 2), 70-80% effaced, and baby is at about a -1 station. (None of that has really changed much since the last two weekly updates.) The ultrasound today revealed that my AFI reading has gone down slightly. It was only about 7 cm today, as opposed to the 8+ range of the past few weeks. So, although I didn't originally have one scheduled, they also did another NST today to make sure baby's movements were still good. Although her activity was a little less dramatic during that half-hour test than in previous ones, she still tested within normal ranges for movement and heart rate. And I had two decent contractions while I was hooked up, so that was fun to see.
Also, the ultrasound tech estimated the baby's weight to be about 9 pounds right now (yikes!), but she freely admitted that their measurements almost always come out on the high end — usually between 1/2 to 1 full pound off, in fact. The midwife, based on her assessment, estimated that she is more likely only about 8 pounds.
Although everyone is hopeful that it won't be necessary and I'll finally go into labor over the weekend, I did schedule my next appointment for Tuesday. That will put me at 41 weeks gestation and they want to do another full round of tests at that time (i.e., ultrasound, NST, and cervical check). That is fine by me because the thought of waiting yet another whole week before learning any new information seemed way too long to bear.
The midwife I met with today mentioned that very few women (she didn't give me a specific number or anything) go beyond 41 weeks without going into labor. I'm not sure exactly how precise of an assessment that is, but it is encouraging. She also felt that waiting until I'm fully 42 weeks along (which would be May 8), is probably too long. She felt that, for the safety of the baby, we shouldn't go past the end of next week without getting things moving one way or another. That means that within one week from today, baby girl will be here!!! Yay! The end is in sight!
She did sweep my membranes again, as was done last week, and suggested taking an herbal supplement called evening primrose and drinking red raspberry leaf tea as possible natural ways to ripen the cervix and induce labor. The verdict is still out on whether these actually have any real impact, but I've already taken my first dose of the former and plan to purchase some of the latter later this afternoon. I figure, it can't hurt, I guess.
I am told (by two midwives now), that if I do, in fact, get to that point (41+ weeks), I don't necessarily have to have an immediate c-section. As long as my fluid levels and baby's heart rate, etc., are still ok, they can break my water (and possibly give me a low level of pitocin, depending on which doctor is on call when I come in to deliver) to give my body one final push to get things moving on its own. And of course, if that doesn't work, than it's off to the operating room I go. But I will be able to assuredly say at that point that I tried every.last.thing.possible to avoid that and it is just God's will.
On the bright side, the excruciating hip pain that I referenced here, which had kept me fairly immobile for a couple of weeks (and didn't help in the progression of labor department either), has miraculously eased quite a bit this week. I would not go so far as to say that it's totally gone, but I am motoring around MUCH easier these days and with significantly less pain than before. Can I get a Hallelujah????
And stay tuned for another post soon on some additional design details that we've managed to get accomplished in the nursery over the past few weeks. (One small silver lining in this waiting game hand I've been dealt.)
Friday, April 20, 2012
39 weeks and counting
Wow. Blogger is way different all of a sudden. (Or is it, "all of the sudden?" I see that phrase both ways and the latter always makes me do a double take. It just doesn't sound right to my ear.)
Anyway, I owe you all an update on the latest doctor's appointment today, so here goes. Basically, everything is pretty much the same as last week.
I got a call mid-week to say that they reviewed my chart again and did recommend coming in for another ultrasound check of my fluid levels after all (which I was kind of relieved about since I thought the initial recommendation not to check it anymore seemed a bit odd). AFI today was 8.4, which is consistent with last week's 8.8 and the time before that's 8.7. So, that's good. No c-section necessary today. They will continue to check it weekly as long as it stays at that level.
The midwife also checked me out to see what progress has been made down under and sadly, the answer is none. In fact, things have actually moved in the opposite direction. Bummer. Last week I was 70% effaced, 1 cm dilated, and baby was at a -1 station. This week, only 50% effaced, still 1 cm dilated, and baby is at a -2 station (which means her head is higher than before.) Ugh.
She did "stir things up" (those were her words for stripping my membranes), and I currently feel very crampy as a result. But here's hoping that helps my body take a real step in the right direction toward actual contractions and labor over the next several hours and/or days...
I also shared my tale of hip pain (which has gotten progressively worse with each passing day) with the midwife and she helped ease my fears about something being very wrong (read: broken or fractured) with my bones, and insisted that it is actually fairly common. She also felt pretty confident that the pain would go away soon after the baby is born and things start shifting back to normal, so that was a slight bit of good news.
I expressed my concerns that I haven't really been able to do much walking to help self-induce labor due to the amount of pain I'm in. She suggested focusing more on my positioning and mentioned that I wasn't doing myself any favors by sitting around in a reclining position (which is pretty much all I've done for the past week) as far as getting the baby into position and moved down in my pelvis.
Soooooo...I'm not really feeling very confident in anything I can personally do at this point to help move things along, which is immensely frustrating. And since she also indicated that they would let me go as late as 42 weeks into this pregnancy before resorting to forced measures (I had previously believed I could only go to 41 weeks), that means there could possibly be up to 2 1/2 more weeks of this torture! Ahhhhh!!!
So much for a "quick" update. And so much for trying to keep things positive on the blog. I'm just feeling kind of down today. And sick of the hip pain. And crampy. And just kinda "blerg." Sorry about that. But there's your update. Have a nice weekend.
Anyway, I owe you all an update on the latest doctor's appointment today, so here goes. Basically, everything is pretty much the same as last week.
I got a call mid-week to say that they reviewed my chart again and did recommend coming in for another ultrasound check of my fluid levels after all (which I was kind of relieved about since I thought the initial recommendation not to check it anymore seemed a bit odd). AFI today was 8.4, which is consistent with last week's 8.8 and the time before that's 8.7. So, that's good. No c-section necessary today. They will continue to check it weekly as long as it stays at that level.
The midwife also checked me out to see what progress has been made down under and sadly, the answer is none. In fact, things have actually moved in the opposite direction. Bummer. Last week I was 70% effaced, 1 cm dilated, and baby was at a -1 station. This week, only 50% effaced, still 1 cm dilated, and baby is at a -2 station (which means her head is higher than before.) Ugh.
She did "stir things up" (those were her words for stripping my membranes), and I currently feel very crampy as a result. But here's hoping that helps my body take a real step in the right direction toward actual contractions and labor over the next several hours and/or days...
I also shared my tale of hip pain (which has gotten progressively worse with each passing day) with the midwife and she helped ease my fears about something being very wrong (read: broken or fractured) with my bones, and insisted that it is actually fairly common. She also felt pretty confident that the pain would go away soon after the baby is born and things start shifting back to normal, so that was a slight bit of good news.
I expressed my concerns that I haven't really been able to do much walking to help self-induce labor due to the amount of pain I'm in. She suggested focusing more on my positioning and mentioned that I wasn't doing myself any favors by sitting around in a reclining position (which is pretty much all I've done for the past week) as far as getting the baby into position and moved down in my pelvis.
Soooooo...I'm not really feeling very confident in anything I can personally do at this point to help move things along, which is immensely frustrating. And since she also indicated that they would let me go as late as 42 weeks into this pregnancy before resorting to forced measures (I had previously believed I could only go to 41 weeks), that means there could possibly be up to 2 1/2 more weeks of this torture! Ahhhhh!!!
So much for a "quick" update. And so much for trying to keep things positive on the blog. I'm just feeling kind of down today. And sick of the hip pain. And crampy. And just kinda "blerg." Sorry about that. But there's your update. Have a nice weekend.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Allow me just one whiny post, please.
I would just like to post, as a matter of public record, an official apology for all of the times that I secretly (or not so secretly) judged mammas who complained about their pregnancies dragging on and who seemed so desperate to just get the kid out already. I very much had it in my head that these women were just big complainers who needed to have a little patience. I mean, how hard could another week or two really be? Jeesh! Suck it up and give that baby a chance to fully bloom in there, is what I thought, as I rolled my eyes.
This was based on my experience having a beautiful, very comfortable pregnancy that lasted only through 38 weeks with Owen. And still, with this pregnancy, I have felt so great, aside from the typical, but manageable discomforts. That is, until one week ago. One week ago, pretty much the very day I hit 38 weeks, everything changed. All of a sudden, this beautiful, healthy glow and decent amount of energy that I was feeling, crumbled around me and was replaced with pain and major fatigue.
The pain, for me, is in my hip. Well, to be exact, it's in my sacroiliac (or SI) joint and it produces a constant sensation of pain.
I had low back pain when I was pregnant with Owen, which I attributed to sitting for long periods at my desk when I was working. And I even experienced what's known as sciatica with that pregnancy. But that kind of pain was treatable. I could go home and stretch it out. Or a good ol' back rub by the hubby would certainly help. The thing about this SI joint is that nothing I've tried seems to work to alleviate the pain. I've been seeing a chiropractor about this issue for most of this pregnancy, as it has come and gone throughout the past nine months. And I actually thought it had pretty much been cured since I was feeling so good the last few weeks. But one week ago, I was proven wrong.
Now, I wince with every. single. step I take. I mean that literally. I was walking through Wal-mart today to pick up maybe 5 things I needed and by the time I finally made it back to my car, I was sobbing and crying on the phone with Ryan, telling him that I can't possibly take up to two more weeks of this. If I am sitting or laying down, I am generally ok. But standing, walking, or any other kind of movement that even remotely involves my hips creates a very intense pain that just won't go away. After lying on the floor last night trying to find some kind of stretch that would relieve the pressure (I found none), I started to worry about how I could possibly manage labor and delivery of this baby when just lying on my back is so very uncomfortable.
The hardest part about the pain is that a.) I'm not sure when it will end, and b.) I have no plan of action for treating it. I'm hopeful that once this baby is born, my hips will realign back to how they should be — and quickly! — and that will be that. But my fear is that it may take a while for that to happen, or worse, they may be so severely damaged that there may really be something permanently wrong with my hips now. (That's the pain talking, ya'll.) And I am a planner, to a fault. I like to know the "how to" on solving all problems and, this problem, although I've researched it a decent amount online and put my faith in a chiropractor who doesn't seem to be helping much, does not have a clear-cut solution that I can see. And that, my friends, is scary.
The fatigue, I kind of expected. I mean, as of tomorrow, I'm 39 weeks pregnant. I'm gonna feel worn down. But I actually attribute my need for a nap almost every day this past week to the pain, more than the other general weariness of carrying around this extra 25 pounds in my belly. I'm not going to feel too guilty about taking those naps, though. I think it's my body telling me to take it easy.
I generally don't like to fill up the posts on this blog with complaints and negativity. But, it is a journal for me to record what's happening in life and unfortunately, right now, this is a major thing that is happening in mine. It is clouding everything else happening in life and serves as a painful reminder that I should never, EVER judge another woman in the late stages of pregnancy for just wishing that it would all be over. I can honestly say that this baby cannot come soon enough. Sadly, I'm even starting to consider scheduling a c-section just to have an official light at the end of the tunnel. For now, I'm trying to hold on strong, but each day, with the pain getting worse and worse, I am praying for God's hand to heal me, or just help me to manage the pain and get through another day. Please pray for me, too.
This was based on my experience having a beautiful, very comfortable pregnancy that lasted only through 38 weeks with Owen. And still, with this pregnancy, I have felt so great, aside from the typical, but manageable discomforts. That is, until one week ago. One week ago, pretty much the very day I hit 38 weeks, everything changed. All of a sudden, this beautiful, healthy glow and decent amount of energy that I was feeling, crumbled around me and was replaced with pain and major fatigue.
The pain, for me, is in my hip. Well, to be exact, it's in my sacroiliac (or SI) joint and it produces a constant sensation of pain.
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| Photo via Wikipedia |
I had low back pain when I was pregnant with Owen, which I attributed to sitting for long periods at my desk when I was working. And I even experienced what's known as sciatica with that pregnancy. But that kind of pain was treatable. I could go home and stretch it out. Or a good ol' back rub by the hubby would certainly help. The thing about this SI joint is that nothing I've tried seems to work to alleviate the pain. I've been seeing a chiropractor about this issue for most of this pregnancy, as it has come and gone throughout the past nine months. And I actually thought it had pretty much been cured since I was feeling so good the last few weeks. But one week ago, I was proven wrong.
Now, I wince with every. single. step I take. I mean that literally. I was walking through Wal-mart today to pick up maybe 5 things I needed and by the time I finally made it back to my car, I was sobbing and crying on the phone with Ryan, telling him that I can't possibly take up to two more weeks of this. If I am sitting or laying down, I am generally ok. But standing, walking, or any other kind of movement that even remotely involves my hips creates a very intense pain that just won't go away. After lying on the floor last night trying to find some kind of stretch that would relieve the pressure (I found none), I started to worry about how I could possibly manage labor and delivery of this baby when just lying on my back is so very uncomfortable.
The hardest part about the pain is that a.) I'm not sure when it will end, and b.) I have no plan of action for treating it. I'm hopeful that once this baby is born, my hips will realign back to how they should be — and quickly! — and that will be that. But my fear is that it may take a while for that to happen, or worse, they may be so severely damaged that there may really be something permanently wrong with my hips now. (That's the pain talking, ya'll.) And I am a planner, to a fault. I like to know the "how to" on solving all problems and, this problem, although I've researched it a decent amount online and put my faith in a chiropractor who doesn't seem to be helping much, does not have a clear-cut solution that I can see. And that, my friends, is scary.
The fatigue, I kind of expected. I mean, as of tomorrow, I'm 39 weeks pregnant. I'm gonna feel worn down. But I actually attribute my need for a nap almost every day this past week to the pain, more than the other general weariness of carrying around this extra 25 pounds in my belly. I'm not going to feel too guilty about taking those naps, though. I think it's my body telling me to take it easy.
I generally don't like to fill up the posts on this blog with complaints and negativity. But, it is a journal for me to record what's happening in life and unfortunately, right now, this is a major thing that is happening in mine. It is clouding everything else happening in life and serves as a painful reminder that I should never, EVER judge another woman in the late stages of pregnancy for just wishing that it would all be over. I can honestly say that this baby cannot come soon enough. Sadly, I'm even starting to consider scheduling a c-section just to have an official light at the end of the tunnel. For now, I'm trying to hold on strong, but each day, with the pain getting worse and worse, I am praying for God's hand to heal me, or just help me to manage the pain and get through another day. Please pray for me, too.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Wetting the bed (sort of)
As an update to my last post, my AFI on Friday was 8.8, which is consistent with my fluid level earlier in the week. And the baby tested very well again during the NST, so the midwife (and consulting doctor) does not recommend any further testing at this point. That means I can go back to having regular weekly appointments, but no more need for ultrasounds or non stress tests. I was a little surprised by that recommendation and may still ask about testing the fluid levels again when I go back next Friday, but for now, I am breathing a sigh of relief and appreciate having the next week to just relax and take it easy. Oh, and keep drinking lots of water...just in case.
In other news, we had some pretty powerful thunderstorms combined with strong winds over the past 24 hours or so and last night, at 12:30 a.m., after waking for the first of several overnight potty breaks, I settled back into bed only to be woken moments later by a strange gushing sound. Huh? Then I touched my pillow and one corner of it was soaking wet. I was SO confused. I woke Ryan up and told him (probably in some incomprehensible way) that there was water falling on me. We eventually discovered that water was dripping in (after one initial big gush) from the can light fixture in the ceiling directly above my side of the bed. Since there wasn't much we could really do in the middle of the night and the dripping stopped after that one big storm passed (it only lasted maybe 10 minutes at the most), we just pushed the bed over about a half a foot so we could put a bucket on the ground to catch any more drips and went back to bed.
Ryan has spent some time today trying to figure out if we have a leak in the roof, but from the best we can tell, it seems like maybe the rain was just coming down sideways and came in through the gable vent that is just above the big window in our bedroom. The good news is that it doesn't seem like there is anything we can or need to do about it. But let me just tell you, it's pretty funny to be woken up by water dripping on your pillow! And truthfully, if it hadn't happened right there, we probably would have never known about it. If we had found some random wet spot on the carpet the next morning elsewhere in the house, I'm positive we would have blamed the dog for having an accident. Poor Kinnick!
In other news, we had some pretty powerful thunderstorms combined with strong winds over the past 24 hours or so and last night, at 12:30 a.m., after waking for the first of several overnight potty breaks, I settled back into bed only to be woken moments later by a strange gushing sound. Huh? Then I touched my pillow and one corner of it was soaking wet. I was SO confused. I woke Ryan up and told him (probably in some incomprehensible way) that there was water falling on me. We eventually discovered that water was dripping in (after one initial big gush) from the can light fixture in the ceiling directly above my side of the bed. Since there wasn't much we could really do in the middle of the night and the dripping stopped after that one big storm passed (it only lasted maybe 10 minutes at the most), we just pushed the bed over about a half a foot so we could put a bucket on the ground to catch any more drips and went back to bed.
Ryan has spent some time today trying to figure out if we have a leak in the roof, but from the best we can tell, it seems like maybe the rain was just coming down sideways and came in through the gable vent that is just above the big window in our bedroom. The good news is that it doesn't seem like there is anything we can or need to do about it. But let me just tell you, it's pretty funny to be woken up by water dripping on your pillow! And truthfully, if it hadn't happened right there, we probably would have never known about it. If we had found some random wet spot on the carpet the next morning elsewhere in the house, I'm positive we would have blamed the dog for having an accident. Poor Kinnick!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Fluid levels on the rise...
So, I owe you an update, huh? Well, truly most everyone who reads this blog already knows the latest through other means of communication, but for the sake of posterity, here goes...
Basically, I drank and drank and drank until I could drink no more water since my appointment last Friday in an attempt to get my amniotic fluid level back up to a safe range and it seems to have paid off. (That and lots of prayer!) At my appointment on Tuesday, my AFI (amniotic fluid index) was 8.7, which is up from the previous 7-something last week. And although that is still a little lower than ideal, it was a step in the right direction and much higher than the level of 5 (that's in centimeters, oddly) that would have resulted in an immediate c-section. So...YAY!
I still have to continue to get checked twice a week from here on out, so I go back on Friday. And I will keep on pushing the water and praying for the best each time because the longer this little babe can stay inside mommy, the better my chances of going into labor on my own and avoiding the dreaded C.
They also did an NST (non-stress test) to check baby's heart rate and movements and those results were fantastic. She's a mover and a shaker! And the midwife did a quick check of my cervix to see what's going on down there. Results were that I am 70% effaced, 1 cm dilated, and the baby's head is low (she estimated in the -1 station). So, there still may be a while to go before labor begins, but at least stuff is happening. Now, we wait...
Thanks to everyone for your prayers and kind words! I'll try to continue to keep posting updates as they occur.
Basically, I drank and drank and drank until I could drink no more water since my appointment last Friday in an attempt to get my amniotic fluid level back up to a safe range and it seems to have paid off. (That and lots of prayer!) At my appointment on Tuesday, my AFI (amniotic fluid index) was 8.7, which is up from the previous 7-something last week. And although that is still a little lower than ideal, it was a step in the right direction and much higher than the level of 5 (that's in centimeters, oddly) that would have resulted in an immediate c-section. So...YAY!
I still have to continue to get checked twice a week from here on out, so I go back on Friday. And I will keep on pushing the water and praying for the best each time because the longer this little babe can stay inside mommy, the better my chances of going into labor on my own and avoiding the dreaded C.
They also did an NST (non-stress test) to check baby's heart rate and movements and those results were fantastic. She's a mover and a shaker! And the midwife did a quick check of my cervix to see what's going on down there. Results were that I am 70% effaced, 1 cm dilated, and the baby's head is low (she estimated in the -1 station). So, there still may be a while to go before labor begins, but at least stuff is happening. Now, we wait...
Thanks to everyone for your prayers and kind words! I'll try to continue to keep posting updates as they occur.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Nursery pics and a status update
Let me first preface the nursery pictures you are about to see with a notation about my perfectionist desire to have absolutely everything done before I posted these. That is to say that there are still one or two more decorative details that I wanted to get done before baby arrives (and I still may), but decided that — just in case (more on that below) — I better just share with you the very nearly completed room as it looks today.
So, here you are. Again, point-and-shoot camera..., amateur photographer..., intense morning sunlight..., blah, blah, blah. Enough apologies. I actually LOVE this room and it turned out pretty much exactly as I pictured it in my head (which is really rare for me). I hope you (and baby girl!) enjoy it, too.
The walls are a soft gray (I think it was Martha Stewart "Nimbus Cloud"), the furniture (which is the same as what Owen used) is soft white, the curtains and crib skirt (which I made myself...you can congratulate me, it's ok) are a charcoal gray and white damask fabric, and the crib sheet and changing pad cover (and just a few other small details) are soft pink. I also wanted to use the very comfortable, but not my favorite color, glider and ottoman from Owen's nursery, so I just covered it with a big ol' white throw blanket and pillow, hoping to hide the minty green flavor. Meh. And although the carpet has a weird pinkish tint to it in these photos, it's actually just the plain old beige plush that's found just about everywhere else in this house.
The wall right above the crib is one place where I hope to get an additional decorative element completed, but it will just depend on how much time I have before D-day.
And this round mirror will eventually have baby's name applied to it (via some vinyl lettering I ordered), but that won't go up until after she's here and has officially been named. In case you're wondering — and I know you are! — we have two names picked out that we like equally well, but just as we did with Owen, we will wait until we meet her to decide which one fits best. So, yes, I ordered vinyl decals of both names. Ha!
Now, as for an update on my situation, here's the latest. As many of you know, I was (and still am) planning to attempt a "trial of labor" (VBAC) with this baby after having a c-section with Owen, who was breech. You can read more about my experiences last time around here and here, but here's a brief summary for you. In the process of trying to get Owen to turn, I had lots of regular ultrasounds performed in the last few weeks of that pregnancy. And during one done at 37 weeks, they discovered that my amniotic fluid volume (AFV) was very low. (Does anyone else automatically think of America's Funniest Videos when they see the acronym AFV? I did!)
Anyway, they gave me a week to see if the fluid level would come back up, but it never did (in fact, it got much lower), so we ended up having to deliver him the very day they discovered that. Although he was considered full-term (38 weeks), and I knew I was facing a c-section (because he was breech), it was still a bit terrifying leaving the doctor's office and heading to the hospital that day.
So, fast forward almost three years to today where I find myself in a strangely similar situation. First off, the good news is that this baby is NOT breech. She is head-down, fully engaged, and has even "dropped." However, at my insistence, an ultrasound was performed yesterday (at 37 weeks) to check the AFV and, lo and behold, it is very low again. (I was told that just because that happened in a previous pregnancy, there shouldn't be any reason why it would happen again in subsequent ones, but for once, I am grateful for my neurotic request for additional testing because an ultrasound — which is the only way to measure AFV — would not normally have been performed at this point.)
Although none of this was actually explained to me by my practitioners, here is a link to some good information I found myself about this condition (called "oligohydramnios") by just Googling it today. Lots of stuff in there to freak me out. Good times.
Anyway, the plan of action at this point is similar to last time. They are giving me a few days to do what I can to bring the fluid level back up. The only advice I have received is to rest and drink lots and lots of fluids, so that's what I'm doing. Oh, and apparently that new-ish sugar substitute that's on the market now, called Truvia, has been shown to have the unintended side effect of increasing amniotic fluid in pregnant women (weird, huh?), so I bought some of that to add to my fresh brewed ice tea today. Can't hurt!
If the AFV continues to decrease to an unsafe level by my next ultrasound, scheduled for Tuesday, they will have to deliver the baby immediately. That would be fine — I'm totally ready to meet baby girl! But unfortunately, because of my previous c-section, they can't (and won't) induce labor. So, of course, that would mean another c-section delivery, despite the fact that everything else was looking very promising on the VBAC front. (Here's a bit more on my feelings about that, but let's just say, I was really, really hoping to be able to at least attempt to deliver this baby vaginally. Major bummer.)
I'm praying that my AFV comes back up to a safe range (and stays there!) for a couple more weeks to allow my body the time it needs to go into labor naturally. Alternatively, I would also be happy with going into labor before Tuesday and, to that end, I'm going to try some of the old wives tales recommended to induce labor. Oh, and pray some more.
But to be totally honest, I'm going into my next appointment on Tuesday with the assumption that my AFV will be even lower than it was and they will send me immediately to the hospital to deliver this baby via c-section. (Basically, exactly what happened to me with Owen.) In a way, that's exciting! There could be a new baby in my arms in just three short days! I'm so anxious to meet her! But of course, I would much prefer to wait it out a bit and see if we can't do things the old fashioned way and avoid the c-section.
Ultimately, however, my prayer is for a healthy baby, regardless of the way she is delivered. And I am learning, through all of this, to let go of my desire to control things that are truly outside of my control. I've said it a lot — that I put my full faith in God — but it's officially time to put my money where my mouth is and really do that. I assure you that I have not lost sight of just how blessed I am to be carrying this child and to finally get to hold her in my arms very soon. God is SO good!
Happy Easter, everyone!
So, here you are. Again, point-and-shoot camera..., amateur photographer..., intense morning sunlight..., blah, blah, blah. Enough apologies. I actually LOVE this room and it turned out pretty much exactly as I pictured it in my head (which is really rare for me). I hope you (and baby girl!) enjoy it, too.
The walls are a soft gray (I think it was Martha Stewart "Nimbus Cloud"), the furniture (which is the same as what Owen used) is soft white, the curtains and crib skirt (which I made myself...you can congratulate me, it's ok) are a charcoal gray and white damask fabric, and the crib sheet and changing pad cover (and just a few other small details) are soft pink. I also wanted to use the very comfortable, but not my favorite color, glider and ottoman from Owen's nursery, so I just covered it with a big ol' white throw blanket and pillow, hoping to hide the minty green flavor. Meh. And although the carpet has a weird pinkish tint to it in these photos, it's actually just the plain old beige plush that's found just about everywhere else in this house.
The wall right above the crib is one place where I hope to get an additional decorative element completed, but it will just depend on how much time I have before D-day.
And this round mirror will eventually have baby's name applied to it (via some vinyl lettering I ordered), but that won't go up until after she's here and has officially been named. In case you're wondering — and I know you are! — we have two names picked out that we like equally well, but just as we did with Owen, we will wait until we meet her to decide which one fits best. So, yes, I ordered vinyl decals of both names. Ha!
Now, as for an update on my situation, here's the latest. As many of you know, I was (and still am) planning to attempt a "trial of labor" (VBAC) with this baby after having a c-section with Owen, who was breech. You can read more about my experiences last time around here and here, but here's a brief summary for you. In the process of trying to get Owen to turn, I had lots of regular ultrasounds performed in the last few weeks of that pregnancy. And during one done at 37 weeks, they discovered that my amniotic fluid volume (AFV) was very low. (Does anyone else automatically think of America's Funniest Videos when they see the acronym AFV? I did!)
Anyway, they gave me a week to see if the fluid level would come back up, but it never did (in fact, it got much lower), so we ended up having to deliver him the very day they discovered that. Although he was considered full-term (38 weeks), and I knew I was facing a c-section (because he was breech), it was still a bit terrifying leaving the doctor's office and heading to the hospital that day.
So, fast forward almost three years to today where I find myself in a strangely similar situation. First off, the good news is that this baby is NOT breech. She is head-down, fully engaged, and has even "dropped." However, at my insistence, an ultrasound was performed yesterday (at 37 weeks) to check the AFV and, lo and behold, it is very low again. (I was told that just because that happened in a previous pregnancy, there shouldn't be any reason why it would happen again in subsequent ones, but for once, I am grateful for my neurotic request for additional testing because an ultrasound — which is the only way to measure AFV — would not normally have been performed at this point.)
Although none of this was actually explained to me by my practitioners, here is a link to some good information I found myself about this condition (called "oligohydramnios") by just Googling it today. Lots of stuff in there to freak me out. Good times.
Anyway, the plan of action at this point is similar to last time. They are giving me a few days to do what I can to bring the fluid level back up. The only advice I have received is to rest and drink lots and lots of fluids, so that's what I'm doing. Oh, and apparently that new-ish sugar substitute that's on the market now, called Truvia, has been shown to have the unintended side effect of increasing amniotic fluid in pregnant women (weird, huh?), so I bought some of that to add to my fresh brewed ice tea today. Can't hurt!
If the AFV continues to decrease to an unsafe level by my next ultrasound, scheduled for Tuesday, they will have to deliver the baby immediately. That would be fine — I'm totally ready to meet baby girl! But unfortunately, because of my previous c-section, they can't (and won't) induce labor. So, of course, that would mean another c-section delivery, despite the fact that everything else was looking very promising on the VBAC front. (Here's a bit more on my feelings about that, but let's just say, I was really, really hoping to be able to at least attempt to deliver this baby vaginally. Major bummer.)
I'm praying that my AFV comes back up to a safe range (and stays there!) for a couple more weeks to allow my body the time it needs to go into labor naturally. Alternatively, I would also be happy with going into labor before Tuesday and, to that end, I'm going to try some of the old wives tales recommended to induce labor. Oh, and pray some more.
But to be totally honest, I'm going into my next appointment on Tuesday with the assumption that my AFV will be even lower than it was and they will send me immediately to the hospital to deliver this baby via c-section. (Basically, exactly what happened to me with Owen.) In a way, that's exciting! There could be a new baby in my arms in just three short days! I'm so anxious to meet her! But of course, I would much prefer to wait it out a bit and see if we can't do things the old fashioned way and avoid the c-section.
Ultimately, however, my prayer is for a healthy baby, regardless of the way she is delivered. And I am learning, through all of this, to let go of my desire to control things that are truly outside of my control. I've said it a lot — that I put my full faith in God — but it's officially time to put my money where my mouth is and really do that. I assure you that I have not lost sight of just how blessed I am to be carrying this child and to finally get to hold her in my arms very soon. God is SO good!
Happy Easter, everyone!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
At peace
It's been a while since I've posted anything here about my current pregnancy. Sorry about that! Good intentions, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, over the past week I began to think about what new information I could write about and, initially, I planned to share my reservations and fears about attempting a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarian) delivery. You see, I met with a doctor last week to go over the potential risks and to sign a waiver/consent form thing. It was quite unnerving. However, after my 36-week appointment (back with the midwifes!) yesterday, I am feeling SO much more secure in my decision and most of my fears have been put to rest. And as I thought about that for a moment, I realized just how remarkably at peace I am with everything that's about to happen in the next few weeks.
If you know me at all, you know that I am a Nervous Nelly. I worry. A lot. About all kinds of things. And I often have a very bad tendency to err on the negative side of life, which is something I make a conscious attempt to correct each and every day. I don't want to be that way. But I just am. Anyway, if you really know me (which most of my readers do), you'll also recall that I struggled all the way through the first few months of Owen's life. I don't love saying that. But I am confident enough in myself today that I am able to say it. And this... In the beginning, I was not very happy with my new role as a mother. Yes, Owen was a difficult baby. But I believe now that I also may have struggled with some post-partum depression issues. Fortunately, all were resolved in time and on their own, and I have since grown to LOVE being a mother and genuinely enjoy my time with Owen! But at first, it was a very big struggle for me.
And so when we started planning for baby #2, I immediately began to worry and fret that I would go through many of those same struggles all over again. The question, "why am I doing this to myself again?" kept running through my mind. Over the past 36 weeks, I honestly haven't dwelled on it or worried about it much, but that nagging fear was always buried somewhere in the back of my mind.
And it's still there. Somewhere. Buried. But today, I feel that God has granted me a refreshing sense of calm and a peace of mind about this new baby. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I'm downright excited to do it all over again!
I'm honestly looking forward to going through the experience of labor and delivery. Some friends have told me I'm crazy. Why would I want to put myself through that pain and torture when I have an "easy out?" (It used to be said that "once a cesarean, always a cesarean," but modern medicine indicates that's just not so anymore...hence the VBAC. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, just look it up!)
Rather than worrying and feeling anxious about what might go wrong (which I was assured at my appointment yesterday is a very low risk anyway), I am instead filled with an overpowering sense of gratitude that I have this opportunity!
Having a c-section with Owen was devastating. Crushing. Very, very saddening. It was probably one contributing factor for my PPD, actually. And I've always felt like I missed out on a certain "right of passage" into motherhood. But more than that, I just felt like things were taken out of my control (which for this self-proclaimed control freak was tough). Ironically, I now have a greater sense that my life is never actually in my control (I have surrendered it all to the Lord), however, having the opportunity to physically work this baby out into the world (as opposed to the doctors doing all of "my" work for me) is so powerful. I just feel tremendously blessed that God put this baby in the proper vertex (head down) position. (Owen was in the footling breech position, therefore, the c-section.) And, although many hospitals won't even attempt VBACs (either due to staffing issues or the fear of being sued), I found myself with access to one that does and a team of midwives who are extremely supportive and encouraging about my chances.
Yes, gratitude. That is what I am feeling. Gratitude for this opportunity. Thanks to a God who is blessing me with another child...another opportunity. And I'm so excited for it!
I'm also feeling more comfortable about the challenges that lie ahead in life with a newborn baby and a busy toddler in tow. I'm not gonna lie... I'm also still anxious and worried about how well I'll handle that stress. But this feeling of being so, so, so blessed carries with it an uncharted attitude of "don't sweat it, just rejoice in it!"
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
If you know me at all, you know that I am a Nervous Nelly. I worry. A lot. About all kinds of things. And I often have a very bad tendency to err on the negative side of life, which is something I make a conscious attempt to correct each and every day. I don't want to be that way. But I just am. Anyway, if you really know me (which most of my readers do), you'll also recall that I struggled all the way through the first few months of Owen's life. I don't love saying that. But I am confident enough in myself today that I am able to say it. And this... In the beginning, I was not very happy with my new role as a mother. Yes, Owen was a difficult baby. But I believe now that I also may have struggled with some post-partum depression issues. Fortunately, all were resolved in time and on their own, and I have since grown to LOVE being a mother and genuinely enjoy my time with Owen! But at first, it was a very big struggle for me.
And so when we started planning for baby #2, I immediately began to worry and fret that I would go through many of those same struggles all over again. The question, "why am I doing this to myself again?" kept running through my mind. Over the past 36 weeks, I honestly haven't dwelled on it or worried about it much, but that nagging fear was always buried somewhere in the back of my mind.
And it's still there. Somewhere. Buried. But today, I feel that God has granted me a refreshing sense of calm and a peace of mind about this new baby. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I'm downright excited to do it all over again!
I'm honestly looking forward to going through the experience of labor and delivery. Some friends have told me I'm crazy. Why would I want to put myself through that pain and torture when I have an "easy out?" (It used to be said that "once a cesarean, always a cesarean," but modern medicine indicates that's just not so anymore...hence the VBAC. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, just look it up!)
Rather than worrying and feeling anxious about what might go wrong (which I was assured at my appointment yesterday is a very low risk anyway), I am instead filled with an overpowering sense of gratitude that I have this opportunity!
Having a c-section with Owen was devastating. Crushing. Very, very saddening. It was probably one contributing factor for my PPD, actually. And I've always felt like I missed out on a certain "right of passage" into motherhood. But more than that, I just felt like things were taken out of my control (which for this self-proclaimed control freak was tough). Ironically, I now have a greater sense that my life is never actually in my control (I have surrendered it all to the Lord), however, having the opportunity to physically work this baby out into the world (as opposed to the doctors doing all of "my" work for me) is so powerful. I just feel tremendously blessed that God put this baby in the proper vertex (head down) position. (Owen was in the footling breech position, therefore, the c-section.) And, although many hospitals won't even attempt VBACs (either due to staffing issues or the fear of being sued), I found myself with access to one that does and a team of midwives who are extremely supportive and encouraging about my chances.
Yes, gratitude. That is what I am feeling. Gratitude for this opportunity. Thanks to a God who is blessing me with another child...another opportunity. And I'm so excited for it!
I'm also feeling more comfortable about the challenges that lie ahead in life with a newborn baby and a busy toddler in tow. I'm not gonna lie... I'm also still anxious and worried about how well I'll handle that stress. But this feeling of being so, so, so blessed carries with it an uncharted attitude of "don't sweat it, just rejoice in it!"
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Friday, January 13, 2012
A Sweet Surprise
Well blow me over! I just called my doctor's office to find out the definitive results of the 1-hour glucose tolerance test that I took last week. The doc told me at that time that no news would be good news, but since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during my first pregnancy (you can re-read all about that fun experience here and here) — and there is very high likelihood that once diagnosed, it will reoccur in future pregnancies (rates vary from between 30-70%, although I was thinking it was even higher than that) — I was fully expecting to receive a call back that I had tested high and needed to come back in for the 3-hour test. But after a week went by and I hadn't heard anything, I decided to call them.
Low and behold — I tested well within the normal blood sugar range. Normal is anywhere between 65-139 and my results were 87! EIGHTY-SEVEN!!!!
Picture me doing a wild little happy dance right about now. I am SO shocked! And pleased!
I can take absolutely no credit for these "normal" results since, instead of keeping my sugar/carbohydrate intake on the straight-and-narrow in preparation for the test, I decided to go the other route and gobble up all the sweet treats that came my way in the past few weeks, knowing that I would surely miss them when I had to give them all up on account of my pending diet.
I have to say, I was always a little suspicious of the results of my previous glucose tolerance tests as I didn't fit the profile for the typical person with gestational diabetes. And now, I am even more confident that there may have been some kind of fluke in the tests the last time around.
Regardless, I will say that going on a special, restrictive diet for the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy (well, actually only about 8 weeks since Owen came early) was, in the long run, a very good thing for me. I effectively ENDED my weight gain at that point. I maxed out at a gain of only 20 pounds, which made it easier to shed those baby pounds after O was born. And, despite the doctors' concerns about him being a big baby (which is a common problem for babies born to moms with gestational diabetes), Owen was only 6 pounds, 4 ounces at birth. Granted, he was nearly two weeks early, but I also attribute his small size to my healthy diet. And since he was born via c-section, it didn't really matter all that much how big he was (within reason), but because I'm hoping to deliver this baby via VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), I would really appreciate another little tot.
So, all this to say that I am excited not to have to get the ol' glucose monitor out of storage in preparation for the 4x-per-day finger sticks. Or to have to follow a strict low carbohydrate diet. However, I really should take it easy on the sweets and think of this little blessing as a gentle reminder to keep myself (and baby girl) as healthy as possible.
In other news, we will be painting the new nursery TONIGHT! More details to come on that transformation. I have all kinds of ideas in my head, so it's exciting to start putting some of them into motion.
And, on the potty training front, we have taken a hiatus for the time being, due to Owen being diagnosed with a bacterial infection. I think it's called impetigo (though that was not specifically what the pediatrician called it) and it has nothing to do with potty training — other than the fact that his antibiotic may (and did) give him diarrhea. But dealing with that and getting our house completely disinfected the past two days has been about as much as I can handle; vigilantly watching for accidents on top of that might have just pushed me over the edge. Also, I was reading up on it a little bit and decided that, although he's definitely showing signs of readiness (and to some degree, a bit of progress, actually), I don't want to push anything. So, I will consider the past week a good introductory period for Owen, and will resume full-on "training" in another few weeks (or whenever the time feels right).
Low and behold — I tested well within the normal blood sugar range. Normal is anywhere between 65-139 and my results were 87! EIGHTY-SEVEN!!!!
Picture me doing a wild little happy dance right about now. I am SO shocked! And pleased!
I can take absolutely no credit for these "normal" results since, instead of keeping my sugar/carbohydrate intake on the straight-and-narrow in preparation for the test, I decided to go the other route and gobble up all the sweet treats that came my way in the past few weeks, knowing that I would surely miss them when I had to give them all up on account of my pending diet.
I have to say, I was always a little suspicious of the results of my previous glucose tolerance tests as I didn't fit the profile for the typical person with gestational diabetes. And now, I am even more confident that there may have been some kind of fluke in the tests the last time around.
Regardless, I will say that going on a special, restrictive diet for the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy (well, actually only about 8 weeks since Owen came early) was, in the long run, a very good thing for me. I effectively ENDED my weight gain at that point. I maxed out at a gain of only 20 pounds, which made it easier to shed those baby pounds after O was born. And, despite the doctors' concerns about him being a big baby (which is a common problem for babies born to moms with gestational diabetes), Owen was only 6 pounds, 4 ounces at birth. Granted, he was nearly two weeks early, but I also attribute his small size to my healthy diet. And since he was born via c-section, it didn't really matter all that much how big he was (within reason), but because I'm hoping to deliver this baby via VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), I would really appreciate another little tot.
So, all this to say that I am excited not to have to get the ol' glucose monitor out of storage in preparation for the 4x-per-day finger sticks. Or to have to follow a strict low carbohydrate diet. However, I really should take it easy on the sweets and think of this little blessing as a gentle reminder to keep myself (and baby girl) as healthy as possible.
In other news, we will be painting the new nursery TONIGHT! More details to come on that transformation. I have all kinds of ideas in my head, so it's exciting to start putting some of them into motion.
And, on the potty training front, we have taken a hiatus for the time being, due to Owen being diagnosed with a bacterial infection. I think it's called impetigo (though that was not specifically what the pediatrician called it) and it has nothing to do with potty training — other than the fact that his antibiotic may (and did) give him diarrhea. But dealing with that and getting our house completely disinfected the past two days has been about as much as I can handle; vigilantly watching for accidents on top of that might have just pushed me over the edge. Also, I was reading up on it a little bit and decided that, although he's definitely showing signs of readiness (and to some degree, a bit of progress, actually), I don't want to push anything. So, I will consider the past week a good introductory period for Owen, and will resume full-on "training" in another few weeks (or whenever the time feels right).
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Sweet little baby face
Let me just begin this post by saying that I am not a big fan of the 3D ultrasounds that are available to pregnant moms and dads nowadays. I don't mean to judge anyone that gets one (really, I don't!), but as far as I'm concerned, they seem extravagant and completely unnecessary. (To be fair, my opinion is primarily based on the fact that my insurance does not cover any part of a 3D ultrasound; in fact, they barely cover the regular, 2D kind, and I'm a total cheapskate.) So — extravagant and unnecessary, yes. And frankly, they always look a little freaky deaky to me anyway.
But today, during my repeat ultrasound (I had to have another one at 24-weeks to check up on a potential issue with the location of my placenta, but thankfully, that's all good), the tech all of a sudden threw an alternate image up on the screen, right next to the grainy one I was used to seeing by now. I asked her if that was 3D. She said it was and that because the baby was facing up at us, she thought she might be able to capture a cute shot of her face for me. Before I could object, she landed on this image and took a still photo for me.
And it probably looks freaky to all of you out there the way the rest of ya'll's babies look to me in 3D. Especially that strange growth that seems to be protruding from her forehead (which, I was assured is just the placenta and uterine wall that she was nestled up against.) But because this little face belongs to MY little girl, my heart melted a little bit when I saw it. It was like getting an actual little glimpse of this new person living inside my womb...one that looks MUCH more human and realistic than the traditional 2D ultrasounds.
I think she looks an awful lot like her big brother. I know she is absolutely beautiful. I already love her so much. And I can't wait to meet her!
But today, during my repeat ultrasound (I had to have another one at 24-weeks to check up on a potential issue with the location of my placenta, but thankfully, that's all good), the tech all of a sudden threw an alternate image up on the screen, right next to the grainy one I was used to seeing by now. I asked her if that was 3D. She said it was and that because the baby was facing up at us, she thought she might be able to capture a cute shot of her face for me. Before I could object, she landed on this image and took a still photo for me.
And it probably looks freaky to all of you out there the way the rest of ya'll's babies look to me in 3D. Especially that strange growth that seems to be protruding from her forehead (which, I was assured is just the placenta and uterine wall that she was nestled up against.) But because this little face belongs to MY little girl, my heart melted a little bit when I saw it. It was like getting an actual little glimpse of this new person living inside my womb...one that looks MUCH more human and realistic than the traditional 2D ultrasounds.
I think she looks an awful lot like her big brother. I know she is absolutely beautiful. I already love her so much. And I can't wait to meet her!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Brain dump
I think one of the big reasons why I have gone so long between posts (besides the crippling fatigue of the first trimester of this pregnancy) is because I don't feel like I have any "big" news to share. But there are always things going on around here — things of varying degree of "interestingness" (a word I just made up — you're welcome), especially depending on your relationship to me and my family. But since I have a moment this afternoon, I thought I'd jot a few things down.
And so, I present to you, a random sampling of my memories from the past few days, weeks, etc.
(These really are random. Sorry about that.)
Yesterday at the park, Owen came over to show me an acorn he had found on the ground, but he accidentally dropped it before he made it to me. I told him to look right behind him on the ground where he dropped it. He looked for a little bit (although it seemed he looked everywhere but the spot where he actually dropped it) and eventually picked up something else and brought it to me. I was horrified to see a petrified (thankfully) piece of animal poop in his palm and immediately smacked it away. A chorus of "Eww, dog poop!" accompanied us on the immediate stroller ride home. That'll teach me to carry hand sanitizer in the stroller at ALL times from now on.
I've started jotting down some of the funny things that Owen says, as I know I will forget most of them much too soon. He really says all kinds of things now — some funny and butchered, others perfectly pronounced — and I haven't been very good at writing them all down. But here's one I like a lot. Ryan recently returned from a business trip to New York City and brought Owen back a little, yellow, toy taxi car, which he looooves. He calls it his "New Yor City tapseap." I LOVE how "New York City" comes out nearly perfect, but "taxi" is the part that gets slaughtered.
Last night during his bedtime prayers, I asked him what food he was thankful for and his answer was, not surprisingly, "ice cream." (We had just snacked on ice cream earlier that evening.) I also asked him what drink he was thankful for and, not nearly as expected, he replied with "coffee." Hmmm. I had to chuckle!
He also recites both the "God is great..." and "Come, Lord Jesus..." prayers quite well before each meal. I'm constantly amazed at how much he is capable of absorbing — his brain is such a sponge!
I bought him a DVD from the $5 bin at Wal-Mart that has a bunch of classic Christmas songs from classic children's Christmas movies. (Think, those claymation versions of Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, etc.) The very last song on the disc is "The Little Drummer Boy" from a similarly cheesy claymation movie I've never seen. The first time we watched it, I took some time to describe for him who the characters were in that particular song — Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and of course, Baby Jesus. Well, after that song ended, the DVD was over. And, because he wanted to see more, Owen started screaming/chanting, "Baby Jesus! Baby Jesus! Baby Jesus!" Too, too, TOO darn funny and cute! Now, he refers to the entire DVD as "Baby Jesus," and we watch it pretty much every single morning (and some evenings, too).
For Halloween (see, I told you this post was random), we borrowed a bunch of costumes from friends because we really had no clue what to dress Owen up as. That, and we're cheap. Here are a couple that I managed to get him to try on...
Buzz Lightyear
Police Officer
And so, I present to you, a random sampling of my memories from the past few days, weeks, etc.
(These really are random. Sorry about that.)
Yesterday at the park, Owen came over to show me an acorn he had found on the ground, but he accidentally dropped it before he made it to me. I told him to look right behind him on the ground where he dropped it. He looked for a little bit (although it seemed he looked everywhere but the spot where he actually dropped it) and eventually picked up something else and brought it to me. I was horrified to see a petrified (thankfully) piece of animal poop in his palm and immediately smacked it away. A chorus of "Eww, dog poop!" accompanied us on the immediate stroller ride home. That'll teach me to carry hand sanitizer in the stroller at ALL times from now on.
I've started jotting down some of the funny things that Owen says, as I know I will forget most of them much too soon. He really says all kinds of things now — some funny and butchered, others perfectly pronounced — and I haven't been very good at writing them all down. But here's one I like a lot. Ryan recently returned from a business trip to New York City and brought Owen back a little, yellow, toy taxi car, which he looooves. He calls it his "New Yor City tapseap." I LOVE how "New York City" comes out nearly perfect, but "taxi" is the part that gets slaughtered.
Last night during his bedtime prayers, I asked him what food he was thankful for and his answer was, not surprisingly, "ice cream." (We had just snacked on ice cream earlier that evening.) I also asked him what drink he was thankful for and, not nearly as expected, he replied with "coffee." Hmmm. I had to chuckle!
He also recites both the "God is great..." and "Come, Lord Jesus..." prayers quite well before each meal. I'm constantly amazed at how much he is capable of absorbing — his brain is such a sponge!
I bought him a DVD from the $5 bin at Wal-Mart that has a bunch of classic Christmas songs from classic children's Christmas movies. (Think, those claymation versions of Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, etc.) The very last song on the disc is "The Little Drummer Boy" from a similarly cheesy claymation movie I've never seen. The first time we watched it, I took some time to describe for him who the characters were in that particular song — Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and of course, Baby Jesus. Well, after that song ended, the DVD was over. And, because he wanted to see more, Owen started screaming/chanting, "Baby Jesus! Baby Jesus! Baby Jesus!" Too, too, TOO darn funny and cute! Now, he refers to the entire DVD as "Baby Jesus," and we watch it pretty much every single morning (and some evenings, too).
For Halloween (see, I told you this post was random), we borrowed a bunch of costumes from friends because we really had no clue what to dress Owen up as. That, and we're cheap. Here are a couple that I managed to get him to try on...
Buzz Lightyear
Police Officer
But the winner was this adorable monkey. So cute!
As for how I'm doing (which I get asked all the time), I feel great. I have finally started to feel some movement from the baby, though it's still just that faint, fluttery stuff right now. I've also had some unpleasant hip pain that I don't remember having this early with Owen. I'm not sure if it's just my hips widening to make room for the baby or if I actually maybe injured myself. (I first started noticing it immediately after walking in a 5K race several weeks ago.) It's not a constant pain, but man, when I try to get up from certain positions, I feel about 85 years old!
I have broken out some of my maternity wardrobe, though most of it is really still too big for me. I'm in that awkward stage where my regular jeans are WAY too tight to wear comfortably, but my maternity pants seem to fall off of me with every step I take. So, I spend most days in sweat pants or yoga pants, which, really, is just fine with me. It's so different this time around not spending my days in an office cubicle, surrounded by co-workers. I'm enjoying being able to just lounge around in comfies!
Well, that's about all I've got for now. I hope you enjoyed the spewing of my brain on this fine fall afternoon. I have a feeling this might be how my posts are constructed for a while. You're welcome.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Big news!
I'm not exactly sure why I've waited as long as I have to make this announcement on my blog, but here goes...Owen is going to be a big brother! Ryan and I are expecting baby #2 in April 2012 (April 24, to be exact.)
Maybe I put it off because most of the people that follow me on this blog already know this news. Or maybe it's because the excitement of a second baby is (regretably) less enthusiastic than with the first. Or maybe I'm just lazy. Most likely, it's some combination of the above.
But I am really excited! We've been "trying" for a while now, so it's definitely a blessing. Officially, I'm 16 weeks along and feeling great. (Gotta love that 2nd trimester!) The first was pretty good, too, though I'm glad to bid farewell to that overwhelming feeling of fatigue. I also had a little more nausea than I recall with Owen, but never anything too severe. (I never actually got sick, that is.)
I'm not sure yet how I will document my growing baby bump this time around, but I probably won't be as diligent as I was the last time, taking a picture every week. I did go back to my posts from February 2009 just this morning to compare how big I've already gotten to where I was back then and I'd say my progress is pretty similar so far.
Looking ahead...I'm excited to start feeling movement (hopefully any day now). We're planning to find out the baby's gender this time (so exciting!!!), but more on that in a few weeks. I am also planning to try to deliver via VBAC this time around. (Look it up if you don't know what that is — I can't bring myself to type what it stands for.) And I'm immensely anxious about introducing a new baby into our current lives with a very active (and very dependent) toddler. But, on the other hand, I just can't wait!
(Oh yeah, and I designed the decal on Owen's t-shirt in the photo above. Cute, eh?)
He calls it his "bird shirt" and he hates putting it on. Is that a bad sign?
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