9 Weeks

Here we are at nine weeks. They say every pregnancy is different, and I have found that to be true. Well, mostly true.

Similar to 1 and 2, I have not had any morning sickness. The previous pregnancies, I have had a constant feeling of "gagginess" that required me to snack all day long. I can't really describe how I feel this time around. The gag feeling comes and goes. For example, when I started cooking dinner tonight, it made me feel gross just to smell it. This happened to me last week, as well. That time, I only picked at my dinner, but was able to eat it the next day with no problems. I am rarely hungry and get full faster than normal...and yet, I have had more snacks throughout the day. That might account for the (ahem) six pounds of weight gain...hm....

And completely UNRELATED, there is no hope of me fitting into my normal clothes. I had stashed away a couple of pairs of jeans that were a size or two larger, and those are serving me for now. But, it turns out that one of those jeans has paint on it (funny how you forget those things when it's stored away for two years), so I ended up pulling out a couple of honest-to-goodness maternity pants to make up for it. So there you go. Nine weeks in, and I've already made the plunge into maternity-wear.

Let's see, with Caleb, I made it to 16 weeks before switching. And with James, I made it 19.5 weeks! What does that say about this baby?? Granted, I haven't fully delved into it, but I'm pretty sure once everyone knows I'm pregnant, I'll be pulling out the ol' panel-topped shorts and the empire waist shirts.

As far as other pregnancy symptoms, the huge one for me this time around is FATIGUE. I remember being tired--as in, hit-by-a-Mack-truck tired--but I am TIRED. By the time the boys are in bed, it's all I can do to get myself to bed. Forget dishes, work, laundry, or even just hanging out with my hubby. Tired. I'm ready for this to go away.

Tomorrow we go for another sonogram with our favorite sonographer, Kathy. We are going to take Caleb and James with us, and that is when we will tell them. I'm super-excited about Caleb knowing. I wonder if he will laugh or cry...or if he'll understand at all when he sees the sonogram?

And of course, once Caleb knows, everyone will know! I hope that he will be excited to tell everyone, so we can tell brothers and grandparents. My Mawmaw got it out of me today, but everyone else will find out tomorrow, probably through a few Skype/Facetime dates.

That's it for now!

36 Weeks: Dr. Appt. and more!

Whew, these appointments are coming so close it's hard to keep up with them! Let's see if I can get you the highlights:


The stats:
Weight gain: 2.5 lbs
BP: 110/80
Baby's Heart Rate: "Just perfect"
Uterus: 34 cm

The uterus had measured in at 36 cm last week (so Dr. W tells me; I didn't get the measurement last week), which means the baby has dropped 2 cm! Hooray! I could tell something had changed based on my frequent trips to the bathroom, and sure enough, James is settled right on top of my bladder. His head is pretty set in the pelvis, so that's good! Hopefully he will stay there! Dr. W is estimating that he'll be about the same size as Caleb at birth, so around 7 lbs or so.

Questions we discussed:

• Further clarification on the "natural methods of induction." It turns out that these methods (mentioned in a previous post) will start contractions, but will most likely not start labor. The contractions will serve to start the effacement/dilation process, something that didn't happen 'til late in the game last time. So when labor does begin, we'd be ready!
• Birthing positions: It's common knowledge by now that trying to birth a baby flat on your back is not ideal. However, it's still pretty common practice. So when I asked Dr. W about different birthing positions, I was happy when she responded, "I'll use any position BUT flat on the back." She suggested a squatting position or even on all fours (I've read about it, but still not sure how that works). Something to note, though, is that an epidural effectively takes away the use of your legs, which means that an on-your-back position is almost required.
• Video and photography is allowed throughout the entire process...if I really want it....
• I found out that Dr. W will be attending the birth whether she's the doctor on call or not. This gave me a good bit of relief because I think she will be a big help, and by her admission, the other doctors in the group will probably only show up to catch the baby. She, on the other hand, will come around every 2 hours or so, day or night. She said the only time she won't come in is at the really tough part right before it's time to push (called the "transition phase"). While it seems a little odd, the reasoning is that at that moment, I will be begging her to do whatever she can to get. that. baby. out. Because I know she can. But if she's not hanging around (though she assures us she'll be close by at the nurse's station), I'm likely to be more patient and make it through that stage on my own. Interesting bit of psychology, eh?
• Dr. W said that the nurses are very open to natural deliveries and will be just as willing--if the time comes--to act quickly for an epidural or whatever is needed.

All in all I thought it was an exciting visit. Not only does James seem like he's getting ready to go, I'm looking forward to working with Dr. W...and getting to hold our tiny baby in just four short weeks!

On from there, Jon and I headed to the hospital to pre-register and get a little tour of the Women's Center. The pre-registration was long, boring and expensive. Nothing to report. I was thankful my mom was in town and keeping Caleb at home!

The labor and delivery room is huge! When Dr. W told us we could have as many people in there as we wanted, I think it's actually true! We could fit a tight 30 people in there, I'm sure.

I asked about food and the nurse said, "You mean for him (Jon)? Because you're only allowed ice chips." I left that alone. Dr. W had said, "I'll deal with the nurses" regarding that issue, so I'll let her deal with it. The nurse said they provide a birthing ball, but they only have 2, and both were in use while we were there, so if we really wanted one, to bring our own. Good to know, because I LOVED having mine last time.

And then I confirmed that I could carry James out in my arms, which I can. Some hospitals require the baby to be strapped into a baby carrier, which we're not planning on having. And that was the basic hospital visit.

Overall I'm still feeling good. I have slight swelling in my ankles if I've been on my feet all day, but it goes down with rest. Yesterday we went to an indoor/outdoor museum that wore me out. I've definitely slowed down, but I don't feel bad. I'm sleeping much worse lately (Jon says I'm snoring up a storm, which I did with the first pregnancy, as well!). I've been waking up every couple of hours with my mind buzzing about baby stuff, then I go to sleep and dream about baby stuff. I don't feel any less comfortable than I have in the last few weeks, so I think the change in my sleep patterns is more psychological than physiological. However, I might try the couch tonight and see if that helps anything. At least it'll help Jon get a better night's sleep!

Potty Training: Day 5

Well aren't you just so excited that I've posted a blog every day this week? And aren't you just so lucky that it's all about poo? You really should count your blessings.

The big news today is that Caleb made it through his naptime without wetting the bed. When he woke up and I got in there, he was looking pretty uncomfortable, and only took enough time to get his cup of milk before heading to the potty. Success!

I've also confirmed that apple juice is brutal on mamas. Man, it just goes right through my son. The same amount of milk or water takes much longer to reappear, but apple juice is out in minutes. And then again a few minutes later. And then a few minutes later. I can catch it the first time, but then I'm thrown off by the second. And I'm still cleaning up that mess when Caleb's working on another. Sheesh. Juice. Whoever thought to give it to kids.

So other than that, and then one accident when we were playing outside (he was being obstinate and didn't want to sit on the potty), we did very well today. Tonight we had a youth function, so Caleb was in a diaper. I noticed he still gave off signs that he needed to go potty, but I couldn't really do anything about it, so we had to leave it at that.

And that's the basic report.

In other news (because yes, other things have happened besides potty training), Caleb is officially 18 months old, and I'm officially 25 weeks along with Newbie2. Caleb is an absolute joy. I love being around him, experiencing his sense of humor, watching his sensitivity, and playing with him. On the pregnancy front, fatigue hit me like a Mack truck today, reminiscent of the first trimester. It really hadn't hit me until the last couple of days that I'm 6 months pregnant. No wonder I groan getting up and down off the floor with Caleb! No wonder I get tired of pulling Caleb in and out of the carseat, up and down from the changing table, on and off the potty. So, I'm trying to take it a little easier...mainly by allowing Jon to do all the heavy lifting, starting the minute he gets home from work. The poor guy never gets a break, but I'm so thankful for him.

More to come!

21 Weeks

At 21 weeks, Jon can now feel Newbie2 kicking! That's about the same time he felt Caleb, too. I always like the time when Jon feels the baby, because for the most part pregnancy is very one-sided, and this gives Jon a chance to be a part of it. He's certainly a part of it in other ways--dealing with my moods, tolerating my extra naps and extra helpings of food--but this is something he experiences with our baby.

By this time in our first pregnancy, we were able to call our little guy by his name, Caleb. However, we are not quite so on top of things this time. The name discussion has kind of been tabled for awhile. Neither of us feels a huge rush, and we don't have strong preferences for the names on our list. I don't feel bad about that, but I did really like having a name for Caleb. It helped me picture him better.

So Newbie2 our son shall remain, for a little while longer at least. He's 10.5 inches long now. My uterus has grown to above my belly button! I can't believe he's already so big, and that I'm halfway through the pregnancy.

Other things to note: I have very sharp pain in my tailbone when I'm sitting on hard chairs, just like I did with Caleb. Thankfully all the chairs at church are soft, except for the youth chairs, which I think were chosen more for the cool factor than the comfort factor. Not expecting any pregnant people in the youth group, I guess. I've also found it harder to stand up from sitting, and I'm starting to move like a pregnant person (hands on back or reaching for extra support), though I don't feel like I should be at that point, yet! Heartburn has also hit me. I'm not sure when that happened with Caleb, but it seemed to be later on. It hasn't been really bad, and I keep forgetting to buy Tums at the store. Maybe tomorrow.

Caleb hasn't seemed to notice my belly (any more than he noticed my belly before, because he really loves bellies). Jon thinks my belly is cool and always compliments me, which is why I love him.

My sister-in-law just had my second nephew on Monday. The whole day I had an icky, nervous feeling. Not just because I was worried about Karen, but because it made my own impending labor/delivery very real. But when I got to see pictures of baby Seth, it made my own little Newbie2 very real as well. I can't wait to hold him, to see Caleb grow into a big brother, and to adjust to being a bit larger family.

16 Weeks: Kicks and Gender

Little Newbie2 is 16 weeks old! Well, gestationally speaking.

The biggest excitement of this week is that I felt the little guy kick for the first time! I kept waiting for the butterfly tap-tapping feeling, but felt more of a rolling instead, so I wasn't sure if I was feeling baby or not. Then, last Thursday, *thump!* a sound little kick! Hey, little guy! I've felt him a few times since then as well.

Speaking of "him," we're pretty sure we're having a boy. I know, I know, where's the drama and the polls and the guessing, right? Well, we had a sonogram at 14 weeks (yes, I've had this information for over 2 weeks), and we're pretty darn sure we've got a little boy in there. We'll have another sonogram on Wednesday and hopefully we'll confirm that.

A boy! On the way to the sonogram appointment, I had a fleeting thought, "I've been wanting a boy, but if I had a girl, it sure would be fun to get all that attention!" I know, so motherly, right? Well, I have to admit a very slight bit of disappointment that we would not be swimming in brand new pink fluffy things and reveling in the joy of bringing the first girl grandchild on either side of the family. But I felt a huge sense of relief about trying to figure out sleeping arrangements, and I'd say Newbie2, as the fourth boy in the family, is pretty well set in the way of clothes and toys. So exciting.

Of course, that brings up the naming issue. We have a girl name all picked out; we decided it when we decided on Caleb--back before we were even married! But a boy name? Nothin'. Nada. Clean slate. Since we didn't have to deal with the name game when we were pregnant with Caleb, this is new territory for us. I think we've made pretty good headway as far as narrowing things down. Jon wants a name with a good story. I like "Jack" but it doesn't come with a good story, other than it's the name of a great uncle I never met. "Jackson" on the other hand, might qualify, as he was the greatest general of the Civil War, according to my husband (whom I will never question in regards to Civil War facts). We used to laugh about naming our son "Jackson Lee." Talk about a story to tell!

To back up a few paragraphs, you might be wondering about our insurance situation and why I'm having frequent sonograms. First, the sonograms: a friend of ours at our church volunteers once every two weeks at the pregnancy crisis center here. Since she is such an infrequent volunteer, she doesn't get much of a chance to do sonograms. She wants to stay in practice--staying familiar with how to measure head circumference, calculate age, and take other measurements that are routine in a sonogram. So, she offers free sonograms to anyone pregnant in the church. We've been able to get sonograms every two weeks starting at 10 weeks. She'll stop doing them around 20 weeks, because at that point the baby is too large for her to take the measurements she would normally take for a new pregnancy. Best of all, we've been able to record every sonogram! It's been so neat to see how much Newbie2 has grown each time we go in, and to see him stretch and wiggle...and even scratch his heinie once. Yes, eventually that will make it up on the blog.

It's been such a blessing, since we have not been able to see a doctor since we've moved here. Every two weeks we check in on our little guy, see his heartbeat and how much he's grown, and we know that things are okay.

On the insurance front, we have good news! The company we'd applied with (that denied us) has an alternate plan that will work well for us. We're approved for it, and it won't be any extra cost to us. It's like we'll all be on individual plans, so the premium will go up when Newbie2 arrives, but for now we'd be paying about the same. Jon's appeal to the denial is still under consideration, so there's still a chance that we could be approved for the family plan. Either way, we have insurance! Praise God! I'd been researching midwives and bracing myself for doing this thing the old-fashioned way. I'm not particularly opposed to a home birth, but it seems like the kind of thing I need to be gung ho about for more reasons than just financial.

And how am I doing at 16 weeks? Based on my calculations, I've gained 11.5 pounds, though that seems to fluctuate some. Looking back at my progress with Caleb at 16 weeks, I'd gained 5 pounds by this point in my pregnancy. With that pregnancy, I started out about 15 pounds heavier, so I'm not sure if that factors in or not. I'd also just switched all my normal clothes for maternity at this point, whereas I'm not quite to that point this time around. I've got a couple pairs of maternity pants that I've been rotating, but the others are too big, and maternity shirts are still out of the question. Maybe in the next week or two. It'll be fun to pull out all those clothes again and see if Karen has added anything...though she's still in some of them, too! I can't believe that the two of us are sharing our stash of maternity clothes, and I've still got a huge Rubbermaid bin full! We are blessed.

Our family is blessed! I am continuously grateful for the Lord's provision in our lives!

Week 8

Today as I curled up into bed for a much-needed nap, I struggled to get comfortable--stretching out makes my stomach feel icky, curling up too tight doesn't feel great, either--and I thought, "Week six is sick. Oh wait. I'm at week eight. Well, week eight ain't great. Hm...I think I've heard that before...."

Until now it's been hard to tell I'm pregnant. I'm still not showing, no real weight gain, and only a slight bit of gagginess. But this week has been harder. My stomach has hurt more, foods have seemed less appealing to me (though I've been more hungry), and the fatigue I've felt for several weeks has not let up. Add in a fussy, teething son and a husband trying to get his bearings at a new job and it's made for a hard week. Oh, yeah, and being pregnant makes me crabby. Bah humbug.

But, apart from that, I'd say this pregnancy is going well. I kind of expected to be showing a little by this time, but not yet! I have gained 2.5 pounds, but I'm thinking that might be more attributed to moving to a new town and going out to eat, going to potlucks, receiving food from friends, etc. There's a lot of eating that goes on around here!

We've decided on an insurance plan finally! We thought we were going to have to go with a plan that required we pay 20% of all costs. No copays, instead we pay 20% of each dr. visit, 20% of each sonogram, 20% of the hospital bills, anesthesiologist, any NICU drs who might need to be present at the birth (as they were with Caleb). Yeah, we saw all those bills that Caleb accrued. Twenty percent is not just ugly; it's impossible!

Last week we found a company who would accept my pre-existing pregnancy. The policy is a little more expensive, but not as much as we'd have to pay in bills with the first policy. So I think we've made a good decision. Now I'm just hoping we get approved quickly so we can find a doctor here. I don't think I need to go to another appointment for at least two weeks, so there's time. If all else fails, there's a nurse at our church who does sonograms, and we might ask her if we could at least get a sonogram and check the basics out. Make sure Newbie2 is still happy in his little floaty world!

This week the little guy has fingers and toes and is about the size of a kidney bean. And we love him!

Forty Weeks!

Well, I've got quite a bit to update this week. First things first: no baby yet!

Let's see...after Monday's appointment and prescription for bed rest, I spent Tuesday frantically getting last-minute things together for work. I packed up my laptop and Jon shipped it off for me that evening. Let me tell you, I smiled as I erased my marker board of "to dos before baby." I put away all my work papers that cluttered my desk, and I could feel my blood pressure lower as I said goodbye to work for the next 6 weeks (at least). Jon asked me if I was sad to say goodbye, and I said, "Nope! I'm so relieved to be done!" And at this point, as far as we know, I'm going back to work after my maternity leave, so it's not like I'm saying goodbye for forever.

On Wednesday...well, let's just say I stink at bed rest! I was on the couch or the computer, I did a little bit of laundry (really, I just switched out one load), and generally realized by the end of the day that I was worrying Jon more than helping by not wanting to appear helpless. It turns out that the everyone but me is a champion bed rester around here.
Well, Jon was taking a much-deserved break from studying, but the cats...champion bed resters!

Thursday, KarenN was gracious enough to drive down to come to the dr. appointment with me, since Jon had to work. I was so glad she came! My blood pressure was still high, but not as high as it had been, and considering my one day of attempted bed rest, I figured that was okay. Then I went in to get my sonogram, and that took quite awhile. The sonographer was trying to determine if Caleb has a cleft lip or cleft palate, or if everything is fine. The problem was that Caleb has his nose pretty firmly smooshed into the placenta, so it looks asymmetrical, but we can't be definitive on whether that's the smoosh or a cleft. There was one shot that she took that seemed pretty good, that nothing was wrong. But then there were 5 more shots that indicated there might be a small cleft palate issue. So, at the end of the sonogram still had nothing definitive. However, if there is a cleft, it's probably minor. And we can't do anything about it until Caleb's born, anyway, so no reason to worry about it! But I will say I'll be checking his mouth before I count his toes!

After the dr. appointment, Karen and I ate lunch, then she made my Amish Friendship Bread for me, since I was supposed to be on bedrest. And flowers were delivered to my door!

It turns out Caleb already has a connection with his Grandma! After Karen left, I really did rest, and took a nice long nap. So I did much better!

Friday morning, Jon and I went to a chiropractor, which was a new experience for both of us. We went because I was concerned that now that I have high blood pressure, there would be more likelihood that the dr. would induce, and since Caleb has shown no signs of progression, the only way out for him is by C-section (induction would be fruitless). I asked a friend to check with her midwife about what to do, and her midwife suggested I check with a chiropractor to see if perhaps I was unaligned, not allowing the baby to drop as he should. Well, it just so happens that Holly has been going to a chiropractor recently, and not only had good success with it, but also had a voucher for half off! So I made an appointment, and off we went on Friday morning. The chiropractor could be a blog in and of itself, but in the end the dr. said my tailbone was pretty unaligned, and he got it back to about 98% correct (my legs had been different lengths by an inch, and after the adjustment they were back to normal!). So, though he didn't guarantee it would help the baby drop, he did say it might make a difference since I'd been so unaligned. I go back on Monday for a second adjustment, and I think it will be our last.

After our appointment, Leanna came to hang out for the day. Hooray! She made cake! With all these people coming over and making things for us, this is pretty great! We watched movies and did our best to stay rested. :) She also tried the acupressure points to start labor. Nothing happened, but we did it anyway.

This morning, I slept 'til 11:00!! I couldn't believe it! But then my stomach was upset and I was nauseated...which I hate, but is a sign that labor could be coming! So we got in gear and I folded laundry and Jon ran to Wal-Mart for some final things. Then he worked on his paper and I worked on photography...and nothing happened. After that bit in the morning, I felt better today than I have in a week, really! Which could also be a sign of impending labor...usually it comes out as energy for nesting, but maybe mine was redirected to photography because it needed to be done. We went for a small walk, just a couple times around the block, because I thought that when I started to walk around the house, I'd feel a little cramping, so maybe a walk would kick things in gear. But we didn't try too hard because really, the baby is coming soon, so no need to rush things! And nothing happened.

All in all, yesterday I felt there was no way this baby was coming until Thanksgiving, but today I feel like it could happen tonight. So maybe the chiropractor and the acupressure is actually working, or maybe it's just time...or maybe he won't be here 'til Thanksgiving! It's exciting however it happens!

BabyCenter estimates Caleb to be 7.5 pounds and 20 inches long...we shall see soon!

Dr. Appointment

Today Jon and I got to meet Dr. P. She's very nice...a little awkward, but still informative and patient. She answered all our questions and took her time, which was good.

The appointment started out with the regular checks, so here they are:
Weight: Gained 0 lbs. Staying steady with a total of 26lbs!
Uterus: 33cms
Blood pressure: 137/93
Caleb's heart rate: 133bpm

Were you paying attention? Have you been learning from my oh-so-informative baby blog? If so, you would have noticed that once again, my blood pressure is high. Once again, I was left to lay on my side for 20 minutes or so, but this time, it didn't have the same effect. My blood pressure did go down, but only to 120/90. 120 is fine, but 90 is not. And since this is the second week in a row, the doctor has officially put me on bedrest.

First, we had another sonogram to make sure Caleb was doing okay. The sonographer had to look for heart rate, breathing, a certain number of body movements, and amniotic fluid. All of those were fine, though Caleb wasn't too cooperative with moving. I promised her he'd had the hiccups and had been rolling around just before the appointment (and is as I write this, as a matter of fact), but she had to witness it. We finally caught his foot twitch a little, his hand move, and we could see his lips moving as if he were sucking on a paci. It was pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

So Caleb passed, and we went back to the room to wait. I'd like to mention here that I was not wearing pants at this point, but the thin blue sheet they give me at the beginning of each appointment. So yes, I was waltzing down the hallway wrapped in a sheet. I think OBGYNs live to humiliate women, but that's just my opinion. :)

Back in the room, Dr. P discussed the sonogram and said it looked good and Caleb seemed to be doing fine. She said the sonographer did have some concern about the formation of Caleb's palate, that it might have a bit of a cleft to it, but from the images, it looked like his nose was just jabberwocky because it was smooshed against the placenta. However, to make sure, we're getting another sonogram next time, and probably in 4D! The dr. was really not concerned, so we won't be either. But good grief, isn't it amazing the random things that come up!

Dr. P talked about the high blood pressure a little more. Basically, the only "cure" for it is to have the baby, but our baby is clearly still not ready to come out (that's right, still no dilation or effacement). Because of that, any medical induction methods we could try would not work. So that's why we have to do our best to keep the blood pressure low to wait for Caleb to get ready to come. If the BP gets a lot higher with still no signs of progression from Caleb, I'll have to have a C-section. However, this doctor, like Dr. K, said that anything could happen, so we'll just wait and see.

I have to go in on Thursday for my blood pressure check and sonogram, and I think I'll be going in twice a week for BP checks until Caleb comes. Dr P felt the same as Dr. K, that we probably wouldn't be seeing this baby until the week of Thanksgiving.

So bed rest for me! I'm going to do enough work tomorrow to pass off the things I've been working on, and then I'm done! As you know, work has been quite stressful lately, so while I'm not happy that it's apparently affected my pregnancy, I will be glad to say goodbye to it a little earlier than expected, and get a chance to be rested and relaxed before Caleb comes.

Thirty-Nine Weeks

Well I knew this day would come. One day it would have to. But I thought it might be more gradual. I didn't expect it to be so sudden.

I'm ready for this baby to be born!

One day I'm bee-bopping around, getting things done, moving a little awkwardly, but still pretty normally. Then the next day...bam! Every movement is slow, it hurts to roll over, it hurts to sit at my computer, I can't make it to the phone in less than three rings, and I'm worn out!

I feel like I dream all night long. I dream about nursing, about labor, about money, about my job. When the alarm goes off I'm grateful for the break! Last night I tried to clear my mind before bed with a bath. I thought it worked until my head hit the pillow, which triggered "Bekah suggested I bring lots of pillows to the hospital...I wonder if two is lots, or do I need four?"* And so it went for the rest of the night.

However, one thing I did NOT think about was the holidays! Thankfully, my mom and the rest of the family are planning those events, and this little newbie family just has to show up! So that's a nice relief. Maybe if I spent a good effort tonight packing my hospital bag, I would quit dreaming about that, too.

*Regarding pillows at the hospital, the hospital pillows are notoriously horrible, so every class we've been to has suggested we bring our own pillows, in colored pillowcases to differentiate them from the white hospital pillows. Because Jon will be sleeping on a pull-out couch not meant for a 6'4" guy, my friend Bekah suggested I bring more pillows to accommodate. However, a guy in our Lamaze class said that there's a chair in the room that's the same height as the couch, so that can be used to extend the length a little.

So these are the thoughts of a 39-week prego. Despite the things I haven't done, yet, I'm still ready. I'm ready to be done with work, I'm ready to focus on one thing for a bit, and I'm ready to meet our son! Do you think he'll be a laid back little boy? Will he be fussy? Do you think he'll come out red and hairy like Esau? Do you think he'll be an animal lover? That Bonnie and Clyde will love our baby? Do you think Caleb will love the stars? Keep his nose in a book? Fight imaginary dragons? Take up photography or the study of military history like his parents? I'm excited to find these things out, and in all of it, I pray that Caleb will love the Lord and follow after Him courageously through his life.

So how is Caleb this week? BabyCenter says he's about 20 inches long and a little over 7 lbs. Based on Monday's sonogram, I'd say that was pretty close. He still wiggles around and stretches his legs. Occasionally he gets the hiccups, but not that often any more. He still seems pretty content to stay where he is, and I suppose for the most part I'm okay with that! I have plenty to keep me busy at work and with photography, and though I've complained about work quite a bit lately, it's certainly been a good distraction for these final weeks!

Dr. Appointment

Another week, another appointment!

Today's was more eventful than most, though, so more to report. Woohoo!

First, we had a sonogram to check on Caleb's growth. He's growing just fine, but slower than the average baby. In the past two weeks, and average baby would have grown 1 pound (8 ounces a week), but Caleb has only grown 11 ounces. They're estimating he's 6lbs 14oz right now. His amniotic fluid is very good (they don't want it to get too low), and the placenta is also in very good shape (did you know the placenta actually gets old and starts to break down? that's one reason doctors don't like overdue babies.). So overall, nothing to worry about at all. Again, he's still kicking and rocking, which is a very good indicator.

One funny note is that the sonographer noted that yep, we were still having a boy. She said that last time, but Jon missed seeing it before she moved on to something else. So this time I said, "Wait, make sure Jon gets a chance to see!" I was just joking mostly, but not only did she hold that spot for awhile, she zoomed in and printed a picture! So now we have a nice pic of our little boy. And no, I think I'll keep that one off the blog.

After the sono, it was back to the waiting room for us. A nurse friend of mine had suggested we go visit the nurses in Labor & Delivery. The doctor's office is in the hospital, just down the hall from L/D, so Jon and I decided to use our wait time to do just that. I felt a little funny walking in there, but I'm so glad we went. As we walked up, a nurse immediately asked if she could help us. I realize now that a pregnant lady walking into L/D is usually a sign that they're about to check in a new patient, but at the time I thought it was great service! Anyway, we ended up talking with her for a bit.

We had our birth plan with us (to go over with Dr. K), so she asked to see it and we went over it with her. She seemed very open to most of our requests, with a few flags being a hep lock (where they put in an IV port in case it's needed, but don't actually hook an IV up), food consumption, and nipple stimulation. She said a hep lock can sometimes close up, so she'd recommend the full IV, and food was okay if I'd had a natural delivery before and knew I could do it, but otherwise, in case I got an epidural, she wouldn't allow it. Nipple stimulation is a natural way to speed up labor (and avoid pitocin), and I really wouldn't mention it except for our conversation with Dr. K later (keep reading). The nurse said it was fine, as long as we let the nurses know first. She was also very firm about only two people being there at the delivery. We'll see if we can warm her up on that one with some homemade bread or something. :)

She said the shift changes every twelve hours at 7 o'clock (handy to know so we don't show up right at shift change), and there are lots of different nurses on rotation, so we'll likely see all different people than the ladies we saw there this afternoon. She gave us the phone number to the nurse's station and suggested we give them a call when we're on the way, so they can keep a nurse on that might have gone home because it was a slow day or something. So that was neat. All in all, she seemed very nice and accomodating, and I hope the other nurses are similar.

Back to the waiting room.....

Finally our name is called, and here are the stats:
Weight: Gained 1lb. Total of 26lbs.
Uterus: 35cms
Blood pressure: 131/93
Caleb's heart rate: 133bpm

If you're paying attention, you'll notice that my blood pressure is high! For the first time, I failed! Well, the nurse had me lay on my left side for 10-15 minutes, and she retook it, and it was back to normal: 117/82. So that whole left side thing really works! As for why it was high, I don't really know. I hadn't had much water today, I had caffeine, and we didn't wait in the waiting room so long that I had fallen asleep. Any of those could be factors, I suppose.

Dr. K did the pelvis check, and there's still no development in regards to dilation and effacement. She'll be gone next week, so we're meeting with Dr. P. I asked if Dr. P would make any decisions, such as to go ahead and induce or something. She said, no probably not, though she might set a future date for induction. She checked her calendar quickly and said maybe somewhere around December 1st. But she said that really, we didn't need to have that conversation until we saw her (Dr. K) on the 26th. She understands our desire for a natural delivery and for things happening on their own, so she actually never used the word "induction," but only said, "We'll have to talk about doing something." So maybe that week before would be a good time to get a pedicure and foot massage to trigger those points that supposedly start labor!

We went over our birth plan with Dr. K. Again, I was amazed and thankful that we have such a great doctor. I know I don't have anything to compare to, but I really didn't expect her to go over each piece with us, offer her own advice and explanation, and even give us some tips on how to talk to the nurses, who can tend to be anti-natural. She specifically brought up the hep lock/IV choice, and said there are many nurses who walk into your room right after you've checked in with an IV bag and pole, ready to hook you up. She said that's unecessary, and the best thing to do is to say, "Dr. K requested that we not have an IV until we're ready for pain medication." That way, they get the satisfaction of knowing we'll get it eventually (if I don't make it natural), and it holds them off "for a little while," Dr. K says. The worst thing to do is tell them straight up that you don't want an IV, because it just starts things off on the wrong foot, and you really want your nurse to like you.

She also mentioned the food issue, and basically said not to eat something that you wouldn't mind seeing later, because around 3 of 4 centimeters dilated, lots of women tend to throw up. I told her I figured I'd only eat things I would eat if I had the stomach flu (clear liquids, bland foods), and she said that would probably be fine. Now regarding nipple stimulation (I told you it would come up again), she said that it was fine as long as I'm on the monitor at the time, and to under no circumstances tell the nurses! She said the monitor was important because it could actually cause the baby's heartbeat to change, and if it did, and the nurse comes running in, just say, "I don't know what happened! I was just scratching an itch, and all of the sudden THIS happened!" Ah....labor humor...I love it.

But I thought it was especially interesting how the nurse brought up these three issues--IV, food, and natural labor stimulation--and Dr. K also (without our prodding) brought up the same issues. She said there's one nurse named Joyce who is the most encouraging nurse when it comes to natural labor/delivery, and will do everything she can to help you meet your goal. So if y'all want to pray for Joyce to be on duty, that would be fine with me!

Dr. K said she would be in and out of the room periodically while I'm in labor, assuming she's around when I'm delivering. I was a little surprised, because I just expected her to show up at the end. She said she used to hang around a lot more, but she values her sleep more these days. I guess I can respect that. :)

I asked about an Arbonne cream I'm trying as an experiment to lessen the swelling in my ankles. She gave her usual response, "As long as you don't drink it or inject it, it's fine." So we'll see how it goes. If it works, I'll report!

And that, my friends, was the appointment! Very informative, for sure! Everyone, from the sonographer to the nurse to the doctor, was a fountain of information today. And I've just passed it on to you and you didn't even have to pay a copay. How's that for service!

Thirty-Seven Weeks: "Things are not the same"

KarenD's baby blog has been a source for all things pregnento these past nine months. I check up on my belly progress compared to hers, on my aches and pains, etc. I hadn't read it in a few weeks, but I remembered a post entitled, "Things are not the same," and I thought, "Boy, that sure would describe me lately." And sure enough, that was the title of her 36-week update!

And though everyone's pregnancy is different, mine does seem to be following a similar pattern as Karen's. I've already mentioned that this week my feet have gotten swollen...not bad, but it doesn't go down no matter how much I put my feet up, drink water, or even wait it out overnight. They seem to be happy in their swollen state, and I expect they'll stay that way until Caleb comes. Sunday evening I noticed that my ring wouldn't come off very easily, either. Today that's better, which is good.

On Saturday, I vowed to knock out as much Christmas shopping as I could. After a photo shoot at 9am, I headed home, gathered coupons, and hit the stores. I didn't come back home until 4pm! However, by the time I'd left the second store, I felt VERY tired...almost shaky! I called Jon to meet me for lunch. By the time we got together (one store and three gifts later!), I was walking pretty slowly and sat for as long as I could. I've never been a big shopper, but I couldn't believe how quickly I'd tired out! When I got home, I felt very accomplished and very pooped. I napped while dinner was cooking, and I took a nice long nap Sunday afternoon. I think it's something I'll be incorporating into my daily routine, if I can.

Speaking of napping, maybe the worst pregnancy ailment so far is that I've become a SNORER!! I have NEVER snored, except when sick or really really tired. Jon doesn't snore either, so we enjoy a nice quiet sleep time. Not any more, evidently! The first night Jon suffered through it, and went off to take a mid-term the next morning sleep-deprived. The next night he moved to the couch for a little bit, but the couch was not made for a 6'4" sleeper, so he eventually came back. Tuesday night I slept on the couch, and all was bliss. It may be a standing arrangement for awhile.

But really, how embarrassing. A friend of mine said it was inevitable since pregnant women gain weight so quickly, and we also deal with more sinus stuff. I tried those nose strips. They are pretty neat, and at first I thought it was great, but I woke up the next morning with the inside of my nose feeling chapped, I guess because I'd opened it all up to the cold air. And now I think I've got a cold, and I'm blaming it on the nose strip. I'm taking some cold medicine, so maybe that will help with the snoring, too. In the meantime, it's the couch for me!

Also on my shopping trip I picked out a couple of nursing bras. I hope they'll work okay and I get the hang of the little snaps pretty quickly. It's disappointing how little variety there is in nursing bras, but I was pleased that there was at least some variety. I came away with a beige bra with light pink accents, which was about as "designed" as they come. All the others were solid black, white, or beige.

On Tuesday I took the carseat to the hospital, where they installed it for me. The experience was a little bit of a letdown overall. First, the safest spot in the car for the carseat is the back middle seat. I quickly realized there was no way it would fit back there and still allow Jon to drive or even ride in the car. So, we had to move it to the passenger side back seat. Now Jon can drive, but the front passenger seat is scooted up so far that my knees almost touch the glove compartment. And babies have to be in carseats for how long??

Then the lady installing the seat for me highly recommended I not use the car protector pad I'd gotten, because it had not been safety tested and approved. Okay...that's fine.... She also said no to the head positioner I'd gotten and the baby bunting for cold days. We'll just have to see about those. I'm sure they're fine. But guess what IS safety approved?? Pool noodles! Yep, they used pool noodles stuffed between the carseat and the seat to get everything at the proper angle. Isn't that weird! She showed me how to put the baby in the carseat and that was pretty much that!

Tuesday night I decided to start packing my hospital bag. All I did was add a few toiletries to my toiletry bag. And I went through Caleb's clothes and picked out all the newborn sizes. There are about 8 outfits, so I'll pick a couple from those to take to the hospital with us, and leave the others in an easily-accessible spot for when we all come home.

I can't believe we're already at the point of doing this kind of stuff!

At 37 weeks, Caleb has officially made it to full-term. His lungs and everything else should be fully-functional if he were born today! Baby Center estimates his weight to be about 6 1/3 pounds, and length to be 19 inches.

And that, my friends, is the update!

Thirty-Six Weeks

I'm officially 9 months pregnant! With only four weeks to go! Eek!

I'm so excited. I'm ready for Caleb to come in every way except for work. My boss and I agreed yesterday that I was now in "finish up" mode, with no more projects added to my plate. We'll see if he sticks to that. Right now, we're adding two new products--both of which require all new marketing pieces, a booklet with lots of little pieces, our quarterly newsletter is due, as well as two ads for magazines that I still have to present a budget to the president for. Yeah, it's going to be a great month. If I drop off the face of the planet for the next few weeks, I hope you understand.

So, how's our little boy doing this week? Caleb is probably about 6 pounds and over 18.5 inches long. He's gaining about an ounce a day. I can tell, because I've been hungry! He still moves a lot. Sometimes his little baby bum pokes up into my rib cage, causing me to jump and get as ramrod straight as I can. I rub on that spot until he settles into a more comfortable position. He occasionally gets his foot (or something...a knee? elbow?) all the way on my side, forming a little knob. If I poke on it, it tingles, like there's a nerve between him and me. So I usually leave that alone, and he moves pretty soon. The dr. said he would pretty much stay in head-down position now, which is how I know the bump poking into my rib cage is his bum. He still moves from side to side; sometimes the right side of my belly is hard, sometimes the left. It's all very fascinating to me, as you can probably tell from the amount of time I've spent describing it!

My ankles are swelling. Woe is me. I'm trying to drink lots of water to make it go down. No luck so far, so I'm just avoiding looking at my ankles. My hands might be starting to swell a little, too, since the larger ring I've been wearing on my left ring finger is starting to get a bit tighter. Not too tight, but it's really been too big, and it's fitting nicely now.

I've had a bit of pampering this week! Yesterday, Jon used some of his "mad money" to get me a massage! What a great husband!! I haven't had a massage in several years, and it was really nice and relaxing. I'd been told by a friend that prenatal massages are on a table with a hole cut out for my belly to fit into. I was kind of excited about that, because I've really missed laying on my stomach, and was looking forward to that. Well, no such luck. We started with me on my back (with pillows under my knees and my back), and I realized there was no hole. Then I thought, maybe a piece of the table comes out to make the hole. But no. It ended up that I turned on my side with a body pillow for support, and she rubbed my back that way--first one side, then I flipped and she did the other. So no stomach goodness, but all in all a very nice massage!

During pregnancy, you're not supposed to rub your ankles, because of pressure points there that could induce labor. I asked about that, and the lady said she'd actually had several women come in specifically for that purpose, and it had worked every time! Crazy, huh? So I guess if I'm way overdue, I could always try that.

And, as one more pampering treat, I'm getting maternity photos today!! As you know, I take maternity photos, so it was inevitable that I would want some of my own. However, I quickly found out that I cannot afford anyone else's rates. Many people charged $200 for the sitting fee alone! I had a few ideas of how to get photos, including offering myself as a model for aspiring photographers (Jon was very against that), and using a mirror and trying to do it myself. Enter Leslie! Leslie is a newbie to the area: just married, just moved, and just pregnant...with twins! She's also a photographer like me! So, we arranged a little switcharoo. She's doing my photos this month, and I'm doing hers next month (as long as Caleb cooperates!). We're going to swap files and call it even (though she's offered to edit my files, which would be awesome). Leslie is my first local photog friend, so I'm really excited to get to know her better, and I can't wait to return the favor of photos next month.

Jon, on the other hand, is not nearly as excited about photos as I am. He knows I can be more of the artsy type, so he fears we're going to be doing nude shots together or something. Well, no fears there. I have no expectations of pulling a Demi Moore pose. I do want to show my belly, so Leslie and I have arranged to do some photos of just me indoors, and then we'll go to the park with Jon. The park will give Jon confidence that we'll be fully clothed the whole time! It's going to be a great day!

Thirty-Four Weeks

Okay, so I know this post is coming just three days after the last "weekly" update, but I'm supposed to be writing them on Thursdays, so I've got to have a short week at some point to catch up!

So, thirty-four weeks:

Caleb weighs 4.75 pounds and is almost 18 inches long! He's now past the "worry zone" and will most likely be born healthy, even if he's born today! He might have a little more lung development needed, but babies born this early generally have no trouble catching up. Jon's baby book says he was born 3-5 weeks premature, at 5 pounds, 11 ounces, and he turned out just fine! As a side note, if Jon were exactly 5 weeks early, his due date was the day before my birthday!

In other news, I busted out my Pilates video this morning. And yes, it's the first time I've done it since the last time I mentioned it on this blog. (I'd find that post and link to it for you, but then I'd know exactly how long it's been, and I don't want to know that.) Anyway, the bends and stretches are not so easy any more! There's something called a belly getting in my way! I'm really missing being able to bend over, or (sigh) roll onto my stomach at night.... Those were the days!

Caleb has gotten all kinds of hiccups over the last couple of days! Yesterday I was in a meeting at work, and he hiccuped for about 15 minutes of the meeting. I thought sure everyone must be noticing my twitching belly, but no one did. They're not as transfixed by my rotund self as I am, I suppose.

And that's about it for the three-day update! I've been out of town the whole time with work, so not much baby-related went on.

More next week!

Thirty-Three Weeks

Week 33 has come and gone! What's happened in this week? Well, it's been just about more of the same. Caleb is still active, and it's fun to try to figure out where he is in my belly. He weighs a little over 4 pounds and is 17 inches long!

As far as how I'm doing physically, things are again, pretty much the same. I think I might bust into a waddle pretty soon, which won't be pretty, but I guess it has to happen eventually! I haven't been sleeping well, which also affects Jon's sleep, and I have lots of weird dreams. I got my first yeast infection. Woohoo. On our first prenatal visit, our nurse had said to go ahead and get some Monistat, because I would be needing it. So it's quite common in pregnancy, but I hope I don't see much more of it. And why, you ask, would I even mention such a thing on a public blog? Well, I figure this is for "posterity"--to document for myself what happened, and to document for those who haven't experienced it, yet. To those women, aren't you excited about what's coming?? :)

Over the weekend, I took back duplicates, etc., that I'd received at showers. I made a list of everything we absolutely needed before Caleb's birth. Thanks to the blessings of family and friends, that list is pretty short! I gathered coupons and Jon and I made three separate purchases at Babies R Us (to maximize the coupons), and we used gift cards, with more to spare for next week's purchases! (BRU coupons are only valid one week, so I have another set of coupons to use next week!)

Before all this, I had been worrying about everything that we still needed, and that we wouldn't have enough money to get it all. But now it looks like we'll have everything we need, without spending much (if any) money out of our own pocket! We are so blessed!

Once the short list I made has been fulfilled, everything else on our registry is open game for Christmas! :)

This past weekend I also organized the nursery again; I found places for the things that hadn't gotten settled, yet. I took all the tags off of toys. I put away diapers and bath stuff. I put all the 0-3 month clothes in the dresser and 3-6 month (and beyond) in a Rubbermaid tub. Thanks, Karen, for all the cute Ian clothes! My dresser is now packed!

Today I'm going to a 3-day business meeting with work, and I realized that after this, my next bag to pack will be my hospital bag! How exciting is that! I have a few things on my mind that I'd like to get before that, as well, but they're all "wish list" stuff, not necessaries. So all in all, I feel prepared for where we are right now.

Some days (or moments in a day) I struggle with the fact that our life will never be the same, and there's nothing we can do about it. It's not like a move or a job that we can back out of. This is permanent. And while most of the time I'm excited about that, some of the time I dread it. Life's gonna change big time. It's kind of like how we all look back on our college days as some of the best times--we had the most freedoms with the least amount of responsibility. I think I'll look back at our "pre-kids" marriage that way as well. These have been good years. Sometimes hard, but very, very good. And then someday I'll look back at the toddler years, or the school-age years, and think the same thing. Hard, but very, very good.

Thirty-One Weeks

This week hasn't brought a whole lot of change. My mental health has been a lot better recently, so thanks for those of you who have been praying for me in that area, and please continue!

I will admit I have gotten stressed lately about when people are doing what, and nothing like throwing in the two biggest holidays of the year (for me, anyway) to make things more confusing. A little easier, in a way, because people will be traveling or off work already, but I just start thinking about it, and I feel I have to orchestrate the whole family, so 1) Jon and I aren't completely overwhelmed and tired out with hosting/traveling (oh...and figuring out a baby...), and 2) everyone gets to see Caleb. I know it will all work out just fine, but that's not helping me worry less for some reason.

*Edit* I have the best husband in the world. He just called me and we talked out a really good plan, I think. Of course, it depends on everyone else's schedules as well, but we'll be calling around to make sure that will work for everyone (mostly parents). I know six weeks is going to fly by, but right now it sounds like a long and wonderful time. It will be great to have the luxury of spending good amounts of time with family, and still have weeks where it's just us--the three of us--to figure each other out. Did I mention I have a great husband?

Onward with the post: The other night I couldn't sleep. It was the night after my dr. appt. and our last Lamaze class, so I guess it was just my mind not letting me sleep. Anyway, I finally got up at 4:45 and started writing lists (this is what I do when I'm stressed). I listed out what to pack for the hospital and the exact steps I should take after contractions start (stuff like feeding the cats before going to the hospital, who to call when, etc.). Since then, I've also added lists of what I need to have accomplished in Sept, Oct, and Nov. I'm sure those lists will appear here soon.

So, that's where I am mentally. Physically, I feel fat and flabby. And you can't tell me I'm not, because my legs have certainly changed their constitution! I'm not saying my legs were ever bikini model shape, but biking and pilates did keep them in relative shape. Now, well, now it's not such a pretty picture. We went swimming on Tuesday, and I hope it's something we can keep up, because I really enjoyed it, and felt like I was doing something--anything--to be active, which is a good step! I've about outgrown my step-up bras, so I need to step up one more...this time I'm wondering if I should go ahead and get nursing bras, but for as cheaply as I got these, I may just wait a bit longer on that.

It's odd how our self-perception changes. I was looking at a picture the other day of me a few years back in a dress that I've always been a little self-conscious about. It wasn't the greatest at hiding my stomach pooch. But when I saw that picture today, I thought, "Man, I was skinny! Look at that flat stomach!" The same happens when I look at my beginning belly pics. When I posted those first photos, I thought, "Well, now the world knows about my flabby belly." And now I look back and I'm pretty impressed at myself! :) I know my world will be up-side-down after Caleb comes, but I'm really hoping I can get back to that kind of shape. I wasn't really happy with it at the time, but it's looking pretty good from this side!

And how is Mr. Caleb this week? He's 16 inches long, 3.3 pounds, and "heading into a growth spurt!" Woohoo! I haven't felt a lot of sharp kicks lately, but he's almost always moving. I even felt what I think was a heel under my hand...and way on my side. I thought those were love handles, but it turns out Caleb lives there, too! He's taking over my belly!

Thirty Weeks

Whoo, hitting 30 is pretty incredible! We've almost made it through our Lamaze classes (only one more Monday), then we have a break from "training" until we attend a Baby Care weekend class.

Preparations seem to have slowed a bit since we got the nursery together. Our first shower is coming up, which I'm super-excited about, and we're trying to start winding things down with church involvement and projects. I reminded a lady at work yesterday that I wouldn't be able to do the newsletter we usually put out at the beginning of January. She thought maybe we could bump it back a month, which I said was fine, but after I got off the phone, I wondered if I'd still be working there in February. Jon got his resume together last night, with one going in the mail today. So the job hunt has started! We'll see where God takes us!

And how is Caleb doing this week? Jill mentioned that she'd read that babies are most active in week 28, but I'd say it's been this past week for us. He moves all around, and when I lay on my said, he pushes against whatever I'm laying on. There have been a couple of times when I actually gasp because of the surprising bit of pain I feel, but it's so quick (and really more of a surprise than painful) that it still isn't bothering me or keeping me awake.

Speaking of being awake, I am still sleeping through the night! No midnight trips to the bathroom! I'm pretty proud of my bladder's capacity, actually. Though Jon and I were out on a date on Tuesday, and I had to go to the bathroom three times! Not sure what happened there....

Okay, back to Caleb. He's grown to almost 16 inches, and weighs three pounds! It won't be too long before he catches up with Bonnie and Clyde! I haven't felt any more hiccups, but I might just be missing them. Who knows. And that's about all I know about my little baby boy. I can't wait until he's made his debut so I can take pictures and give you videos. Right now these updates are mostly about me (and my bladder, apparently), which is only interesting to people who haven't been through it, yet.

Lamaze was interesting on Monday night. We took a tour of the hospital, which was very cool. My doctor's office is on the same floor, and just a short walk away, so I think I can figure it out, even in the throes of labor. :) If not, I'll make it to my dr's office, and someone can guide me from there! The labor/delivery room is very nice! It's big, with a couch, a couple chairs, and a rocking chair. The furniture looks like real furniture: cherry dresser and armoire, and a frou-frou lamp on the side table. I remember there being a spotlight in Karen's room, so the dr. could see better (yes, spotlight on the hooha...just what everyone needs), but was a little relieved to see that wasn't here in this hospital. Oh, until the instructor pushed the magic button, and these huge trap doors opened from the ceiling to reveal a ginormous spotlight. Great! Well, at least everyone will have a good view!

Throughout the tour, I was again reminded of the beauty of labor, and how God works out this crazy thing in us. The more I learn (and I realize I'm learning from a proponent of natural birth), the more I think that natural birth is the way to go. No, I haven't seen any evidence that it's that much better for the baby, but it does seem that it's better for the mama (barring the pain part, of course). Studies show that having a baby while in a sitting position can reduce labor time by 25%! That's quite a lot! The normal way we see birth is with mom laying back, or sometimes slightly inclined. There are positions that help the baby turn, that move him down more, and prevent tearing or the need for an epesiotomy. If my legs are like jello, I can't do those positions.

So, the debate in my head continues. My original thought had been to go natural as long as I can, but not be a martyr about it, and if I can't function, well the epidural is there. I still think I'm going with that, but my resolve to last as long as I can has gotten stronger. I kind of have a feeling there will be a point where I will get the epidural, and that's fine. But secretly I'm hoping that I'm a hoss and I make it all natural. I at least want to do as much as I can do get that baby where he needs to be, so if I do get an epidural, everything is set and it's just a matter of pushing. We'll see if I'm singing the same tune when that first real contraction hits!

Twenty-Nine Weeks

This week I've started to feel more pregnant. When my parents were here to help with the nursery, my getting up and down got a lot slower, and I did a lot of sitting and directing when I would have rathered help out. My lower back is starting to hurt, and bending down to put my shoes on has become a chore. I usually cheat and just wear flip-flops; then my belly growth becomes more obvious when it's been a few days since I've tried to reach my toes!

I'm also grumpier. There is just no way around it. I feel...different. Blah. Not depressed, but not happy. Just here. I don't know if that's hormones, lack of sleep, lack of vacation, or too much stress. Or all of the above! I don't have any motivation at work, or inspiration in creativity. I'm starting to dread the words, "Lydia's creative; let's ask her!" because I'm stuck stammering, trying to get my brain to jump into gear. It's a horrible feeling to be in a creative profession and not feel creative.

I've also had about the most scatterbrained week of my life. I've forgotten/overlooked things at work, lost things at home, misplaced Sunday School signups. I've always joked about how scatterbrained I am, but it's reached alarming proportions this week!

I fel like I'm walking around in a fog. No emotion, unless it's angry or snippy. No thoughts, unless they're jumbled and confused. No creativity. At all. And no happy, carefree-ness. Has someone swapped my brain for a bowl of angry mush?? Whatever has happened, I'm thankful it hasn't been all the way through the pregnancy, and I'm thankful for my very understanding friends and family. And I look forward to my maternity leave, when I can take a break from most things. I know...I'll have this little bundle of complication keeping me awake and taking away any sanity I might have hung on to, but at least I'll know his needs are pretty simple, and in most cases I can fill them.

And that's my confession for today! One could probably read this and send me straight to a counselor, but I'm pretty sure it's just pregnancy. September is looking much less busy, and my only busy Saturday in October is going to the State Fair (I don't care how pregnant I am!), so things are looking up! Plus, today is absolutely gorgeous, and who can be ALL gloom and doom when there's a hint of fall in the morning air?

So, way too much about me....how about Caleb?? The weeks are just ticking by.... He should be about 2.5 pounds and 15 inches long by now. His bones are starting to pack on the calcium, which means I get to eat more cheese to compensate! Hooray! And his rocking and rolling is still so fun. Sure, sometimes it's uncomfortable, but it's still not bad.

A few new people have asked lately if I'm expecting. Then they ask how far along I am, and I get confused. Do I tell them 7 months, since 29 weeks is a little over 7 months, when considering a month is 4 weeks? But then they think I'll have the baby in two more months, which I won't. I still have almost three months. But I'm certainly not just 6 months along, and dang-it, I've earned the right to count every day! So I try to tell them I'm due at the end of November, and hope that suffices. Lately, every response is, "but you're still so small!" I don't feel small, and I'm pretty sure my size is normal for 29 weeks. However, I do understand, because I myself was under the misconception that mama is full-blown belly throughout the last trimester. I'm happy that I'm not!

So there's week 29 for you, in all its glory! Things are getting exciting, I love that my house is in place and put together, and I can't wait for fall and the holidays! Because that means Caleb will be here!

Twenty-Eight Weeks

Sorry this post is a little late. My parents have been here for Labor Day weekend, and WE HAVE A NURSERY NOW! So, yes, a little occupied this weekend! My mom will have pictures up, soon, I'm sure, and I'll try to take some as well. You'll get a more detailed account then. For now, I'll say I love the nursery, and Jon and I already enjoy sitting in there.

So, on to the Little Man: Caleb is two and a quarter pounds and almost 15 inches long. If you compare that with last week's update, he's gained more girth than height, I think. He's almost to the point where he's just "bulking up" for the Big Push.

I feel like my belly has grown quite a bit. For a couple of weeks, it didn't really grow much, but last week I had that tight feeling, like if I breathed in too much it would pop. And, it turns out, my belly pics reflect that! (You can see my belly pics up to week 28 in the sidebar now.) It's also possible to not only feel Caleb from the outside, but see him! Sometimes I think he's doing a little jig in there, based on the way my belly bounces around. They're small movements, but so fun to watch!

Other than that, I've been a little slower-moving lately. It takes longer to stand up, or get off the floor, or bend down to pick something up. I have to sit up very straight to accommodate the baby poking my lungs--no more slouching for me! Hopefully I'll keep that habit after Caleb's born. My feet swell slightly from being on them all day, and I tire out more easily, but I don't think it's kept me from doing too much; my mom and I still managed to shop all afternoon yesterday!

And that's about it for the update! Nursery pics will be coming!

Twenty Six...and Twenty Seven....Weeks

Well, pooh, I've almost made it to the end of this week, and I never posted about last week! (Counting for the week ends every Wednesday.) So, I think I'll smoosh the two weeks together, since they're mostly smooshed in my mind, anyway.

I had a dream last night that Caleb was born. The birth was so easy--the only hard part was that I'd gotten bee stings all over my arms from a random swarm of bees, who were all now dead, through an even more random poison in the house that obviously affected no one but the bees. I guess I figured, after bee stings, what's a little labor and delivery, eh?

Last night was our second Lamaze class, and we saw two videos, not just one. As a side note, these videos remind me a lot of nature videos. We're watching this natural occurrence (which looks very unnatural, by the way) which takes about the same time as watching a snake molt--and almost as boring until the very end--and there's a soft narrator in the background: The mother draws inside herself, no longer worried about the world around her, but pulling from the strength of her instincts. Her family gives her constant and quiet support. She rests when she can.... I'm pretty sure they just pull the script from "How Farm Animals Are Born" and add in a bit about families or something to make it for us. Thankfully, the end of the movie ends in happiness and tears, whereas the other nature movies usually end in, "And the mother eats her young, thus negating all her hard work." Every time a baby is born in these movies, I tear up. It reminds me of when Ian was born, and what a relief to see him and hear him. I know I'm going to cry when Caleb's born, and it's a pretty safe bet that Jon will be crying (Caleb, too, now that I think of it), so you can bet we'll be a big snotty mess at the end of our ordeal!

On another note, last night's videos were about the different positions to be in during labor. Everything was fine until they showed a lady screaming during contractions. I thought I could do this, and then it turns out they've been editing out all the horror stories. That one just managed to slip through the cracks, and now I'm not so sure I want Caleb to come out. Ever.

Speaking of the little guy, let's see what kind of growing he's been doing the last couple of weeks.... Caleb is almost 2 pounds now! He's 14.5 inches long, and his lungs are developed enough at this point that they would be able to function (with medical intervention) out in the open. Let's hope he doesn't have to try them out for several more weeks!

I've been trying to notice things about Caleb: does he have a sleep pattern, has he gotten the hiccups, how is he situated in the uterus. But, alas, I have no idea about any of these questions. I've never been good at noticing developing patterns. I think I would've noticed the hiccups, though. I do notice that he seems to have direct access to my hip bone, because I could swear he pokes it every once in awhile. Sometimes his pokes actually make me jump, though they're so fleeting that they don't really hurt.

My belly seems to have slowed its growth--maybe it's absorbing the 8 pounds I packed on last month, which evidently did NOT, in fact, go to my belly. I know this because I now have stretch marks on my rear, not my belly, and I know that Caleb is not growing in my rear. That's all me....sigh.... Anyway, there's a girl who's 8 weeks behind me, and her belly is as big as mine! Granted, she's teeny tiny, so she's all belly, but still, I have an 8-week jump on her! I guess Caleb is just spreading out more than balling up in front.

Otherwise on the pregnancy front, I've noticed it's getting harder to get up and down from the floor, which is where I spend a lot of my time during photo shoots! I've also cried more--twice in two days last week--which is very unusual for me. On a good note, I'm sleeping through the night, now! It turns out that it wasn't me having to get up to pee that made me wake up. It was the cats. They've been kicked out of the room, and I'm sleeping very nicely. A couple of nights in a row, I slept very fitfully, but I think it was from an overworked brain still trying to think things out. Three photo shoots and the Big Shift in one weekend can do that to you, I guess.

Speaking of the Big Shift, it's almost complete! Our living room is all shifted around, desks and computer added, and I really like it! I mean, not just, "oh, I can tolerate it for the next few months." I really like it! I think it's a good layout, and won't feel too cramped at all. So that's nice. When we get all the random stuff put away, I'll take pictures.

And I think that about covers these last two weeks! More to come on this exciting journey!

Twenty-Five Weeks!

Caleb has grown to 13.5 inches this week! He weighs a pound and a half, which is quite an increase from last week. I can tell, too! His kicks are getting to be a bit more than love taps. Jon and I watched my belly hop and jump for a few minutes last night. It feels kind of like muscle spasms, or big popcorn balls popping.

As for me, I've noticed a few disturbing things from the first trimester creeping back in. I'm starting to get crabby again. Woohoo. And my face has started to break out more. And I'm tired again. Well, actually, I think I've been tired all the way through! :)

A friend of mine who is a couple months ahead of me said that she experienced the same thing--even with a bit of morning sickness--when she hit the third trimester. The hormones must be realigning again or something. She did assure me that it lightens up a bit...not back to 2nd trimester bliss, but a bit!

And for once, I really have kept my update short! More later!